PRESS CUTTINGS AND REVIEWS

It's a shame this CD comes in such a stark black and white sleeve, because the music it contains is so much richer and more colourful than the cover suggests. The Haiku are a DIY folk-rock duo from Wiltshire comprising acoustic guitar, vocal and drums. Life After The Bomb is their second full-length album with 11 tracks that veer seemlessly from Levellers-style folk-punk to singalong indie rock. For a two-piece, they make a big, energetic sound. The songs compliment each other musicall and thematically. Highlights of the collection include thge infectiously catchy 'Time', the martial drumming on the title track and the song 'Descent', which is probably one of the best songs REM never wrote.

By Gareth L Powell for Acoustic Magazine - View original

http://www.acousticmagazine.co.uk

Good songs from the trio, strongly sung like Glenn Tilbrook with imaginative arrangements and a rich variety of acoustic guitar tones. Innovations include playing the guitar with a drumstick and a handy ...microphone stand cup-holder.

By Kid Pensioner for Venue Magazine

http://www.venue.co.uk

THE HAIKU, a Japanese form of poetry but also a UK folk band, at times sounding like Bob Dylan, and other times the Waterboys. With more bands crossing the genre line, incorporating sounds from different musical categories, everyday a new genre is created, with The Haiku adopting the characteristics of one of the newest genres - Power Folk. A description of this genre: “Power folk refers to high energy music played on traditional folk instruments but influenced by college rock, punk and pop.” Dropkick Murphys and The Pogues being two other examples of Power Folk bands. An apt category for The Haiku’s music, this duo produces a surprisingly robust sound than would be imagined from only an acoustic guitar and drums. This sound combined with each song’s heartfelt, true to life lyrics, allows the listener to take away not only a highly enjoyable musical experience, but the feeling that other people are also pondering the meaning of life and the state of the world. A set of almost all original tracks, the only cover being Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights, which saw The Haiku adapting the song to suit their style, resulting in an upbeat acoustic version of this song – an excellent adaptation. The Haiku’s music is catchy, easy to listen to, at times raw sounding, but undoubtedly an art form, created by two highly talented and artistic musicians.

By Tamlyn Head for Unsigned Chart

http://www.unsignedchart.com/page/rubyz-3rd-may-2009

As you may have guessed by the title....The Haiku (pronounced Hi-Koo) don't beat around the bush, but tell it like it is.

For just two guys - drums, vocals & guitar - they make a big sound. Their cut-the-crap word play is laced with dry wit and their songs are oozing with melody and hooks.

This is music you can believe in, because these guys are doing it all themselves. Support them, they deserve it.

By Radio Caroline TV

http://www.radiocarolinetv.co.uk/#/haiku/4533384602

Power folk described The Haiku best… well crafted and incredibly tight, probably the best acoustic / drum act I’ve had the pleasure of hearing in years… oozing out an infectious energy...

By Cloudboy

Live review from Sonic Sanctuary All Dayer (14/03/2009)

Let me begin this piece by admitting that I’m not a hundred per cent sure I was actually supposed to be reviewing this CD as I received it in the post with no kind of covering note. However, last time I checked we do not live in a country where bands are known for indiscriminately sending their albums to random addresses for no apparent reason so I can assume that I’m not doing anything The Haiku didn’t want me to do by writing this. Anyway, for those of you who may not be aware a Haiku is a poem that consists of three lines. The first has five syllables, the second has seven and then the third has five. Haikus are tremendous fun, in fact my friend Chuffy and I spent a long winter a couple of years back talking to each other almost exclusively in Haikus online. That wasn’t all we did all winter obviously, but you get the point. Consequently, if a band are to name themselves after such a beautiful creation then they’d better be darn sure their music is worthy of its name, right? Well only if you need to get over yourself to be completely honest.

