After the recording of Home Turf in 1988, Sound System regrouped for the summer and began preparing for their live performance in Pleasantville on July 4. Although it was clear that there would be changes in the lineup again soon (Cliff Hall, the lead guiatarist, would not be coming back from Michigan, and drummer Troy Gould was heading off to college in Pella), it was also clear that the band's creative efforts were really beginning to blossom.
For example, CW's collaborations with Rob Straughn were helping him stretch his wings quite a bit from the standard 3-chord rock love songs he'd written in the past. Their song, "Over the Blue" had a nice jazz-rock feel that took the band's sound in a different direction.
CW and Justin had begun collaborating as well, in their dorm room in Ames. Their first piece, "Give It a Little Time," was simple but showed promise. Justin's own instrumental, "White Haired Lady," on the other hand, illustrated some really strong composition skills.
Steve's own pieces, "Sheila Sometimes" and "How Can I Show Her?" show his growth as a lyricist. Steve and CW had begun writing together too: "Take Me Away" showed off Steve's excellent arranging skills. And "It Is Tomorrow" is just plain weird.
All told, Sound System were finally beginning to work together as a group, not just as a frontman and a backing band. The different voices and visions, as diverse as they were, were beginning to gel into a unique sound. With the addition of a new drummer, Ray Yenzer, they began to record their next album, A Safe Place.
The idea behind the album was an ambitious one. They would test Steve's Fostex 4-track to its limits, combining live recordings with overdubbed vocals and solos. Although A Safe Place wasn't really a concept album, it would have recurring themes and motifs scattered throughout (like the bridges in "How Can I Show Her?" and "Take Me Away," or the reprisal of "Over the Blue" at the end of the album). And the last part of the album would build to a crescendo with an 8-minute medley.
A Safe Place was supposed to be their Abbey Road or Dark Side of the Moon. But after several false starts and the splintering of the group, it wound up being their Let It Be. CW tried several times over the years to pick up the pieces and complete the album, with varying degrees of success. His attempt in 1992 yielded three songs which he wound up completing himself and including on his album, Psychological Furniture. He and Justin tried again in 2002, but the MIDI keyboard they had been using self-destructed, taking all their work down with it.
They tried again in early 2006, with CW laying down drum, bass, guitar and vocal tracks at his home in Atlantic, then bringing the work to Justin in Des Moines for keyboards and more vocals. They hope next to lay down Phil, Aaron, and Steve Hudspeth's guitars and vocals to finally put A Safe Place to rest.
Another idea is to add some new compositions as bonus tracks: a new song by Justin, one by CW, maybe a collaboration or two. Maybe some new work by the Hudspeths. They're even planning to add a twentieth-anniversary version of "For Sherry," complete with a guitar part by Greg Ryman (from the first-ever lineup of Sound System). A fitting close to the Sound System story.
CD cover art
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Track listing
01 Over the Blue
02 How Can I Show Her?
03 This Is Real
04 Kiss Me Once
05 Give It a Little Time
06 Not Every Day
07 End Of the World
08 Broken Record
09 Take Me Away
10 White Haired Lady
11 Sheila Sometimes
12 MEDLEY: It Is Tomorrow • Helix • Over the Blue (reprise)
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