New band for top songwriter (From Salisbury Journal)

New band for top songwriter

2:00pm Friday 28th September 2012 in New Forest News By Miranda Robertson

A FORDINGBRIDGE woman who won the BBC New Music Song writing Competition has launched a new band.

Hazel Tratt grew up in the town and went to the Burgate School and Bournemouth College.

Tratt won the national BBC contest four years ago, winning the chance to work with producer Glenn Skinner, who has worked with The Lighthouse family, Boy George, Debbie Harry, and many others.

She learned a great deal about the recording and music business under his tutelage, and moved to London to be in a band called Stanley.

Tratt took a job working behind a bar but continued writing songs and learning about all the technology to produce them.

Now she has recorded an EP with her new band Gold Road, called Planes.

To find out more and listen to their music visit goldroad.bandcamp.com.

Already two of the tracks have been played on Radio 6 DJ Tom Robinson’s show, and there have been good reviews.

Fresh on the Net, an online music blog, said: “Hazel Tratt’s voice melted me. So well. No burnt bits or air bubbles. I really, really like this. A mix of Lily Allen (one of my favourite artists), some Blondie, some guitar skanks and some lovely chord progressions.”

Online music magazine A Musical Priority said: “Planes is an EP full of timeless pop music that will bring a great deal of joy to this world...an EP that I strongly recommend you add to your collection.”

And online music magazine Lazy Brighton said: “The band’s brightly crafted melodies are sun-kissed by Haze Tratt’s golden vocals, which are as soothing as they are memorable and put paid to the idea that you can’t hurry love by casting you into an instant romantic swoon.”

More information at facebook.com/GoldRoadMusic .