“SONG FOR EWE” is the feature where artists & music people beloved by VELVET SHEEP choose an obscure song they’ve been listening to that day. Today’s guest is someone who if you’re not already a follower let me proselytize some more, as it’s a welcome return to these pages of a lyrical warrior, indie evangelist, super-connector and surely alternative national treasure, Band of Holy Joy’s Johny Brown. Band of Holy Joy have a new album out called “Dreams Take Flight” which is an apt description of the way Johny’s voice makes your heart soar as we all hope for a return to the semblances of humanity: actual look-at-you-in-the-eyes, embrace-you-in-a warm-hug humanity. That’s not to say his words don’t have their feet on terra-firma, or shy away from the harsh realities and socio-politico proclivities of a world divided. BOHJ have been on a rich vein of form for some time, coinciding with their releases on our fav label Tiny Global, and it’s fair to say that “Dreams Take Flight” is an absolute high water-mark, a piece de resistance for a band leader who is always sublime, never benign or asinine. Johny has also been an inspiration for me for a long time (embryonic, much documented on these pages early gig at the Marquee in the 90s) but he’s also been an advocate, having me as a guest on his legendary Resonance FM show BAD PUNK and getting me in the door and on the air at outsider radio station / community The Neon Hospice for which I’m very grateful. And he often takes time to link me up with like minded souls be it bands like The Casual Sexists or incredible labels like the lathe cut kings Dog Tunnel, cos that’s the kind of encouraging artiste/instigator he is. Which is why we are delighted to invite back to choose a momentous 500TH SONG FOR EWE – Johny Brown! Never ones to plough the regular band promo furrow, Band of Holy Joy launched “Dreams Take Flight” in Gallery 46, Whitechapel with a multi-media onslaught of live streamed performance art, DJ-ing, spoken word and a series of new videos by and including kindred souls including Fliss Kitson (‘Gales), Gil De Ray, Tam Burn, Kirsty Allison, Inga Tillere (BOHJ) and Jonny Mugwump (Neon Hospice) to cherry pick a few in the extended Band. Here’s the one from Inga…with a stand out track from the album “That Magic Thing”… …and the one from VS fav Fliss… “Dreams Take Flight” is a right-now commentary on post-viral malaise but also a beacon of hope, Johny Brown it’s absolute touch point. He’s the right man, right now to sing to our very soul from a band that have always been happy to walk the margins but who seek to reach the stars. Here’s a quick track by track precis: side one “This Is The Festival Scene” – a vital sounding cautionary tale of art terrorism with deadly consequences “documented live on social media” at a music event on a fictitious island where the bodies are then obscured by strewn plastic bottles. Part Fyre festival farce (catch the Netflix references), part terrible tragedy and commentary on twisted corporate consumerism and fatalistic nihilism. Openly dubby and suitably trippy, it’s quite an opener. “A Leap Into The Great Unknown” – world weary and yet hopeful – time can be the healer, and most people are good. Take Johny’s hand and leap with him. As happy and hopeful, future-facing and yet reflective, like a ballad made by Studio Ghibli. “That Magic Thing” – trademark spoken word Johny, fully yearning, with beautiful harmonies with Inga, it’s psychomatic psycho-magic with an insistent synth hook line. “When...