Bluesanct und das mit ihnen verhandelte Orphanology-Label bringen ein neues Tape mit zwölf Jahre alten Aufnahmen des amerikanischen Trios Pillars and Tongues heraus, die nach der Aufnahme als Entwurf auf die lange Bank geschoben worden. Das Tape der aus Evan Hydzik, Beth Remis und Mark Trecka bestehenden Band enthält die beiden episodischen, soundscapeartigen Tracks “Great / Most Secret” und “The Miracle”, die auf der Basis von Percussion, Kontrabass, Glocken, Streichern und mehrstimmigem Gesang eine von folkigen und weltmusikalischen Elementen durchzogene, ambiente Gestalt annehmen. Schon in diesem breit angelegten stilistischen Rahmen erscheint die Musik von Pillars and Tongues reich an Referenzen, die auch mal deutlicher zutge treten können wie im Rückgriff auf das traditionelle Spiritual “There is Balm in Gilead”.
“If you saw Pillars and Tongues perform anytime during 2008 – 2010, the set you heard was likely comprised of two long songs. They are called “Great / Most Secret” and “The Miracle.” Recorded in 2009 upon returning to Chicago from a lengthy tour with Bonnie “Prince” Billy, these two songs were meant to follow-up their 2010 album, “Lay of Pilgrim Park” (Empty Cellar). But, as fate would have it, for various reasons the tracks were shelved. In a certain sense, almost nothing Pillars and Tongues made together other than these songs matters nearly as much as these songs. They called them, at various times, “the balm songs” and “the blood songs.” They now have no certain memory of how the songs came together.
They just played and played until they came, singing and playing together many hours a week in living rooms and community centers in New Mexico and in the old wire factory in Chicago and big, old theaters in western Canada, and art galleries and coffee shops and bars in the plains and along both coasts. They played them in French theaters and in Spanish bars and Portuguese castles. And then they played them in a big room with big windows in Chicago, during a thunderstorm, and producer Mike Usrey captured it. These two songs drove for a long time. Then they laid low for a long while. And now they are here. Why now? We have no idea. This coincides with nothing in particular, proceeds from nothing in particular. These songs come now. It is just time.” (Bluesanct)