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MP3 Al Soucy - Sit With Me
10 MP3 Songs in this album (34:16) !
Related styles: Folk: Folk Pop, Easy Listening: Easy Pop, Spiritual
People who are interested in David Gates The Beatles The Rembrandts should consider this download.
Details:
Al Soucy began entertaining and singing at the age of 5 years old by performing in his neighborhood. At the age of 13 he began learning guitar when he and his brother Tim received electric guitars for Christmas that year from the Sears catalog from their parents. Prior to this they were using tennis rackets and brooms in front of the mirror singing Beatles songs handed down to them from their Uncles. Both were swept up in Beatlemania right from the start. It would be the beginning of his musical career.
The guitars were a big improvement. There was a lot of fumbling for a while until one day Al learned his first song. By The Sea and from that point forward it was one after another. What helped in the learning process is that there was a nice circle of players around so we were all learning from each other and constantly raising the bar. Nothing like good old fashion competition to drive the best out of people.
The first real band was called PowerHouse and it was comprised of Wayne Hewitt, Tim Soucy and Joey Wallace. We made a lot of noise mostly in the basement but we had some memorable experiences performing in front of people. We had some nice originals in this band. “Pleasant View Avenue” was one I still remember today. One thing to note as a kid playing in a band you spend a lot of time in basements practicing.
Several years later when Al became more proficient on the instrument he would join a band called Midnight Mist comprised of three other members (Tim Soucy, Dave Tassie and Shannon Fickett). This band auditioned for Community Auditions, which was hosted by Dave Maynard for WBZ TV4 in Boston, MA. The band lost on that program but the seed had been planted and a musician/entertainer was born. We played the song “IF” by the band Bread.
In High School, Al played in a band called Ambush with four talented musicians (Tim Soucy, Dave Thorp, Jeff Longwell and Troy MacPherson). This band was primarily an original rock band. This band helped honed Al''s skills as a singer/song-writer and bass player. This band would provide Al his first experience in a recording studio (North Country Sounds) and would also form the foundation for the bands to come in the future.
Memory: We had a neighbor who allowed us to practice in his garage. Moe’s garage. Our drummer at that time was also a part time carpenter Kevin Lamontange. He built us a stage in the garage. We had lights hanging on beams. We had our own light man Mark Callahan and our own sound man Jeff Bissonnette and there you go we had our own arena with our own guests and the concert was on. The garage was our home away from home. This band had some wonderful originals: The Race Car, Hopes and Dreams, Time and Shine on Me. This band was a good teacher.
After High School, Al went on the Road with "The Blair Hunter Band" comprised of four other members (Angela Blair, Rick Gelinas, Gary Wytonic and Joe Antonis) which, was under the management of Bill Macek for Clockwork Entertainment out of Haverhill, MA.
This was a top 40 GB band. This band played on a circuit that covered: New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. A highlight performance was backing up Jon Butcher Axis at the Frolics in Salisbury Beach. Jon Butcher attracted a large crowd. Ariel Jones was the photographer of the Blair Hunter Band.
Memory: When I received the call from Bill Macek that I was hired for “The Blair Hunter Band” I was thrilled. I needed a job and was excited about the opportunity. So, I called Rick Gelinas the guitar player who begins walking me through the song list and the first show is in several weeks. I gather the material and work very hard practicing basically non-stop. Rick is helping me with the material and I’m traveling down to MA. Side Note: I was quite poor at this time and barely had a car that could run or that I could afford. I was going for broke on this dream and willing to sacrifice everything for it and that included a good car.
Anyway, the night of the show has arrived. It was at a place called the “Ax Handle”. I don’t remember where that is anymore. I think all said I needed to learn about 50 songs. So, here I am Mr. Rock’n Roll ready to go and I absolutely drew a blank from the very first song. I could not remember one song. I was mixing songs together. It was just awful. My first night was a train wreck. By the time the show was ending I had put my back to the audience. I figured it was bad enough everyone had to hear my mistakes. I did not want to punish them any further by letting them see the mistakes too. Long story short. The band gave me a break. I was green and as my confidence in the material grew so did my skills.
