They‘ll gather no seed
They’ll break no bread
They‘ll gather no seed
But a hunger Instead
Bring me my home back
They’ll nourish no root
They’ll feed no soil
They‘ll grow no leaf
But a moaning and toil
Bring me my home back
Stone me and I’ll break
Shoot me and I’ll fall
Cut me and I’ll bleed
Bells toll for us all
Bring me my home back
How bark was my home
When wind was my bride
When men tore our flight
From skies far and wide
Give me my home back
Foghorn calling
Thought I spied a ship at the harbour gate
Saw the mooring
When the anchor dropped with the iron weight
Where there’s a will there’s a wanting
Where there's a heart there’s something
Where there’s a will there’s a wanting
A hand to hope
A hope to hold
To drag forth the darkness from you
Heard a whispering
With the ballot cast on the judgement floor
Heard a wailing
When the word was called it was called no more
Where there’s a wish there’s a yearning
Where there’s a turn there’s a burning
Where there’s a wish there’s a yearning
A hand to hope
A hope to hold
To call forth the darkness from you
Ship is leaving
When the bell will toll it’ll toll for you
No denying
When the log is lost it can’t be true
Where there’s a will there’s a wanting
Where there's a heart there’s something
Where there’s a will there’s a wanting
A hand to hope
A hope to hold
To drag forth the darkness from you
Foghorn calling
Foghorn calling
Foghorn calling
Foghorn calling
Where there’s a will there’s a wanting
Where there's a heart there’s something
Where there’s a will there’s a wanting
A hand to hope
A hope to hold
To drag forth the darkness from you
Too far in
Can’t turn back
Too long gone
in the gap
Shedding skin
I repent
Step by step
My lament
For the wound Dunya
I traded her
For the hope and the tear Dunya
I believed in her
For a dream
Colour breaks
Over lines
Your eyes wake
Into mine
Draw the blade
Stripped and bare
Kiss the lash
Meet me there
For the wound Dunya I traded her
For the hope and the tear Dunya
I believed in her
In a dream
And the moon Dunya
I bled for her
In a dream
Higher the peak shadows fall
Deeper the well the echo calls
Here in the unknown out of the gap
Wrapped in the fold the devil’s trap
Milder the winter fairer the tide
Finer the dust when sunlight climbs
There with the ether there with the snow
The flake on the window with the ember glowing
Wide was the water low was the tide
Darker the fear we rose to ride
You pulled me under I held you there
Together forever everywhere
Cover the darkness heaven hell
Over the distant peeling bells
Ringing in hope without regret
The living and dying of Spring are set
Turn for tomorrow leaf over years
Page after page bled out tears
Faster disciple dearest of none
Bowing to no one kingdom come
Wide was the water low was the tide
Darker the fear we rose to ride
You pulled me under I held you there
Together forever everywhere
Wide was the water low was the tide
Darker the fear we rose to ride
You held me under I pulled you there
Together forever everywhere
All aboard pull the oar and row
All aboard to the poles we go
All aboard take the oar and row
Climb aboard for the gale will blow
All aboard to the prairies wild
All aboard man woman and child
All aboard to the prairies wild
Back to back and side to side
All aboard watch paradise burn
All aboard for the past I yearn
All aboard watch paradise burn
Douse the flame will it ever return
All aboard Noah built the arc
All aboard now the choice is stark
All aboard came two by two
All aboard will he come for you
All aboard Noah built the arc
All aboard before the day was dark
All aboard run from the frey
All aboard we’ll sail away
All aboard now the waters rise
All aboard thunder in the skies
All aboard now the waters rise
On the plank before the last light dies
All aboard pull the oar and row
All aboard to the poles we go
All aboard take the oar and row
Climb aboard for the gale will blow
All aboard pull the oar and row
All aboard to the poles we go
All aboard take the oar and row
For the gale will blow
All aboard to the prairies wild
All aboard man woman and child
All aboard to the prairies wild
Back to back and side by side
All aboard now the waters rise
All aboard thunder in the skies
All aboard now the waters rise
On the plank before the last light dies
All aboard pull the oar and row
All aboard to the poles we go
All aboard take the oar and row
Climb aboard for the gale will blow
I found a path
Maybe it found me
I was blind now I see
I heard a call
Or was it from my throat
A murmur wound in the note
Like a hundred lashes
Flames give birth to ashes
When the levee crashes
Row
Who stole the birds
Tore then from the sky ?
Who then covered up the lie?
