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The Prayer
Stephen Arnold
Label: Self Produced
Released: 2023
Views: 117
Tracks
The Prayer; Want You to Know; Adrianne in Westhampton
Personnel
Stephen Arnold
bass, acousticSarah Marie Hughes
saxophone, sopranoFederico Pena
pianoNelson Dougherty
guitarAdditional Personnel / Information
Stephen Arnold: acoustic guitar
Album Description
Like many, I fled the big city at the beginning of the pandemic and ended up quarantining with my family at my childhood home in Greenfield, MA. Away from my normal music-making routines, I spent a lot of time with my father's old Gibson. I had always loved the acoustic guitar, and I soon found myself writing little songs while exploring the instrument.
Some were meant to be solo pieces (I was obsessed with Mississippi John Hurt), and some were sketches I knew I wanted to develop into Sea Change songs. I took a great deal of inspiration and encouragement from Adrianne Lenker's "songs" and "instrumentals", especially after learning she wrote and recorded that music in Westhampton, MA about 40 minutes south of where I was, and at around the same time.
We tried a couple of the guitar songs in rehearsal and played a couple on gigs, but I was still searching for the right arrangements. In the months leading up to the recording sessions for "Until Now" we learned our drummer Keith Butler, Jr. would be away in Idaho for a month of shows, and so I saw an opportunity to try a stripped down video recording session with no bass or drums. Federico offered us use of his piano and living room, and friend of the band Jamie Sandel agreed to take care of all the production.
This EP and accompanying videos are the fruits of that session. I think it shows a different side of Sea Change that has always been there, but never so much in the foreground. The band brings such a fresh and soulful approach to playing these little songs that elevates them far beyond what I could have imagined alone with the guitar.
Watch the videos here or on YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMQ3XFumq3YvQu5gSXEJIIT22PJ1FmwxN
Album uploaded by Stephen Arnold
