Moonrider by Ben Phillipson
*** UPDATE... A LIMITED SECOND EDITION OF 'MOONRIDER' ON DOUBLE CD WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM BORLEY RECTORY ON 12 APRIL 2022... ***
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BEN PHILLIPSON – 'MOONRIDER'
Presenting 'MOONRIDER', the debut solo album from BEN PHILLIPSON of TRIMDON GRANGE EXPLOSION.
Ben has been an occasional presence in various areas of the London music scene for several years. First coming to prominence as a founder member of late-lamented acid-folkies The Eighteenth Day Of May, he went on to form Trimdon Grange Explosion, as heard on the debut Borley Rectory release, continuing to mine the contrasts between traditional music and contemporary song forms and sound.
He has also appeared frequently as an accompanying guitarist with legendary ‘Morning Dew’ songsmith Bonnie Dobson, as well as being a member of Comet Gain.
When the pandemic pressed pause on the recording of a second Trimdon Grange Explosion album, Ben took the opportunity to finally delve into a home recording project he had long wished to pursue. It was written and recorded almost simultaneously, with little intention, initially at least, of sharing the results.
Towards the end of 2020, Ben had amassed more than 80 pieces of music, some of which he selected to form the basis of double album 'MOONRIDER', the first disc of which is an equal mix of songs and instrumentals, complemented by an almost wordless accompanying set.
“The records that I was listening to during the daytimes before plugging in all somehow fed into the mix," Ben explains. "The recordings were partly inspired by the great one-man-band records... The Cleaners From Venus especially... solo McCartney... Skip Spence’s 'Oar'. In finding inspiration from a certain kind of slightly lo-fi outsider-pop, it dawned on me – some way into recording – that put together, it could make a good patchwork of different song styles and ideas.”
Compiled, mixed and edited during 2021, 'Moonrider' is now available as a limited edition two-disc CD set in a gatefold sleeve with booklet – resplendent in stellar artwork by Borley Rectory's Director of Visuals Luke Drozd – and is also available as a download.
Space is the place.
Tracklist
| 1. | LJ6 | 1:14 |
| 2. | The World Is Breaking Our Love | 5:50 |
| 3. | This Is A Lonely Place | 4:14 |
| 4. | Gee By Numbers | 1:48 |
| 5. | Second Time Around | 3:24 |
| 6. | The Green Curl | 2:19 |
| 7. | Home On The Grange | 4:59 |
| 8. | Moonrider In Acapulco | 2:37 |
| 9. | Lightning Strikes (No Good Advice) | 2:22 |
| 10. | On The Hills | 3:59 |
| 11. | Paintwerk Stitch | 4:39 |
| 12. | Acapulco In Blue | 1:40 |
| 13. | Chooralei | 2:17 |
| 14. | Laburnum Bortles | 3:51 |
| 15. | Corn Dollie | 2:33 |
| 16. | ...And Here On The Medium Wave | 1:09 |
| 17. | Pillows For Prayers | 3:28 |
| 18. | Heatpipe | 6:24 |
| 19. | Moments In Acapulco | 6:24 |
| 20. | Evergreen | 2:32 |
| 21. | Ames FM | 1:32 |
| 22. | Button Decor | 5:59 |
| 23. | Broken Bones | 2:24 |
| 24. | Chooralei 2 | 1:14 |
Credits
Music and words by Ben Phillipson
Ben Reed played and engineered the bass guitar and drums on 'This Is A Lonely Place' and 'On The Hills'.
Everything else was recorded and mixed by Ben Phillipson in Upton Park, London, between May 2020 and February 2021
Mastering by Simon Galloway at Magnetic Domains
Artwork by Luke Drozd (lukedrozd.com)