Back then before
As brothers we
Grew as leaves do for trees
Must I long for thunder
Longing how I wonder
Waves will pull me under
Row
To be undone
To die and be renewed
The lies I once took to be true
I fell for good
Off the face of time
When your eyes looked into mine
Like a hundred lashes
Flames give birth to ashes
When the levee crashes
Row
Must I long for thunder
Longing how I wonder
Waves will pull me under
Row
Dreams will be remains
Fragments never claimed
Dreams will be remains
Gain and again
Skies forever weep
Teardrops I will reap
Skies forever weep
Never ever keep
Hear me when I speak
Hear me when I cry
Hear me before I
Lay low to lie
Dipping with the lark gone
Echoes of the one song
Bending with the fold now
Broken with the last true vow
Nights will gather sleep
Shepherds they will reap
Nights will gather sleep
Drag me to the deep
Purpose is a fault
Cracked under the vault
Purpose is a fault
Reset time to nought
Hear me when I speak
Hear me when I cry
Hear me before I
Lay low to lie
Dipping with the lark gone
Echoes of the one song
Bending with the fold now
Broken with the last true vow
Hear them when they speak
Hear them when they cry
Hear them before they
Lay low to lie
When the longest night
Folds back in to day
You’ll know my love
Not to be afraid
It’s the way we’re made
Makes us break away
In your embrace
I was meant to stay
You’re not alone
To the wind you take
Murmuring desire
At the rib you ache
It’s the way we’re made
Makes us break away
Like dust and debris
In sunlight playing
It’s the way we’re made
God breath into clay
In your embrace
I was meant to stay
This house of ours a ball and chain
This house of ours where no one reigns
Forget my name and our abode
Abandon ship abort the code
I was at the bridge the fuel spent
You were at the turn but why repent
I was at the drop abandon all
I was on my knees
Unbreakable
Fire fly burning up the light
How high far into the night
This hidden sun gave birth to stars
Moonlight moans across the bars
This story then in time unfolds
This body when with words I’m told
I was at the fall drawn to the edge
You were at the lock torn at the thread
I was at the flame the root the creed
You were at the cut but why believe?
But why believe?
Fire fly burning up the light
How high far into the night
I never believed it was true
I never believed it was you
I never believed it was true
I never believed it was you
Only you only me
Only you only me
Only you only me
Gone is the hour when the hand drops
There goes the fall at the last stop
Soar on the wing south we’ve gone
Trapped at the fold hurricane blowing
Dive with the wind dipped in the tide
Snapped at the edge but the wrong side
You wouldn’t wait and I couldn’t stay
Trick to the bait is Nature’s play
Form is the bone with the vessel cracked
Spoke in the wheel with the back track
Bird on the branch with no say
Sing a little now for another way
Burden’s a beast without a home
Too far gone I’ve never known
Paradise fell on the eighth day
We’re on the last watch
Should I even pray ?
I want us to grow old
I want us to get through
I want us to be whole
I’d love to be as new
I want us to evolve
I’d like us to be true
Then maybe we’d be whole
And we could be as new
I want us to grow old
I want us to get through
I want us to be whole
Then we could be as new
A little died
Some little part of me has died
Angel bear it to the sky
A little died
Little part of me has died
Can’t help it how I tried
I yelled before
Yell it again
I’ll yell it now
Remember them
I yelled before
Yell it again
I’ll yell it now
Remember them
A little lie
Some little part of me a lie
Angel hold it to the fire
A little lie
Little part of me a lie
Had to tell it don’t know why
I yelled before
Yell it again
I’ll yell it now
Remember them
I yelled before
I’ll yell again
I’ll yell it now
Remember them
I yelled before
I’ll yell again
I’ll yell it now
Remember them
You were the blood kissed by the thorn
I was the wind in the leaf
Bent at the eye of the storm
North at the pole repelled and drawn
I wanted to fall or to be reborn
Fall or to be reborn
I tried to be brave you tried to be strong
You said I was wise like a king
More like a fool all along
I wanted to drown in the dust of a drought
I wanted in when the real way was out
In when the real way was out
And so I ran but nowhere fast
I was the hare in the lights
And the lead that fired up the glass
The way was dark and I should have passed
You were the first through and I was the last
The first through and I was the last
Tides always turn dipping away
I was the wing in flight
Dying to return some day
But I couldn’t leave nor could I stay
Deliver me I used to say
Deliver me I used to say
Once more to the fore but for what cause
I heard a heartbeat and then a pause
Go where the real way is yours
Go where the real way is yours
Produced by Piers Faccini and Frederic Soulard
All songs by Piers Faccini except :
Dunya - Music and lyrics by Piers Faccini and Malik Ziad
All Aboard - Lyrics written by Piers Faccini, music by Piers Faccini and Malik Ziad, arranged by Karim Ziad
Foghorn Calling and Remember Them, arranged by Malik Ziad
Arrangements for string quartet on Dunya, Together Forever Everywhere, Lay Low To Lie and Paradise Fell by Luc Suarez
Arrangements for string quartet on They Will Gather No Seed and Epilogue by Luc Suarez and Frederic Soulard
Recorded at Blackbox, Angers, France by Frederic Soulard and Etienne Clauzel from June 19th to 30th, 2020
Drums by Simone Prattico on Dunya and Lay Low To Lie recorded at NGR, Roma
by Francesco De Nigris
Ben Harper recorded his voice and acoustic slide guitar on All Aboard at home in L.A
Abdelkebir Merchane on All Aboard recorded by Tarik Hmiti, at HMTI, Marrakech, Morocco
Strings recorded by Sébastien Tondo at Studio 12 ter, Montreuil, France on July 15th and 16th, 2020
Mixed by Frederic Soulard assisted by Léo Nivot at Studio Méchant, Paris, France
Mastered by Chab at Chab mastering, Paris, France
Executive production and A&R – Anaïs Ledoux and Laurent Bizot
Artwork - Piers Faccini
Design - Element(s)
Published by Beating Drum / Nø Førmat!
