Bethesda

From 1993 to 2002, french recording artist, Silvain Vanot released five albums on Virgin Disques and was blessed with critical praise and a faithful following. Singing in french, yet influenced by Americana, British Pop and Caribbean rhythms, collaborating with Jim O'Rourke, Marc Ribot and Tanya Donelly, recording in Nashville and New York, opening for Sonic Youth, Silvain never was your typical 'chanteur'. After a seven year hiatus, spent working on soundtracks for a few successful films d'auteur and French institutions and composing for others, he returned last year with his 6th album, Bethesda - borrowing its title from the town in North Wales where it was recorded. Together Stephane Bismuth and Silvain gathered an unorthodox assemblage of talents: Canterbury legend John Greaves (Henry Cow) on bass and keyboards, special guest BJ Cole on pedal steel guitar, Iain Templeton of Shack fame on drums, fellow colleague Renaud Gabriel Pion (John Cale, Hector Zazou...) on bass clarinet and flute, engineer Steve Powell (the Stairs, the Strands, Ella Guru...) on the console and, of course, Silvain himself on guitars, harp and a few other things. in one week they recorded eleven songs of lost love and black humour, surrounded by snowy mountains and frozen lakes, sharing mutual tastes for silly jokes, improvisation and absinthe (though not necessarily in that order). From the opening notes of O Mon Tour, a country waltz with a discreet southern soul flavour to the soft eastern psychedelia of Les Fleurs, via Nature Boy' (Etrange Garon) - a French sailotake on Eden Ahbez' classic, Silvain takes you on the most unexpected voyage to a place which in hebrew means House of Grace.

LP - 180 Gram Vinyl with One bonus track on the LP and One bonus track on the digital download card. Booklet and postcard enclosed with lyrics.