Monday, June 08, 2026

Welcome to Crispycat Recordings....

WELCOME TO CRISPYCAT RECORDINGS

We issue the solo and collaborative work of musician, abstract artist and podcaster 
DAVID REILLY aka CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET (CBQ)
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This section is the Cloudland Blue Diary
 The diary comprises over twenty-one years of daily entries, from Sunday 5 March 2005 to Sunday 7 June 2026
(Please scroll down for the latest posts)
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SITE DIRECTORY

To go to another section of the site, click on an icon below

ABOUT    MUSIC    PODCASTS    ART    RECOMENDED LISTENING
                    
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CRISPYCAT RECORDINGS ON BANDCAMP

To go to the Bandcamp discographies of these Crispycat related artists, click on an icon.

                    

Crispycat Recordings released the first 25 Cloudland Blue Quartet albums (recorded between 1996 and 2012) to Bandcamp in 2013.

A further 8 LPs were released between 2013 and 2019.

Then, with the advent of lockdown, David spent much more time on new Cloudland Blue Quartet works, with the result that, since May 2020, new music has been released almost every month, with almost 100 further new releases having been issued in the last five years.

The current 9 strong pipeline (see below) will take matters to the end of 2026, beyond the 30th anniversary of Cloudland Blue Quartet's debut recordings, pushing the total CBQ releases available on Bandcamp to 140.

Meanwhile, retrospective releases by David's groups Creek, Crazy Wisdom and Capital Models have also been being issued by Crispycat Recordings and these are set to continue, with around 50 planned over the next 18 months or so...

In 2025, Crazy Wisdom and Capital Models also released new recordings, with seven new EPs from Crazy Wisdom and their remastered back catalogue, which you can find here; and, from Capital Models, two new studio LPs, a live LP and an update to their all encompassing "Repertoire" virtual box set, all of which, along with original recordings from 1980 and reunion tapes from 2011, can be found here...
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NEWS

LATEST ALBUM FROM CBQ


On 5 June, Cloudland Blue Quartet released "Dark" 43rd in The Soundscapes Series, recorded in August 2025. Deemed "orchestral ambient", elements of this work were first aired at the performances in 2025 of the Live Suite, "Keepsake"...

As always from Crispycat Recordings, this release is entirely Free to Stream or Name Your Price (including zero) to Download (with 5 hours of bonuses!)

A 51 minute Orchestral Ambient album, with added darkness, recorded in August 2025 (released June 2026), presented as a virtual 5CD set, w/ 5 versions of the work

Main LP: "Dark" (50:57) short version of the 2nd mix, with the addition of the final closing piece, incl an excerpt from a Stanley Kubrick interview from 1966

Bonuses for Downloaders:
"Dark" (Extended Version) (79:18) 2nd mix of the LP

"Arcane" ("Dark" Initial Mix) (73:11) 1st mix, incl ambience & Short Wave Radio but no Kubrick

"Kubrick" (75:10) 3rd mix, w/multiple edits of Kubrick to the fore

"Kubrick II" (78:31) 4th mix pushing Kubrick to the background emphasising the music

The 4th mix was considered to be the LP until, after 3 days of listening across all 4 alt mixes, it was decided to return to the 2nd, which excluded the Short Wave Radio, to create more succinct versions of the longer tracks and to exclude the Kubrick interview, apart from one short excerpt, which forms the main content of the final track of the finalised LP
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NEXT NEW RELEASE

On Friday, 3 July, 2026, Cloudland Blue Quartet will release "Music for Guitar and String Quartet in 18 Movements", the 44th in The Soundscapes Series, recorded in November 2025. It sounds like someone playing a 21st Century guitar (with distortion and looping involved) over some cleaned up but still slightly distressed, found string quartet recordings from the early 20th Century...

But that's not what it is...

