Written and recorded entirely remotely during the Covid pandemic of 2020/21.
Including the voices, sounds and feelings of over 200 people with learning disabilities...
with over 50 professional musicians and artists from all over the world. Together on one record.
Tackling issues such as isolation, loneliness, friendship, masks, difference and hope.
SUNFLOWER AVENUE - an album born out of lockdown that bonded a community
With Lockdown announced Electric Umbrella launched into a series of songwriting sessions, journaling the highs and lows of life during the pandemic. It very quickly became obvious that the songs growing out of these sessions were worthy of the world’s ears. So hand in hand with our learning disabled members we committed to the ambitious project of completing a music album.
Collaborating with guest songwriters and Tom Billington the members collectively tossed song titles and themes, lyrics and thoughts into the melting pot and over the course of nine months 12 songs were born.
Writing the album was, in a way, the easy part. Recording however, presented an altogether different challenge! A feat requiring the utmost of technical agility. Juggling time zones, challenging bandwidths, snatching time & quality wherever we could remotely. The process of capturing over 100 far flung performers and musicians and pulling them together was (to say the least) complicated. Extreme moments extended to feeding mics through letter boxes to grab vocal parts.
Sunflower Avenue documents a spectrum of emotions travelled by a learning disabled community living through a pandemic. It’s a multi genre explosion of creativity from anarchic punk to country and synth pop, from quirky dance floor fillers to sweeping ballads. It gives a bold and beautiful voice to a community often unheard and lyrically roots itself in a unique time in history.
"This has been such an honour to be a part of... I swear I think sometimes I was drawn to the cause for a reason. Maybe connecting music with my passion for helping others is something that’s coming together just as it should. I just think this may be one of the coolest things I have ever done musically..."
Kyle Daniel
Sunflower Avenue
Do What You're Told
A Little Bit Of Pride For You to Put on Your Pillow At Night
Behind The Mask
The Best Day Of My Life
We're Not Alone
Dance To The Shops
Lockdown Country Song
Available in sizes small to XXXL
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