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Memory Box

by Rodney Cromwell

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1.
Intercom 03:47
2.
Opus Three 02:53
Wait in the cabin Stare at the cars Yachts on the water No armed guards. Think of the future Terror to tears Like an obsession So many years Won’t let it be, Won’t let it be, Won’t let it be Catastrophe Won’t let it be, Won’t let it be, Won’t let it be Catastrophe Shops are empty, My heart is too, When the alarm rings Will I find you? Never been closer Now we’re apart, Find a transmitter Open my heart. Won’t let it be, Won’t let it be, Won’t let it be Catastrophe (Repeat)
3.
And my memory box Is it failing again? I thought that you said Something else, just then. And you live like the Head, Of a temple of cats, Everything that you say, It comes with caveats. And your memory box, Like a play-pit of sand, Meanings blow in the breeze, So I can’t understand Now I’ve written it down Reproduce what you say And the meanings preserved So it can’t blow away. Help me unlock, And maybe outfox, The memory box. Help me unlock, And maybe outfox, The memory box.
4.
Fluctuations 05:08
Saw it on, late night TV A bargain that, appealed to me. With this device, you will become Desirable to everyone. Sign up here, you’re not obliged You can cancel at anytime. Couldn’t have been, any less hard, All I needed, my payment card. Click here accept, our conditions, Based on market, fluctuations If you can’t pay, there’s no loophole, We’ll repossess, your heart and soul.
5.
Waiting Room 03:47
We walked through the graves in the snow, You wore a Russian hat and not for show. My inappropriate shoes that made you laugh Was the first time that we shared a photograph. You light up the gloom, of every waiting room My love it can be assumed. When life leaves us drained, of all we have attained This love still can be explained. You crawled in a suitcase and passed out, We seemed a perfect match without a doubt. Hide in the hotel bar, and drink for hours, Steal a kiss among the plastic flowers. You light up the gloom, of every waiting room, My love it can be assumed. When life leaves us drained, of all we have attained, This love still can be explained.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Why can’t I sleep? My thoughts are lost somewhere, And when I fall, It’s like musical chairs. And when I dream, I’m dreaming of you. That’s not quite a lie, But not strictly true. Spiders and shadows Spiders and shadows This dusty room, Of cobwebs and clutter; Old perfume smell On the pillow cover. Spiders and shadows Spiders and shadows Haut like a phantom, Your dark art, It keeps me from sleeping, It quickens my heart. (Repeat)
10.
Call it futurism, Wristwatch television, Windmills bring kilowatts, Charge up our pleasure bots. Capturing our nearest star, Powering our bubble cars. Only good can come of this, Architecture built for bliss. Skyscrapers, monorails, Society where love prevails, Airships in the skies, Take a pill to tranquilize.
11.
Calculations 04:46
12.
In drudgeries hold, when concentration is poor, Agitation inside, the words they won’t form. Resolved that you’re lost, to whispers and shades, Try to think of your face, so the memory fades. I dream of you regardless, Whether I am asleep or awake Whether I am asleep or awake. I dream of you, regardless, It seems there’s no way of escape It seems there’s no way of escape. There’s a picture of us, I didn’t ask for it though, I’ve made many mistakes; they’re all in that photo. And day passes day, and I think of you less, No shame in my heart, no love left to process. I dream of you regardless, Whether I am asleep or awake, Whether I am asleep or awake. I dream of you, regardless, It seems there’s no way of escape, It seems there’s no way of escape. (Repeat)

about

** LAST COPIES OF THE LP NOW ONLY AVAILABLE VIA OUR DISTRIBUTORS. WE WOULD SUGGEST BUYING FROM ROUGH TRADE OR AMAZON **


PRESS RELEASE
=============

'Memory Box' - the new album by Rodney Cromwell - fuses a European synthpop sensibility with a world of magical realism. It was inspired as much by the literature of Alice in Wonderland, Franz Kafka and Anna Kavan, as by its musical influences of artists such as Kraftwerk, Neu!, The Cure, Silver Apples, Oppenheimer Analysis and Polyrock. The sonic pallet of 'Memory Box' is rich, colourful, often surprising and utterly unique.

