The Legion of Decency — Deep Lines Among The Shallows

Michael Tamony, west coast artist based on the Inland Empire of California, emailed my agent, Lord Thomas Derby, in March of 2021 needing direction and creative confidence with tying up an album production, “Deep Lines Among The Shallows,” for his band, The Legion Of Decency. A debut album he had been prepping and putting sweat equity into since 2019/2020.  His visual ideas/design drafts for the record came to me nearly fully-formed; a wonderful scenario for any creative director to assess.

Michael was unsure about the album cover idea he was sitting on. I saw the creative potential and assured his concept as being almost cover quality ready with a little finessing; pushing and pulling the right color(s) against a grainy black and white horizon. That horizon and two kids holding hands; one older than the other, protecting the younger while standing peacefully before an unknowing world of wonder within a calm body of water. The future before them unknowing and glowing with hope. Adulthood looming in the night, and in the future for these innocent kids, while the cruelties of humans towards others (and the planet itself) hasn’t damaged their spirits yet. Interpretations are reserved to the eyes of all beholders.

I loved Mike’s vision for the cover from the get-go, and that set the design packaging theme moving forward. Michael contracted ‘godmode’ photographers— and as a creative director, there’s nothing finer for managing creative workflow anxiety than knowing that the photography to work with is being produced by established pros who’ve worked with the best of the best.

Cover photography was produced by Jen Rosenstein (Foo Fighters, Ozzy, Kiss, Dave Grohl, Marc Maron, many artists): JenRosenstein.com (click here). Portrait photos of Michael produced by Pamela Springsteen (Robert Plant, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Keith Richards, Bruce, come on— many artists): PamelaSpringsteen.com (click here). Sooper Dooper out of Madison, Wisconsin, pulled off an excellent vinyl reproduction and packaging print production job under extreme global supply shortages within the vinyl manufacturing industry to deliver Michael the finished album in late May 2022: SooperDooper.net (click here)

“Deep Lines Among The Shadows” is an impassioned collection of Americana songs produced and written by Michael Tamony with band performances throughout the album by Rami Jaffe (Wallflowers, Foo Fighters), Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, John Mayer), Gabe Nelson (Cake, Mother Hips, Bellygunner), Tay Strathairn (Dawes, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), Sam Bolle (Dick Dale, Donovan Frankenreiter), and Dusty Watson (Supersuckers, Dick Dale, Nashville Pussy, The Sonics, Concrete Blonde).

Me being out here in the middle of nowhere—Rockford (IL), a place where I continue to experience a lack of cultural taste and appreciation (forget about respect)—I’m grateful once again to have been found but also asked by Mike and his ‘Legion of Decency’ creators to be involved in this album’s creation.

I highly suggest you grab a cold drink, find a summer night outside, kick up your feet with a few friends and play this album loud. Links to listen/stream and buy (see the Bandcamp link) are below!

ClientThe Legion of Decency (Michael Tamony)ServicesCreative Direction and DesignYear2022Linkthelegionofdecency.com

Listen on BandCamp

Listen on YouTube

Listen on Apple Music

Listen on Spotify

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