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The Hill is Richard Buckner's first record in just
over two years and his first since parting ways with MCA. With the participation
of Thrilljockey and Overcoat in the US and Six Shooter Records in Canada,
Richard Buckner is back doing things the way he started, independently.
With The Hill, Richard has taken a portion of Edgar Lee Master's Spoon
River Anthology, and brought the writings to life in musical form. The
Anthology is the post-mortem "epitaphs" of the 244 former
citizens of fictional Spoon River, Illinois and the writings are told
with a harrowing sense of honesty and little fear of consequences. Richard
presents the writings he's chosen on the The Hill as one musical piece
in eighteen parts, weaving the portraits together with a series of instrumental
tracks that help set an overall tone of bleakness and despair with just
a touch of hope. The record is a testimony to not only the power of
Master's writing, but to the vision of Richard himself. The Hill was
mostly recorded in Tucson, Arizona where Richard called on old friends
Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico/Giant Sand.
Richard comments: "I found Spoon River Anthology
while working at a bookstore, shelving. I kept it. Years later, I checked
into Rancho Olancha for a week and brought the book. I wrote about six
of the poems into songs, of which 3 versions ended up on The Hill. A
few more years later, I set aside a few months at a secret location
and began recording and puzzling together the songs. The following Spring
I finished it in Tucson, Arizona. I had a 'no bass!' and 'no drum kit!'
rule for the recording, so I called Calexico. JD Foster supervised.
The Hill was mastered in New York City while a couple argued, screamed
and smashed their upstairs room. Enjoy." |