It is, though, 57 minutes of music, in six parts (Movements 1-6, 7-9, 10, 11-13, 14-16 and 17 & 18)


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UPCOMING LIVE PERFORMANCES

            

Performances will include solo appearances, as Cloudland Blue Quartet, presenting sets of either songs or soundscapes, and group performances, with the current line up of David's 1980 new wave band, Capital Models 

At present there are no plans for his electronic improvisational quartet, Creek, to play live and nothing in the calendar for Cloudland Blue Quartet, Capital Models or vocal/electronic trio, Crazy Wisdom...
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CURRENT CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET RELEASE SCHEDULE

   

Friday, 3 July, 2026Music for Guitar and String Quartet in 18 Movements (44th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded November 2025)
Friday, 7 August, 2026: Across the Landscape (45th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded October 2025)
Friday, 4 September, 2026: Broken (19th in The Songs Series) (Recorded November 2025)
Friday, 2 October, 2026: Elevation (46th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded November 2025)

   

Friday, 6 November, 2026Swan Songs (6th in the GLAM! Covers Series) (Recorded December 2025)
Friday, 5 December, 2026: Disquietmusik X (10th in The Disquietmusik Frippertronics Guitar Series) (to be recorded November 2026)
NEW! Thursday, 24 December 2026: Twentytwentysix: The Originals (a collection of tracks from releases issued throughout 2026) (to be compiled December 2026)
NEW! Thursday, 31 December 2026 : Twentytwentysix (a collection of rarities recorded during 2026, many receiving their first official release) (to be compiled December 2026)

(All artwork, releases and release dates subject to change)
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LATEST PODCAST

Since 2014, David has produced over 750 editions of the "Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection", his weekly podcast on Mixcloud, reflecting his esoteric taste in music and encouraging listeners to broaden their musical horizons.

Click on the pic below to go to Mixcloud 


Unfortunately, with only the most recent 10 able to be made available, each new podcast replaces the one from 10 weeks before.  

To obtain an MP3 download link for any currently unavailable Cloudland Blue Quartet Eclectic Selection, simply e-mail your request to crispycat@hotmail.com.  

The latest edition was published on 2 June 2026.  Volume 22 features tracks from these recordings...



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NEW COLLABORATIONS

David has commenced work on new collaborational projects with Edward SparkBlue Sun Chasing and Duke Gray of Oddsfiche.  No prospective release dates are yet known

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NEW CRAZY WISDOM

Following the reactivation of Crazy Wisdom in 2024 and the release of several EPs and the back catalogue last year, Crazy Wisdom are planning new music for 2026 and the start of this project is imminent


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CREEK REISSUES

The re-issuing on Bandcamp of Creek's long-deleted back catalogue is set to recommence in the Summer of 2026

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DIARY UPDATES

Note that, in the diary, 150 days, across 6 periods in 4 of the 21 years are, currently, "picture only":-

2016: 15-17 October (3 Days)
2021: 8-21 May (14 Days)
2022: 18 April - 10 May & 6 July - 5 September (85 Days)
2023: 1 - 15 October & 18 October - 19 November (48 Days)

It is always the intention to update "picture only" days with the relevant text but doing so is, of course, subject to opportunity (and, indeed, memory!)

Sunday, June 07, 2026

Editing, recreating and compiling...

Playlist


Up at 6...


...and to the machines...



It was still the weekend...


Most of the morning spent on editing the performance from yesterday, recreating the missing, 8 song, third of the four sets, and issuing it all out to the boys in the band...

"Morning chaps - Been working on this since 6am this morning - at the link, you'll find yesterday's gig in full, complete with the two CBQ interludes which played during the 2 ten minute breaks - and, as a coda, all the recordings from the soundchecks.

The sound is "reasonable" given it's a live recording.  The desk mix does however, exclude the sound which went into the room from Martin's amp.  Maybe some day I will try and do a remix of the whole thing using AI to try and break things down to useable stems, track by track - as, necessarily in the live setting, the drums are very much to the fore... 

I also reconstructed the 2nd short set, using our rehearsals from May, which I've tried to make as compatible as possible with the overall sound of the gig.  Of course, there's no reaction from the "crowd" on this set, as it's just an "ambience" looped from parts of crowd background noise from elsewhere...

The only absolute howler out of the 48 songs is "Valerie". All that chat Friday re slowing it down etc and the errors discovered, got me stupidly thinking the chords were Cm and D major in the verse (even though I had the correct chords on the sheet in front of me).  It is, of course, C Major and D Minor.  I swithered about replacing it with a rehearsal but thought best to just leave it in...

Anyway, just remains to say a huge thank you again to Martin for all the work he put in re learning 48 songs in just 7 band rehearsals, a couple of sessions with me and countless hours on his own, locking things down!  Top man indeed!!

