03
December 2011
CBQ to headline OOTB in March 2012...
David has been invited to headline Out of the Bedroom on Saturday 3 March 2012...
22 November 2011
CBQ in trio gig at House Concert...
On 2 December, David will play an exclusive "House Concert" at 42 Royal Park Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 8JA, a one night only songwriters' circle featuring three of Edinburgh's finest, with Ian Sclater and Kat McKenzie. Three sets including an exclusive, specially prepared "trio" set, will be played, each in a "round robin" style with all three performers on stage.
Entry is by Invite Only with a suggested donation of £5 and a Bring Your Own Bottle policy.
To obtain an invite, please e-mail the concert host on info@douglasinscotland.co.uk
16 November 2011
Writing and recording concluded...
After an intense two weeks or so of writing, recording and mixing, the new CBQ album appears to be ready with work now commencing on the cover. Although no release date is set as yet, the title has been revealed as "Starlightnight"...
There are nine new tracks plus the single from earlier this year, "Vendome"...
More details to follow...
13 November 2011
New Creek album progressed...
David and fellow Creeker, Stuart Cobley met today to consider the seven tracks worked on over the last five years, with a view to the possible release of a new Creek LP in the "near" future...
As with everything Creek-related, this may not happen....
Working title of the proposed LP is "Tarnished"...
1 November 2011
Writing and recording commences...
David started the writing and recording process for the ninth song-based CBQ album today. The as yet untitled LP will include a remixed version of the single "Vendome" released earlier this year...
30 October 2011
New CBQ album may be released 30 November...
David has signed up to the challenge to write and record a brand new album during the month of November and will commence the project on the 1st of next month. Progress can be checked out here...
The album will either be the ninth song-based CBQ work, or the first soundscape disc since 2005...
Or it may be a combination...
29 October 2011
CBQ gig planned for December...
Following the disappointment of the postponement of David's third set at The Melville Lounge in Edinburgh in each of August, September and October, CBQ will not perform at that venue again. Plans are being made for an intimate performance at an unusual venue in early December...
More soon...
26 September 2011
CBQ gig 26 October...
Following the disappointment of the postponement of David's third set at The Melville Lounge in Edinburgh from 17 August to 26 September and the late cancellation of that gig, the set will finally take place on Wednesday 26 October...
26 September 2011
CBQ gig 28 September...
David's third set at The Melville Lounge in Edinburgh is now confirmed as taking place on Wednesday 28 September...
6 August 2011
James Jamieson & CBQ Covers Night
At the Kilted Pig in Edinburgh tonight, Jamie Frain and David performed under their own names at a charity event in aid of Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital. Around £2,000 was raised for the cause. Headliner Jamie played two rocking sets of covers while David performed nine songs, learned just this week...
The evening ended with David and Jamie performing a duet on Elvis Presley's 1970 hit "The Wonder of You"...
A facsimile of the CBQ live set will be posted on the CBQ Live site shortly, along with the recent OOTB three song set and the eight song Melville Set...
31 July 2011
CBQ Covers
Cloudland Blue Quartet is putting together a full set of cover versions to be performed at some point in the future. A brief set will be rolled out in support of Jamie Frain at the Kilted Pig on Saturday 6 August...
29 July 2011
Capital Models postponed
Tonight's Capital Models session, which was to have featured the quartet of David, Jamie, Gus and Keith, has been postponed to an as yet undecided date...
28 July 2011
Next CBQ Gig Announced
David has been invited to play a third set at The Melville Lounge, William Street, Edinburgh on 17 August, following the success of his previous appearance last night and his debut at the venue in May...
27 July 2011
CBQ live at the Melville again...
David played an eight song set tonight at The Melville Lounge following the success of an outing there in May...
One song from each of the eight CBQ song-based albums was featured...
19 July 2011
CBQ at OOTB
CBQ made a surprise return to Out of the Bedroom tonight, almost a year and a half on from his last appearance at the Edinburgh singer-songwriter's club...
Internet gigging colleague, Pol Arida, was headlining the night and David pitched in with "Twenty Twenty Vision", "The End of Everything" and "Thinking of Me", the last of these being played live for the foirst time in almost seven years...
17 July 2011
CBQ Working on new music
After a three month hiatus, more work took place today on what may become the next CBQ album as David worked up a piece whose working title is "Orch & Fade"...
08 July 2011
Next CBQ Gig Announced
David has been invited to play a second set at The Melville Lounge, William Street, Edinburgh following the success of May's outing, a version of which is available for download over on the CBQ Live site (see home page)...
The set is likely to be drawn from all 8 CBQ song-based albums...
01 July 2011
4th Capital Models Session of 2011
The quartet version of Capital Models (David, Angus, Jamie and Keith) will get together again on 29 July. There are still no firm plans re recording or playing live...
17 June 2011
4th Capital Models Session of 2011
The quartet version of Capital Models (David, Angus, Jamie and Keith) convened again tonight for their first session since March. The band covered material by David, Jamie and Keith as well as a couple of Velvet Underground tracks along with, of course, a goodly number of old CMS favourites...
Still no live dates or recordings are planned but a rough recording and a video taken by Gus are now up over at the CMs website...
04 June 2011
New CBQ Acoustic Set uploaded
David recorded a new 16 song acoustic set at Crispycat Studios today. It features two songs each from the 8 CBQ song-based albums and it's available for listening or free download over at the CBQ Live website...
21 May 2011
Melville Set uploaded
David recorded a facsimile of the eight song set played on Wednesday night at The Melville in Edinburgh...
It’s available now on the CBQ Live Site for listening and as a free download...
18 May 2011
CBQ short live set tonight...
David plays a short live set tonight at The Melville Lounge, William Street, Edinburgh in support of the new CBQ release "The Vendome EP", full details of which are on the "music" page - along with those of the new double CD retrospective, "Aftersilence"...
16 May 2011
CBQ Vendome EP released
A new EP featuring four mixes of Vendôme plus acoustic versions of “Twenty Twenty Vision”, “I Re-Arranged the House” and “The End of Everything” was released today...
09 May 2011
CBQ Aftersilence retrospective released
"Aftersilence" is a new 2CD retrospective of fifteen years of Cloudland Blue Quartet, comprising a disc of soundscapes and a disc of songs...
All in all, there are fifty two tracks (30 instrumentals and 22 songs) - the collection sonically upgrades some old favourites, includes a few previously unreleased items (like the new song "Vendôme") and, it’s hoped, some undiscovered gems...
The tracklist steers clear of some of the more obvious choices for inclusion...
07 May 2011
Oz remix project
The constituent parts of "Vendôme" have been sent to Ryan Williamson at Sour Grapes in Brisbane for him to work on remixing...
06 May 2011
Two new releases finalised
“Vendôme” was completely remixed again today and four mixes were produced for the proposed EP – Single, Instrumental, Full and Acoustic...
The song disc from “Aftersilence” was also finally finalised now that “Vendôme” has been fixed...
05 May 2011
“Vendôme” work continues
“Vendôme” required some reworking today to be finalised for “Aftersilence”. David rebuilt the mix from scratch...
A “Vendôme” EP is now also planned for realese shortly after “Aftersilence”...
03 May 2011
Song Notes
David wrote short notes today regarding the background to each of the twenty two tracks on the songs disc from “Aftersilence”...
02 May 2011
Soundscapes Notes
David wrote short notes today regarding the background to each of the thirty tracks on the soundscape disc from “Aftersilence”...
01 May 2011
Aftersilence
The new compilation will be entitled “Aftersilence” based on these thoughts on the importance of music by Aldous Huxley...
"From pure sensation to the intuition of beauty, from pleasure and pain to love and the mystical ecstasy and death — all the things that are fundamental, all the things that, to the human spirit, are most profoundly significant, can only be experienced, not expressed. The rest is always and everywhere silence. After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. When the inexpressible had to be expressed, Shakespeare laid down his pen and called for music. And if the music should also fail? Well, there was always silence to fall back on. For always, always and everywhere, the rest is silence."
Aldous Huxley "The Rest is Silence" from "Music at Night", 1931
Work on the cover was undertaken today along with noting the instrumentation on each of the fifty two chosen tracks...
30 April 2011
Soundscape compilation work
David worked today on the instrumental half of the proposed CBQ 1996-2011 compilation...
There are twenty two songs on disc one and thirty instrumental pieces on disc two – fifty two tracks in all...
A proposed release date is David’s 52nd birthday on 4 May, in which month also falls the fifteenth anniversary of the first CBQ recording...
29 April 2011
Compilation rebooted – now CBQ only
David started work today on a new compilation project, this time based solely on CBQ music from 1996 to now...
The set will purposely not include “the usual suspects”...
With seven minutes set aside for “Vendôme”, there should be around nine minutes of music from each of the eight song based CBQ albums released since 1997...
