Album Notes

UK based Rebecca Blackman took piano lessons at an early age and, with no more than a 64 note plastic electronic keyboard on which to practice at home, managed to achieve her piano exams up to grade five. Whilst still a teenager she moved in with her future husband, a musician and studio "jack of all trades", bought a proper digital piano and began to write and compose. During this time her musical tastes and influences were maturing, as was her voice and her ability to observe events and dramas going on around her and translate these into well crafted and emotionally moving songs. Although some of these songs are personal experiences, whilst others are derived from dreams or the daily routine in the lives of others close to Rebecca, every song has the capacity to convey something powerful and identifiable to the listener. This is accompanied by simple but intelligent chord progressions and inversions which manage to compliment the lyrics and voice without overshadowing them. The result of the above information is "In My Defence", Rebecca's debut album. With 11 original songs from the fairytale oriented "Wolf" to the surreal dream state of "Shake the Corpse"; from the stark desperation of the unrhyming "Today" to the 65 piece choir of "Paperchained"; from the quietly stated anger of "U Sed" to the Beach Boys-esque vocals on "For Maws", it's clear that the primary goal of this album was "quality" - and it achieves just that - lyrically, musically and harmonically. It is well played, sung, recorded and produced. Rebecca wrote all the songs, plays all the pianos and sings all the lead vocals plus backing vocals. She also co-produced, co-engineered and mastered the album at home in her front room. Rebecca's team on this album include her husband Dave in the roles of basses/guitars drums, percussion, backing vocals, co-production and co-engineering, Roisin Quinn and Karen Lenihan as 50% of the 65 piece choir and Mick Gallagher, of The Blockheads and The Animals, who played all the Organs. The quality theme continues visually with a set of water colours painted by local artist in residence, Matt White (no kidding) as a commission for the CD artwork. Full of honesty, beautiful voices and talented musicians, this album is a remarkable achievement and, when considering that it is a first album and the recording location, doubly so. Bluff Ultimate. 2007.