Storm of Crows
Though I don't think Betty was very fond of the original Be Blues, I really liked it. The new version on this EP however is just perfect. Slowed down, but grittied up (Okay, I may have invented that word).
The whole EP is just sublime. I can turn on Portobello Express and lose myself in the rhythms, the wonderful guitar solos, and of course, Betty's incredible vocals. The band's music really can transport you to another time. Just close your eyes and take a journey back to the seventies!
Favorite track: Be Blues Revisited.
Environmentally friendly, hand assembly gatefold cardboard-sleeve CD, that opens up like a book and allows for four different artwork locations: on the inside right and left, and on the outside front and back.
A foldout wallet is similar to a digipak, but has a pocket instead of a plastic tray, so it uses no plastic parts at all, making it 100% recyclable.
Using card CD packaging instead of plastic cases reduces CD pollution by 95%!
The best thing the recording industry can do to reduce pollution is to start using card CD packaging. We are together in this!
All songs have been mastered or re-mastered for vinyl press.
This means TOP QUALITY sound!
Includes unlimited streaming of You Cry (full EP)
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 3 days
edition of 200
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Purchasable with gift card
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Streaming + Download
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
€4EUR or more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
-Strictly limited collector’s edition 7-inch Black Vinyl
-1.5mm thick (40g)
-33 RPM, 4 track EP
-high quality vinyl mastering
-outer sleeve printed on sturdy cardboard stock
-the package comes along with a “You Cry” sticker and Bandcamp download codes of previously released material.
As the world began to shut down due to the COVID pandemic, the band, clearly not bothered by a lack of real life, wasted no time and have been able to use the surplus of time to record during the opening periods and complete an EP. ‘You Cry’ is a record that takes the listener on a journey through many different genres and topics and that refuses to encapsulate the mood of living under lockdown alienation and claustrophobia. It has not been recorded remotely by gluing parts together bit by bit, but with musicians playing together live, capturing a few minutes of something happening.
The group nailed the songs quite in single takes and recorded full-length, coherent takes as a unit, having the time to develop the character of their part in the studio. No cut ‘n’ paste, no shortcuts to perfection. The old-school recording technique focuses on expressions and emotions, it gives a human feel that no computer will ever match. Because the music matters more than the details.
This EP has been recorded over one year and officially released in July 2021 first on CD, as it soon became clear that the vinyl wasn’t going to arrive in time.
Demand for vinyl records is now far outstripping supply with the world’s small capacity vinyl pressing plants; also delays to vinyl releases have now been compounded by major artists block-booking pressing plants. Larger orders from majors – who in the past may have ignored vinyl completely – often take priority as they are paying more, pushing independent releases further down the list. It’s another sickening blow for independent artists, having to incur more delays and having to push their releases well into 2022 and 2023.
We really appreciate your patience, your kindness, your support! You only can keep independent music alive!
Please note: we are against the fetishization of coloured vinyl, which slows things down- as changing colours on a press requires cleaning. It reduces capacity of pressing compared to what would be viable if only black was being pressed. So doing we support fellow musicians who, too, wish to release a vinyl!
Includes unlimited streaming of You Cry (full EP)
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
...more
So many years you've been searching for the one
Who'll take you as you are
You are the universe, you are her midnight sun
You are her lonely star
This is your way to say “no compromise
I'm too old to fight”
A kind of woman you have idealized
No, you won’t change over night
Say goodbye
Love has passed you by
And you cry
You even don’t know what you want
If it’s a boy or a girl
You’re like a virgin
And you should walk alone…
So don't be angry if I tell you this one time
Just stay on your own
Invent a woman who lives only in your mind
And makes you more alone
Say goodbye
Love has passed you by
And you cry
Say goodbye
Ask yourself- why
You cry
You cry
You cry
Cry
I was a little child when she left me by myself
Already at 8, I wished I were someone else
Chronically underfed, I nearly lost my teeth
I was so insecure, I didn’t dare to even breath
Only when she’s gone, only when she’s gone,
Only when she’s gone, only when she’s gone,
Only when she’s gone, gone
I’ll be me
Maybe when I’m gone, maybe when I’m gone
Maybe when I’m gone, maybe when I’m gone
Maybe when I’m gone, gone
I’ll be free
She was as cold as ice, never tried to console me crying
She simply went and left me lying
And since I had no money and the shelves were always bare
I relied on my school friends and the food they had to spare
Only when she’s gone, only when she’s gone,
Only when she’s gone, only when she’s gone,
Only when she’s gone, gone
I’ll be me
Maybe when I’m gone, maybe when I’m gone
Maybe when I’m gone, maybe when I’m gone
Maybe when I’m gone, gone
I’ll be free
How can a mother say you were her worst mistake?
Can somebody tell me why she never cured of my heartache?
I got up this morning
About the break of day
I’m searching for my babe
But I think he went away
I have lost all my money
My friends and home are gone
I’m gonna ask the good Lord
What evil have I done?
What I need do now is to sing the rhythm ‘n’ blues
You’re all getting crazy because I look so cool
The blues is in my blood and in my veins
I know you want to see me that I act a bit insane
I won’t get up this morning
I’ll stay in bed today
Don’t think about my babe
Don’t care he went away
I have pots, pots of money
My friends are here at home
I guess I’ll tell the good Lord
You see? A star is born!
