Mermaid Kiss - 'Another Country'

 

An album called "American Images" was the original intention, but the end result was somewhat modified from that envisaged at the time of the project's initial conception...

 

The idea for the American Images Project originated in a discussion Jamie (guitars), Evelyn (vocals and flute) and Andy (keyboards), had one day in the summer of 2003 when they realised that, as none of them had ever visited the United States, their perception of that country was based very largely on American music and movies - the propaganda of popular culture. They talked about maybe doing an album – a kind of soundtrack to an imaginary journey through a mythical country.

Requests were posted on the band's website and in the newsletter, asking for any photos of the U.S.
resulting in them receiving not only hundreds of images, but also poems, lyrics, stories and recollections of childhood, of road trips and rights of passage.
You’ll find a number of these photos and stories at the Mermaid Kiss website (see below)  – and more importantly, their influence pervades many of the songs, often overtly, sometimes covertly. The cover image is one of the photos that was sent in.

 

Following the release of Etarlis in 2007, the band began sifting through all the pictures and information they’d been sent, did some background reading, watched films, listened to even more American music. Songs were written.

Andy decided to take a break from playing to start a new business, and Evelyn and Jamie, together with Wendy who had played on ‘Etarlis’ gathered together a new and very different group of musicians for the recording of the songs which was done during rehearsals for the band’s live ‘American Images’ shows during 2009-2010.

When all the tracks were gathered together, it became clear that what they actually had were not just images, but a collection of stories told from individual perspectives, threads which when woven together told a very different tale from the one the band had anticipated. They’d set out expecting to find the nation of the America Dream - what they discovered was "Another Country" entirely...and that's what the resulting album was eventually called.

 

It was released on 15 October 2012.

 

Over the years Mermaid Kiss has been an ever-changing musical ensemble dedicated to producing their own unique brand of music, defying categorisation...but now, sadly, founder member Evelyn Downing has decided to hang up her microphone, and 'Another Country' is the last release by the band that will feature her on vocals. Mermaid Kiss albums, like their live appearances, are rare and need to be especially savoured as a result.  They are always lovingly and intelligently crafted. The band seems to exist to make music for itself and for its hardcore fanbase – but wider success has so far eluded them.  Perhaps the next phase, with new vocalist Maria Milewska, will open up new pastures.

 

The new album is already on the site: http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=39391

 

Listen to it in full (or purchase it in any digital format) here: http://mermaidkiss.bandcamp.com/album/another-country

 

Mermaid Kiss bandpage on Progarchives: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4020

 

Band website: www.mermaidkiss.co.uk

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mermaid-Kiss/291624144197225

 

Fourth track off the album:

 

 

 

 

And for fands of the band:

 

Join Evelyn Downing live, as she chats about the band, its history, their music...and hear their most recent album, 'Another Country', in full with Brian Dade on http://aiiradio.net/ 

 

"An Evening With Mermaid Kiss"
 Tuesday, November 13, 2012
10pm(UK)..11pm(CET)..5pm(EST)..2pm(PST)..

 

 

That's all folks...!