Psychedelic Sci-Fi New Wave Fusion Band Vol. 1

Collection Contents

#		Title	Length
1		We Have a Secret Tool	4:29	Play
2		Red Balloon	5:30	Play
3		Walls with Eyes	3:10	Play
4		Choose to Play	5:54	Play
5		Television Babies	3:51	Play
6		Saturn Sequence	4:08	Play
7		Solar Song	4:44	Play
8		Uninfluenced by Gravity	4:44	Play
9		90,000 Years	1:39	Play
10		Umbrellas Away	2:23	Play
11		Japetus Receiving	3:53	Play
12		The Sleeping Suns	3:30	Play
13		Neverending	3:46	Play

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Description

"Psychedelic Sci-Fi New Wave Fusion Band Vol. 1" is Umber Sleeping's debut release for the Pacific Northwest's new label Space Rocker Records. The songs were recorded off and on between January and July 2005 and are the sonic equivalent of all of our favorite music mixed up in a blender. The cd is a loose-knit concept album--not really in an uptight way, but a certain theme does flow through the stories here.


Notes:

1. "We Have A Secret Tool" opens the cd with a bang. The lyrics draw upon themes from the 1971 sci-fi flick "The Andromeda Strain," with their depiction of possible world domination if the "secret tool" were to somehow fall into the wrong hands.

2."Red Balloon" is another song influenced by film, but not lyrically; it's an instrumental. The film's mark is notable in the song's color, mood, repetition of themes, and circular rhythms played in 5/8 time. Most of us grew up seeing the timeless French film short "The Red Balloon" in school.

3. "Walls With Eyes" has a four-on-the-floor bass drum groove and a simple arrangement that flows nicely, making it one of two or three songs that a dj might actually have the nerve to play during the daylight hours. The story here in a literal sense describes mass paranoia.

4. "Choose To Play" is one of the most dynamic tunes included on the cd, and seems to get the label "proggy" from some listeners--to which we say "Thank you very much!" The story, on the other hand, tells of a childlike
simplicity and blissful unawareness.

5. "Television Babies" was co-written by Trevor Dickson (of the Northwest band The Elephants) and Peter. This song's moody half time tom rhthyms are topped by Trevor's haunting lead Vocals. The theme here is brainwashing (that's right, MTV!). Trevor also added a sort of Ventures sounding guitar track, making it the only guitar heard on the cd.

6. "Saturn Sequence" is a to-the-point instrumental which was originally called "Saturday Sequence", until Julie Rivera (the band's live photographer) said that "Saturn" would better fit the mood. She was right. The song to me conjures visions of a trip to a foreign planet that forever alters the traveler. When she returns (as the song returns also to it's earlier theme), things that were once familiar have a distinctly different flavor. Interpretation aside, this song features some unique chord changes, over a little 5/4 rythm (zowie!).

7. "Solar Song" is about how the sun gives us energy, and how amazing it is that there is a sun at all. The keyboards on this one are built up almost entirely from Chris's Juno 60 synth.

8. "Uninfluenced By Gravity" is an instrumental that I'm real proud of. It reminds me of early the new wave I grew up hearing.

9. "90,000 Years" takes place right before the guy comes back home to earth from his space explorations in Kiss' "100,000 Years", from thier first album.

10. "Umbrellas Away" is a kind of psychedelic march. The song was originally to be the first track on the cd, as it introduces the themes which are finally brought to rest in "Passing The Sleeping Suns."

11. "Japetus Receiving" showcases a cool guest appearance synth solo by friend Chazz Bessette, which reminded us immediately of "The Bat" by Pat Metheny, from his album Offramp. The song is otherwise notable for its odd-time (19/8?) Return to Forever-ish groove in the middle.

12. "The Sleeping Suns" brings the album to a peacful end both musically and thematically. We are very influenced by The Beatles, and although maybe not always obvious because we don't directly steal their tricks, this songs does have a somewhat Beatlesque rhythmic feel, and is also harmonically close to Lennon/McCartney.

13. "Neverending" of course ends the cd on an ironic note, and Chazz once again lends some synth magic to the 2nd and 3rd sections.

-Peter

Other notes:

The drums for the album we're recorded by Peter Tietjen with engineering assistance from Mark Simmons on three songs at Pacific Studios in Tacoma, WA. Tracks were then completed at Peter's "Secret Studio" in Tacoma as well.