DEBUT ALBUM “SONGS FROM THE HAUNTED SOUTH” OUT NOW ON KSCOPE
After the release of Old Fire’s haunting debut album,
Songs from the Haunted South, in June via Kscope, solo artist John Mark Lapham of Old Fire and The Earlies releases a new acoustic video for the song “Helix,” featuring a performance from Christopher Barnes (Gem Club). BBC 6 Music followers were treated to two Old Fire tracks this week courtesy of Lauren Laverne, who urged her listeners to check out the album as she suggested that it “may go criminally under the radar.” Stream the clip on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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After hearing Christopher Barnes by chance on a TV show, Lapham immediately knew that the singer was a perfect fit for a cover he had been working on for a year of Shearwater’s “Helix.”
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John Mark Lapham explains the journey behind the track’s conception: “The song written by Jonathan Meiburg from Shearwater. It came to me via a compilation CD for an art magazine called Esopus. When I first heard the track, it hit me in the gut. I don’t know what Jonathan’s motivations were behind the lyrics exactly, but the line ‘If you love me, come and see me. If you despise me, come and strike me’ really resonated with me at that time. I was going through a dissolve of my project, The Late Cord, which, for all intents and purposes, was a painful break-up. I had spoken with Jonathan about the prospect of him singing for Old Fire at one point, but our schedules never synced together so I did what I could to get him represented on the album.“
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“The long process of recording this song began on a drive to Tulsa with my dog, Jackson. We drove up there from Abilene, Texas to visit some friends and had them take a stab at recording a piano part for it. The song then sat on a shelf for close to a year as I kept looking for the right voice. Then came along Christopher Barnes from the band, Gem Club. I randomly heard one of his band’s tracks on a TV show and it nearly knocked me out of my seat. It was a beautiful, haunting piece of music… I knew he was the one. It turned out that we had a mutual friend so we were introduced and ‘Helix’ was the first idea we approached. Chris ended up recording his own piano part (though I did get to sample some fragments from the Tulsa session). The original idea was to have another vocalist singing over his piano, but Chris ended up recording a guide vocal and it sounded so beautiful, so soulful, that we decided he had to be the one to sing it. I love this acoustic version he recorded with his friend, Audrey. It captures the fragility and loneliness I was feeling at the time this idea came to me. I’ll be forever in his debt for helping me reach the finishing line with this project.“
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The 13-track album contains a selection of songs that in one way or another are dedications to people, some dead and some still living. Musically, inspirations range from ambient artists such as Brian Eno and Stars of the Lid to psychedelic rock, traditional country and early 4AD.
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Sitting alongside original Old Fire compositions are a selection of intriguing cover versions. Lapham uniquely interprets songs by Psychic TV (“The Orchids”), Low (“Laser Beam”), Ian William Craig (“A Slight Grip, A Gentle Hold”), Jason Molina (“It’s Easier Now”), Camberwell Now (“Know How”) and Shearwater (“Helix”).
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The project also features a myriad of exceptional musicians including DM Stith – piano & guitar, Christopher Barnes (Gem Club) – piano, Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive) – guitar, Thor Harris (Swans) – drums, Christian Madden – Rhodes piano & organ and Semay Wu – cello.
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Songs from the Haunted South was produced by John Mark Lapham, mixed by JM Lapham
and Mark Kuykendall, and was mastered by Ian Hawgood.
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The powerful cover art was designed by U.K.’s Grammy Award winning designer Vaughan Oliver, famed for his work with artists such as Mojave 3, Lush, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, The Breeders, This Mortal Coil, Pixies, Throwing Muses, in addition to artists such as David Sylvian and Bush. The cover shot taken in 1958 features Lapham’s father during bivouac camping basic training in the foothills of the Ozarks, at Fort Chaffee, Ark.
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1. Old Fire 3
2. Along Came a Sadness
3. Helix
4. Know How
5. It’s Easier Now
6. A Stranger in the Family
7. Bloodchild
8. Faust
9. Shadows
10. A Slight Grip, A Gentle Hold
11. Laser Beam
12. The Orchids
13. Deadhouse Dream
2. Along Came a Sadness
3. Helix
4. Know How
5. It’s Easier Now
6. A Stranger in the Family
7. Bloodchild
8. Faust
9. Shadows
10. A Slight Grip, A Gentle Hold
11. Laser Beam
12. The Orchids
13. Deadhouse Dream
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Taking nearly a decade to make, Songs from the Haunted South has been a labor of love for Lapham. Born from an album concept for a 4AD project with singer Micah P. Hinson (The Late Cord), the album was originally intended to feature different singers and musicians recording songs that were both covers and originals. After parting ways with Hinson, Lapham remained determined to realize his vision for the album and sought voices he considered special or fitted the inspiration.
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The first piece of the puzzle fell in to place after meeting the former owner of 4AD, Ivo Watts Russell, who introduced Lapham to singer/songwriter, Tom Rapp – who recorded a string of haunting albums in the late ’60s and ’70s under the name Pearls Before Swine. The vocals Rapp provided formed the basis of the track “Shadows.” In the following years, guest vocals were recorded by Sara Lowes (The Earlies), DM Stith, Christopher Barnes (Gem Club), Rebekka Karijord, and Alex Maas (The Black Angels).
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Old Fire online:
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Songs From the Haunted South guests:
Tom Rapp (Pearls Before Swine) – Vocals: “Shadows”
Alex Maas (The Black Angels) – Vocals: “The Orchids”
DM Stith – Vocals: “Old Fire 3,” “Laser Beam” Piano & Guitar: “Shadows”
Christopher Barnes (Gem Club) – Vocals: “Helix,” “It’s Easier Now,” “A Slight Grip, A Gentle Hold” Piano: “Laser Beam”
Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive) – Guitar: “Know How,” “The Orchids”
Thor Harris (Swans) – Drums “Shadows”
Sara Lowes – Vocals: “Stranger in the Family,” “Bloodchild”
Rebekka Karijord – Vocals: “Know How”
Christian Madden – Rhodes: “Helix” Organ: “Laser Beam”
Ieva Aarghh – Vocals: “Laser Beam”
Semay Wu – Cello: “Old Fire 3,” “Along Came a Sadness,” “Laser Beam,” “Deadhouse Dream”
