Book of Lightning is the ninth studio album by The Waterboys

The Waterboys

The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...

, released April 2, 2007 through W14/Universal Records

Universal Records

Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...

. The album contains ten tracks, produced by Mike Scott

Mike Scott (musician)

Michael 'Mike' Scott is the founding member, lead singer and chief songwriter of rock band The Waterboys. He has also produced two solo albums, Bring 'em All In and Still Burning...

 and Philip Tennant, with musical contributions from Steve Wickham

Steve Wickham

Steve Wickham is an Irish musician described by Mike Scott as "the world's greatest rock fiddle player" and by New Musical Express as a "fiddling legend." Originally from Marino, Dublin, but calling Sligo home, Wickham has appeared on recordings by Elvis Costello, the Hothouse Flowers, Sinéad...

 (fiddle), Richard Naiff

Richard Naiff

Richard Naiff is a pianist and flautist from London, England who has performed with the bands Soulsec, The Catacoustics, The Waterboys and The Icicle Works. Naiff is a classically trained musician, having joined the Guildhall School of Music at age ten...

 (keyboards), Brady Blade

Brady Blade

Brady L Blade Jr. is an American rock, pop and country drummer, record producer and composer, who currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden....

 (drums), Mark Smith (bass), Leo Abrahams

Leo Abrahams

Leo Abrahams is a British musician, composer, and producer. He has collaborated with a multitude of professional musicians, including Brian Eno, Imogen Heap, Jarvis Cocker, Carl Barât, and Paul Simon. After attending the Royal Academy of Music in England, he started his musical career by touring as...

 (lead guitar), Jeremy Stacey (drums) plus long-time Waterboys alumni Roddy Lorimer

Roddy Lorimer

Roddy Lorimer is a Scottish musician who has performed with a number of bands, including Blur, Gene, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton, Suede and The Waterboys. He is currently a member of the horn section Kick Horns....

 (trumpet), Chris Bruce (lead guitar) and Thighpaulsandra

Thighpaulsandra

Thighpaulsandra is a Welsh experimental musician and multi-instrumentalist known mostly for performing on synthesizers and keyboards. As Tim Lewis, he began his career working with Julian Cope. A collaboration with Cope in 1993 followed, as the experimental duo Queen Elizabeth...

 (keyboards). Book of Lightning was recorded in London with the exceptions of one song recorded in Vancouver with members of Canadian art-pop band Great Aunt Ida, and another in Scott's home studio.

Track listing

All tracks by Mike Scott escept were noted

1. "The Crash of Angel Wings" – 4:02
2. "Love Will Shoot You Down" – 4:34
3. "Nobody's Baby Anymore" – 4:43
4. "Strange Arrangement" – 3:33
5. "She Tried to Hold Me" – 7:18
6. "It's Gonna Rain" – 3:03
7. "Sustain" (Nilsen, Scott) – 3:21
8. "You in the Sky" – 4:38
9. "Everybody Takes a Tumble" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 7:05
10. "The Man With the Wind at His Heels" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 3:04

Personnel

• Leo Abrahams
  Leo Abrahams
  Leo Abrahams is a British musician, composer, and producer. He has collaborated with a multitude of professional musicians, including Brian Eno, Imogen Heap, Jarvis Cocker, Carl Barât, and Paul Simon. After attending the Royal Academy of Music in England, he started his musical career by touring as...
  
  – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
• Johnny Andrews – Vocals, Falsetto
• Dick Beetham – Mastering
• Rev. Brady Blade – Drums
• Chris Bruce – Guitar (Electric)
• Clive Deamer – Tabla, Introduction
• Steve Evans – Engineer, Mixing
• Steve Gullick – Photography
• Roddy Lorimer – Trumpet
• Tim Martin – Engineer, Mixing
• Pete Min – Engineer
• Barry Mirochnick – Drums
• Richard Naiff – Organ, Piano
• Ida Nilsen – Piano
• Daniel Presley – Vocals (bckgr), Harmony
• Mike Rowe – Organ, Piano (Electric)
• Mike Scott – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Percussion, Piano, Arranger, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Rhythm), Sound Effects, Tambourine, Vocals, Bells, Producer, Engineer, Loops, Bellzouki, Sleigh Bells, Mixing, Effects
• Helge Skodvin – Photography
• Phil Smee – Cover Design, Booklet Design
• Mark Coates Smith – Resonator
• Jeremy Stacey – Drums
• Colin Stewart – Engineer
• Ren Swan – Mixing
• Phil Tennant – Producer, Management
• Steve Wickham – Fiddle, Viola
• Annie Wilkinson – Resonator

External links

• Lyrics at the official Waterboys homepage
• Mike Scott talks about the album on the official Waterboys homepage