Price: £7.99
Format: CD
Artist: John Wesley
CatNo: SMACD978X
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John Wesley The Lilypad Suite CD
A loosely conceptual solo release from Porcupine Tree's live guitarist, John Wesley. 
 
The Madfish edition features 2 bonus tracks not available on the edition that has been on sale from the artist's website and comes packaged in a slipcase.
 
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For the last 9 years John Wesley has been part of Porcupine Tree's live set up, bolstering the band's guitar sound and performing backing vocals. In addition to this he is a respected song writer and performer in his own right. 
 
'The Lilypad Suite' is a collection of six songs written over the last few years and recorded recently at RedRoom Recorders in Tampa. 
 
John has described the process behind the recording of this release: 
 
"As I was writing the songs that would be a part of my next album, 'Disconnect'. I noticed a consistent theme running through several of them. I assembled those songs, got the team together and decided that we would record them and release them as a separate collection. This collection has become 'The Lilypad Suite'. 
 
The Lilypad Suite is a collection of songs inspired by the struggle of a young girl to come to terms with the absence of her father. The character of 'Lilypad' is an amalgam of several people who, through the years, have shared with me the stories of their journeys from loss into understanding. 
 
Long time co-conspirator Mark Prator is on drums and engineered on the album as well, Mark really pushed into some new territories in his playing on this set of songs. 
 
The album was produced and co-written by Dean Tidey. Dean's experience on the London session scene and as a touring sideman for Feeder the past several years was invaluable in pushing Mark and I to try new ideas and take the songs into some amazing places. Dean also contributes a really unique set of guitar skills that fit into the songs and the live set and give even our older material a fresh and new sound. 
 
Joining us on bass and engineering as well is Travis Hearne. Andy Irvine also contributed bass to two tracks. 
 
The mixing and mastering was handled by UK based Grammy winning engineer, Steven Orchard. I can't even begin to describe Steve's resume, as he's worked with so many outstanding artists -- Chris Cornell, U2, Jeff Beck, Kate Bush, just to name a few. We have a common link as Steve did a good portion of engineering on the last Porcupine Tree album. Steve and Dean had worked together many times before and as we recorded the songs, Dean was able to guide us into adding elements that he knew Steve would be able to make special use of, and their years of working together really helped to take the mixing of this set of songs to a new level." 
1.       A.M.V
2.       Walls Of America
3.       A Glittery Of Nothing
4.       Still Waiting
5.       Lost
6.       Firelight
7.       A Perfect Party
 
Bonus Tracks
8.       An Elegant Mess
9.       Free