Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Free album: 'Watershed' by w.p. bluhm (1985)

The fall of 1984 through early 1986 was the most prolific period of my life as an amateur songwriter so far. In the summer of '85, enamored of Springsteen's Nebraska, I recorded Watershed with just my voice on solo guitar. The results were so-so. After recording a multitracked album, Folks Songs, that December, I had second thoughts about the Springsteenesque approach and, in a blaze of work Dec. 21-22, 1985, I recorded this "official," multitracked version of Watershed.

To me, these 14 songs fit together as well as any group of songs I've ever assembled among the 20 albums I've inflicted on friends and family. I handed out C-45 cassette copies to anyone willing to listen.
By the way, there was only room for 13 songs on the 45-minute tape, which is why "Anybody Here" is unfinished here; part of my original vision for the project, it was the song I decided was expendable.

Why the name Watershed? I learned the word refers to the point where water finds its direction. Turn one way, and the water flows into a great river; another, and it meanders into a completely different body. Every moment is a time of watershed, some perhaps more so than others. These songs came to me as such a time.

I thought it might be fun to put those 20 albums out there for the world to hear, and this is one I thought turned out pretty well, so it's the first one I offer you. Click here or on the cover art to download. Thanks for giving it a listen, and let me know what you think.

Side 1
1. Christine (3:27)
2. Sweet Sarah Wilde (5:08)
3. My Baby's Gone (Two Women) (4:20)
4. You Can Tighten My Belt (3:19)
5. Love Can Be (1:45)
6. Anybody Here ("bonus track") (2:39)
7. Almost Every Love Goes Bad (2:43)

Side 2
8. Seems Like Old Times (2:27)
9. Blood Friends (4:23)
10. Sha-la-la-la-la-la (1:51)
11. Margie and Weasel (2:39)
12. Mama Come Out (2:34)
13. Teach Me to Lean O'er Again (4:53)
14. Just Today (2:43)

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