Damon & Naomi - The Earth is Blue

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1. Beautiful Close Double
2. A Second Life
3. Malibran
4. House of Glass
5. Sometimes
6. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
7. Ueno Station
8. The Robot Speaks
9. Araçá Azul
10. The Earth is Blue

Damon Krukowski – Acoustic guitar, drums, vocals
Naomi Yang – Bass, keyboards, vocals
Michio Kurihara – Electric guitar
Greg Kelley (trumpet) & Bhob Rainey (soprano sax) on tracks 1, 3, 6, 10
Dana Kletter (piano) on track 5

Produced by Damon & Naomi
Engineered & mixed by Damon Krukowski at Kali Studios 2003 – 2004
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music

Known for the intimacy of their albums recorded for Sub Pop in the 90s,  Damon & Naomi launched their own label 20/20/20 with the most expansive work of their career, featuring extensive electric guitar work by virtuoso Michio Kurihara, and their first use of horns since Ralph Carney’s infamous sax solo on Galaxie 500′s “Blue Thunder”. The Earth Is Blue marked a new phase of  songwriting and arranging for the duo, drawing inspiration from music encountered in their travels, from Japan (“Ueno Station” is an homage to acid-folk singer/songwriters Mikami Kan and Tomokawa Kazuki), to Brazil (a cover of Caetano Veloso’s “Araçá Azul” merges with their answer song, the title track “The Earth Is Blue”).

Praise for The Earth is Blue:

“The arrangements have never sounded so liquid or pure, their voices never more empathetic… A rarefied exemplar of genteel bliss.” — Keith Cameron, Mojo

“Now effectively a trio again with Ghost guitarist Michio Kurihara, they exhale the kind of swirling ‘perfect pop’ that was the default setting of late ’80s Creation releases, leaning into the crosswinds of Fairport-era folk-rock.” — Rob Young, Uncut

“The most satisfying and sheerly transfixing work of the twosome’s career.” — Matthew Murphy, Pitchfork