Lotus Avalon by Arcanum
Notes from Tree:
This is an acoustic work expanded. You’ll notice we release electronic EPs and then acoustic EPs, you know, like...Beck.
Bare Ruin Choir is a song we wrote years ago. Brett built upon the original acoustic. The title comes from the film – Barton Fink. In it there is a play called Bare Ruined Choirs (I still find the name hilarious) This is about coming together and coming apart.
When you Remain is a favorite of mine. One of my favorite vocals, the emotions of a husband and wife who encouraged their child to go to war. After his death, they deal with the loss and guilt. I wrote this and Lotus Avalon just after a major personal trauma.
Lotus Avalon was inspired by the lotus flower, according to Greek legend, it contained a fruit that induced a state of dreamy and contented forgetfulness. A state, at the time, I was dying to feel. At the end, as I fly to the sun on a penguin, I was speaking of impossibilities. Kudos to the precise drum work of Jason Meekens.
Wake to Life was originally from years ago, the song was a strange trip-hop jumble. After many forms, we decided this stripped version made the message more clear. One of your positive songs.
The Driver - The recording is the best sound recording we’ve ever done. Wonderful job by Brett for his mixing and the mastering of Calvin West.
Mysterious Obscurity - This is an acoustic version of the original. Once again, the story of a stolen kidney. We’ve also released some live acoustic songs - Masochist, one of our oldest songs and an Arcanum staple. And the original acoustic live versions of Lotus Avalon and When You Remain. Also, the Lotus Avalon 4-track cassette demo. This version is a real treat because it contains our lost ‘bridge’. For some reason, we both forgot about it when we finished the song. Eat a little lotus fruit, listen and dream.
Notes from Brett:
This EP sounds a lot like Tree and I when we are together playing live.
"Bare Ruin Choir" is essentially a live recording with only some light embellishment. The percussive sound is actually me tapping my fingers on the desk in my studio.
"When You Remain" is just one guitar and one voice. It didn't need anything else and Tree sings it perfectly.
"Lotus Avalon" is more of a Beatles-ish tune. This one has gone through a few variations before it reached this final version. The penguin part? You'll have to ask Tree what that means!
"Wake to Life" is a song we did long ago that went through several different versions. In the end, we preferred this stripped down version. Tree's vocals keep it all together.
Tracklist
| 1. | Bare Ruin Choir | 4:21 |
| 2. | When You Remain | 2:34 |
| 3. | Lotus Avalon | 4:00 |
| 4. | Wake to Life | 4:13 |
| 5. | The Driver (acoustic) | 3:54 |
| 6. | Mysterious Obscurity (acoustic) | 3:18 |
| 7. | Masochist (live) | 4:15 |
| 8. | Lotus Avalon (live) | 2:58 |
| 9. | When You Remain (live) | 2:22 |
| 10. | Lotus Avalon (demo) | 5:20 |
Credits
All songs written by Schieber/Hobrath.
All vocals by Tree and all instruments by Brett Schieber, except drums on "Lotus Avalon" by Jason Meekens.
License
All rights reserved.
On this Bandcamp page, you can purchase music from Brett Schieber, including his solo music, Arcanum (Brett & Tree), & Prankster. You'll find a couple albums he produced for others, as well. Brett's music for Mark D. Pencil & Friends can also be found on Bandcamp by searching for that name. Thank you for your time, ears, & hearts!