ALBUM NOTES:

Satellite Songs is a vocal album issued in a single pressing of 1,000 copies on the Sonic Masonic Records label.  The album was intended as a band recording using musicians that occasionally had appeared with Nelson, billed as the Lost Satellites.  Had it proved financially viable, Nelson had his sights on returning to Fairview Studios for the recording of Satellite Songs.  In the event, Nelson had neither the time nor funding to fulfill these plans, and ended up recording the album alone at home.  But the band would perform with him that autumn on the Be Bop Deluxe and Beyond tour.
     
Satellite Songs was put on sale at the start of the Be Bop Deluxe and Beyond tour, simultaneously with both Custom Deluxe and Dreamland to Starboard.  After the tour had finished, the album was sold exclusively through S.O.S.  The album eventually sold out in 2006.


CURRENT AVAILABILITY:

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Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store. 

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IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY:
Orpheus in Ultraland, Fancy Planets, Joy Through Amplification, Special Metal, Blip!, Blip 2, Fantasmatron,
Captain Future's Psychotronic Circus, Electric Atlas, Golden Melodies of Tomorrow, New Northern Dream


BILL'S THOUGHTS:

"Forever Blue Sings the Sky": "Moody romanticism, a lovely melody and some complex jig-saw puzzle guitar."
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"Nearer to rock music in style is Satellite Songs.  A kind of contemporary take on what Be Bop would possibly have been doing today, had I kept the band together."

FAN THOUGHTS:

wadcorp:

"A stunner of an album.  When I discovered Dreamsville & was reconnecting with Bill Nelson after a long absence, this was one of the very first I picked up when I ordered.  I was hooked from the first play.  Great tunes throughout."


james warner:

"A companion piece to the Be Bop and Beyond retrospective concert of 2004, this album of vocal tracks seems like Bill's personal reflections on where he had been and where he was then.  The songs hint at things remembered and lost, a grudging acceptance of things as they are and hope in the final revelatory track, "Sweet William's Epiphany", a long ethereal journey punctuated by bursts of energy."


ModernMusic:

"To my ears, I have always thought that Satellite Songs contains many throwbacks to BBD...the extended soloing on the first track, "Times of Our Lives", for example, is one that is very reminiscent of the Live in the Air Age guitar playing.  Subtle throwbacks throughout that entire album but refreshingly new!"


Panoramicon:

"Times of Our Lives": "A quintessential Bill tune, evoking bright, sunny memories of (my) youth in England.  If this is nostalgia, I'm all for it.  Great chorus (I sing this out loud in the car while driving, much to the chagrin of my daughter in the back).  But then, what does he give us?  First, a fine melodic solo 'fore the final chorus, and then...oh my, a vista opens up above three simple strummed chords and we get two (two!) beautiful solos.  The phrases like poignant, fading memories; red-shifting into the past like those distant galaxies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field.  I could also mention the terrific swaggering guitar on "Sphinx", the reflective beauty of "Sweet Williams Epiphany"...so many albums, so much wonder...Bless you Bill!"


Mozo:

"S.S. is one of the best Nelson releases ever!  Especially for all the hep cats out there who keep a yearning for the pre-Red Noise era Bill.  "Hollywood Still Burning" rocks with the best of any Be-Bop released.  And I still say that "Sweet Williams Epiphany" is a condensed version of Bill's career in a nutshell.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it."


stpetelou:

"This is a wonderful collection of music from Bill.  Some of the songs sound to me as if they could have been from the late BBD era and Bill plays some fantastic guitar throughout.  The song "The Wind Blows Silver and the Bees Hum Gold" is worth the price alone!"


tommaso:

"Well, for me it HAD the WOW factor!  So catchy melodies, beautiful arrangements, and Bill REALLY singing tunes again (this last aspect I really missed on Atom Shop or Whimsy), just like in the old times.  "Time of our lives" must be one of my all-time Bill faves, just as "Evening Tide"."


RJR:

"BN's most underrated tune?  "Sweet William's Epiphany" from Satellite Songs.  Superb!!!"

"This CD is an absolute goldmine of excellent pieces."


aquiresville:

"Sweet William's Epiphany": "Gorgeous Nelsonic pastoral guitar progression, with Bill's wonderful sweet-and-high singing, and those wonderful thundercloud Superstar shred-solo breaks, it's a beautiful example of Past-and-Present Bill, all rolled into a nine minute slice of musing (Yes, it even includes some "found voice" Orchestra at the end -- "Every atom, belonging to me.").  It's truly one of my Favorite Songs, for the moment.  Thank you, Bill!"


Parsongs:

"One of my favorite "vocal" albums, it's on my player quite often.  Not a bad song on it; all hits.  "Sweet William's Epiphany" - one of my favorite songs by Bill.  I wish it could go on forever.  The extended ending is there too."


chromiumlad:

"I absolutely love Satellite Songs.  One that grabbed me instantly and never let go."


Alan:

"Satellite Songs is a brilliant album all the way through.  The music and the vocals are stellar, if I may say."

"Definitely a must have.  This CD has great lyrics, vocals and instrumentation.  If you don't have it yet, buy it soon."

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