Today…
—I hold out my hands. As promised.
It’s called ‘Old Happiness’.
It’s 49 minutes 27 seconds long.
It shelters 13 songs.
It embraces the beauty of Tiny Ruins, Ana Franco and Craven Canary.
It has some amazing artwork by Sally Brownlie.
It can be bought on Amazon, Bandcamp, iTunes and the websites of Hi54lofi Records and Underused Records.
And most of all:
It has been a two year journey. I only got the physical copies myself today. So once the messenger was gone I quickly opened one of the cardboard boxes and sat down. I took the booklet out and listened to the tracks and read along while the music played. All those words. All the stories that have happened over the last two years. All the feelings that imposed themselves upon me and the loved ones who participated in this one way or another. Mostly sad tales… Why lie to myself: sorrowful times have passed.
And I kept listening. I saw the sleepless nights, the sunny sunday afternoons, the many restless evenings. The running to and from my tiny recording studio with printed lyrics and guitars and mics. The quick recording, fearing to lose the impulse that made the song pop out. And then, after hours of playing and taping, the cigarette and beer while listening to what had just happened. To a part of me that had stepped from the dark within into the light.
And then ‘Pretty lies’ faded out and silence followed and now I hand it all over to you. I hope maybe it accompanies you, your stories and walks and feelings…
I might be silent for a little while now. Maybe walk on the trails of beauty others are making. And be back whenever I’m ready to holler.
Love,
Lieven
