"Man with No Plan" released October 2020
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In the title track and video of the 2 song EP, "Man with No Plan", Mr. Monk channels the mindless rocker within us all, while the second song, "Suburban Alien", is one of his usual cruisey laid back story telling nuggets. For better or worse, all parts were recorded at home and played by Archer, except for the fabulous drumming, which was recorded remotely by John O'Reilly. Final mixing and mastering done by the talented Adam Selzer at Type Foundry Studio.
"3 Songs...and a Whole Lotta Trouble" released June 2020
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The universe will remain unchanged. To a certain degree.
We’ve all been starring in our very own Quentin Quarantino movie these days and although we've been given the same script, it's mostly an improvisational performance. Some have been post apocalyptic nightmares while others, astonishingly, have been sleepers, even rom coms. So much is dependent upon where you live in this world; what country; what neighborhood; what mountain; what kind of shack; what kind of mansion not to mention what brand of stardust you're made of.
My version began in a spacious concrete loft, art studio/gallery from the 60’s, on an island on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis just under the giant, evocative and iconic neon "Grain Belt Beer" sign, the one that keeps on flashing and flickering its way through a killer virus, economic and environmental collapse and the rumblings of the pressure cooker of social unrest with all the ingredients of false prophets, racism, homophobia, unchecked capitalism, fear and absolute stupidity, all packed inside. It has let out some steam but hasn't truly exploded. Yet.
Anyway, the hammer came down hard and fast and I was locked down on my own, more or less, a couple day’s drive away from my lover, our cottage, my guitars and my piano on a wannabe mountain just over the Golden Gate Bridge. After my friend loaned me his old Tascam 008 digital recorder, a cheap mic, a Klos carbon fiber backpacker guitar and a cajon box drum, I began kicking around chords, throwing out ideas, writing words and recording ghosts. What came out the other side is the EP “3 Songs...and a Whole Lotta Trouble”. I've added some piano and a few parts here and there after finally making it home but they've mostly stayed true to their humble beginnings. They are somewhat topographic in nature but not completely. Trying to get our selves home is the major theme for us all in this bizarre movie script. Whether that means physically or metaphysically, well, that's up to the actor but I'm placing my chips on the metaphysical.
As the great Ram Dass said, “We’re all just walking each other home.”
all the best...Archer
Recorded on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis and at home in the redwoods of northern California. Mixed and mastered by Adam Selzer of Type Foundry Studio.