TFS Records

Nunbient One is the first album in which Baber and Winks have explored field recording and sound design as the primary catalyst for music creation. This largely drone based music is a very visual and cinematic auditory experience in which the listener is invited to sink into the sonic landscape conjured by the compositions. “It’s been great to make a record where the kind of worries we’ve had are so very different from those of a band recording, Nunbient is a very free vehicle for msuic to happen in” says Baber and whislt this music can be seen as a sonic departure from the 2007 album Songs for Days its conceptual roots are planted firmly throughout Baber/Winks’ work.

Songs for Days was recorded in Oxford across the summer of 2006 and found its way to release in the spring of 2007. The record features the combined talents of Joff Winks - guitars and vocals, Matt Baber - keys, Paul Mallyon - drums and Brad Waissman - bass. “In many ways” says Winks“the record is about tying together the need for straight ahead songwriting with the desire never to forsake musically interesting writing,” and this is made clear in experimental and jazz inflected group performances such as Milo and Before We Bow Down, where odd time signatures, gritty guitars and spitting drums slide effortlessly into choral vocals akin to the Beach Boys Surfs Up. The production of the record is a particular high point blending as it does the precistion of performances found in Steely Dan’s work with the endlessly inventive recordings of Tortoise.

Aptly summarized by Nightshift magazine, “Joff Winks Band might be considered the ultimate Oxford band, capturing as they do the gently trippy feel of a summer stroll up Shotover Hill as well as the academic insularity of the college cloisters. Songs for Days, weaves its way from Oxford’s numerous subterranean bars to the top of its most ornate spires. It’s an album to lie back, close your eyes and escape to.”

Mild Profundities was the first recording made by Matt Baber and Joff Winks and was tracked during 2001 and 2002 between Michael De Albuquerque’s and Winks’ home studios. At the time, being a duo, the recording was made with Joff handling guitars, bass and singing and Matt dealing with keys, percussion and drums. The range of music on this EP encompasses the Zappa esque melodies of “Keeny Woka Phoola”, the acoustic laced “Little Machines” and based on some of Baber/Winks’ earliest improvisations, the all out electronica assault that is MODRA. Mild Profundities is a record made for fans of the Flaming Lips, Frank Zappa and the Beach Boys.

Not long after the release of Mild Profundities a live band was put together to test drive the material. The new band members were Paul Mallyon on drums and Brad Waissman on bass, the line up to the present time. Some of the first material that the band played consisted of songs that had been written during the recording sessions for M.P including the title track Double Egg and the conceptual offspring of Dead Cheese, Son Of Cheese. Having a live band to rehearse and really hone the material meant that the recording of Double Egg could be laid down as a live performance in a single session during 2004 and then completed on subsequent sessions throughout the year at Winks’ home studio. Featuring a harder live sound, this release contains some Nunified slices of pop music, particularly the title song, as well as music for solo piano and not to mention the weirdly wonderful instrumental Shatner’s Bassoon.

“This is a bright, witty, warm, and hugely entertaining release but with enough compositional flair, musicianship and panache of their own, combined all-importantly with a rare sense of humour, to produce something new and interesting for the 21st Century. A truly delightful EP.”

Progressive Ears

Late in 2002 a 4 track demo version of New Streets found its way to XFM where it was picked up and played on one of the unsigned shows. Later in 2003- 4 following a run of live performances including an appearance at Manchester’s in the city festival, a session was tracked at the XFM studios in London and the subsequent recording was released as the New Streets single. The B side Nothing Left To Prove was recorded at Kore studios, London some time after the XFM session.

This high quality gatefold vinyl release was put together after JWB signed their first publishing deal. It features only the one track, Someone Else’s Words, which was recorded between Michael De Albuquerque’s and Joff Winks’ home studios and was subsequently mixed in Los angels. The record was very well received by critiques attracting more attention to the band, which culminated in a live BBC 6 music appearance on the Gideon Co show and a tour with Joseph Arthur.

The winners of Zane Lowe’s ‘fresh meat’ battle of the bands competition have changed their name from ‘ Joff Winks’ to ‘Joff Winks Band’! Third time lucky maybe!! Oh and they’ve released a new single too…

This is ambitious, grandiose, finely crafted pop, with playfully strong melodies, that twist and turn; just when you think you’ve got the song worked out it changes pace and direction. It’s effortlessly modern music but it glances over its shoulder at timeless greats such as Neil Young (who is referenced in the chorus!). Imagine if Doves had an out of body experience; it would probably sound like this…

Wiper and Hollerin - Greg Thomas

Share My Blues was released as the follow up single to Someone Else’s Words. This two track CD release features the B side Juniper, which was recorded at Sphere Studios, London to accompany the A side. However it was Juniper that attracted the attention of Nightshift magazine in Oxford and earned the band a position in the magazines top 20 tracks of the year.

This download only single was released ahead of JWB’s debut album Songs For Days. The album was released in 2007 and has been enormously well received, it continues to attract the attention of critiques and true music fans alike.