Paul Brownlow - The Long Road

I've managed to write a bunch of songs in the past year and somehow they all managed to collapse themselves into a somewhat coherent collection. The name of the project comes from many things that have happened in the past year and a half that signify a Long Road - my five-and-a-half month road trip across America, the long drought in my songwriting, the seemingly endless recording sessions, the path of life that the songs lead the listener...the list goes on. Ironically, the title track that "held the room together" (to quote "The Dude" in the The Big Lebowski) was written after all the rest of the tracks were recorded.

I started writing the bulk of the songs in June 2002, completing them in November. I found a few older songs that also fit into the project thematically, so I decided to include them. My daughter, Isabel, even contributed to the writing.

Recording began on November 4, 2002, with the final tracks completed November 29th. The project unexpectedly expanded as Drew and I began listening to the songs and got ideas; it was a great creative experience. Mixing began in early December and was completed in late April. Mastering will likely take place in the summer. You can follow updates and get audio samples here.

The approach to the project was to do things rather simply in an "Americana" style, but offer more than solo guitar and voice. The guitar and voice are the center, but other featured instruments are added rather sparsely, depending on the track: a second six-string guitar, twelve-string guitar, mandolin, trombone, melodica, organ, or piano. Drew Bateman, the engineer, added drum tracks on a few songs which expanded the idea a bit and "forced" me to play bass and electric guitar on a few songs.

Thematically, the collection opens with optimism (except for the politically cynical "Independence Day"), moves through heartbreak and despair, then finishes with a regained sense of hope.

Track Listing

I've cut this down from the original sixteen. I plan to do a touch more work on three or four of the songs before I master. That's what happens when it sits for a year and a half. If I'm not careful, I'll record some more songs and switch some out.

Credits

Paul Brownlow

Vocals, 6- and 12-string Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Piano, Organ, Harmonica, Bass

Drew Bateman

Drums

Jenny Kellogg

Trombone

All Songs written by Paul Brownlow, except "I'm In The Rain" written by Paul Brownlow and Isabel Brownlow

Recorded November 4-6, 14-16, 29, 2002 by Drew Bateman at Trillium Lane Studios, Bainbridge Island, Washington