Don McGlashan & The Seven Sisters - Marvellous Year (CD)

Price per Unit (piece): NZ$25.00

Buy "Marvellous Year" on iTunes (only available in New Zealand) and receive a bonus track "Face in the Paper"

Marvellous Year is the first full release under the name Don McGlashan and the Seven Sisters – reflecting a more “band” effort than his first solo album Warm Hand. As you will hear, The Seven Sisters are bursting with “unfailingly musical” talent, giving the songs real energy, atmosphere and depth. Don’s songwriting and ability to capture melody and the everyday moment is as strong - or even stronger – than ever.

Another reason Marvellous Year is so darn good is that both Don McGlashan and the band (Chris O’Connor, Maree Thom, John Segovia and Dominic Blaazer) have been on a real musical roll for the last couple of years. The band have played numerous shows, such as to thousands at the Auckland Domain, WOMAD and various theatres, clubs and pubs up and down the country.

As Don says “I think because I was performing, writing and recording a lot in 2008, I was able to try lots of ideas out - on the band, in the studio, and on audiences - so there's a lighter, more relaxed feel to some parts of this record. Warm Hand took a fair while because I was trying to find a sound for my solo stuff. I was gradually assembling the band as I recorded. Now the Seven Sisters is established, and we're used to playing together, so Marvellous Year was able to happen a lot more quickly, naturally, and with less head-scratching. It sounds, to me, more like a bunch of songs written for, and played by, a really good band.”

As well as the band input, Marvellous Year was also a joint effort in the production stakes, with Don working alongside Sean Donnelly (SJD). Don says aside from Sean’s undeniable musical talent and ears, his input was to: “Challenge me, push me and throw banana skins in my path whenever I got too complacent.” The album itself was recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios, mixed brilliantly by Jordan Stone and features guest backing vocals from Neil Finn and string arrangements by Victoria Kelly “

Don McGlashan & The Seven Sisters - Marvellous Yeartrack listing

1. The Switch

2. Bad Blood

3. Not Ready

4. You're the Song

5. Everything's Broken; Life's So Sweet

6. 18th Day

7. Marvellous Year

8. Radio Programmer

9. C2006P! (Make Yourself at Home)

10. Bathe in the River

11. Theme From "The Colossus of Roadies"