Sean Malone

Cortlandt

Sean Malone is perhaps best known for his bass and Stick work with seminal death metal band Cynic as well as his later projects with Gordian Knot. In 1996, following the break up of Cynic, Malone recorded his first solo album, Cortlandt.

The album was released on the small Audioimage

Records label but due to a lack of promotion it quickly became a cult collectible. Free Electric Sound is pleased to make the much requested Cortlandt available again in a new improved edition.

In retrospect, it is easy to hear Cortlandt as a foreshadowing of the subsequent Gordian Knot albums. Malone enlisted Cynic bandmate Sean Reinert to handle the drums. Guitar parts are handled by Florida musician Bob Bunin as well as special guests Reeves Gabrel (David Bowie) and Trey Gunn (King Crimson). The all-instrumental album demonstrates why Sean Malone is considered to be one of the top bassists and Stick players in the world. The music of Cortlandt runs the gamut from fusion, progressive rock, post-modern classical and metal.

“The compositions on this CD are diverse in terms of genre and style; ‘diverse’ being used here as a euphemism for ‘wandering’ or ‘ambiguous,’” explains Malone in his web blog. “My primary interests were composing and arranging all-instrumental pieces, exploring a variety of textures, engaging new challenges as a bassist, and to more fully incorporate The Stick as a lead and harmonic instrument. At the same time, I wanted to avoid the stereotypical pitfalls of ‘solo’ CDs (particularly those from bassists), including over-indulgent soloing and gratuitously present bass parts in the mix; I resisted the former as best I could, and fared only a bit better with the latter. This CD is pretty much as it was the first time around, except that the ‘Sinfonia’ was originally a hidden track. It documents a time of transition between Cynic and what would become Gordian Knot, and a commitment to instrumental music. In hindsight, Cortlandt ended up serving as a kind of workshop to try out new ways of composing and collaborating as well as experience the responsibilities of managing all aspects of a project from beginning to end, and I’m glad it’s been given a second chance to be heard.”

This new edition of Cortlandt features fresh mastering courtesy of world- renowned engineer Bob Katz. The set also includes "Unquity Road," which was previously available only on the Japanese edition of the first Gordian Knot album.

For further information, please contact Lori Hehr

at 360-325-6044 or LHPR@runbox.com

http://www.pr4music.com