Well, it has been a really long time in the making, or rather, in the aging process, but here is my third album, The Great Western Road. Combining some of my oldest material and some brand new things, it was recorded (mostly) in early June. Like A Soundtrack for the Close of the Age, it is instrumental, though unlike that first album from 1991, which was mostly keyboards and some guitar, this is mostly guitar, with some keys, and is more contemplative (in the style of Ant Phillips). This will be clear from the very first track. After I finally got the audio files uploaded, I discovered two other records from the twenty-teens with the same or similar album title. I have not heard those albums and have no idea what style they represent. But since the title of this record comes from the eponymous guitar suite and that suite was featured in a concert (and in an intended, but never released "live album") from 1994, an "event" also promoted under this title, I think I can claim the oldest sell-by date, for whatever that may be worth, as well as a less urban focus (if those album covers are any indication).
Based on some comments I had from folks last November/December, however, it became clear that I could be a better steward of this material and should probably record it before I forget how to play it. If I can get the old demo and live versions from that concert—my one-stop, one-performance "world tour"—up to a listenable state for an archive sequel, that would at least help clear out the "vault."
It just so happens this record came out the same week as my latest book: Elaborations of the Psalms (1—50), which I also started writing some time ago (in 2005) and took up again and finished earlier this year (2020).
