Over the years I’ve come to realise that I’m much more comfortable playing for other artists, and collaborating with people, more than writing and releasing my own music with all the worry and headspace it takes up. But here we are.
This album is a collection of songs written over the last 10 years. I’ve been chipping away at the album in fits and starts, often forgetting about it, or deciding not to do anything with it. But I’m glad it’s finally finished and decided to put it out. So you can expect the follow up album in 2033.
There’s quite a variety of songs on the record - some are quite silly, or spiky, but on the whole I’ve got to admit most of the songs are pretty miserable, let’s be honest. In reality the last 10 years have been some of the most rewarding and happy years of my life, but I guess writing music is an outlet for some of those other moods, or sometimes a way of working through things and a channel for empathy towards people in our lives going through something difficult. I guess that’s probably the thread though the record. We all went through lockdown, and we’ve all waited ages for a plumber to fix a broken boiler.
The name of the record comes from a line in the TV show ‘Fargo’, where police officer Molly tries to cheer up the police Chief. It stuck with me and seemed all too fitting a title for the songs as a whole.
Musically I wanted to make an album with all the sounds and feel, that I really love from artists like George Harrison, Wilco, Neil Young etc with piano and acoustic guitar, interupted by spikey electric guitars or mad fuzz solos with a solid slight funk to the rhythm section - my attempt to sound like a David Axelrod record. And then on the flip side, have moments of calm and sparsity, with room to woozily meander around. I got a pedal steel guitar around 3 years ago so there’s a veriety of bottleneck slide, lapsteel, and eventually, pedal steel guitar on the record.
If it all fits together coherently, I can only give credit to the rhythm section sent by the Dove from above - David Newington (drums) and Sam Barnes (Bass) who recorded their parts with Tom Rees at Rat Trap studio in various chunks over the years while I played half songs, or sketch ideas. As if giving the record it’s 4 stringed backbone wasn’t enough, Sam also skilfully completed the mammoth task of putting all of my home recorded sprinklings on top of their canvas of professionalism, by mixing and mastering the record to feel like it belongs as one complete work. A true hero.
I hope you enjoy the record, and maybe some songs might give you joy - weather that be a quiet moment of air guitar wig out, or walking with a bit more pep and zing in your step while you stroll through the park.
credits
released November 3, 2023
For Molly
All songs written by Rhodri Brooks and co-produced with Sam Barnes
Drums and Bass recorded at Rat Trap Studios with Tom Rees
Pianos recorded at Ed Tullett’s home studio, and at Rhodri’s
Vocals on ‘Welcome Home’ recorded at Novo Amor’s home studio
Saxophones and Clarinet recorded by Sam Barnes at Rhodri’s
Violins arranged and recorded by David Grubb’s at his home studio
Everything else recorded by Rhodri Brooks at home
Mixed and Mastered with the patients of a saint by Sam Barnes
Musicians
Rhodri Brooks - Vocals, Guitars, Pedal Steel, Lap Steel, Piano, Keyboards, Penny Whistle, Bass on ‘Welcome Home’
David Newington - Drums, Percussion
Sam Barnes - Bass, Backing Vocals on Cocoona
Stephen Black - Saxophones, Clarinet
Tom Rees - Drums on ‘Welcome Home’
David Grubb - Violin, Viola
Cover artwork by Molly Sinclair-Thomson
Back Design by Rich Chitty
haia, dwi wedi trio pob ffordd fedra'i ond dim ond Ffarout sydd yn lawrlwytho, fedra'i yn fy myw ddim ffeindio gweddill yr albwm! fi sy'n gwneud rwbath yn rong ta be? idrismj
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