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This week, A&R Manufacturing facility had the privilege of sitting down with Nick Cody, a maestro within the artwork of musical reinvention. We explored the intricate layers of his newest masterpiece, ‘Masking These Tracks Vol II‘. This album is a mosaic of musical exploration, mixing traditional hits with lesser-known treasures. Cody’s strategy to this mission was akin to a musical alchemist, reworking and transcending genres with a easy but profound setup: a guitar, a violin, and the harmonious interaction of two distinct voices. As we delved deeper, Cody revealed the nuances of his inventive course of, the challenges of embodying different artists’ universes, and the exhilarating journey of bringing this bold mission to life, each within the studio and on the stage.
Nick Cody, thanks for sitting down with us to debate your newest launch. Might you share the inventive spark behind the conception of your second ‘Masking These Tracks’ album?
Initially the plan was to create an EP with my Californian pals Towse and Corwin Zekley with Harry Orme from the UK. This EP thought grew to become a mini album ‘Masking these tracks quantity I” and we had so many concepts and magical moments, I made a decision to do a second album.
My rule of thumb was that we’d solely have two devices, guitar, and violin and two vocals from Towse and myself. Masking these tracks quantity II is much more bold than the primary album.
In addition to recording classics like Joni Mitchell’s “Case of you” and Nick Cave’s “No person’s child now” I additionally selected some hidden gems like “Gold” from Peter Blegvad and “Identify Hoppin” from Ray Wylie Hubbard, two implausible songs that should be heard. So, the inventive spark was discovering well-known and hidden gems which have nice melodies and sharp lyrics, transporting the listener to a brand new area of magic and fascination.
How does it differ out of your earlier initiatives?
This mission is extra bold in that once you step into one other artist’s universe when recording and that’s a really totally different expertise than merely listening to their songs. A superb instance is among the verses on Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic Metropolis” . That is the place on the second line Bruce provides an enormous variety of phrases that each one want to suit with the melody.
The primary half – “Now I been in search of a job, but it surely’s onerous to search out” is straightforward sufficient, BUT the subsequent line is –
Down right here, it’s simply winners and losers and “Don’t get caught on the incorrect facet of that line”.
This requires the singer to actually focus in articulating each phrase and delivering all of it in the identical bar.
Bruce is generally about telling tales and the lyrics are invaluable in each tune with no waste. I first got here throughout him with the good Born to Run album and have been listening ever since.
With Joni Mitchell it’s a really totally different fashion, but additionally with killer lyrics together with the next first verse of “Case of you
“Simply earlier than our love acquired misplaced you mentioned,
“I’m as fixed as a northern star,”
And I mentioned, “Continually within the darkness,
The place’s that at?
If you’d like me, I’ll be within the bar.”
This mission is about travelling to and inhabiting different artist’s universes in creating new variations of their songs. That is each equally fascinating and difficult. I’m actually happy with the ultimate outcomes and may’t wat to play these tracks reside.
How did the collaboration with Towse, Corwin Zekley, and Harry Orme form the sound and course of this album? What distinctive parts did every artist convey to the desk?
On this album, Harry Orme performs all of the guitar components. Harry is a very gifted participant and fairly good at 100% nailing the sound. If he had been a chef, he’d have three Michelin stars, no doubt. As soon as I’ve the guitar components, I’ll lay down my vocals. The combo then goes to Towse, and I’ll say “Do what you suppose works finest, I belief your musical instincts”.
That is our third album, and this has at all times been my strategy. Towse at all times knocks it out of the park and Carl Rosamond (my producer) and I like to obtain these components. It’s like Xmas day opening an amazing current when these recordsdata land.
As soon as we do the combination with towse, the file then goes to Corwin who has a singular sound not like anybody else. Corwin and Towse are like creatures from one other dimension and the result’s to my ears pure magic. I performed Jon Gomm a few the brand new tracks “Gold” and “Crashing and Burning” by Fred Eaglesmith and his response informed me we actually had one thing with this collaboration.
With the reside showcase in Leeds on the horizon, how are you feeling about bringing this album to life on stage? What can your followers count on from this efficiency?
Leeds April 26th can be a particular album launch with units by Harry, Towse and Corwin in addition to all of us taking part in along with different members of the expanded Heartache ensemble that embody David Bowie Jnr on bass, Wealthy Ferdi on percussion, Jon Burr on Harmonica. I’ll even be doing a set with my Caravan of Goals ensemble that features the good vocalist “Agi” who I’ve been working with for a few years.
This new album is more difficult, so we’re rehearsing onerous to ship the easiest efficiency. At occasions there can be as much as eight of us on stage, in order that’s loads of transferring components! We’ll be taking part in many of those tracks for the very first time, so are rehearsing onerous within the forthcoming weeks.
How does the dynamic of your fluid band line-up affect your inventive course of and the ultimate output?