The set will now be just two discs...
The song disc was finalised today...
27 April 2011
CBQ to return to performance
A short set may be played in Edinburgh next month. More soon...
24 April 2011
New CBQ Material Worked On
David started work today on what might be the next CBQ album, working on rhythm tracks...
At present, there are no songs – apart from “Vendôme” from last November...
13 April 2011
Compilation Corrupted
The proposed compilation has been setback due to corruption of some of the masters...
1 April 2011
New Compilation to be “Fifty-One”
The proposed new compilation, now provisionally entitled "Fifty-One" re the number of tracks involved and David’scurrent age contains a goodly number of remixes, re-recordings, edits etc etc and the new song "Vendôme", based on an instrumental by Brisbane chum and Sour Grape, Ryan Williamson
27 March 2011
3CD set finalised - Drone Effect Remix
A brand new mix of 1977’s “The Drone Effect” was createwd today. However, at 60 minutes long, it’s debateable if the full version will ever see the light of day. The intention is to include a short edit in the compilation...
The set has been finalised at 3CDs (formerly 5CDs) based on the periods 1977-89, 1990-1997, 1999-2011, including one new track and various new mixes and edits...
26 March 2001
Remixing for the compilation
David spent the day in the studio remixing for the proposed compilation
22 March 2001
Capital Models Play Again
The third get together of the reformed Capital Models took place tonight...
Once again, they were the quintet of David, bassist Jamie "James Jamieson" Frain, guitarist Angus "Gus" Bolton and their two drummers, Jim "Victoria Biscuit Tins" Park and Keith "Multi Instrumentalist" Apter...
Tonight they started to work on the music rather than just play it which perhaps sets the band up with a future...
The evening’s musicking was recorded but it’s doubtful whether anything worth uploading resulted...
20 March 2001
New Compilation Planned
Work commenced today on a new thirty five year anthology covering the best of David’s music from 1977 up to the last CBQ song “Vendome”...
18 March 2011
CBQ New Song Commenced
David made a start to a possible new CBQ song today – the first of 2011– no words, just some chord sequences...
16 March 2011
Capital Models still rehearsing...
A third CM rehearsal is mooted for 22 March. However, whether the band will play live for the first time since 1980 is uncertain at present...
Find more here...
25 February 2011
Capital Models Reunited Again...
Tonight a quintet of Capital Models reunited - with Jim Park joining the quartet from last week. 15 songs were played and you can find the results here...
18 February 2011
Capital Models Reunited...
With CBQ on the backburner but David's sister doing well regarding her ongoing treatment, a surprise reunion took place today of Capital Models' final line up, which last played together in August 1980...
The quartet of David, Jamie Frain, Gus Bolton and Keith Apter ran thru a set of 14 songs from their 1979/80 setlists...
You can find the results here...
01 December 2010
CBQ Unexpected Hiatus...
Due to a family illness, all live dates and projects for CBQ have been put on hold for the time being - the date on 11 December is cancelled...
27 November 2010
CBQ Live in December...
CBQ's next live date on Second Life has been set for 11 December...
27 November 2010
CBQ/Sour Grapes Vendome...
What may well turn out to be the first track for the next CBQ album was formulated today when David reworked an instrumental piece by Australian duo Sour Grapes (who co-wrote "Splinterheart's "Black Earth and the City Falls")adding guitar SFX and lyrics and vocals...
25 November 2010
CBQ 60 Minute Live Set...
David played a full hour long set tonight on Second Life - you can find it posted HERE...
23 November 2010
CBQ Live this Thursday...
CBQ is back on Second Life for a webcast on Thursday 25 November 2010 at 7pm...
Go HERE and click on "Live Stream" to listen in...
David will be playing songs not aired live for up to 12 years in a 60 minute set featuring songs from the latest LP, "Splinterheart", selections from all seven previous CBQ albums and even a couple of old Sombre Reptiles numbers stretching as far back as 1983...
Hope you can tune in...
BUT - if you can't, then the set will be posted HERE shortly after the gig and you can listen to the set at your leisure or download for free...
21 November 2010
Live set website launched...
A new Cloudland Blue Quartet website is launched today, with four live recordings or rehearsal run-throughs of recent gigs by CBQ being uploaded...
You can find the site here - all sets are available to download for free...
It is the intention that recordings of all future performances or recordings of final rehearsal run-throughs will be added to the site...
In the fullness of time, previous gigs may also be added...
The site will also allow live studio performances to be made available over the net going forward, with the prospect that more often than not, future CBQ gigs will be "virtual" rather than "actual" - none of us need leave our homes
It's the Crispycat I-Player...
19 November 2010
Creek re-worked...
Following comeback from Messrs Cobley and Sutherland, David worked again on the provisionally entitled "The Glow Was Slightly Tarnished", the second of five new Creek tracks being prepared for release...
16 November 2010
More Creek work...
David worked again on the new Creek material today, this time on the 4th of Craig Sutherland's rhythm beds along with Stuart Cobley's input from last month...
Once again, results were deemed "promising"...
11 November 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet performed a 30 minute set on Second Life tonight comprising songs from "Splinterheart" plus older material from "Soundingfall", "Deeperdown" and "Anotherhappyday"...
07 November 2010
CBQ Live this Thursday...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform a 30 minute set comprising songs from the "Splinterheart" album, plus tracks from his previous albums, this Thursday on Second Life...
To hear the gig live you can stream it by going here and clicking on "live stream" anytime from 7:55 pm. Pol Arida will play a 30 minute set after CBQ...
Or paste this into your browser http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html
03 November 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
David performed the 30 minute version of "Splinterheart" at Secret CDs XXXVI to a packed enthusiastic audience tonight at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. This was likely to be the last performance of this particular set as he looks to introduce songs from previous LPs into future setlists...
At present though, there are no further "in the flesh" as opposed to "virtual" gigs planned...
31 October 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform the "Splinterheart" live set again tonight on Second Life. To hear the gig live you can stream it by going here http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html and clicking on "live stream" anytime from 6:55 pm...
25 October 2010
Creek work...
David worked on an initial mix of the 3rd of Craig Sutherland's rhythm beds along with Stuart Cobley's input from yesterday...
Results were deemed "promising"...
24 October 2010
Creek in the studio...
Stuart Cobley of Creek visited Crispycat Studios today to add his synth and guitar contributions to the new Creek album. No release date is set as yet, with the project very much in its early stages...
21 October 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform the "Splinterheart" live set tonight on Second Life. To hear the gig live you can stream it by going here http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html and clicking on "live stream" anytime from 8 pm. Pol Arida will play a 30 minute set followed by CBQ...
17 October 2010
Second Life Performance this Thursday...
Following on from the successful trial run last week, Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform the "Splinterheart" live set this Thursday on Second Life. To view the gig you must be logged on to Second Life, have an avatar and visit the venue. However, to hear the gig live you can live stream it by going here http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html and clicking on "live stream" anytime after 8 pm. Pol Arida will play a 30 minute set followed by CBQ...
13 October 2010
Impromptu performances...
CBQ performed two live sets tonight over the internet to a club in "Second Life" - a project first mooted back in January 2009 - each set comprised the "Splinterheart" songs as worked on over the last month or so, with the second set of the evening including additional acoustic versions of old classics "Twenty Twenty Vision" and "This is All There is pt 1"...
Thanks to Pol Arida for arranging this...
More gigs on "Second life" are planned in the near future...
10 October 2010
Live set finalised...
Final work on the "Souvenir" CD was carried out today - some tweaking of the vocal track - moving single words around...
The tracklist mirrors that of the "Splinterheart" album but is around 25 minutes shorter...
09 October 2010
Moment of clarity...
After intensive listening and reworking of the proposed live set backing track over the last week or so, David advises on his blog he had a "moment of clarity" today which was to go ahead and include all twelve tracks from "Splinterheart" but to remix and edit them so that the set still comes in at around the requisite 30 minute mark...
After much work including no actual re-recording but much moving around of guitar and vocal tracks recorded with a completely different backing track a few days ago, the set would appear to be finalised...
06 October 2010
Unused film...
The proposed CBQ film, which was finalised last night, won't now be used at next month's Secret CDs gig...
03 October 2010
Remixing, rehearsing and creating...
David worked today in the studio today, remixing the "Souvenir" CD, rehearsing the live set and making initial attempts at creating a useful contribution to the Creek tracks...
02 October 2010
More film work...
More work today on the prosed live set visuals...
01 October 2010
Creek work...
Initial demos comprising around 25 minutes of new music is being worked on, with Creek initally in trio form of David, Craig Sutherland and Stuart Cobley...
29 September 2010
Souvenir work...
Additional acoustic guitar was added to the backing track and lead vocal recorded last weekend...
26 September 2010
Film and art...
