Dekkagar

"The National Trust started out as a band and then grew into an idea." - Neil Rosario songwriter and vocalist.

All kidding aside, The National Trust started as a casual musical partnership between Neil Rosario and long time friend Andy Cunningham. As their song repertoire grew so did their membership- with percussionists Brian Deck and Bryan Aldrin, bassist Doug Demers and vocalists/guitarists/org anists Mark Henning and Russell Baseman. After the release of their debut 7", recorded for about 300 dollars, - the group played their first gig to a nearly sold out Empty Bottle crowd. It would be only a few months till their second packed gig. Then they disappeared.

Disappeared into the studio, that is, under the guidance of Brian Deck, whose recent recordings include Califone, and Modest Mouse. Initially, The National Trust intended merely to document the songs and the group. They were not recording for a label or with a specific release. The combination of Rosario and Deck was a brilliant match and, with no deadline, they set out to create the perfect document. It became a labor of love; an obsession for both as they worked with Henning and Demers song by song. It was not until nearly a year of studio time and work that the band called Thrill Jockey, who had previously released the 7". At that point it was merely to play the recordings to some old friends. Six months later, The National Trust's partnership with Thrill Jockey began in full. It would be another 6 months of work till Dekkagar, in all it's lush glory, would be finished.

The opening track "Making Love in the Natural Light" contains over 70 tracks- at least 35 of them vocals- singing as well as "mouthgames". The main track was all charted but the intro and outro were largely improvised. So dense was this particular recording that it was done in two parts and pieced together with epic results. "Feather Clip", the flamboyant "Neverstop" and "lachrymosa" all contain layered vocals, up to 15 guitar tracks, interwoven keyboards, and guests from guitarists Tim Rutilli (Califone) to trombonist Jeb Bishop. Rosario cites inspirations from popular culture such as Jefferson Starship's "Miracles", Ozark Mountain Daredevil's "Jacqui Blue", Pablo Cruise, Little Beaver, Peabo Bryson, Miami, Curtis Mayfield and David Crosby's If Only I Could Remember My Name. Rosario adds with a wink that it all goes down better with a little Champale or Ruinite on ice, whatever you fancy. We fancy a double.