Alex Clare - Tail Of Lions (2016)

London-born singer, songwriter and producer Alex Clare is one of those lucky people who will never be short of something startling to tell when the lights dim and true conversation really begins. ' Where do you even start with a story like mine? ' he laughs, down the line from his home in Jerusalem. In the summer of 2015 he removed himself to a narrow boat on the River Lea with his friend, bass-player and founder member of Submotion Orchestra, Chris Hargreaves and the pair began to record again. What they came up with is a remarkable work called ' Tail of Lions'. Written and recorded in a few short weeks, Alex and Chris exactly the right mix for this new collection, a place where soul, rock and funk meet steel-sharp electronica and iced-out drum and bass. Alex holds true to lifelong loves like Radiohead's OK Computer and Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. For vibe he's all about that breezy, liquid funky blues of Donny Hathaway's Magnificent Sanctuary Band and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, in particular, the brilliant Have a Talk With God; not forgetting his beloved iconic New Orleans street singer Snooks Eaglin The title comes from a Jewish expression. ' It's better to be the tail of a lion than the head of a fox. We live in a society where the focus on success and celebrity seem too far out way the focus on ability and effort - all the money, limited talent.