‘New Album’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest release. Up next is Jamie Scott Palmer, whose solo project is called The Emptys Response. A prolific musician he has recorded 11 albums & 8 EPs since 2011, and is also a member of new group Dreams are like Water. His latest (11th) album is ‘Love is the Answer’.
When/where was the new album recorded?
In my bedroom in our very musical flat in Berhampore, over the course of the last week and a half and finished last night though I need to re-bounce and re-upload one track ’cause I noticed a glitch when I listened this morning as I drank my coffee. I’ll get onto that immediately after answering these questions.
Who produced/engineered the album? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
I produced and engineered it myself DIY style at home.
How did the songwriting happen? Are there any overall themes within the songs/album?
I’m pretty spontaneous and tend to fly by the seat of my pants though I always have ideas, usually a theme, and moods which I bring to my albums, EP’s or single tracks. My plan was to have the album start off quite heavy, and fast. The album has a Taoist type Yin Yang aspect to it starting off dark and heavy with electronica elements to it. The 2nd half of the album is the more Yin/effeminate part. Some of the album was improvised. In fact most of it was.
Were you going for a different sound/approach on this album?
Kind of but it does relate a bit to my 2nd most recent album recording called Caffeine and Painkillers in the sense that it has similar electronica elements to it. That was another quick recording, finished within 4 days while I had time off work due to a fractured clavicle injury, hence the title ‘Caffeine and Painkillers.’ I was consuming a lot of that stuff during the making of that album.
Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
Yes, Redrum in Reason 5.0, Reason effects, Pro Tools plug in effects, a MIDI keyboard
(emulating various synths, basses, strings, distorted guitar loops,) my cello, a melodica, some very shy vocals saturated in effects, a Fender Squier Jaguar, Takamine acoustic guitar, a beaten up old punk rock bass guitar with wires dangling out and taped up to keep the body intact, and some other stuff.
Is there a particular single/track that you feel captures the essence of the album?
Not really, no.
Is there a physical copy available? If not which digital platforms is it available on?
Nothing tangible/physical and no plan to do that either. It is available here.
Are you working on a video/videos for any of the songs?
No. However I do plan to write up a screenplay, music vid trilogy, maybe aim for some funding via a grant for this recording of mine which is the fully finished soundtrack to the aforementioned music vid trilogy I plan to make one day, maybe next year. Here’s the link to that soundtrack.