released June 7, 2003

written by Michael Phillips
except
"James' Theme" written by James Fraser
"Dark End Of The Street" written by Chips Moman & Dan Penn
"All The Tired Horses" written by Bob Dylan

arranged and performed by Desoto
with
James Fraser - bass guitar on "James' Theme"

Tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11:
- recorded on a four track tape recorder between September 2001 and January 2003
- remixed and remastered from the original tapes 2014 through 2018

Track 7:
- mostly recorded on a four track tape recorder Winter 2003
- a few digital overdubs added Spring 2003
- remixed from the original tape 2018
- digitally recomposited and remastered 2018

Track 10:
- drums and acoustic guitars recorded on a four track tape Winter 2003
- extensive digital overdubs added Spring 2003
- 2018 remaster composited from the original 2003 mix and a 2004 remix

Tracks 1 and 2:
- recorded entirely digitally Spring 2003
- remixed 2004 and remastered 2018

Note:

Most of this album was recorded on a Marantz four track tape recorder. The original tapes have been digitally transcribed, remixed, and remastered, but due to the lo-fi nature of these recordings, the sound quality is still compromised by the nature of the medium and the original recording process.

Some tracks on the album, however, also feature digital recording. "May The Empty Smokestacks Collapse" and "Hymn From Addie" had their backing tracks recorded on tape with overdubs added digitally (only a few parts were added to "May The Empty Smokestacks Collapse" whereas "Hymn From Addie" required a massive amount of digital recording). Unfortunately, the hard drive on which these songs were recorded was fried during a thunderstorm in 2004 so the multitrack files for "Hymn From Addie" and "Fifty Thousand Country Songs Can't All Be Wrong / Falling For Grace Again" (the latter being recorded entirely digitally) have been irrevocably lost.

A relatively satisfactory mix of "Fifty Thousand Country Songs Can't All Be Wrong / Falling For Grace Again" was created in 2004, and this version is used here. "Hymn From Addie" was also remixed in 2004, but while this mix was an improvement on the original, poorly done 2003 mix, it was still unsatisfactory. As such, the 2018 master is a composite of the 2003 mix and the 2004 remix that only somewhat ameliorates the poor sound quality.

The multitrack files for "May The Empty Smokestacks Collapse" were backed up (presumably due to the smaller file size). A completely new mix was created by restoring and remixing the original four track tape and then resynching this new mix with the elements recorded digitally back in 2003. Like the other tracks on the record, this new mix still suffers from sound quality issues due to the original recording, but constitutes an improvement on the original version nonetheless (just how much an improvement is left to the listener).
- MP, August 2018

***

Originally released June 2003 in a limited edition of 30 handmade physical copies.
Remastered 2009.
Restored, remixed, and remastered 2018.