“It’s all just a dream, if you’re brave then fight it, break to light it”
You’re Really Not Here
Pete Francis
1. You’re Really Not Here
2. Electric Heart
3. The Sea
4. Baby I Was Wrong
5. Lost In My Head
6. How Heavy
7. Just Believe
8. Baby I Was Wrong (Acoustic)
9. Smile
10. Love Saves Us All
11. Shine
12. Forever Girl
13. Honestly
14. Sun Fuzz
15. And the World Goes On
16. Love Me In the Morning
17. Can’t Tame a Lion
18. In A Different Way
19. Can’t Go On
20. If I Break
21. Humble Down
22. What Else Can I Do
23. Hey Hey
24. Give Me Some Lovin
Year: 2026
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| | | | You’re Really Not Here, the double album by Pete Francis. |
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“I remember as a kid staring at Pink Floyd's album, The Wall. I remember being fascinated by the art and the music on the record. Roger Waters' words and David Gilmour's epic guitar work would put me into a spell. I was in a Pink Floyd headspace when I wrote 'You're Really Not Here.' I love to ponder the mysteries of human existence. I think the idea of consciousness is an endlessly expansive topic to explore. Is life a dream? Are we characters in our own imagined movies? I love the electric guitar tone in the lead sections of 'You're Really Not Here' - they have a distorted, suction type sound that felt right for the dystopian world that the song inhabits.” – Pete Francis
“In the production for 'Electric Heart' I was going for something both electronic and organic. The main groove has a drum machine feel while the acoustic guitar and sticks played on wooden bongos create a steady loop. I was imagining the main character in 'Electric Heart' to be like Warren Schmidt played by Jack Nicholson in Alexander Payne's masterpiece, About Schmidt. It's a song about moving on and finding new purpose. Releasing oneself from the numbness and monotony oftern felt in everyday life. The lyrics have a poetic feel that relate to the themes of reality and the imagination. The poet Wallace Stevens is a favorite writer of mine - I find his poems fascinating and inspiring. Particularly Steven's examination of the inherent fertility of nothingness. This idea was present when I wrote the words for 'Electric Heart.” – Pete Francis
“I grew up sailing with my family. I remember so many times being out at sea on my Dad's sailboat. It's pretty amazing to be way out there where you can't see the land. There's a 360 view of the horizon everywhere you look. A song simply called 'The Sea' felt like an intriguing title for a song. There is the sense of death in the song that is coupled with a return to the source which uses the sea as its metaphor. Time falls asleep in 'The Sea' flowers float across the bed. I feel returning to the sea represents a kind of rebirth.” – Pete Francis
“Growing up in Riverside, Connecticut, I found an album that would shape my music for years to come: Paul Simon’s "Graceland.” I was just eleven, but the rhythmic energy and peaceful vocals of Ladysmith Black Mambazo struck a chord in me. It was a sound that felt both new and comforting, inspiring me to explore African rhythms and melodies in my own music.
Fast forward to my latest EP, and the influence of "Graceland" is clear. While working on new songs, I shared an acoustic version of “Baby I Was Wrong” with top producer Dan Edinberg, who’s worked with Sting and Shirazee. Edinberg saw the potential to give the track a "Graceland"-inspired sound, blending the style I had loved since childhood with my own music. This collaboration set the tone for the entire EP, making it a unique blend of classic influence and my owncreativity.
