Tender Prey Organ Calzone

The latest long playing release to emerge from Jane Weaver’s fertile Bird Records (via Finders Keepers) comes from tantrum-pop super hero and long-term spar Tender Prey – personally known amongst Cardiff watering holes and DIY studios as Laura Bryon or Le B.

This long anticipated feature-length offering entitled Organ Calzone captures the inimitable drummy saccharine tinged pow-wow punk heard at her celebrated live shows (including repeat invites to Festival No 6 and Green Man) thanks to the recordings skills of Steven “Sweet Baboo” Black and the unanimous gushing encouragement of virtually anyone who meets her. As the latest enfant terrible to come out of the Welsh capital’s intertwined dysfunctional family tree Laura has racked up countless road miles on tour with bezzy mates H.Hawkline and Cate Le Bon (another Bird school alumni) whilst filling secret diary pages with warm-ups for Chicago’s Ezra Furman and as support-act-in-residence for Jane Weaver. But where others might nurse post-tour hangovers dissolving Beroccas Laura’s recent anti-downtime has been spent constructing further walls of noise to the beat of Miss Emma Daman Thomas (drummer in Islet) and layering her own breed of distorted guitar, close enough chord changes and affectionate sarcastic sweetness all of which form the this collection of vari-speed compositions.

Comparisons to D.C. femme-punk band Slant 6 and specific permutations of Thee Headcoatees will crumble under the Laura’s very unique personality, which in another era would warrant her own French comic strip. As well as repeat radio sessions for BBC6 Music and double-thumbs from Marc Riley, Laura will be spreading her music over various formats sharing vinyl sides with Jane Weaver’s latest single while presenting special editions of the LP on vintage reclaimed compact cassette (with free Rorschach psychiatrist cards). Order the Organ Calzone – contents might scold.