Synchronisation today re the filmwork yesterday and the proposed live set threw up around 2.5 minutes of unused time. Accordingly a new "Overture" sound collage was created incorporating older songs along with the four missing-on-account-of-being-too-left-field "Splinterheart" pieces...
The artwork for the complimentary "Souvenir" CD also took shape...
Recording of said CD also commenced tonight...
25 September 2010
Film work...
Work commenced today on backdrop visuals for "Splinterheart" live dates...
The set is unlikely to include the more esoteric items on the album (Black Earth, Apple pt 1, Optimist, Cage) but David has reworked several of the songs, including shortening "The Killers at the Counter" and totally revamping (and shortening) "Krebs went to War", taking out all Craig Sutherland's sterling work on which the original track is based, to give it a more acoustic feel, and rearreanging both "Splinterheart" and "Here They come With the New Machines"...
In addition to the upcoming Secret CDs performance, David is still working towards Internet gigs on "Second Life" with Pol Arida...
24 September 2010
Additional alternative acoustic set...
An alternative, unadorned by backing tracks, fully acoustic set of ten songs old and new was trialled this evening with some success...
21 September 2010
Initial Splinterheart setlist...
The live setlist will include eight of the twelve pieces on "Splinterheart", five of which will be especially reworked for the live setting...
20 September 2010
Splinterheart live...
David advises the upcoming live set will be based solely on "Splinterheart" and so won't include any of the older songs he's been working on revamping recently...
19 September 2010
Creek are back...
News today that Creek will soon start work on new material for a follow up to their last full LP, "Somewhere Between" released almost six years ago. Given the inherent laziness of the band, probably best if you don't watch this space...
18 September 2010
Happy go lucky...
A new 24 track CBQ compilation was produced today, ironically entitled "Happygolucky". It is unclear if this, like the recently compiled "Juxtapostion" 2CD set, will ever be released...
17 September 2010
Possible setlists...
Work on revamps again today and an initial setlist was devised comprising a proposed “downbeat” live set – eight songs, one from each of the CBQ song LPs:-
This Is All There Is pt 1 (Callingstill)
You Taught Me How to Love You (Doveloveshawk)
Twenty Twenty Vision (Ampersand)
I Rearranged the House (Anotherhappyday)
Very Small pt 2 (Deeperdown)
Lights Out (Ersatzreal)
Blend (Soundingfall)
Never or Now (Splinterheart)
However, the Exec Producer advised “play happy-go-lucky” songs...
A new, Exec Producer inspired setlist was formulated, comprising:-
A Nice Job in a Small Town (Doveloveshawk)
The Crocodile Song (Deeperdown)
Blue Eyes Across the Room (Ersatzreal)
Splinterheart (Splinterheart)
Please Stay With Us (Soundingfall)
Dirty Men in a Red Car (Callingstill)
Perfectly Simple (Anotherhappyday)
...plus “upbeat” versions of:-
You Taught Me How to Love You (Doveloveshawk)
Twenty Twenty Vision (Ampersand)
Blend (Soundingfall)
...and, at the insistence of the Exec Producer’s:-
Never or Now (Splinterheart)
16 September 2010
Setlist...
Work today on backing tracks of older songs re possible inclusion in the Secret CDs set...
14 September 2010
Rare CBQ live date confirmed...
David will perform a 30 minute set at Secret CDs XXXVI on 3 November at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. This will be the first CBQ gig for almost a year to the day, CBQ having performed "Soundingfall" at Secret CDs XXIV in November 2009 with Peri Urban...
13 September 2010
Juxtaposition set ...
A new 80 minute set was devised and run through today, featuring songs from all eight CBQ albums - unclear whether this will lead to anything substantial...
A 2CD collection entitled "Juxtapostion" was also produced. It is not known if this will be released at some point...
09 September 2010
Backing track revamp II...
Having spent the last few days experimenting with removing elements of the "Splinterheart" backing tracks, today, much of the material removed over the course of this week has been reinstated...
08 September 2010
Backing track revamp...
More work in the studio today working on revamping live backing tracks...
07 September 2010
Songs dropped perhaps...
More work in the studio today on acoustic backing tracks resulted in the realisation that some of the "Spilnterheart" tracks won't work acoustically...
06 September 2010
Acoustic backing tracks...
Work in the studio today on acoustic backing tracks re possible live outings...
05 September 2010
Splinterheart rehearsals commence...
With the prospect of some live appearances over the Autumn in support of "Splinterheart", rehearsals commenced today...
31 August 2010 23:59
Splinterheart released today...
The eighth Cloudland Blue Quartet song-based album "Splinterheart" is released today. It features twelve new tracks including input from collaborators Peri Urban, Andy Wilson, Craig Sutherland, Sour Grapes Productions and Norman Lamont...
The LP is offered either as a free download or a Gatefold Sleeve CD Package priced £10 (P&P is free)...
Initial copies of the CD will include an 80 minute disc of remixes, none of which is available for download...
To purchase the CD Package, download the tracks or to listen, go to the dedicated "Splinterheart" website...
30 August 2010 23:59
Splinterheart Extras added...
Initial copies of the physical CD package of "Splinterheart" will include an 80 minute disc of remixes, none of which will be available for download...
The track list is as follows:-
The Killers at the Counter (Instrumental Mix I) 13:34 (aka "Flown I")
The Cage of Expectation (Instrumental Mix) 10:45 (aka "The Cage Sonata")
The Eternal Optimist (Instrumental Mix) 30:01 (aka "The Act Itself")
The Killers at the Counter (Instrumental Mix II) 13:34 (aka "Flown II")
Black Earth and the City Falls (Long Mix) 11:42 (aka "Black Earth Original Mix")
To purchase the CD Package, go to the dedicated "Splinterheart" website...
24 August 2010 23:59
Splinterheart cover finalised...
The cover for "Splinterheart" has been finalised following a couple of weeks' work. The CD will be housed in a cardboard gatefold sleeve with four illustrations - "flowers and sky" on the front sleeve, "splintered hearts" on the back sleeve, "skull" on the booklet front cover and an "illustrative collage" on the booklet back cover - the fold-out booklet includes full lyrics...
29 July 2010 23:59
New LP release confirmed as 31 August...
The release date for "Splinterheart" has been confirmed as 31 August, a month later than previously thought...
08 July 2010 23:59
New LP release likely to be 31 July...
The running order for the new CBQ LP is slightly amended with "Hurt Heart Hardened" (now retitled "Splinterheart") moving to pole position. Some fine tuning on the vocal for "The Apple of Your Eye pt 1" was also carried out this evening...
The finalised running order is:-
Splinterheart (3:10)
The Apple of Your Eye pt 1 (3:57) (with Peri Urban)
The Killers at the Counter (5:45)
Here They Come With the New Machines (6:11) (with Peri Urban)
The Eternal Optimist (4:49) (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont)
Krebs Went to War (5:48) (with Craig Sutherland)
The Foundling (3:25) (with Andy Wilson)
The Cage of Expectation (5:46) (with Peri Urban)
I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart (2:32)
Black Earth and the City Falls (6:03) (with Sour Grapes Productions)
The Apple of Your Eye pt 2 (3:07)
Never or Now (3:19)
Release date is likely to be 31 July...
28 June 2010 23:59
New LP finished...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album, "Splinterheart" is now finished and should be released in the summer of 2010. Work continues on the cover of the LP...
The running order has been finalised as follows:-
The Apple of Your Eye pt 1 (3:57) (with Peri Urban)
The Killers at the Counter (5:45)
Hurt Heart Hardened (3:10)
Here They Come With the New Machines (6:11) (with Peri Urban)
The Eternal Optimist (4:49) (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont)
Krebs Went to War (5:48) (with Craig Sutherland)
The Foundling (3:25) (with Andy Wilson)
The Cage of Expectation (5:46) (with Peri Urban)
I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart (2:32)
Black Earth and the City Falls (6:03) (with Sour Grapes Productions)
The Apple of Your Eye pt 2 (3:07)
Never or Now (3:19)
27 June 2010 23:59
Last Splinterheart session...
The last "Splinterheart" recording session took place today involving the final mix of "Hurt Heart Hardened"...
26 June 2010 23:59
Final song recorded...
"The Apple of Your Eye" pt 1 (the previous version now being dubbed pt 2) was written and recorded today, utilising further material provided by Peri Urban. This is the twelfth and, it seems, final track of the "Splinterheart" project...
Peri Urban will also now receive a co-credit on "The Cage of Expecation" with more of his contributions to the sessions being added to this track today, along with a "programmed artificial voice" sourced from an American University...
"Here They Come with the New Machines" was also given its final mix today, while the live backing tracks were amended to take account of recent developments...
25 June 2010 23:59
Re-recording and re-mixing...
Final touches now being added to the record with a new vocal being recorded for "Hurt Heart Hardened", some re-recording on "Here They Come With the New Machines" and "The Cage of Expectation" and remixing work on "The Eternal Optimist" all taking place today...
