At the turn of the century, two friends got together to make a quiet splash of quirky, cerebral Alt Folk/Rock in the Oxford, UK music scene. The band was called Bridge (now called ‘Bridge UK’ for the sake of disambiguation) and consisted of Colin MacKinnon (vocals, guitar, keys) and Ed McClements (drums, bass, guitar, production).
They eventually expanded their ranks to become a five piece band. In addition to Colin and Ed, the lineup included Simon Hunt (bass), Bruno Muellbauer (keys) and Adrian Breakspear (guitar). Over the course of the band’s 7 year tenure they recorded three albums; “The Depths of The Sea”, “Drowning by Numbers” and “Helen of Troy,” as well as an EP title “So Sue Me.” They built up a healthy local following and a reputation for having a distinctly unique and timeless sound. In December 2003, Oxford’s ‘Nightshift Magazine’ said, “Bridge sit out on a limb from every other band on the Oxford scene by dint of existing outside of any kind of trend or genre you care to throw at them.”
Bridge UK disbanded in 2004, prior to the age of Spotify. Now the band members have reconvened and they are releasing their back catalog to the world, beginning with the album “Helen of Troy.” You can hear the track “Maximum Louie, Louie” below (and on the Deep Indie Songwriters playlist). With its mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation and an Indie/Celtic/Folk/Alternative hybrid sound, the track is an excellent example of the group’s eclectic vibe. Lyrically the song is an esoteric ode to a woman, “always in a state of grace, until the money runs out.”
Bridge UK have a great sound that fits right in with modern Lo-Fi Indie bands. Check them out below. Follow their Spotify profile as they have a number of other reissues planned, as well as some newly completed, previously unreleased works.