Tucker Zimmerman - Over Here In Europe

The first vinyl re-issue of Tucker Zimmerman's exquisite, sonically groundbreaking 1974 album. A self-described 'songpoet', Zimmerman's long and storied life as an American 'exile' in Europe has so far produced nine studio albums and many hundreds of poems. And more recently, led to his current collaborations with Big Thief. Running through it all is a sustained, singular will to create beautiful low key, low ego art on the biggest, most timeless themes. As Tucker says of this recording - "After years of writing and filling a box with over 500 song sheets I had finally found my path, my originality, my voice. It had become clear to me in the previous year that songs of only one kind were worth spending time on: those which had a positive message and a peaceful vibration. I still feel that these are the only kind of songs worth writing... No anger. No politics. No teaching. Just poetry.." What Tucker doesn't mention is the glorious ambition of the arrangements and production. His experimental use of keyboards, synthesisers and that rarest of birds - the Ondes Martenot (a kind of theremin hybrid). Electronica as a shifting palette to lift songs with a classic singer/songwriter feel into something new. Perhaps only the early 70's Beach Boys were onto the same idea, albeit with slightly different budgets. Tucker produced this LP himself. Cutting his production teeth with another life friend Tony Visconti in London, experimenting with tapes and electronic sounds while working on many albums including Marsha Hunt, Paul Butterfield & his own debut (one of Bowie's favourite records). Mr Zimmerman is the real deal and 'Over Here In Europe' a new direction which would end seven years later with the excellent 'Word Games' whereupon he pauses from the creation of albums in this form. We feel very proud & fortunate to know Tucker & present his first book of short verse 'When In Flows The Sea" & this record to the world again.