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Early Doors: Archive Recordings

by Echotone

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1.
The Waves 04:35
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Standing in the hall of darkness I can see some light Oh is it what the dreams are telling me? Oh I don’t know but I’m sure That you can make it right And I want to know will you be by my side? Tell me, am I crazy? Tell me, will you be there? Me and her standing there both hand in hand I gaze and I watch her eyes slowly fill The waves rolling in one by one on the tide It kills me, yeah it kills me I hate to see her cry It’s time to see when I play my last chord And I, I don’t know How that chord will come to play, and I I follow my fate and I watch it roll away On the waves, on the waves, on the waves
2.
I've Been Told 04:31
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I saw you, you smiled at me And I knew my, my heart was free And you told me your tales of woe But you gave me things I could not hold I could not hold I heard you, you sang our song And I knew I, I might be wrong And you told me your make believe But you gave me things I could not see I could not see ’Cause baby I don’t know but I’ve been told Yeah baby I don’t know but I’ve been told I felt you, you touched my hand And I knew my, my time was sand And you told me your tales of woe But you gave me things I could not hold I could not hold
3.
Writing On The Wall 05:26
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Gets heavier each day The things you took for granted Are slipping all away And though the world seems thoughtless You know we’re always there The people you can lean on When no one seems to care ’Cause the writing’s on the wall my friend And it’s spelling out your fall When the writing’s on the wall my friend Stand tall I’ll meet you on the far side I’ll greet you with a smile If you would lay your head down And rest here for awhile ’Cause we could be like old times We could be like new If I could make your mind up And make you see the truth ’Cause the writing’s on the wall my friend And it’s spelling out your fall When the writing’s on the wall my friend Stand tall Be tall — dont’t fall
4.
Goin' Sane (So Sane) 03:19
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Holding on to tear drops Wonder where I’ve been That bird will soon appear, it’s you I see Fight my way through this crowd for your love Said find a miracle and stopped my heart I’m on the outside, I catch the rain I’m on the outside, makes me plain So sane Birds at the window, I watch so slow They fly on peaceful wings, going home How the dreams fill the void in you Wanna be your world if I could I’m on the outside, I catch the rain I’m on the outside, makes me plain So sane Through the night I’m walking back home Through the night it feels warm in your arms
5.
Don't You Worry 05:28
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Do you ever wake in the darkness And for a second you don’t know Just where you are? Do you ever find that I’m your weakness? Do you ever think I dragged you down too far? Do you ever wonder where you’re going? Do you ever think your dreams Weren’t built to last? Do you ever wonder why The road is always running out too fast? And don’t you ever worry That your parachue won’t open? Don’t you ever worry That your time has ticked away? Don’t you ever worry Who’ll catch you when you fall Don’t you ever worry at all? Do you ever wake in the morning And look out on the stillness of the world? Do you ever wonder what we’re doing As we’re spinning God knows where Upon this earth? ’Cause you were always one Who had the answers You were always there to comfort me You were always there When I was blind with fear You showed me how to see And don’t you ever worry ’Cause your parachue will open Don’t you ever worry ’Cause forever starts today Don’t you ever worry I’ll catch you when you fall Don’t you ever worry at all
6.
Hideaway 02:16
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Some days when I see you out I have to turn away When I feel that swell inside my heart And I don’t know what to say ’Cause with you I feel I’m spinning Falling dizzy to the ground Got to get your face out of my mind Get off your merry-go-round I got to hideaway my loving Got to hideaway the truth Got to camouflage my broken heart And hideaway from you I can’t tell you how I need you Can’t show you who I am Got to push that feeling deep inside And hideaway again And sometimes I can dare to dream That you might feel the same That all my feelings are returned That this could be my day ’Cause when you smile for me My soul just melts inside And all else but us just fades away In the blinking of an eye
7.
I Take Flight 03:47
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Take some time to get it right It’s all you have this time The sun has come to light your way The path is clear again You know my love is true to you You can see it in my eyes This smile I wear, you know it’s all for you You’re the one I want it’s true I see what you want from me The love I’m giving you My heart is where it keeps so true And when the time is right then I take flight When the time is right then I take flight Waves of love pour from the way You smile at me with that gaze You speak of realms I have not seen As you touch my hand I dream
