''Almost and Always'' is the fifth full-length album by singer-songwriter David Mead. "The elegant, torchy tunes were originally intended for a Bette Midler-style female vocalist, until Mead decided to cut them himself", wrote Steve Leftridge of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' in November 2009, adding that ''Almost and Always'' "may be 2009's loveliest collection of pop songs". "Last Train Home" was NPR's Song of the Day on January 9, 2009, several months after ''Almost and Always'' was first released on CD in Japan and online at

NoiseTrade NoiseTrade is a global online audio and book direct-to-fan distribution platform. It is based in Nashville, Tennessee. It enables its users to upload original music and books and give away for free without digital rights management to anyone w ...

. Many of the album's songs saw their live debut at the Basement in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 30, 2008. "From My Window Sill", written by

Daniel Tashian Daniel Tashian is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He has spent ten years writing and producing for Big Yellow Dog Music. Tashian's music career began when he was 19 years old and signed his first deal on Elektra Reco ...

, was later recorded by his band,

the Silver Seas The Silver Seas, formerly the Bees, are a pop-rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, that formed when producer-musician Jason Lehning met singer-songwriter Daniel Tashian, son of Barry and Holly Tashian. History They played their first show as ...

, for their 2010 album ''

Château Revenge! ''Château Revenge!'' is the third album by the Silver Seas. It was self-released by the band in North America in 2010 and, through a distribution deal with the Lights Label/EMI, in Europe the following year. "The idea was to make a soundtrack to ...

Track listing

All tracks written by David Mead and Bill DeMain, except where noted. # "Rainy Weather Friend" – 3:41 # "Little Boats" – 2:49 # "Blackberry Winters" (Mead) – 3:40 # "Mojave Phone Booth" – 3:42 # "Twenty Girls Ago" – 4:27 # "From My Window Sill" (Daniel Tashian) – 2:46 # "Sicily" – 3:05 # "Gramercy Vaudeville" (Mead) – 3:09 # "Last Train Home" – 3:53 # "Almost and Always" – 2:47 # "Love Don't Leave Me Now" – 1:50 # "Sleeping In Saturday" – 3:59 # "Home" (Mead) – 3:41

Personnel

* Chris Carmichael – cello, violas, violins *Bill DeMain – guitars *Jim Hoke – clarinets, flutes *Brad Jones – harmonium, mandolin, upright bass, vibraphone, whistling *David Mead – guitar, percussion, ukulele, vocals *Tyson Rogers – keyboards, piano, vibraphone Production *Recorded and mixed by Brad Jones (Renauldo Grant, assistant) and mastered by Jim DeMain. Photography by Heidi Ross and design by Hotel Romeo.

References

{{Authority control David Mead (musician) albums 2009 albums