After releasing the "Jeffersonville" album in the fall of 1997, members of Guppyboy relocated from Burlington, VT to Brooklyn, NY and formed the Essex Green.  The group enjoyed an extremely prolific songwriting and recording phase, similar (in their own minds) to what Dylan and The Band experienced during their Big Pink Basement Tapes recordings sessions.  The Sixth Great Lake was originally an alter-ego for the Essex Green, giving the group a chance to try out new songs and experiment with material that didn't quite fit the Essex Green mold.  It also allowed for more intimate live shows with guest musicians and friends.

 

Up the Country Sessions | Burlington, VT
In January of 2000, the Guppyboy lineup returned to Burlington, reunited with Zach Ward, to begin work on a new batch of recordings.  A makeshift 8-track 1/2" reel-to-reel recording studio was set up in Jenn Karson's second floor rehearsal space on St. Paul Street.  Old friends joined in, including Karl Steen, Colin Clary and Jedd Kettler.

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Up the Country Sessions | Hurley, NY
Recording continued atop a mountain in a house in Hurley, NY where Jeff and Sasha were dog-sitting for the summer.  Overdubs, vocals and final tracks were mixed, bounced and mastered for release on Kindercore Records in January 2001.  CD/LP (black and green marble vinyl pressings exist)

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Tracks: Duck Pond, Across the Northern Border, Up the Country, Ballad of a Sometimes Traveller, Cannon Beach, Descending Star, Blue, Last in Line, You Make the Call, Shade of Love, 27 Forever, Spin Your Wheels, 300 Miles, Rockin' Chair, Lovely Today
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Outtakes: "By the Sea" (Instrumental) Later re-recorded and appeared on Essex Green's "The Long Goodbye".

Crossing Border Festival | Amsterdam
The group was invited to play at the Crossing Border Festival in Amsterdam in October, 2001.  An All-expenses paid trip and hotel, a show at Paradiso and a live, in-studio performance on the radio station VPRO 747 AM.  Brendan Squire (bass) and Neil Cleary (guitar, keyboards, drums) joined Mike, Chris and Zach for the trip.  Jeff and Sasha were on tour in Europe with The Ladybug Transistor.  Chris had lost his voice and you can hear it on the recordings.

Kojo Sessions | Williston, VT
In November of 2001, new recordings were initiated with the band members setting up in the main training studio of Kojo Academy of Taekwon-Do in Williston, VT.  Kojo is owned by Mike's father and provided a large, open area that created a natural reverb in the sound.  Basic tracks were recorded for five songs – one by each band member.  Only two of the songs were ever officially released.  "Everybody Loves" was released on 2004's "Sunday Bridge" and "Tips for Teens" was eventually finished and released on the "Build Your Army with Potatoes" compilation on Royal Rhino Flying Records. 

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Tracks: Everybody Loves, Tips for Teens, Chaz Hale, Heckle Me Fucker, Anchored in the Wind.

Park Avenue Recording Sessions | NYC
Chris Ziter set up a ProTools studio in Julia Rydholm's apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan.  Zach came to visit from Vermont and three songs were recorded over a weekend.  Two of the songs were released on the limited-edition "House of Cards" 2003 Tour CD.  "House Song" was later re-recorded and released on 2004's "Sunday Bridge".  "Beach Song" was also re-recorded and released on Michael Barrett's solo album, "Couches and Carpet" on Planting Seeds Records.

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Tracks: House Song, Beach Song, Angry.

Sunday Bridge Sessions | Brooklyn, NY
In November 2002, Zach, Chris Mike began laying down live tracks onto 1/2" 8-track reel to reel at Stratford Projects in Brooklyn, NY, where Mike and Jeff were living.  Jeff contributed some overdubs on guitar and keyboards.  Neil Cleary came by to visit one evening, nailed the guitar solo on "Fool" in one take, and that's the version you can hear on the record.  Ben Crum added electric piano on "Kentucky" and Kevin Barker played acoustic on "Downies".  Overdubs and vocals continued at Chris Ziter's apartment in Park Slope. Final mixes and mastering was done by Britt Myers.  "Sunday Bridge" was released on blue vinyl LP in 2004 on Tup Keewah Recordings.  One outtake, "Everything is White" appears on the Planting Seeds Records compilation, "Sunsets and Silhouettes".

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Tracks: Old Smoke, The Saint, Fool, Downies, Baby Tonight, House of Cards, Seven Stripes, Twenty-Three Songs, House Song, Kentucky, Smokin' Joe.

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Outtakes: Everything is White, On the Lanai, Mason Dixon.

 

2003 US Tour with James William Hindle​

In the Fall of 2003, Chris, Zach and Mike hit the road for a small US tour with Anna Jaysane-Darr playing keyboards and James William Hindle on guitar and as the opening act.  You can read about the journey in the tour diary in the blog section. A live set was performed on MIT Radio, WMBR 88.1 FM in Cambridge MA.  You can hear the recordings here.​



Factory Outlet Sessions | Freeport, ME
In the cold January winter of 2006, Mike and Zach recorded a new batch of basic tracks in Zach's basement in Freeport, ME.  Six songs got full rhythm and overdubs on the 1/2 8-Track reel-to-reel and a handful of other acoustic tracks were recorded live into ProTools.  At this point, these songs remain unfinished and unreleased, with only rough mixes being passed around among band members.

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Tracks: Hi-Fi to Cry By, Jose's Waltz, Winter Walk, Fuss, Orange Sunshine, She's Not Coming Over, Manny Ramirez, Down on Main Street, Green Green Grass of Home, Turning Off a Memory, Midday Dream.

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