DELUGE GRANDER
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Releases
The Form of the Good (2009)
1. Before the Common Era (5:22)
2. The Tree Factory (14:08)
3. Common Era Caveman (6:26)
4. Aggrandizement (19:12)
5. The Form of the Good (8:41)
Before the Common Era:
The shortest piece in Deluge Grander history! Probably also the quietest one, even with the big climax in the middle. This one uses some samples of chanting recorded by Brett's uncle Frank at an old cabin in rural Saskatchewan several years ago. Compared to most of our songs, it's pretty minimalist, and not exactly the most intense way to open an album, but it's intended to really create an atmosphere for what comes next.
The Tree Factory:
This one was built around a two drum rhythms Patrick came up with (one in 10 and a half, and the other in 21) and a very conventional Supertramp-styled electric piano pattern I used to call "San Jose 83" for some reason. The symphonic intro and conventional ending were added on quickly after it ocurred to us to combine those three ideas, and Dave's melodies during the middle part of the song really added a lot. We might have gone overboard with sound effects in a few places, but that made the song sound like what might happen in a factory, so there you go.
Common Era Caveman:
Mostly just a 2-chord sequence, but there's a tight bassline/melody that ties the electric piano, bass guitar, and drums together, with a lot of fun stuff added on top. Patrick had to put in a very intense performance to get the drums right for this one.
Aggrandizement:
A lot of work went into this. Parts for cello, trombone, trumpet, flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, and violin were written out and recorded as best I could. Plus the regular old drums, guitars, bass, and keyboards. This one will probably get compared to "Inaugural Bash," and I think this piece sticks together a little better than "Inaugural Bash." "Aggrandizement" really represents the album as a whole, starting out atmospheric, then getting a bit more intense, a drop in intensity followed by a conventional classical sounding section (composed around 1996 by the way) a meandering middle section, and then a steady buildup towards the big release with fierce bass playing and drum work.
The Form of the Good:
Rather than end the album darkly, this closes on a more positive vibe. The first half is quiet and dark, but all of a sudden, at around 4:30, a majestic sequence is played 11 times, followed by a reprise of the first song.
Although there's only singing on the first song (and that singing isn't really in English), there is a general "concept" to the album, at least in the artwork and song titles.
August in the Urals (2006)
1. Inaugural Bash (26:57)
2. August in the Urals (15:52)
3. Abandoned Mansion Afternoon (12:14)
4. A Squirrel (8:45)
5. The Solitude of Miranda (7:18)
Inaugural Bash:
This is a 7-part collection of ideas that, in spite of their diversity, hold together well as an extended piece. The first 4 sections were originally intended to be the bulk of the piece, but new sections were added on while those original 4 were being worked on.
August in the Urals:
Another extended piece, this one is basically in four parts, though there are a lot of sections that get reprised in alternate forms throughout the piece. The main theme, stated in the beginning on acoustic guitar, at around 3:00, and again at the end as a coda, is based equally around a simple melody and chord sequence, as well as Brett's distinctive bassline. In fact, the bass is one of the most important elements of this track.
Abandoned Mansion Afternoon:
Although it's 12 minutes long, there aren't a whole lot of changes to this piece, which in some way incorporates both ambient and jazz sounds. (The working title for it was "Hancock/Schulze"). Although the rhythms rarely deviate from a steady 5/4 rhythm, the track ebbs and recedes several times. There are also a large number of snippets of some obscure albums thrown in for seconds at a time in many spots. There were some problems encountered after this song was mixed that necessitated some tricky remixes at home- it was tough to tell for sure whether this would be a problem, but I think it turned out ok.
A Squirrel:
This instrumental goes from baroque to jazz-funk and finally incorporates both approaches at the end. Other than the analog synthesizer, there were no additional overdubs to this one. This one and "Abandoned Mansion Afternoon" were the first two pieces Deluge Grander worked on.
The Solitude of Miranda:
Although this was the final track recorded for the album, it was actually composed on a cheap $90 acoustic guitar in 2001 by Britton in St. Petersburg, Russia. The middle piano section was added in just before the group started working on it.