Josh Pyke - Chimney's Afire

2008 sophomore album from the Australian singer/songwriter, the follow-up to his ARIA Award winning debut Memories & Dust. On Chimney's Afire, Pyke traverses an ocean of memories, ideas and thoughts about everyday concerns, with stability and the notion of making up your own mind emerging as overriding themes. He explores the concept of a home, what it means and why it's important; fate, and whether there is a plan for US all; getting older and what it means to settle down; responsibility; being careless or careful with people and the legacy one leaves when they go. Pyke recorded and produced the majority of the record himself. In the studio, Pyke would perform the songs then dash into the control room to compile in Pro-Tools, as well as arrange the songs and direct the additional musicians. Both Connolly and Paul McKercher (Augie March, You Am I) co-produced a pair of songs each, while the album was mixed by both Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck, the Vines) in Los Angeles and McKercher in Sydney. Liberation.