Friends,
Walking around the old core of Xi'an, China, I was struck by the predominance of two structures--the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower. These buildings dedicated to the two most essential elements of music took me on a trip, and I decided to change the name of my musical act from Funeral Songs, four-albums in, to Drum & Bell Tower.
The Black Need was recorded in 2008. At the time I had very few friends in my new town of Williams Lake, BC, and I had just discovered the near infinite possibilities of computer programming and recording. With no social life, I had the time to go pretty wild with automation, effects, and layering. The result is my most accomplished, lushly textured, multi-instrumental, psychedelic journey into big crunchy beats and electronica. By far my most labour intensive recording, it is the one that I am most satisfied with as a production.
However...
During the festival season of 2009 I fell out of love with all the gear, and I shifted focus to acoustic instruments. I recorded "Scratch Out Your Name" in Wells, BC, in November of '09 in the cozy Wells United Church; it had been the acoustic venue for many amazing shows at ArtsWells festivals over the years.
Leading up to the recording, and during it, I had been reading a variety of non-fiction books on ecology, economics, and the empire, as well as a number of books by Cormac McCarthy. I think the lyrics reflect that focus, as they are often dark and heavy.
The recording process was fairly basic. I laid all drum, hi-hat and guitar tracks live, adding vocals and harmonies after. I mixed it myself but had sense enough to send it away for mastering to Beck Audio in Victoria. Of all my recordings, this one has had the most positive audience response. I guess it's the audible lyrics (!) and its up-beat and often danceable vibe.
In 2011, I returned to Wells for another wintry week and recorded Burn Beneath the Water in the decommissioned St. George United Church. It's style, form, and subject matter is very much in step with Scratch Out. I hope you enjoy it. I look forward to touring it extensively in 2011/2012.
Thanks for reading and for listening,
Yours,
Brent Morton / Drum & Bell Tower
Drum & Bell Tower is a melodic and driving songwriting experiment offering commentary on political, environmental, and social realities. Recordings and live shows are solo, putting to work voice, acoustic guitar, high-hat, and drum. With musical hints of artists like Beck, Neil Young the acoustic side of Zeppelin, the sounds range from mellow strum style to chopped and rocking riffery.
Try to imagine DJ Shadow collaborating with Aphex Twin and sampling heavily from Pink Floyd, Kraftwerk, Red House Painters, Mike Oldfield, Sigur Ros, and David Bowie’s Berlin period instrumentals. That gives you a general idea, but it really only just scrapes the surface of an album that feels slightly different each time I play it.
- BC Musician
