“Tour de France Grand Depart diary Top Stories Band on the run "Stirring" North Yorkshire-based folk-rock band Area 40 has recorded a song to celebrate the Tour's visit to the region. A video to accompany the song "Road Trip" sees the "duelling electric guitar/violin band" take to their bikes to enjoy the Grand Depart route. Duelling? Let's hope there's no road rage.” - Matt Slater

“Rock band Area 40’s video for Tour de France Stirring North Yorkshire folk-rock band Area 40 have recorded a song and video to celebrate Yorkshire’s role in the forthcoming Tour de France. Called Road Trip, the video sees the eclectic, duelling electric guitar/violin band getting on their bicycles and riding some of the local route that the world’s greatest cyclists will take when Le Grand Depart takes place in early July. The video also sees the five-piece band portrayed above, and in the middle of, Knaresborough which welcome the Tour de France riders on Sunday, July 6. Road Trip is available for download now at iTunes ” - Graham Chalmers

“A five-piece from Yorkshire, Area 40 boast catholic tastes. Drummer Chris Holden likes prog and reggae, bass player Mark Wilson favours Van Morrison and Americana, lead guitarist Pete McLoughlin first played with Paddy McAloon, singer and rhythm guitarist Steve Peacey errs towards Crosby, Stills & Nash and ELO while violinist Wendy Ross likes The Tubes and Jon Anderson. Together they’ve played at Grassington Festival, Ripley Live and Knaresborough FEVA. Their debut album, recorded in Ripon and mixed in Hebden Bridge, has elements of folk, rock and indie with some clever lyrics (“An apology for summer came and went with no hurrah/The birds flying south for winter remind me it’s been a year”, “The hockey boys you know they’re harder than the ice”) and sweetly layered harmonies. Their best songs bookend this album. Where Are You Now is a slow-burning, I Am Kloot-like strum tinged with regret; Boston is altogether rockier, with some nice interplay between McLoughlin’s guitar and Ross’ violin. Mention should also be made of the driving guitar solo which erupts from Thick As Thieves with the delirious force of Ernie Isley’s ‘wig out’ in Summer Breeze. An altogether impressive first step.” - Duncan Seaman

“Local rootsy rock outfit Area 40 had a song from their current album played on the Alan Raw Show on BBC Radio Leeds recently. The rousing track in question, Boston, is the second major highlight of said album, the other being the incredible opener Where Are You Now.” - Graham Chalmers

“Area40 song 'Boston' broadcast on BBC Radio Leeds (47 mins into show)” - Alan Raw

“Review by Gig Scene Editor Graham Chalmers Area 40: One Small Step (album) Woah, that’s the way to open an album. If you told me the haunting and stirring Where Are You Now was the new single by Mumford and Sons or The Waterboys, I’d say “great, sounds like a classic to me.” Recorded at Flat Cap Recording Studio in Ripon and mixed at Calder Recordings in Hebden Bridge, local five-piece outfit Area 40 don’t threaten to hit those heights again until the album’s terrific, rabble-rousing final track, Boston. But that’s not to denigrate what is basically a strong debut album. Mixing folk elements with rock and slight traces of prog, Pete McLoughlin (lead guitar, vocals, keyboards), Steve Peacey (vocals, rhythm guitar, bass), Mark Wilson (vocals, rhythm guitar, bass), Wendy Ross (violin) and Chris Holden (drums) create a great, ensemble sound from start to finish. My only reservation is the band sound less convincing on those quieter ‘I Am Kloot’ moments, though the likes of the breezy For You and piano-led ballad Day Job are both solid tunes. For me, it’s when Wendy Ross’s soaring violin welds with Pete McLoughlin’s melodic lead guitar that Area 40 really come alive. l For more information, visit www.area40.co.uk, Facebook as Area40” - Graham Chalmers

“...Talking of Ripley and promoters RipleyBlues, local folk-rock outfit Area 40 are launching their debut album in Ripley’s upstairs studio later this month.  Called One Small Step, the collection of self-penned tracks combines a stirring Mumford & Sons meets I Am Kloot meets Waterboys vibe with a slight soupcon of prog and plenty of folky violin....  ” - Graham Chalmers

“Awesome! Nice little review...They're great songs...Glad things went well.” - www.calder-recordings.co.uk

“Thank you VERY, VERY much for playing at the Beer Festival yesterday! The music makes the atmosphere and your music was wonderful, so many people commented on how much they enjoyed it.” - Ripon Cathedral Beer Festival Committee

“Top notch indie/leftfield pop music which wedges between I Am Kloot and Deacon Blue... substantial songwriting with the tunes to go with it... check!” - Adam