Secrets and White Lies (cover)

Jack Howard’s first full length solo album, containing a strong, intense collection of songs.

Released In: [Australia / NZ]. [UK]

Release Date: 29 July 2002.

Australian Chart Position: [Did Not Enter].

Availability: Moderately common. Available new in digital form.

Value: A$12-A$26.

Track Listing(s)

Legend:

 Commercial single.
 Promotional single.

Version: Laughing Outlaw Records Australian CD album.

Album length: 61 minutes, 47 seconds.

ReplayGain loudness: -8.31dB (2002).

1. You Will Find
2. Great White Way
3. Heard You Cry
4. Break That Spell
5. Fear Of Flying
6. Restlessness
7. Sail Upon Her Smile
8. Secrets And White Lies
9. East Is West
10. The Wind Blows Hard
11. She’s Gone
12. Sleepless In Elwood
13. Mr. Twilight
14. Home
15. Frankenstein 

Review

Here are some notes on the album’s release directly from Laughing Outlaw Records:

Jack Howard – “Secrets and white lies”

Jack Howard played trumpet and sang with the late, great Hunters and Collectors, and along the way performed or recorded with Midnight Oil, The Living End, The Models, X, Harem Scarem, and a host of others.

For the last two years, Jack has performed with his own band (now called The Long Lost Brothers) and after the release of the critically-acclaimed “Lo Stresso Tempo” last year, his debut full-length CD “Secrets and white lies”, is now released on Laughing Outlaw Records.

Jack’s music is a mix of dark, moody landscapes and big pop anthems and is filled with deeply affecting lyrics, driving rhythms, brilliant angular guitar from Nicky Del Rey and soaring horn lines. The band perform every Friday night at the Elwood RSL with special guests like Paul Hester, Monique Brumby and Carolyn Kennedy.

In between, Jack has penned Olympic and Footy anthems for TV, and has a footy song out at the moment, “I’m Still Here”, which Francis Leach has been spinning on his Saturday morning sports show, “When Saturday Comes”. Jack also teaches trumpet and jazz at Wesley College in Melbourne, throws shot put and discus every Saturday in the summertime, has two lovely children, rents, cuts his own hair, and follows the glorious Carlton Football Club.

Liner Notes

“Secrets and White Lies” is a powerful showcase for ex-Hunters and Collectors’ hornsmith and vocalist Jack Howard. It combines angular guitar riffs, melodic brass themes, hammond swells, a great rhythm section, and compelling lyrics which are often deeply personal and clearly heart-felt.

There’s an intensity and dynamic range here which is not for the faint hearted, and which often belies the cool of the grooves – whether that be the country pop of “Heard you Cry”, with it’s Jimmy Webb-esque arrangement, or the bluesy twang and walking bassline of “Break that Spell”.

You can hear Jack’s contribution to H & C in “Fear of Flying”, driven as it is by the trademark guitar / floor-tom mid-tempo pulse, followed by the brassy chorus sung by a passionate man. Believe in this.”

Rob Hirst [Midnight Oil]

Jack Howard – vocals, trumpet, keyboards, programming.

Nicky Del Ray – guitar, backing vocals.

Mal McBeath – bass on tracks 1-7, 9 & 10, backing vocals on 1, 2 and 9.

Greg Hynes – drums on tracks 1-7, 9 & 10, fills on 8.

Ollie McGill – rhodes piano on 1, 2, 4-6, 9 & 10, organ on 4, melodica on 10.

Aidan McArtney – trombone.

Barry Stockley – bass on 8 and 13.

Doug Robertson – bass on 14 & 15, backing vocals on 15.

Matt Heydon – keys on 13-15.

Ashley Davies – drums on 13-15.

Callie Gray – vocals on 8.

Thankyou

Mark Burchett, Ben Marsland, Adam Johnstone, Rob Hirst

Wesley College and John Lee, Michael Draper, Stuart Coupe

Artwork, concept and design by Greg Hynes

Dedicated to Spencer, Flynn and Amanda.

Nicky Del Ray

Jack Howard

Ben Marsland

Greg Hynes

Mal McBeath

Tracks 1-7, 9 & 10 were recorded in The Cone Of Silence, Prahan by Ben Marsland. Tracks 8, 11 & 12 were recorded in The Bungalow, Elwood. Tracks 1-12 were produced, mixed and produced by Jack in The Bungalow. Tracks 1-12 were produced, mixed and produced by Jack in The Bungalow. Tracks 13, 14 & 15 were released on the E.P. “Lo Stresso Tempo” and were recorded and mixed at The Lodge by Barry Stockley, co-produced by Barry and Jack and mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering. All songs written by Jack Howard except 8 & 11 – Jack Howard & Nicky Del Ray; and 15 – Vince Bell (courtesy TVB Publishing).

[Track Listing]

Laughing Outlaw Records

8 Victoria St Lewisham NSW 2049 Australia

Tel: (61 2) 9568 1840 Fax: (61 2) 9560 6987 Mob: 040 874 5271

Email: coupe@laughingoutlaw.com.au

Website: www.laughingoutlaw.com.au