After being on the road Al, then joined up with a Boston based band called "The Steps" comprised of three other members (Brad Jeter, Bobby Comb and Steven Doyle). This band was an all original band. Al played at the area clubs in Boston, MA for several years (The Rat, The Metro, The Channel, Bunratty’s, Jaspers and the Paradise). The Steps released one album in 1982 and received airplay on WBCN and WGIR with a song called “White Lies”. The Steps were under the management of Donna Rodden and would record in Blue Jay Recording and Sound Design studio in Boston, MA
Memory: The band received a call one night from management that we had an opportunity to be in a battle of the bands at a club called Jaspers in Sommerville, MA The Steps music had a real Tom Petty sound to it, very melodic, good harmonies. In any case we were told that we would have a good chance in this contest. So, after thinking about it we decided what the hell. OK. We’ll do it. It wasn’t clear to us until we got in the club that night that this was serious punk rock night and we were not dressed right for the occasion. It was definitely not the right place or the right time or the right genre for us. We didn’t last very long on stage as you can well imagine and it was time to go. The punk rock crowd did not enjoy our Tom Petty sound at all…no offense to Tom Petty.
After departing from The Steps in 1984, Al decided to pursue work in the recording studio and began doing session work. Al’s bass work is on many recordings from studios in New England (Blue Jay Recording, Cedar House Recording, Sound Design Studio and North Country Sounds) to name a few. You can hear Al on a CD by Amy Conley at https://www.tradebit.com.
In between this session work Al, played with bands off and on throughout the late 1980''s and 1990''s.
The Switch an all original band comprised of (Al, Jeff Longwell and John Toronto). Three-piece power trio played the Paradise, The Channel, Bunratty’s and the Boston circuit. Recorded several songs in Boston, MA. Some great original songs came out of this band. Restless Hearts, Just Too Good, 36 Hour Day and Borrowed Time.
The Muse Review at The Paradise - Thursday March 15, 1984: The Switch - a trio who is faster than Def Leppard, stronger than Quiet Riot, more well, anyhow, they managed to make the Paradise sound like the Worcester Centrum. Guitarist Jeff Longwell powered their icy, proud melodies along with his Van Halen-style sonic riffing, while bassist/vocalist Al Soucy sang their epics of teenage angst and heartbreak: songs like “Such A Fool” and “Last Stand”. Metal heads should make it a point to see these guys.
After the Switch, I played in two bands for a short time. A band called “Witch Hunter” a three piece power trio. This band played heavy rock. Witch Hunter played a battle of the bands at “The Granite Rock” club in 1991.
IC5 a four piece all original punk rock band. This band was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the creativity in this band. Showcase show was at the Rat in Sept. of 1987. It was a great show and this band was fun. This band had the freedom to draw outside the lines and did.
The Keys (Al, Tim Soucy and Duke Peloquin) an all original band. Solid three-piece power trio with good originals. Songs included: Come Back Home, Don’t Cry and On Your Side. Don’t Cry and On Your Side are both wonderful songs and stand on their own to this date. I re-recorded and acoustic version of “On Your Side” on my solo album “Pennywise and Pound Foolish” in 2003.
The Brotherhood an all original band comprised of three other members (Tim Soucy, Norm Levesque and Dave Thorp). This band highlighted such shows as backing up FarrenHeit and Robin Lane and the Chartbusters. They may not know it but we were actually a regular back up band for FarrenHeit for a period of time. Backing then up a dozen times. Several times at the Granite Rock Club. Several great originals came out of this band - Love and Money, It’s Over and These days. This band played at the Granite Rock Club, Classics and was a regular at Hendi’s in Lowell, MA.
Recorded by the Brotherhood - The Back Page Review: “Carry On” - July 1990 - A little reminiscent of the Squeeze with a little country twist. Some nice harmonies and some exceptional work on the guitar.
After the Brotherhood Al played a duo gig with Dave Branch for several years and they played pubs with their home base being Colonel Sheppard’s. I learned a great deal playing with Dave. He is a wonderful musician.
Memory: There was a blizzard outside. The doors were closed at 12:45 and Dave and I played music taking request one song after another until 5AM. Dave and I always played well together. We had a lot of fun at Col. Sheppard’s.
The Crayons (Al, Dave Tassie, Tim Soucy and James Soucy) top 40 GB and original rock band. This band worked solidly for two years and had a rock’n sound and good originals. Al got to be in this band with his two brothers and his best man which made the Crayons even more special. This band had some wonderful shows and a loyal following which made the playing all that more sweet. Dave’s Uncle deserves a big hand for putting up with us practicing in his basement for two years. Memorable time.
