Robert Harrison’s debut solo album was recorded at his Dripping Springs cabin in Texas.
Robert Harrison has been talking Live4ever through the path to the release of Watching The Kid Come Back this Friday, July 23rd.
With Cotton Mather, Harrison found a niche spot in the affections of Brit Rock fans after that band’s Kontiki record was taken to the hearts of Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher – a story he told us all about during a stop at our SXSW Media Lounge back in 2017.
With his first solo LP now imminent, four years on Harrison has been filling in the subsequent gaps and how, not far away from the home of South By, Watching The Kid Come Back took shape.
“Circumstances in 2016 led me to a 64-song reboot of that band (Cotton Mather) which yielded three records and many other tracks as well,” he’s told Live4ever.
“Much as I enjoyed it, I found it limiting for two reasons: the inevitable perception with reunions is that you belong to another time; beyond that, I also tied myself to a group who weren’t interested in touring. Prior to the shutdown of 2020 I decided to be done with it. So I moved to a little cabin in the woods outside of Austin to dream the next chapter.”
“Much as my work has been credited for its anglophilic tendencies, I’ve always considered it basically American and especially Southern at heart – roots-based like those British Invasion bands I admire.”
“Stripping it all back seemed an obvious choice both artistically and emotionally during the dark and vulnerable days of 2020. It was also pragmatic because I was alone!
“Alone apart from occasional droppers-by who’d stand out on the front porch to record, separated by a screen door, a mask and 20 feet. The great act of derring-do came on the one day we risked it all to get some drum tracks!”
“This record is my reset on life after lots of changes. Personal shifts lets say. I’m told by fans it’s like Cotton Mather or Future Clouds without the psych-guitar aspect. I dunno.”
“It’s another animal for me entirely. The problem with tag culture is that we are in such a hurry to put things in little boxes -so we can decide whether or not they’re worth our while. In the past I’ve been given every label under the sun.”
“Psych-pop, garage, indie rock, power pop, pseudo-jazz and experimental. So I like to think I’ve earned the right to be my own tag now. For me it’s always just been about the songs, the pictures they paint, and the man I can’t escape who is singing them.”
Watching The Kid Come Back is available to pre-order now over at Bandcamp
