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Apr 08 2021

TO WHERE I AM NOW

Today I’d like to share reviews written by two people who have received MOAT’s Poison Stream. The first from Stefan Horlitz in Germany who I’ve done some sessions with and then the response by Joke Roelandt in Belgium. They were sent to me via the MOAT Facebook page (@MOATband), Stefan’s words were so powerful that it inspired Joke to respond. I’d like to thank you both very much for this and I’m very happy to hear that this is what the music I’m involved with does for you:

This album is pretty much a miracle. Fresh, classical spirit, brilliant songwriting, packed with little hooks and surprises, immaculate production. Every note in its place, every note lovingly put exactly there where it belongs. It’s bursting with arrangement ideas but in a very economic fashion. The “ideas” never get into the way of what is the most important thing here – the songs.

I still haven’t figured out where this album lives – in many spheres and spaces, but it’s for sure a very very European thing. Parts of it live in the 1930s in Paris, others in 1960s London, some are sitting around a campfire and others on a ghost ship drifting in the arctic sea. It’s a great journey, and it’s a very very wise and friendly album.

The singing e-bows and sparkling waters of Acid Rain…the irresistible harp-cittern-like riff of Gone By Noon, leading into a sweetly dark room, before it drifts into a grandiose Scott-Walkerian-gesture. Helpless You starts like Bach travelling to Cuba for a jam session, a gorgeous violin, bowed and plucked, in his suitcase, joined by a jolly soulish chorus. Brassens and Brel seem to the godfathers of Marie – a classic valse musette, the minor chords expanded by sweet dissonances, 9th and sus.

Judgement Day starts with stark, frightening iciness and monumentality, takes an improbably inventive way into another harmonic sphere and lands, who would have thought, in a poignant melancholic, delicate something. All those little alleyways like tiny labyrinthine streets in very old towns…the drum roll in Black & White…the string quartet and the solo cello in Folly. Lover starts in a faux French atmosphere, is joined by a beautifully droning brass section, and turns into a luscious soft rock anthem.

Nothing gets in the way of anything – craftsmanship of the highest order, gorgeous sound, fresh and unheard-of chord progressions, fantastic arrangements – absolutely amazing, enjoyable, intelligent pop music. – Stefan Horlitz

And the reply:

That’s a gorgeous review, Stefan! Where the songs live? In the moist air of a sea breeze perhaps – a musical vapour suspended in the air, brought in by the wind -, little droplets that make for very fertile soil for the music to grow and blossom. It feels indeed like a very fresh spring. This album, its atmosphere, and delicate sounds remind me somewhat of Daniel Lanois’ Acadie. They share the same strong sense of perceptive awareness in a light, effervescent way. A load of life kept in a small knapsack that you can easily carry with you wherever you go. “Little seeds in wet soil came up into flower as memories of the North evolved into Acadie”, Lanois notes about his fruitful writing and composing, mixing the North of Canada with the South of New Orleans. Different places meeting and converging in the most beautiful of sounds and melodies, cleverly arranged.

It was “The Ballad of Sweet Marie” – a twinkle of light in the water – which made me think of Lanois’ “O Marie”, first of all, with the accordion in it, which also wavers through Acadie. And Stefan, just between you and me, can I add that some of the sequences of “Judgement Day”, evoke to me the way Nits construct their songs ha! This Poison Stream (the title confuses me somewhat) holds lots of sublime little moments for the soul to bask in. It’s neither sad, nor happy, yet it is both at the same time. “Tears Will Come” closing off this sweet album with a taste of salt on the lips. Delicious! – Joke Roelandt

Music today has been Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s latest album with its silly title G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! but the music is stirring and dramatic, heralding the arrival of a great warrior from the stars. They’re Canadian and their darkness seems unique from that country – Canadians are all so level-headed, aren’t they (cliche), still, there’s Canadian cool and there’s dark Canadian cool and this is it. I saw them live once. The main guy, I think he was the main guy by the way he walked on stage, sat on a normal kitchen chair close-ish to the front of the stage with his back to the audience the whole gig and of course they’re not personalities performing for you so nobody said anything but they played this magnificent sky tearing rhythmic and melodic noise, they made Einstürzende Neubauten sound like Bread. The new album is great – if you like that kind of thing.

Music Of The Daze

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #m Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #moatband #poisonstream 🤘🏰

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Photo by @oliviaelektra 

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Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower disco 🕺🏻 #heyday
Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th Fe Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th February, 2001. All About Eve supporting Fairport Convention.

📷 by @derektimbrell
Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into their new New Mexico listening space 🌵 #nightjar #schoolkidsrecords
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

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You usually don’t spend the day in the studio an You usually don’t spend the day in the studio and the night at a gig but if you put the studio next to the gig then there’s a greater chance. So @salimnourallah did just that, he put the gig and the studio next to each other and made it possible for me to spend the day recording and the evening playing live 🎵

📷 @drewliophoto 

#galacticheadquarters #happinessarecordlabel #pleasantrylanestudio #salimnourallah #oliviawillsonpiper
TO WHERE I AM NOW A visit in the studio today fro TO WHERE I AM NOW

A visit in the studio today from old mate Mark Burgess from The Chameleons who has been hanging in Texas recently. I was thinking about the two of us growing up in the northwest of England and all these years later finding ourselves in such an unlikely spot together. We fixed a few issues in the universe and I carried on recording some guitars until Mark had to leave. Mark had played at the Galactic Headquarters next to the studio this year as Olivia and I had four years ago and this reminded me to remind myself to remind everyone to remind their friends that we will be playing there with Salim on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, for the ultimate in intimate performance. You can get tickets here (follow link below).

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1045

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @salimnourallah 

#markburgess #thechameleons #chameleonsvox #pleasantrylanestudio #happinessarecordlabel #martywillsonpiper #oliviawillsonpiper #moatband
📷 @argirgirl 📷 @argirgirl
TO WHERE I AM NOW Sadness manifested in a buildin TO WHERE I AM NOW

Sadness manifested in a building, today we went to visit Paisley Park. Prince built Paisley Park in Chanhassen, about twenty minutes southwest of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and he recorded his later albums there. Apart from Prince, REM also recorded and mixed Out Of Time there, recording Kate Pearson’s vocal on Shiny Happy People vocal. Madonna had Prince play guitar on three songs from Like A Prayer and the two co-wrote Love Song, finishing it remotely due to Madonna not being able to stand the cold weather and the rather desolate location of the studio. Of course, there are things around but it’s not in the city and it’s not in the countryside, it’s in a suburb, no distractions, just what Prince wanted.

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1032

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @argirgirl 

#paisleypark #prince
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In Deep Music Archive

Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
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"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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