BAYLEY – COLOR ME IN

August 29, 2017

BAYLEY – COLOR ME IN

Staffordshire singer Steve Bayley talks about his forthcoming album

In the early part of the 21^st century, Steve Bayley fronted a band called the Open. Highly touted and living up to the hype they delivered two fantastic albums: The Silent Hours and Statues. The Silent Hours start to finish was one of the best albums of the 2000-2010 time frame. Now some 12 years later Steve is releasing a new EP available on July 7,2017. This is another slant towards synth dance like rhythms and sounds, however it is mixed with a guitar riff at times and I find it really works. Bayle’s voice is just as crisp and the hook is infectious. I believe the EP will be worth the wait.

“Liverpool, England-based guitar rock band the Open was formed in 2002 at the city’s art college by Steven Bayley (vocals/guitar), Jon Winter (guitar), Alan Dutton (keyboards), Jim Reynolds (bass) and Scott Holland (drums). Despite basing themselves in Liverpool, the band members were originally from either neighbouring Walsall or Birkenhead. With Bayley’s powerful vocals helping them stand out from the crowd, the Open were quickly being talked about as potential breakthrough artists. They signed a recording contract with music journalist James Oldham’s Loog imprint and recruited ex-Cocteau Twins member Simon Raymonde to help produce their debut album. The three-track EP Never Enough, released in November 2003, served notice of the band’s affiliation with the burgeoning guitar rock revival. The following year’s ‘Close My Eyes’ and ‘Just Want To Live’ were even more ambitious, two epic tracks built around surging choruses and crashing crescendos. By this point in their career, the Open were routinely being compared to bands such as the Verve and Doves and rather unfairly being trumpeted as the saviours of UK rock music. Their debut, The Silent Hours, released in summer 2004, was hailed in the national press as the British rock album of the year. Despite the critical acclaim, however, the alb

um received scant commercial reward, a fate which also befell the follow-up Statues.” – excerpt from Bio