Oliver Wakeman teamed up with vocalist Hayley Griffiths and Nightwish’s Troy Donockley for his first solo album in virtually twenty years.
Launched lately (Would possibly 10) by the use of Spirit Of Unicorn Track, the Celtic-inspired Anam Cara is the primary LP to be billed underneath the keyboard participant and multi-instrumentalist’s title since 2005’s Mom’s Damage.
It follows collaborations with the likes of Gordon Giltrap, Rodney Matthews (at the Trinity challenge) and Enviornment/Pendragon keyboard participant Clive Nolan, in addition to a stint in Sure between 2008 and 2011.
“I see it as a kind of non secular sequel to The 3 Ages Of Magick [his 2001 collaboration with Yes guitarist Steve Howe], even supposing it’s an absolutely other form of document,” Wakeman tells Prog. “On that one I used whistles and a violinist and a uilleann pipe participant, and it labored actually smartly. I went again and listened to it after I did the field units, and it kind of stoked that fireplace in me to make use of the ones tools once more.”
Anam Cara wears its Celtic influences closely, each musically and within the album identify, which kind of interprets as ‘soul pal.’ “It’s becoming, for the reason that songs are about interactions between other folks,” he says. “There’s songs about other folks being clear of every different, about other folks from the previous who’re not with us; there’s even a tune a few love triangle.
“The songs are all little vignettes. It’s no longer an idea album, however there’s a theme across the concept of the soul pal – anyone who’s on the lookout for one thing; a connection.”
Opening observe The View From Right here dates again to 2002, when it was once recorded in a special shape with vocalist Rachel Williams (“I’ve utterly rewritten portions of it, however the refrain remains to be recognisable,” says Wakeman). Others are newer, together with the album’s eight-minute centrepiece Marble Arch, the piece that explores a love triangle.
“I’ve principally been writing these types of items of tune over time – I’d suppose, ‘Smartly, that matches that kind of non secular, Celtic factor, so I’ll reserve it with all of the different songs which are alongside the similar strains,” says Wakeman.
I’d love to move out and play some presentations, but when we do the entire document, I’m going to wish some whistles and violins and all that stuff
“Then a yr or two in the past, I listened to all of them and concept, ‘Oh, they sound lovely just right.’ Then you definitely get into it, and in truth you find yourself rewriting part the stuff!”
Wakeman enlisted vocalist Hayley Griffiths after being presented to her tune by the use of a mutual pal. “She’s completed rock stuff, she’s completed classical stuff, she’s completed Riverdance – there’s an out of this world versatility and intensity of keep an eye on to her voice that I wanted.”
Different musicians showing at the album come with guitarist and common Wakeman collaborator Dave Mark Pearce, fellow guitarist Oliver Day and drummer Scott Higham. Donockley supplies pipes and whistles.
“I’ve recognized Troy for God is aware of what number of years, however I assumed he’d be too busy with Nightwish to try this,” says Wakeman. “However I emailed him, and he got here immediately again and mentioned, ‘Completely care to do it.’”
Griffiths was once a part of Wakeman’s band on the Iciness’s Finish competition in April, the place they debuted songs from the document. “After that, I’d love to move out and play some presentations particularly round Anam Cara,” he experiences. “But when we do the entire document, I’m actually going to wish some whistles and violins and all that stuff.”
Past that, Wakeman has plans to liberate a sequel to Mom’s Damage. “I’ve written it,” he says. “I realised that 2025 would be the twentieth anniversary of that document, so we’ve been speaking about recording the follow-up and going out and taking part in each.”
