From: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org (jangle-poets-digest) To: jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Subject: jangle-poets-digest V9 #90 Reply-To: jangle-poets@smoe.org Sender: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk jangle-poets-digest Monday, August 27 2007 Volume 09 : Number 090 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [JP] The Strangelings CD Season of the Witch [Nieldsforever@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:38:44 EDT From: Nieldsforever@aol.com Subject: [JP] The Strangelings CD Season of the Witch These are the tracks on the Strangelings CD _Season of the Witch_ -- Season of the Witch White Bird Matty Groves Sculptor's Song Tanglewood Tree Johnny Come Down to Hilo Hard Way to Learn Wildest Sea The Coo Coo Nuah Wayfaring Stranger Man of Poor Fortune Wake Up, Children Didn't It Rain Sirens ============================================================= This album encompasses the following -- - --- One brand-new song written specifically for this Strangelings release, "Wake Up Children." Although the credits list Chris, Pete, Maura, Ken, and Rebecca as co-writers, the song is far more reminiscent of Chris' work with Chris & Meredith Thompson than any previous work by either of the other 2 duos of Pete & Maura or Rebecca & Ken. - --- 4 brand-new arrangements of cover songs, Donovan's "Season of the Witch," It's a Beautiful Day's "White Bird," Fairport Convention's "Matty Groves," and Erica Smith's "Johnny Come Down to Hilo." The first 3 of those were first done in the 1960's, giving the album almost a 60's feel to it. - --- 3 new versions of songs previously released by Rebecca Hall, "Sculptor's Song," "Hard Way to Learn," and "Man of Poor Fortune." - --- 3 new versions of songs previously recorded by C&M Thompson, "Tanglewood Tree," "Wildest Sea," and "Wayfaring Stranger." - --- Finally, 4 new versions of recycled Kennedys, "The Coo Coo," "Nuah," "Didn't It Rain," and "Sirens." ============================================================== The entire album was recorded and released within the following time-frame. When Rebecca & Ken made their Strangelings debut at the Guthrie Center 5/25/07, they seem to have been a little in the dark as to what their role in the band would be WRT the recording. When the album appeared in the FRFF merch tent 7/26/07, not only were 3 R&K songs on the disc, R&K seem to take part on every track in some capacity or other. Season of the Witch is a group album in which all of the 5 Strangelings took part, not a compilation of duo songs rehashed from previous recordings. It's an all-new collaboration of the highest order in which everyone participates. The album was already done (or nearly so) when TK played it over the sound system at the Lancaster Fireworks show 6/24/07, before the show. So it's not just that Season of the Witch went from conception to release in 2 months! It was virtually or completely done in less than one month, not counting duplication and final artwork. Most of it was done really in a matter of 2 weeks, not 2 months. 15 songs! That was a lot of material for Rebecca & Ken to learn in 2 weeks, to be able to get onto disc in 2 weeks' time, by professional standards, by the Kennedys' standards, or by any standards. That was a lot of material for all of them to get down in such a short time, though Chris & TK had been playing some of these songs as the Strangelings since 1/12/07 at PACE, the first Strangelings show. One might be led to expect from this that the result would be a slap-dash mess of hurriedly-learned renditions. Not so! Season of the Witch is some of the best work I've ever heard on disc from TK, and it might be the best-sounding work I've ever heard from both Chris and from R&K. Pete is a brilliant producer, and all of the arrangements on Season of the Witch are crisp and distinctive. It's all the more amazing a feat, considering that in the space of just a few months, TK produced not just Season of the Witch, but also 2 other albums, the Stringbusters and the Snacks -- as well as a DVD of the Strangelings "Nuah Suite." I first saw the DVD at the Acoustic Cafe 4/7/07 -- the Stringbusters CD at Hingham 5/19/07 -- the Strangelings CD at Lancaster 6/24/07 -- and the Snacks CD at FRFF 7/26/07, when Season of the Witch was also released. To quote the Killer -- "Ain't fakin'! A whole lotta shakin' goin' on!" Bruce Check out the Kennedys' Official Home Page: http://www.KennedysMusic.com/ Fab photos, the Official tour diary, dashboard Buddha haiku, groovy merchandise...what more could you ask for? ------------------------------ End of jangle-poets-digest V9 #90 *********************************