Yard Sculpture

Recorded in Central NY in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009--a long time comin, let's hope that it does not leave quickly.  The album is about today, but with relics from the past--made of red wire and left as yard sculpture down at Shady Grove.  There are notes to Elvis, Sam Cooke, and Preacher Roe.  You probably know Elvis and Sam Cooke, but you may not know that in the 50s there was also Preacher Row, the great Brooklyn Dodger with 22 wins and only 3 losses as the Dodgers tried to become world champs.  The "Boys of Summer" finally made it in '55 after Preacher was out--beating the Yankees for the first time in a World Series.

There is a tension that plays out between harmony and dissonance, in life and in music.  With this album, I think, we tilt the balance two steps toward harmony, saving more dissonance for the future.  An original "bootleg" Yard Sculpture was recorded in 2006--and this new version is a bit shorter, a bit tighter, and a little bit better, with new songs, new mixes, and a new order. 

We pay our respects to the great folk traditions of the new world and the old--from the Shady Grove around the corner of our home in Central New York, United States, to the ill-fated journey of LordFranklin and his sailors as they try to make their way "around the bend" to the new world.  Well, sometimes we make it and sometimes we don't, but we all do some how or in some way.

The album closes with a celebration of the life and music of the late great Sam Cooke--shot dead in a hotel room in LA in '64, but who's star continues to grow to this day.  Well, nothing is perfect, certainly not us or our music. But we embrace the positive as we move about our limits and time on this fragile world. 

Here is the track listing and liner credits.

Yard Sculpture 

 1.      Shady Grove…words and music traditional…Dr. T on guitar, piano, and vocals: Tha Baron on lead guitar, vocals; Rev. Paul on drums, vocals

 2.       Ottoman Elvis…words and music by Rev. Paul…Rev. Paul on guitar and vocals; Dr. T on piano, harmonica, and backing vocals

 3.      Yard Sculpture…words and music by Dr. T…Dr. T on guitar, harmonica, and vocals; Rev. Paul on drums, lead guitar, and backing vocals

 4.      Come around boy…words and music by Tha Baron …Tha Baron on guitar and vocals; Dr. T on piano, lead guitar, harmonica, and backing vocals

 5.      Immortal Love …words and music by Rev Paul…Rev Paul on guitar, piano (intro), and vocals; Dr. T on piano; Tegan backing vocals

 6.      Lord Franklin… words and music traditional…All instruments by Dr. T

 7.      Red Wire…words and music by Tha Baron…Tha Baron on guitar and vocals; Rev. Paul on lead guitar; Dr. T on drums.

8.      Preacher Roe words and music by Dr. T… All instruments by Dr. T

 9.      The Goat…words and music by Rev Paul…      Rev Paul on guitar and vocals, Dr. T on backing vocals, DM on backing vocals.

 10.  The Legend of Sam Cooke…words and music by Dr. T…Dr. T on guitar, piano, and vocals: Tha Baron on lead guitar, backing vocals; Rev. Paul on drums, backing vocals

Cover art by Betty …Song production and sound by Dr. T, Rev Paul, and Tha Baron; Recorded 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, Central N.Y, United States.  For more information about the band, write to artpunk2008@gmail.com or visit our web page at:

www.myspace.com/artpunkband. 

Thanks for listening!

Dr. T of the Art Punk Band