Album credits:
All tracks produced and arranged by Mike Batt except "Just Like Heaven" produced by Mike Batt and Ralph Sall. Album engineered by Steve Sale. Additional engineering by Haydn Bendall and Peter McCabe (on "Just Like Heaven")
Vocals: Katie Melua
Guitars: Katie Melua, Chris Spedding, Jim Cregan
Piano: Mike Batt (Katie Melua on "I Do Believe In Love")
Bass: Tim Harries
Drums: Henry Spinetti
Solo Trumpet: Dominic Glover
Solo violin: Mike Darcy
Percussion: Martin Ditchman, Chris Karan
Harmonica: Paul Jones ("Blues In The Night")
Ethnic flutes: Adrian Brett ("Nine Million Bicycles")
Mandolin: Peter Knight ("Thankyou, Stars")
Sitar: Craig Pruess ("Halfway Up The Hindu Kush")
Orchestra: The Irish Film Orchestra - Conductor: Mike Batt
A Note From Katie:
The second album was like being on a completely different planet compared to when we were making the first album. Even though it was the same musicians, the same artist, the same studio, the same producer, - it felt like a completely different piece of a puzzle. When we were making the first album there were no expectations, - you never know if anyone is going to listen to you. Because we got very lucky and the first album did really well, then of course there was pressure because you instantly know that there are at least a couple of million people who are definitely going to be hearing the second album. I guess you mustn't let that get to you, but it would be almost impossible for it not to.
There is of course an upside to writing on the road. I mean what could be a better inspirational tool for a songwriter than to travel round the world and I've basically done that. I think travelling definitely does open you up, - I think I learned that from the very beginning because I did move around a lot when I was younger and I experienced very contrasting cultures from a very young age and so it does make you very much aware of humanity, and you appreciate the differences.
I'm very proud of this album. I remember thinking when we were making the first album, "Where did this really come from? Why does it seem so easy?" - and I realised about a year later when I listened back to a lot of Georgian folk music, there were a lot of similarities between blues singing, you know that idea of sort of pain in music, - it's represented from a very deep place, from where you sing. Those elements that define blues also define Georgian folk singing and so people listening to it in England and probably a lot of people around the world will think it has gone in a more blues direction and I would agree with them but I know on a deeper level it has actually gone in a more Georgian direction.
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