The Shape Of Things

Josh Johnston – Piano

 

Produced by Josh Johnston

Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Brian Masterson

All compositions by Josh Johnston except

"Asylum Harbour" by Josh Johnston & Stephen Joseph McArdle

"The Late Train" by Roesy

"Cimiez" by David MacKenzie               

Tracks 1 & 6 were originally composed as part of an improvised score for “Guests Of The Nation” a 1935 Irish movie of the short story by Frank O’Connor, directed by Josh’s grandfather, Denis Johnston.

Cover photography by Will O'Connell
Graphic Design by Keith Mullins

Josh’s previous albums (Three Friends 2000 and Asylum Harbour 2008) were noted for his distinctive piano style but also for their lyrics - sometimes playful, sometimes provocative.  In The Shape of Things, Johnston boldly abandons lyrics altogether.  “Going purely instrumental wasn’t only a response to the turbulent times we live in,” says Johnston, “but when I thought about it, I figured the last thing the world needed today was yet more words.  There are both too many words and, at the same time, not enough to give us calm in these times.”

 

The Shape Of Things is a piano-solo CD recorded over one day in January 2010 in St. Peter’s Church of Ireland in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.  It was recorded, mixed and mastered by Brian Masterson and produced by Johnston himself. 

                                                

The CD features eleven original compositions, a new composition by long-time collaborator David MacKenzie and a unique interpretation of The Late Train by Birr singer/songwriter Roesy with whom Johnston toured regularly from 2001-2006. 

 

Johnston’s live performances are often elevated by a high degee of spontanaeity.  The Shape of Things captures that improvising spirit: while all the tracks on the CD had a composed structure, various parts throughout were improvised in the studio, including the covers. 

 

The idea of a completely instrumental album had been brewing for a while. Josh explains, “I’ve always put instrumentals into my live set as the piano and my piano style are such an important part of my sound and I know that people enjoy that side of my playing. Many people had been suggesting that I should record a purely instrumental piano album but I always resisted.  I could always hear other instruments in my arrangements and love working with other musicians.”

 

“When I was recording a follow-up to Asylum Harbour, I spent a day recording piano with Brian Masterson who I’d worked with before with David MacKenzie and on Asylum Harbour itself. We went to Drogheda to record with no preconceptions, but to record whatever happened.”

 

“The sound grew organically from the beginning of the session which took place at the tail-end of the big freeze in the middle of January 2010. I think the atmosphere is really palpable from the tracks and that informed my choice of cover art as well. By the end of the day we had 13 tracks.”

 

Upon its release, tracks from the CD received positive reviews, particularly in the US where the CD stayed in the Zone Music Airplay Top 10 Chart for New Age Releases for five consecutive months.