Album Notes

20th Anniversary Memorial Project for Founder Samantha Downing (1967-2005)

Current Members: Todd Downing - guitars, vocals, keyboards, percussion; Mike Berg - bass; Steven Fox - drums; Muriel Montgomery - vocals; Brian Chase - additional guitar, production

Celebrating a twenty-year history, And Tears Fell is back from the dead with a haunting fusion of alternative folk-rock, surf-influenced textural guitars, thunderous drums and ‘80s darkwave synth in a seductive dreampop package.

Requiem contains the best of the And Tears Fell catalog (completely rearranged and rerecorded), pulling material from three albums into a tribute to band co-founder Samantha Downing, who lost a three-year battle with cancer in 2005.

After a brief atmospheric intro that includes part of a vocal track from an earlier Samantha recording, the album proper begins with the band’s last single, “Demons”. Songs run from the ethereal “Chamber of Light” to the all-out rocker “Waiting For the Day”, to the surf-influenced “Tapestry”, and Native American imagery of “Spirit Dancer” (14 tracks total). The album builds to a crescendo in the form of the first single from their first album (1989’s Sidhe), “Sometimes”, which contains a moving spoken word piece by Seattle poet Caleb Long. After a minute of silence, the CD ends with an acoustic version of “Devil’s Lullaby” and Todd’s personal farewell to his wife and bandmate, “Good Night My Love”.

Requiem was recorded over a period of 2 years in West Seattle, produced by Brian Chase (Dogfish, Full Life Crisis), and includes musicians who knew and loved Samantha: Mike Berg (Brad, Satchel), Steven Fox (Riots, Ledenhed), and vocalist Muriel Montgomery, a longtime friend of Samantha’s who joined the project to cover what would have been Sam’s vocal duties.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Gilda’s Club cancer support network.

Timeline:
1988 - And Tears Fell forms in Palo Alto California with Todd Downing and occasional collaborator Samantha Grismore. Ambient instrumental demos.
1989 - Samantha Grismore joins as full time vocalist. Signed to Epithet Records. Sidhe EP & album released.
1990 - Single “Forest of Dreams” exported to Europe on label sampler to enthusiastic response. Circe album released. Todd & Samantha married. Video produced for single “Ghosts”.
1991 - And Tears Fell parts with Epithet. Band relocates to Seattle, Washington. Afterthought B-sides collection released.
1992 - Angry Odin EP released.
1995 - Single, “Demons” recorded. Todd & Samantha take time away from music to raise a family.
1998 - Limited edition release of band’s catalog on CD via their vanity label, Mangled Melon Music.
1999 - Todd’s solo electronic project (Starbug) forms. Starbug - [alpha] and Starbug - The Reptile Brain albums released.
2000 - Starbug - The End of Zombie Shakespeare album released. Producer Paul Hyaumet tapped to record new And Tears Fell material.
2001 - New And Tears Fell material composed. New producer sought.
2002 - Samantha diagnosed with rare cancer.
2003 - Todd forms Impetus electronic project. Impetus - EVP album released.
2005 - Impetus - The Existential Mode of Living album released. Samantha dies. Impetus - Triskelle album released. Brian Chase tapped to produce And Tears Fell tribute CD with musicans who knew Samantha.
2008 - And Tears Fell - Requiem tribute for Samantha released.

Websites:
www.andtearsfell.com
www.garageband.com/andtearsfell