Sicamore Sally /Download MP3


American Backyard (instrumental ) /Download MP3


Backyard Baby /Download MP3


Sir Real /Download MP3


Lucky Me /Download MP3


Over The Brooklyn Bridge /Download MP3


Sirens and Sailors /Download MP3


The Wraiths /Download MP3


Peace Baby /Download MP3


Bo Roozi /Download MP3


Around Again /Download MP3


Renaissance /Download MP3


-Song Lyrics-


A little about the album:

I visited New York City in the Spring of 2007 and had somewhat of a spiritual experience. It was something very subtle, but it had a tremendous effect on my head and heart. I want to be clear that this was not a religious experience by any means, though I suspect that the sensations were similar. This was not my maiden voyage to the city; I had already been through that years ago, and it was cool, but not nearly as cool as this. This was something different entirely. It was more mature, and it changed my outlook on everything.

When I got back home to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, I began work on "American Backyard". It was summertime, and I was spending a lot of time in my backyard. It became quite a classic Summer for me, filled with cookouts, cocktail parties, backyard sport exhibitions (dodge ball, bad mitten, wall ball etc.) and mini-pool lounging. The conversations were good, laughs were long, the sun was hot and the drinks were cold. I feel like that summertime backyard environment contributed to the album's overall atmosphere, but it didn't define it -- it was more like the icing on the cake. The real meat of the album was inspired by the new outlook I had adopted on my trip to New York that Spring. I don't want to spoil the effect of the album with a bunch of specifics about my thoughts, feeling, idea's etc. But I will say that while working on the album I was fascinated with the concept of romance, and disenchanted by the lack of it I found in modern culture. That's where my head and heart built a home. The rest is just other scribbling and bibbling.

Tidbit of trivia: My friend Jeremiah (Wudun, Somnium 99) came up with the name for the album during a listening session in my car. Occasionally my friends and I will show each other recordings we've been working on to get feedback, and just to see what a fresh set of ears hears.

After we had listened to the songs, I asked, "So what do you think?"

He replied, "It's sounds like an American Backyard."

And so it goes ...

American Backyard Commercials:

When I first released the album on my website, I put together three short commercials to post around on the internet as promotion. My friends Mark Hubbard, Ben Cooper and Jeremiah Johnson helped put them together. The idea came up one night when my friends and I thought it would be funny to make commercials that made no sense and gave really vague information. I still think they are funny. Here they are:

I bet you can't figure out what I'm saying in this one.^

Feel free to post these around if you like.


Album Credits:

All songs written and recorded by Richard J. Colado

This album was recorded during the Summer of 2007 at the Green Shed studio, my backyard and in Emeral and Ben Cooper's shed. All of which are in Jacksonville Beach, FL.

Most instruments played by rickoLus
Which include: piano, guitar, bass guitar, accordion, drums, percussion, keyboards, wind chimes, vocals and tape machines

Other performers are:
Anthony Anurca- Bassoon's and effected Bassoon on "Sir Real" /Bassoon on "Around Again".

Alex Kane - bass Guitar on "Sir Real"

Mark Hubbard - percussion on "Lucky Me"

Martha Faulk - keyboard on "Lucky Me"

Roy Berry - gang vocals on "Bo Roozi"

Ben Cooper - gang vocals on "Bo Roozi"

Jeremiah Johnson - whistles on "Lucky Me"/ toy car, wind chimes, hand truck, old bike on "Sirens and Sailors"/ gang vocals on "Bo Roozi"

Emeral Cooper - piano on "Bo Roozi"

Lillith Colado - talking on "Bo Roozi"



Special Thanks To:
Amber H. and Jay P. for letting me stay with them in N.Y.C., Lillith for being a kid and saying cool things that I use as titles for songs and lyrics (my daughter is much cooler then I will ever be), Sarah Love for being beautiful, Ben C. and Jeremiah J. for the tri force, Emeral's piano that recently died (r.i.p. you sounded different) and also thanks to all the folks that helped with and played on this album, and thanks to my backyard in America.