I feel I can make a couple of assumptions from listening to this album. The first is that The Haiku are thoroughly pleasant salt of the earth chaps. The second is that they care about being part of a musical trend about as much as the average person nowadays genuinely cares about anyone but themselves. Sorry, a little extreme of me there. Anyway, The Haiku’s songs have served a double purpose for me. Listening to them I feel heartened that there are at least two more thoroughly pleasant chaps out there than I previously knew about, yet at the same time I became disheartened that for every pair of thoroughly nice chaps there seem to be so many deeply unpleasant ones. However, closing track ‘Not enough people are wearing hats’ sums up my point perfectly with its refrain: “Not enough people are wearing hats, there is not much I can do about that.” It was a shrewd move to save this one for last as the utterly charming backing vocals end things on an uplifting note. The opening track is also well placed – ‘Drink it Away’ could almost be Mazzy Star’s ‘Fade Into You’ form a parallel universe, crafted by a cynical student’s union president with a penchant for songwriting. Other tracks worth a special mention include ‘Throwaway’, which shocked me somewhat with its use of the f-word but the harmonica lent an edge that brought to mind some of Beck’s most unashamedly American moments. ‘Taking Control’ is also a highlight with its stomping beat fused with some diverting jazzy chords.

The production is pretty lo-fi, which will be a euphemism to studio boffins out there, but a welcome breath of fresh air for those who prefer the organic to the synthetic sound. A pointless criticism of this album would be that The Haiku might well be dismissed by NME as the natural successors to The Levellers. This is pointless because there’s no harm in The Levellers, and the fact that this band could definitely not be described as cutting edge is a huge part of their charm. In ‘The News is: The World Sucks’ they sing that “The nice guy doesn’t bother ‘cause he knows he’ll finish last.” Well these guys have bothered, and how can you finish last in a race in which there are no rules? If you’re looking for something that will shatter your perceptions and throw you down a metaphorical alleyway of new horizons then ‘Fan the Flames’ should probably not be your first port of call. The ‘folk-rock’ tag would not be entirely harsh when applied to The Haiku, and I think it’s fair to say that the vast majority of these songs are of a similar pace and feel. However, I’d also say that this album’s salt of the earth qualities must make it incredibly difficult to dislike, and it is one that could be played during any quiet moment in any day to put you in the correct frame of mind. A thoroughly enjoyable effort from start to finish.

By Dave Urwin

Fan The Flames review from LiveMusicScene - Link

THE HAIKU ! A 2 piece indie act hailing from Bath wouldn't look out of place at a Folk Festival are actually a Fast, Loud and Energetic act, and despite Phil’s choice of trousers, they truly rocked. The cover of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” was one of the evening’s highlights. A must see.

Live review from The Regal, Oxford

"I have a thing about acoustic music. Most of the time it is either over-earnest, I-just-might-kill-myself singer songwriters or anachronistic folkies trying to sustain a dying musical form. The Haiku from Trowbridge in Wiltshire are different. Their brand of 'Anti-Folk' shows that you don't need to be plugged in to rock. After far too long, the band have released their debut album and it does not disappoint.

Opening track on the album 'Drink It Away' doesn't start promisingly with what seems like a typical acoustic style guitar riff. Once the drums kick in however the track turns into a strident, down-beat tale of drinking to numb the pain of loss.

The climactic cymbal roll of the opener then segues neatly into 'Nerves On A Pin' that proves just how loud the band can get. The pounding drum line including flamenco style handclaps drives forward the angst ridden song. This is the true calling card of the band and shows how far they can stray from the aforementioned earnestness.

The undoubted highlight of the album is 'The News Is: The World Sucks'. It's a jaunty tune that still manages to have a pertinent message for the modern age. The chorus starts 'The asshole rules the world and the nice guy doesn't bother' which is a phrase to live by in the modern climate of apathy and powerlessness. It's an anthemic sing-a-long track that has provided the band with their T-shirts which read 'The Asshole Rules The World'

'Sleazy Pop Song' does exactly what it says on the tin. A loopy, repetitive guitar riff drives forward a track dealing with trying to persuade a girl into bed. After the cheeky tone of 'The News Is...' this is the true apex of the bands humour.

All this is not to say that there is not something to enjoy for those who prefer the more traditional acoustic ballad style. 'Escape - Part 2 (Yours)', 'Throwaway' and 'Freewheelin'' all have that flavour. 'Throwaway' even includes a mouth organ solo.

