The Hardship Diaries is the debut full length solo release from InMe

InMe

InMe are an English alternative metal band from Brentwood, Essex, who were formed in 1996. To date they have released four studio albums – Overgrown Eden ; White Butterfly ; Daydream Anonymous and Herald Moth and a greatest hits compilation album, Phoenix: The Very Best of InMe...

 frontman Dave McPherson

Dave McPherson (musician)

David Alexander John "Dave" McPherson is a rock musician and solo acoustic artist from Brentwood, Essex...

. The album is set to be released on April 10, 2011 through Pledge Music.

The first single from the album has been confirmed as "Summer: She Puts Me In a Good Mood".

Development of the album

The creation of the album began as early as 2008 and a provisional track list was made public in early 2009. The tracklist changed several times before the final version was confirmed in October 2010 through McPherson's official Facebook page. The album was initially intended to be released much earlier but was held back due to McPherson's commitments to InMe

InMe

InMe are an English alternative metal band from Brentwood, Essex, who were formed in 1996. To date they have released four studio albums – Overgrown Eden ; White Butterfly ; Daydream Anonymous and Herald Moth and a greatest hits compilation album, Phoenix: The Very Best of InMe...

 and other solo EP releases.

The album was funded through a Pledge Music campaign, launched on 10 January 2011. The pledge reached its target within 48 hours of being launched and has since done so three times over.

Style

Compared to his technical electric guitar work in InMe, McPherson's sound on The Hardship Diaries is a much softer, stripped back acoustic experience with a live feel to the tracks. The songs are much akin to InMe's softer songs but outside of a band environment, with McPherson citing influences such as Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Snowden Wainwright III is a Grammy Award-winning American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor. He is the father of musicians Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche, brother of Sloan Wainwright, and the former husband of the late folk singer Kate McGarrigle.To...

, Talk Talk

Talk Talk

Talk Talk were an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World"....

, Frank Turner

Frank Turner

Frank Turner is an English folk/punk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Winchester. Initially the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, Turner embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. To date, Turner has released four solo albums, two rarities...

, City and Colour

City and Colour

City and Colour is the recording alias for Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Dallas Green, who was also the guitarist and vocalist of the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. He plays melodic acoustic and folk music and is often accompanied by a rotating number of Canadian indie rock...

 and Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

.

Track listing

All songs written and performed by Dave McPherson.

1. "Spring: Hearts Need Blood"
2. "Is This All We Are?"
3. "Listen to the Music"
4. "Summer: She Puts Me In a Good Mood"
5. "Before I Even Had You"
6. "Love Rats"
7. "Autumn: A Ghostly Reprise"
8. "Hummingbird"
9. "Last Year"
10. "Winter: Hibernation"
11. "Obsession Is a Young Man's Game"
12. "This Is No Fairytale"

Personnel

• Dave McPherson — vocals, guitar, programming and arrangements.
• Mike Curtis - production

Other songs from The Hardship Diaries sessions

The final track listing is vastly different to the initial one and it is estimated that up to 20 songs may have been recorded or demoed in the sessions for the album.

4 tracks recorded in the first sessions for the album (Dance Floor Folk-Core, Scary Envelope, A Chameleon's True Colours and The Gentleman's Blues) were all initially intended for the album but were replaced by the four seasons suite. They have since been released in EP format under the title A Pauper's Prequel. Another song on the initial track listing, 1982, appears to have been scrapped entirely.

The album's opening track "Hearts Need Blood" also featured on McPherson's I Don't Do Requests EP which saw release in 2008. The track was written as early as 2007. It has been re-recorded for the album. Further to this, 'Autumn: A Ghostly Reprise' is believed to be a re-recording of "Drowning In A Quandary Of Ambivilence" from Dave's EP 'The Grand Odyssey Of The Whale And The Barnacle' which was released in 2010.