Don McGlashan's 'Warm Hand' Out This Week

This week Arch Hill Recordings releases Don McGlashan’s first solo album 'Warm Hand'.

The album was mostly tracked in the isolated environment of 'The Barn' at Te Papatipu - on Auckland's West Coast at Bethells Beach. This was in order to provide an imagined world akin to the hazy shack photograph inside the Neil Young album 'Harvest'. Talented perfectionist Ed McWilliams (Anika Moa, Ed Cake) did most of the album tracking, using some idiosyncratic and unconventional ways to capture the barn’s natural atmosphere. Engineer Tom Miskin provided the perfect organisational and technical balance to Ed’s innovative style. The band, for most of the recordings, consisted of Ross Burge on drums (the Mutton Birds), Sean James Donnelly on bass (SJD), John Segovia on slide/pedal steel (Boxcar Guitars) and Tatiana Lanchtchikova on accordion. Willy Scott (Anika Moa, Dimmer) also played drums on one song and Chris O’Connor (TrinityRoots, Cloudboy) another two. Victoria Kelly wrote the string arrangements.

The actual production of the album was a joint effort between Don, Sean and Ed. While Ed mostly produced the tracking sessions, Sean contributed his many talents to the textures and detail of the album. Sean, who understands the difficulties of working as a solo artist, was instrumental in encouraging Don to continue his recording career and undertake recording the album. Final mixing of 'Warm Hand' was done by Luke Tomes at Echo studios.

The original concept for the album was a more minimalist stripped back project, but the album’s several years of gestation has meant it has grown into something fuller, richer, more ambitious – something quite unique and definitely very good. Along with this development Don has established an excellent live band; they have already sold out their show at the Wellington Arts Festival and played to several thousand at the Auckland Zoo. The band features Sean, John and Chris.

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