MICK HARVEY releases a brand new solo album, ONE MAN’S TREASURE, on 29th August 2005. The album release coincides with a one-off London live show, part of a European tour, on 15th September at the Underworld, Camden.
Mick Harvey - celebrated arranger, multi instrumentalist, producer, film soundtrack composer and co-founder of the Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and The Birthday Party - moves with total ease to the centre stage, for what is essentially his first solo album, the superlative One Man's Treasure.
One Man's Treasure is an inspired and moving collection of classic songs. Some are original compositions, some of these songs once belonged to songwriters such Lee Hazelwood (the yearning 'First St. Blues'), Tim Buckley (the ominous 'The River') and the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce of The Gun Club (the bitter sweet reverie that is 'Mother Of Earth'). There are songs of humorous wisdom ('Hank Williams Said It Best'), inquisitive songs ('Will You Wonder?'), songs filled with hope ('Come On Spring'), wonder ('Bethelridge') and despair ('Demon Alcohol'). What links this enduring material is a spirit reminiscent of the best urban Australian alternative country music and the fact that Mick Harvey felt a passionate, personal connection with every song. "Basically what I'm trying to do with this material is to enjoy getting to sing, be the singer myself, which is fun, apart from anything else," Harvey freely admits. "To try and deliver this material that I feel very strongly about."
The basic album tracks were all recorded by Harvey at his home studio and the project developed spontaneously. "It was something I was doing to entertain myself," relates Harvey. "There was no master plan.'“ Harvey eventually played the tapes to Daniel Miller at Mute. Encouraged by Miller's very enthusiastic response Harvey took the tapes to Atlantis Studios in Melbourne, where the drums and strings were added and the record finally mixed.
