Just in case you haven’t already heard, The Mispent is a new five-piece from the grounds of South London. Led by singer/songwriter Warrick Hayes, the band was formed in late 2005 and following the success of the fine demo EP All There Is, Is Now, have just unleashed their debut album, the excellent Climbing Frames.
Produced by Peter Larsen, these songs showcase a sound that has been described as “Morrissey meets Crowded House, on a sunny day.” It is intelligent yet entertaining and humorous yet heartfelt contemporary rock that offers a little bit of something for everyone. That could be largely a result of the diverse backgrounds and influences each band member brings to the table.
Band leader, singer, and songwriter Warrick Hayes’ background is a perfect example. He was born in Rio, then “thrust into the heart of 80s England. Post-punk, pre-grunge. Hard, cold, good old repressed New Romantic England.” Band co-founder and guitarist Guy Fearon has lived in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Fred Vislander's rhythm guitar was flavored by life in Stockholm, new bassist Valentin Gerlier's Tuscan roots are tossed into the mix, and drummer Kari Paavola adds a final Finnish touch !
The result is a universally warm and inviting rock vibe that is difficult to resist. As evidence, consider that the band recently entered VH1’s “Song of the Year” competition, where “Wish You Well” was a top-five finalist in the rock category. Or you might look at the band’s rapidly expanding fan base for further proof. But despite the whirlwind of recent success, Hayes and company aren’t losing sight of what they set out to do.
“For many reasons, there aren’t enough intelligent, melody-driven, upbeat, adult-orientated bands that are new out there,” says Hayes. “My focus is to make sure we’re good enough to fill that void and do that job. And I think we are, and we can.”
“Song of the Year is excited to recognize Warrick for his exceptional songwriting ability for the song ‘Wish You Well.’ Warrick competed against songwriters from all over the world for this honor. Song of the Year is an international songwriting contest supporting VH1’s Save the Music Foundation. The Song of the Year judges are some of the biggest names in music, including many Grammy Award winners." - VH1 “Song of the Year” Competition
The Mispent’s EP, All There Is, Is Now, and Climbing Frames are currently available through Cd Baby, Amazon.com, Napster.co.uk and iTunes (US). Look out too for the forthcoming "Live @ The Comedy" DVD ! See clip in the "Video" section. For more information, please visit www.themispent.com.