8.
Life Goes On 04:25
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I feel the time rolling by I feel the years pass with a sigh Show me a river and I’ll sail away While my body grows old my mind can play Life goes on but the world will never change A million lies they’re all racing through my brain I wave goodbye as you step aboard your train And we wonder why the years roll by But some hurts they refuse to die And life goes on but the world will never change Never change, never change I feel the time rolling by I feel the years pass like a sigh Show me a mountain and I’ll climb away While my body grows old my mind can play
9.
Fading Away 05:38
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Out in the dark, the people await The turn of the tide that will Wash up their fate When it comes They’ve been waiting so long Night after night we wait for the prize And we can’t take off but The time how it flies When it’s gone We’ve been waiting so long But don’t give up your dreams Don’t you trade them for gold ’Cause those liars you meet Yeah they’re all bought and sold And their hopes and their hearts Are the price that they pay And they’ll hold you down Push you round Tell you you’re fading away You’re fading away Out in the dark, the people will dance And wait for the tide that will Wash up their chance when it comes We've been waiting so long Out in the dark, the people await The turn of the tide that will Wash up our fate on the shore We won’t wait anymore
10.
Slide 04:15
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11.
Singalong 04:45
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Did you know I thought of you As I wrote this song? Sitting here just strumming away Wait for words to come along Do you know the love you give Provides a melody For this little tune of mine Won’t you singalong with me? Singalong with me Singalong with me We try each and every way We can to make it through the day I know the things I need to say If I sang them all for you would you stay? We all need music every day In our hearts we sing our cares away Do you know the things you need to say If I played them all for you would you wait? So don’t say we’re near the end Don’t say it’s all been filler It’s just the tricky part These middle-8s are killer Do you ever think of me? I wrote you a song Sitting here just strumming away Wait for words to come along Do you know how hard it was For me to write this song? Well that’s what I did today And now my song is sung
12.
Round My Head (Dictaphone Demo) 03:41
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Gear four to five And I’m so high Find the right to pull out from those lines Well the trucks slow me down They make me frown Sun so hot it burns my crown Round and round my head It feels so right Every time I see your love in sight M2 is such a heavy five It’s the same each and every time Wish this town was really hard to find Round and round in circles You make me feel alive Round and round in circles Every second time
13.
I Wish I Was A Tree 03:53
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Why is life so big when I am very small? Like a grain of dust in the shadow of the moon You’re so complicated It’s messing with my head Spending time worrying about The things that you don’t have And sometimes I wish I was a tree Sometimes I wish I was a tree Why is life so hard when I am very weak? Like a piece of litter blowing in the breeze You’re so complicated It’s messing with my head And I don’t understand Why I’m even here at all And sometimes I wish I was a tree Sometimes I wish I was a tree Why is life so big when the days are very short? Like a ball of ice in the fire of the sun You’re so complicated It’s messing with my head Spending time worrying about The things that you don’t own And sometimes I wish I was a tree Sometimes I wish I was a tree I don’t want to feel, I just want to be I don’t want to feel, I just want to be I don’t want to think, I just want to be
14.
Secrets & Lies (Extended Version) 05:37
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Time out of mind Hide out of sight I don’t believe What I don’t see Hand on your heart Wisdom impart Tried hard to make it But we couldn’t fake it If you’re not afraid then it’s not real What your heart won’t touch Your mind won’t feel Tell me your story, I’ll tell you mine Tell you my secrets, you tell me lies Bent over backwards Tripped over my words Way down it’s tragic Emotional baggage Cracked in the head Fell into bed Cracked in the heart We fell apart If you’re not afraid then it’s not real What your heart won’t touch Your mind won’t feel Tell me your story, I’ll tell you mine Tell me your secrets, I’ll tell you lies
15.
My Girlfriend Got Run Over By A Tractor 03:36
