north central in high resolution download and streaming

north central

the ghost particles

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CD Download

In cart Not available Out of stock

STOCK IS RUNNING LOW. BUY NOW. The second album from the ghost particles is available in physical media CD and high quality download. This stunning record features our late bandmate, Dave Benton, on lead guitar and backing vocals.

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    Save the Ashes 4:54
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    All Gone Now 3:38
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    Drinkin Man's Town 4:27
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    Last Call 5:33
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    Oblivious (feat. Beth Kille) 4:16
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    I'm Your Man 4:34
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    Out on the River 4:09
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    What Remains 4:18
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    Find My Way 4:13
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    How it Ends 4:00
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    Save the Ashes Single Remaster 4:53
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Reviews  for north central:

 

“This second Ghost Particles record is something else. This is music for drowning your regrets late at night in a dark tavern, with Dylanesque overtones. Songs like “Last Call” are minor key melancholia, but they all have great hooks and sometimes the hooks are major chords, but melancholy. ” Mike Baron, the Bloody Red Baron

 

 

North Central is a grower. It sounds better with each listen, new adornments in the arrangements suggest themselves in interesting ways. It may seem reserved on first blush but there is a power to the songs that worms its way into the brain. A different song will become the favorite with each visit. In Madison’s rich history of class acts, Ghost Particles is right up there with the coolest and North Central is practically a shoe-in for album of the year. Rick Tvedt, Local Sounds Magazine

save the ashes video

Conceived by Jon Sender, the new video features the remastered version of save the ashes. 
“The collection of songs settles in like a favorite flannel shirt; worn-in with stories yet to tell.” - Blaine Schultz

— Shepherd Express

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DAVE BENTON

Bandmate and Friend

We are saddened to announce that our friend Dave Benton, a founding member of the ghost particles, has passed. Dave was essential to the band coming together.  A tremendous guitarist, Dave elevated everyone’s playing. His insights and critical eye made us better musicians. His humanity and friendship made us better human beings. Our hearts go out to Dave’s wife Pat, his extended family, and his many band mates.

Free DownloadSave the Ashes:Remastered Single!

Save the Ashes - single remaster

the ghost particles

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Save the Ashes remastered by Larry Laski at Misery Whip Studio.

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    Save the Ashes - remastered 4:53
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“Grooving with the ghost particles: a new Madison band mines old musical friendships for a fresh sound and a new CD.” - Doug Moe

— Madison Magazine

Free Download! The first two singles from north central

Oblivious (feat. Beth Kille)

the ghost particles

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Phil Davis, the ghost particles' songwriter and lead singer, felt "Oblivious" might lend itself to a male-female duet. One of Madison’s best vocalists, singer Beth Kille, was asked to give it a shot, and did a terrific job, recording herself at her personal studio, Studio Gusto. Says Davis, “Beth nailed it in the best possible way.”

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    Oblivious 4:16
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find my way (wav)

the ghost particles

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find my way is from the ghost particles' forthcoming album, north central, written by Phil Davis and produced by the ghost particles.

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    find my way 4:12
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the ghost particles Listen/Buy

the ghost particles

the ghost particles

In cart Not available Out of stock

Deluxe CD Download

In cart Not available Out of stock

STOCK IS RUNNING LOW. BUY NOW. the ghost particles is a band comprised of veteran Madison musicians, some of whom have been active on the local music scene since the mid ‘70s. Bassist Joel Tappero (Spooner), keyboardist Read more

STOCK IS RUNNING LOW. BUY NOW. the ghost particles is a band comprised of veteran Madison musicians, some of whom have been active on the local music scene since the mid ‘70s. Bassist Joel Tappero (Spooner), keyboardist Don Irwin (The Rousers), guitarist, harmony vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Dave Benton (Spooner, The Rousers, The Waterdogs) and lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Phil Davis (First Person, Fire Town, The Emperors of Wyoming) came together in the fall of 2019, planning to record an EP of originals and start playing live shows. But the global pandemic of 2020 changed all that, shutting down live performances worldwide.

Fortunately, the band members had extensive recording experience, and moved effortlessly into a new and vital phase—arranging and recording the new 11-song debut album of Davis originals in their respective personal studios, then transferring master quality tracks among themselves before sending them off to be mixed.

Working with Minneapolis producer, drummer and mixer extraordinaire Jeremy Tappero, who has his own personal recording studio and is also bassist for Twin Cities luminaries, Soul Asylum, the new ghost particles record is built on a highly collaborative, guitar-based foundation that synthesizes a panoply of the band’s deep pop and rock musical influences and harmonies. The band plans to release single tracks and videos from the album periodically. They will make the entire album available for worldwide streaming from online music services, or for download from Artisanal Records, CD Baby and BandCamp. the ghostparticles are currently recording and rehearsing with new band member, drummer Lee Laski (Stavin’ Chain, The Rousers, The Waterdogs) as they prepare for live performances later in 2022.

