Album Notes

“I think this may be my first real ‘headphones’ record in a while,” says Marc Gartman (Two Many Banjos, Coyote) regarding newest musical incarnation Night Owl. What he probably means by that statement is this CD is not something you’ll throw on when you’re getting ready to hit the clubs with your friends. It’s more like a smoke a joint, stare up at the stars and slide the roof back on your VW kind of record.

The music of Night Owl was originally conceived in yet another Gartman project called Nice Bears in December of ’09. With Gartman on acoustic guitar, Kathy McTavish (Cello Dreams) on cello, Matt Mobley (Two many banjos, China) on bass and Bryan ‘Lefty’ Johnson (Two Many Banjos) they were a quartet that made music that can best be described as experimental art rock. Their CD (if they had made one) would have sounded perfect in a Brooklyn art gallery. While Nice Bears are currently residing in the where-are-they-now file Marc thought, at the very least, it might not be the worst idea to get the songs down to tape with at least Matt Mobley in tow.

The material was written in about two weeks time and recorded fast and furious in an afternoon with Duluth MN’s own Steve Albini Jake Larson. Brought over to Superior, WI music mogul Dave Hill for mixing and mastering in one short gasp it was all done. With haunting recording session photos by Wandy Pearcy who cryptically describes the music as ‘Visions of Yesterday’ and a mysterious front cover painting by Duluth iconoclast Sarah Heimer, the packaging was done quickly as well.

For inquiring minds that want to know why the world needs this fourth CD by Marc Gartman in 2010 (Coyote’s ‘When It All comes Down’, Two Many banjos’ ‘Pow’, Marc Gartband’s ‘Fatwa’ being the other three) Marc can’t help but smirk. “I thrive in the shadows,” Gartman reveals. “Since moving to Duluth from New York City in 2005 I’ve found a nice little corner for myself here. I live quietly, I love my cat, and I play my music. I’m having a good time.”

Please visit www.twomanybanjos.com for more information.