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My girlfriend got run over by a tractor My girlfriend got run over by a tractor My girlfriend got run over by a tractor But I’m over it now We had a picnic in the field On a scorching summer’s day She told me that she loved me I said I felt the same way And then she laughed and took off running She skipped away over the hill She didn’t see that big old tractor Moving in there for the kill She didn’t see the thresher coming Its blades were churning up the earth There was a nice old farmer driving He had some over-sized sideburns And then the sight I still remember As if I ever could forget The moment when that big old tractor Crashed into my poor girlfriend The strange thing is it’s what she wanted She always used to say to me That that was how she’d like to go out Crushed by some farm machinery My girlfriend got run over by a tractor My girlfriend got run over by a tractor My girlfriend got run over by a tractor But I’m over it now I’m over it now
16.
Sinking Sand 03:06
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Tell it all just like it is Don’t be ashamed of your own fears Don’t be weighed down by what you had You know that shit’s all in the past Don’t let it haunt you through the years Be the best that you can be Don’t apologise for what you need Do what you have to to get by ’Cause we’re all living our own lie And it don’t matter what they hear ’Cause time after time and year after year It’s dragging me down, it’s pulling me near Do you see me waving? Grab hold of my hand I need you to save me From this sinking sand Sell it all just like it is Don’t be afraid of your own tears ’Cause we are broken but unbowed So raise your voice and sing it loud And there’ll be nothing left to fear ’Cause time after time and year after year It’s dragging me down, it’s pulling me near Do you see me waving? Grab hold of my hand I need you to save me From this sinking sand
17.
Elysium 03:22
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Elysium, it’s there I’ll find it someday Elysium, tell me how to make my way I’ll take back the bad things in life Confess them and leave them behind Hope never fails I believe So where are you where have you been? Hold your head high Gaze at the stars that shine bright Look at the sky, please don’t lose sight Don’t hold back you will find The light of life hides inside That tunnel of bliss that you seek Will hold you there for weeks
18.
Revolution Coming 04:02
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There’s a revolution coming On the streets today They don’t know what they’re fighting for But they’ll join in anyway There’s a revolution coming On the streets tonight They don’t know what they’re trying to achieve They just know they wanna fight Can you hear the revolution? Get down on your knees and pray Can you hear the revolution? We’re going off to war today There’s a revolution blowing In the air tonight There’s a mob out on the street They’re gonna set the world alight ’Cause there’s a revolution brewing In their hearts and minds So don’t dig too deep my friend ’Cause you won’t like what you find Can you hear the revolution? Don’t you want a revolution? There’s a revolution happening On the streets today They don’t know what they’re fighting for But they’re fighting anyway
19.
Watching The Clock 05:37
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Quarter to five and I’m Watching the clock in the corner Counting the seconds ‘til I can get out of the door The trains are all late and The traffic is thick, I am choking I don’t know where I’m supposed to be But it ain’t here no more But I, I will be free The stars will shine for me And you one day will see That I, I will be free Yeah I will be free, I will be free A minute to five and I’m Out of the door, I am leaving Won’t watch myself grow old Reflected in computer screens Gotta get out of town Gotta give myself space to be breathing ’Cause you can’t see the wheels turn When you are part of the machine
20.
Stolen Afternoons 03:42
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Hazy days, stolen afternoons All the time you thought you’d never lose You watch it fade to blue Stolen afternoons Remember when we were all so young? Turn our shining faces to the sun We thought we knew it all We were invincible Every day I look out my window And I think to myself where did the time go? And I know that somewhere You are still falling Do you hear me calling? Hazy days, stolen afternoons All the time you thought you’d never lose You watch it fade to blue Stolen afternoons Stolen afternoons
21.
Everybody Come On (Electric Version) 05:55
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I’ve been out looking for what I can’t find I sometimes feel like I got left behind But when the lights go out and I can’t see Then I know you’ll be there to carry me I’ve been here chewing on the same old bone I need to find a place to call my own But when the sound fades out and I can’t hear I need to know that somehow you’ll be near Not everybody gets a second chance Not everybody gets that one last dance Not everybody’s got a heart of gold Not everybody sees their dreams unfold Come on, come on Come on, come on Everybody come on I’ve been the loser in more ways than one I’ve been left standing while the race was run But all the tears you cry will never pay For what you had and what you gave away I’ve been out looking for what I can’t find I sometimes feel like I got left behind But when the lights go out and I can’t see Then I know you’ll be there to carry me And maybe we will have our second chance And maybe we will get that one last dance ‘Cause I know you have got a heart of gold And one day we will see our dreams unfold Come on, come on Come on, come on Everybody come on

