Music
Originally planned as an entirely instrumental EP, I ended up putting words to two of the four songs. Released in December 2024 after much procrastination. Already laying the groundwork for 'Embers' Vol#2' which might deviate less from being instrumental led!
Released in the Fall of 2022, this is volume#2 of old songs re-recorded on a trusty Tascam 4 Track Analog Tape Recorder! Lo-fi and hissy but something very encapsulating about the way they sound. Stripped down to basic 4 tracks for each (2 guitar, 2 vocals) and when I can, a guitar solo is wedged in between the vocal gaps!
Started musing on these tracks as early as December 2020 but didn't finish them off or drop them until my Birthday May 13th, 2021.
A collection or hodgepodge if you will of new songs, loose ideas and ditties recorded during the pandemic! Lost In The Ether was previously released but that orphan needed a permanent home so found it here.
These are old songs that I re-recorded on this Tascam 4 Track Analog Tape Recorder using a Shure 57 mic. Very organic, very lo-fi and very hissy but these are all qualities I like! This is stripped down to basic 4 tracks for each (2 guitar, 2 vocals).
Coming Down and Lost In The Ether were previous Tascam Tape recordings that were released in some form. All the other tracks are newly recorded fresh takes on old tunes.
A new song Lost In The Ether written in the summer of 2019, recorded in Fall. I include the full on recording with all the bells and whistles backed by the very lo-fi Tascam 4-Track Tape Demo that helped cement the idea.
Call it a single, call it a double A-side but two new tracks released January 11, 2019. All I See is Me is the better of the two tracks I think and includes a brave attempt at falsetto! This could be an orphaned release or could become part of a bigger 2019 EP release depending on how prolific I feel.
After a period of procrastination and musical drought, work really took place on this July 2017 and slowly but surely the natural successor to March 2016's Landings came together. The first track to be recorded was Hard To Imagine. The final song to materialize from my addled brain and the most challenging to record was Safe Landings. Released January 28, 2018.
Coming not too long after March's Landings EP I had a couple of straggler songs I wanted out in the ether. So Sure is very much the A-side of this particular combo. This was put out August 26, 2016. Originally slated for Landings Volume#2, the gap between these recordings and the rest meant these stayed orphaned.
Released March 17, 2016, the origins for a lot of these songs was a rainy week in a remote cabin in Baldwin Michigan where initial ideas were laid to tape, late refined back in Chicago. Mirrors is the only idea that had been ruminating for a couple of years.
Backing vocals on Gotta Believe by A♡Y.
A collection of songs released March 2014. It includes four brand new songs and the previous orphan track 'To Be Free' slightly remixed and finding a home here. Work began in 2013 on this, but a broken thumb debackle meant that I had to take a significant break. That allowed me to at least let these songs simmer for a while and they all went through a a myriad of changes before their incarnation on this release.
A raggy doll collection of songs hence the title 'Songs Lost In The Fire', some old ideas I've converted into new songs, an old song I've re-recorded, my first ever Christmas anthem and more! A collection of songs that started with Christmas Tree recorded December 2011 to Weeping Willows & Sweet Amy finally completed April 2012.
Released in August 2011, this is a collection of recordings from June, July & August 2011. It was released simultaneously with 'Songs You Probably Won't Like' as I came out of my musical cocoon with dual EPs.
Released in August 2011, this is a collection of recordings from March 2010 - May 2011. It was released simultaneously with 'Songs You Can Live Without'.
Three songs, 'Please Don't Say A Single Word', 'Stitches' and the instrumental 'Nothing Ever Lasts' were also given the sonic treatment by Adam & Steve and released earlier in September 2010.
Old demos from 2004 era that I resurfaced out of some debt to nostalgia! They were released with a couple of extra tracks as a mini-LP on French label Drunkdog (www.shop.drunkdog.com/index_e.htm) in 2005. As well I had a track featured on Fat Cat's now defunct Demo Archive, it's legacy left on Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/fatcat-demo/steven-robinson-i-couldnt).
What happens when a folkie meets a death metal drummer? Well this experiment attempted to collide those worlds, as Adam added drums to my musical musings and Adam & Steve was born. Coming together initially for a one off charity gig at The Store in Chicago. The impact and excitement of that night compelled us to capture what we had on tape for the ages, as Adam departed for a one year sabatical in New Zealand!
Recorded at Tricycle Sound Studio one heady night in September 2010, this EP was a replica of the four song set we had prepared for our maiden stage voyage, with the exception of Nothing Ever Lasts being split up into it's normal and reprise version.
Songs Borrowed Vol#1
My humble homage to songs & artists that have inspired me along the way. 'Songs Borrowed Vol#1' to be followed by a second installment eventually!
Artists covered include Ron Sexsmith, Grandaddy, Vashti Bunyan and The Kinks.