24 June 2010 23:59
Running order work...
The preparation for the new LP continues, with work over the last few days on the potential running order of the eleven tracks and David reporting on his blog that "The Cage of Expectation", described as "the least commercial CBQ track ever" is now in lead off position...
20 June 2010 23:59
Live backing tracks...
Reports from the studio that backing tracks re any "Splinterheart" supporting live dates, have been worked on...
19 June 2010 23:59
The apple of your eye...
Another new track emerged today, apparently based around a short extract from Bach's "Well Tempered Klavier". The song, entitled "The Apple of Your Eye" receives a dedication to David's dad on the blog...
13 June 2010 23:59
Cover work...
The last two days have seen work commence on the cover for the new LP, now entitled "Splinterheart"...
06 June 2010 23:59
New machines...
The new LP is evidently not finished, as David today produced the beginnings of the eleventh track, initially entitled "New Machines". The song features a rhythm bed supplied by collaborator, Peri Urban...
30 May 2010 23:59
LP finished?...
More work today on "Foundling", with synthesiser lines being added. A "final" version of the new LP has been created and now starts a period of intense listening as David decides whether or not the project can be declared "finished". There is still plenty of raw material at the studio which could be worked on and added to the current 40 minute album...
Latest Tracklisting:
The Killers at the Counter (previously "Flown")
Hurt Heart Hardened
The Eternal Optimist (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont) (previously "The Act Itself")
Never or Now
Krebs Went to War (with Craig Sutherland)
Foundling (with Andy Wilson)
The Cage of Expectation (previously "The Cage Sonata")
Cold Broken Heart
Black Earth (with Sour Grapes Productions)
Two working titles have so far appeared on david's blog, "Blackearthflown" and "Darklandsky"...
No release date has been set and a new song-based LP is not due from Cloudland Blue Quartet until 2011...
29 May 2010 23:59
New song Foundling...
David worked today on a 20 second guitar motif recorded last week with Andy Wilson. The resultant 3 minute song is entitled "Foundling" and becomes the ninth track on the proposed new LP...
24 May 2010 23:59
The eternal optimist...
Lyrics were written today for what was the Peri Urban/Norman Lamont based soundscape piece known variously as "The Act Itself", "Act IV" or "Act III". The song now goes by the title "The Eternal Optimist". In addition to this, the vocals for "Hurt Heart Hardened" were re-recorded, with the lyrics amended from 1st to 3rd person. More work on "Krebs went to War" was carried out too. Finally, "The Cage Sonata" is now a song entitled "Cage of Expectation" with lyrics having been written and recorded today...
23 May 2010 23:59
Remixing...
A session of mixing took place today, with work concentrated on "The Killers at the Counter". Word too from Oz that the Sour Grapes Remix of "Black Earth" is "nearly done"...
22 May 2010 23:59
Andy Wilson collaboration...
A new collaboration between David and his nephew Andy Wilson started today. Andy co-wrote some of CBQ's best songs on both 1999's "Doveloveshawk" and 2005's "Deeperdown". This is their first work together since Andy played in CBQ back in 2006 supporting the then upcoming "Erstazreal" LP...
09 May 2010 23:59
Killers work...
David worked in the studio today on "The Killers at the Counter", tightening up the originally improvised lyrics to give the song a more conventional structure. He advises on his blog however that, despite spending some considerable time on matters, he prefers the original "improvised" version...
30 April 2010 23:59
Oz waves...
The wav files for "Black Earth" have now arrived in Brisbane to allow Sour Grapes Productions to commence work on their proposed remix of the long version of the track...
29 April 2010 23:59
Killers at the counter...
"The Killers at the Counter" continues to take shape...
27 April 2010 23:59
Cage and Killers...
Work continued today with progress being made on the currently entitled "Cage Sonata" track along with lyric writing and singing on what was previosuly an instrumental track based on a Janacek piano piece, now tentatively tiotled "THe Killers"...
25 April 2010 23:59
More Soundscape Work...
David worked in the studio today on shorter versions of the three, currently, instrumental tracks created earlier this year. The full versions may appear on a bonus disc or single/EP at some point...
24 April 2010 23:59
New album taking shape...
David reports on his blog that he was in the studio again today working on "Krebs" and a new, fith song for the LP "Hurt Heart Hardened". He also reckons the new LP is shaping up nicely and goes as far as to post a provisional track listing. This is quick work and, with the album not due until next year, he appears to be well ahead of schedule...
Provisional Tracklisting:-
Flown (Instrumental)
I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart
Hurt Heart Hardened
The Cage Sonata (Instrumental)
Krebs Went to War (with Craig Sutherland)
Never or Now
The Act Itself (Instrumental) (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont)
Black Earth (with Sour Grapes Productions)
23 April 2010 23:59
Krebs went to war...
David was back in te studio today working on a new song with co-writer on "Soundingfall", Craig Sutherland. The track, working title "Krebs Went to War" is the fourth song mooted for the next CBQ album...
18 April 2010 23:59
More soundscape work...
David firmed up the shape of the Lamont/Urban soundscape from yesterday - as with much of the material being produced at present, nothing has been posted for listening...
17 April 2010 23:59
Another new soundscape...
David worked on another new soundscape piece today, combining the work of Peri Urban and Norman Lamont, the latter stemming from a soundscape originally created last November and stumbled across again today in the studio...
14 April 2010 23:59
Peri Urban collaborations...
A new set of pieces from Peri Urban has arrived at Crispycat Studios and David will work on collaborations involving these over the coming weeks with a view to working up new songs and pieces for the next LP which is shaping up to be a collaborative effort with Sour Grapes, Edward Spark and, now, Peri Urban all contributing to the project...
13 April 2010 23:59
New CBQ Album Update...
David advises on his blog today he has six pieces for the next CBQ album, three songs, two soundscapes and the collaboration with Edward Spark - but also that these are very early days - a new album is not expected until 2011...
08 April 2010 23:59
CBQ and edward Spark 2010 work...
Work commenced today on the fourth new CBQ piece in recent weeks, a collaboration with Edward Spark, currently entitled "ES-013". The track has not been posted for listening...
04 April 2010 23:59
New CBQ Soundscape - Cage...
Another new soundscape was worked on a today in the studio, reportedly based around a John Cage piano sonata. As with yesterday's track, nothing has been posted for listening as yet...
03 April 2010 23:59
New CBQ Soundscape - Flown...
David worked on a new soundscape piece today, the last CBQ album of this type having been released just over four years ago. He reports in his blog that the track is based around a Janacek piano sonata. The track has not been posted for listening yet...
28 March 2010 23:59
Black Earth and the City Falls...
Is the title of a new CBQ song worked up in the studio today using samples provided by Sour Grapes Productions in Brisbane, Australia. David "met" the SGP via comments left on his blog. The first demos of the new track are up for audio sampling at the blog as at today's date...
21 March 2010 23:59
New CBQ Album Continues...
David was in the studio today working on some improvised bass lines over four of the rhytrhm tracks created thus far for the 2011 CBQ song-based album. The results were recorded in his blog as being "disappointing"...
14 March 2010 23:59
New CBQ Album Commences...
David made a very tentative start to the next CBQ project today, working initially on rhythm tracks...
24 January 2010 23:59
Rare CBQ Live Outing...
David played an impromptu set tonight at The Listening Room, featuring two tracks from the "Ersatzreal" album, "Lights Out" and "The End of Everything" which received an enthusiatic reception...
19 January 2010 23:59
Rare James Jamieson live set ...
James Jamieson returns to the live scene on Friday with a gig by his covers band at Leith Masonic Hall on Leith Walk, Edinburgh. Doors are at 7:30 with jamie on at 8:45. Entry is £10 on the door...
31 December 2009 23:59
Taking another break ...
As we come to the end of 2009, David is taking a break from CBQ duties for a while but there are plans for a new album in 2011 and for writing with Craig Sutherland, his sparring partner on "Soundingfall", and recent live accomplice, Peri Urban...
26 November 2009 23:59
Newe Lamont Soundscape...
David worked up a 24 minute track based on sounds provided by Norman Lamont via Norman's website and some soundscaping software also available at his site. At present there are no plans to release any of this...
04 November 2009 23:59
CBQ returns live tonight ...
David and Peri Urban play a ten song set tonight in support of the latest CBQ album "Soundingfall". A specially recorded acoustic version of the set is available on the music page...
17 October 2009 23:59
Secret CD XXIV Line Up Announced...
David will be making a rare live appearance, his first gig for twenty months, on Wednesday 4 November at the twenty fourth Secret CD night...
