American Elegy by Adam Steinberg
"American Elegy" is a collection of improvised pieces played on solo electric guitar, curated from a much larger set of sketches from late 2022 - early 2023. This album sort of feels like a poem to me...an elegy reflecting on hope, love, loss, a longing for deeper connection - and the wonder of being a part of something so vast and amazing that we can't come close to comprehending it.
Everything was created just as you hear it with no prior composition or planning...just kind of 'sit down, hit record and start playing'; though I did edit out a few broken bits here and there...and added a few subtle things to a couple of tracks during mixing for additional texture and interest. About 99% of what you hear is exactly what happened at the moment.
The pieces range from fairly simple melodic mediations to more complex soundscapes using drones, loops, and other effects to manipulate sound and rhythm, and they seem to reveal some set of connections and thematic intentions that pull together the album as a whole.
I try to imagine each time I work on something as the first time, even if it's an iteration of an existing idea. And at the same time, it's all part of a larger arc and continuum. Much like all the moments that add together to make up a life.
Love and Peace,
Adam
Tracklist
| 1. | Bubble Up | 4:21 |
| 2. | I Was Once In Love | 5:35 |
| 3. | Divided by 5ths | 3:26 |
| 4. | American Elegy | 3:10 |
| 5. | The Engine Room | 4:11 |
| 6. | Made From Stars | 5:09 |
| 7. | Might As Well Pray | 2:59 |
| 8. | 3 Days | 4:10 |
| 9. | Their Sky | 3:24 |
| 10. | Breaker | 3:48 |
| 11. | Western Hymn | 5:26 |
| 12. | Talking In Dreams | 8:12 |
Credits
All music and sound created and recorded by Adam Steinberg
Art Direction/Photo by Lisa Deupree
For Ayla, Julian and Rae
