17 musicians participated in the creation of By the Flood, a compilation of the music of folk artist Earle Peach in Vancouver BC. The fifteen tracks include a cappella songs, instrumentals, and arrangements with various ensembles. Here's a breakdown of what you'll hear:
1 My Choices Are Not Free (1:25) an a cappella meditation on war in trad celtic style
Earle Peach, vocals
Marc L’Esperance, bass drum
2 Africa (3:43) a highlife-inspired paean to the mother continent which asks "where are the seeds of freedom?" Many have chosen this as their favorite tune on the album. Features some great sax work by Karen Graves
Earle Peach mandolin, trumpet, vocals
Marc L’Esperance drums, tenor sax
Budge Schacte guitar
Karen Graves soprano sax
Tommy Babbin bass
3 Bright Star(3:13) a yearning song of solitude. Many listeners have also mentioned this tune as a favorite
Earle Peach guitar, vocals
Marc L’Esperance, violin
4 When the Circus Comes to Town (2;19) a raucous, impolite anthem to 'celebrate' the 2010 Vancouver olympics
Earle Peach guitar, accordion, trumpet, piano, vocals
Marc L’Esperance drums, vocals
Eric Napier bass
5 When I Was a Crow (4:03) first-person crow confessional, or is it about the Downtown East Side?
Earle Peach guitar, accordion, vocals
Marc L’Esperance harmonica
Andrew Beddoes bass
6 Maybe You Should Go for a Drive (3:22)a cheerfully bleak swing tune about how cars make us lonely
Earle Peach guitar, mandolin, bells, vocals
Marc L’Esperance drums
Nova Devany accordion, vocals
Tim Adkins euphonium
Patrick Metzger bass
7 Long Lost Forgotten Waltz (2:27)a sweet instrumental waltz featuring the charming violin of Elise Bouer
Earle Peach guitar
Elise Boeur violin
Patrick Metzger bass
8 Palaces of Sand.(2:20) a slightly psychedelic chamber hymn on the subject of Love, featuring a string quartet
Earle Peach guitar, vocals
Barbara Jackson vocals
Rebecca Whitling violin
Karen Gerbrecht violin
Isabelle Roland viola
Heather Hay cello
9 Walk in a Mystery (2:59) an atmospheric, visionary wedding song
Earle Peach guitar, synth, whistle, vocals
Marc L’Esperance percussion
10 Danish Tune & by the Flood (4:12) rather baroque violin & guitar
Earle Peach guitar
Elise Boeur violin
11 Angus McCrimmon(1:57)a cappella statement by an old man who'd rather not get married
Earle Peach, vocals
11 Don’t Come November (2:53)how life looks in the dog days of October. Kinda bluesy folk
Earle Peach, guitar, piano, vocals
Vanessa Kay violin
13 Child Song(3:12) another meditation with string quartet, on the (missing) child in all of us, and fate
Earle Peach guitar, vocals
Rebecca Whitling violin
Karen Gerbrecht violin
Isabelle Roland viola
Heather Hay cello
14 Everybody Knows (3:12) Folky tune for everyone who undervalues him or herself
Earle Peach guitar, mandolin, vocals
Marc L’Esperance harmonica
15 Jacob’s Ladder(3:03) a beautiful solo guitar piece
Earle Peach, guitar
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