Usually, when Jack Biilmann walks into a recording studio, he does so knowing that he can record parts individually and edit them together later.
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But that's not how it played out when recording side A of his current album Divided Mind.
That's because the Canberra singer chose to record at least the first half of his latest album in an 1800s church that once belonged to his family.
![Jack Billmann recording in Round Plain Church, in Rocky Plain. Picture supplied Jack Billmann recording in Round Plain Church, in Rocky Plain. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/8a6eef01-8c78-4406-90a0-b1b14ba3b3b6.jpg/r0_664_4000_3399_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
There was just something about how music sounded in this church at Rocky Plain - near Cooma - that Biilmann knew he just had to record in. Even if it meant that he had to record everything live, rather than in sections.
It's for this reason that his upcoming show at The Street - which rounds out his Divided Mind tour - will be the truest representation of an album recording he's ever done.
"The recording was almost like, I need to make this work live with what I've got at my disposal," Biilmann says.
![Inside Round Plain Church, in Rocky Plains, during the recording of Divided Mind. Picture supplied Inside Round Plain Church, in Rocky Plains, during the recording of Divided Mind. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/fa70b3ef-2f13-434a-88d3-e5c7f1383318.jpg/r0_86_5507_3194_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We had to workshop all the songs in that live setting to then go, 'Yep, I'm happy, and let's leave it there'.
"It's nice to be able to show people live on stage, that's exactly what happened live in the studio. So I'm hoping that people just get a little bit blown away by the preparation, and how the songs have evolved."
WHATS ON:
This is the second time Biilmann has performed in his home city during the Divided Mind. The first, held at The Basement on June 16, featured Biilmann with his band, The Black Tide, focusing primarily on side B of the album - which uses elements of '90s rock, blues, country and some serious guitar riffage, to command attention with high energy and heavy grooves.
Meanwhile, side A is simply Biilmann on guitar, vocals and harmonica, and backup singer Sara Flint (from Canberra band Apricot Ink). The result is a more blues, roots and country sound infused with rock n roll, that's only complimented on the recording by the natural reverb of the church.
"It's a lot more vulnerable - there's nowhere to run and hide. I've got Sara to hide behind this time, which is nice," Biilmann says.
![Jack Biilmann and Sarah Flint on backup vocals during the recording process. Picture supplied Jack Biilmann and Sarah Flint on backup vocals during the recording process. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/633c0552-c304-4533-8173-67c1929ae121.jpg/r0_613_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"But it's just you on stage and no bands, and you've got to make the songs interesting with dynamics and just rehearse that.
"And we're going to be screening the documentary of what we did in the church before we go out and play.
"So I'll be able to talk about each song and anything that's worth mentioning about the process of recording it and the writing process and stuff like that. So it's going to be nice to be able to walk out there and do that."
Since being released in June, Divided Mind has been played on radio stations across Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Germany and Canada. It debuted at number three on the ARIA Blues Chart - behind Norah Jones and Frank Sinatra. It also debuted at number three on the Australian Independent Labels Album Chart, and in the past weeks, Jack Biilmann and The Black Tide have been nominated in the upcoming National Live Music Awards for best Blues and Roots Act.
Jack Biilmann performs at The Street on October 7. For tickets go to thestreet.org.au.
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