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    A Man Like Me 4:20
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    Victory Parade 4:00
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    Fall Sway 3:57
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    The Deal 4:03
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    Three Things I Wanted To Tell You 4:31
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    The Darkest Hour 4:41
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    All the Love 5:19
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    Brand New Day 4:52
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    Walk This Mystery 4:44
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    Crazy Broken World 5:12
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    One Day You'll Find 5:09
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north central

the ghost particles

In cart Not available Out of stock

CD Download

In cart Not available Out of stock

STOCK IS RUNNING LOW. BUY NOW. The second album from the ghost particles is available in physical media CD and high quality download. This stunning record features our late bandmate, Dave Benton, on lead guitar and backing vocals.

0:00/???
  1. 1
    Save the Ashes 4:54
    0:00/4:54
  2. 2
    All Gone Now 3:38
    0:00/3:38
  3. 3
    Drinkin Man's Town 4:27
    0:00/4:27
  4. 4
    Last Call 5:33
    0:00/5:33
  5. 5
    Oblivious (feat. Beth Kille) 4:16
    0:00/4:16
  6. 6
    I'm Your Man 4:34
    0:00/4:34
  7. 7
    Out on the River 4:09
    0:00/4:09
  8. 8
    What Remains 4:18
    0:00/4:18
  9. 9
    Find My Way 4:13
    0:00/4:13
  10. 10
    How it Ends 4:00
    0:00/4:00
  11. 11
    Save the Ashes Single Remaster 4:53
    0:00/4:53

The Reviews

“These Madison, Wisconsin musicians have come together...to make a superb album, bringing all that wealth of experience to the studio and coming out with eleven excellent tracks.” - Alan Fitter

— Americana - UK

“The whole (ghost particles) record has Bob Dylan or Paul Simon level depth and an elegiac atmosphere that lingers after the songs have ended.” - Mike Baron

— The Bloody Red Baron@popgeekheaven

“The collection of songs settles in like a favorite flannel shirt; worn-in with stories yet to tell. Davis’ vocals move from weary and resigned in “Fall Sway” (supported by sonic touches like a ping-pong guitar riff; perfect for headphones) to the buoyant opener “A Man Like Me.” “The Deal,” a plainspoken life lesson spiked with harmonica punctuations, is anchored by Irwin’s piano and organ parts. His playing is the foundation of the album. The near anthem “Crazy Broken World” breaks down a sense of overload, gladly trading it all for something simple and unexplainable.” - Blaine Schultz

— Shepherd Express

All The Love Your Wanted Video

the ghost particles

The Madison band the ghost particles came together in October of 2019, playing music together for the first time as a unit, just a few months before the worldwide Covid 19 pandemic would erupt and effectively shut down most live performances and interactions deep into 2020-21, and beyond.

In many ways this intentional shutdown, though unexpected, was fortuitous for the ghost particles, forcing them to stay inside, share files and self-record music at home, in their personal studios. They focused exclusively on songs written by band member Phil Davis, producing and performing all the tracks themselves before sending them off to Jeremy Tappero (Soul Asylum) to mix. Their debut album came out in late 2022 on Artisanal Records and received unanimously positive reviews here and in Europe:

Comprised of long-time veterans of the Madison music scene (Buzz Gunderson, Spooner, First Person, Fire Town, Stavin’ Chain, The Rousers, The Water Dogs, and the Emperors of Wyoming), dating back as far as the mid ‘1970s, the concurrent chemistry and familiarity with one another and past bands made the transition into an entirely new band that was writing and recording original music very seamless.

Now they have a new album, their second, North Central, coming out in 2024 on Artisanal Records. The new record features more new, all original music that continues to mine their original Americana electric folk-rock vein on songs like “All Gone Now,” “Save the Ashes” and “Drinkin’ Man’s Town,” but adding some stylistic departures. “Find My Way”is all driving rock, hooky and mysterious. “Oblivious” has a moody techno edge and features a duet with Phil Davis and Madison’s Beth Kille. “Last Call” is a trancey, hypnotic groove highlighting Don Irwin’s spooky keyboards, while “What Remains” is a minimalist nod to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. All told, it’s an ambitious and diverse second record, and the band looks forward to performing it live.

the ghost particles are:

Phil Davis, lead vocals, guitars, Dave Benton, electric guitars, backing vocals, Lee Laski, drums, backing vocals, Joel Tappero, bass guitar, Don Irwin, keyboards and piano, and Pauli Ryan, percussion.
 

left to right: Dave Benton, Joel Tappero, Pauli Ryan, Lee Laski,  Don Irwin, Phil Davis