Idiot Strings by Carmaig de Forest

• Recorded over a fortnight straddling New Years Day 2003
• Pressed in 2007
• RELEASED!, at long last, In the Year 2020

At the turn of the 21st Century, Carmaig brought his uke and his songs to play the Frostbite Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon, where he was smitten by the songs of Kim Barlow and recordings made at Old Crow Studios by producer/engineer Bob Hamilton. Later, on a summer tour with Carmaig, Kim Barlow told Carmaig, "You really need talk to Bob." So he called him and Bob said, "I've long wanted to make an album in the spirit of Exile on Main Street. but with acoustic instruments, I think you, your ukulele, and your newest batch of songs a perfect for such a project." With Kim attached as co-producer, Carmaig flew back to the frozen north just after Christmas to meet Bob, Kim, and a few other musicians from Whitehorse to record Idiot Strings, which is finally available as a download or a physical CD through bandcamp.com. It feels to me more New Morning than Exile, but you can decide for yourself.

PS from Carmaig: "I wrote the song 'In the Year 2020' in 2000 while on a crazy Ian Brennan package tour with Chuck Prophet and other SF characters. I'm a little spooked by how closely the song's narrative aligns with the actual shitstorm that 2020 has turned out to be"

Tracklist

1.	talk to jim	2:33

2.	in the year 2020	4:14

3.	ballad of the green guitar	4:11

4.	time time	3:04

5.	dead horses	2:40

6.	i don't know what she's thinking	2:04

7.	malibu barbie	3:32

8.	madeline and the sailor	1:14

9.	all the love in the world	1:59

10.	ballad of a drunk driver	4:08

11.	the great great plain	3:06

12.	3 a.m.	11:13

13.	in the year 2020 (radio edit)	3:54

Credits

released April 5, 2020

• Produced and engineered by Bob Hamilton
• Executive Producer: Kim Barlow
• Players: Carmaig de Forest, Annie Avery, Kim Barlow, Jay Burr, Bodra Elia, Bob Hamilton, Andrea McColeman, Lonnie Powell, Jimmy Salt
• Horn charts by Jay Burr
• All songs written by Carmaig de Forest except Ballad of a Drunk Driver by Kim Barlow

License