Search - J Neo Marvin & the Content Providers :: What Is Truth?

Ear Candle Recordings is mighty pleased to present What Is Truth?, the second album by J Neo Marvin & the Content Providers. Expanding on the sparse, minimalist sound of the first Content Providers CD, Slowly I Turned, What Is Truth? takes its inspiration from psychedelic classics like Their Satanic Majesties Request and Magical Mystery Tour, resulting in an anything-goes approach that stretches the music in whatever direction each song calls for, from the Dylan-goes-to-New-Zealand folk-rock of "Primate House (1731 11th Ave)", to the darkly sad chamber-punk of "Ex-Supernova" or "Stick Figure", to the thumping "Mark E. Smith in Turkey backed by a jazz combo and a Rasta drum circle" ambiance on "Fiscal Year Zero (Charge Of The Lite Brigade)", the catchy Celtic Mariachi drone of "Formerly Boomtown", and the full-on joyful noise of "Kite Song". The lyrics of What Is Truth? cover more ground than its predecessor, too, this time dealing with the state of the country both before and after the recent events that have led us to our current path of destruction, as well as tight-focus portraits of individuals coping (or not coping) with modern life as we know it. All of which leads us back to the title question, which was first posed by Johnny Cash at the beginning of the 1970s. What Is Truth? doesn?t offer any easy answers, but might help to get us started asking the hard questions. Out of the 12 songs, 10 are new original numbers by former X-tal frontman and head Content Provider J Neo Marvin; the other two, "Kite Song" by Yoko Ono and "Slow Drain" by Mink Deville, though not originally planned as such, function as a small salute to the creativity and resilience of the people of New York City. The expanded Content Providers lineup on What Is Truth? includes Slowly I Turned veterans Alan Korn on bass, Carrie Bradley (100 Watt Smile, Breeders, Ed?s Redeeming Qualities) on violin, Rico Bell (Mekons) on accordion and Tim Ennis on percussion, plus newcomers like Diane Wallis (ex-She Mob) and Cynthia Wigginton (ex-Bedlam Rovers and occasional guest Mekon) on violins, Nik Phelps (Sprocket Ensemble, Tom Waits, ex-Club Foot Orchestra) on horns and woodwinds, Jill Fido (Holy Sisters Of The Gaga Dada) on bass, Terri Manning (sister/collaborator of Barbara Manning) on vocal harmonies, flutes and musical saw, and many more. (The total number of contributors is 26!) Recorded exactingly yet spontaneously in good old-fashioned lysergic 16-track analog by the incomparable Wally Sound, What Is Truth? will astonish you with its musical twists and sharp songwriting. Recommended tracks for radio: "Formerly Boomtown", "Fiscal Year Zero", "Ex-Supernova" Recommended track for DJs who want to get in trouble with the FCC: "Primate House"