We discovered Templo Diez thanks to an exchange of records with the French label Intercontinental Records, which had released the band's debut album "Hoboken". Three years later, while hinah was on a sabbatical year, Pascal Hallibert sent us the new cd of Templo Diez, "Winterset", on which we especially loved the beautiful song "Sal". We suggested we could put out an EP if they felt like going for more acoustic tracks and putting the voice of Gloribel Hernandez (who was also singing on "Sal") more upfront. And they agreed!
- hinah
"Dear listener,
These are days calling for a pause, a rush, a breath, a scream, one after the other, or all at the same time. These are violent days, days of deafening roars and deceiving lights. So we're heading west, again.
Our previous album was named "Winterset", the name of a town in Iowa. Our next stop is "Crowheart", barely a hamlet, somewhere in Wyoming, 163 souls. Take this as a step on our road to California. Or take this as four short stories, in which characters would live and/or die in Crowheart, dreaming of other lands, other cities, other nights, other suns.
"Shangri-la" is one of those dreams when you slowly, slowly rise above the world and understand it all. Connections, links, roots, atoms, remote souls, remote thoughts. And compassion. And then you wake up, and you forget. Till next time.
"On our way" is set far away in time, much further away than any of us can recall. Back then, only gypsies dwelled in Crowheart, shaping tales of silver and creatures of darkness, their smiles red and shiny as a blood drop, their eyes large and golden. And they knew how to gracefully vanish when the time was right.
"Tide", as a tale of solitude. Winter, locked to a TV set, images poured on your brain, none of them looking like what you see outside your window. Winter can be long here.
"Switchblade" is a road-movie played in the imagination of a couple. It might be real, mind you. It might be real... There's a chase, there's looking at the moon with a fresh wound in your side, there's the cool wind of dreamt LA heights brushing her hair. Nothing of what you could find in Crowheart. Everything you want.
Crowheart is also an indian name, dark and bloody. We're heading for the Sun now."
- Templo Diez
credits
released April 21, 2008
Recording info
- Tracks -
1. Shangri-la
2. On Our Way
3. Tide
4. Switchblade
"Shangri-la": recorded on 21 September 2007 at Studios 12werken, The Hague
"On Our Way": recorded on 15 June 2007 at Studios 12werken, The Hague
"Tide": recorded on 12 February 2007 at IJland Studios, The Hague
"Switchblade": recorded on 21 September 2007 at Studios 12werken, The Hague
Overdubs realised at Studios La Fraise Magique, Amsterdam (as well as mixing and mastering), Crisp Studios, The Hague, and in various Dutch kitchens.
- Musicians, in alphabetic order -
Pascal Hallibert: vocals, guitars, Rhodes, mellotron, glockenspiel and percussions
Gloribel Hernandez: vocals, piano and Hammond
Paolo Panza: drums and percussions
Roman Schipper: bass, double bass and vocals
Leejon Verhaeg: guitars and viola
Miranda Visser: violin
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