Londoner Rob Marr’s debut album Domestic Dramas was recorded in just three weeks in the winter of 2006/7 in an abandoned radio station in the southeast of the capital. A true DIY affair on a tiny budget, Rob taught himself the drums and played and recorded all the instruments. The album is a lyrical feast, featuring piano-led, kitchen sink narratives underpinned by hard-hitting, simple grooves.

Headline gigs at The Roundhouse and Ronnie Scotts followed, supported by The Noisettes’ Jamie Morrison on drums and Gorillaz bass player Al Mobbs. In 2008 the cream of the album was released as an EP by Ambiguous Records, gaining support from BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson and a small but perfectly formed fan base.

While rehearsing for a 6 Music Festival in 2009 Rob was introduced to the ex- Sly and the Family Stone drummer Andy Newmark. On first listen Andy admitted Rob’s music was ‘not his cup of tea’ before discovering, to both of their delights, that it was an acquired taste. So much so that a couple of months after the gig Andy suggested they work together on Rob’s second album.
anatomy is the result of a two-year collaboration between Rob’s distinctively English piano-led songwriting and Andy’s unmistakable vintage New York grooves, with additional vocal sparkle provided by folksters the Smoke Fairies. Sessions took place in clearings in the clutter of Andy’s Kent apple barn conversion and in producer Robbie Moore’s loft. It was the first time Andy had recorded outside of a studio environment and the pair relished the days spent figuring out arrangements among the comforts of home.

Using more than 20 keyboards and giving centre stage to Rob’s lyrics, producer Robbie Moore has helped craft a unique and coherent sound from a diverse range of influences encompassing classical piano, hip hop, blues and soul, hymns, Britpop and the writers Raymond Carver and Annie Proulx. More mature, and with a broader emotional range than his first effort, the album showcases an eccentric take on day- to-day life in the world’s most exciting city.

The first single, Fencebuilding, was released on the AIM Award nominated Ambiguous Records in December 2011, gaining radio support from BBC 6 Music’s Cerys Matthews. The album anatomy will be available from early 2012. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.