Spencer McGarry Season is the musical outlet for songwriter and composer Spencer McGarry, originally formed in 2005 in Cardiff, Wales. Having written dozens of songs following the demise of his previous group The Room Orchestra, McGarry began to plan six albums, each in a different and distinct style, to be titled Episodes 1-6. At first a three-piece rock outfit composed of McGarry, bassist Stephen Black (aka Sweet Baboo) and drummer Avvon Chambers, the trio self-released their first single Leader Of The Chain Gang in June 2006. After several years playing the songs that would make up Episode 1, including successful appearances at the 2006 Electric Proms and the 2007 Great Escape festival in Brighton, McGarry, Black and some friends formed their own label Businessman Records with an aim of promoting Cardiff bands worthy of greater exposure. The label's first release was Spencer McGarry Season's second single A Title Sparks Would Have Used in September 2007. A download-only single, A Paler Shade Of Wit, preceded the band's self-produced full-length debut Episode 1 which was released in January 2009 and which summarised the classic three-piece rock style of the band's early years, with shades of the Jam, the Kinks and Talking Heads. Work then began on the songs which would eventually make up Episode 2. Augmenting the line-up with guests from The Hot Puppies, Barefoot Dance Of The Sea and Cardiff New Music Collective amongst others, 2009 was largely taken up with recording the second LP with strings, brass, woodwind, percussion and additional vocals. The album, produced by Charlie Francis (High Llamas, REM), takes its cues from a broad range of influences, with the 20th century musical theatre of Rogers and Hammerstein, Gershwin and Irving Berlin noticeable alongside the baroque pop of Brian Wilson, Sufjan Stevens and The Beatles and even modern classicists Steve Reich and Philip Glass. With huge faux-operatic moments, jazz passages, knowing avant campness and out-and-out noise, culminating in a 20-minute medley, the results make for a challenging yet warm and accessible record and a massive step forward. The album was premiered with a full recital at Cardiff's Chapter Arts Centre in March 2010, and will be released in May 2010.