They Will Gather No Seed
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar, piano, percussion
Sylvain Favre-Bulle - Violin
Florian Maviel - Violin
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
Foghorn Calling
Piers Faccini - Voice, electric guitar, guitar-oud, backing vocals
Malik Ziad - Guembri, backing vocals
Karim Ziad - Karkabous, tbel, backing vocals
Clément Petit - Cello
Dunya
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals
Malik Ziad - Voice, aouisha, guembri, backing vocals
Karim Ziad - Brushes, tbel, cassettes, backing vocals
Simone Prattico - Snare drum
Sylvain Favre-Bulle - Violin
Florian Maviel - Violin
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
Together Forever Everywhere
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar
Sylvain Favre-Bulle - Violin
Florian Maviel - Violin
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
All Aboard Feat. Ben Harper and Abdelkebir Merchane
Abdelkebir Merchane sings the traditional El Fqih
Piers Faccini - Voice, National, electric guitar, backing vocals
Ben Harper - Voice, acoustic slide guitar, backing vocals
Abdelkebir Merchane - Voice, backing vocals
Malik Ziad - Aouisha, backing vocals
Karim Ziad - Guembri, karkabous, tbel, backing vocals
Levante
Piers Faccini - Voice, National, guitar-oud, backing vocals, claps
Malik Ziad - Aouisha, backing vocals, claps
Karim Ziad - Brushes, bendir, karkabous, backing vocals, claps
Oriane Lacaille - Kayamb
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
Lay Low To Lie
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Malik Ziad - Guembri, oud, backing vocals
Karim Ziad - Bendir, backing vocals
Simone Prattico - Drums
Sylvain Favre-Bulle - Violin
Florian Maviel - Violin
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
The Longest Night
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar, guitar-oud, harmonium, backing vocals
Firefly
Piers Faccini - Voice, electric guitars, backing vocals, claps
Malik Ziad - Guembri, mandole, backing vocals, claps
Karim Ziad - Bendir, taàrija, backing vocals, claps
Oriane Lacaille - Backing vocals
Clément Petit - Cello
Paradise Fell
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar, dulcimer, psaltery, backing vocals
Malik Ziad - Guembri
Sylvain Favre-Bulle - Violin
Florian Maviel - Violin
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
Remember Them
Piers Faccini - Voice, guitar-oud, backing vocals
Malik Ziad - Guembri
Karim Ziad - Bendir, taàrija
The Real Way Out
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Clement Petit- Cello
Epilogue
Piers Faccini - Voice, acoustic guitar, piano, percussion
Sylvain Favre-Bulle - Violin
Florian Maviel - Violin
Benachir Boukhatem - Viola
Clément Petit - Cello
In the Gabriel Garcia Marquez story A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, the author reflects on the opposing facets of human nature, like the two sides of a spinning coin landing randomly either on cruelty or compassion. Anglo-Italian songwriter Piers Faccini’s new album Shapes Of The Fall, speaks of something similar, through songs he asks, which part of our nature will prevail; will we, as the very old man with broken wings, learn to fly again or are we destined to fall?
With the opening song, They Will Gather No Seed, the narrative tilts us more toward the latter and with it, the fall. A sparsely plucked guitar blends with a distant finger snap and the single bass notes of a piano and while a string quartet builds in intensity, Faccini sings, “They’ll gather no seed, they’ll break no bread, they’ll gather no seed but a hunger instead.” If shapes of the fall are the myriad endangered forms that make up the mosaic of our environmental collapse, the descent is of our doing or undoing. ''Bring me my home back'' is not the singer’s personal cry for a home but the animal lament of innumerable species on the brink of extinction.
