To Record Only Water for Ten Days
To Record Only Water for Ten Days | ||||
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Studio album by John Frusciante | ||||
Released | February 13, 2001 | |||
Recorded | 2000 | |||
Genre | Experimental rock, art rock, new wave, synthpop, psychedelic rock, lo-fi | |||
Length | 42:20 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Producer | John Frusciante | |||
John Frusciante chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Rolling Stone | [2] |
To Record Only Water for Ten Days is the third solo album by American musician John Frusciante, released in 2001 through Warner Music Group. Unlike his previous two solo albums, Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt and Smile from the Streets You Hold, the record differs significantly in that Frusciante explores elements of electronica, synthpop and new wave. It was recorded subsequent to his heroin addiction.[3] Following a month in rehab for his addiction and his rejoining the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Frusciante felt deeply connected to the spiritual plane and was inspired by the many visions he had of spirits; the ideology of recording water for ten days refers to ten separate periods of time in which an album is conceived. In an interview he explained that the title comes from a symbolic picture of his body being a tape recorder that records the water for ten days as a way to take his "chemical makeup" off, in order to make a possible representation of the feelings and places he wanted to represent through music. The lyrics express this theme and deal mostly with philosophical and spiritual matters as well as delving into his usual brand of psychedelia-tinged personalism. It reached #30 on Heatseekers. Vincent Gallo directed a video for every track on the record. "Murderers" is featured in the "Invisible Boards" segment of the skateboarding home video Yeah Right!. The Track "Remain" features on season 1 episode 18 of Fox Network's hit series 24.
Frusciante's main influences for this album were 1980s synthpop, post-punk and electronica bands that did their own programming, including bands such as Depeche Mode and New Order.
Limited edition vinyl would be released on January 20, 2017 through Australian label Twelve Suns. 1500 copies to be issued.[4]
Recording
As with his first two albums, Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt and Smile from the Streets You Hold Frusciante recorded this album at home. However the fidelty and production of the album are of a notably higher value to that of those two albums. Having previously used a 4 track cassette recorder and even a boombox, his recordings had taken a significantly lo-fi approach. Frusciante used a Yamaha MD8 - a digital 8-track recorder that used Minidisc technology - to record the tracks, which he later transferred to analog tape for further individual track equalization. Contrary to the title of the album, it took longer than 10 days to record, Frusciante saying that it took up to three days for each song. All guitars were recorded direct-in and there were no amplifiers used in any of the tracks.[5]
Frusciante admitted his frustration with digital recording during the making of the album and has since felt inclined towards recording his albums with analog equipment. "When we came to mix that record, I realized how bad it sounded. After that album, I vowed that I wasn't going to record anything on digital anymore".
Track listing
All tracks written by John Frusciante.
- "Going Inside" – 3:36
- "Someone's" – 1:52
- "The First Season" – 4:13
- "Wind Up Space" – 1:59
- "Away & Anywhere" – 4:09
- "Remain" – 3:57
- "Fallout" – 2:10
- "Ramparts" – 1:11
- "With No One" – 3:32
- "Murderers" – 2:41
- "Invisible Movement" – 2:21
- "Representing" – 1:46
- "In Rime" – 2:13
- "Saturation" – 3:03
- "Moments Have You" – 3:30
- "Resolution" – 2:46 (Japanese release only bonus track)
Non-album tracks
Dozens of songs were recorded for the album but left off. The following have been released in some form:
Officially released B-sides and non-album tracks
- "Beginning Again", "Leave All the Days Behind", "Resolution", "So Would Have I", "Time Is Nothing", "The Last Hymn"
Digital releases
(Note: Most of these tracks were NOT titled by Frusciante, but by fans. As of now, the official titles are unknown. Also, most tracks remain unfinished or unmixed.)
- "Beginning Again" (rough mix), "Dying (I Don't Mind)", "Fallout" (rough mix), "Fallout" (alternate version), "How High", "Interstate Sex", "I Go Through These Walls", "I Will Always Be Beat Down", "Leave All the Days Behind" (entitled "Cut Myself Out" here), "Leaving You", "Murmur", "Nature Falls", "Place to Drive", "Low Birds" (also titled "Purity"), "Sailing Outdoors", "Saturation" (rough mix), "Slow Down", "So Would Have I" (rough mix), "The Battle of Time", "Three Thoughts", "With Love"
Unofficially released rough mixes
- "Moments Have You" (rough mix), "Representing" (rough mix), "Resolution" (rough mix), "The First Season" (rough mix), "Time Is Nothing" (rough mix), "Someone's" (rough mix), "Wind Up Space" (rough mix), "With No One" (rough mix)
Unofficially released tracks
(Note: All of these tracks were NOT titled by Frusciante, but by fans. As of now, the official titles are unknown. Also, most tracks remain unfinished or unmixed.)
- "All We Have", "Back and Forth (To the Sun)", "Drift Down", "Every Light Will Burn", "Fill My Nights", "Instrumental", "Untitled 2000"
Personnel
- John Frusciante – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, drum machine, producer
- Lawrence Azerrad – design, art assistant
- Jimmy Boyle – mixing
- Vladimir Meller – mastering
References
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ Rolling Stone review
- ↑ Interview, "John Frusciante - Water Music". Rock Sound Magazine, February 2001.
- ↑ http://offwhiterecords.com/store/catalogue/john-frusciante-to-record-only-water-for-10-days-limited-to-1500-copies-2lp.cfm
- ↑ http://www.geocities.ws/freakyfrusciante/freespirit.html