The new Chequerboard album Penny Black

published on Feb 29th, 2008 // 1 Comment

Dublin guitarist, producer & graphic artist, Chequerboard (John Lambert) releases his first full-length album on Lazybird in February – a much anticipated release from one of Ireland’s premier sound sculptors.

Penny Black is Chequerboard’s third release following on from his debut album Gothica (Reverb) and 2005 EP Dictaphone Showreels (Lazybird). Chequerboard’s profile has grown rapidly over the last year due to extensive touring as well as his work with Donal Dineen. In 2007, John received a music fellowship from the Model Arts & Niland Gallery in Sligo where he spent a year writing and producing Penny Black. The cover and artwork for Penny Black is comprised of shots of actual art pieces produced by John, all of which were sold at a recent exhibition. A series of live shows and exhibitions is planned for 2008, including a support slot with Ulrich Shnauss in May.

Background

Chequerboard is Dublin guitarist / producer and visual artist John Lambert who creates rich, melodic, evocative guitar soundscapes. This new offering Penny Black takes up where the haunting 2005 EP ‘Dictaphone Showreels’ left off bringing us on a fascinating and emotional journey through a series of stark guitar pieces intercut with textured samples and found sound. Chequerboard’s sound has found endorsements and radio-play from the likes of John Kelly and Donal Dineen. The track ‘Konichiwa’ has already found its way onto two separate Irish electronica compilations including R na G’s Cian O Ciabhain’s acclaimed ‘An Taobh Tuathail: Vol. I ‘.

In 2007 Chequerboard re-released his acclaimed EP ‘Dictaphone Showreels’ captivativating many more listeners. Something of a diamond in the rough, it has gradually found a dedicated, discerning and passionate audience. The Chequerboard live show is simply Lambert, his guitar and a series of guitar pedals building lush, textured, soundscapes that paint an evocative world of their own. Chequerboard was invited to play at an early Electric Picnic and has since been asked back each year, performing last year at the Garden Party boutique festival too.