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Once upon a time, 2004 to be precise, there was a boat trip up the River Severn.

But this was no ordinary boat trip. This was more of a gig on water. Headliners on this voyage of the bands were Earnest Cox.

They were supported by bands who went by the names of Datapuddle and Ghosting. There was also an appearance by Michael J Sheehy.

Messing about on the River

To say that this boat journey was Gloucester's equivalent of the Sex Pistol's gig at Lesser Free Trade Hall may be delving a little too deep into the world of hyperbole.

However, some four years later, this single event should be marked with some significance in the recent history of local music.

While it did not usher forth a completely new era in music, complete with its own Buzzcockses and Joy Divisons, it did introduce a select gathering to two great bands.

Since setting sail down the Severn, London's Datapuddle have only grown as a band - both in sound and membership.

They now boast the additions of Marc and Simon of Gloucester's Earnest Cox on drumming and bass duties respectively.

The band recently released an album called Monkeyskymonkey - a lofi electro-folk essay in 21st century anxiety. It's rather good.

Ghost Stories

Meanwhile, Earnest Cox's now ex-drummer, Shane Young has now joined forces with Datapuddle's co-supporters Ghosting who have adopted the new name Big Blue Sun.

It's all getting very complicated. Maybe I should have drawn a diagram.

Complications aside, Big Blue Sun now have an album out too.

It's called 'Nocturnal City Journal'. This is also rather good. I think you'll like it.

An Interesting Concept

'Nocturnal City Journal' may be something of a music first in that it is a Gloucester themed concept album.

While 'local music' is usually a term assigned to bands who are up and coming at best (or blissfully restricted from inflicting themselves on a wider world at worst), Big Blue Sun have taken the term literally: they write music about their locality.

And so there are references to the Gloucester Citizen, The New Olympus Theatre and Painswick Beacon.

The city even gets a name check in a song title: 'Gloucester Moves'.

As if to hammer the message home, Gloucester landmarks, most notably the cathedral and the docks, appear on the album's front cover.

The G.O.D.S. aren't smiling

It is not the cheeriest of albums. There is a sense of poignant, rose tinted nostalgia for the past mingled with a bleak despair for the future caught within the ten offerings on the album.

The New Olympus lies "in the shadows of past success" in  'Olympus' while promises of the city's 'salvation' are met with dreary cynicism: "we're so sick of hearing how this place can be anything else" in 'Gloucester Moves'.

Away from the references to Gloucester landmarks, the pessimism drip feeds through to other songs.

'Waiting to End With the Girl Before It's Begun', 'Playing With Fire' and 'The Man With Two Brains' form a triptych of tales of indecisive commitment-phobes.

The songs come complete with lines of pure poetry: "You notice there's smoke in the air before there's a spark", runs the opening line of 'Waiting to End…'.

Doom and Gloom

Elsewhere, 'The Devil is Harder to Please Than You Think' is an account of an alcoholic and, for all the hedonism of the 'Baker's Boy', there is the gloomy end as he freewheels downhill only to break "every bone in his body".

One song on the album sounds familiar from the band's previous incarnation as Ghosting.

'Shut us Down' appears here, spruced up with lilting, Celtic violins in a beautiful waltz time.

Compared to the stripped down voice and guitar original, the song's new arrangement takes a little getting used to - but is worth the patience.

It is a beautiful, poignant story of a woman addicted to shopping, of shops closing down and of a doomed relationship.

A Thing of Beauty

Big Blue Sun's music is as sumptuous and gorgeous as it is poignant and imaginative.

They draw from the same well of dreary, world weariness that The Good, The Bad and The Queen adopted for their London-centric album and focus their attentions on their home city of Gloucester.

Stylistically, they can be found hovering somewhere between the rather eclectic reference points of Leonard Cohen, Elbow, Simon and Garfunkel and Ben Folds.

But all the time, they remain Big Blue Sun - a big band with a big heart and a big, big passion for beautiful music.

Big Blue Sun are:

Dan Pierce - Vocals, guitars
George Moorey - Piano, guitars, backing vocals
Shane Young - Drums, percussion, backing vocals
Andy Farrington - Bass, Brass.

Additional players:
Pat Roberts - Accordion, backing vocals;
Kathryn Wheeler - Violin, Accordion, backing vocals;
Jon Hoyle - Ukelele, backing vocals.

This article is an external contribution and expresses a personal opinion, not necessarily the views of the BBC.

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If you're involved in the Gloucestershire music scene and you would like Stephen to review your music, please feel free to get in touch. Either email gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk or send your album and a bit about yourself to:

BBC Gloucestershire Introducing...
c/o Chris Sandys
London Road
Gloucester
GL1 1SW

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