**from the notebooks of the men from nantucket, paul gorman and mark ball**
the journey, this float, never lasts forever. eventually, we will reach land. before we reach land, however, we will see the land. on the horizon, in the distance, clear as a blood red moon. seen with telescopes and high powered binoculars. home is free. we might encounter resistance, but we will land on the land. and so it is with the men from nantucket. as we have done all along--searching, finding, landing, only to do it over again. until one day, when we sink the boats. we see the land clearly now, our visions not the same as before, but better, because they are now real. and this reality may be warped, as all realities are warped says steinbeck, but it is the reality of the men from nantucket.
these are the final musical preparations as we enter the harbor, before we hit the dock. the adjustments to the final drafts of the men from nantucket greatest hits volume one:
*as a general statement the vocals should be undoubled...should echo, reverb, delay. not too much. but that is the vocal effect needed. the doubling brings it down. this spacefolk music floats.
*another general statement on volume in the mixes. vocal and lead tracks should be at the same level. the rhythm track should be diminished even though it carries the bottom. being spacefolk, the bottom is less important. the rhythm track should be there clearly, in the middle. lead guitar parts need to be especially louder in nonvocal space. this spacefolk music is loud.
*the bass guitar instrument will not be on men from nantucket greatest hits volume one. our bad idea to force it from the start. specific feedback regarding .in this jar. and .novocaine. will elude to this. this spacefolk music goes high, not low.
*specific feedback regarding novocaine: this song is being removed from the final record. men from nantucket greatest hits volume one will be a 9 song record. it could reemerge down the road as a waltz, but it is canned for now. the whole boat must have been sea sick, gets rough out in the ocean. we tossed it the bermuda triangle as we were taking a shortcut back home. this spacefolk music is already numb.
*removal of some percussion tracks. The final refinement of these songs, and of us preparing to dock, is to gather up the unneeded cargo and toss it overboard. some of the beats and bangs belong back to the ocean, keeping only enough to perfectly add distinction and motion as we glide in. the need for percussive acceleration is diminished in space. this spacefolk music bangs in the back.
hopefully, these general notes are helpful as the final versions of each song are mixed and mastered. below, each song is considered separately with more specific deletions, adjustments, and refinements. these notes are based on what we heard on the final drafts, and after the men from nantucket met in the hull a few nights ago to decide the final course. also, this is the order of the songs on the album:
1. At The Rio Blanco.
...the above mentioned vocal and volume adjustments. especially more lead volume during non vocal space. also, all percussions are deleted.
2. Okie 69.
...the above mentioned vocal and volume adjustments. also, all percussions are deleted.
3. Two Tone Ride.
...the above mentioned vocal and volume adjustments. percussions remain on this song but should be more in the background. also, the percussive guitar through the song is very cool. very nantucket, but from 3:20 to 3:44, remove completely and crank the organ lead. love this song.
4. Hounds And Babes.
...the above mentioned vocal and volume adjustments. removal of percussions.
5. Hog Killing Weather.
...the above vocal and volume adjustments. keep the percussion as is. sounds like sounds of hog killing time. my grandmother would have been proud.
6. Quakes Like That.
...the above vocal and volume adjustments. removal of percussions.
7. Turbulence.
...the above vocal and volume adjustments. Keep percussions, slightly diminished.
8. In This Jar.
...the above vocal and volume adjustments. removal of bass and percussions.
9. Sink The Boats.
...love this. the above vocal and volume adjustments. percussions diminished, but kept. love the fact it's a long song. need a fade out ending. being the final song we leave the distinct impression that the men from nantucket play on, despite the end of the record. please keep as much length as possible as it fades. also, the dialogue part starts with 'look in my eyes'.