The inspiration for this album came to me during my travels through Central Australia in the summer of 2005. Sitting on top of Ayers Rock/Uluru, I watched the sun’s descent across the desert sky into brick red sand that seemed to sprawl to the edges of the earth. The horizon shimmered in anticipation, unbroken but for mammoth rock formations that sporadically projected out of the barren land at improbable angles. They appeared as capsized ships mired in a lost sea, desolate and lonesome. So did I. As a reflected on recent life experiences, messages that define this album began filtering into my head. The receding rays of sun lent a good measure of desperation to this lonesome serenade that had begun within. It would take another eight months after I got back home to NYC to finish writing these songs. However, these songs, unlike some songs of yesteryear did not call for endless reworking or second guessing. Each song as it was written, felt artistically pure, honest, and resoundingly complete. Words and music went unadulterated from heart to tape, and that’s how I hope it will find the listener in reserve order. -SJ

Credits

Sam Johnson - lead vocals, rhythm & 12 string guitar
Jim Mastro - lead guitars, slide, & baritone guitars, mandolin, harmonica, pog & ebo
Steve Golding - drums, percussion, claps
Joe McGinty - piano, wurlitzer
Brian Dewan - hammond b-3 organ, church organ, accordion
Jon Graboff - pedal steel
Marika Huges - cello
Alice Lee, Janice Cruz, and Dan Donnelly - backup vocals

All songs wrriten by Sam Johnson © 2007 Dark Solstice Music/BMI
Engineered and Produced by Tony Maimone at Studio G, Brooklyn New York
Recorded and Mixed at Studio G Brooklyn, New York
Mastered by Alan Silverman, ARF Mastering, New York City
photography by Gina Dowden, except Ayers Rock and Musicians by Sam Johnson, background artwork (1998) by Vasanth Joshua Johnson
CD graphic design and duplication by Zach at Landshark CD