”self-effacing slack isn’t exactly having a tough time of it right now, but few do it with Catt’s awkward charm and tunefulness” – Crack In The Road
“Having come to this with no prior knowledge I’ve found it to be thoroughly refreshing and packed full of brilliant moments” – Muso’s Guide
“This music has that kind of laid-back, slightly arched-eyebrow feel, a fine fine band who no-one really seems to know enough about” – Song By Toad
O, Weirdo is another slacker gem from Fantasy Rainbow, the one man / three man / four man (it really does depend on the day) indie troupe from Manchester led by Oliver Catt, and the first to be released on the increasingly excellent Heist Or Hit. Delivering a youthful, anxious slice of indie-rock, ‘O, Weirdo’ has much more of the SST Records, J Mascis and Malkmus sound about it than it does any musical references from its geographical home. Joy Division homage, this is not.
Initially conceived as a bedroom recording outfit, Fantasy Rainbow’s departure from obscurity has been rapid. Last year, a newly eighteen year old Oliver Catt recorded four songs with the help of friend Jonathan Coddington, a collaboration which led to a demo which would generate a large amount of buzz in the north east music scene.
Immediately after the release of this demo Fantasy Rainbow was picked up by Gateshead based D.I.Y label Tiny Lights Recordings and over the next nine months would go on to release three full length releases in the shape of the ‘Teens’ EP, the ‘Healthy Lung, Dirty Lung’ cassette and the ‘No Hope. Not Ever’ EP.
Soon; all three releases were receiving regular national airplay from the likes of XFM, BBC 6 Music & Amazing Radio resulting in both of the first two releases selling out.
Recently signed to Heist Or Hit Records, the first recording with the label for the now nineteen years old and Manchester based, Oliver, was with former The Answering Machine frontman, Martin Colclough who recorded and produced the single O, Weirdo released on multi coloured vinyl 7” on 20th August 2012.
Just after the single was recorded, Oliver was invited to record his debut full length in Nashville, Tennessee in Sputnik Sound Studios run by Grammy Award winning producer, Vance Powell (Jack White etc). The album, produced by Ed Spear and now in final production, is scheduled for release by Heist Or Hit Records in November 2012.
