Sam Phillips will be releasing an EP entitled Magic for Everybody digitally on April 20. This is the third EP of five that are part of the Long Play project at www.samphillips.com which also will include a full length album, the latter consisting of new recordings separate from the EPs. Magic For Everybody was released to participants in Phillips' Long Play in February as one of the premiums included in their membership.. The EP features five tracks produced by Sam herself, recorded and mixed at Littlebox Recordings during January and February 2010. The songs include the title track, Always Merry and Bright," "Lever Pulled Down," "Tell Her What She Wants To Know" and "Trouble." These numbers are performed by longtime Phillips collaborator Jay Bellerose on drums, Jennifer Condos on bass, Greg Leisz on electric guitar, Eric Gorfain (The Section Quartet) on guitar and string arranging. Oh, and Sam on vocals, guitar and piano!
The material is classic Phillips, tuneful, sophisticated yet straightforward melodies each with a distinctive compositional twist. Each song has its own unique production fillip ranging from the grandly orchestral "Always Merry And Bright" (shades of Roy Orbison!), to the intricate backing vocal lacework of "Trouble" and "Lever Pulled Down" with its rambunctious boogieing beat and so on.
This and all the EPs are intended as opportunities for experimentation, searching for fresh inspiration, taking risks and having "selfish fun." They're a chance to explore artistic possibilities that wouldn't have been supported by music industry framework conventions of "album cycle" marketing and promotion. This being a digital release Phillips is continuing crafting the songs right to the point of release.
Long Play is a unique and ambitious web-based art and music installation featuring short films, original essays, candid footage of her at work in the studio, photographs by and of her and other exclusive material as well as the new music. Phillips explains, "In creating Long Play I thought about how I would love to be able to get a glimpse into the creative process of people I admire, be it musicians, filmmakers, authors, etc." The Long Play will provide just that kind of access to this artist's creative process now through October 2010.
The other features of Long Play are also crucial as they're the means by which Phillips can expose what inspires her: the events, people, environments as well as other arts and artists - be they filmmakers, painters, authors or other musicians. Long Play functions as a magazine, diary, radio program and museum all edited, written, hosted and curated by Phillips, documenting the rich matrix of resources that fuels her creative life.
