Joshua Barton Brooklyn, NY 9/5/2009

In observation of the ongoing tradition to release something (anything) musical on my birthday, I offer here the audio & video of some backyard tunes recorded in Brooklyn in September of 2009. Though the video makes it look like I was pretty lonely out there in the dark, I was in fact joined by dozens of good friends, and hosted by the generous Gina Pensiero at her 50/50 Space (aka her basement and/or backyard). Gina gives of herself to music in many cool ways, including her band and her blog. Getting to participate in her ongoing monthly series of shows was a fantastic experience, and it was only the beginning of what turned out to be a fantastic night.

Special thanks for this release go out to Dax Monta & Graham Mason for recording it, and doubly to Dax for bringing the final recordings together as a package. I was joined on mandolin for a few tunes by Tristan Dreisbach. Matt Richman helped out with editing.

Download the audio here.

Watch the video here.

Tracks:

1. Introduction

2. I've Got Something To Say To You

3. We'll Always Have The Oasis

4. Going Home

5. Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold) [Lefty Frizzell]

6. I'll Fly Away [Albert E. Brumley]

7. Eugenia

8. Ypsilanti Is Seething

9. Sick Of America

10. Unknown Legend [Neil Young]

11. Point Of Contention

12. Pillaged Land

13. Roll Another Number (For The Road) [Neil Young]

14. I've Seen A Light

Joshua Barton - Thanks, I Missed You, Too

One year ago yesterday, Fields of Industry dropped Two Dogs, A Television and held a release show in Ann Arbor the following evening in conjunction with FoI singer/songwriter Joshua Barton's birthday. Joshua turns another year older today and thanks the world for another successful year of staying alive with a solo record, Thanks, I Missed You, Too. Operating under his own name, Joshua allows himself to endulge in playful combinations of ambient sample assemblage, country gospel, new folk and the buzzy shoegaze sound that FoI has occasionally employed. In other words, Joshua gets to do all the stuff he's done before, but this time he does it all at once. Thanks... is an effort to reach an empathetic hand to Michigan with the hard-times resignation often employed by FoI, but here it's with a strangely up-key touch. Drawing upon recordings from 2005 to 2009, this was edited and compiled in 48 hours under the intense urge to get something done, an urge that Joshua hopes is contagious.
Get it here.

Tracks 8 & 9 excluded from CC License.