released December 29, 2016
Limited 7” Clear Vinyl
1. Spirit Jar
2. Spirit Glass
Cricket Kirk Bass
Marc Phillips Drums
Michael Saklar Guitar/Vocals/Keys
Recorded at Ant-Records Analog for 2017 release
Engineered by M. Saklar
With Equipment from the ’60s/’70s
8 Track Analog +fold-down
ANT-RECORDS 083
1982’s State of the Art
1. Make
2. Like Clouded Storms
3. Song-Book
4. Rain Split River
5. Spirit Jar
6. Spirit Glass
7. A Day Late
8. Land-Less
Isabella Saklar Wurlitzer
Molly Gaughan Additional Vocals
ANT-RECORDS 084
Digital Download
1. Make
2. Like Clouded Storms
3. Song-Book
4. Rain Split River
5. Spirit Jar
6. Spirit Glass
7. A Day Late
8. Land-Less
9. Dead End (Live 2016)*
10. 735 (Live 2016)*
Mastered Tape/Tube/Analog EQ
ANT-RECORDS 085
*Live 15-OCT-2016, full show here:
archive.org/details/SLT2016-10-15.SLT2016-10-15
The Sun-Less Trio. It’s a minor miracle this album found it’s way to completion. It’s been in the works before, during and after the “735” project of 2015. Here it is the first of 2017, and here it is record #2.
Recording Styles and Techniques. These sessions were the result of recording live to tape, 8-tracks in particular. A fold-down would generally take place. This is where you record 5-6 tracks of instrumentation live then mix, obtain another 6 tracks of recording. The additional tracks would often contain vastly different instruments remixed along side the initial mix. Not too different from say a late '60s session squeezing 18-20 instruments onto 8 tracks of tape. For example, “Make" might have Bass VI guitar, bass pedal and backing vocal-all on the same track at different times. You move the faders, you make it work. Some songs are simply recorded live and mixed with vocals later, others more orchestrated in overdub. There's certainly no method to the creative process. Still we realize each and every seed of a song stems into it's own complicated and Hobbes-esque-hair pulling life form. You'll perceive tape dropouts, hard faders and 4am mixes. Not for those that cringe at distortion. Not for those that are ill to tape hiss. We make it work (or try).
Architecture. From the guitars, pedals, amps, speaker cabinets...most every sound is custom sculpted (if not completely custom made). Maybe a dozen microphones we'd built. The tube pre's are vintage '60s reconstructs, the mixing with reworked ’70s channel strips. Mix with faders. Yes it sounds better. Cables capacitance tested and thrown out. Lathe cut records handmade by Audiogeography in CT., one at a time. CD's the highest quality Yuden thermal lacquer, slow burn. Covers inked and sprayed at Ant-Records. All this work, is it better?
Songsmith. Make it start, rain or shine. Let no cloud slow us up. Sit right down and dive into the rain split river of which courses unknown. This song is ringing in our ears, do we refuse to listen to? A ghost heart sits in a jar, do we shatter that glass and split and crack? Let’s not be a dollar short for of course the dust will settle. It takes some time to dry us out, with edges frayed and insides draught. Tall trees so vibrant, stand fortress around our hearts. Flow rain split river, return from where you start.
SLT 29 DEC. 2016.