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The Orchid Thief

by Andy Bassett

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a lovely gatefold card cover representing a noir detective novel, with front and back artwork by Nelson artist Kylie Conning, and sleeve notes on the inside, printed as the pages of the book - including the first chapter.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Orchid Thief via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 100 

      $20 NZD

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

      $10 NZD  or more

     

1.
The Wrong Guy 03:25
2.
Dhal's Song 04:09
3.
Next of Kin 04:15
4.
Six Feet From Your Bones 03:50
5.
Elvis Has Left The Building 04:11
6.
The Orchid Thief 02:45
7.
You Got What You Wanted 02:51
8.
This House Still Standing 04:24
9.
Touch 02:30
10.
Early Days 03:49
11.
Renaissance Man 03:14

about

I chose to record this set of songs with a string quartet and occasional woodwinds, not out of any grandiose classical aspirations, but rather to provide a more intimate setting for my songs than the standard rock/pop band format. My main inspiration was the stunning work of arranger Robert Kirby on Nick Drake’s first album, Five Leaves Left, but I also drew from Paul Buckmaster’s stark, austere string parts on Elton John’s eponymous second album.

Recording a string quartet was way beyond the capabilities of my home studio, so back in 2019 I chose to record it with the help of Sam Johnson at Rhythm Ace Studio in Ōakura. As soon as I mentioned Five Leaves Left, Sam’s eyes lit up and he began talking excitedly about which ribbon microphones he would use to achieve that sound. I knew instantly that I’d found the right engineer.

The album required a lot of planning, including two years working on the arrangements. I began by making home demos, playing the string parts on Midi keyboard. I sent those to my co-arranger Jarrod Bakker for sanity-checking, with an open invitation to embellish them as he saw fit. As Jarrod sent back the improved arrangements, I would make a second batch of demos using his Midi tracks, ready to send out to the players, along with Jarrod’s written scores.

Rounding up the players proved the biggest challenge, as they all needed to be free on dates that I had to book six months in advance. Ironically, Covid came in handy here, as cancellations of several music festivals and Taranaki Symphony Orchestra events freed up a few musicians to work with me. I managed to bring back several people I had worked with previously - Krissy Jackson and Helen Griffiths on violins, Susan Case on viola, Jocelyn Beath on flute, Jo Henderson on oboe and cellist Chris Lewis, although Chris was only available for two songs. Margaret van Altena played cello on the bulk of the album, and Joel Dodd played viola at the first strings session, when Susan was unavailable.

Beyond the strings, woodwinds, Jarrod’s piano on three tracks and my guitar on four, there was little other instrumentation. The multi-talented Emily Riordan, whom I’ve known since she was a child coming to Folk Club twenty years ago to sing her own original songs, had walked up to me in a supermarket in 2020 and asked if there was anything she could do on my next album. How could I refuse? Emily played bass on two songs, and she and Lauren Nottingham provided some lush backing vocals. Sam added some high-strung guitar on “Next of Kin.” We also completed a remake of my lockdown duet with Northland singer Sheri O’Neill, “Touch,” which we had recorded remotely in April 2020, 500km apart, not having yet met in person. Sheri came down in April 2021 for a gig with me, and we were able to finally record together in the same room.

The recording process was both fast and slow. In all, we spent about ten days in the studio, but spread over a year because of things beyond our control. When three strings dates booked for August 2021 got bumped back to January 2022 due to the second lockdown, Chris and I decided to record the instrumental title track in our home studios – another remote lockdown duet!

For the cover art, I felt the title suggested a noir detective novel, so took some photos of myself in a trenchcoat and trilby and sent those, plus some composite garden shots, to my friend Kylie Conning, a Nelson-based digital artist. For the back cover, I spent two days loitering around the back alleys of New Plymouth with a camera and a potted orchid, looking for the perfect gutter.

It’s been a long journey but, in every aspect, this album has exceeded my expectations.

Andy Bassett, March 2022

credits

released April 1, 2022

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Sam Johnson at Rhythm Ace Studio, Ōakura, except “The Orchid Thief” - guitar recorded by Andy Bassett at Little Pink, cello recorded by Chris Lewis at home, mixed by Sam Johnson at Rhythm Ace

Strings & woodwinds arranged by Andy Bassett and Jarrod Bakker

Andy Bassett: lead vocal, classical & 12-string guitars,
backing vocals (Renaissance Man)
Jarrod Bakker: piano, Rhodes (This House Still Standing),
backing vocals (Renaissance Man)
Krissy Jackson: 1st violin (2nd violin on The Wrong Guy)
Helen Griffiths: 2nd violin (1st violin on The Wrong Guy)
Joel Dodd: viola (Next of Kin, Renaissance Man,
& This House Still Standing)
Susan Case: viola (all other songs)
Chris Lewis: cello (The Orchid Thief, Touch)
Margaret van Altena: cello (all other songs)
Jocelyn Beath: flute
Jo Henderson: oboe
Emily Riordan: bass (Dhal’s Song, Early Days),
backing vocals (Dhal’s Song, Six Feet From Your Bones)
Sheri O’Neill: duet vocal (Touch)
Sam Johnson: high-strung guitar (Next of Kin),
drum pulse (This House Still Standing)
Lauren Nottingham: backing vocals (Six Feet From Your Bones)

Cover concept, photography & lettering: Andy Bassett
Digital art: Kylie Conning

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Andy Bassett New Plymouth, New Zealand

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