ABOUT THE NEW TRACKS…

3 new tracks are coming your way for the Autumn! These tracks have been in the making for quite a while now, going through various changes and adaptations. Finally I've settled on 3 mixes to share. I nearly released these as 3 separate singles because they are a bit different to each other, but figured they might as well just go on an EP!

DON'T WAIT FOR THE SKY TO TURN BLACK

The title track came from a phrase that a friend used once and it became the starting point for the song (thanks Tracy!). I kind of liked the idea of trying to not look at the negative side of things so much; trying not to live your life with your head down. Choruses aren't always easy to write but this one seemed to stick in my head and its been around for quite a while. The verses were a different story though! I completely re wrote the verses from a previous version and re worked all of the drums to try and keep the rhythm and feel upbeat in contrast to the words. 

I often find books and their titles inspirational. In this track I reference ‘"If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things", by Jon McGregor. I’ve had that line for years but never found a good place for it until now. Jon's books are like pieces of poetry and that book in particular was unusual because it had little if any punctuation if I recall correctly. 

ALL THE GODS ARE FALSE

The same was true for the second song on the EP ‘All The God’s Are False.' This is a line from one of my favourite books ‘The Crow Road’ by Iain Banks. Prentice's Dad Ken is drunk and rambling like a madman about how all the Gods are false whilst attempting to walk across a castle wall in a thunder storm! (I think that's right -it's been a while since I read it). But that line has been in my lyric book for about 20 years. The title is probably a bit misleading because the song touches on themes of memory and not letting time run out rather than being about religion specifically. Sometimes the words just sound good together and I think this song is a bit like that. It's style is very similar to ‘In The Firing Line’, using mainly synths and sequenced sounds to create quite a moody panoramic sound influenced heavily by Depeche Mode. 

DIFFERENT CIRCUS, SAME OLD CLOWN

This song is fairly self explanatory really. The pathos is piled high on a drunken protagonist who doesn't learn from his mistakes. I love songs that have a narrative and on this one I was heavily influenced by Del Amitri and Justin Currie. I recorded a few versions of this but in the end went for a simple acoustic low key affair! I wanted the vocals to be up front and personal. If you listen carefully you might hear the bunch of spaghetti that I used instead of a hi hat cymbal! DIY production or what…?

Anyway I hope if you are reading this you take a few moments to listen and like what you hear.

Martin