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My latest album is available in full 320kbps quality from the above links. Individual track links are also available at the official album page.

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I began the first pieces of a new album in late 2008, a little inspired by the appreciation some had given my previous attempts, but on the whole disheartened that they were nothing special and not memorable enough that people would feel compelled to share it with a friend. It gave me the feeling that I hadn't tried hard enough, that there must be better songs I can make, longer time I can spend on vocals and recording, and wider sources of influence to widen the range in sound. Perhaps the only worthwhile approach I could have to keep myself moving forward because this album like the others would still be given away for free.

For my first stroke on a blank canvas I didn't go the route taken previously to try and formulate song ideas and pick up the guitar, I went to a voice clip of John F. Kennedy in 1961 addressing congress on the importance of space travel. It set up the beginnings of 'The Way Of The Explorer' and allowed me to build an instrumental song up from sentiment and passion rather than a guitar chord. Re-creating the optimism for the future and the feeling of what it must be like to actually be up there fulfilling the hopes and goals mentioned in JFK's address with music was a challenge, but once done I had a place to progress from; the 50's and 60's.

To fully improve my music I had to consider my weakest element, my vocals. I expanded my original sentiment to re-create emotion with instrumental sections of music in the vein of Pink Floyd, but for the songs that featured vocals I looked to the harmony, the backing and the layer upon layer of voice from The Crickets The 'Chirping Crickets' album and the infamous 'Pet Sounds' by The Beach Boys for ideas. Stacking the vocal tracks with numerous tones wherever possible would give my voice more depth, and the addition of backing would further increase the melody present, ideas that are present throughout the choruses and verses of this album.

Continueing to absorb ideas from the music coming out of that period in time I began to think about the great albums that have stood the test of time. Classic albums made with minimal means, classic songs with no more than 8 tracks of recording. The tones of guitar and use of instrumentation, with the weaving of solos and licks from albums like 'Revolver' by The Beatles, 'Green River' by Creedence Clearwater Revival and 'Let It Bleed' by Rolling Stones weighed down heavy when I came to record the songs "Live & Learn", "All That I've Got" and "A Friend", and offered guidance in other areas of the album.

'Of Nature & Minimal Means' is a collection of deeply personal songs, both in the reflection of my music taste and the music I want to make and listen too, the lyrical content pulling lines and thoughts from the life around me, but also how I feel and want to feel. Lifting myself up with "Aspire" and setting myself down with "Real Life", it's an album that I really hope people acknowledge as a solid effort.