The Goldleaf album Thousands of Birds was created as an acoustic palate cleanser. We were in the waning days of our respective dissolving bands – Colder Than Fargo (Andy) & Six Months to Live (Shawn) – and wanted to create a simple and soothing album to counterbalance the stress of a band break up.
This album chronicles the swirling thoughts that surface during times of transition, especially break ups (in this case a band, in others a lover or friend). Reflections on the passage of time, what might have been, and the hazy light at the end of a long tunnel are themes that crop up in many of the songs.
We enjoyed the process, which was strung out over several months in the autumn of 09. Brian Hunter did an excellent job recording, mixing and mastering the album in a corner room in the basement of Swallow hill called Sawtelle Studio. We played most of the instruments, but brought in a few reinforcements who really helped fill out the sound. Mike Facey on stand up bass, Ed Contreras on drums and Tom Hagerman on violin.
We will perform this album once as a cd release party on January 9th 2010 at Michaelangelos wine bar. It was created as a transitional album and we are transitioning to something new. This as yet to be named project will incorporate a heavy blues guitar sound and we will start up again in 2010.
In the meantime we hope you enjoy the album.
-Andy & Shawn
Andy Gross & Shawn Sandler have been collaborating since age 12. They met in a children’s choir and went on to make rock music in high school, college and beyond. These collaborations include the following groups/albums:
- The Wasteband (1991)
- Hambone (1992)
- Do You Think (1994)
- Whirling Dervish (1996)
- Vena Cava/Kava (1997-99)
- Sunsettler (2001 & 2003)
- The Mad Yaks (2006)
- Goldleaf (2009)