The Braille Night
(split release TigerStyle 012/Last Affair 001)
Released summer 2001
Let's Go Walking by D. Littleton/Mitchell/Schickele/M. Littleton
The Braille Night by Pearle/Littleton
Arrowheads by Karla Schickele
Gladiolas by Mitchell/Littleton
So Long by Littleton/Fisher
All other songs by Littleton, and all songs except Arrowheads, Last Affair Music, BMI
Songs
- Let's Go Walking
- Ignatia Amara
- Arrowheads
- So Long
- Blizzard of '78
- So Worn Out
- The Braille Night
- Gladiolas
- Ocean of Glass
- Moves Through The Air
Musicians
Elizabeth Mitchell - vocals, guitar, wurlitzer, thumb piano, piano
Daniel Littleton - vocals, guitar, melodica, wurlitzer, organ, piano
Karla Schickele - vocals, bass, thumb piano, piano
Ida Pearle - violin
Michael Littleton - drums, guitar
Rick Lassiter - upright bass
Zach Wallace - upright bass
Luther Gray - drums, percussion
The Braille Night is a record that was made/conceived when Ida realized that there were too many songs and not enough records. Or that they had recorded too many songs for one record, but not for two. Recorded in the same rooms at (mostly) the same time with (most of) the same people as "Will you find me", the "Braille Night" is WYFM's fraternal twin. The title song originated from extended drone pieces improvised at ON-ME SOUND by Ida Pearle, Liz Mitchell and Dan Littleton. "Ignatia Amara" was supposed to be recorded at Dreamland, but after doing basic tracks for twenty songs, Trina vetoed the idea. She thought that there were already too many songs to work on and that we didn't need a dissonant instrumental song to complicate matters further.
After months of touring to support the release of WYFM "Ignatia Amara" and "Moves through the air" were two of the songs that were recorded after the WYFM sessions, with Luther "Trip" Gray(Tsunami, SeeSaw, Liquorice) on drums/percussion and with Flashpapr's Zach Wallace on Contrabass. "Ocean of Glass" has Miggy stepping out from behind the kit and playing acoustic guitars with Dan. "Blizzard" is the single that would never be, clocking in at over 7 minutes with its tale of ambivalence, dread, and mourning, this song-initially exciting to Capitol possibly due to its uptempo "feel"- was "not quite developed enough" for the label. The song was left for dead and then rediscovered and saved from certain doom.
This record is a split release with TigerStyle and Last Affair Records. The vinyl, released on Planaria, contains a bonus track, "Truxton Park".Mastered by the mighty Steve Fallone at Sterling Sound, who was cracking up at all the drug references in the songs (there weren't any, though, oh well - Steve you still rule).
Artwork by Ida Pearle
Lettering by Erin Courtney
Photography by Rebecca Jane Gleason
Layout by Nick Pimental/Planaria
