Album Launch! Here it is…
Down the slipway it goes and splash.
Yes it's launch day. At last.
Oh man, this has been such a long time coming. it is the realisation of a dream that has been bubbling away for years and years. It's been an epic story and a long time coming. Importantly, it's here and we can now hear my first solo album in its entirety.
It occurred to me sometime ago, before I'd ever recorded my songs, how a lot of them referenced the sea and water and all things Maritime in the lyrics. While some of the songs (for example “The Pirates”) are straightforwardly about the title’s subject matter, other songs have a phrase or saying in a line but with the song being about a totally different subject.
When I finish recording the album, I'd completed 13 or 14 tracks. I then separated off all the songs that had a nautical reference and thought it would be a good idea to release them all together, not really as a concept but more as a themed album. Who releases albums these days? Well, me one and because I have grown up with this format and idea I have always wanted to do this. I knew straightaway that it would be called In The Briny (the opening song) as this neatly encapsulates the feel of the whole album.
I think what makes this album unusual, is that although some of the songs were written within the recording time, i.e., within the last couple of years, some of the numbers have been around for a good long time, as none of them had ever been released, it meant I was free to put them together this way. I don't think I have the brain to write a concept album to order from start to finish and if I had it would never have sounded like this
So I have an album I am really proud of. It has a few faults here and there and it has its limitations in that it was recorded on a laptop in a bedroom, but I'm really pleased at how it's turned out. I've had some great help along the way from my long-term collaborator Phil, who plays bass and sings harmony, and John, who mixed the album and added some additional keyboard parts.
Well it all comes together this Thursday. The album is a whole will be released across all the major streaming platforms and it will be for sale on CD form as well and I think in the future I should put it up on Bandcamp. I'll let everybody know.
This Thursday will also see the launch gig taking place in Brighton upstairs at The Folklore rooms, a lovely venue get up towards folk music. We have a few ideas of our sleeves and have been working and playing the tracks live. John will be joining Phil and me and Percussion. I'm happy to say at the time of writing, that this event is sold out. I'll make sure I post a few photos of the night here.
I'd love to know if you have any thoughts on the album. Please drop me a line and let me know, or if you would like to know about any song’s back story I’ll happily share.
See you soon - Rob x
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