I was honoured to be asked to play bass on Gifford Rolfe’s latest album, Between that Ocean and this Sky. It’s full of gorgeous evocative melodies and lyrics. The album’s sea theme is punctuated by beautiful love songs, wistful nostalgia, pirates, and Gifford’s signature biographical political songs, this time the story of Anna Politkovskya – which called for a groovy driving bass line and, how cool, a bass solo. When I heard the rough mixes I loved the title track and it’s sister song – Shoresong – which brought some of the most impassioned slow Free songs to mind. So I imagined I was Andy Fraser when I was playing the Shoresong bass line. Joan’s harmony vocals on the nostalgic and heartwarming Unsung Stories sounded ace and I was swinging along. There was a great vibe in Wakefield at Mark Sturgess’s Soundstation Studio when we went to record the bass.
Well, I was so excited when a jiffy bag with Gifford’s writing dropped through the letterbox yesterday. I leapt around a bit and then decided to wait til Rich came home. We opened it as soon as he came in, and listened to it right through straight away. The artwork looks fantastic and features Giffords ocean paintings and one of Rich’s photos of him from Filey Festival. The whole album flows perfectly through the tracks. From feel good pirate history and a touch of Americana to the lonesome guitar and voice of the final track, Echoes, it’s wonderful. We love it and I am thrilled!
We are delighted that Gifford, Joan and that odd poet Roy Kibbler will be coming to Loudhailer Acoustic on Thursday. Gifford will be playing some songs from the album, and he’ll be bringing some copies along, hot off the press.
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