Hello. Donations are now closed for the new Textile Ranch album. Thank you to all those kind souls who donated. You'll find a little token of my appreciation on your doormats within the next few weeks.
THE REST, I LEAVE TO THE POOR
The Rest, I Leave To The Poor,' a collaboration between Textile Ranch and Victorian music machinist, Plinth, is released by the Make Mine Music label today (27th October 2008).
This single 44 minute piece may structurally resemble a classical composition - divided as it is into several interlocking stanzas - but it's difficult to place it comfortably within the realm of modern music. If anything, 'The Rest....' evokes the otherwordly, fantastical obsessions of the Victorians (Conan Doyle, Lear, Grandville, Wellcome, etc) through means of meticulously manipulated instrumentation, samples and voice.
Plinth (Mike Tanner), of course, is no stranger to Victoriana. In 2007, the Dorset-based multi-instrumentalist and founder of the Dorset Paeans record label released, 'Plays Victorian Machine Music' - an EP made up entirely from sounds generated by antiquated parlor machines and music boxes. A further full-length Plinth album, 'Music For Smalls Lighthouse' will be released on the Current 93-associated, Durtro Jnana label by the end of this year.
Tanner has also played as a member of Pantaleimon, Directorsound, United Bible Studies and with Sharron Kraus live.
Glen Johnson founded the Anglo-French "ghost-rock" unit, Piano Magic, in 1996 and since then has released over 30 records on a multitude of different labels, from 4AD to Morr Music to Important Records, including collaborations
with Low, Vashti Bunyan, Cornershop and Tarwater. In 2004, his debut album as
Textile Ranch, 'Bird Heart In Wool,' a portfolio of abstract, melodic electronica, was released on the Very Friendly label. A further Textile Ranch album will see the light of day in early 2009.
Tanner and Johnson may have met on the internet but their collaboration here relied greatly on Her Majesty's Royal Mail service, swapping files by post, adding, subtracting, remoulding, magnifying found sounds and home recordings. The overall effect could be imagined as the sonic depiction of the life and times of an impoverished Victorian clerk, from birth to death. Clattering typewriter keys are sewn into this rich tapestry amongst the lolloping waves of the grimy Thames, divine voices, rusty acoustic guitars, wheezing harmoniums, boiling kettles, mocking crows, funeral drums, penny arcades and much, much more.
Angele David-Guillou, a regular contributor to Piano Magic recordings and chanteuse with her own project, Klima (s/t album on Peacefrog, 2007) generously guests on vocals and other instruments here, whilst the mysterious Ms Autumn Grieve adds further voicings.
'The Rest, I Leave To The Poor' comes as a strictly ltd edition (1000 copies), letter-pressed sleeve of recycled chipboard with red metallic ink finish.
Textile Ranch’s debut album, ‘Bird Heart In Wool’ is back in stock at Norman Records mail order at a special low, low price of £4.99 (about 6.31€ or $9.27) + post and packaging by clicking on the link below.
The 2004 album consists of 11 original tracks by Piano Magic’s Glen Johnson.
“Built upon digital drum beds, icy synths, the contributions of two French chanteuses and a multitude of found sounds (wildlife, a thunderstorm and ahem, someone sawing through wood), Johnson behaves as if he’s been rummaging through the most extreme and esoteric end of his record collection in order to pour fuel onto his home-recording furnace.” - Comes With A Smile
“Our friend Glen Johnson at home making fragile music box melodies out of snips of found sounds and even a few musical instruments. Made without guitars or computers, this often feels like a collection of textural sketches rather than conventional song structures...but the feeling of nostalgia imbues much of this with a melancholic resonance.” - DREAM
Order here :
http://www.normanrecords.com/records/106927
