Naevus are a British experimental rock group. Formed in London in 1998 by Lloyd James (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Joanne Owen (bass, accordion),[1] Naevus were often categorised as part of the 'neofolk' genre. Their music has also drawn comparison with acts such as Swans and Wire, and often includes elements of industrial music.[1][2]

Naevus
Naevus at the Nocturnal Culture Night 10 festival, Germany 2015
Naevus at the Nocturnal Culture Night 10 festival, Germany 2015
Background information
OriginLondon, UK
GenresNeofolk, experimental rock, acoustic, post-punk
Years active1998 – present
LabelsWooden Lung, S.P.K.R., Operative, Old Europa Cafe, Hau Ruck!, Terra Fria, Dagaz Music, Klanggalerie, Tourette, 4iB
MembersLloyd James
Ben McLees
Hunter Barr
Sam Astley
Past membersJohn Murphy
Joanne Owen
Greg Ferrari
Arthur Shaw
Dan Knowler
Simone Skeleton
Aurora Lee
Clay Young

The band released four albums between 1999 and 2004 before expanding to a four-piece with the addition of John Murphy (drums) and Greg Ferrari (electric guitar).[1] Their first album with the expanded line-up was Silent Life, which was a critical success, and included contributions from members of Urge Within, Sieben, and Current 93.[1] Their sixth album Relatively Close to the Sea saw them combining elements of their earlier post-punk sounds alongside more melodic material and progressive rock elements.[3] In 2009, Hunter Barr returned as drummer, having previously played on EP The Body Speaks in 2004, and the EP Days that Go followed in 2010. The seventh Naevus album, The Division of Labour, was completed by Lloyd James as a solo effort and was released in May 2012. In 2013, the compilation CDs Stations and Others were released, gathering together all singles, B-sides and compilation tracks from 2001 to 2012 as well as new and previously unreleased material. The EP Backsaddling was released in 2014, followed by the eighth and ninth Naevus studio albums, Curses and Time Again, in 2018 and 2020 respectively.

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Truffles of Love (1999), Wooden Lung
  • Soil (2001), S.P.K.R.
  • Behaviour (2002), Operative
  • Perfection is a Process (2004), Operative/Old Europa Cafe
  • Silent Life (2007), Hau Ruck!
  • Relatively Close to the Sea (2008), Hau Ruck!
  • The Division of Labour (2012), Hau Ruck!/Klanggalerie
  • Curses (2018), Wooden Lung/Old Europa Cafe
  • Time Again (2020), Hau Ruck!
  • Sail Away (2003), Hau Ruck!
  • The Body Speaks (2004), Hau Ruck!
  • Go Grow (2008), Hau Ruck!
  • Days that Go (2010), Hau Ruck!
  • Backsaddling (2014), 4iB

Live album

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  • Appetite and Application (2014), Klanggalerie

Collaborative releases

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  • This is not Failure (1999, with Womb and Leisure Hive), not on label
  • Document Three (2004, with KnifeLadder), Terra Fria
  • Bedtime/Badtime (2005, with Spiritual Front), Old Europa Cafe
  • Music Box 2008 (2008, with Rose McDowall and Sonver), Dagaz Music

Compilations

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  • Stations (2013), Tourette
  • Others (2013), Tourette
  • Water's Work (2018), Wooden Lung

References

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  1. ^ a b c d True, Chris "Naevus Biography", AllMusic, Macrovision Corporation
  2. ^ "Last.fm | Play music, find songs, and discover artists". Last.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. ^ "monkeyhouse-recordings.co.uk". Monkeyhouse-recordings.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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