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about this album
Melissa Wooley and Aaron Bailey married and moved from their home in California to pursue graduate education in Charlottesville, Virginia. A year later, after graduating high school, Donald Wooley also decided on education in Charlottesville. In April 2009, more than a year after living as housemates, and in part a result of a life-changing mountaineering accident during a visit home, the trio made the unexpected decision to play music as a band. Song writing for Manorlady began with voice and guitar, influenced by My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Mogwai, and various 1960’s surf rock. With guitar, bass, and keys in place they began seeking creative ways to bring percussion to their music. As careful students of late 1990s IDM, Portishead, Beach House, and The xx, Manorlady were attracted to the idea of ‘performing’ programmed rhythmic elements. Toward this end Aaron developed a method which involves using a foot pedal to trigger combinations of MIDI sequences in Ableton Live to operate vintage outboard gear (Alesis HR16, Akai S1, ART Proverb). The initial results were recorded and have been complied on this CD. This is a collection of songs from the ‘Home Away’ sessions, recorded in the Charlottesville home of Manorlady in July 2009. The first five tracks are original material - the rough-edged foundation of the forthcoming debut EP, titled ‘Home’ (Spring 2010 self-release). Although many aspects of these songs now feel dated, the songs are documentation of the earliest mo
