Soko: Two
2005
Album clips:
“Wow, Soko two is amazing. And I love the music because, like Channel 76 on XM Radio, it’s hard to describe. Why even try?”
Cosmos 2002, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
Storyteller: Used as the opening music in Jon Ezrine’s darkly hilarious documentary film Son of a Bitch!, “Storyteller” is a plaintive vocal tone poem set in a misty garden of rich piano sonorities, ethereal synths and lightly cascading percussion. Wordlessly, the singer seems a sort of town crier for rainforest plants and animals, and his song a sort of overture for a diverse collection of moody songs and instruments to follow.
Michael Sokolowski: piano, synthesizers, bells, xylophone, shakers
Houston Ross: voice
Peter Spaar: acoustic bass
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Kal Kal Koon: the eclipse of 1991, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
Plant the Sky: is an exciting, time signature-shifting, prog number the band would perform live in the 90s -- a tune that featured the propulsive, rolling rhythms of Johnny Gilmore. For this version, Michael and Houston's lush keyboard and bass textures are stitched to fat, rock-solid grooves held down by the drumming of William C. Coles, Jr., a brilliant up-and-coming Charlottesville artist. Note the buoyant "pop" of the snare drum. (Extended piano solo not included on this radio edit.)
Michael Sokolowski: piano, synthesizers, electric guitar
Houston Ross: bass
Will Coles: drums
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Alien Pomegranate, photo illustration ©John Grant
Speak Up: Percussion piece whereby Michael lays down a sonic and rhythmic bed for Houston to lay down rolling, melodic lines on talking drum.
Michael Sokolowski: tar, synthesizer, triggered bass drum, cabasa, wood block
Houston Ross: talking drum
Engineered by Michael Sokolowski
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Parisian Bridge Scene, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
Dark Beam of the Seine: One of Michaels oldest pieces, and a staple of the Soko repertoire, this version features Houston’s beautiful bass lines over the song’s cyclical structure with a single measure of 5/8 that propels the 6/8 cycle back to the top of the form.
Michael Sokolowski: synthesizers
Houston Ross: bass
Engineered by Michael Sokolowski
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Self Portrait with Rope, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
On the Matter of Coping Building on a soulful 3-chord piano walkup/down, Houston is inspired to sing and tell and story of perseverance through love and compassion.
Michael Sokolowski: piano
Houston Ross: voice, words
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Inner Rose, photo illustration ©John Grant
Antidote: Inspired by a simple chord progression and the Big Sur mountain pass, this tune features the lush and penetrating cello of the great David Darling in duet with a sparse and melodic piano. The music floats, driven by Olumide's undulating conga set atop Pete Spaar's deep arco bass. An XM satellite radio favorite.
Michael Sokolowski: piano, synthesizers
Houston Ross: electric bass
David Darling: cello
Peter Spaar: acoustic bass
Olumide: conga, bell, shakere
Engineered by Rob Evans, Michael Sokolowski, Kevin McNoldy, and David Darling
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Treeview, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
In-between, I This recurring and delicatemelodic theme from Soko concerts over the years is pinned to slamming backbeat drumming on a Simmons kit — courtesy of the wonderful Johnny Gilmore.
Michael Sokolowski: piano, synthesizers, bells, chimes
Houston Ross: bass
John Gilmore: drums
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Wedding Dahlia, photo illustration ©John Grant
Joy of Love: is a true compositional collaboration: ideas built on ideas handed off between the two composers. Mike mapped-out the chords, the B section melody, and string arrangement. Houston came up with the bass lines, words, vocal melodies, and drum part. Conceived and realized wholly in the studio, this piece sweeps the listener away and back on a tranquil, yet powerful, musical tide. (Note: extended piano and trumpet solos are not included in this radio edit.)