Secret CDs XXIV
The Phoenix Cellar Bar
48a Broughton Street
Edinburgh EH1 3SA
Doors 7:30pm
Entry £2/£1
The evening's line up will be:-
Jennifer Ewan
Cloudland Blue Quartet
Kim Edgar
David Ferrard
09 October 2009 23:59
CBQ live date coming up...
David will perform 10 songs at Secret CD XXIV twenty months on from his last full live set. On this occasion, he will be accompanied by fellow former Dancer of San Martino, Mr Peri Urban...
Starts at 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix Cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA £2/£1 entry...
05 October 2009 23:59
New CD - Acoustic Soundingfall...
A new CBQ CD, the seventeenth in the "souvenir" series, was recorded yesterday and is released today!
It is available on the Music Page or you can listen to or download it from the Crispycat Library (see Home Page). It will also be available in CD format at an upcoming rare (these days) live CBQ performance, details of which to follow...
The album contains eight acoustic re-workings of songs from "Soundingfall" plus the first versions of the two recently composed tracks, "Never or Now" and "I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart"...
02 October 2009 23:59
Cold broken heart...
The second new CBQ song for the next album was written today. Like "Never or Now", "I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart" will no doubt appear on the follow up to "Soundingfall" sometime in 2010 or 2011...
05 September 2009 23:59
Never or now...
A new CBQ song emerged today and was demoed quickly in the studio. "Never or Now" will no doubt appear on the follow up to "Soundingfall" sometime in 2010 or 2011...
02 September 2009 23:59
Soundingfall remastered...
The remaster of Soundingfall arrived at Crispycat today. The album has been much improved by the sonic mastery of Mr Peri Urban and the re-release is set for October...
More details to follow...
22 August 2009 23:59
CBQ returns yet again...
David was able to play the guitar for the first time in almost three months, following his operation in early June...
19 August 2009 23:59
Soundingfall remaster ...
Ex-Dancer of San Martino and Youtube music star, Peri Urban has commenced a remaster of CBQ's latest album "Soundingfall". Results keenly anticipated...
9 June 2009 23:59
Another operation...
David underwent his third shoulder operation in 30 months today in an attempt to finally resolve the ongoing impingement of his right shoulder. As a consequence no live performances are envisaged until late Autumn at the earliest...
10 May 2009 23:59
"Soundingfall" release update...
A great response to the opening offer on the new CBQ CD has seen the first 50 copies of the album snapped up...
You can still get the album of course but it reverts to its normal £5 charge...
Full details of the LP are on the music page (P&P is Free as usual)...
4 May 2009 23:59
CBQ "Soundingfall" released...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album is released today and, to celebrate its coincidence with David' 50th birthday, we're giving away the first 50 copies free...
If you would like a free copy, e-mail david@crispycat.co.uk with your postal address and, if you're amongst the first 50 people to apply, your copy will be mailed out to you on the weekend of 9/10 May...
Full details of the album are on the music page where you can buy it for £5 (P&P is Free as usual)...
18 April 2009 23:59
CBQ hits fifty, releases new LP...
The last two weeks have seen final work on the new Cloudland Blue Quartet album come to a conclusion. All 13 tracks are available now for free download from the Crispycat Library as well as being available to hear on David's blog "Cloudland Blue - A Diary" - access to both these sites from the home page...
Release date for the physical CD is confirmed as 4th May 2009, coinciding with David' 50th birthday...
"Soundingfall" is the 243rd release in the Crispycat Catalogue and David's 63rd solo album of original material in the 32 years since his debut in September 1977...
This total reflects an extremely prolific early career though and "Soundingfall" is only his fifth song-based album of the last ten years and follows the success of "Callingstill" (1997), "Doveloveshawk" (1999), "Ampersand" (2002), "Anotherhappyday" (2003), "Deeperdown" (2005) and "Ersatzreal" (2007)...
Full details on the Music page...
4 April 2009 23:59
They Broke the Door Down...
...is the title of the thirteenth and last song to be written for the Soundingfall album which is now almost finished bar tweaking, remixing and cover design...
The song is available for free download from the Crispycat Library...
17 March 2009 23:59
Two more songs up and ready...
"So Long Kid" and "Non Industrial Catastrophe Blue", two new collaborations with Creek's Craig Surtherland (making five in total for the new LP), were posted to the Crispycat Library today for free download...
07 March 2009 23:59
10th song completed...
The 10th song of the "Soundingfall" project was posted to the Crispycat Library today for free download - "I Believed You Said We Dreamt"...
03 March 2009 23:59
4th live outing of the year...
Back to OOTB tonight before entering the final stages of recording and production on the new album, David debuted "Tomorrow or the Day After Next". Also in the three song set were two more from the upcoming LP, "We Drove" and "Blend"...
Review:
“Cloudland Blue Quartet
CBQ’s gentle sound is yet another good change in the atmosphere. I think there has been some higher force organising the programme tonight, as every act seems to have made an impact.
CBQ’s soft sound floats around the room and into the distance after every phrase, creating a very mellow and relaxing feel.
'I’ll see you around, don’t worry about the money, I waved to the car as you drove off'”.
His deep thoughts linger in everyone’s minds as he sings them out nicely.
'Don’t answer the call'
CBQ maintains a subtle but consistent drive throughout his songs, as vibrato creeps through his voice.
'When he comes into the room, one thing that strikes me is the tune'
He definitely makes up for his gentle voice by turning out deep and passionate lyrics that leave everyone lost in thought.
'Play dead when you feel nothing at all'”
17 February 2009 23:59
CBQ live again...
Another outing to OOTB for CBQ tonight as David attended the first night at its new venue at The Tron. David played "I Re-Arranged the House" from "Anotherhappyday" (2003), the first song he wrote specifically to play at OOTB and "This iS All There Is pt 1" from "Callingstill" (1997), the first song he played at OOTB...
Review:
"I seem to have landed in the mellow and reflective ending of a spectacular showcase of local music - proving that there is much more to contemporary music than mainstream audiences appreciate.
As evidenced by the following superb acts...
Cloudland Blue Quartet
The one man band that is David Reilly plays just a guitar this time, and lays bare how well-crafted his songs really are - he asks the audience (no, he's not on the 10 grand question!) to pick a number from 1 to 100...
"100"
"Let me put my arms around you...let me carry you away" he states, within the boundaries of his tightly focused, introverted pop and it's difficult not to be taken away by it...
Another number - and this time its..."3"
This appears to be about emptiness within a relationship, lost ghosts of it lingering, whilst he laments "if only I'd say goodbye".
Don't we all feel that way sometimes?
It's good to see David grace the hallowed ground that is the Tron - it's always a good sign when such good performers keep returning to us..."
16 February 2009 23:59
My Last Trip...
Song number nine of the new project hit the net today as David uploaded the third collaboration with Craig Sutherland for free download from the music library (see home page)...
31 January 2009 23:59
Tomorrow or the Day After Next...
This is the title of the eighth song to be added to the "Soundingfall" project. A demo is available for free download in the music library (see home page)...
22 January 2009 23:59
CBQ live again...
David returned to "Out of the Bedroom" again tonight. Two songs from the new album were performed "We Drove " and "Blend".
Review
"CBQ
CBQ changed the sound again with his melancholic but sweet voice.
“I glanced at my watch, it was time”, his gentle voice flowed through the audience as everyone contently followed his story.
He used a good bit of repetition then crept up the fret board creating an ambient sound, which I particularly liked.
It would be great to hear from him again, maybe, even with some harmonies."
12 January 2009 23:59
Virtual live performances mooted...
David started a new collaboration tonight with Pol Arida with a view to performing live in virtual world "Second Life" a situation which would allow CBQ to perform to listeners around the world direct to their home computers. More to follow...
11 January 2009 23:59
Work continues on "Soundingfall"...
David has spent the last three days working on "We Drove" and "Fire in the Clearing". the lastest versions are availablke for download from the Music Library (see homepage)
08 January 2009 23:59
CBQ live in 2009...
The first live outing of 2009 took place tonight as David made a tentative return to Out of the Bedroom, showcasing three of the songs intended for the 2009 album, "We Drove", "Please Stay With US" and "Blend".
Review
“Good to see CBQ back at OOTB, although this is the first time that I’ve seen him.
“We Drove”, is a hauntingly minimalistic narrative. I wasn’t entirely sure what the lyrics were about, but lines such as “I’ll see you around/ don’t worry about the money” were suitably evocative.
“Please Stay With Us” also had a unique lyrical style, narrating everyday occurrences in song, with an upbeat tempo. An interesting juxtaposition, but I did prefer the slightly more abstract take to lyric writing he adopted in the first song. Nothing wrong with versatility though.
“Blend” was a strong finish to the set. Fantastic chord permutations made the three chord progression sound new and refreshing, which is by no means easy. The lyrics speak of blending in with the crowd in the chorus, and there are some absorbing lyrical ideas on show.
Hope to hear him at OOTB again soon.”
