The album Standing With A Ghost from the Burton D’Agostini Procedure combines the psychedelic sounds of the 1960s and 1970s with aspects of 1980s music and modern alternative influences. Jeff Burton and John D’Agostini make a strong focus on production and arrangement, creating a sound intended to be heard in stereo; the introspective nature of the album gives it a reflective quality, and the mixture of older psychedelic styles with more current alternative sounds defines its musical character.
Production is of central importance right throughout Standing With A Ghost, the duo challenging themselves in the areas of arrangement and mixing. Instead of viewing each song as a separate item presented in the same way, the use of stereo creates an immersive way of listening. The album’s intended listening method is especially well suited to use of headphones, as they enable the listeners to interact with the carefully built sound. The care taken over how the music is put together and experienced is a key aspect of the release’s character.
Blending psychedelic music, classic rock and 2000s alternative sounds, the album showcases a wide range of influences. Mentions of artists such as Tame Impala, Cage the Elephant, the Moody Blues, Pink Floyd and the Flaming Lips help to explain the kind of musical territory being explored. Nevertheless, the emphasis is on the duo’s own decisions regarding production and arrangement. By combining different decades together, their method does not confine the album to one particular period or style, which results in a sound that has a backward-looking and forward-reaching aspect.
Partnership between Burton and D’Agostini, which has lasted for a long time, forms the basis of the project, Burton taking charge of the vocals and the lyrics, the two of them producing the recordings together, Burton mixing them and D’Agostini acting as engineer. This joint participation is reflected in the album’s focus on detail and the quality of the sound. Standing With A Ghost is an introspective collection that results from the combination of psychedelic traditions and modern alternative music, production and stereo depth being the main characteristics. The carefully thought-out arrangements make the act of listening a key aspect of the album’s identity.
TRACK LISTING
1. Flot Over Here
2. Strange Condition
3. It Ain’t Love
4. A Million Miles
5. Circle the Sun
6. We All Shine
7. What’s a Joke
8. There’s Something You Should Know
