| HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13th |
| posted: 2026-02-13 |
 |
| Check Out Sean Cortright's Band Camp Page... |
| posted: 2025-12-17 |
 |
From Tillson New York, Sean Cortright is a talented singer/song writer/ and performer. I've done a little drumming and a little Mastering for him lately. His EP (which I did not help with) - is very good. Check it out on his bandcamp page - it's called Fifty Thousand Miles . Sean Cortright's Band Camp Page |
| Wages of War (Tobias Remaster) Available to Stream Everywhere |
| posted: 2025-11-06 |
 |
It's out and available to stream! YOUTUBE SPOTIFY BAND CAMP |
| I See Police Re-Mix Re-Vision in the works by Numb Thumb of War Heart Arts (Not out yet) |
| posted: 2025-11-03 |
| Wages of War (Tobias Re-Master) is here! |
| posted: 2025-10-09 |
|
| Soon to be on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and all the usual places... If you've not been following what's been going on - basically I knew Todd Tobias (Circus Devils, Robert Pollard, Guided By Voices) would do a better Master than I can - so I asked him to re-master Wages of War. I'm very pleased with what he has done and hope you will be as well. |
| Wages of War is being Remastered... buy why? |
| posted: 2025-10-07 |
 |
Above pic: The unused 2nd draft of the Wages of War album cover. I am having Wages of War remasted - and properly by none other than Todd Tobias! (Circus Devils, Guided by Voices, and many other Credits). It's what I should have done in the first place. When I mixed and self-mastered Wages of War - I set out to do it quickly and fairly minimalistically. I didn’t want to smash the album dynamics to the ceiling with a heavy hand. And when I burn and listen to a CD of it on it’s own - I’m fine with it. But it has occurred to me that it does not compete in playlists with other songs and albums, and this is very apparent on services such as Spotify. I’m thrilled Todd Tobais is coming to the rescue. It’s near impossible to recall the album now that it’s out on 30 different services, so I will simply issue a new Effortless Records ID number to this album and re-release it… possibly with a slightly different album cover and titled WAGES of WAR (The Tobais Master) . |
| The Music of Cameron Murray |
| posted: 2025-09-11 |
 |
Every once in a while, I find myself reflecting on the people I’ve made music with over the years — the jam sessions, the half-finished demos, the early days of whatever this - Effortless Records - even is. One of those people is Cameron Murray. Cam has a unique musical style — abstract and introspective, textured, and full of heart. I learned a lot from him and to this day is still goes into my music and projects, and anything I do 'live'. If you haven’t heard Cameron’s work yet, you should. His songwriting is raw and evocative, with a kind of honesty that’s hard to fake. It’s music that invites you to sit with it, to actually listen. You can check out his music here: Cameron Michael Murray on Bandcamp Whether you’re into indie rock, folks, singer-songwriter vibes and weirdness, or just discovering something new, I think you’ll find something to connect with. |
| RIP Matthew Chevalier |
| posted: 2025-08-07 |
 |
|
What is there to be said? We miss you so much. |
| Summer '25 Update |
| posted: 2025-07-14 |
 |
|
Thing's are happening. Observatory is working on it's 4th LP. I've been playing with the Maple City, not live but at their place, learning their songs in the hopes that we get out there. Upgrades to the studio as usual. (That's weekly... almost daily). |
| OBSERVATORY releases 3rd LP... WAGES OF WAR |
| posted: 2025-05-08 |
 |
| 14 years is a long time to not release an album - but here's this one, better late than never? Soon to be on all your Favorite Streaming Services |
| Yes, we are still here |
| posted: 2025-03-22 |
 |
| Things are happening maybe |
| RIP Steve Albini 1962-2024 |
| posted: 2024-05-08 |
 |
| What a bad year so far for studio legends. First Bob Hiltz and now Steve Albini. I never got to meet him or see him live, but I do own his Toontrack stuff - so his drum set recorded by him - in his Electrical Audio studio - I use all the time, all over all my music. I'll mark him down as another one I should have made an effort to see in real life. I always wanted to book some time at Electrical Audio. |