28 December 2008 23:59
Work continues on "Soundingfall"...
David is finishing off 2008 hard at work on the seven new songs written so far for the proposed new album. All the latest demos are in the Music library for free downlaod (See Homepage)...
22 December 2008 23:59
New CBQ Album in Production...
As of today, David has completed seven new songs as he progresses towards the creation of a new CBQ album for 2009. Working title is "Soundingfall". The tracks include two new collaborations with Creek's Craig Sutherland, "We Drove" and "The Fire in the Clearing" - the first CBQ/Sutherland co-writes since "Ampersand"'s "On a Clear Day" recorded in 2001...
16 December 2008 23:59
Creek creeking again at last...
Electronic improv quartet Creek have finally begun work on their new album, the follow up to 2004's "Somewhere Between"...
Recording commenced today based on rhythm beds created by Craig Sutherland which will be built up to full tracks by overdubs from Stuart Cobley, Alan Brodie and David...
30 November 2008 23:59
Anthology Completed...
The final volume of the 170 track, 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Ten covers the period 2005 to 2007 with tracks from the last two soundscape CDs to date (both from 2005) "Through the Day" and "Sospiri" plus the last two song based CDs "Deeperdown" and "Ersatzreal", including a couple of alternative versions....
This completes the anthology and it's now available as a 170 track, 10CD Set for the discounted price of £40 or as a 165 track MP3 CD for £10...
Full details are on the music page and all 170 tracks are also available as free downloads in the library (see homepage)...
16 November 2008 23:59
My House Could Be Your Home...
A new "jaunty" track is the latest to be written in the quest for a new CBQ song-based album. The latest demo version is available for download now from the libarary (see home page)
14 November 2008 23:58
Charlie Dootson, ex-Crazy Wisdom dies...
We learned today of the untimely death of David's colleague from the days of Crazy Wisdom, Charlie Dootson. Charlie was an integral part of the band between 1994 and 1998, collaborating on over 50 songs with the group and bringing to it his rock sensibilities and amazing guitar playing...
David's thoughts are on the blog here...
10 November 2008 23:58
More new CBQ music : Please Stay With Us / The Sound of the Fall Pts 1 & 2 (Downloads)
Following on from the download release of "Blend" last month, two further new songs have been added to the library, both written and recorded this weekend. They are both available for download in the libary (see homepage) under the 2009 album demos folder...
31 October 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Nine (2000-2004)
Nearly there! The penultimate volume of the 170 track, 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Nine covers the period 2000 to 2004 with tracks from "Ampersand" (a collection itself of recordings made in the "hiatus" period from 2000-2002), "Another Happy Day" (2003) (the whole album is included) and one track each from "File Under Electronica" (2003) and "04 04 04" (2004)....
In January 2003, David made a succesful return to live performance, with the period 2003/05 being particularly busy. Many of his most popular songs from that period ("I Rearranged the House", "Everything You've Ever Wanted", "Skylines Full of Cranes", "Twenty Twenty Vision", "Another Happy Day") are covered by this volume of the anthology, with more to come in Volume Ten next month...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
The final album in the set will be released on 30 November and, between now and then, a download a day of one track for each of the thirty years will be made available via David's Blog...
26 October 2008 23:58
Finally, some new CBQ music : Blend (Download)
With almost the whole of 2008 having been spent looking backwards, it's good to hear the first new song from Cloudland Blue Quartet since the end of the "Ersatzreal" sessions in June 2007. Available for download from today via David's Blog (Go here for the link to download), both this initial demo of the song, entitled "Blend", and a remix are available now in the library (see homepage)...
30 September 2008 23:58
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #3
Today sees the release of the final disc in a trilogy of companion EPs to last year's "Ersatzreal" album. This third disc features "Lights Out " from the album, together with three more tracks from the "Ersatzreal" sessions, "Go Away and Leave Me Here", "Ersatzreal (Alt Mix)" and "The Secret of My Success", none of which appears on the LP...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
30 September 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Eight (1998-1999)
The eighth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Eight contains 7 instrumentals from the albums "Semi Automatic", "Betonmusik" and "Reinhardt Richter Rosenquist" recorded in a spurt of creativity in the six months to June of 1999. At the same time David was recording his follow up to the mammoth 3CD set, "Callingstill", having taken up the acoustic guitar again for the first time since the very early days of his recording career. This volume also contains a whacking 10 songs from that album, "Doveloveshawk" (released on the last day of 1999) including future favourites like "A Nice Job in a Small Town", "You Taught Me How to Love You" and "Ten Twelve Seventeen"...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 August 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Seven (1997)
The seventh of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Seven comprises 18 songs from the "Callingstill Trilogy", recorded during 1996 and 1997 and which featured strongly in David's live sets of 1996, 1997 and 1998 before he gave up performing for almost five years. This volume contains some of CBQ's strongest work of his then 20 year "career" as an independent artist...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 July 2008 23:59
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #2
Today sees the release of the second in a trilogy of companion EPs to last year's "Ersatzreal" album. This second disc features "The Angels' Kiss" from the album, together with three more tracks from the "Ersatzreal" sessions, "A Happy Song", "The Golden House" and "I Still Write You Letters", none of which appears on the LP...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
The release of the third and final companion EP is scheduled for September this year...
31 July 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Six (1996-1997)
The sixth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Six sees the first appearance of the new name, Cloudland Blue Quartet, taken from the 1993 Heavenly Music Corporation album, "Cloudland Blue". Cloudland is a metaphor for heavenly, whilst the "blue" element refers to the downbeat nature of the music. Quartet of course is meant to symbolise the extensive use of overdubbing which allows many versions of the same person to appear on one recording. This volume of the anthology contains 16 tracks, is entirely instrumental and features ambient soundscapes, abrasive sky-saw guitar solos, calming synth pieces, raucous Neu! motorik beats and orchestral samples...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
30 June 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Five (1994-1995)
The fifth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. 86 tracks in, we are now half way through the release schedule. The fifth disc covers the years 1994 and 1995 featuring the albums "Kernelcrux", "Songs of the Sombre Reptiles Vol 2", "The Moveable Sky" and "Starcrossfix", the last Sombre Reptiles album. The collection comprises 16 songs and a soundscape. This volume highlights the best of what was a particularly productive period, with some excellent, thought-provoking lyrics, backed up by strong instrumental performances...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 May 2008 23:59
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #1
Today sees the release of David's first single since July 2005 in the shape of a new CBQ EP, the first in a series of three scheduled for release during 2008....
The three EPs are companions to last year's "Ersatzreal" album and this first disc features the lead off track from the album, "Blue Eyes Across the Room" together with three more tracks from the "Ersatzreal" sessions, "The Unfortunate", "Rabbits on the Verge" and "Waiting to Die", which don't appear on the LP...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent EPs are scheduled for July and September this year...
31 May 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Four (1993-1994)
The fourth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. This fourth disc covers the years 1993 and 1994 and, after last month's all song set, along with more classic songs, this month's volume contains some seminal ambient works including tracks from the album "Cloudland Blue", the banner under which, two years on, David would commence issuing his output, a project which has now been running for 12 years...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
16 May 2008 23:59
CBQ Live at Acoustic Idols '08
On Sunday night, David will open this year's Acoustic Idols Awards with two songs from his nominated CD, "Ersatzreal". The Acoustic Idols Awards 2008 will take place at The GRV, Guthrie St, Edinburgh on 18th May as part of the Edinburgh Rush Festival...
30 April 2008 23:59
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Three (1990-1993)
The third of ten volumes of this mammoth 30 Year Anthology is released today. This third disc takes us into the 90's with tracks from four Sombre Reptiles albums from 1990's "Crispysnatch" through to the retrospective "Songs of the Sombre Reptiles Vol 1"...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 March 2008 23:59
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Two (1986-1989)
The second of ten volumes of this mammoth 30 Year Anthology is released today. This second disc takes us from 1986's "Poppies" through to the retrospective "Sombre Reptiles 1980-89" set, presenting some interesting archival material along the way, including tracks from the first three releases by The Heavenly Music Corporation. Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
16 March 2008 23:59
FREE Downloads available now...
Crispycat now offers you FREE downloads. Head on over to the MP3 library to see what's available. Over the coming weeks and months we will be adding new tracks to create an extensive library of FREE MP3s.
Of course you can still purchase shiny silver discs with artwork and a box from our music page...
9 March 2008 23:59
FREE Downloads soon...
Crispycat will shortly offer FREE downloads. Over the coming weeks and months we will
create an extensive library of MP3s but of course you will still be able to purchase shiny silver discs with artwork and a box from our music page - more on this development soon...
5 March 2008 23:59
Cloudland Blue Quartet returns live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet plays a 30 minute set tonight, his first full set for seven months and his first since the release of "Ersatzreal" last October. David, accompanied by James Jamieson, will play eight songs from the album using backing tracks to get the full band sound of the original LP...
