Darren Hanlon - Fingertips and Mountaintops (CAN2551)

01. Hold On
02. The People Who Wave at Trains
03. Happiness is a Chemical
04. Elbows
05. Manilla NSW
06. Romance is Deafening
07. The Ostracism of Vinny Lalor
08. Fire Engine
09. Fingertips and Mountaintops
10. Couch Surfing
11. Don't Bogart my Heart
12. Old Dream

Recorded in the oldest operational silent movie theatre in the world, these sessions would only be interrupted for Buster Keaton or Rudolf Valentino films played to entertain bus loads of nursing home folk. Darren along with good friends and colleagues Bree Van Reyk, Mark Monnone (Lucksmiths) and Cory Gray (Carcrashlander, Desert City Soundtrack) descended on this small Queensland town to carve out 12 new songs utilizing old miscellaneous instruments lying around the building: marching band drums, Casio keyboards, an untuneable 18th century grand piano and the orchestral Compton pipe organ still used to accompany the silent films.

Points of interest include the radio singles 'Happiness is a Chemical' and 'Elbows', as well as the gentler moments of 'Hold On' and Hanlons only ever co-write (with Gray) 'Old Dream' recorded in a single take in the early hours. Also if you listen closely this album holds signs of the geographical ambiance; a passing car, 2 trains and approx 35 pigeons.