30 Nov 2000 - The Uptown Tavern - There were people as far as the eye could see. Packed room. Enthusiastic crowd which means our friends and family and we just absolutely smoked the place. Memorable show.
Project X - a top 40 GB band comprised of members (Al, Jeff Longwell, Harley Walker and Dave Thorp). Highlighted show was being the mainstay for the Milford Balloon Festival for many years. Harley Walker would go on to be my main drummer on three of my solo albums.
2003 - The Branch Brothers - a top 40 GB band comprised of members (Steve Branch, Kevin Vigue and Dave Branch). The last hurrah! This band produced some magical moments by playing Hampton Beach several times. We certainly did have fun! I couldn’t have ended on a better note. Thank you guys!
Memory: When I was 16, I used to sneak into Headliners North to see these guys play. Who would have known that one day I would have ended up in a band with them. Life can be pretty cool.
JJ Merryweather band - a top 40 band comprised of members (Jim Fothergill, Harley Walker and Troy Macpherson). This could have been a good band but it never really got off the ground. I was pretty tired and needed time off.
In recent years, Al Soucy has taken to his own studio, Robin''s Nest Way recording for Stapler Records his own recording company and has released 7 CD''s: Out In Time in 2000, Pennywise and Pound Foolish in 2003, SIT With Me in 2005, Temporarily Out of Order in 2006, Follow The River in 2007, View From The Top in 2008 and the latest CD Take Nothing For Granite in 2009. A new Album is in the works and due to be released in the spring of 2011.
Al Soucy can play bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, mandolin, keyboard; he sings lead vocals and backing vocals on all of his CD’s. Al, not only writes and performs on all the original compositions by playing all the instruments but also does all the recording on a Yamaha AW4416 24 bit, 16 Track Workstation, mixing, mastering, artwork for CD, packaging and distribution. It''s truly a one-man production.
Each CD that is released includes special cameo guests appearances from seasoned performers from the New England area including: Harley Walker - drums, James Soucy - drums, William Bryer - banjo, Peter Croteau - harmonica, David Tassie - electric guitar, Mark Vernon - percussion, Randy Arrant - electric guitar, cajon, drums, Mike McGeehan - electric guitar, James Fothergill - electric guitar, percussion, backing vocals, sax, piano, Tim Soucy - Electric Guitar, Ken Jones - percussion, Shannon Fickett - drums and Jeffrey Yopp - percussion. Having these great players adds a whole new dimension to the music that otherwise would not be present. It has truly been a blessing to be surrounded by such talented musician''s who have given their time so unselfishly to be a part of these CD''s. I feel their collective talent has enhanced the music greatly.
I would like to take a moment to discuss my new CD “View from the Top” everything I have written and performed on this CD could always sound better despite the obvious anomalies. However, as long as I improve as a player, my songs improve, as does the fidelity of my music then I have met my goal. That is to pursue my craft and passion. I provide that preface because I stumbled through this entire CD. I purchased the Yamaha AW4416 24 bit workstation and the Yamaha DTExpress Electronic Drums. The learning curve for me was enormous in many respects.
There were many mistakes made during the recording not to mention that this CD had more cameo appearances than any of my previous works. Making schedules work had its complications. However, I made it through and completed it despite the challenges. That is success to me. I tried my best to produce something that I would be proud of and I feel for where I am in the process I did that. There is the law of diminishing returns and that threshold had been met.
I want to thank everyone who helped me make this CD. I want to first thank my wife Connie for the CD cover picture which she took from the top of the Empire State building on a trip we took to NY and for the cover title. Connie has a great eye and knack for timing. All the players who gave of their time unselfishly: James Soucy on drums, my brother and a talented musician, Ms. Malynda Larocque for her wonderful lyrics that made the song “Where I Want to Be” come to life. The lyrics are fresh and innocent and lent themselves to my music beautifully.
Dave Tassie my engineering mentor and a very talented guitar player, Harley Walker my steady drummer who is moving and I’ll miss him terribly, Peter Croteau who brings such a unique vision to his playing and tasteful melody that enhances the music beautifully, Randy Arrant on the cajon, electric guitar and drums. I never knew what the cajon even was before I met Randy. What a sound this drum produces. Randy’s drumming and guitar playing are also featured and are nothing less than top shelf, William Bryer on the banjo, William is such a great picker and I try to put something on every CD just for William because I enjoy his playing so very much. I wish I could pick like that.