A dystopian flood myth narrative is the theme of All Aboard, a song in which the only two guests on the album feature; Californian singer-songwriter Ben Harper, a collaborator from his 2005 album, Tearing Sky and Moroccan singer and master of the trance traditions known as Gnawa, Abdelkebir Merchane. “All aboard, pull the oar and row, all aboard to the poles we go,” sing Faccini and Harper while the Moroccan master’s intervention brings a shift into a major key as he asks the Gnawa saint or djinn, El Fqih for blessing and healing. In this way, ruin or repair and hope or despair are the album‘s parallel narratives; with All aboard, it swings back toward light, toward hope.
Over the years, Faccini, has often made of his songwriting, a passion for pursuing the kind of cross-cultural dialogues that have long been heard on Mediterranean shores throughout the centuries, bridging southern Europe with the Near East and Africa. And over his eight studio albums, including his duo album, Songs of Time Lost with cellist Vincent Segal, he has collaborated with musicians far in wide in search of musical dialogue such as Ballake Sissoko, Ibrahim Maalouf or Jasser Haj Youssef.
The musical influences in Shapes of the Fall draw heavily on Faccini’s own Mediterranean ancestry, on southern Italian, Arab-Andalusian or Sephardic modes and rhythms. Beginning with his fascination with Tarantismo from the Puglia region in Italy and the last known example of trance ritual and music taking place in Europe, the album crosses the narrow straights of the Mediterranean in song-like vessels, accompanied by the two Algerian brothers and master instrumentalists, Malik and Karim Ziad, to find and converse with existing trance traditions in the Maghreb and in Berber and Gnawa culture.
Whether it’s the more percussive Foghorn Calling, Firefly or Levante or the slower compositions like The Longest Night, featuring Faccini’s custom made hybrid fretless instrument, the guitar-oud, the songs, all recorded live in a farmhouse studio hidden away in the French countryside by co-producer and sound engineer Fred Soulard, are steeped in rhythm. Percussion marks time, cuts silence into dances, frame drums pulse (bendir, tamburello) while the metal on metal of the karkabous and claps, provide the spark to fire up the songs. Throughout the album, rhythm fans the flames of their collective fire.
And so the songs act as an eulogy filled with regrets and somber sorrow that begs to be addressed or redressed, but with notes of hope, it blossoms within us a brimming emotion born of the internal monologues of our own lives, our own reflections. How have we strung the beads of our lives together, what choices, what actions determine our rise or fall?
The cyclical, Folk-like, call and response forms in these songs calls then to us, to those with voice. Asks us, what are we going to do with the rest of our time in the world, what are we going to do with the rest of the world? The theme returns, shifting in musical shape, the questions remain, unanswered, rhetorical.
Verses keep us rooted in the rhythm of earth, bridges dip and soar, choruses drop us straight into the realm of emotion until, unraveling, spinning out, the verse and percussion earth us again. Arrangements for string quartet by the Spanish composer, Lucas Suarez, a collaborator from Faccini’s 90’s London based band Charley Marlowe are the album’s Greek chorus, turning and returning, summoning Faccini to push his voice and narrative through eerie registers. Pleading, he sings, bending notes inspired by musical modes (Arabic Maqam, Andalusian) where the fractured or microtonal notes between notes are deliberately invoked as gut stringed (guembri) and fretless instruments (oud, aouisha) reply. Here, the magical and mythical clash with the real and present giving the listener a liminal space in which to insert their life and living into the music.
These songs feel like songs of renewal and caution, the kind of songs one can imagine A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings singing to regain his strength, to repair his feathers, to gather his spirit once more before he was ready to ascend back into the powder blue skies.
05/06 MASSY (91) Paul B
06/06 BEAUPRÉAU (49) Rivage des Voix
10/06 BOULOGNE-SUR-MER (62) Carré SAM
16/06 PARIS (75) Le Trianon
26/06 LES CÉVENNES La Route de la Voix
02/07 NÉVACHE (05) Terre Sauvage Festival
03/07 NÉVACHE (05) Terre Sauvage Festival
05/07 VIENNE (38) Jazz à Vienne
08/07 LES CÉVENNES La Route de la Voix
10/07 GRENOBLE (38) Chapelle Baroque
14/07 ARLES (13) Les Suds
17/07 UZÈS (30) Festival Autres Rivages
21/07 MÈZE (34) Festival de Thau
26/07 SAINT-PROUANT (85) Prieuré de Grammont
29/07 PORNICHET (44) Les Rencarts
31/07 CHAMONIX (74) CosmoJazz Festival
19/08 LES CÉVENNES La Route de la Voix
02/09 CÉNON (33) Le Rocher de Palmer
17,18,19/09 LES CÉVENNES La Route de la Voi