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▀█████▓▌ MTD Proudly Presents ▐▓█████▀
[Info]
Artist : Big Wreck
Album : Albatross
Label : Anthem Entertainment Group
Genre : Rock
Street Date : 2012-03-06
Quality : 264 kbps / 44.1kHz / Joint Stereo
Encoder : Lame 3.98.4 -V0
Size : 98.42 MB
Time : 49:29 min
Url : http://bigwreckmusic.com/
[Tracks]
1. Head Together 3:54
2. A Million Days 4:25
3. Wolves 4:13
4. Albatross 4:14
5. Glass Room 4:57
6. All Is Fair 5:08
7. Control 6:35
8. Rest Of The World 2:51
9. You Caught My Eye 5:29
10. Do What You Will 3:37
11. Time 4:06
[Notes]
The first question after a long absence necessarily has to be æwhy did you
go away?ùwhich belies how happy fans are to see Big Wreck return. The truth
is the details have gown hazy over the last decade and neither Ian Thornley
nor Brian Doherty recalls precisely what brought about the shelving of their
band. Sure, there were outside pressures and there was a machine whose
component parts were no longer in sync. The simple answer on why Big Wreck
is back owes to a rekindling of the friendship of these two musicians, who
didnÆt speak for years and, once they did, the guitars came out. ôI just
missed him,ö says Ian frankly. ôI called him just to hang out but of course
knew the chemistry would be there.ö Brian echoes the sentiment: ôWe got
together and started doing the same things as when we first met, on personal
and musical level. It seemed to make complete sense.ö
Returning to that place where like-minded musicians communicate is to return
to the wellspring of inspiration and creativity. With Big Wreck, that
translates into an outpouring of rock music that is direct from the
subconscious heart, and lives in the interplay of controlled horsepower and
unbridled virtuosity. Big Wreck remains faithful to the Big Rock playbook
but isnÆt necessarily interested in the ôso big it will eat your childrenö
flavours of today. ôI went for all the good stuff thatÆs missing on rock
records these days,ö says Ian in describing the recording process. ôI wanted
to avoid falling into the formulaic cookie-cutter trap. ThatÆs not going to
interest me so how can it interest the listener? I have to go with my gut,
which means longer songs, intros and bridges which explore strange
territories, more room for breathing and a different dynamic range or sonic
palette altogether.ö While contemplating the next studio sessions, Ian was
listening to Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac and Thin Lizzy, finding a love of
the textures in clean guitars against dry drums for creating a sonic
backdrop thatÆs rarer today.
As important as finding a more natural approach to the aural landscape, Ian
was also committed (and unencumbered!) to approach the recording technique
in a way that would offer least obstruction. ôThe first Big Wreck was
recorded really quickly, almost like high-performance demos. When we got
signed, thatÆs what they put out and it worked,ö he recalls. Albatross would
be best served by following this same template: written free from outside
influence, recorded fast in the studio to match the vibe that Ian wanted to
capture. ôThereÆs no other word for it other than ævibeÆ û it may be a
clichΘ but you know when itÆs there and you definitely feel its absence when
itÆs not.ö
Albatross was recorded over a period of four weeks in mid-2011 at Vespa
studios in Toronto with producer Eric Ratz (Billy Talent, Cancer Bats).
ôWorking with Eric is really easy and really fast. I worked with him on Come
Again and it was a great experience in the studioùweÆre like-minded, we get
along, we appreciate the same sorts of sound. I donÆt want too many opinions
in the studio and his I trust.ö For a trusted ally outside the studio, Big
Wreck relied on Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush), producer of
ThornleyÆs Tiny Pictures, who extended his services as an æexecutive
producerÆ to Albatross. The band would send him songs in progress and he
would return suggestions for possible avenues down which to proceed. ôNickÆs
a great song doctor. With Time, that was a song made of three songs which
had to be sewn together like FrankensteinÆs monster, only much prettier.ö
Looking back at the recording studio, says Brian, is something of a blur.
ôIt was lightning fast. Ian had so much already written that I just had to
come in, pick out some guitar parts and, before you knew it, I was done! It
was crazy fast but not stressful at all. It was great to be back in that
scenario and to see Ian work in the way that he likes best. So reminiscent
of those first Big Wreck days.ö
So what about the songs themselves? It can safely be said that Big Wreck of
2012 follows naturally from where their songbook left off a decade earlier.
ôSome of these songs [on Albatross] have been kicking around since then. A
riff here and there, a melody that was just looking for its home û
especially true of Albatross [the song]. That main lick has been with me a
long time, working some sort of Rod Stewart Maggie May vibe. Do What You
Will has had different lyrics in its various incarnations but it has
remained with me as I wonÆt deny I have a soft spot for beer-chugging rock
anthems.ö Ian has an admitted soft spot for Led Zeppelin and All Is Fair
treads a not-dissimilar path. ôIÆve always been honest and open about my
feelings for Mr. Page,ö grins Ian.
Head Together was created by layering, over and over, vocals that almost û
but not quite û line up. ôI wanted to hear what it would be like to do 20
vocal lines on top of one another and then begin picking notes over top,
in-between and around.ö Putting new spins on old forms is a never-ending
process of discovery. ôYou Caught My Eye has to be the most straight-up
blues song IÆve ever done, which actually gave me lots of opportunity to
play within that structure for soloÆing, different lyrical approaches and
more. The guitar sound came first and everything else followed.ö
Beyond the impact of their recordings, Big Wreck retains a legacy of an
exceptional touring band who deliver on stage true to all the great rock
legend and lore. ôWeÆre getting incredibly impatient,ö admits Brian. ôTake a
group of guys like us and put them on the road for weeks, playing 5-6 nights
a week, and itÆs a matter of what that can become. You can come see Big
Wreck in a club and appreciate the Rock ænÆ Roll party side and have a ball
AND I think thereÆs a lot to listen to in terms of musicianship and
songwriting. ThereÆs a lot to offer and if an audience can work with that,
this will be great.ö
So Albatross is the same Big Wreck, only different. Fresh yet familiar,
thereÆs no mistaken the voice, the virtuosity of playing, the pen from which
it pours forth. Ask Ian Thornley if Big Wreck of 2012 is the Big Wreck that
called it a day back in 2002 and he sees this as the natural extension of
what heÆs been doing for decades now. ôItÆs still the same thing. IÆm still
looking to get off and get that feeling. IÆm still searching for the perfect
thing. I hope I never find it.ö
Big Wreck fans may argue that theyÆve found what theyÆve been looking for
these last ten years.