My producer Carl calls this manner of working “The Steely Dan mannequin” the place I encompass myself with a tapestry of nice musicians who could be introduced in as and when wanted on a number of initiatives. This fluid band line-up permits for an enormous variety of sonic potentialities and naturally, I’m usually engaged on plenty of initiatives concurrently.
Actually glorious musicians are in fact at all times busy and never sitting at residence ready for calls. I’ve a 12 – 18-month timeline for initiatives and I usually select songs and write with particular musicians in thoughts. With the Masking these tracks albums, I intentionally selected to work with three different musicians from the core group and the outcomes have been so good, we’ve stored going with releasing a second album in addition to extra materials “within the vault” for future launch.
Wealthy Ferdi and Dave Bowie Jnr are my reside ensemble decisions for bass and percussion and naturally, I’ve been working with these guys for years, so the dynamic works effectively. On the April 26 launch at occasions all eight of us can be taking part in reside, so it’s going to be a kind of “I used to be there!” nights I’m at all times looking out for distinctive expertise so as to add to the rising ensemble and not too long ago joined a choir as a facet mission the place I’ve already noticed some gifted artists…
With performances deliberate from Leeds to Osaka, how do you strategy adapting your music to resonate with such numerous audiences?
I’m selecting to solely play very particular reside dates as of late and after the album launch, the Osaka date can be with my good good friend Brian Cullen. Brian is a wonderful mandolin and guitar participant in addition to an amazing vocalist. My expertise is that the majority audiences love one thing that’s carried out rather well and engages them each musically and lyrically. That is universally true no matter whether or not I’m in New York, or at The Lagoa Guitar Pageant in Portugal.
The Lagoa Guitar Pageant predominant stage in Portugal was solely my third-ever reside efficiency again in 2016, a baptism of fireplace, equally (on the time) terrifying and provoking! Since then, I’ve had much more expertise and doing help for artists like Jon Gomm and Martin Simpson has actually helped me develop my expertise when taking part in reside.
How has working with Carl Rosamond influenced the manufacturing of your music? Are you able to share any insights into this inventive partnership?
Carl Rosamond is like my “George Martin”, the hub of the sonic wheel in all my initiatives. We’ve labored collectively now for a few years, and I’ve at all times had a coverage of sitting in with him all through the entire mixing and mastering course of. He’s massively in demand, so I block ebook studio time for initiatives, and we’ve at all times acquired one thing on the go. We additionally work in a really relaxed method and since COVID I’m doing all my vocal components in my very own studio with the superb Austrian Audio mics. The Masking These Tracks mission is essentially the most stripped-down work I’ve executed thus far, with two devices and two vocals, but it surely’s an enormous sound. The press suggestions more and more highlights simply how nice the manufacturing is and naturally that helps massively with radio performs.
Now we have our recording ritual the place we begin at 10 am on a weekday. Now we have all of the uncooked tracks able to be combined and I flip up with vegetarian sushi made that day by my spouse Sue, for the session. We then go to work and the rule of thumb is that we’ll work straight via till 6 pm to combine a observe. I estimate we’ve labored on round 80 – 90 tracks thus far and I’m happy with what we’ve achieved.
Is there a component of your music that you just really feel is finest captured in a reside setting?
The reside setting is not like some other expertise. I spend loads of time designing a set to ensure like a film, there’s a starting, center and conclusion. I actually prefer to stretch out and improvise with some songs and am reminded of the numerous years after I noticed The Allman Brothers on the Beacon Theatre in New York. They might invite particular company and have nice sections of improvisation in songs which are sonically pure magic.
I’m excited about creating the identical dynamic and when you’ve entry to artists of the calibre of Corwin, Towse, Laurent Zeller from France, Michael Ross from Nashville, and Jon Burr, reside performances could be pure magic. A few of my unique tracks like “Gradual Information Day” and “Excellent Place” are nice for showcasing implausible improvisational passages and letting these nice artists actually go for it!
Wanting past the discharge of ‘Masking These Tracks’, do you’ve any future initiatives or instructions you’re significantly enthusiastic about exploring?
For the primary time concerned in a choir mission and have change into completely fascinated by the expertise. It’s a very totally different means of working, primarily ‘an orchestra of 60 voices”.
I’m pondering a canopy single launch utilizing a choir for 2025. That is extraordinarily bold, however I can already hear how this is able to work on one of many tracks I have already got “within the vault”.
The plan is for a 3rd “Masking These Tracks” album, however this can be with an expanded ensemble and there’s no rush to finish this, I’m taking my time. In addition to all this I’m finalising the second electrical Nick Cody & The Heartache album, “That is Love and Heartache”.
One factor is for certain, there’s much more music within the pipeline and we’ll as at all times be pushing the boundaries of what we’re creating.
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Stream Masking These Tracks Vol II from April 19th on Bandcamp.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
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