Beyond the Stars

“Common Sense Dancing” marks the fifth album release from Duncan Parsons. Titled after a quote from Clive James, the album continues progressive music's determination not to be defined. With themes taking in humour, nostalgia, the arts, and social science, it digs its own furrow with songs of love, dance, tribute, remembrance, and nonsense. Stylistically, there's rock, jazz, pop, folk, minimalism, sci-fi sound-scape - pretty much anything lying around the studio.. Packaged as a double album, the first disc contains 15 tracks of songs and instrumentals. Ladybird weaves a brief history of the children's books between 1948 and 1971; Play's Cool pays tribute to the golden age of British Children's Television; Green Cross Code, Man is the ultimate extrapolation of the social programming messages of 70s Public Information Films; Furry Leaves brings a fresh interpretation of a classic Romantic era piano piece; Family Entertainment bemoans standards in broadcast arts; and A Breakthrough In Sound tells the true story of when a TV signal was interrupted one teatime in Hampshire, 1977. Disc two has a half hour 'radio play' about the history of Ordnance Survey maps based around a walk in the Peak District interspersed with music, followed by arrangements of the incidental music set for Mellotron. The atmosphere is pastoral, the tone reminiscent of Detectorists, and the terrain taken in its stride. NB - hills can go down as well as up. Packed to the rafters with Mellotron sounds, including from less-than-common tapes, Common Sense Dancing sees the return of John Hackett's flute and Nick Fletcher's lead guitar work, along with stunning violin work from Clare Lindley (Stackridge, DLM) and Sarah Sharp (Tzarsi), and saxello from Mick Somerset (Floy Joy, Clock DVA). Throughout the album one might catch glimpses of the likes of Supertramp, Nick Drake, 10cc, The Feeling, Bruford, Vangelis, Strawbs, Stackridge... "Gentle, wistful and evocative with beautiful arrangements" Cherry Cant (widow of Brian Cant)

                                    '—Was it for this                                     That one, the fairest of all Rivers, lov'd                                     To blend his murmurs with my Nurse's song,                                     And from his alder shades and rocky falls,                                     And from his fords and shallows, sent a voice                                     That flow'd along my dreams?'                                                 William Wordsworth, The Prelude 1799 ‘There can't be many of us who haven't at some point wondered what the sum total of our lives is going to be; all the good and poor choices, the happy and not-so-happy accidents, the healthy and toxic relationships, the influences that enrich or deplete. I was very fortunate to have met Danny Chang (of The Kentish Spires) around 2004.  He took me under his wing, opened his studio to my mad ideas, and suggested I do an album.  It was recorded in Autumn/Winter 2006/07.  Dan produced, John Fraser engineered and played some beautiful (at times brutal) piano.  Then there was Ryan on drums, Colin on keys, Peter and Susie on harmonies.  To be honest I was out of my depth, slightly unhinged and somewhat over-adrenalised, but I was managed with grace, kindness and pragmatism and I'll be eternally grateful for that. For Will Wordsworth it started with the rushing of the river Derwent and the sweet simplicity of lullabies, surging towards the heady prospect of a new enlightenment in revolutionary France.  My staging posts were mostly musical.  From Salvation Army brass bands and choirs, to the tribal punk of Adam & The Ants, the jazz hands and Broadway babies of musical theatre and the sweeping possibilities of progressive music where sentiment can bleed beyond those three magic minutes.  Here were songs about dying movie stars, parallel universes, off-kilter romance, Dad dancing, David Lynch and the von Trapp family.  As Danny reassured me, I was never going to have to worry about my chart position... So was it?  For this, I mean.  The answer can only ever be yes.  For all of us.  Only you can bring what you bring to the table.  What you are and what has shaped you are unique to you, and the contribution you make is singular.  What a wonderful gift.  What a responsibility. What an opportunity.’ Jeremy, December 2020

Track Listing

1) Queen of the May 2) Sweet Liesl 3) Heaven Help Me Now I’m On My Own 4) Botox Baby 5) yellowleaf 6) A Polo Shirt In Yonkers 7) Cary Grant Is Dying 8) Necessary 9) Curtain Call 10) Hello, Disco 11) Live From The Cliff Face 12) It’s Not About Love 13) Sometime My Arms Bend Back 14) If I Bump Into Jesus