So, next up, track 3 & 4 of “til you’re no longer blinkered” (and you may have had every right to be) by ‘caro snatch and a score of good eggs’ are tracks that have been previously released on EPs but whose themes fitted into this album’s. They have been accordingly pampered with a few more years of audio/creative experience and new improved instrumentations.

mancky strings at gracieland studios

Track 3 is entitled Sense ability. This track was written when I was first adjusting to my solo adventure in Berlin. The synthetic strings in the original version have been gracefully superseded by Steve Boyce-Buckley’s wonderful arrangement based on my pentatonic midi renditions. And executed by the Mancky Strings quartet who had an easier job of this one, what with there being a beat adhering to a click and all.

I then felt a yang/animus counterpart to my vocals would be endearing. And Jacob H James – with the charming grain of Thom Yorke/Guy Garvey hybrid in my ears – was the perfect sample of the male species for the job. His one-man choir capacity spans a few octaves and the efficiency with which he builds them up is quite simply a bit magic. So we had a most pleasant time getting these down at SSR.
Finally Bagbeater sent me a few more loops to add to the juxtaposing more harsh textures that I hope balance out the intended sentiments of this soothing piece.

me & Steve B-B beavering at Gracieland

Almost title track to my latest EP “Plan in it” is the other revamp for this occasion. Still called Plan it, Hypnotique’s soaring theremin is preserved while real fresh drums have been inserted courtesy of fellow newcastle ex-pat Andy Hodson. His self-suggested freeform rumblings and clatterings really enrich the beginning of the track and gave all of us in the control room the shivers of something exciting going on in the first take.

Andrew Hodson doing Plan it

This version of Plan it even has a bassline too, played by Janet Wolstenholme which has added an actually quite welcome pop element. And finally the Ruby Electric ladies enhanced the track with colourful and triumphant vocal harmonies.

Hence the score of good eggs count is totting up and I hope you can imagine how much fun I have had playing and working with all these talented and generous musical folk, all dedicated to their craft with intuition and play intact. Remains to acknowledge myself and Steve B-B also had lots of fun with the Gracieland smorgasbord of quality tools while doing the final mixdowns too.

gracie tape machine 1.1