Description
The former Saint prefers new experiences to pining for the past.
For ED KUEPPER writing the songs for his latest album, Lost Cities, was preceded by a bout of writer’s block which, it seems, can also afflict one of the most prolific musicians in the country.
Consistently progressing one’s art is not easy to do given that the inner muse can be a fickle creature when restlessly engaged in avoiding repetition. But Kuepper’s blockage was thankfully short lived, and Lost Cities emerged from the renewed song flow.
It also happens to be one of his most intimate and moving albums and is a solo recording in the true sense, as he played all the instruments himself. There is a continuity in mood and musical arrangement that links the songs and makes for a close listening experience.
Opening track Pavane sets the scene as a plaintive melody flows gently outwards and Kuepper’s intimate vocals emerge prominently in the mix. The emotive blend draws the listener into a warm yet melancholy setting that is maintained across the album’s nine songs, which point to a possible new direction in his diverse career. The resulting album was composed as an organic whole with distinct embellishments rather than a loosely connected set of songs.
“One thing I really wanted to achieve with the album is that very cohesiveness,” he says. “I wanted it to sound like an album that you would put on at track one and play all the way through. It was very important to me that it could work as an album on vinyl or on CD.”