Starts at 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix Cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA £2/£1 entry - CBQ on at 8pm sharp...
3 March 2008 23:59
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Souvenir XVI Ersatzreal Live
Today we release the latest in the series of Limited Edition Souvenir Discs from Cloudland Blue Quartet. Souvenir XVI is a studio creation which presents 20 songs in a live setting representing the twenty odd live outings featuring material from CBQ's latest album from 2005-2008. As the sleeve notes say, "These performances weren't recorded but, had they been, they might well have sounded a little like this"...
Initial copies will be given away free with copies of "Ersatzreal" on sale at the Secret CDs gig on Wed 5 March (see below). Full details and listening facility on the music page (shortly)...
29 February 2008 23:59
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume One (1977-1986)
The first of ten volumes of the much mooted 30 Year Anthology is finally released today. This first disc takes us from "The Drone Effect" in 1977 through to six songs from the 1986 album "Poppies", presenting some interesting archival material along the way, including early experimental ambient and electronic tracks. Full details and listening facility on the music page ...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
28 February 2008 18:23
Low key warm up for CBQ...
Cloudland Blue Quartet returned to Out of the Bedroom tonight to play a three song set for the first time since last April. A short warm up for next Wednesday's outing, David played "Blue Eyes Across the Room", "The End of Everything" and "Starting to Worry"...
Review :
“OOTB old-schooler CBQ headed off proceedings with a dreamy number recalling how he "fell for [her] blue eyes across the room"
Then "The End of Everything", which raises the tempo a bit, and promptly sends me spiralling into melancholic 'if only I’d known then what I know now' desperation. Ah, you can’t beat a bit of misery, I always say.
The third song transports us to a continental cafe; sipping coffee and watching the world go by under the setting sun. It was quite beautiful.”
19 February 2008 22:43
CBQ plays "Ersatzreal" live...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will play live for the first time since last August (and his first full set since last July), when David and Jamie take to the stage at the latest Secret CDs showcase on Wed 5 March, where the set will feature eight songs from the latest album. Starts at 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh
EH1 3SA £2/£1 entry - also appearing Hannah O'Reilly, The Angel Conversations and Fanattica...
06 February 2008 20:18
New CD : James Jamieson - Precious (Revised Edition)
Today sees the release of the 2008 Revised Edition of James Jamieson's 2004 album "Precious - full details and listening facility on the music page (shortly). Note that the original version is now deleted...
03 February 2008 11:59
JJ's Precious Revised & Reissued...
James Jamieson's late 2004 release on Crispycat, "Precious" has been expanded from 10 to 18 tracks and will be re-released shortly. This revised edition now features bonus tracks comprising home demos recorded between 2005 and 2008 and initial copies will be on sale at Jamie's Secret CDs showcase on Wed 6 February, where his set will feature four of these new songs as well as tracks from the original album...
28 January 2008 11:59
CBQ and James Jamieson return to the stage...
James Jamieson will play a Secret CDs showcase on Wed 6 February at Secret CD III from 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh
EH1 3SA. Meanwhile Cloudland Blue Quartet will showcase songs from "Ersatzreal" at the same venue for Secret CD IV on 5 March...
8 December 2007 11:59
Thirty Year Anthology...
Compilation of the long awaited 30 year anthology was finally completed today. Likely release date will be Spring 2008 and the set will be availabele as 10 CDs along with a double CD split between songs and sounds...
19 November 2007 11:59
CBQ CDs available from Secret...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's "Ersatzreal" is now available from Secret CDs, a new venture set up recently by Jim Igoe co-founder of Out of the Bedroom. From December, monthly gigs will take place in Edinburgh to showcase the artists involved. It is hoped David will be able to play in early 2008...
15 October 2007 11:59
CBQ Op a success...
David's second shoulder op in just under a year was deemed a success today. This means however he will be out of action for a further three to four months during recouperation...
09 October 2007 00:01
CBQ Operation postponed...
David has been out of action since September awaiting an operation on his shoulder, which was to have taken place today. The operation is postponed till 15 October...
08 October 2007 00:01
CBQ & Creek OUT NOW...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's "Ersatzreal" and Creek's "1.0.0" are out now - listen to them on the music page - where you can also find details of how to purchase the CDs...
07 October 2007 08:47
Listen to Creek's New Album...
Creek's new anthology to celebrate 10 years of the band, "1.0.0" is out Monday 8 October...
You can listen to ten minute excerpts from each of the four discs included in the set by clicking on the "listen" buttons over on the Music page...
06 October 2007 08:10
Listen to CBQ's New Album...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's new album, "Ersatzreal" is out Monday 8 October...
You can listen to each of the eleven tracks in their entirety by clicking on the "listen" buttons next to each title over on the Music page...
30 September 2007 09:54
New albums from CBQ & Creek...
Monday 8 October will see the release of two new albums on Crispycat.
Firstly, a four CD anthology by Electronic Improvisational Quartet, Creek to celebrate the band's tenth aniversary. As the title, "1.0.0", suggests, the set contains 100 tracks and covers Creek's entire output to date, from their formation in June 1996 right up to their last recordings eight years later. The group is currently working on new material for release in 2008...
Secondly, the long-awaited release of Cloudland Blue Quartet's new song-based album "Ersatzreal". The result of two years' songwriting and recording, the album follows on from the success of CBQ's last two outings, 2003's "Anotherhappyday" and 2005's "Deeperdown"....
Full details and tracklistings for both releases are on the Music page...
29 September 2007 05:27
Upcoming deletions...
As has always been the way at Crispycat, an annual cull of the available catalogue is about to take place. Ten currently available recordings will be deleted on Thursday 4 October:-
Cloudland Blue Quartet Songs of the Sombre Reptiles Vol 5
Cloudland Blue Quartet The End Of Everything (EP)
CBQ & James Jamieson Live at the Roxy
CBQ/James Jamieson/Creek/Edward Spark Calling Card #4 (this will mark the end of our long-running "free cd" campaign)
Cloudland Blue Quartet The Acoustic Deeperdown
Cloudland Blue Quartet The Acoustic Ersatzreal (in anticipation of the release of the full band "Ersatzreal")
Cloudland Blue Quartet Best of CBQ 1996-2006 (in anticipation of the release of the upcoming Anthology)
Cloudland Blue Quartet Souvenir XIII : 01 03 07
Cloudland Blue Quartet Souvenir XIV : 09 06 07
Cloudland Blue Quartet Souvenir XV : 29 07 07
27 September 2007 17:54
James Jamieson recording soon...
Word has reached Crispycat Towers that James Jamieson will be "in the studio" in late October working on a new album. Likely to have a more organic feel to it than 2004's "Precious", it will feature the new material JJ has been road-testing this year...
23 September 2007 06:41
Creek for 2008 ...
With the upcoming release of their 4CD anthology "1.0.0" comes the news that Creek, the laziest band in the world, have started work on new music for release in 2008, following on from their last release, 2004's "Somewhere Between". Probably best not to watch this space - but more news as we get it....
08 September 2007 17:54
New Releases "imminent"...
Crispycat is pleased to advise that the release of both CBQ's new studio album "Ersatzreal" and a 10 CD Anthology (along with single disc sampler and single disc MP3 version containing all but 24 minutes of the full package) will be released in the very near future. David has pronounced "Ersatzreal" to be "finished" and is now working on the cover - it will be released prior to the Anthology set...
30 August 2007 08:47
Rare Jamieson Live Set...
James Jamieson played a very rare 30 minute set tonight as featured special guest at Out of the Bedroom. Read the review here. CBQ also played one song...
29 August 2007 16:39
Anthology being prepared...
The preparation of a 30 year Anthology commenced today in earnest with David trawling through "hundreds of tracks" to personally select a representative tracklisting from September 1977 to the present day...
22 August 2007 20:19
CBQ & JJ at "Megamike"...
CBQ and James Jamieson will play at Megamike on Monday 28 August at Lindsays on Brunswick St in Edinburgh (http://www.laughinghorse.co.uk/lindsays.htm), to mark the end of this year's Fringe Festival. From 8:30pm through to the early hours of the morning, over 30 different acts are set to play...
29 July 2007 9:18
Ltd Edition CD "Souvenir XV" released today...
As is now the norm for the ever more rare full set outings by CBQ, Crispycat releases the latest in CBQ's "Souvenir" series today. The disc contains all 17 songs to be performed over the two gigs on 29 07 07. The album feautures six previously unreleased versions of songs from the forthcoming album "Ersatzreal" as well as tracks from "Callingstill", "Doveloveshawk", "Ampersand", "Anotherhappyday", "Deeperdown" and "The Acoustic Ersatzreal"...
29 July 2007 9:16
CBQ at the Listening Room...
