Description
Tiffany Eckhardt releases her new album
Published in T&N153 December 22
In March 2022, singer songwriter Tiffany Eckhardt recorded her most recent release, Starry Stuff.
It’s 4 years since she released her last album ‘Found’ which was recorded in Southern Tasmania in 2018.
Starry Stuff was produced by Tiffany Eckhardt and recorded live over 2 days by musician/ technician Jed Pickett, at the Rolling on the River Studio in the Huon Valley, Tasmania.
The band on the album consists of some of Tassie’s finest including… Dave Steel (guitars), Ross Smithard (violin and mandolin), Matt Boden (piano), Louis Gill (bass) and Jeremy Marcotte (drums).
Tiffany talks about the about the recording sessions: “The weekend was magic, there was a lot of nervous energy because we had so little time to get all the tracks done.
“The studio is an old apple shed perched over the Huon River so the views out every window are amazing.
“I’m sure this inspired us somehow, nature does that.
“Jed Pickett was great at getting us all settled.
“The first song was Cold Country, it took ages, I think, because I just needed to relax.
“After that, they all went down pretty easily.
“It was just a wonderful weekend of musical collaboration with a bunch of highly skilled and big-hearted people.
“We ate lunch out on the deck and Jeremy Marcotte enjoyed a spot of fishing and paddle-boarding in the breaks, which was entertaining.
“It was an intense weekend, but we all left with the feeling that we had just been a part of something really special,” Tiffany said.
“Everyone’s contributions were incredible and strong and there was a lot of love floating around, love for doing this thing that is at the core of us all.
“There’s nothing like recording live like this.
“It’s so organic, you get the spirit of it somehow and something magic happens.
“Dave Steel mixed the album in our home studio.
“He did the most amazing job, we were hoping to capture that old fashioned sound of some of our favourite albums, I think the mixes are truly great.
“The mastering guys, Tony Mantz and John Clayton, were also really helpful giving us some feedback about levels and frequencies that needed to be tweaked.
“This is gold when you’re working in a slightly dodgy home studio situation where you’re not sure what you’re hearing, so yeah, a whole lot of love and joy went into this album and I think it comes through.”
The songs pick up on themes of motherhood, change and star gazing.
Tiffany describes it as: “An album about life changes and how to cope with them.
“Both of my kids left home over the past couple of years and we’re getting older and the world’s issues are getting crazier.
“I think my favourite track is the last one, ‘Milky Way’.
“It just makes me feel good to sing it”.
With a sound inspired by albums such as Neil Young’s ‘Comes a Time’and Lucinda Williams’ ‘Wrecking Bal’l, it is 11 heart melting gems reflecting influences of folk, jazz, and blues.
‘Starry Stuff’ CDs and downloads are available at www.tiffanyeckhardt.com.au and the album is also available from Trad&Now.
