Parlour Songs

01. Mia Bella
02. Over It
03. Different Things
04. Days Like These
05. Open
06. That We’re Not Talking
07. The New Auld Lang Syne
08. The Far Side
09. Capri
10. Raise Your Glass
11. Spring Is Coming On
12. Who’s Gonna Love You Then?

To purchase and hear samples of this album, click here.

Album Overview

There was a party a couple years back at our great friends Stuart and Mary Catherine’s house. It’s in Schuyler, on Walton’s Mountain. Yeah, that one.  Anyway, beautiful place, bunches of interesting people, great food, kids running around, and as will happen, some music breaks out. In the living room. And we all noticed how great the music sounded in that room. It’s about ten or twelve feet across by about twice that long,with a fire-place at the far end and old hardwood floors.The other end opens onto a hallway and staircase which contributes a subtle, warm reverb to the brighter, intimate sound of the living room itself. It was agreed we had to record there.  It was also agreed that acoustic instruments would sound best since anything too loud, say electric guitar or a full-throttle drum-kit, would over-power the room.

As the house’s co-owner, my friend Stuart – a serial participant, naturally wanted to well…participate. Now, Stu is a fine drummer, fluent in many genres with a long list of credits, but it’s safe to say restraint is not what he’s known for. He assured me, however, that he would use brushes, self-control, and taste. He also mentioned a good stand-up bass player, our old pal from Van, Lew Burrus.

So it was to be a  departure from our usual styles, types of songs, instrumentation, and recording methods, having mostly played in rock bands in the age when multi-tracking and over-dubbing were a given.  This was to be sung and played all in one room live together, like they used to do it.

Demos of tunes were sent to the players involved, and a weekend scheduled around the first day of spring, when we were all free. On the day appointed we hauled a bunch of equipment and instruments up the mountain, set it all up, started the chili, and counted off at about noon.

Twelve hours and twelve songs later, (with time out for dinner and a bonfire or two), we had most of what you hear here. After breakfast next morn Stu added conga to “Mia Bella”. I also added some chord-organ to “The Far Side” and banjo to “The New Auld Lang Syne”. As we packed up for the trip back, James Gunter, Stu and M.C.’s young son, handed me the drawing you see on the front cover. I knew instantly that it was just right for it.

Over some months, when we could, we recorded a few other songs in a couple of other great sounding rooms. “That We’re Not Talking” was recorded at another friend’s house,( with 20 foot ceilings and a grand piano – irresistible! ) The beautiful ski chalet-like house was built by my great friend Bruce Courson, who also plays a mean piano on it.

Additional instruments and voices were recorded in Grant and Jessica Rutledge’s Florida room in Winterpock. A couple of other songs were recorded there as well, solo guitar style. The one that remains here is “Raise Your Glass”.

So: A simple, honest record, recorded with care in warm company and in great sounding rooms. Old-fashioned? Sure. Quixotic? Maybe. Hope you like it? Sincerely!  And thanks for reading this far!