Waves Are Universal is the debut solo album from former Slowdive and Mojave 3 singer/guitarist Rachel Goswell. It was produced by David Naughton, and released by 4AD on June 14, 2004, in the UK and June 22, 2004, in the US. The album was recorded after production and touring for Mojave 3's album Spoon and Rafter resumed. The songs "Plucked" and "Sleepless & Tooting" appeared on Rachel's EP The Sleep Shelter, released prior to the album in May 2004, and both "Coastline" and "Plucked" were remixed and featured on a special single released in February 2005.Rachel Goswell – Coastline / Plucked (12", Ltd, Tra) at Discogs Waves Are Universal was released to generally positive reviews, receiving an overall 66% positive rating on Metacritic.Waves Are Universal reviews at Metacritic.com In December 2004, American webzine Somewhere Cold ranked Waves Are Universal No. 7 on their 2004 Somewhere Cold Awards Hall of Fame list.
Track listing "Warm Summer Sun" (Goswell) – 3:45 "Gather Me Up" (Goswell) – 2:24 "No Substitute" (Goswell) – 4:36 "Deelay" (Goswell, Light) – 4:13 "Plucked" (Goswell, Light) – 3:08 "Hope" (Goswell, Light) – 3:52 "Coastline" (Goswell) – 5:43 "Shoulder the Blame" (Goswell, Light) – 3:06 "Save Yourself" (Goswell) – 3:59 "Thru the Dawn" (Goswell) – 3:09 "Beautiful Feeling" (Goswell) – 3:27 "Sleepless & Tooting" (Goswell, Light) – 3:01
Credits Produced, engineered, and mixed by David Naughton. "Warm Summer Sun" Rachel Goswell – vocals, accordion, squeeze box Joe Light – acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar David Naughton – dumb bass, fuzz bass, 12-string guitar, shaker Bill Drake – piano Jerome Farrell – uilleann pipes Ashley Bates – drums Ambiences: Lostwithiel church bells and Chislehurst Caves "Gather Me Up" Rachel Goswell – vocals, acoustic guitar Bill Drake – harmonium Jerome Farrell – low D whistle Ashley Bates – ding Mother Nature: Lostwithiel birds and ambience "No Substitute" Rachel Goswell – vocals, claps Joe Light – acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, electric guitar David Naughton – bass, shaker, tambourine, claps Ashley Bates – drums Bill Drake – piano Ambience: St Merryn airfield "Deelay" Rachel Goswell – vocals Joe Light – acoustic guitar, swell guitar, rhythm guitar, ebo guitar David Naughton – bass, accordion, shaker, tambourine, guitar knock, heartbeat "Plucked" Rachel Goswell – vocals Joe Light – acoustic guitars David Naughton – caved Wurlitzer, string arrangement Jeremy Perl – cello Bronwyn Stride – violin Ambiences: Chislehurst Caves and Thai insects "Hope" Rachel Goswell – vocals Joe Light – acoustic guitars David Naughton – bass, percussion Bill Drake – harmonium Lynne Jackaman – bangles Ambiences: Camden Road and Chislehurst Caves "Coastline" Rachel Goswell – vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar Joe Light – slide guitar, guitar effects David Naughton – bass, 12-string guitar, bongos Ashley Bates – drums, tambourine, lion's roar "Shoulder the Blame" Rachel Goswell – vocals Joe Light – bass, acoustic guitar, arch top slide guitar, lead guitar David Naughton – pot, letterbox bells Mother Nature: Thai waves "Save Yourself" Rachel Goswell – vocals, acoustic strum guitar Joe Light – acoustic guitar, electric guitar David Naughton – harmonium Bill Drake – piano Ashley Bates – drums "Thru the Dawn" Rachel Goswell – vocals, acoustic guitar David Naughton – shaker, vibraphone Melanie Shallenberg – flute Mother Nature: rain "Beautiful Feeling" Rachel Goswell – vocals, acoustic guitar, accordion Jeremy Perl – cello Richard Lane – violin Michael Perl – violin Reiad Chiba – viola "Sleepless & Tooting" Rachel Goswell – vocals, snare drum Joe Light – bass, main guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bongos, shaker, low hit David Naughton – mini Spanish guitar, rain stick, ethnic tambourine, ride cymbal Bill Drake – Hammond organ Recorded at: The Troll Boudoir, Camden The Sleep Shelter, Tooting Tower of Power, London The Shed & The Cottage, Lostwithiel Mayfair 6, London M3 HQ, St Merryn Beech Studios, London Ambient field recordings recorded at: Chislehurst Caves, Kent Lostwithiel St Merryn airfield Camden Road, London Chiang Mai and Cha-am, Thailand Copyist: Stephen Lipson. Mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis Mastering. Front cover oil painting by T. Jackiewiecz. Layout by Alison Fielding. Typography by Rachel Goswell. Inner sleeve main photograph by Alan Forrester. Snapshots by Ashley Bates, David Naughton, and Rachel Goswell.
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