Hala Strana - Heave The Gambrel Roof

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

4...according to our Ant on Wed 30 May, 2007.

While I'm on the subject of fancy packaging we have a few copies of the second pressing of the Hala Strana 'Heave The Gambrel Roof' LP on Music Fellowship which has a sleeve made out of wood!!! Well technically it's fibre board (I did design technology at school) that has been screen printed on both sides. For those of you who are unaware of Hala Strana it's Steven R. Smith with his take on traditional Eastern European folk music. He has previously recorded for the Hapna label. As well as original tracks, apparently there are 'reworks of four traditional Albanian tunes'. This may well appeal to followers of John Fahey, James Blackshaw, Mike Tamburo etc. If the neighbors hate it and brick your windows you can use the sleeve to temporarily board it up. Ships at the cost of a double LP.

Steven R. Smith began recording music under the Hala Strana moniker in 2002 as a way to further explore his interest in traditional Eastern European folk music, apart from his solo releases under his own name and collaborative work in Thuja, Mirza, and other Jewelled Antler creations. Heave the Gambrel Roof is Smith's fourth full length album under the Hala Strana name. The album is a return to the shorter, more song-based form of Fielding and Hala Strana and includes reworks of four traditional Albanian tunes as well as seven original tracks.

As with all Hala Strana releases, Heave the Gambrel Roof contains a wide variety of instruments (many built by Smith himself) such as the hurdy gurdy, spike fiddle, gourd guitar, bowed baritone psaltery, bouzouki, xaphoon, and the more common electric guitar, organ, cello, and harmonium. The album includes musical contributions from Loren Chasse (Blithe Sons, Franciscan Hobbies, Of) on one track.

*The first pressing of the LP is limited to 250 copies. The cover is a 12"x12" square of wood that has been hand cut and hand sanded, with screen printing on both sides. Each copy is hand numbered using a woodburner, with the vinyl wrapped in felt, and includes an 8-page chapbook created and printed by Smith.

**The second, and last pressing of the LP is limited to 250 copies. The cover is 12x24 natural fiberboard cardstock hand silkscreened with the same cover art - screen printing on both sides.

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!