| The Hardship Diaries | |
|---|---|
| Studio album by Dave McPherson | |
| Released | 10 April 2011 |
| Recorded | May 2009 and September/October 2011 |
| Genre | Acoustic, folk, rock |
| Length | TBA |
| Label | Graphite Records / Northern Music |
| Producer | Mike Curtis |
The Hardship Diaries is the debut full length solo release from InMe frontman Dave McPherson. The album is set to be released on April 10, 2011 through Pledge Music.
The first single from the album has been confirmed as "Summer: She Puts Me In a Good Mood".
Contents |
The creation of the album began as early as 2008 and a provisional track list was made public in early 2009. The tracklist changed several times before the final version was confirmed in October 2010 through McPherson's official Facebook page. The album was initially intended to be released much earlier but was held back due to McPherson's commitments to InMe and other solo EP releases.
The album was funded through a Pledge Music campaign, launched on 10 January 2011. The pledge reached its target within 48 hours of being launched and has since done so three times over.
Compared to his technical electric guitar work in InMe, McPherson's sound on The Hardship Diaries is a much softer, stripped back acoustic experience with a live feel to the tracks. The songs are much akin to InMe's softer songs but outside of a band environment, with McPherson citing influences such as Loudon Wainwright III, Talk Talk, Frank Turner, City and Colour and Pink Floyd.
All songs written and performed by Dave McPherson.
The final track listing is vastly different to the initial one and it is estimated that up to 20 songs may have been recorded or demoed in the sessions for the album.
4 tracks recorded in the first sessions for the album (Dance Floor Folk-Core, Scary Envelope, A Chameleon's True Colours and The Gentleman's Blues) were all initially intended for the album but were replaced by the four seasons suite. They have since been released in EP format under the title A Pauper's Prequel. Another song on the initial track listing, 1982, appears to have been scrapped entirely.
The album's opening track "Hearts Need Blood" also featured on McPherson's I Don't Do Requests EP which saw release in 2008. The track was written as early as 2007. It has been re-recorded for the album. Further to this, 'Autumn: A Ghostly Reprise' is believed to be a re-recording of "Drowning In A Quandary Of Ambivilence" from Dave's EP 'The Grand Odyssey Of The Whale And The Barnacle' which was released in 2010.