Pixy Jones drops debut album

Guitarist and songwriter for Welsh psychedelia revival band El Goodo, Pixy Jones has recently ventured out as a solo artist under his own name. Staying true to his roots in the psych scene, he blends his other influences of alternative and country styles to create a sound that’s entirely his own.

After sharing the first taste of his new project earlier this year with the single “I’m Not There”, he now brings us his debut record with the album titled Bits N Bobs. Featuring thirteen tracks including the lead single “I’m Not There” as well as other highlight tracks “Maureen Dreams No More” and “Hold Your Tongue”, the album offers a stunning sonic journey filtered through Pixy Jones’ unique sonic lens.

Making a subtle departure from his familiar El Goodo sound, with his first foray as a solo artist he lays down a timeless sound of harmony-laden 60s style psych pop driven by his airy vocal leads and twangy tremolo guitar work adding a surf rock tinge. Recorded and mixed at Aerial Studios with Time Lewis of Thighpaulsandra, a couple of the tracks had to be finished at Pixy’s home studio during the lockdowns. Rejoining Pixy on the record’s penultimate track “Wind Street”, El Goodo members Elliott and Canny added their drums and bass prowess to the song.

Commenting on the release, Pixy Jones shares, “The album was originally intended as a solo project under the pseudonym of “Wallace Russell”. I recorded it alongside the recording of Zombie (El Goodo) whenever I could get in the studio. There are some really old songs that have always been overlooked for ‘El Goodo’ albums for one reason or another, a few new ones which I wrote specifically for this, and a couple that would have probably ended up on the intended double album version of Zombie if we’d kept going with the double album idea. I’ve since ditched the ‘Wallace Russell’ name and gone back to ‘Pixy Jones’ as I figured there’s no need to have a pseudonym if nobody knows who you are in the first place.”

Adding, “I had no recording budget so I had to fund it by quitting smoking and saving the money up to pay for studio time. It took, I think, two and a half years to record, which is by far the quickest I’ve ever recorded an album. Would have been quicker too if it wasn’t for Covid! Originally I wanted it to just be a quickly recorded slap dash and get it out sort of thing but I had a year and a half during Covid to think about it a bit more and ended up taking more care to get it done properly. It was just me there so I played most of it myself apart from Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) who played brass and woodwind on one song and Rhodri Brooks (AhGeeBe) plays some pedal steel on a couple.”

Listen to Bits N Bobs below