Mike McGeehan on guitar, Mike is amazing; he came into the studio and within a matter of a few hours left me with some wonderfully creative tracks. What a great and talented musician. Mark Vernon on percussion, Mark thinks he has no rhythm but he has lent his rhythmic style to my work and I feel added a whole dimension in percussion sound that enhances the music. I want to thank “Notorious Greg’s Music for the Electric guitars used on this CD. This guy has some great guitars and I had fun playing them. What a joy to play beautiful guitars. You’re too kind!!
I owe my biggest debt of gratitude to Dave Tassie who without I could not have even made this CD. If it were not for his tireless patience as a teacher in engineering I could not have learned the concepts or technology to engineer the CD. Dave Tassie cut down my learning curve by tutoring me on the gear I purchased and the overall recording of this CD. This CD would have been delayed for quite a bit longer without his support, direction and guidance. Thank you so very much Dave!
Every song is an experiment and some experiments are successful and some are not. It’s the roll of the dice and I’m always surprised. The unpredictable is often a blessing in disguise. There is no value in zero productivity whatever your passion or dream. So, you find a place and you cut the chord. Some songs you’ll like and some you’ll dislike. It’s a year of my life documented for posterity in these 14 songs. As long I can continue to write, play, and record my material I’m fulfilling my dream. It’s always been about the music for me. I’m very grateful for all my blessings, especially the opportunity to pursue my passion. Thank you for listening! I feel this new CD has improved over the last in many ways but there are miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep. To quote Robert Frost. Enjoy!!
Here are a few juicy tidbits about this CD to listen for: my favorites are "Broken Promises", “Don''t Reply”, “Learn to Love Again” and “Don''t Let It Slow You Down”. Listen closely for the chorus effect on the tail end of “There''s Only One Way”, the mandolin on “Broken Promises” (I wrote that song on the mandolin and then built everything around it), “Sudbury Dreams” which is a true story, “Don’t Reply” - a buddy of mine Randy Arrant is playing the cajon on this with a tambourine. Listen to the very. very end of “I Remember” and I play a tiny guitar part that comes in with the banjo that is very cool and took hours to get right or the way I wanted it lets say. Lastly, “Where I want to Be” - the lyrics were written by my niece Malynda Larocque. She asked me to write a song to her lyrics, which I did and it’s good.
For those of you out there who enjoy what I am writing: NEWS FLASH - I have a new CD coming out in the fall. It’s going to feature many cameo appearances from seasoned musicians. Jeffrey Yopp on Percussion, Mark Vernon on Percussion, James Soucy on Drums, Peter Croteau on Harmonica, Ken Jones - Percussion, Lyrics from Alaina Soucy on “My Romance”, Tim Soucy - Electric Lead Guitar, James Fothergill - Electric Guitar, Percussion, Backing Vocals, Sax, Piano and Lyrics from Malaynda Larocque on “Something Great”. This promises to be a good CD with a wonderful variety of ideas.
I have had more fun on this CD than the previous one already, basically because I have developed a better understanding of my Yamaha AW4416 workstation, which left more time for the music. I feel that so far it is coming out better than the last one. When it’s released I hope you all will feel the same way. More on this later………….
October 2009 - New CD update: Almost done. Scheduled release before Christmas. All new songs.
Dec 09 - The new CD is done and will be released shortly. Here are a few juicy tidbits about the CD from the inside. I dedicated this CD to my wife Connie because she challenged me to think in a different way for this CD and I tried my best to do that. I also love her picture of the granite quarry in Barre, VT and the play on words with the title of the CD.
I had more fun on this CD because I spent more time writing songs. I wrote 23 songs and invited a number of players to perform on this one. So, there were quite a few songs that did not make this CD. It was narrowed down to 13 songs which I thought were the best of the bunch.
This CD is far from perfect and there are blemishes everywhere but I had a good time making it. When it’s not fun anymore, I’ll stop. I’m doing what I love to do in the meantime write songs. This expression is exactly what I started playing for all those year’s ago. It’s wonderful however, raw in nature, to have the opportunity to accomplish the task in its entirety. I’m grateful to be able to do this. I started this CD last November (08) and I’m finished with it in December (09). So, it’s been a solid year in the making and I have worked hard on it and done my best. I hope you enjoy it!
