Phil Marshall is a musician and songwriter based in Rochester NY. Probably best-known outside of his city as the lead guitarist in the Colorblind James Experience, his musical explorations have been wide-ranging (even beyond the astonishing eclecticism of that particular band), but underlying it all is a delight in spontaneity, always being alert to the possibilities of every musical moment. Along with his substantial contributions to CbJE, Phil led the Hotheads, a 90s quintet that performed rock songs entirely spontaneously and Lalaland, a powerful pop ensemble with sharp songwriting and a sardonic edge. He also contributed to several albums of the free-improv group Coffee, and countless other Rochester artists have benefitted from his singular guitar playing and musical invention. In the 1990s Phil became certified as a music therapist and has worked continuously with terminally ill patients for the past twenty years or so, helping them and their families navigate their final transition in life. This has been incredibly challenging work emotionally, but has had a profound effect on his songwriting, and is deeply felt in this new collection of songs.

While vacationing on Monhegan Island in Maine, Phil wandered past the Monhegan Community Church and noticed that the church was open and passersby were welcome to enter as they pleased. Phil went in and found the atmosphere and acoustics of the space so inviting he returned with his guitar, and with his iPhone 8 recorded a large number of songs over the next couple of days. (Those of you who might wish for a longer album here should be comforted that there is much more material to be released from these Monhegan Island excursions.) Many of these are newly recorded songs and others have been released earlier (mainly from Phil's 2015 'Scatterbed' album), but are presented here in distinctive new acoustic realizations. Phil's impromptu recordings are striking in their intimacy and deeply felt expression. These are all single takes, with no technical enhancement beyond some subtle eq, but they deliver a musical impact that transcends their modest means. Phil has recorded some extraordinary musical moments over the course of his life, but none more so than these.

David D McIntire
27 August 2023
Parkville, MO