In Pursuit of Spring

I played some reverb drenched guitar on the latest track by builder poet Daniel Mcdonagh, it's the last offering before the album comes out:

From Daniel's IG:

"There are certain writers who reconfigure you aesthetically. They help you see the world anew. Cormac McCarthy being my first literary love affair. The other formative writer is word-hoarder, outdoorsman and scholar Rob g Macfarlane

Not only is his own writing of the highest order and importance he introduced me to such luminaries as Nan Shepherd, J. A. Baker, John Muir, Roger Deakin, Eric Ravilious and Barry Lopez. But most relevant to this tune is poet Edward Thomas.

Thomas’s poetry so beautifully encapsulates what England means to him (and to me!) Thomas suffered from severe bouts of depression and recurrent psychological breakdowns, feeling creatively repressed by the endless reviews and ill-paid commissions he had to do to support himself and his family. The countryside around him became for him respite from his depression. His many walks content for his marvellous poetry.

This song explores that, borrows as it's name a title of Thomas' own work and, I sincerely hope, honours his legacy."

Part Of It All

I can't remember if it was before or after the Greenhouse gig but at some point around then Kaf and Jess Smoke Fairies said they'd written a bunch of songs and would like me to put some viola on them. Part of It All is the first fruit from those recording sessions, and they were interesting sessions with Kaf and Jess recording everthing themselves through an SM58 microphone, embracing the limitations and carefully considering every note I played.

Looks like this is the first Smoke Fairies release I've played on for eight whole years; time is an absurd thing. There's a good, albeit bleak Stuff You Should Know Podcast epidsode about time, how your perception of time changes as you get older.

Anyway, give the song a spin.