The EP was co-produced by me and Grammy-winning Scott Jacoby (famed for his work with Coldplay, Vampire Weekend, and Sia), bringing a polished and dynamic feel to the project. Our combined vision helped shape the songs into a cohesive listening experience, bridging the old-school inspiration with a modern touch. The EP reflects a time of personal reflection for me. Some songs are uplifting, like “Just Believe,” which offers hope and love, while others, like “How Heavy,” create a darker, movie-like vibe. By using my name for the self titled release, I wanted to invite listeners to step into a space that’s as personal as it is peaceful. This EP isn’t just music—it’s a journey into my mind and heart, filled with warmth, honesty, and a touch of nostalgia.” – Pete Francis
“With Neon Light Blind, I wanted to write from my heart to other people’s hearts in the most direct way possible. There were five CDs in rotation for much of my childhood: Bob Marley Legend, Van Morrison's, Moondance, Dire Straits first album, and Joni Mitchell’s Blue. We sailed in the Caribbean with my Dad at the helm all around St. Vincent and the Grenadines. On one trip, Grenada was the final destination. I remember Bob Marley's Legend playing over and over and over again. Reggae and Caribbean music have always influenced my music. I toured in the early 2000s with Ziggy Marley and Steel Pulse. I remember standing on the side of the stage watching and feeling how deep the groove was.
Following several home recording sessions, I traveled to Noble Steed Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a week-long collaboration with Craig Alvin (Kacey Musgraves, Hanson, Brittany Howard) and the Shoals Sisters. I had heard about Muscle Shoals in my 20s, but I didn't know the full story until I watched the documentary in 2014. It’s one of the best music documentaries out there. Muscle Shoals is all about passion and being in the moment; musical magic happens automatically there.
The influence for 'Smile', the EP’s lead single, was Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 hit 'Don’t Worry, Be Happy'. The song is such a beautiful song. I always admired how simple yet profound that song is. When I wrote 'Smile', I wanted to channel that positivity and impact. Similarly, with Bob Marley’s 'Three Little Birds' the melodies soothed and comforted me for as long as I can remember. The modern world has veered off course from a heart-centered mentality to a more cerebral, calculated, and categorized world… It makes me feel lonely and chaotic at times. I feel strongly that human beings are truly grounded by love and that our source is love. And that is where we find our deepest nourishment.“ – Pete Francis
I let my freak flag fly when we made the Sun Fuzz EP. It all started with that riff at the top of the tune. "Sun Fuzz" began as an instrumental track. I recorded it at Craig's Dreyer's spot, Mighty Toad Recording Studio in Brooklyn. The incomparable, Andy Hess, layed down a heavy groove on bass. Tony Mason was on kit and Craig D played B3 Organ. I tracked the guitar with my black 1975 Starcaster through a '64 deluxe reverb. The guitar Gods were smiling down that afternoon. Once we got the basics, we brought in the horn players. Craig wrote amazing horn parts. I played the instrumental arrangement for my friend Randy Funke. Randy is a very talented producer/engineer/musician. He encouraged me to write lyrics and expand the arrangement. It bloomed into a funk explosion and we even put my voice through a vocoder. That's my favorite part! I linked with my old pal J Swag General for "And the World Goes On" - really dig the chorus on that track. "Love Me In The Morning" was straight out of the Albert King recipe book. Randy's guitar rips through his solo. Andy K and Jason Pharr were the fierce rhythm section for Love Me. I think "In A Different Way" is the sleeper on the EP. I was going for a super low-fi drum sound and I had a ball with the minimoog part in the bridge that Johnny Mailloux sang to me over the phone! My sweetheart Katie made me look like King Bootsy on the album cover. I love the colors she chose. It's an exuberant piece of art that I'm proud to be featured on.” – Pete Francis
“In the Spring of 2021, I released two new EPs, Humble Down and Sun Fuzz. This new work brings together my love for a broad range of musical styles. Humble Down is a record of self reflection and reveals my strong belief that love between two people should be simple, humble, and kind. On vocals I'm joined by my wife, Katie. Our two voices and the stories they tell in these new songs have a heartfelt honesty and charm to them. Musically there are hints of Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Tom Waits, and John Lennon. On the track, Gimme Some Lovin, guitar blues master, Duke Robillard, adds his beautiful tremolo rhythm guitar and a searing and a down right dirty solo that only Duke can pull off.” – Pete Francis