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Writ on Water is a droning ambient band that throws some college rock into the mix. They have been described as having a tone that is “serious and unsettling” at the same time that is “worshipful and reflective.”
After Blonde Vinyl folded, Writ on Water went through some changes and attempted to continue on. Eventually, they did release new music around 1999-2000. They went silent again for a long time and then in 2008 resurfaced with a full length and two eps. They still have plans to release music, with a proper recording of The Greyest Day being a possibility.
Jeff MacKey also has a side band called either/orwell that has released one self-titled album of experimental ambient music.
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Pre-Blonde Vinyl Career
The song “Stockbridge” was recorded in summer 1991. It was released through mp3.com in 2000.
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Sylph demo
Independent (1992)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, drum programming, bass
Daniel Johnson – bass, guitars, vocal, tape manipulation, bottle smashing
Joel Hughes – drums, guitars
Miles Williams – guitars
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| 01) |
Conception |
2:39 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
Precious, Like A Child |
4:40 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Silence Broken |
7:26 |
Johnson / MacKey |
| 04) |
The Distance Returns |
4:40 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
I Imagine Harriet |
2:59 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
Burning Heart |
3:31 |
MacKey |
| 07) |
Golden And Light |
3:55 |
MacKey |
| 08) |
Offering |
1:50 |
Johnson |
| 09) |
Raining Inside |
3:52 |
MacKey |
| 10) |
Flight |
4:48 |
MacKey |
| 11) |
Colder |
9:41 |
MacKey |
Other Information:
This is the four track demo that was recorded before Writ on Water signed with Blonde Vinyl. The only difference is track 8. Except for track 8, the track times listed above are based on official release of Sylph.
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Blonde Vinyl Releases
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Sylph
BVCD3552 (1992)
Produced by Christopher Colbert and Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, drum programming, bass
Daniel Johnson – bass, guitars, vocal, tape manipulation, bottle smashing
Joel Hughes – drums, guitars
Miles Williams – guitars
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| 01) |
Conception |
2:39 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
Precious, Like A Child |
4:40 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Silence Broken |
7:26 |
Johnson / MacKey |
| 04) |
The Distance Returns |
4:40 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
I Imagine Harriet |
2:59 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
Burning Heart |
3:31 |
MacKey |
| 07) |
Golden And Light |
3:55 |
MacKey |
| 08) |
Repose |
1:31 |
MacKey |
| 09) |
Raining Inside |
3:52 |
MacKey |
| 10) |
Flight |
4:48 |
MacKey |
| 11) |
Colder |
9:41 |
MacKey |
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Post-Blonde Vinyl Career
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The Greyest Day Sessions 1992-1994
mp3.com (1999)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – all instruments
Daniel Johnson – all instruments
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| 01) |
Wicker |
4:15 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
To A Castle Is Fallen |
2:11 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Careful |
5:04 |
MacKey |
| 04) |
Withdrawn |
3:25 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
Piano |
5:02 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
Held Close Beneath The Surface |
7:35 |
MacKey |
| 07) |
Cape Cod |
3:48 |
MacKey |
| 08) |
If Your Eyes Were Clouded |
4:01 |
MacKey |
| 09) |
Windsor |
4:45 |
MacKey |
| 10) |
Degeneration |
4:43 |
Johnson / MacKey |
| 11) |
Precarious |
4:33 |
MacKey |
| 12) |
Dying (When Time Begins) |
3:51 |
MacKey |
| 13) |
Misgiving |
4:46 |
Johnson / Williams / MacKey |
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Pelléas EP
mp3.com (2000)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, bass
Daniel Johnson – bass, drum programming, flute, voice
David Blaney – flugelhorn
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| 01) |
All My Memories Blur |
1:57 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
Forever only Visited |
5.57 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Swim |
1:36 |
MacKey |
| 04) |
If Anyone Ever Knew |
4:04 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
I Should Be Thankful |
6:07 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
Greyest |
3:46 |
MacKey |
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A Wingless King
Independent (2008)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, bass, drum programming, piano
Daniel Johnson – bass, flute, voice, valve trombone, drum programming, symphonic manipulation, toy keyboard, bells and whistles
Jared MacKey – drums
Jon Sonnenberg – piano
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| 01) |
Angie Swirls in Pastel Summer |
3:08 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
A Midsummer Wish |
2:53 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Ancestor |
5:23 |
MacKey |
| 04) |
The Laughter Ceases |
5:35 |
Johnson / lyrical fragement by MacKey |
| 05) |
Wondertime |
3:54 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
The Last Night of Her Sleep |
3:07 |
MacKey |
| 07) |
Trappease |
3:55 |
MacKey |
| 08) |
Dead Give Away |
3:49 |
MacKey |
| 09) |
Rain Over Unmapped Sea |
5:30 |
MacKey |
| 10) |
Bittersuite |
10:47 |
Johnson / MacKey |
| 11) |
Things Only Heaven Knows |
4:25 |
MacKey |
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Ancestral Echo/Wunderzeit!
