Offshore

Over the course of the last decade Daniel Burton (the man behind Early Day Miners) has become one of the mid-west’s best kept secrets. Mentored by Daniel Lanois at his Teatro Studio in Los Angeles, Burton has been putting his project-oriented stamp on a variety of records for the last 10 years. Anywhere from early Songs: Ohia recordings to the tribal rumblings of On Fillmore (Glenn Kotche of Wilco’s band with the venerable Darin Gray) to the pink noise and melodies of Windsor for the Derby, Burton’s ideas and experiences with various bands in the studio have coalesced into this career-defining work, Offshore.

Initially composed in 2001 for Let Us Garlands Bring (their sophomore album), Offshore is quintessential Early Day Miners. The faithful set closer, Offshore is equally beautiful and noisy…composed though loose; akin to late 80s/early 90s 4AD-laden world of shoegaze wash-rock like Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Mark Hollis, their predecessor Peter Gabriel or modern day saint William Basinski.

In the Lanois/Eno tradition, Burton collected an all-star cast to flesh out his vision. All contributing their talents though not distracting from the task at hand, Offshore features the core band of Burton, Joe Brumley, Jonathan Richardson, Matt Griffin (OlO) with special appearances by hauntingly beautiful voice of Amber Webber (Black Mountain), Windsor for the Derby’s Dan Matz on guitar, the prepared bass of Darin Gray, Unwed Sailor’s Johnathon Ford on electric bass and mixed by the deft hands of John McEntire (Tortoise).

Offshore has been a favorite for years. This is the director’s cut.