| Bob Hiltz - Local Legend |
| posted: 2024-04-16 |
 |
| Terrible terrible news for Chatham Kent's Music scene, it's hard to report Bob Hiltz has passed in London on April 9th, 2024. A mentor to me and many of my friends - I've known Bob over half of my life. I'll write a bit more here later. I have material Bob's played on that nobody but myself and my band has ever heard - including Bob on vocals, so I will find that stuff and post it asap. It's a bit too soon for some reason to dive deep - but I'll write a better paragraph or two later. Respects to Bob's family and inner circle. He was a really great person and so many of us miss him already. |
| Early Millennial Singularities - A collection of Observatory Singles and Such Pre 2010 |
| posted: 2024-01-08 |
 |
It’s been a while but - we’re back in style. I’m not sure where we stand on doing any physical releases from here on - though we come close to releasing vinyl and then not doing it quite often - but what we are doing is major digital distribution of the back catalog. So what’s this release then? The goal of this collection is to package the Observatory singles all in one spot for easy release on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, etc. and to draw an end to the pre 2010 era as Observatory moves forward - with a new album coming soon in 2024. Track listing: 1. Danger in the Drowse 2. Audit of James 3. Polymorphisms Today! 4. Laugh at a Garden 5. Text 6. All the Rage 7. Astral Grenades 8. Last Shine 9. Her Majesties 10. Silver Veins 11. Mr Grey You should soon be able to find this - and most of the Effortless Records back catalog on Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music and about 30 other streaming and online radio services. |
| Old man noises... |
| posted: 2022-04-26 |
 |
Some random rambles about the last 4 years...in no particular order... 1. We have not released anything since 2010. We've recorded some stuff, but released nothing. Quite alot of stuff. But finished nothing. The lost time can't be salvaged, but we can keep going. 2. I pulled the studio apart, and put it back together again, too many times to count. Clearly I have issues. 3. I wish I could work with tape. I can't afford it. I wish I could press my own vinyl, I can't afford it. 4. Despite the lack of output, we are still alive and are going to keep doing this. 5. The Chinese will have to try better than that to kill me. |
| Everything is on schedule - which is to say... delayed... |
| posted: 2018-09-02 |
 |
Tough to get anything done for anyone all around. We've had band member delays with 2 bands. So We're shifting things around... make lemon aid, or some kind of other treat... with everyone who is around. Had some really good late summer sessions here with The Maple City, Observatory, and Captain Zap. |
| The Maple City |
| posted: 2018-06-26 |
 |
Check out the debut album Brief Golden Age by our friends 'The Maple City'. Brief Golden Age | The Maple City on Band Camp |
|
CHECK OUT OUR FRIEND'S - THE MAPLE CITY'S FIRST RELEASE  The Maple City (Band Camp) Available on Vinyl, CD, and Digital |
|
LATEST RELEASES   |
|
WHAT'S HAPPENING? 2025 March: Maple City in Studio Feb: Observatory in Studio Jan: Observatory in Studio 2024 Jan: Watchtower / Observatory in Studio 2023 Oct/Nov/Dec: Watchtower / Observatory in Studio 2021 Nov: Watchtower / Observatory in Studio Oct: Retooling the studio yet again 2019 May: Retooling the studio yet again April: Gearing up to record some local veterans 2018 Sep 2nd:Observatory / Cap Zap in studio Aug 30th:Maple City in studio June 27th:Maple City in studio June 23rd:Observatory in studio June 6th:Maple City in studio - running some tests May 30th:New Web site launched, Old web sited deleted May 29th:Finishing touches on New Web Site May 11th: Added 8 new clean channels to the Studio April 25th: In Studio scraping old 4 tracks tapes for lost gems |
|
BLOG ROLL The Maple City (Band Camp) Johnny West's Blog chathammusicarchive.com Observatory on Band Camp Pseudo Star's Old Site |
|
CONTACT contact@effortlessrecords.com Send Demo's to: Effortless Records c/o M.WORKMAN 203 McNaughton Ave West Chatham, ON Canada N7L 1R5 |