The recent Disco Pogo Tribute To Andrew Weatherall book has a section on many of Andrew's remix and production work, along with interviews with the artists involved from the earliest days (Hallelujah and Loaded) to Andrew's last released remix (GLOK's Cloud Cover). In between, much else is covered including a part on the production and mixing Andrew and Keith Tenniswood did for Beth Orton, that resulted in three songs that came out on Beth's album Trailer Park. Beth talks glowingly of the time spent in the Two Lone Swordsmen studio and the work the three of them created together. Beth had already recorded the basis of the three songs- Galaxy Of Emptiness, Tangent and Touch Me With Your Love- with some top musicians including the wonderful double bass of Red Snapper's Ali Friend. Andrew and Keith took the three songs and set about remixing them in the studio with Beth recording new vocals on the spot. They way Beth describes it, it all sounds very organic and natural, easy and creative.
My go to from Trailer Park is usually Galaxy Of Emptiness, ten minutes of spaced out, cosmic existential splendour. But I went back to the other two and Touch Me With Your Love particularly sounded superb- it was almost like listening to it anew.
Ali's double bass, woody and vibrating, sits at the centre. Around it Andrew and Keith weave a rich and detailed sonic tapestry, whirrs and clicks, FX, acres of s-p-a-c-e and Beth's distinctive voice, everything sprinkled the Weatherall magic dust. Trailer Park, as much as any other record from 1996, invented folktronica- a clumsy label but a fitting one and one that she seems happy to accept. Beth says that at the time she wished that Andrew and Keith could have done the entire album but it wasn't to be and she's OK with that- those three Weatherall/ Tenniswood produced songs on Trailer Park are more than enough.
No comments:
Post a Comment