| This album was recorded in April 2004 in Dunedin New Zealand, except for
one track. Greg Franco was on a break
from his band Ferdinand. Their 2000 album "Demoted to Greeter"
was highly acclaimed especially by the Los Angeles hometown L.A. Weekly,
and New York's Village Voice. At the end of that year, it was on critic
"Falling James" Moorland's end of the year top ten. Ferdinand
played with the N.Z. legendary band "The Clean," in L.A. on September
21st 2001, Greg eventually (in 2003,) asked the Clean if he could
collaborate with them. "Southpawwest",
was recorded in one week with the very busy David Kilgour, and Robert
Scott, (Clean/The Bats). Hamish Kilgour was not involved.
Both D.K. and Robert Scott also have solo
projects, and D.K. is signed to Merge records. Gracefully, they guided
Greg in his venture outside of his band. Greg dubbed the new project/band,
"Wandering Bear," As if the California brown bear, wanders down to
Kiwi-land. The very last song recorded, is a album standout called "Absolution
Song," It was only a sketch of an idea, that was fleshed out, rehearsed
and recorded between lunch and dinner! The Clean inspired record
is a kind of rainy day pop music, and a type of indie-rock. The songs are
mostly short, verse, chours, verse, maybe bridge, maybe not, and done. It
has a sixties pop influence, and a tight groove, laid down by the talented
Tane Tokona on drums, and Robert Scott
on bass. Songs like "Guarantees", and "Oriole" also bring
this out. The guitar work, keyboards, percussion, and production work by
D.K. was impecable. Also seek the space pop crooner "Coffee", it
was recorded by a different group of greg's close friends, Kedron
and Lorenzo from Wellington, and the L.A. songwriter/guitarist Mark
Mastopietro. Lastly, the song written just after September 11th 2000
called "Tomorrows High's" is a soulful ballad here lamenting the
bad times, and the looming reactions, calling for a look toward the future.
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