Over all this is an album that succeeds from multiple angles. There is enough here to satisfy the 'traditionalist' fans who go in for acoustic music and also the 'indie' fans who like rock music with a bit of edge. The tongue-in-cheek moments on the album are just cherries on the cake.

'Fan The Flames' and the bands 2007 EP 'Not Enough People Are Wearing Hats' are both available direct from the bands website and iTunes.

By Colin Gazeley – Ourobouros Podcast"

Fan The Flames review from Noize Makes Enemies - Link

"When you first listen to The Haiku, you notice their flare for telling a tale through song, a rarity in this day and age.

This album is a must if you are in to The Goo Goo Dolls or Ben Folds Five to name a few from a long list of similar styles. It consists of 11 carefully crafted works of art and one dodgy track called "Escape", The vocals on this track seem a little rushed.

My absolute out and out favourite on this album has to be a track called "Control" (Taking Control), this track ticks all the boxes, This should definitely be included if considering sending any work off to record companies.

We must not forget the very political "News" (The News Is: The World Sucks) although telling a true account of the situation in Iraq and the dominance of the USA over Europe."

Fan The Flames review by MutedPie.com - Link

"Most of you reading this will know that The Haiku formed from the ashes of splendid hippified popsters Harvey, well known for their sometimes eccentric approach to musicmaking. So, heres a new line up - which has been slimmed down to a simple guitar (Phil) and drums (Bert) duo and has been rather amusingly described as a mix of folk and emo. Anyway, the cd kicks off with The News Is: The World Sucks. Although it blatantly nicks the riff from Travis Tied To The Nineties we wont hold that against them as its a great track, full of bounce, vigour and a truly memorable chorus. The asshole rules the world and the nice guy doesnt bother cause he knows hell only finish last. All in all, a good start.

Drink It Away has more of an early Del Amitri sound to it and is a great deal more subtle than its predecessor. There are a few niggles towards the end as Phils vocals do tend to struggle with the higher notes but again you cannot deny that the bloke can write a decent tune, even if his voice isnt always up to it! From This Chair follows, which is a quirky little beatlesesque ditty that could have been lifted straight from The White Album sessions. The track is peppered with bursts of kazoo, trademark Ringo Starr drum fills and barely lasts two minutes. Brilliant, and a real personal highlight. Sunshine Follows Rain is a Phil only track and is a pleasant enough ballad and although it doesnt set the world on fire, its still ok. Closing the cd is Escape Part 2, more of the heartfelt swooning indiepop that Phil seems to be able to churn out in his sleep, using double tracked vocals to great effect.

When you sit down to review a cd by a two piece band, theres always an immediate concern about lack of depth but thats not remotely present here as the tunes are clearly strong enough to stand up by themselves. As from their Harvey days, the songwriting (in particular the choruses, which are excellent) is still of a very high quality and the injection of tongue in cheek humour on a few of the tracks always helps. On reflection, this is a great little ep, well worth a few quid of anyones money and a reminder to all that the popsong is king and always will be. All hail the popsong!"

Review of "Man Make Fire" by Kev Sibley

"So, here we are. Following the break up of Harvey comes The Haiku, but this is the antidote to the former; full of spite and grit rather than the lustful theme of old. Over the course of the 5 tracks, Phil Cooper snarls his way through various lyrical subjects such as assholes, drink and interfering do-gooders with nods towards Frank Turners honest naked guile and Becks more serene moments, typified on the inclusion of a kazoo on From this Chair. But its the more quiet moments that peak this EP, such as penultimate track Sunshine Follows Rain, with its lustful and yearning refrain. Though Man Make Fire does occasionally become a touch insipid in pace, and the lyrical element often boarders on being uncomfortable at times, the antonym of these negative criticisms is that this EP certainly has character, and is an interesting listen as many ideas are explored, if not all fully convicted. Man Make Fire is a bold and eloquent, and though it wont bowl anyone over with amazement, it is a welcome break from the cliques and conventions that plague music."

Review of "Man Make Fire" by Eddie Golby

"Take all these knives, I'm sure they belong to you "