Ernie Francestine's Character of Light

Pittsburgh guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Ernie Francestine’s third album Character of Light will be released July 22 by WarHen Records.

Francestine is a music teacher and plays in multiple acts, including the Buckle Downs. But whereas the Buckle Downs mine soulful R&B, Francestine’s newest solo album takes a quieter turn but demands your attention nonetheless.

Ernie says:

“Character Of Light was born in Spring of 2021 when Warren Parker of WarHen Records reached out about recording a solo album. I dove in and immediately began writing and compiling ideas.

I wanted to record an album inspired by the music I listen to most. Character Of Light brings together hints of folk, ambient, traditional acoustic music and Tropicalia.”

Character of Light feels immediate yet nostalgic. Francestine says he wanted the album “to feel like a welcome guest at any time of day in any season” and he has succeeded. This is music for all seasons; on the porch at dusk, or serenading the sunrise. The music is warm, welcoming and intriguing. Guitar lines weave in and out of one another while Moog synthesizers and field recordings add ambient wash. The music feels lived in (in the best possible way) yet reveals new details with each listen.

Character of Light (both the album and the song) arise in a gentle wash of guitar and invokes whatever may come with a wistful hopefulness. This is instrumental music with a voice. In “Two Birds,” that voice is the sparse but not spare piano melody floating above guitar and building into a worldless chorus that is somehow both hopeful and forlorn. “Everything is Transparent”soulfully saunters down a melody lane that you know you’ve never been down before but somehow feels familiar; like home. “Wild Purple” conveys that memory on the tip of your tongue that doesn’t need to be spoken after all. “The Stone & The Evergreen (Pt. 1).” closes the album with a melody you feel like you’ve known your whole life. And maybe you have and Francestine is just reminding us.

Check out "Two Birds:”


I recently had a chance to catch up with Ernie to chat about the project.

Tell us about the title, Character of Light:

I had been kicking around ideas for a title for a long time and a few contenders came and went. I was having trouble getting the last track of the record (Character of Light) written and recorded and I just stumbled upon this phrase in my head and I immediately knew it was going to the title of the record and of the last song I was finishing up. I like the ambiguity of it and I also think it encapsulates what the record is about. It feels like the record.

This music is very different from your other projects. Was it difficult for you to “find a voice” in instrumental music?

Writing for my other band (the Buckle Downs. is very different and I really wanted to do something that I could see the entire project through to the end myself. One principle I use in writing music is eliminating anything that will slow me down. I have my entire recording set up ready to go at any moment and after recording my first instrumental recording during the pandemic (The Quiet Shift) - I knew I wanted to continue in this genre because it felt like the one with the least amount of restrictions to actually completing a chorus…a song….an album. I am able to see tangible progress without second guessing if it needs drums, a different melody or changing lyrics.

Was there a vision beyond “an instrumental album?”

I think he heard my previous release "The Quiet Shift" and was interested in something with a similar vibe. I would say that this one builds on that release. That one was recorded entirely on my iPad with no more than one overdub on each track. This one is definitely more layered and uses a wider variety of instruments.

You note that you wanted to record an album "inspired by the music" you listen to most. Who might be a few artists that were touchstones or inspirations for this project? What music do you listen to most?

I listen to ….instrumental music the most. Whether that’s jazz, Brazilian music, Afro beat, tropicalia, instrumental folk guitar. I like figuring out the emotion the music is trying to convey without the help of lyrics.

What’s next for you?

Whats next: am really feeling inspired to keep this going and try to work more within the sound I've created for myself. I've got conceptual ideas for a few albums in my head and usually the one that wins out is the one I sit down and start working on. I've learned to always try and make the demo a usable take because we used a lot of demo takes on the final tracks of this record. So I feel set up with more knowledge and better processes to compose in a more efficient manner.


All proceeds from the sales of this album will be donated to Everytown, an organization fighting for sensible gun laws across the country.
www.everytown.org



Rachel's Live at the Black Cat (11.19.97)

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“Rachel's live at the Black Cat in Washington, DC on November 19, 1997”


Setlist:

  1. Rhine & Courtesan

  2. Family Portrait

  3. Kentucky Nocturne



Lanois Live :: A Holiday At The Sea Playlist

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Here is a collection of unreleased live instrumental material by Daniel Lanois that I’ve collected over the years. All of these are available on Youtube, so I have included session info and links to the respective Youtube link if you’re interested. These recordings are not to be sold or distributed individually.

Enjoy.


