Always these decisions... Remy Sträuli (from Basel, Switzerland) is almost 50 and is still influenced by this question. Nevertheless, he decided to make a second record as Yonder Pond. This after the first production (Pondering Aloud, 2017) was received very favorably throughout.
Sträuli was influenced by his parents' record collection (hippie stuff) and his joy in imaginative music. This can manifest itself in adventurous chord progressions (Genesis, Pat Metheny), crazy ideas (Gong, Syd Barrett) or colorful melodies (Beatles, XTC). This together with a good dose of forward-driving rhythm – thanks to the performer’s traditional profession of “drummer”.
Sträuli also plays all the keyboards and takes on lead vocals. This leads to a threefold division of the person in question: Remily Layne (drums), Emyr Taurelis (voc) and Rembrandt Van Der Straal (keyboards). Manager Remstein decided to transparently communicate the tripletization of the artist with the new production, as the secrecy surrounding the first LP caused too much confusion.
During the recordings, the three of them, i.e. he, were supported by great musicians, some of them bandmates from joint projects (Fido plays Zappa, Spaltklang): the string group of Universe By Ear (Stefan Strittmatter, Pascal Grünenfelder), the brilliant musician Ines Brodbeck (violin , Inezona) and Markus Stauss (flute), the RIO and avant-garde king of Basel.
The second CD is called “Mole In My Shoe” (a little salute to Traffic), and contains seven songs of different lengths (from pop to prog), all in the (in Yonder Ponds opinion, ideal) running time of a normal LP from the good old days . Why not a nice vinyl edition anyway? Space and money, unfortunately.
The seven songs are melodic, pompous, weird, complex, quirky, evil and sweet. But again, not a hit, as Mom would happily say. Or is it? Check out “Waiting For A Daughter Of Wealthy Origin”. That's the single, man. Various instruments also provide an acoustic listening experience: violin, oboe, Mellotron, Moog, and - finally - the harpsichord!
Maybe someone still remembers the band Yolk (the Swiss ones). Remy is there too. The bassist Beat's daughter Leonor Burkhard is an extremely talented artist and designed the beautiful cover, Mole in a Flying Shoe. Decidedly knorke!
