TITBITS
Who is Glenn?
In the song Babbling On, the lyrics refer to someone called Glenn. Now this person could obviously be whoever you want, but in my mind this is a reference to Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould, famous for his interpretations of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations (the 1955 recording being the best one). This is some of the most beautiful music ever composed, but the real magic is in the pause between the last Variation and the Aria da capo... wait for the pause.
Who are Nina and Chet?
Morning Somewhere is about a boy and a girl, each starting their day by playing and singing along to some beautiful tunes. If you haven’t already listened to the legends Nina Simone and Chet Baker, then you have something to look forward to. My personal favourites are Nina’s Let It All Out (1966) and Chet’s Chet Baker Sings (1956).
What are the ambient sounds on the album?
Although every single instrument is performed and recorded by me, there is some ambient sound adding texture to a few songs. At the start of Troika, and throughout most of Surface you hear chatter and a good vibe from my local (and favourite) pub, Grünerløkka Brygghus.
During Intro to A Small Eternity the birds are chirping and singing and whistling as children dive into a small lake nearby. These sounds are from the woodland district of Hadeland, just north of Oslo.