about

21 previously unreleased tracks from the Echotone archives, transferred from the original four-track tape and fully remixed and remastered. Album download comes with 8 page full colour booklet with sleeve notes from James discussing each song - read below and click through to individual tracks for more information.

________________

Echotone, as a band, had two distinct eras. From 2006-2011 we were a four-piece, with Lee Moffatt, Melanie Moffatt (née Ferguson), Paul Whibley and myself. Before that, from the first gig in 2003 at a friend’s birthday up until 2006, the band was an acoustic-based duo of Lee and I, two school friends who independently took up the guitar and then started jamming with each other and writing songs. In 2002, before I think we were even officially ‘Echotone’, we clubbed together and bought a four-track cassette recorder. From this now archaic piece of technology sprang forth the seeds of the compilation you now hold in your hands (or store on your hard drive of choice). We wrote a lot of songs back in the day; if those that were ultimately recorded on official studio releases represent the tip of the iceberg, the songs here are a hefty chunk of what lurked beneath the waves (in one case literally ‘The Waves’). 2022 marks 20 years since Lee and I first started playing these songs together.

It’s difficult to express how utterly rudimentary the four-track was, especially compared to the digital technology now available on even the average mobile phone. The picture on the front of this album is the exact model we had; every final mix was a performance in and of itself, with Lee and I manually operating the volume levels on each track in real time, and you had four tracks maximum unless you ‘bounced’ two together using another tape deck, meaning they were then merged forever and you potentially lost sound quality. Getting these old songs finished — virtually all of them were incomplete, to varying degrees — and properly mixed has been an undertaking spread over many years; a song here, a track there, as time, interest and other projects allowed.

Going back through the Echotone archives, the original tracks were transferred to digital media, then remixed and remastered to give each song a new lick of paint. This is the best we can get each tune to sound with modern technology; in some cases tracks had been ‘bounced’ and couldn’t be separated, in others the tape had degraded or the original recording was itself in scratchy, lo-fi quality. New elements were also needed for parts that were incomplete; the tightrope to walk in creating this album was in maintaining what we originally recorded all those years ago, whilst also serving the best interests of the songs and not just preserving the limitations of yesteryear. As such, there’s an element of ‘Trigger’s Broom’ involved here, and whilst some elements and some songs may sound a bit rougher than the full studio recordings of the period, if a tune needed a tempo tweak or vocal fix or a new rhythm track, it’s been given one, rather than do the songs a disservice.

As a live band, we played almost totally acoustically in the early days, with Lee very occasionally on electric guitar. You can hear this on live releases like 'Echotone Unplugged' and 'Hanging Out'. The studio records we made at the time — 'The Echotone EP' and 'Sun Dream' — reflect this acoustic trend in terms of their instrumentation and the short studio time we had. Recording at home on the four-track we were less restricted, and often used electric guitars. The Echotone herein is a more rocking version than you might expect from that time, but it’s still the same two blokes playing guitar and writing songs.

Eventually the four-track fell out of use; we got better gear (I still weep for the many songs lost when Lee’s digital eight-track studio suddenly packed up some years later — even more than are captured here) and things moved on. But it’s been a pleasure to slowly unearth these nuggets from the dim and distant past of the ’Tone; we hope you enjoy them in the spirit in which they were intended, and as a document of a fondly remembered time.

James Goodwin
North London, July 2022

credits

released July 26, 2022

________________

Echotone was:
James Goodwin - vocals, guitars, keys, drums
Lee Moffatt - vocals, guitars, slide, harmonica

super-sub: Andy Devine - keyboards on 'Don't You Worry'

all songs by Echotone
lyrics for Tracks 1, 4, 7, 12 & 17 by Lee Moffatt
lyrics for Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14,
15, 16, 18, 19, 20 & 21 by James Goodwin
(©2022 Copyright Control. All Rights Reserved)‌

except 'I Wish I Was A Tree' by Alan Reed
original version from the album 'Parallel World' by Alien Alan
(©2002 Alan Reed. All Rights Reserved)

produced, recorded & mixed by The 'Tone
additional mixing & mastering by James Goodwin

original recording in the homes of the ’Tone, 2002-2005
additional recording and mixing undertaken sporadically
at various locations across London and Essex, 2014-2021

design, photgraphy & sleeve notes by James Goodwin

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Echotone London, UK

"Empathetic alt folk" - TIME OUT

"Layers of harmony and incisive arrangement squeezed into perfectly crafted songs" - PANIC MAGAZINE

"They have plenty of influences - country, folk, indie - but the overall effect is of a wonderfully fresh sound" - ROMFORD RECORDER ... more

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