Track: Leather (Howe Gelb)
Album: Slush (1997)
Label: Thirsty Ear Records
Appears on: DALI CD Vol. 3

Lisa Germano (violin, piano, mandolin, vocals) has released eight albums in her own name between 1991 and 2010. In her solo work and in collaborations with John Mellencamp, Simple Minds and Indigo Girls, she exhibits extreme creativity and willingness to experiment. The last two OP8 members, Joey Burns (bass, cello, guitar, vocals) and John Convertino (drums) have also been members of Giant Sand while performing on their own as Calexico.

Leather
Leather was recorded at Wavelab in Tucson, Arizona by Nick Luca and Craig Schumacher.

One can immediately hear a more relaxed, experimental sound production than is the norm today. At this session, nobody seems to have been bothered by the clearly audible noise from microphone amplifiers and other extraneous sounds.

But what makes this track stand out is the fact that the relaxed attitude to this experimental piece of music clearly reveals that it was recorded using microphones, mixing consoles, etc. of very high quality. There is no doubt that, through sheer luck and the relaxed recording procedure, all the instruments and especially the vocals sound so life-like, creating a distinct illusion of being present in the studio right in front of the performers.