The title track - “This Songs for You” was pure inspiration and written for Connie. It came together quite easily as if it was meant to be written. The song was magic because it just happened. Spontaneous combustion and that’s where the magic is. “Miles Away” - sometimes you want to help but you just can’t and your miles away and nothing can change that. See if you can figure out what the first word is in this song. Another spontaneous event and I have no idea what I said but it just seemed to fit. “Something Great” - Lyrics by Malynda Larocque - Beautiful lyrics about life’s bumps in the road and the loneliness of those trials. No one leaves the planet without a scratch. Very well written! “With Change There is Hope” - I was looking for a little Marvin Gaye sound.
I don’t know if I did a good job or not. I really enjoyed playing the electronic drums on this song. “I’m Man Enough” - Jim Fothergill played Piano, Sax, Hand Claps, Backing Vocals, Conga’s, and percussion. Jim really surprised me, we had talked about doing something together for years and finally it came together. This song was originally not going to be on the CD because I didn’t care for it. Jim got a hold of it and took it in a very different direction and I liked it. Thanks Jim!
“My Romance” - Lyrics by Alaina Soucy - There is certainly a statement being made with these lyrics and a real good one. Great job! James Soucy my brother played drums on this song too. He delivered some fantastic drumming. Thanks Jamie! “Dead Souls” - Tim Soucy on lead guitar. Tim came in the studio and just laid the track down in a few takes and the ending outro lead is just wonderful and just what the song needed. Thanks Tim! Peter Croteau on the Harmonica as in typical fashion added the tasty harmonica melody to “When I was Young” and I think it came out just great! Woodford to you my friend! Although, I like Basil too. A real professional, Peter puts his all into everything he does. I truly appreciate your style! “Dead Souls” has a gunshot in it. One day I heard someone shooting a gun and I went out with my little Sony stereo recorder and recorded the shots on the Sony then went into my studio and recorded the gunshots from the Sony into my condenser mic on a separate track. I added a little reverb and it’s not on the beat intentionally. I wanted the song to feel awkward when it was heard. Several folks have already told me it was eerie which is the desired effect. It fits the context of the song.
As always a special thanks to notorious Greg’s music for all the guitars used on this CD. The Les and Tele both have a place on this CD. Wherever you hear a crunch it’s the Les, wherever you hear that crisp clear sound that’s the Tele. You’re the greatest bud! Thank you!
This CD was unique for a couple of reasons. I had both Brothers on it. My Brother Jamie played drums on two songs and my Brother Tim played Lead guitar on one song. That’s hasn’t happened before. My niece Alaina (My Romance) and Malynda (Something Great) also contributed lyrics to this CD. Mark Vernon found the rhythm I knew he had and my friend Jeff Yopp added some tasty percussive tracks. Ken Jones was a wonderful surprise and played the guiro in “About Changing the World”. The song would not be the same without it. I’m always amazed when I have percussionists come in because you just never know what’s going to work and enhance the song. You start off with certain ideas and by the time it’s done, well, I’m always surprised and percussion is one of those instruments that can totally change a songs vibe. Mark Vernon ended up playing Moroccan Flat drum and sticks on “With Change There is Hope” and it was perfect for the song. That guy has Rhythm. Thanks Mark!
Jeff Yopp a colleague of mine was new to this CD. He never came up to the studio before but was just as natural at being in front of a mic as though he were born for it. Some folks get a little mic shy. Jeff was very comfortable landed in a zone and delivered two very good performances that truly enhanced both songs he played on. I was struck by Jeff’s timing which was right on the money. Great Job!! Ken Jones a wonderful drummer, a great guy, good guitar player and a very creative person. Ken played the guiro in “About Changing The World” and it added so much texture to the song. I fell in love with the sound and the part is very creative. The addition of the cow bell and the triangle made the song come to life. The bell shaker was a tasteful choice in “What Have You Got To Say”. It blended into the song nicely and enhanced the feel. Thank you Ken!!
I want to say thank you to all those who participated in this CD. The dimension you all bring to the music helps to make it more rounded and rich. It makes the music more interesting and offers layers of ideas to listen to and enjoy. Thank you all for your time, energy, emotion and consideration. I truly appreciate it! Enjoy listening.
