On November 6 via the Neal Casal Music Foundation will issue a archival collection from the acclaimed artist. Book Of Stories (Home Recordings 1998-2003) draws from the recordings Casal left behind after he took his own life in 2019.
The music originated with an Otari 8-track analog tape recorder that Jim Scott gave to Neal Casal in 1997, along with accompanying mics. Scott produced Casal’s 1995 album Fade Away Diamond Time along with 1999’s Anytime Tomorrow. The 12 tracks on Book Of Stories were created using the gear supplied by Scott, as Casal delved into home recording sessions.
Today we are premiering the video for “Muscatine” from the forthcoming release. Gary Waldman, Casal’s longtime friend and manager who co-produced Book Of Stories, reflects, “‘Muscatine’ is a song that Neal wrote in 1998. The title comes from the city of Muscatine, Iowa, which Neal traveled through on tour. He loved how the name of the town sounded. It was so singable that he turned it into the focal point for this beautiful song. This was during an extremely prolific songwriting era for Neal. At the same time he was honing his home recording skills and playing all the instruments himself on these recordings. ‘Muscatine' is one of the best examples of his unreleased tunes. For the album, "Book of Stories,” which this song is part of, we’ve uncovered a great batch of his unreleased recordings, which provide a unique look at this creative period in Neal’s life. The video was assembled from footage shot by director Ray Foley during that same time and adds something poignant to our memories of Neal.”
As for the project as a whole, Waldman adds, “Neal became adept at playing all the instruments on his songs and making these lovely recordings. Although none of these songs ever appeared on any of his official albums, there are many highlights here; these are not just throwaway tracks…We weren’t sure if these tapes would still work, having not been played in 25 years or so, but we put the first reel up and out came Neal’s voice like he was sitting right there with us. It blew our minds! Listening to these tunes all these years later reminded me of how great he was at not only layering guitar parts, but how good he was on bass and even his primitive drumming. These songs are essential listening for longtime Neal fans and hopefully for some new fans, too.”
Book Of Stories (Home Recordings 1998-2003) which is being released by the Neal Casal Music Foundation in conjunction with Blackwing Music and Royal Potato Family on vinyl, CD and digital formats, is now available for pre-order and pre-save.
