Newton Faulkner

Hand Built by Robots in 2007 gathers Dream Catch Me, All I Got and an interpretation of Massive Attack’s Teardrop. The cover is a useful point of reference because the composition arrives with a different production history. The acoustic treatment has to suggest another set of instrumental relationships while preserving enough of the song’s identity to make the encounter meaningful.

Rebuilt by Humans in 2009 continues the recording story. The first two albums establish a performer whose musicianship can draw attention quickly, then ask a more sustained question about the shape and emotional reach of the writing.

Write It on Your Skin in 2012 grew from a more consciously live-oriented approach. In his original release interview, Faulkner described extensive touring between albums as a reason for writing material that would work onstage. He also spoke about recording in domestic spaces, including work with Sam Farrar in a garage, and allowing a less clinical atmosphere to remain in the performances. Those details explain a particular kind of ease on the record. The structures are carefully considered, while the sound keeps evidence of people making music in a room. The apparent informality is therefore connected to a concrete recording method. The songs can carry the dexterity associated with the early performances without requiring every moment to become a demonstration of it.