The album was recorded in August 2020 during a heatwave in Malmo’s famous Tambourine Studios, which is co-owned by TBG bassist Per Sunding. It was tracked on 2-inch tape through a fine old Neve console – old world style. Only good-looking mics were used, as usual.
The process was quite different from previous TBG recordings. The band entered the studio without having rehearsed the songs due to Covid-19. For each song, the band sat at a table, the originator of the particular song played his demo, and explained the chords and melody. Then they went into the live room of the studio, rehearsed, arranged it, then hit record and recorded it live. Some were nailed in two takes; some slaved over it doing ten takes in the sweltering heat (AC had to be turned off while recording, hence the title for one of the songs). During a later session, more guitars, vocals, organs, percussion, and theremin were recorded to tape.
Most special guests sent their contributions to the band from different parts of the world. In November, the album was mixed “live” (not on a computer) over three long ass days with little sleep. In short: a very old-school, raw and spontaneous process relying heavily on the band’s two decades of playing together, touring the globe and building that mysterious telepathy that just makes a band into a great band – as well as the strength of the songs.
|