David has accepted a very late invitiation to headline The Listening Room tonight (at The Ble Blazer, Spittal St, Edinburgh) - making it two gigs in one day. This will be a 45 minute acoustic set from CBQ featuring seven of the nine songs being performed at The Aberdour Festival on the Silver Sands this lunchtime, along with another eight, mostly from the new, still to be released album "Ersatzreal".
20 July 2007 23:54
CBQ to play Aberdour Festival...
David has been invited to play a set at the Aberdour Festival in, erm, Aberdour (Fife) next Sunday (29/7/07). The format will be similar to the SQF festival in June (see below) although it's likely that the CBQ set this time out will only feature songs from the forthcoming "Ersatzreal" album and will exclude any oldies. Backing tracks will be used and rehearsals are in full swing.
13 July 2007 23:59
Another impromptu set ...
David played two songs tonight at the invitation of Stuart Clark during the latter's set at The Nicol Edwards Bar in Edinburgh. Rather the worse for wear after a day spent drinking, he still manged to pull of reasonable renditions of old favourites "This is All There Is" and "Twenty Twenty Vision". Thanks to Stuart Clark.
17 June 2007 23:56
New album progress report...
After a lay off of around nine weeks, David was back in the studio over the weekend doing some re-recording of various vocals and tweaking some elements of the backing tracks on the 20 songs due to appear later this year on the new CBQ album, "Ersatzreal".
09 June 2007 19:42
CBQ Live at SQF...
David played in South Queensferry today as part of the Ferry Fringe. A six song 20 minute set was played featuring one song each from"Callingstill", "Doveloveshawk", "Ampersand", "Anotherhappyday", "Deeperdown" and "Ersatzreal", all of which should be included in the planned anthology. The special edition Souvenir CDs (the fourteenth in this ongoing series) were snapped up. The performance, which used backing tracks, was deemed a success.
15 May 2007 17:29
30 Year Anthology...
This September will see the thirtieth anniversary of David's first recordings (see Full Discography on the Music Page). To celebrate this, an extensive anthology is planned and David has been taking time away from the Ersatzreal project to begin work on the anthology.
22 April 2007 11:13
Provisional album tracklist...
The new CBQ song-based album is taking shape and comes nearer to completion with every passing day. This is likely to be the longest CBQ album since the triple CD set "Callingstill" released in 1997.
At present, David is working on 20 tracks and has provided the following provisional track-listing for the the double LP length album...
Side One (17:08)
Ersatzreal pt 1 3:36
A Happy Song 3:57
The Angels’ Kiss 3:33
Rabbits on the Verge 3:08
He Thinks of You 2:54
Side Two (20:33)
The Unfortunate 3:20
Blue Eyes Across The Room 3:32
I Still Write You Letters 4:28
Waiting To Die 5:16
Another Piece of Cake 3:57
Side Three (19:13)
The Luckiest Man Alive 4:50
The Golden House 3:35
Go Away and Leave Me Here 3:34
Starting to Worry 3:24
The Secret of My Success 3:50
Side Four (20:52)
The Angels Took His Soul 3:18
Lights Out 4:21
The End of Everything 3:57
No Concrete Idea 4:42
Ersatzreal Pt 2 4:34
Work in progress versions of four of these tracks can be found on the CBQ MySpace site...
12 April 2007 11:13
Impromptu performance...
David made his first open-mic appearance at Out of the Bedroom tonight since last July, playing three songs from his forthcoming album. New song "The Angels' Kiss" was given its live debut in a set which also featured "The End of Everything" and "Starting to Worry"...
Review:-
Cloudland Blue Quartet: A self confessed Gentle Giant fan, prolific songwriter and as it turns out a pyromaniac (“I just need one match!”), CBQ started surprisingly strongly and stridently with “The Angels’ Kiss”, a kind of narrative car crash piece complete with “angels turning their backs” et al.
“Starting to Worry” is possibly based on the Matrix or some other existential type film or story or plot were reality is blurred by drugs and man’s inhumanity to man and perhaps also by a nice nurse. Memory is lost and it’s all rather grim for the poor chap in the hospital bed as in true Roxy Music style CBQ rather disturbingly creates pictures right there inside your own head you’d rather weren’t there.
CBQ ends this sprightly set with “The End of Everything”, a song inspired by a car/house/garage sale in Armadale. In reality it was probably “the end of our marriage” (you may like to try that some day) and how things sometimes just don’t work out.
03 April 2007 22:53
New album underway ...
Following the brief return to live performance at the start of March, David has now gone back to the studio to work on the new CBQ album "Ersatzreal" in earnest. Two newly composed songs, "The Angels' Kiss" and "Lights Out" have been added to the ever expanding track list and much burning of the midnight oil is taking place as the sessions continue into April...
04 March 2007 15:15
Bands Page updated...
New notes have been added to the Bands Page taking the history up to 1984 - more to follow...
03 March 2007 16:05
Full discography added to Music Page...
David's full discography from his first solo recordings back in September 1977 right through to "Souvenir XIII" has now been added to the music page...
02 March 2007 08:35
CBQ's account of live return...
David has updated his blog with his account of the return to live performance for CBQ after a break of six months. Read it here...
And here's the OOTB Review:-
I consider it an act of genius to have the main act on in the 9 o’clock hour. The evening proves to be paced better because of this. Hope it will continue.
Alright, CBQ is a well-oiled machine, a proper band with two guitarists, a pianist and a drum machine. Singer/writer David Reilly has a mature, straightforward approach to his tunes.
“The End of Everything” is soaked in loss of love. Nice dynamic chord structure.
Insecurity about the purpose of life and the idea of a god above seep through the bars of “No Concrete Idea.” Thoughtful song that asks, “If there’s a god above, why does he not proclaim his love?” CBQ sounds a bit like The Eagles when guitarist James Jamieson adds some soft “ooohs.”
“He Thinks of You” decries too much torture and torment.
“Go Away and Leave Me Here” kicks in with a clever drum intro and carries a great beat. Now I’m thinking of good vibrations ala Beach Boys, but is it just that I’ve had too many good libations? Hard to say, but Reilly’s voice is really soothing.
“Blue Eyes Across the Room” is the best song. I recall the doo-wop era hit “Last Kiss” remade by Pearl Jam a few years ago. And it’s a treat to hear grown men singing in solid harmony.
“I Rearranged the House” makes me swear The Church are touring again. (I hear they are.) And then a nearby bloke remarks, “Pretty good elevator music.”
Tattooed keyboardist Andy Wilson playing such melodic, sweet tones creates a disarming juxtaposition in the band.
“The Angel Took His Soul” is really his song to shine.
The last two tracks share themes of lover’s discomfort or, worse, facing the weepy truth that it’s o-v-e-r.
27 February 2007 23:04
CBQ Live 01/03/07 @ 9:15...
Thursday's 30 minute set has been confirmed as 9:15 till 9:45 - entry is free and there will be open mic slots from 8pm onwards. The 13th in the CBQ "Souvenir" series, the first since September 2004, will be available on the night. The limited edition 30 minute EP is a brand new recording containing studio versions of the setlist ...
21 February 2007 23:47
Live return set for 1 March...
A one off gig by Cloudland Blue Quartet has been confirmed at Out of the Bedroom in the Cannon's Gait on Edinburgh's Royal Mile on Thursday 1st March. The line up will include James Jamieson on guitar and Andy Wilson on keyboards and David will be performing songs from his forthcoming album, along with a couple of oldies. The night starts at 8 with CBQ likely to be onstage around 9:30 or 10 pm for a 30 minute set...
15 February 2007 23:39
CBQ Live again soon...
Rehearsals with James Jamieson commenced last night for a possible one off showcase set in March at Edinburgh songwriters' club Out of the Bedroom. The set is likely to comprise mostly songs from the upcoming "Ersatzreal" album, for which sessions are continuing on an almost daily basis in the Crispycat Studio.
20 January 2007 21:39
Studio work and rehearsing...
David returned to the studio today, following its recent revamp, and started work on pre-production for the next song-based CBQ CD, "Ersatzreal", an acoustic version of which was released last summer. Since then, five new songs have been added to the project, bringing the total to fifteen. In addition, this week, rehearsals have been taking place to prepare for a possible return to live performance...
15 January 2007 20:13
MySpace Updated...
Three new CBQ recordings have been added to the Cloudland Blue Quartet MySpace page - check them out now...
13 January 2007 17:06
Return of CBQ...
Following an operation on his shoulder in early November, David played guitar today for the first time since September which bodes well for a possible return to live performance in 2007...
01 January 2007 14:58
Happy New Year From Crispycat...
Crispycat Recordings wishes everyone a happy and healthy new year and thank you for your continued support. Look out for new releases from Cloudland Blue Quartet throughout 2007...
Loading News Articles, Please Wait...
