Artist.......: Human Bell
Album........: Human Bell
Label........: Thrill Jockey
Genre........: Indie
Catnr........: thrill 191
source.......: CDDA
rip.date.....: Dec-23-2007
str.date.....: 000-00-0000
quality......: VBR/44.1Hz/Joint-Stereo
Url..........: n/a
track title time
01. A Change in Fortunes 06:47
02. Splendor and Concealment 05:20
03. Hymn Amerika 03:26
04. Outposts of Oblivion 06:52
05. Hanging From The Rafters 09:53
06. Ephaphatha (Be Opened) 04:41
07. The Singing Trees 08:20
Runtime 45:19 min
Size 62,7 MB
Release Notes:
The Aramaic language had an expression û Ephphatha,
to be opened, as a portal. That ability to be open,
to listen completely and communicate purely is at
the heart of Human Bell. Dave Heumann and Nathan
BellÆs gorgeous guitar duets form instrumental
canvas painted in the warm colored hues of folk and
rock music, and simultaneously a blank canvas for
the listeners themselves to paint. Their songs are
delicately crafted with an immaculate clarity,
expressiveness, and most of all, openness.
Nathan Bell has recorded with more than a dozen
bands in the last decade. Most known for playing
bass in Lungfish from 1996 to 2003, he has also
worked with P.W. Long, Mighty Flashlight, and
Television Hill, an earlier version of Arbouretum.
Dave Heumann has also played with Cass McCombs,
Bonnie ôPrinceö Billy, Anomoanon and Papa M, in
addition to his work as leader of Arbouretum.
Dave Heumann and Nathan BellÆs work together began
as each of the Baltimore natives had been working
individually on instrumental pieces for banjo and
guitar. For both, the experience of collaborating
on the creation of instrumental music is a
liberating process. The open pastoral structures
allow their natural musical tendencies to shine.
Nathan BellÆs songwriting, as his work with
Lungfish, tends to be linear, as moving along a
path through a progression of passages, while
HeumannÆs, as with his work in Arbouretum, is more
cyclical. The intersection of those two approaches
and the mutual understanding that brings them
together is the essence of Human Bell.
The bulk of the Human Bell album was recorded by
Paul Oldham at Rove Studios in Selbyville,
Kentucky. ôEphphathaö was recorded at Nathan BellÆs
house in Baltimore by Antony West. The album was
mixed by John McEntire at Soma EMS in Chicago.
Additional musicians included Matt Riley (The Moss
Collector) with his bowed banjo, guitar, amplified
kalimba, vibraphones, drum and quartz singing bowl,
and Michael Turner (Warmer Milks, Speed to Roam) on
guitar, at his finest on ôHanging from the
Rafters.ö Drums were played by Peter Townsend
(Speed to Roam, Bonnie Prince Billy), except on ôA
Change in Fortunes,ö where they were preformed by
Ryan Rapsis (Euphone).