Basement Dreams, by Neal Casal

Basement Dreams

by Neal Casal

supported by

	/

Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$23 USD or more

1.	Dad Downstairs 00:39	buy track
2.	No One Said a Word 04:34	buy track
3.	Basement Dream 05:36	buy track
4.	Run and Hide 03:51	buy track
5.	Doghaus Gospel 00:22	buy track
6.	Outskirts 04:45	buy track
7.	Fremont Row 03:11	buy track
8.	Free Light of Day 04:55	buy track
9.	Doghaus Trance 00:46	buy track
10.	Widowmaker 03:03	buy track
11.	Kid on Trumpet 00:22	buy track
12.	Neal's Blues 04:00	buy track
13.	OIL in My Lamp 02:33	buy track
14.	Nothing Left to Prove 03:17	buy track
15.	Me and Queen Sylvia 02:59	buy track
16.	Delaware Station 03:56	buy track
17.	Promises to Keep 03:49	buy track
18.	Very Last Time 01:30	buy track
19.	St. Cloud 04:28	buy track
20.	Wisest of the Wise 03:14	buy track
21.	Denver Song 03:38	buy track
22.	Highway Butterfly 03:17	buy track
23.	Dad Again 00:26	buy track

about

In many ways, I would regard this as Neal’s best and most personal solo album, covering the whole variety of styles that he was capable of in his music. The original version of the record was a 23-track double album and the streaming version of the album also includes a bonus ‘second disc’ of 10 demos and live tracks that only came out in Europe thru Glitterhouse Records and Fargo Records in France.

Most of this album was recorded in the home studio Neal set up at the farm he and his wife Christy had moved into in Columbia, NJ. The studio was in a building on the property that was once a dog kennel and still smelled like it. Neal called it Fuzz Folk Studios and he got himself an old 8-track recording rig and really became an excellent recording engineer and producer in that kennel.

Volume 1 is bookended by two brief acapella, funny vocal performances by Neal’s dad, Ray. ‘No One Said A Word’ really defines the term “fuzz folk” and ‘Basement Dream’ is one of the best kennel recordings he ever made and features an ethereal organ drone that Neal played himself one night after John Ginty left his Hammond B3 organ at the studio. You also get two rare performances from Neal’s bluesman alter ego on ‘I Run And Hide’ and ‘Neal’s Blues’, both featuring harmonica from his pal Mike Santos, aka El Rauncho. This album also contains some of the classic singer-songwriter folky songs he was so good at; ‘Fremont Row’, ‘Me and Queen Sylvia’, ‘Delaware Station’, ‘Promises To Keep’ are all good examples of that. ‘St Cloud’ was recorded one day at Daniel Lanois’ Teatro Studios in Ojai, California with engineer Mark Howard and features Don Heffington and Neal playing trippy keyboard strings over Neal’s acoustic guitar part. ‘Denver Song’ was written the night that John Denver died in a plane crash and features Neal’s sweetest, highest vocal range as a tribute to Denver, who we were both big fans of. Just a few months later, our hero Townes Van Zandt also died and ‘Highway Butterfly’ was Neal’s tribute to him. Another highlight from Volume 1 is Neal and Angie McKenna’s version of the gospel standard ‘Oil In My Lamp’, which Neal learned from his fave Byrds record, Ballad Of Easy Rider.

Volume 2 highlights include ‘Junkyard In The Sun’ and ‘Burned Out Town’ with Andy Goessling on banjo and musical saw

credits

released November 1, 1998

Neal Casal - Vocals,
John Abbey - Bass
Amy Allison - Vocals
Ramon Casal - Vocals
Phil Cimino - Drums
Dave DeCastro - Bass
John Ginty - Organ, Piano
Bob Glaub - Bass
Ryan Hedgecock - Mandolin, Vocals
Don Heffington - Drums
John Hummell -Drums
Davis Jaynes - Strings
Greg Leisz - Pedal Steel
Angie McKenna - Vocals
Dave O'Donnell - Pedal Steel
Sundown Slim - Percussion
Uncle Lightnin' - Harp
Chuck Wood - Percussion

license

about

Neal Casal Los Angeles, California

nealcasalmusicfoundation.org

contact / help

Contact Neal Casal

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Neal Casal, you may also like:

Fear of Frying
by Eggs Over Easy

In honor of the band’s 50th Anniversary, Yep Roc have reissued the 1980 album by pub rock pioneers Eggs Over Easy. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 30, 2019
go to album
Scared Of You
by Laura Imbruglia

Gutsy rock & roll from Australian songwriter Laura Imbruglia with biting riffs and sneering vocals. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 29, 2019
go to album
Echo Dancing
by Alejandro Escovedo

The legendary Alejandro Escovedo returns with another country-rock scorcher. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 29, 2024
go to album
24th Street Blues
by Tom Heyman

Tom Heyman documents life in San Francisco circa 2023, refusing to succumb to easy characterization & instead capturing the city’s nuance. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 22, 2023
go to album
An Evening at Macri Park
by Seán Barna

Singer-songwriter Seán Barna writes a moving and tuneful character study of the dimly-lit Brooklyn queer bar. Bandcamp New & Notable May 18, 2023
go to album
Turn My Radio Up
by The Coffis Brothers

Big, sunny country songs from this Santa Cruz duo summon the spirit of late-period Byrds. Bandcamp New & Notable May 7, 2022
go to album
False Spring
by Zachary Cale

Thoughtful and poetic folk with a Cosmic Americana flavor from the Brooklyn singer-songwriter. Bandcamp New & Notable May 14, 2020
go to album