Shadow by Steve Blaque

The Shadow
 
That silhouetted contour 
somewhere in the partial darkness a shape
a profile and visibly lurking 
in the murkiness of the cathedral
 
A black cloud exacting but an ounce 
ominous and gloomy
n' yet  weakness or inferiority  exuded
from the inseparable companion.
 
Steve BLaque

Shadow wes conceived a few years back as an Album that I would like to release. Most likely it was hatched between me and Levan Stanes (Aka Levantine), maybe 2017 but not entirely sure. As things work for me there are always several projects going on at the same time both in recording and in live performance. it's a toss up which takes ascendancy over time and so sometimes the 'best laid plans of mice and men'

It's truly an albatros removed to get this over the line. The songs span from january 2018 to June 2020. There have been huge obstacles related to insecurity of the studio in Beijing and its whole relocation to St Marys in Tasmania and this played heavily in the final stages of production, particularly the newer songs recorded in this year. Lack of instruments since they all sat on the docks was chief among the obstacles, but also considerable amounts of software and computer processing power alongside the studios main mixing board.

15 songs that all wanted to have their day in the sunshine as a collection rather than 15 disparate entities. They all exuded a sense of wanting to belong and there seemed no better idea than to reprise Shadow and give them all a chance to be heard as a collection of songs that define in many ways the last years i've spent in China; the last years in Beijing.

You all can take from it what you will. A lot of time went into the final mastering stage to ensure the levels were balanced and that ultimately if the genre appealed then hopefully a listening experience that leaves more positives than not.

I've no more to say. The songs are there.

steve BLaque
www.steveblaque.com

Tracklist

1.	Waiting	6:24

2.	Mona	4:36

3.	Dilemma	4:31

4.	Elanor Rigby	3:56

5.	New GeneRation	4:12

6.	Girl	3:24

7.	Just Too Late	4:22

8.	Left the Ring in the Jar	3:59

9.	Sweet Lotus Blossum	3:26

10.	This Ain't the Third Degree	4:02

11.	Shadow	7:10

12.	The Pusher	4:58

13.	Death By Misadventure	9:06

14.	Havana	4:47

15.	Ancient Mariner	5:43

Credits

released June 17, 2020

Leigh Ryan for Musical advice and endless back on forth on the nature of recording, engineering, alongside musical contributions on Drums and Bass.
Levan Stanes on design and packaging of the whole 9 yards
New York Steve Cahn for ongoing support and numerous discussion on music and sport which serves and has served to keep me grounded throughout the whole process of making this album
Clyde Terry for years and years of support and understanding of what it is i'm trying to do, perhaps even when i didn't.
Various friends and work colleagues who know who they are for their valuable contributions in discussing the nature of trying to record alongside hold down a job in a very foreign country (albeit my home)

License