01/13/2011: NEWS FLASH - I am more than half way through my new CD now. This is CD number 8 of which 2 did not get released. This is a very interesting CD so far. There have been no cameos thus far other than Shannon Fickett on drums. Shannon is a wonderful addition to this album. My steady drummer HW from my previous albums moved to get away from the snow. I have missed him. He had wonderful timing, finess and a very sweet man. Thankfully, Shannon has offered to step in and it has made a big difference. Simply put Shannon knows my music and his timing is wonderful. He understands how it''s put together so he can instinctively and effortlessly create a tapestry of sounds. Shannon''s drumming has added some exciting dynamics that enhance the songs and help bring them to life. Shannon has heart and soul and that comes out in his playing. It''s great to have him back. Thank you Shannon!
I was five months into this CD and the hard drive crashed on my Yamaha AW4416. It was unrecoverable. I had no back up. 110 tracks were lost. I had to relearn all the tracks from a single flat recording in rough draft form. That’s all that remained. I spent a lot of money trying to recover the material and the place I took it too did a great job but it was a costly venture one of which I did not have the funds to continue pursuing.
I was able to hotwire the hard drive by using a different hard drive. It worked which allowed me to reformat the hard drive and that was successful. I then began the process of relearning all of my previously recorded tracks again. All 6 songs worth of tracks. It was a laborious process. Very uncreative. One, I don’t wish to repeat again.
Several weeks after my workstation crashed my Yamaha DS55 crashed and I still don’t have that repaired. I’m borrowing a keyboard from my Father-in-Law right now for this album.
Normally by this time of the year I would have an album coming out. I try to do one a year if I can.
In any case, it’s been an album riddled with problems and lessons. It’s been quite exhausting. I had considered at one point not bothering this year at all but I felt compelled because I had these six songs already fully written.
I succumbed to the challenge and here I am. This has become a very different album than what it started out to be.
The first draft of all of these songs had an unpolished “Let it Be Naked” less Phil Spector sound. It’s was rough and raw which is what I prefer. However, after relearning all of these parts and noodling them to death as DT would say they have become very polished and produced. More than anything I’ve done before so there is that. I have learned that I won’t ever let that happen again and I don’t now. I back up the material often now and it’s not that I wasn’t before but I generally didn’t back up at the beginning of a cycle but more towards the middle and that wasn’t often enough.
However, at the end of the day I have now reached the place where I was 5 and half months ago. Whew!
It’s a different album for me. More keyboards…more guitars……less backing vocals…more single voice.
Now all the songs have been written for the CD and I’m working on finishing up parts and next lyrics and vocals. My plan is to have this album out in the spring. I think those folks who like my music will really like this album. It’s very different than previous albums. Stay tuned more to come……
3/5/2011 - NEWS FLASH - The music for the new album is just about complete. I''m putting the finishing touches on it now. A track here or there and I''ll be all done. I want to thank Notorious Greg''s music for the use of the guitars for this CD. It''s been fun playing them and makes all the difference. There are 14 songs on this CD. I have the name for the CD but no picture yet. Normally my Wife Connie has a picture or I had one to use that we had taken but this time nothing. The Title this time has a metaphorical value to it. So, that''s why it''s been more difficult to find a picture. I''m still looking at a spring release. Next up lyrics and vocals. Final mix down, mastering, packaging and finally distribution to the listener. It''s quite a process from beginning to end and you have to stay committed to it to have something when it''s all over and regardless of what anyone thinks, it''s irrelevant simply because you completed it. As they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. One of the themes of this album is that actions speak louder than words. Words are not enough. There are some really good songs on this CD. You''ll be the judge of that soon enough. Stay tuned....
3/6/2011 Recently, I received a phone and was persuaded to release an older CD called “SIT WITH ME”. The caller said that the album had to be released so that two songs could be out in the universe: “To Be Alone” and “I Love That Girl”. I didn’t much like the recording of this album myself but if you can look past that and appreciate the songs for what they are then they are enjoyable. This CD was recorded prior to “TEMPORARILY OUT OF ORDER”. The recording could have been better as I said but there are a number of songs on this CD that are worth listening too regardless of the recording quality. It should be available for purchase soon.