I don’t want to sing anymore the rhythm ‘n’ blues
Even when you’ve finished with the song, you’re feeling blue
The blues is in my heart and in my brain
And though I love to sing, I’ve no need to get insane
I don’t want to sing anymore the rhythm ‘n’ blues
Even when you’ve finished with the song, you’re feeling blue
The blues is in my heart and in my brain
And though I love to sing, I’ve no need to get insane
Up all night losing my time
It helps me not to think
The sunrise welcomes another day
And I get me another drink
Be cool, be funky, be easy,
why can’t you be a bit sleazy?!
They couldn’t know the hell you’ve gone through
The one torn up, is just you
Don’t hurt me with your word
It’s like a heavy rock lying in my soul
Don’t watch me with that glance
I can’t stand the pain because
Everything you do, burns me- I’m
A highly sensitive person, you see
If you want to know me
Welcome to my world
Every time you open your mouth
Be sure you switched on your brain
Millions of people, millions of faces
We are not all the same
Be kind, be nice and respectful
If you can hate, I can love
We all shall try to be more careful
And let the stars shine above
So many years you've been searching for the one
Who'll take you as you are?
You are the universe, you are her midnight sun
You are her lonely star
This is your way to say “no compromise
I'm too old to fight”
A kind of woman you have idealized
No, you won’t change over night
Say goodbye
Love has passed you by
And you cry
You even don’t know what you want
If it’s a boy or a girl
You’re like a virgin
And you should walk alone
So don't be angry if I tell you this one time
Just stay on your own
Invent a woman who lives only in your mind
And makes you more alone
Say goodbye
Love has passed you by
And you cry
Say goodbye
Ask yourself- why
You cry
You cry
You cry
Cry
about
Portobello Express’s upcoming EP, ‘You Cry’, sees them embrace a rockier side- by Sara at The Bucket Playlist
Vienna-based, female-fronted psychedelic blues band, Portobello Express, have upped the ante over lockdown, experimenting both sonically and lyrically to give us a new EP, ‘You Cry’, their most riffed up and rockiest offering to date.
The EP comprises 4 tracks, including two new ones: ‘Be Blues Revisited’ and ‘Only When She’s Gone’. ‘Be Blues Revisited’ is the kind of bluesy rock that we all need, combining frontwoman Betty’s powerful vocals with a seriously catchy main riff and 70’s vibe: ‘It's a new version of ‘Be Blues’ from our very first single,’ said Betty: ‘It has Maggie Bell-ish vocals and infectious guitar hooks with a 70’s retro feel. We wanted to pay homage to one of my fave singers and band, Stone The Crows.’
The other new track, ‘Only When She's Gone’, kicks off with feathery drums and a really hooky bass line and is a very personal song for Betty: ‘I made myself quite vulnerable with this one as it talks about my mother,’ she said. ‘Such lyrics are something I never would have done on previous recordings. This song helped me to identify the source of a lot of sadness and anger in my life.’
‘Highly Sensitive’, probably their best-known song to date and which was released as a single last year, also features on the EP, a song that Betty describes as being about #respect and #kindnessmatters and, ultimately, herself: ‘I’m highly sensitive, unfortunately,’ she said. ‘I wanted a song with heavy rock at the start, with big drums, like US rock band Grand Funk Railroad, so I said to our drummer “Please don’t hold back, use the double bass drum!”'
The message of the song is clear, think before you speak: ‘Every time you open your mouth be sure you switched on your brain, millions of people, millions of faces, we are not all the same. Be kind, be nice and respectful. If you can hate, I can love.’
Betty describes the EP’s title track, ‘You Cry’, as ‘a blues rock anthem about men’s unrealistic expectations in relationships’, which comes through strongly in the lyrics: ‘So don’t be angry if I tell you this one time, just stay on your own. Invent a woman who lives only in your mind and makes you more alone.’
‘With those two releases we tried to escape the frustration of being trapped through the pandemic and, at the same time, we wanted to give our followers some new material,’ Betty said. ‘We weren't sure if releasing an album made sense without performing live and maybe we simply didn't want its message to get lost in the noise of the pandemic. Despite the delay, the EP couldn't sound more relevant in a post-COVID world, it’s a decisive step forward in the band's evolution.’
In addition, they are working on two further songs that will likely be released as singles later this year.
credits
released July 14, 2021
Happy Betty – vocals, backing vocals
Patrick Slowhand – guitars
Danny Bianchi – bass
Martin Luif – drums & percussions
On 'Highly Sensitive' / 'You Cry'
drum accompaniment by Bertl Baumgartner
A legendary album dedicated to blues & roots rock-based music filled with harmonica's finest moments.This is the album of the year if you want to honorig the Americana music. Check out Red Eyed Blues! Portobello Express
Flirtation with subtle & smart pop melodies proves the band didn't give up their adherence to folk sounds. What keeps all glued together is the gifted songwriting & the graceful Eileen's performance. Portobello Express
supported by 13 fans who also own “You Cry (full EP)”
Nostalgia brings a beautiful peace. Annika's songwriting is melancholic but comforting as with her singing, delicate and angelic. The Cello is heart melting and the vocal harmonies and guitar playing are enchanting. That's why I love this album. Angie Blue
supported by 13 fans who also own “You Cry (full EP)”
Infectious melodies and well blended harmony vocals make this album quite a sonic adventure! The variety from song to song creates an unpredictable and engaging experience all the way through. This UK band caught my attention all the way from California, USA! annimax_metal
Combining crooned murder ballads with raw, angsty hard rock hooks, Melbourne's The Ugly Kings are a wrecking crew well worth watching. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 15, 2021
Italian stoner powerhouse Tenebra has the heft of Sabbath and the hooks of Saint Vitus in their powerfully imposing tunes. Bandcamp New & Notable May 8, 2022