Schoolyard Ghosts

schoolyard ghosts

may 2008 // sixth studio album

about schoolyard ghosts

Schoolyard Ghosts is the sixth studio album by no-man.

Recorded in the UK, France, Sweden and the USA and released on 12 May 2008, the album features contributions from Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club, Red House Painters), drummers Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) and Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson), saxophonist/flautist Theo Travis, and the London Session Orchestra arranged by Dave Stewart (Hatfield and the North, Egg, Stewart and Gaskin etc.).

In his online diary, Tim Bowness mentions that, despite following a difficult year and being typically melancholy in places, the tone of the album is more optimistic than anything the band have done before. He also says All Sweet Things and the 12 minute epic Truenorth are perhaps the pinnacle of the band’s achievements.

stream the album

Tim Bowness – vocals, musical box, mellotron, piano, chime guitars, vocal loops.
Steven Wilson – piano, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, keyboards, glockenspiel, harmony vocals, musical box, electric piano, organ, harp, harmonium, percussion, drum programming.

Theo Travis – flute, soprano sax (tracks 4, 5 and 8).
Peter Chilvers – samples from ‘surfacing’ (track 1).
Colin Edwin – fretless acoustic bass (track 2)
Rick Edwards – percussion (track 2)
Marianne De Chastelaine – cello (track 2)
Pat Mastelotto – drums, percussion (tracks 3 and 6)
Fabrice Lefebvre – yang t’chin (track 4)
Andy Booker – electronic percussion (track 4), drum loop (track 7)
Bruce Kaphan – pedal steel guitar (tracks 5 and 7)
Pete Morgan – bass (track 7)
Gavin Harrison – drums (track 8)
Strings arranged by Dave Stewart and performed by the London Session Orchestra.