Friday, July 27, 2007

Peter Scion-Through my ghost,CD,2002,Sweden

This one closes Peter Scion discography.As always wonderful!
BEHIND THE VEIL OF 'THROUGH MY GHOST''Through My Ghost' was recorded in the first week after the demise of Pangolin. I left the band during the sessions for our second, unfinished album in June 2000. The album was supposed to include a couple of newlywritten songs, and when I was free to take up my solo career again, I wanted to use them for 'Through My Ghost'. 'Under A Grey Sun', 'Funny' and The Devilish Mother' were all songs we had rehearsed with the band. I also had a couple of unreleased recordings that I thought fit into the context of the new album--'The Farthermost Shore'. 'Glad For You', and the song that eventually gave the album its title, 'Through My Ghost', were added along with a couple of songs that emerged during the solo sessions. I think that Pangolin is very much present in these recordings. My approach to the music was much more rock'n'roll than it had been previously, even in some of the mellower songs. In a way, this is the Pangolin album that never was. Kind of.The album was ready to be released soon after it was completed, but due to technical problems, lack of time and sheer bad luck, it took me almost two years to get it out. That's a long time for someone who is restless and constantly working on new songs. It's like having a mental constipation. I was very frustrated to have it stuck in a limbo. More than once, I almost scrapped the whole album, although people encouraged me not to give it up. Now I'm happy I didn't cancel the release. After all, I think it's a good album. During the delays, I also had the time to consider changes, and I eventually I dropped three songs from it in order to get a more cohesive record.I've been asked whether the song 'Funny' is a comment on the Pangolin split up, but the truth is that it isn't. At least, it wasn't when I wrote it. However, when I recorded it on my own, lots of the frustration and disappointment that the break up resulted in went into the song.I usually don't tell people what my favourite track is on a certain album, but I must admit that I have a special relation to 'Funny'. When I just had written it, I called it 'the WIll Oldham song' because it was so slow.I soon speeded it up a bit and in the end, it had switched from Will Oldham to Neil Young... It's a song that since I wrote has appeared my live sets from time to time. It's fun to play, and I like how it goes up and down in intensity and energy. It's a very organic song, and there's a lot of space for other musicians to shape it.'Warning!' is just for the fun of it. It's like a mix of Link Wray and Suicide. I love those early 60's guitar instrumentals. Someone once said that every guitar player has at least one song like that, and 'Warning!' is mine.'May She Fly High' was originally recorded during the 'Amethyst Dream' sessions, although this is a new recording done especially for the album. It's a song for all children everywhere, but most of all for my daughterEmma. A wishful song, a song of hope. When I think about it, it's probably a song for every person. It kind of says, don't let life bring you down, it's worth to go on. Save some of your sweetest dreams to paint a sad andgloomy day. Perhaps that is what 'Through My Ghost' is all about anyway. About not giving up, but to go on, always go on. Always. It's worth it.
From Tree music web page
PETER SCIONThrough My GhostLadies and gentleman (and especially fans of "Peter Scion, the folk artist") find your way to your most stable and comfortable chair. Not only because Through My Ghost is a magic piece of sonic goodness that demands your full attention, but also to avoid major injuries after falling from the shock waves of the freewheeling power chords of the wonderful Link Wray-esque surf-inspired opener, "Warning". This start unquestionably comes as a surprise, but it's a nice and inspired shock that'll find you intrigued to hear what this Swedish musician is up to this time. The rest of the music doesn't mean this is the departure from Peter's previous work that the opener suggests, but I'm still hesitating to label the music as folk as it's as much about singer/songwriter sensibilities and psych rock, which makes sense given that Peter doesn't really consider himself a folk artist in the first place. Through My Ghost was recorded right after the long-missed Pangolin combo called it quits, and perhaps that's why it's such a bleak and dark listen. But as much as breaking up from Pangolin seems to have been hard on Peter, it also seems to have been the starting point for hope, something that is especially evident in the beautiful closer "May She Fly High." It's a hymn for children in general and his daughter Emma in particular with crystal clear guitar work circling around the heavens without any desire of really going anywhere. The same can not be said about the organ-laced claustrophobia of "The Fathermost Shore" and the quietly crawling title-track, both of which are so melancholic they're difficult to listen to before the sun decides to call it a day. This is music made to listen to on the headphones when all the lights have gone out and all there is left is yourself and your own thoughts. But this is also something for all of you who discovered Peter's music though Pangolin, since it includes plenty of forays into soaring guitar psychedelia. "The Devil Is A Watcher" is particularly pleasing with its combination of heavy guitar explorations and sitar. "The Devilish Mother" is another favorite track with echoing guitar work folding in and out of the darkest realms with stunning ease. In our never-ending campaign for bringing heartfelt and honest music to the masses, I'm happy and honored to celebrate the arrival of Through My Ghost, Peter Scion's most consistently enthralling and powerful work to date.
review from Broken Face #14


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