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Bottlegreen Sky

by Ill Starred Captain

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1.
ill Starred Captain - Long Fingered Hand 03:41
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2.
Bottlegreen Sky 04:28
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3.
Seawitch 03:13
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4.
Wreck 'o' The Hesperus 04:23
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5.
On Winters Hill 04:05
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6.
Bitch Dust 05:40
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about

This six track e.p. was originally released by Ill Starred Captain under then name of the Scott Bassham band (they having not yet settled on a name, or even a solid structure as a band). It was recorded and engineered by Dave Lokan at Bigsound Studio at Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills in 2001.

Bottle-green Sky was recorded immediately after Scott and Justin had returned from a tour of Western Australia, which had been a very tough trip, and the whole thing was done in a very short space of time. Infact, they missed a days recording when their tour van broke down on the way back from Perth. When they arrived at the studio the –pressure was on, as they had almost no budget and very little time.

The resulting recording is interesting for many reasons and really represents Ill Starred Captain at a point just before the true nature of the band became set. At the time, the band was in the process of trying out bass players and even though they didn’t have anyone to fill that role, Scott played bass on all the songs, assuming that someone would eventually come along and learn the parts, so it remains the only Ill Starred Captain release with bass (though the bass is very subtle).

The track listing is quite a mix, with a distinctly ‘power pop” flavour on songs like “Bottlegreen Sky” and “The Wreck ‘O’ the Hesperus and a folk feel on “On Winters Hill”, a wistful acoustic piece which deals with life and memories growing up in a small coastal town. The remaining three songs are darker and harder, and all quite different from one another adding elements of thumping funk aggression (Bitch Dust), to a sense of oceanic alienation (Seawitch and Long fingered Hand”).

The bands isolation from the “industry” and inexperience meant that “Bottlegreen Sky” pretty much sank without trace, and yet it still attracts new fans and the songs haven’t dated at all. It is well worth checking out this undiscovered gem, and it is a great starting point artistically, for anyone wanting to trace the always interesting musical path of Ill Starred Captain.

Interesting fact. The recording was finished on 9/11/2001 the day the Twin Towers fell, a fact which gutted the band right at the moment that they should have been celebrating the completion of their debut recording.

Here's what the reviewers had to say.


"Ill Starred Captain is what happens when the White Stripes, start sounding like White Album – era Beatles".

'God Is In The TV', United Kingdom

‘The music from this band is fantastic, a rather large sound considering there are only two members. 'Their set never bored me once’.

Sound Aloud Review 2004 Sheffiled, United Kingdom

credits

released November 4, 2001

Words & Music: Scott Bassham

Produced by Justin Francis & Scott Bassham

Scott Bassham: Electric & acoustic guitars, vocals, bass guitar & tamborine.

Justin Francis: Drum kit & Tamborine

Bigsound studios, Adelaide Hills, Lenswood,
South Australia, Recorded: 6th - 11th September 2001, on analogue recording equipment

Engineered and recorded by Dave Lokan

Mixed by Dave Lokan, Scott Bassham & Justin Francis

Mastering: Dave Lokan & Craig Lewis at Kaleidoscope Mastering.

Words & Music Copyright Scott Bassham 2001.

Bottlegreen Sky E.P. Copyright Seawitch Music 2001

Artwork & Design: Scott Bassham & Michael Kemp (Woof Graphics)

Photography: Michelle Sharrad & Mette Bassham

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ill Starred Captain Port Lincoln, Australia

“Ill Starred Captain blend the best elements of Folk, Roots and Garage Rock’n’Roll, to create their powerhouse sound. Combining their basic two-piece instrumentation of drums, guitars and vocals, Ill Starred Captain manage to create a melodic and explosive sound that utterly transcends its simple sonic ingredients. ... more

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