Tracklisting:

  1. Iceland // #

  2. Souix Lookout // #

  3. Harvest Picnic Rehearsals // %

  4. Sci Fi // @

  5. Satie // +

  6. Burning Spear // $

  7. Aquatic // #

  8. Elevator // @

  9. Senegal // $

  10. Opera // $

  11. Apres Calypso // @

  12. Soho Dourado // ^

  13. The End // #


Key and Source Links:

# = Artbound Presents Studio A: Daniel Lanois (2014). KCETOnline. Daniel Lanois on various instruments and Kyle Crane on drums.

% = Harvest Picnic Rehearsals: Daniel Lanois, Jim Wilson and Steve Nistor Rehearsing (August 2013).

@ = NPR Tiny Desk Concert (2015). Daniel Lanois on knobs and wires, Jim Wilson on Bass, and Brian Blade on drums.

+ = Daniel Lanois and Rocco DeLuca live in Lanois’ studio. Song from the album 'Goodbye To Language' (2016).

$ = KEXP presents Daniel Lanois performing live in the Robert Lang Studios. Recorded February 27, 2015. Daniel Lanois, Jim Wilson, and Kyle Crane.

^ = Unknown live television appearance 


  • Visit Daniel Lanois’ official website

  • Follow Daniel Lanois at Facebook

  • Follow Daniel Lanois at Twitter

  • Purchase Daniel Lanois’ music at Amazon


Rainermentals :: A Holiday At The Sea Playlist

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Here’s a playlist of some Rainer Ptacek instrumentals. I remember making this mix when we lived in KY, so it must have been around 2003 or 2004 and I’ve listened to it a ton since then.

18 tracks taken from 4 different albums (follow the key after each song title).

Enjoy.

Tracklisting:

  • Here Comes Lilly? (#)

  • Cheeseball (&)

  • Instrumental #13 ($)

  • Di Lantin

  • Ode to N2O (&)

  • Instrumental #5 ($)

  • Opening Aunt Dora’s Box in 6/8 (&)

  • Instrumental #10 (chore ending) ($)

  • Improv in E (%)

  • Instrumental #9 (wait a minute) ($)

  • Within You Without You (&)

  • Horse Hair (#)

  • Instrumental #3 ($)

  • Curiouser and Curiouser (&)

  • Instrumental #4 (slight humming) ($)

  • Shifting Blues ($)

  • Instrumental #6 ($)

  • Arabing ($)

  • # = Alpaca Lips (2000)

  • & = Nocturnes (1995)

  • $ = The Farm (2002)

  • % = Live At The Performance Center (2000)


  • Visit Rainer Ptacek’s official website.

  • Purchase Rainer’s music at Bandcamp.

  • Purchase Rainer’s music at Amazon.

  • Visit previous posts about Rainer.


Explosions In The Sky Live at KEXP 2016

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Today we set aside 30 minutes for Explosions in the Sky live for KEXP in 2016.

Come on, you know you want to.



Setlist:

  1. Wilderness

  2. Infinite Orbit

  3. The Ecstatics

  4. Colors In Space

  5. Disintegration Anxiety

Important Details:

http://KEXP.ORG presents Explosions In The Sky performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded September 3, 2016.

Important People:

  • Host: Troy Nelson

  • Audio Engineer: Jackson Long & Kevin Suggs

  • Audio Mixers: Jeff Byrd & Jay Demko

  • Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Alaia D'Alessandro & Scott Holpainen

  • Editor: Justin Wilmore


  • Visit Explosions In The Sky’s official website

  • Follow Explosions In The Sky at Facebook

  • Follow Explosions In The Sky at Twitter

  • Purchase Explosions In The Sky’s music at Amazon


Daniel Lanois, Jim Wilson and Steve Nistor Rehearsing (August 2013)

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Yesterday’s Daniel Lanois double-whammy reminded me of this 20-minute instrumental jam. Daniel Lanois, Jim Wilson and Steve Nistor are caught “rehearsing” but no other context was given. Maybe you know? Maybe you don’t.

Enjoy.




  • Visit Daniel Lanois’ official website

  • Follow Daniel Lanois at Facebook

  • Follow Daniel Lanois at Twitter

  • Purchase Daniel Lanois’ music at Amazon


Silver Ray: Swirling Cinematic Instrumentals

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An Australian instrumental trio that’s not Dirty Three (or the Necks), Silver Ray play sweeping, swirling, urgent pieces with piano, guitar and drums. The group consists of Cam Butler (guitar), Julitha Ryan (piano/keyboards), and Brett Poliness (drums). They put out four albums on Pharmacy Records, the last of which being (I think) 2008’s “Homes For Everyone.”

I don’t believe the group is active any longer but those four albums are all really solid and worth your time hunting down.

Here’s “Trail of Deception” from “Homes For Everyone”

Here’s “True Believer” live in 2004.

  • Visit the group’s page at Pharmacy Records.