Casino by Richard Sallis
Casino was written by Sallis back when he was only 18 years old. It was his lowest point, having found himself homeless, jobless and at his loneliest. Needing a way to get through the day, he turned to writing music with the hope of someday releasing it for real.
Over a decade later, Sallis decided to record Casino from scratch. The bulk of the album was recorded in churches and cathedrals, with the rest being contributed by an orchestra of musicians from all over the world. Arguably the polar opposite of AI generated, Sallis even rejected plugins in favour of authentic cathedral reverb.
But the least artificial part is the raw emotion that permeates the lyrics and vocal performances - specific enough to his personal experiences to be unique, but emotional enough to feel relatable. It’s undeniably an album of sadness and frustration, but also of immense hope and optimism.
Tracklist
| 1. | Perfect Light | |
| 2. | Table 41 | |
| 3. | Feels | |
| 4. | The Castle | |
| 5. | You're a Casino | 4:38 |
| 6. | All Star Cast | |
| 7. | The City | |
| 8. | Mandolin Gun | |
| 9. | Contact Hours | |
| 10. | Yesteryear | |
Credits
Main musicians:
Richard Sallis - lead vocals, guitars, church organ, pump organ
Daniel Altmann - drums, piano, backing vocals, percussion
Oscar Hose - bass, saxophone, percussion
Nicolas Lapine - horn arrangements, trumpet, trombone
Katrin Romanova - string arrangements, cello, viola, violin, harp
Additional musicians:
Randall Boland - glockenspiel, backing vocals, production assistance
Abel Boquera - hammond organ
Maciek Buszman - backing vocals
Aaron Williams - electric guitars, backing vocals
Demi Alexander - additional cello on "The City"
Tom de Prinse - additional saxophone on "All Star Cast"
Patrick Mead - additional trumpet on "The City"
All songs written by Richard Sallis, except "Feels" written by Richard Sallis and Oscar Hose.
Produced by Richard Sallis. Additional production by Randall Boland, Joesph Cheek and Gavin O'Logulan. Recorded at Clayton Wesley Uniting Church and St Michael's Lutheran Church, with additional recording done at Lochrian Studios.
Additional booklet photography by Richard Sallis, Liam Sallis and Rachel Sallis. Thanks to Nicholas Cannon and Neil Palmer from the Clayton Wesley for letting me do this crazy thing.
Dedicated to Theo, Avery and René. We love you more than anything.