There are two CD‘s prior to “SIT WITH ME”, “PENNYWISE AND POUND FOOLISH” and “OUT IN TIME”. Maybe one day I’ll release “PENNYWISE AND POUND FOOLISH” there are a couple of gems on that one as well, again the recording is not very well produced but if you can look past that to hear the song’s you’ll find a couple that are worth listening too just like on “SIT WITH ME”.
The CD “SIT WITH ME” has several cameo appearances, a standout vocal part by Douglas Oliver on “Sundown” and Harley Walker on drums. Several songs that have good value in my opinion are: “Breakdown” for the mandolin part, “To Be Alone” for the “Strawberry Fields” piece at the end of the song. I tried the Ringo Star thing at the end with the “I buried Al”, instead of “I Buried Paul” for any Beatle fans out there. It’s corny but it was fun nonetheless. The drums in “All My Hopes” by Harley Walker are just wonderfully executed. The vocal line in “Sundown” by Douglas Oliver is just a joy to listen too. The title of this CD was originally going to be “Where There’s Light”, song #3. I even wrote a song on this CD with the title track (3). However, when I finally came up with a picture for the cover the title no longer seemed to fit to me. The two rockers around the hearth lent itself better to “SIT WITH ME”.
Track 1 - A nice theme about life, sort of like “Follow The River” in the sense that if you go with the flow of life things always have a way of working out exactly as they are supposed to. Track 2 - This song was actually written a million years ago and I have carried it with me throughout the years never really doing anything with it but enjoying playing it from time to time. The mandolin part in this song was fun to do. Finally formalized it on this CD. Track 3 - Was supposed to be the title of the CD.
Track 4- “To Be Alone” was actually on my very first CD “OUT IN TIME” and it was suggested that I re-record this song by my friend Rick Bailey. The initial recording of this song on the very first CD was poor at best. In fact the first CD will never be released because of the recording quality. This re-recorded version of “TO BE ALONE” isn’t a lot better but it is more representative of what I wanted the song to song like. This song has the “Strawberry Fields” ending on it. I am recording this song again on my NEW CD due out in the fall. I have changed it again, this time keeping it simpler than ever. It has a haunting melody and lyrics.
Track 5 - A sweet song about your daughter growing up and becoming an adult. Track 6 - A song of hope, insecurity and a realization or an awareness of self and our own dysfunction, looking for reassurance. Track 7 - “The Hill” is a fun song about a fantasy, whimsical journey to a place where everything is just perfect. Everyone is friendly and happy. Track 8 - I truly like this track however, this is not a recording that I particularly cared for. One day I’ll re-record this song to realize my vision but this was not it.
Track 9 - “Sundown” is a very good song in my opinion. I happen to love westerns and did go to “Tombstone” and had a shot of whiskey at the “Crystal Palace Saloon. It was a trip! The vocal effect in this song is a “Lexicon MPX 100 and it is my voice. Douglas Oliver’s vocal track in this is just wonderful. His voice has so much soul. I can hear gospel in his voice and I love the interpretation. The final track - 10 - A beautiful melody and romantic cut about meeting the love of my life - Connie. My favorites are: Breakdown, Sundown and I Love That Girl. I do hope you can find a few tracks you like as well. This CD was recorded using the Roland VS880-EX 16bit workstation. As always thank you for taking the time to listen. Sew good seeds….Peace…..Al Look for my new album in the spring of 2011.
The original compositions you will listen to will provide you with a glimpse into the psyche of a philosopher at heart. An inquisitive person who goes through the level’s of thought analytically like peeling away an onion to develop a perspective of the world around us. The songs discuss one individuals perspective of hope, angst, love, faith, reality, fantasy, change and stability or lack there of at times.
Al Soucy is an authentic spiritual man who believes in Karma and is always stretching his own knowledge and understanding of his own human experience. I do hope you enjoy listening to the compositions as much as I enjoyed writing, playing and recording them. I also hope that this music causes the listener to question their own human experience and seek the answers to the questions in their own lives. A great deal of work and care has gone into each and every song and I hope the songs reflect this.
Most importantly: I would not be able to produce one note of music or invest this effort in my musical endeavors if it were not for my beautiful, loving, kind, compassionate wife, Connie Camber-Soucy. She is my muse, my inspiration and has provided me with an environment that is conducive to writing. I love you Connie and thank you for allowing me to be a witness to your life.
Thank you all in advance for your time, for visiting and for listening to what I feel is some of my best work to date.
Warmest Regards.....
Professionally,
Al Soucy
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