On the Waterfront

Notes on Final Release

When I started to write this album the basic concept was light years away from what you can hear now. I have planned a very intimate piano-vocal only sound but as I moved forward in the producing I started to cast about for very different sonic shapes. So thus the orchestrations are in a very wide range with the pianos and keyboards in the centre. I can't deny I'm a keyboard maniac. 'Night Balloon' for example is the essence of the project called 'Short Stories' I've written right after I came back from Canada. But I couldn't finish that because it was extremely overwhelming emotionally and simply I couldn't perform the songs nor record them that time. Those 16 songs are united in this one. I always said that I won't ever speak about politics or religion in my songs because I don't like to deal with these topics in public. But as the sounds have changed so did my point of view. This record is about escaping and leaving. There are island-like songs such as 'I saw Katie' or 'Untold' but in the deep they are also part of the concept of leaving. Each song went on a long distance trip. They took airplanes, ships or whatever carrier they needed to get there - the place we all want to get sometimes. I was very seriously considering to leave this country - I still haven't give up this plan - but at the time of the recording I wasn't prepared. The main thing I understood is that I will remain myself wherever I go, only the circumstances can be much more livable and bearable then the circumstances evolved here in this country. I wish I know the destinations of these trips in my head. Despite I don't know the right place yet, I'm really glad with the answers I got to my questions. We all need to access another world inside us to carry on, especially nowadays. Sometimes it's quite painful and complicated to get there I must admit it. I wish you courage and perseverance and I hope you can find your own way through these songs. If you join me for this walk on the waterfront we can discuss about the possibilities. We all need a good talk don't we? Giving up is the simplest and easiest choice, there's so much more in this story. Every closed road has its roundabout. Even if you don't see it, it's there.

• Composed by: Frank Sharman
• Lyrics by: Frank Sharman
• Completed on: 2009