Independent (2008)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, bass, drum and electronic woodwind programming
Daniel Johnson – bass, drum programming, guitar, voice
Archie Jackson – drums/percussion on tracks 2, 4, 5, and 7
Sam Jackson – drums on tracks 1 and 10
Jon Sonnenberg – synthesizers and drum programming on tracks 7 and 13
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| 01) |
This Kingdom of Tin |
5:14 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
Liquid |
4:45 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Fragment 55 |
1:35 |
MacKey |
| 04) |
Uncasting Spells |
4:43 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
Reflection |
5:39 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
(intermission) |
0:12 |
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| 07) |
Wondertime (travelogue remix) |
4:34 |
MacKey |
| 08) |
Twilight |
2:32 |
MacKey |
| 09) |
Should Have Known What to Expect |
4:29 |
MacKey |
| 10) |
Everything’s Too Close |
3:53 |
MacKey |
| 11) |
Santa Cruz |
1:24 |
MacKey |
| 12) |
Wondertime (original acoustic demo) |
2:43 |
MacKey |
| 13) |
Angie Swirls in Pastel Summer (travelogue remix) |
3:34 |
MacKey |
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The Greyest Day
Independent (2014)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, bass, piano, programming
Daniel Johnson – bass, guitars, piano, vocal atmospheres
Matt Akery – drums
Philip Keller – euphonium
Graham Dickey – trombone, trumpet
Nikki Johnson – vocals
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| 01) |
Cape Cod |
4:04 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
To a Castle is Fallen |
2:43 |
MacKey |
| 03) |
Careful |
5:14 |
MacKey |
| 04) |
Withdrawn |
3:24 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
Piano |
4:50 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
Held Close, Beneath the Surface |
10:00 |
MacKey |
| 07) |
Wicker |
5:12 |
MacKey |
| 08) |
If Your Eyes Were Clouded |
5:32 |
MacKey |
| 09) |
Points on a Line |
5:10 |
MacKey / Johnson / Williams / Hughes |
| 10) |
Degeneration |
4:58 |
Johnson / MacKey |
| 11) |
Precarious |
5:41 |
MacKey |
| 12) |
Dying (When Time Begins) |
3:02 |
MacKey |
| 13) |
This Ragged Soul |
5:02 |
MacKey |
| 14) |
Misgiving |
5:10 |
MacKey / Johnson / Williams / Hughes |
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A Charcoal Night
Independent (2017)
Produced by Writ on Water
Jeff MacKey – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, drum programming
Daniel Johnson – bass, guitars, voice
Matt Akery – drums
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| 01) |
Wicker |
4:18 |
MacKey |
| 02) |
Twenty-Three |
3:20 |
Johnson |
| 03) |
Carriage and Horse |
3:12 |
MacKey |
| 04) |
All I Ever Wanted Is This |
3:30 |
MacKey |
| 05) |
Windsor |
5:00 |
MacKey |
| 06) |
The Darkness All Around |
5:51 |
MacKey |
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Writ on Water Links
Listen / Purchase
Is this Jeff Mackey from California and a little hole in the wall Christian school???