Listening back now and it sounds very good, loud on headphones, all things considered...  Rock on!!

PS all the announcements are in separate tracks so you can skip them if you wish LOL - but they did give Johnny W around 13 minutes respite across the 3 hours of playing..."

At lunchtime, we finished off "Murder Mindfully" - hope it comes back for a third series...

An unpictured visit from Fang...

In the remainder of the afternoon, I set about compiling this week's podcast...

For tea, chicken, chips and...


...baked beans- I do love baked beans...


Post a tidy up of the headphones and leads which were hanging on the hooks to the side of the LP collection, there is now space to display a couple...


Late on, back into "Homeland", another 2 episodes from Season 3 enjoyed...

Dishes and, then, at 10:10, time for bed...

A good weekend drew to a close...

Highlight of the Day: Editing...

Today's New Music:

Saturday, June 06, 2026

We aim to entertain...

Playlist


Up pre 6 on the morning of the gig which was first mooted at the end of February and for which the band has been rehearsing since March with stand-in guitarist Martin McQueen...


It was the weekend...


The equipment was still set up from yesterday's rehearsing...



Some visual notes were made...










...before it was all taken down...

Printed off some new QR codes re our music...


...and did a small amount of work...

Creating playlists for the space between end of soundcheck and start of performance and choosing two 10 minute CBQ tracks to play during the two 10 minute breaks...


All was ready to be taken downstairs...


...and, pre breakfast, was duly transported, joining the PA speakers, which have been in the dining room since last Sunday's rehearsal...


Said breakfast involved eggs...



Took Anne to her mum's care home for a visit then returned to the house and loaded up the equipment...

Arrived at Stewart Brewing around 11:15...




And started loading in...


I had the PA and my own equipment set up and was doing an initial soundcheck before the others arrived...




Runner registration was taking place in front of the stage - over the course of between set up and the start of our performance, the tables were gradually removed...


The initial view from behind the mic...


Johnny W arrived with his drumkit...


Then Keith with his bass and the monitors from Johnny B - up in Aberdeen today - hence, the need for Martin, who also arrived with his guitar and amp...


There were pizzas...


...and chili and baked potatoes and beers etc and the pace was filling up with runners, pre and post their 5k and 10ks...


Soundcheck completed - drums...



Bass...


Singing and guitar...


Guitar...


A tidy stage is a happy stage...


Our start time had been pushed back from 2pm to 2:40 and off we went...


An hour and then a 10 minute break...


Half an hour set and then a half an hour break for the prize giving...

Ali, Julie and the kids had popped by...

And Anne had arrived after over an hour's journey on the bus...


Another half hour set - for which I inadvertently forgot to press "record"...


Another 10 minute break...

And, then, the final hour long collection of hits...



Then, the take down, packed away and car loaded...

Good reports back, from audients and organisers alike...

Great crowd, great gig, almost 50 songs played across four sets (Springsteen-esque indeed LOL)…  

And an invite back…

Can’t say fairer than that!

Home to some veggie burgers...


And an evening of football as Scotland beat Bolivia 4-0, me soundtracking with today's recordings on the cans...

Highlight of the Day: Performing...

Today's New Music:


Set One
American Pie
Take It Easy 
Dancing in the Dark 
Keep On Running 
The Model
Love is the Drug 
Teenage Kicks 
Candy
Folsom Prison Blues 
Cracklin' Rosie 
Is This The Way To Amarillo 
Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town 
Let's Stick Together 
Blue Suede Shoes 
Rhinestone Cowboy 
The Jean Genie

Set Two
Heroes
Human 
Bad Moon Rising 
Proud Mary 
Big Yellow Taxi 
Maggie May 
Leaving on a Jet Plane 
Blitzkrieg Bop

Set Three
Make Me Smile 
Ring of Fire 
Beautiful Sunday 
Caroline 
Stuck in the Middle With You 
Sweet Caroline 
Crazy Horses 
Mrs Robinson 

Set Four
Dakota
Summer of 69
You're So Vain
Another Brick in the Wall pt 2
The Ballad of John & Yoko 
That's Entertainment 
Valerie
Sit Down
I'm a Believer
Mr Brightside 
Sugar Sugar 
Brown Eyed Girl 
Daydream Believer 
Brown Sugar 
Suspicious Minds 
Five Hundred Miles