New Music From Captain’s Audio Project
Waiting For The Moon by Captain’s Audio Project is the solo debut of veteran Portland, Oregon songwriter and multi-instrumentalist James Cook (Jimbo Trout and the Fish People, Trashcan Joe), full of finely-crafted tunes steeped in traditional folk, blues. and jazz. Produced by Mike Danner at Mike’s Garage in Portland, the guiding principle for these sessions was to keep everything raw. Cook recorded the basic tracks live on his 1931 National Tenor Resonator Guitar and soaring vocals and then rounded the performances out with strategic overdubs of his own warm, sultry upright bass along with contributions from other great musicians. Danner added piano, Hammond B-3, and Wurlitzer while legendary Portland sideman Paul Brainard put down his trademark stellar pedal steel guitar on several cuts and brought along the horn section of Willy Mathis and Scott Van Schlick to put the icing on musical cake on a couple tracks.
The title track recalls a solo journey into the Warner Mountains in Northeastern California when Cook — as an avid amateur astronomer — hauled his telescope to a 7,000 foot elevation to view the night sky. At first, he was thwarted by Nature’s most potent light polluter, the Moon! So he was stuck “Waiting For The Moon” to go behind the mountain before he could start serious stargazing. As he sat and waited by the campfire with his guitar, the song was born. Many of Cook’s lyrics here draw from personal experiences. “Out On The Minam” recalls time spent traveling deep into the scenic wilderness of the Minam River Valley in the Wallowa Mountains of Northeast Oregon to work at a remote lodge that had to be reached by bush plane. During his many months there, James built trails, felled dead trees and split logs for firewood for the lodge. The serenity of surroundings inspired several other tunes on the album as well. “The River” was composed as a love song for Mother Earth with her waters, the lifeblood that carries us from birth to death, and back to her bosom.The flights in and out of the valley eventually inspired Cook to become a pilot, and acquire his own plane, a 1949 Piper Clipper named “Betty.”
“It feels like a fusion of indie pop and chamber folk performed with an intimate feel like something sung around a campfire after dinner with friends sharing stories.” – Queen City Sounds and Art
“‘Freak’ is a charming work of offbeat folk… There is a casual simplicity to this song… and the playful lyricism is accentuated by the dreamy steel guitar and acoustic picking to make for a warm listen.” – Glide
“A captivating debut.” – Making A Scene
FCC CLEAN
Recommended: Tracks 1,5,4,6,7
Goes For Adds 3/4