Opening with two synthpop numbers, the dystopian coldwave of ‘Intercom,’ with its twisted robot voices, that promise us “order will be resumed shortly.” This order comes swiftly in the form of ‘Opus Three’ a pounding dance-floor filler, reminiscent of the best of Vince Clarke, that asks us to dance in the face of "catastrophe".

With the haunting title-track ‘Memory Box,’ the album plunges down a psychological rabbit hole, of half-remembered memories and half-formed truths, where sweeping synths traverse a sonic landscape, that yank the mundane into the sublime. The album’s central songs journey us deeper into this theme with Kafkaesque abandon; ‘Fluctautions’ is a pounding krautrock number about the dangers of TV shopping, ‘Waiting Room’ is a love song for exhausted souls, while the uplifting glam-stomp of ‘Wristwatch Television’ looks towards the utopian future promised in 1950’s style magazines, but never delivered.

“Calculations’ a melodica-driven dreampop instrumental, melds Brian Eno with Mogwai, pulling us back towards reality. The album closes with its purest synthpop number ‘The Winter Palace;’ layered with ice-cool ARP synth strings, thin vintage drums and lush harmonies, as Cromwell sings of a love bound by "drudgeries hold".

‘Memory Box’ was recorded in Cromwell’s home studio in Catford, South London in 2020 & 2021 and was mixed in Brooklyn, New York at ACME Hall Studies by Rich Bennett.

Since the release of his debut 'Age of Anxiety' album in 2015, Rodney Cromwell has been featured by the likes of NME, Electronic Sound Magazine, Huffington Post, Paste, BBC6 Music and national RNE3 in Spain for whom he recorded a live session. 'Age of Anxiety' was included in a wealth of Best of Lists, not least that of Electronic Sound. He has appeared on compilations alongside Cavern of Anti-Matter, John Foxx, Devo, OMD, Katy Perry and many more.

Rodney Cromwell is the project of Adam Cresswell. The first band he founded was SALOON, who were John Peel darlings, who recorded three Peel Sessions and the Festive 50 number 1 of 2002. They released three acclaimed albums on Track & Field (UK) and Darla Records (US) and played with a host of alternative acts including Stereolab, Electrelane, Quickspace, Laika, Of Montreal & Movietone. He followed Saloon with ARTHUR & MARTHA the acclaimed tweetronica duo that released the sole album ‘Navigation’ before vanishing. In addition to performing as Rodney Cromwell, he runs the Happy Robots record label.

QUOTES
"If you like analogue synths and old drum machines, you'll soon get lost in this amazing album 10/10 ' Stephen Roper, Author of Gary Numan Back Stage

"An essential addition to the collection of any electro-dance and synthpop / synthwave aficionado. Hands-down, this album numbers among the top releases of 2022" The Record Stache

"Encourages us to dance in the face of catastrophe" Louder Than War

"Motorik mechanisation within a hypnotic electronic backdrop...Glorious" Electricity Club.co.uk

"Do yourself a favor and add this one to your collection" Mobile Musician Magazine

credits

released March 18, 2022

Principle instrumentation: Moog Opus 3, Moog Rogue, ARP Quartet, Korg MS-10, Korg Microkorg, Fender Precision and Jazz Bass, Electric Guitar, Pocket Stylophone, Stylophone GEN X-1, Hohner Soprano and Alto Melodicas, vintage drum samples and Boss DR-55 drum machine.

All songs written by Adam Cresswell
Produced by Adam Cresswell and Rich Bennett
Engineered by Adam Cresswell at home in Catford, London.
Mixed by Rich Bennett at Acme Hall Studios, Brooklyn, New York.
Mastered by Pete Maher

Guitar on tracks 3, 7, & 10 by Martin J Langthorne.
Guitar on 4 & 12 Rich Bennett.
Drum sequencing on 4 by Dom Cresswell and on 9 by Rich Bennett.

Artwork and photography by Martin J Langthorne.

Dedicated to Alison, Benedict & Jude.

Released by Happy Robots
www.happyrobots.co.uk
Distributed by Cargo Records, UK
℗ © Happy Robots Records 2022

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Rodney Cromwell London, UK

Rod makes music on old synths, kids toys and guitars from Argos.

Released on Happy Robots Records.

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