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Sacred River

by Luke Escombe

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about

“Sacred River” is the pulsating second single from Luke Escombe’s forthcoming album “Whale Beach Road”. Written around a hypnotic bass and drum loop, played live on the recording by bassist Zoe Hauptmann and drummer Evan Mannell, the track builds a suspenseful narrative of a man on the edge.

Luke says: “the song was inspired by certain characters I would see on small flights up to Mackay, the FIFO workers leaving their young families for weeks on end to disappear into the company of other men, working in deserted places”

Musically, “Sacred River” draws on one of Luke’s deepest musical influences:

“One of my earliest memories is going to see Pink Floyd’s The Wall live in concert at Earl’s Court in London when I was 4 years old. My Dad was working on the tour and showed me around the stage on the day of the show. I remember being really excited but then running out in terror as soon as the lights went down”

Luke plays the lead guitar part on the track, recorded in one take at Damien Gerard studios in Gosford through an old Fender Bassman amp that was, as Luke recalls, “cranked so loud I thought it was going to explode. I was sitting right next to it trying to manipulate the sound so it didn’t incinerate me with feedback. It was totally instinctive”

Clayton Doley adds extra layers of swirling tension on the Hammond organ, and the epic choruses feature backing vocals by Sarah Belkner, Darren Percival, Alice Terry and Daniel Mifsud. It was recorded by Andrew Beck and Richie Belkner, mixed by Richie at Free Energy Device Studios in Newtown and mastered by Grammy-winning engineer William Bowden, who declared it his favourite track on the album: “hypnotic and awesome”.

lyrics

I take the red eye
I take the night train
I wear the high-vis
I get the migraine
I need the quick fix
To make me vibrate
To make me feel good
Make my pupils dilate
I feel the shiver
I feel my pulse race
I feel it come on
Speeding up my heart rate
I hear the sirens
I feel the earth shake
I feel the love love love
I feel the heartache

Way way down in the valley below
There’s a sacred river
A river that used to flow
Mercy o lord look down from above
Make the river flow again
The sacred river of love
The sacred river

I can’t sleep but
I still have visions
I watch the preachers
On late night television
I hold the rifle
I clutch the prayer beads
I close my eyes
and wait for God to hear me
I follow red lights
I walk down alleys
I am the river
Winding through the valleys
I am the trigger
I am the land mine
I am the silence
broken by the drone strike

Way way down in the valley below
There’s a sacred river
A river I used to know
Mercy o lord look down from above
Make the river flow again
The sacred river of love
The sacred river

credits

released July 29, 2022
Credits
Written by Luke Escombe
Backing vocals arranged by Sarah Belkner
Engineered by Andrew T Beck and Richard Belkner
Mixed by Richard Belkner
Mastered by William Bowden
Produced by Luke Escombe and Evan Mannell

Band
Luke Escombe - guitars and vocals
Aaron Flower - guitar
Evan Mannell - drums and percussion
Zoe Hauptmann - bass
Clayton Doley - organ

Backing singers
Sarah Belkner, Alice Terry, Daniel Mifsud, Darren Percival

Recorded at Damien Gerard Studios, The Shred Shed and Free Energy Device Studios between 2020 and 2022

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about

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Luke Escombe Sydney, Australia

A singer-songwriter who combines rock, blues and soul influences with authentic storytelling and humour. Luke is best known as the creator and frontman of ARIA-nominated kids band The Vegetable Plot. His new album "Whale Beach Road"is his first studio release under his own name in over ten years. ... more

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