Name: Rosy Maze
Brand: Marker Starling

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

TAR045

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Discs

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2017-02-11

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Proper

Tax rate GB

UPC / Barcode

5052571052723

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1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Marker Starling

Genre GB

Prog Rock

Label GB

Tin Angel

Written and played mostly on a Wurlitzer electric piano and produced by longtime associate Zack G, the new record is a departure from previous Mantler releases, as it features Jay Anderson (drums) and Matt McLaren (bass) on all songs but one, making it truly a band record. Two key members of Anderson and McLaren's band, Steamboat - Nick Taylor (guitar) and Christopher Sandes (organ) - are featured on Rosy Maze, which also showcases some ambitious string and horn arrangements. Toronto stalwarts Michael Davidson and Jeremy Strachan play vibraphone and saxophones/flutes (including bass and alto flute) respectively, the latter also providing the delicate string arrangement for the album's most epic track, "Heed the Call." 

Longtime collaborator Ryan Driver contributed additional flute playing while Felicity Williams created the vocal arrangements for three male voices (Thom Gill, Ben Gunning and Alex Samaras). During the album's four-year production period, Cummings lost a close friend, longtime backing singer Dennis Frey, who passed away in December 2012, and whose voice is included on the record via a 1999 cassette demo. "My previous record, Monody, was the first one to feature a large number of additional musicians; my prior records were mostly solo affairs. With my third record, Landau, I wanted to make a complete departure from my previous output by making a non-lo-fi record, and also by composing it electronically, and I was able to bring my songwriting up to a more sophisticated level as a result. After Monody, which was a mixed band/solo/electronic record, I wanted to make a 'pure' band record with drums and bass throughout, but at the same time keeping the kind of pastoral feeling of my previous work." Rosy Maze is the latest in a series of records in the category-defying area of music that has been Cummings' stock-in-trade since 2000, and which has been dubbed "outsider easy listening" by Toronto's NOW Magazine.

Rosy Maze

Music GB