In contrast with some of the works dating back decades, other parts of the album were literally completed after recording had already begun. I refer in particular to the decision to attach Tricia’s poem “The Dive” to an instrumental I had written years before (then titled “Theme from Vostok Lake”) which was always intended to book-end the album.
Daphne Lawless continues her series of backgrounders to the stories on our new album.
Daphne Lawless continues her series of backgrounders to the stories on our new album. Artwork by Tricia Hall.
Did I already mention some of these pieces are very old indeed? The introductory 13/8 riff to “Amateur Hour” was bequeathed to me by a guitar player in an old band during Bill Clinton’s first term. Listeners have said it sounds like King Crimson, probably not an accident, since this gentleman was an alumnus of R. Fripp’s Guitar Craft. I tried it out for size in various songs until it fit.
Welcome to the first day of the Comics and Stories era. We've been sitting on these songs in recorded version for most of a year, and in their "conceptual" form for in some cases more than a decade before then. Now it is our pleasure - or specifically, that of Daphne, our main composer - to bring you some of the backstory that might enhance your listening. Songs are presented in no particular order.
Donald Strachan is a community radio DJ in Scotland whose radio show Views From The Edge has, for occult reasons we've never quite put our finger on, supported Vostok Lake music since ages ago.
When Daphne was 8 years old, she fell in love with Total Eclipse of the Heart and its grand guignol video. "Arthur Fonzarelli's got an army of clones", indeed.
Well, here it is. Feast your eyeballs. Available for digital pre-order at Bandcamp - our double A-side single "Don't Tell The Doctor" c/w "Cut and Run" is available for streaming and download right now. The remainder of the album will be released when the physical merch is ready.
Please let us know what you think. We hope you like it.
We took delivery of the final mixes for Comics and Stories today. We'd like to take this opportunity for a special shoutout to our producer, Jess Haugh, without whom none of this would have been possible - it being her suggestion to take VL back into the studio in the first place, back in 2015, when we were honestly beginning to wonder whether it was worth it. She ran recording sessions smoothly and intelligently, and gave both Daphne and Tricia valuable feedback on vocals - and in turn, had to put up with all kind of finicky comments about the mix.
Turns out we're going back into the studio again, to do some "repair" vocals, and also to record an extra-special bonus track which we decided the album wasn't complete without.
Release scheduled for December. It's still happening.
In hindsight, we were probably overly eager to do our cover of Frank Zappa's "You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here", and not eager enough to make sure that a middle-of-the-road audience would get the joke.
Audience elimination experiment a complete success!
Nevertheless, we go forward.