Tom Lumley and the Brave Liaisons – EP release and Summer UK tour dates.

‘Sign Of The Times’ is a sound of the times. It’s the debut EP (four songs via Fort Records) from Tom Lumley and the Brave Liaison – are a driven Cambridgeshire delight who sound like a noisy frolics weekend night out, any time or day! http://cdbaby.lnk.to/SignOfTheTimes

Freshly released, ‘Sign Of The Times’ is loaded with tangents of rough riffs and nagging lead licks, urgent rib digging chant alongs over slammed beats. Recordings on a mission to move hearts, heads, hips (and any remaining minds that don’t believe in the unending power of rhythm and blues in all it’s forms of popular music). 

This heartfelt collection of tunes have inspired over ten thousand Spotify streams at time of writing – a lockdown essential, then for now and beyond. Defying geographical location (there’s aurally something U.S. of A. in their DNA), the song dynamics have been honed live on stage to audience response. An old school and honest approach built on putting the work in over the last few years to arrive now.

Diving straight in with the latest release ‘Shrink’, (which frankly starts like a frantic mental health session) Tom Lumley & The Brave Liaison want to move and engage people. This passion is how artists end up woven into this documentary. TheZineUK’s tapestry is one plot twist after another. Come on fate, here we are.

As Events Department, I sought energised rock n roll for Autumn 2018 shows. There was a YouTube of ‘Crawling’ live, that caught my attention but I didn’t end up staging the planned events. Kick Out The Jams Mix-Ups started. We love TheZineUK being part of that, and it seems daft to have another Newer Wave monthly gig.

Then Summer 2019, seeking to return to Cambridge Portland Arms, where they do the really good chips (thanks Rosey R*E*P*E*A*T!), another live video which put Tom Lumley and The Brave Liaisonon a wish list of bands to support on a tour. It was obviously that gigs are where much magic happens via interactive charisma. Tom Lumley and the Brave Liaison go from strength to strength.

Ta-daah voila, hallo 2020! ” BBC Introducing Cambridge put them on the radar of Huw Stephens’s BBC Radio 1 for this year’s ones to watch and  “The Brits of Buzz” (i.e. This Feeling “Big In 2020”) put them right back in TheZineUK’s line of sight. I guess the time was right. Hallo ‘Casual’ video, magnetise me!

I’m writing this while the tour had to be postponed for Safety First but is now rescheduled! Things are starting to knit together, band and documentary wise.

Despite the sad and scary pandemic, their rousing sounds have been lifting souls and spirits via international radio support the UK dates happen just when grassroots venues are at their make or break moment as Music Venue Trust’s #SaveOurVenues campaign attests. This Feeling is one of the key promoters on this circuit, got your tickets?

July and August live liaisons include the band’s first visit to Cardiff (our #BalconyOnlineFest buds, God Is In The TV recommend The Moon!), and I’ve got a feeling that this show is gonna go down a TREAT. Feels like the names (on and off stage) are really coming into their own this year. Bands are gonna need all the belief that we can give them. We’re saving our own souls by doing so. Have a looky hear of ‘Shrink’ and get ready to jump!

Gonna give the band the last word, as it’s time to look forward. I asked about their hopes for the future and for themselves;

“We really hope the world gets back to normal as soon as possible to be able to get back to the road and pushing forward playing shows to people. Our goals are to keep growing and hopefully tick more venues and festivals off of our bucket list”

I’ve got a feeling that will happen. Tom Lumley and the Brave Liaison are, very much, a Sign Of The Times.

Links / tickets / news https://facebook.com/TomLumleyMusic

Words: Caffy St Luce