Cardigan Bay - latest release from Blair Parkes

PRESS RELEASE - July 2016

'Cardigan Bay' is the latest release from New Brighton-based Blair Parkes.

If this was Amazon or iTunes people who bought 'Cardigan Bay' would also buy The Go-Betweens, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy / Smog, The Chills and David Kilgour…

'Cardigan Bay' is a dedicated collection of short personal observations honed into delicate melodic harmonies and poppy tunes.

On 'Cardigan Bay' he uses a different palette to the sonic explorations and experiments of his solo Saturations and Condensations persona.

'Cardigan Bay' was begun in May 2015 with a borrowed acoustic guitar. A flurry of songs were written over the next few months, a few songs from 2013 were reworked and a poignant collaboration with 'No More Heroes' filmmaker, Andy Moore, ('Sunday Morning Coming Down') was added to the mix. The album of 11 songs was handed over to Range band mate Hayden Sharp for mixing and then to Rob Mayes for mastering.

It is his first 'solo album' since 'The End' (2000), but his 36th release since 1987 - in a musical career thus far spanning 13 bands / projects and 15 albums and 20 EPs in every format technology has thrown at us over nearly 30 years. (See the full discography)

You have probably heard his music whether you know it or not; his music with The L.E.D.s was used in two series of TV's 'Outrageous Fortune' and all of 'Go Girls'.

His various bands have enjoyed airplay on student radio since the mid-1980s. He is an early Flying Nun alumni (All Fall Down, The Letter 5). Other releases have appeared on Failsafe and Wrong Records.

He is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter with a developed work ethic, an eye for detail and an ear for a good hook. His songs feel like comfortable old friends on first hearing. Melody is to the forefront. His lyrics are intelligent and evocative.

He is also a talented artist and writer. He was commissioned in 2011 by Russell Brown at Public Address to make a sound and film piece about the Christchurch earthquakes - 'Chimneybook' is available for viewing at NZ on Screen.

Visit his website to see more of his work.

album credits : Blair Parkes wrote, played and recorded everything with help from:

Hayden Sharp – drums, mixing.

Andrew Moore – vocals, bass and tambourine on ‘SundayEvening Coming Down’

Recorded in The Shed, New Brighton, July – October 2015; Drums and mixing in Wellington, November 2015 – April 2016 . Mastered in Tokyo by Rob Mayes, May 2016

All songs © Blair Parkes, 2016; ‘Sunday Evening Coming Down’ written by Andrew Moore and Blair Parkes.

Cover art: Blair Parkes

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