Graham Costello's Strata - Second Lives

“Graham Costello sits at the forefront of this. Essentially viewing jazz through the prism of a noise musician, his new album 'Second Lives' is a tour de force, an astonishing piece of work that obeys no rules aside from its own.” - CLASH

Glasgow drummer and composer Graham Costello returns with his second STRATA album, 'Second Lives'.

Second Lives spans Reichian minimalism, semi-free jazz à la Binker and Moses, polyrhythmic math rock, and pensive, cinematic ambience. The album was recorded straight to tape last summer at RAK Studios with co-producer and engineer Hugh Padgham at the helm, mixed at British Grove, and subsequently mastered in-house at Gearbox. The inspiration and wider themes of Second Lives sit with thoughts of identity, heritage, and Stoicism, as well as the theme of overcoming inner challenges - what you face and the process you go through to get to the other side.

The album features STRATA, an ensemble formed by Graham in 2016 which brings together stylistic elements of minimalism, jazz and noise-rock whilst channelling a strong DIY ethic. Made up of some of Scotland's most exciting musical proponents, the band features: pianist Fergus McCreadie, whose critically acclaimed new solo album just came out via Edition Records; guitarist Joe Williamson, who was named Young Scottish Jazz Musician Of The Year in 2018 and leads hard-hitting 5-piece Animal Society; rising Trombonist Liam Shortall, who also leads jazz collective corto.alto; renowned bassist Mark Hendry and rising saxophonist Harry Weir who also leads AKU!.

What they say about Graham and STRATA:

"unrelenting waves of cinematic imagery accrue an intensity that never seems to level off, even after the last note has faded.” - Bandcamp

“Vibrant, caustic, fascinating” - Clash Magazine

“Dedicated, artful… fantastic” - Sunday Times