Claudia - debut singer-songwriter album

Download "Claudia" at bandcamp.com for 7€

After many years of songwriting, and with a lot of songs in the vault, I ventured into singer-songwriter territory in 2009. In 2010 I cut a CD of some of those tunes - "Claudia".

Claudia cover

Although I still had doubts about myself vocally (I'd been doing a fair number of little cafe gigs and working hard at the solo thing), I knew that nothing sharpens musical claws like a recording project. I'd been working on demos in my home studio, but I wanted to break away from drum machines and laptops. So, I got myself a rhythm section, a recording engineer, and a room for two days, and we did it.

Daniel McBrearty Band
Johan, Daniel and Breno

After the usual long process of editing, mixing and so on we ended up with thirteen tracks. The sound is very live, the way I wanted it. The material covers a range of styles, from folk-pop ballads like "Beautiful Aliens", the light jazz-tinged "Claudia", and the celtic-influenced "Warm Place". There are no overdubs at all on the album, except keyboard parts on three tunes. When I took a sax solo on Claudia, we put in a rhythm section break, where I would put down the guitar and made the change.

Listening back, almost a year later, (doesn't happen a lot, I often don't enjoy hearing my own work back), I'm pleasantly surprised. Vocally it is not gonna win any prizes - I hear that I had been working a lot at it but was still scared to let go and just *sing* - but it is a really good and honest record of where I was at then, and I like a lot of the songs. In these days where the difference between the recording and the live event can be such a disappointment, I believe that that counts for something.

All the musicians Breno and Johan, the rhythm section, Kevin on violin, and BAs on keys, did a great job. Peter, who did the recording, was like a fourth band member as well. We had a blast!

Claudia personnel:

  • Breno Viricimo - electric and acoustic bass
  • Johan Van Campenhout - drums
  • Kevin Staeyen - violin (Warm Place)
  • Bas Bulteel - keyboards
  • recorded by Peter Acoustic

You can now buy "Claudia" by download, with 12 original songs, on bandcamp.com - 7€

Promo CD copies are available. Please use the contact page to request one.