A Beast Book, by Martin Messent

A Beast Book

by Martin Messent

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1.	Weevil Rag 06:43	buy track
2.	Man 08:20	buy track
3.	Voleotrope 03:57	buy track
4.	I Am The Ice Vole 10:08	buy track
5.	Return From Lugubria 04:28	buy track
6.	Waking Dream 02:15	buy track

about

I came across a copy of Edmund Sandars' 1937 book 'A Beast Book for the Pocket' and was taken with its pithy turn of phrase and occasionally bizarre observations. It's quite an unusual piece of work in its breadth and clarity of information, and the illustrations are also wonderfully eccentric.

Poet and spoken word artist Ruth Lawrence felt the same way about it, so we selected passages to set to music. The project came together quite naturally - music I was already working on sat well with the recorded voice.

credits

released June 21, 2021

Martin Messent ~ acoustic guitars, tenor ukulele, synthesisers, harmonica, kalimba, music box, percussion, singing
Ruth Lawrence ~ spoken word

Prose adapted from 'A Beast Book for the Pocket' by Edmund Sandars, 1937

Recorded, mixed & mastered at home, April-June 2021

Written & produced By Martin Messent

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about

Martin Messent England, UK

Recommendations

discography

Sober Hedonist

Jul 2023
A Beast Book

Jun 2021
Man Eat Sun

Jan 2021
Pangæa/ Healer EP

Aug 2019
Orphan Songs

Feb 2016
Sun Music

Jun 2013

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