Out In The Light

Port O'Brien is dead, long live Waters. These new songs veered away from the frequently loose, punchy an-thems of Port O'Brien, and as Van Pierszalowski intensively pieced each one together, he sought a bigger sound - something louder than he could play on his own. Spring 2010 saw the demise of Port O'Brien, and founding member/front man Van Pierszalowski needed a break from the hectic, wonderful mess that is touring. He stumbled into respite in Oslo, Norway, and spent some time away from making music. Van explored the new city, swam in the Norwegian fjords, enjoyed the weather and the experience of seasons changing. He found his bearings and fell in love again. Van gave his new project a name: Waters. These new songs he wrote veered away from the frequently loose, punchy anthems of Port O'Brien, and as he intensively pieced each one together, he sought a bigger sound - something louder than he could play on his own. So Van returned to Oslo, where his new journey had begun. He put together a band of fine Norwegian gentlemen and spent every day of the next two months rehearsing in a small practice space outside of the city. This band went with Van to Dallas, Texas, to record with producer John Congleton. Over a brief 10-day recording session in April, Congleton - who has worked on some of Van's favorite albums (by artists including St. Vincent, Bill Callahan, and yes, R. Kelly) - kept the production stark, maintaining the songs' intimacy and emotional intensity. Out In The Light has a louder, fuller, more aggressive and raw sound than any of Van's earlier works. It's a mix of fuzzy, pealing guitars and crashing drums, and easy, alternately soaring and languid, indelible melodies.