Tag: Split Level

I am guessing that Split Level was popular in Germany as Pila Music which is a German record company released four albums from the band. This EP was released to coincide with their ‘Artists Against Racism’ tour in Germany. Usually you plan a tour after releasing an album but oddly they planned the tour first but things do work different in the German music scene. Split Level were also named the ‘Best Christian Rock Band’ by the European Christian Booksellers Journal for 1985 on the strength of this EP. I’m amazed these guys were so big in Europe but I never heard of them until recently as they were never released in Canada and I don’t remember reading anything about them in Christian media at the time. As for the album it’s excellent as all their albums are. Colour Wheel was chosen as the first single but I lean more towards Twist In My Sobriety but it was a cover of a Tanita Tikaram song and covers as singles are always risky. Personally I think Colour Wheel is the weakest track on the EP but what do I know. Also of note is that the album was produced by Andy Piercy of After The Fire fame and he helped with the writing of the title track too.

Tracklist
1 – Call Me White Call Me Black – 5:03
2 – Pocket Of Change – 3:47
3 – Colour Wheel – 3:43
4 – Twist In My Sobriety (Mondo Mix) – 3:43
5 – Borderland (Non-Stop Mix) – 3:52
6 – Alone (Penny Whistle Mix) – 3:26

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Gary Preston
Design [Sleeve Design] – Dan Donovan
Drums, Vocals – Rob Craner
Engineer – Paul Burton
Engineer [Assistant] – Trevor Michael
Fiddle, Cymbal – Jean Pierre Rudolph
Photography By [Booklet] – Colin E. Mill
Photography By [Inlay] – Georg Karlstetter
Producer – Andy Piercy
Vocals, Guitar – Adrian Thompson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Pila Music
Copyright © – Pila Music
Recorded At – ICC Studios
Mixed At – ICC Studios
Pressed By – BOD Berlin Optical Disc

This is the second album from Split Level and what a great album it is. Their first album was released on a label I’ve never heard of and can’t find any record of, Big Feet Records. I also can’t find a copy of the album. The band went into the studio with Andy McCarroll who was about to produce his first album. Reportedly when the album came out the band said the album didn’t sound like them. I just watched a live cut of them and I think it did represent them well. Maybe the band wasn’t used to a studio album toning down the rawness that band has live. From the one track I saw live the album is a pretty good representation. Anyway the album was popular and the band kept on touring and playing gigs where they thought they could reach people who wouldn’t normally listen to Christian music. It should be noted that the released album track order was not the same as the album label. I have no idea if this was intentional or a gimmick but here we’ve presented the tracks in to order on the record label. Word only released the album in the U.K. and why they did that is beyond me. I’m sure this album would have done well in the North American market.

Tracklist
1 – Land Of Freedom – 3:45
2 – Peace Of Home – 3:02
3 – I Will Live – 3:25
4 – Into The Fire – 3:40
5 – It Won’t Be Long – 4:27
6 – Sons Of Liberty – 3:58
7 – View Of A World – 3:48
8 – Desertland – 3:21
9 – God Is – 4:13
10 – Dove – 3:54

Credits
Design – James Kessell
Keyboards – Brian Jones
Keyboards, Programmed By [Engineering Programming] – Enda Walsh
Mixed By – Neil Costello, Pat McCarthy
Photography By – Jim Loring
Photography By [Additional] – Branka Jukić
Producer – Andy McCarroll
Vocals, Bass Guitar – Derek Currie
Vocals, Drums – Barry Kennedy
Vocals, Guitar – Adrian Thompson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Gap Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word (UK) Ltd.
Mixed At – ICC Studios
Recorded At – Homestead Studios
Copyright © – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Copyright © – Gap Music (2)
Printed By – Shorewood Packaging
Made By – Shorewood Packaging
Mixed At – Windmill Lane Studios

Originating from the fruitful music motherland of Ireland in the mid-1980’s, Split Level with a pop riven alternative band that fit right into the mold of British music of the day. For fans of The Baby’s, The Tubes, The Imitators et al, the band garnered a decent following in Europe, though struggled to really breakthrough in the states. After moving to England the band found itself releasing an independent project that sounded more like demos before releasing the highly coveted, “Sons of Liberty” on the British imprint of What? Records. The band would exist for nearly two decades, but only release albums occasionally. The album spotlighted here is their final studio project, “glo.bal.” Released through Pamplin Music (where artists went to die), the album was only a blip on the rock/alternative scene even in the US. Limited marketing and a sound that didn’t fit the accepted sound of Christian music at the time (acoustic folk or hardcore), this was the least “European” sounding album of their career. It is also ranks among their best. “Everything” kicks off the record with what should have been the biggest rock radio hit. Easily palatable to fans of The Elms, Smalltown Poets and Seven Day Jesus, the song has a monster hook chorus and radio friendly vibe. Occasionally the melody got lost in questionable production, where the distortion of the guitar overplays its hand and distracts from the melody. Such is the case with “Twister,” which could have been a mainstream radio single in the early 90’s. The best chance for mainstream Christian radio airplay is the mid-tempo ballad, “Emily.” Touches of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Blind Melon, Dinosaur Jr. and other similar bands with a hooky chorus driven be bass and acoustic guitar. The order of songs is really interesting. Starting with more melodic pop rock, the album becomes much more experimental and introspective as it closes. And much mellower. The second half of the album could easily been released under the moniker, Smalltown Poets. Great acoustic rock with smart melodies. In a way, the band seemed to hit its stride in finding an identity that could have proven successful in the states, but it would unfortunately serve as the last studio project as only a live album would be released a few years later.

Contributor David Lowman – https://legacyccmsgreatestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Everything – 3:58
2 – Twister – 3:58
3 – Emily – 3:54
4 – Healed – 4:40
5 – The Things I Do – 3:54
6 – Shrinking Brain – 3:38
7 – Circles – 5:45
8 – If I Should Leave – 4:46
9 – Fly – 2:53
10 – Pinlight – 4:25
11 – Got Your Number – 3:09

Credits
$B Dash 3 – Musician
David Bach – Art Direction
Rob Craner – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Dan Donovan – Art Direction
Rick Elias – Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Chris Grainger – Mixing Assistant
Russ Long – Engineer, Mixing, Percussion, Theremin
Phil Madeira – Musician
Trevor Michael – Studio Assistant
Ben Pearson – Photography
Gary Randall – Executive Producer
Mark Roth – Cover Design, Photography
Split Level – Primary Artist
Hank Williams – Mastering

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Pila Music
Manufactured By – Pila Music
Record Company – Organic Records
Distributed By – Pamplin Music