Ekphrasis by Carlisle Evans Peck
This album has been a long time in the making. The songs were written over the course of two years, and it wasn't until over halfway through that time that I realized that they were all telling the same story. Or at least pieces of the same story. And then everything began to coalesce.
Recording this album began in the depths of midwinter in the middle of a frozen forest, and finished on the summer solstice. It is a saga of thawing.
These are songs about becoming, about transforming, about growing, about turning over the earth, about melting and refreezing, about flying, about inner demons and hidden selves. They are about love and death. They are about life and rebirth. They are about personhood. They are about Ekphrasis.
Ekphrasis is the transformation of any entity or idea across artistic media. Collaborating with my friend, visual artist Vatina McLaurin, on this project has created an ekphrastic work in the literal sense. But more profound has been the ekphrastic process of dredging, breaking, dissecting, thawing, unearthing, tilling, growing, reforming, rebuilding, elucidating and becoming that we embarked on together. For that I am speechlessly and awesomely grateful.
I am beyond proud to release this to the world. Enjoy.
Tracklist
| 1. | Good Morning | 9:11 |
| 2. | A Thorn in My Side, A Plank in My Eye | 4:45 |
| 3. | Thaw | 8:29 |
| 4. | Interlude I - Devernalization | 4:45 |
| 5. | The Human Spirit Adores Movement | 4:57 |
| 6. | Interlude II - The Pheasant | 6:44 |
| 7. | What the Mountains Taught | 9:33 |
| 8. | Fledging | 8:56 |
Credits
Recorded between January and June 2015 at the home of the Spencer Berg family, the Pepperfield Project, and Rivers Edge Taxidermy in Decorah, Iowa; the home of my parents in Geneseo, Illinois; and the home of my grandparents in Coal Valley, Illinois.
All songs written, arranged, and produced by Carlisle, with the exception of lyrics on “Good Morning”, adapted from a poem by Alex Blust.
Artwork by Vatina McLaurin
Performance Credits:
Carlisle Evans Peck: Vocals, piano, ukulele, classical guitar, electric guitar, Wurlitzer electric organ, tambourine, drums, hand claps, bodhran, various dissection tools.
Emma Evans Peck: Guest vocals on “Good Morning”, “The Human Spirit Adores Movement”, “What the Mountains Taught”, and “Fledging”.
Christine Evans and Carol Evans: Voices on “A Thorn in My Side, A Plank in My Eye” and “Fledging”
Vatina McLaurin: Voice on “Thaw”, “Interlude II-The Pheasant”, and “Fledging”. Various dissecting tools on “Interlude II”
Dave Nelson: Voice and various dissection tools on “Interlude II: The Pheasant”
Salinger Evans Peck: Cage rattles and barking on “Thaw”
Endless Thanks to: Vatina, The Spencer-Berg family, Dave, River’s Edge Taxidermy, Alex, Emma, Mom, Dad, Aunt Carol, Ian, the Pepperfield Project and all the living beings therein, the Deer, the Pheasant, Heidi Storl, Holden Village, Decorah Iowa, Andrew, Doug, Java Johns, Jordan, and all the little children AMEN.
License
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Grounded in queer mythic storytelling somewhere at the meeting of music theater and bardic balladry, Minnesota-based Carlisle Evans Peck has been called "The Magician" for their musical intuition, innovation, and inspiration. Piano driven rock, ethereal finger picked guitar, lush choral harmonies, blossoming swells of instrumental arrangements, and field recordings create ecosystems of song.