Hi All,
I’d like to officially announce the release of our new record, Inferior Ghost!
This is an EP with six tracks weighing in at just over 23 minutes. We decided to release an EP instead of a full-length because, regrettably, these are the last songs we wrote and/or recorded at our studio, Chemical Sound (R.I.P.). That studio is gone now, but you can certainly hear its ambiance and magic in this record – especially on the tracks “Break,” and “Inferior Ghost” which were both recorded entirely there, from top to bottom. Those were the last songs to have benefited from the mystic combination of the studio’s amazing live room, vintage API console, tape machines and EMT plate reverb. Regarding the other tracks: “There Are Wolves,” “Nobody Gets It” and “Reaction Formation” were half-recorded at Chemical and half-recorded at Vespa Studios – a 20-plus-years old establishment owned by Harry Hess with it’s own special ghosts. The song, “Wait for Me,” was written at Chemical but entirely recorded at the new Central Audio, which now occupies the space where Chemical Sound was. The record was engineered mostly by me with help from Jay Sadlowski, Harry Hess and Todd Harrison. The whole EP was mixed at Central Audio by me and was mastered by Noah Mintz at the venerable Lacquer Channel. This is the first PAPERMAPS record to feature our newest member, Betty Dimo on bass throughout the EP. She played “Wait for Me” with a broken right hand, taking off her temporary cast so she could play properly- what a trooper! Bobby Lee played the drums. Wendy Leung played her Nord Stage 2 (and my Baldwin piano) and doubled my vocals in the choruses when she’s wasn’t singing harmonies. Todd Harrison played second guitar, his Korg Poly6 synthesizer and shouted a lot in the choruses. I played lead guitar and sang the songs. I would describe the production techniques as minimal – there are very few “embellishments” beyond the usual studio techniques I like to employ. OK, I admit there is one backwards piano arpeggio in “Nobody Gets It” that was written by me and played beautifully by Jay Sadlowski. Beyond that, there is very little “double tracking,” or “extra overdubs,” etc. This is the sound of five people making music.
To continue working on a full-length would have caused a creative schism in the body of work – so this new record not only documents where we are as a band right now, but it also represents a fresh start. Autumn seems like a natural time for fresh starts, doesn’t it?
Inferior Ghost will be available digitally (worldwide) and on CD (Canada) as well as a limited edition 12-inch vinyl record.
Inferior Ghost will be released by Sparks Music and will be distributed through Universal Music Group.
The virtual “drop date” for the digital version (iTunes/etc.) is August 14th.
The street “drop date” for the physical version (CD/LP) is August 28th.
We are offering PRE-ORDERS at a discount price for the first 50 copies of the limited edition vinyl through http://papermaps.bandcamp.com.
And (because we are old-school) we will be celebrating the release of our new baby into the world with a nice little tour:
August 11 – Montreal QC – Divan Orange w/ Philémon and Ohara
August 16 – Halifax NS – Gus’ Pub w/ Wendy Versus and TBD
August 17 – Ottawa – Zaphods w/ Wendy Versus and TBD
August 28 – Toronto – Horseshoe Tavern w/ Little Barrie
Please join us and celebrate! CD’s will be available at these shows (vinyl will be available via pre-order and at our Toronto show).
If you are a radio host or music journalist, please contact Sparks Music or Audioblood Media to get your promotional materials.
Cheers,
-Dean