Michael Sokolowski: piano, synthesizers
Houston Ross: bass, vocals
Will Coles: drums
Tim Reynolds, guitar
Davita Jackson, vocals
Davina Jackson, vocals
Peter Spaar, acoustic bass
Chris Melchoir, violins, viola
Peter Markush, cello
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Chris Kress, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Wedding Dahlia, photo illustration ©John Grant
Joy of Love, Part II: A compositional collaboration, it's an exchange of ideas between the two composers, Mike Sokolowski and Houston Ross. Mike wrote the chord progression, the B section melody, and string arrangement. Houston added the bass lines, words, vocal melodies, and drum part. Conceived and realized wholly in the studio, this piece sweeps the listener away and back on a tranquil, yet powerful, musical tide, culminating in a deep resonant, slowly decaying chord. (This is the extended, post-vocal instrumental coda, featuring John D'Earth's trumpet.)
Michael Sokolowski: piano, synthesizers
Houston Ross: bass, vocals
Will Coles: drums
Tim Reynolds, guitar
John D'Earth, trumpet
Peter Spaar, acoustic bass
Chris Melchoir, violins, viola
Peter Markush, cello
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Chris Kress, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Pre-ecliptic Painting, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
Rain: Houston and Mike are Beatles freaks, straight up. For years, their trio with Johnny Gilmore performed instrumental versions of Mike’s unique take on the tune — usually featuring extended jamming into an ecstatic gospel rave-up. For Two, the tune is stripped down to piano, and Houston sings John Lennon’s beautiful lyrics and adds a nylon string guitar solo.
Michael Sokolowski: piano
Houston Ross: voice, guitar
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Bamboo Trio, photo illustration ©John Grant
Bamboo Cool: Another percussion excursion, but this time Houston lays down the rhythmic bed for Michael’s flute-evocative synth solo.
Michael Sokolowski: synthesizer
Houston Ross: log drum, triggered djembe, tambourine
Engineered by Michael Sokolowski
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
The Sun, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
Stella: Reflections: Perhaps a little Ralph Towner influence on a simple chord progression in the key of sunshine, D major. Lullaby for E was inspired by, and written for, daughter #1. This one is a pause to reflect on daughter #2. Flows naturally into the final song on the album.
Michael Sokolowski: piano
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
Bougainvillea Road, oil on canvas ©Dean Gustafson
In-between, II A rubato version of the recurring Soko theme heard on Track 7. Atmospheric, moody, and sweet. A beautiful close to the record.
Michael Sokolowski: piano
Houston Ross: bass
John Zias, guitar
Will Coles: cymbals
Worth Proffitt: cymbals
Engineered by Patrick Derivaz, Chris Kress, Michael Sokolowski and Rob Evans
Mixed by Rob Evans
Mastered by Bob Katz
About Soko:Two
Soko’s second album. It was during this session that the band parted ways with drummer extraordinaire, and founding member, Johnny Gilmore. Sadly, the three were talking about getting back together to work on new music just before Johnny’s tragic death in October of 2009. This was a project of many “firsts:”
Two saw Houston and Michael become a recording duo — using many diverse and wonderful musicians to fill out the arrangements of the new songs. Whereas, Soko was previously solely a vehicle for Michael’s compositions, Two heralded a fresh sound from a new songwriting collaboration of five of the 12 album tracks.
Another first for the band was Houston’s singing — heard here on four songs, including a ballad duet with piano on The Beatle’s “Rain” — an instrumental staple of Soko’s repertoire for many years and subsequently a go-to for many duo performances featuring Houston singing to Michael’s piano accompaniment.
More Soko firsts: Houston and Mike’s diverse and textured percussion playing, searingly beautiful cello from the late, great David Darling, powerful arco bass lines by Pete Spaar, triumphant trumpet from John D’Earth on Joy of Love, string quartet arrangement by Michael and performed by the Melchoir strings; and the beginning of a long and ongoing collaboration with brilliant engineer and musician, Rob Evans.
Johnny Gilmore’s kicking electronic drumming on “In-between, I” couldn’t be ignored, and is a very special bonus on this record.
Available formats: digital files for download and streaming (44.1 kHz/16-bit • mp3) • compact disc
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