«A Shadow of a Smile” – almost here! September 10th, 2024
Hi there fine folk!
My 11th album and my 6th solo album is here! I got the CD for sale already – view the shop! The LP will be here Mid-October and the world wide digital release is set to 25th the same month.
The title of the album is a line from one of the songs on the album – “Clete Purcell and the Ladies”. I first recorded this on my EP Rough Recordings – my first ever solo effort in 2009.
It is a character driven song about a well know side-kick in James Lee Burke’s novel series about Dave Robicheaux – colorful and tangible stories about beauty, doom and humanity – and Clete is in the middle of it – both a bit sad and inspiring all the same.
For the first time I have recorded an album in the United States - in Norman, Oklahoma. As readers of the blog know I have worked closely with the multi-talented Kyle Reid as producer and fellow musician during two musical trips of hard work during 2023. Kyle was an easy choice - he's young, exceptionally talented, and part of a music scene I've gotten to know well over the past 15 years. I asked Kyle after I heard Carter Sampson’s beautiful album “Gold”. The fact that he is a couple of decades younger than me didn't hurt either. I learned so much from this recording process and it opened up some perspectives on how to co-op in our digital age.
On the album, he has also received help from, among others, Ken Pomeroy - a young artist and songwriter who is doing well these days - she is on the soundtrack to the Hollywood film "Twister", which was just released, and in the popular TV series "Reservation Dogs" on Dinsney+. The very buzy, active and skilled fiddler Lane Hawkins also contributes on a couple of songs. Bassman Johnny Carlton is on there too! Nashville-based Kinsey Rose and Michael Lusk also contribute on one of the songs. The entire album was mastered by Robert Hauge in Horten! The cover art is by talented musician and artist Ali Harter - it is based on a picture shot by my good friend Anne-Sophie Drouet.
I have played many times in Oklahoma since 2009 and my version of Americana is inspired by the "Red Dirt scene" - a style of music with a good mix of country, blues, rock and folk. And this is album is as eclectic as the others – a bit of all of the above.
The album is a collection of 12 songs, each with its own story. The themes vary from mature love and interpersonal generosity to cynicism and a lack of faith in the future. One of the songs is about writing a song - it was created in ten minutes - and has turned out really well; "My Heart's In It". “A Shadow of a Smile” is definitely a singer- songwriter album with a huge variation in instrumentation - with touches of everything from acoustic standing bass to distinct elements of electronica - from quiet and calm to full band action! It has become a good brew that I am looking forward to launch.
Well, friends: I really hope you like it!
All the best - And listen to Johns Prine songs.
Knut