Recording Lapse commenced on January 1st, 2022, following a lively New Year’s Eve at the Out There bar in 29 Palms. Nursing a rare hangover, I welcomed guitarist Robby, fresh from LA, into my mother’s desert house amidst much excited barking from my pit bull Thurmon and producer/engineer Bill’s pit/lab mix Maggie. Over the next few months, this record took shape, inadvertently paying homage to Idaho’s past, largely influenced by my collaboration with Robby — whom he humorously refers to as the “Steely Dan model.” Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, Robby reached out to me on Instagram and offered his assistance in completing the demo snippets I was sharing online… Every record since ‘Hearts of Palm’ (2000) has been more of a solo effort so the synergy of collaboration is a cool thing to have back in the fray. The high desert setting lent its voice to this LP… how could it not? The colors, textures and endless sky sunsets. Thank you mother Lynda for letting us desecrate your sanctuary for the good part of ’22. The large living room afforded us a chance to spread out, get loud and let the sound waves develop the way they should. As fate would have it, Bill had to depart, leaving me with the task of mixing the album alone. I often wonder if a professional could have achieved a better result, but nevertheless, I take pride in finally breaking Idaho’s dry spell.