Amanda Lehmann

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Released 20th August 2021 CD digifile with Booklet and Digital

After a musical career spanning over three decades (and known latterly for her musical involvement with Steve Hackett), singer/songwriter/guitarist Amanda Lehmann will release her debut solo album Innocence and Illusion. The album, which features 9 songs, sees a fusion of prog, rock, ballads, and elements of jazz-blues. 'Innocence and Illusion' takes us on a journey through magical childhood worlds and hard-edged realities; emotionally touching us at every turn.

" 'Innocence and Illusion' is set to take the year's music honours by storm. I believe she is the new British talent with a range of expression rarely heard on a debut album. You'd have to cast your mind back many years to find such a rich seam of ideas mined on one record. There's an actor's approach to character exploration from child to woman and back again, where Amanda is the ringmaster of her own fantasies with much to say about the human condition, adding a hint of chanson to the power of rock and a touch of magic realism. We're discovering a true musical chameleon. It's been a pleasure to play on one or two tracks along with input from several gifted pals to fully inflate her sails, but the golden ship itself belongs to Amanda alone. With production icons Nick Magnus and Roger King at the helm, who know where Amanda's creative travels may take us in the future". Steve Hackett.

Amanda's haunting multi-layered vocals weave throughout 'Innocence and Illusion', intertwining with her lead vocals which range from warm bluesy tones to rocky harder edged to choir-like pure notes. Her trademark red guitars feature regularly with thematic lead lines, crunching power chords and delicately picked arpeggios, alongside more gentle acoustic treatments.

With the lyrics and music composed by Amanda Lehmann, she has welcomed the keyboard and engineering skills of Nick Magnus (Steve Hackett, China Crisis, Renaissance, James Warren - The Korgis/Stackridge, Claire Hamill) for seven of the songs, with Roger King (Gary Moore, Squackett, Steve Hackett, Peter Andre) on two tracks, and also featuring Guest appearances on 2 songs by Rob Townsend (James Taylor - James Taylor Quartet, Bill Bruford, Steve Hackett) on sax, and Steve Hackett (Genesis, GTR, Squackett) on 3 songs: lead guitar on one song, nylon guitar on another and harmonica. The album cover features a striking original creation from Des Walsh Illustration.

"Innocence and Illusion
Childhood delusions
The man in the moon still follows me home"

As well as Amanda's own keyboard and piano compositions appearing on several of the songs on 'Innocence and Illusion', Nick Magnus brings a wealth of inspired, majestic performances to the pieces with orchestral arrangements - such as the enchanting flying sequence instrumental in Tinkerbell, swooping synth solos (Who Are The Heroes?), dynamic rhythms and plenty of haunting Mellotron throughout. Roger King adds a beautiful string arrangement to Memory Lane and funky jazz band to Only Happy When It Rains, along with lilting sax solos from Rob Townsend. Amanda and Steve Hackett go into twin guitars on Forever Days with some stellar lead work from Steve. Steve also brings the elegance of his nylon guitar into play on Where The Small Things Go and bluesy harmonica on Only Happy When It Rains.

"I am incredibly proud of this album", Amanda comments; "there is a wide variety of music, all weaving around the central thread of life's journey; the twists and turns and all the stops along the way, the innocence, the illusions, the hopes and dreams, reflecting on what is, what was, what could be. These songs have been bursting to be heard, and I hope that they speak to everyone who listens to them."

Track listing:
1. Who Are The Heroes? (6:58)
2. Tinkerbell (5:59)
3. Only Happy When It Rains (3:47)
4. The Watcher (7:20)
5. Memory Lane (4:52)
6. Forever Days (5:25)
7. We Are One (4:56)
8. Childhood Delusions (4:50)
9. Where The Small Things Go (1:42)

All songs written by Amanda Lehmann (except for Where The Small Things Go, with music by Steve Hackett and lyrics by Amanda Lehmann). Tracks 1,2,4,6,7,8,9 produced by Amanda Lehmann and Nick Magnus. Tracks 3,5 produced by Amanda Lehmann and Roger King. Mastered by Nick Magnus.