This is the first-time physical release of Herman Dune album Santa Cruz Gold on vinyl and CD through BB*ISLAND. 11 songs written and recorded in San Pedro, California in 2018.. 

**”This guy is the best lyricist going, the only act I’ve ever put forward that works my kind of turf” - David C. Berman (The Silver Jews)

**"I always follow and collect the songs of David Herman Dune… from lo-fi home recordings to studio productions!  He continually provides me with the very best example of what a songwriter should be, with charm and bravery and tremendous heart.”  - Jeffrey ‘Lightning’ Lewis (Singer & Artist)

**“I have said that David-Ivar 'Yaya' Herman Dune is like the Parisian Jonathan Richman. I have said he's like the Leonard Cohen I know. He's a deep songwriter with a powerfully unique voice.” – Jolie Holland (Singer).

David Ivar herman Dune about this album:
These songs are the songs of a Swedish-French Jewish immigrant in California. Straight to your ears from my studio, this album was meant to come out for Hannukah, on December 2nd of 2018.

I produced and recorded the album, playing almost everything from Drums to Harmonica and had the pleasure to have wonderful guests like Nashville’s Caitlin Rose and Steelism, Jolie Holland, Jon Natchez (War On Drugs) and Mayon who sings with me on all songs. I recorded this album after setting up a studio in my garage, for a soundtrack I was working on (Blockbuster, first French Netflix movie).

I had just severed ties with all labels, publishers I’d been working with since 2006, and had also completely stopped touring, only performing in San Pedro, Long Beach and the Los Angeles area.

Writing and recording at a time when no one was pressuring me to, and I must say at a time when I doubted that anyone would be interested in my songs was more of an existential need than anything else, and definitely not a career move.

I shared these songs with David Berman (Poet also known as The Silver Jews) who told me these were my best songs, and even helped me shape the album the way you’ll hear it now, editing the tracklist and even some lyrics.

If these were my best songs, I was going to make them Gold (a reference to the old 20th century habit of rewarding sales with Gold Records), that’s why I called this album Santa Cruz Gold.

And then there are the Nuggets:
Those who order first will come with an additional album on CD, entitled "Santa Cruz Gold Nuggets", a limited edition of 1000 copies

1. Hanukkah O Hannukah (A Miracle Of Lights) / 2. Baby's Got A Fancy See-Through Hat / 3. Song For Lou / 4. Come Hell Or Bitter Waters* / 5. Speedway* / 6. When The Heart Gets Heavy* / 7. With A Heavy Heart / 8. Walk That Lonesome Valley* / 9. Your Love Is Sick* / 10. Don't Try / 11. Goin' Outwest / 12. Song Of Fools / 13. Waiting For the Set To Come

These Nuggets were written & recorded around the sessions for Santa Cruz Gold. All Instruments & Singing by David Ivar Herman Dune, backing vocals by Mayon. Recorded in San Pedro, CA. Except those never released songs marked with *: they were recorded in Paris at Red Bull Studios featuring Vincent Mougel on Bass. Here’s one of the songs, “When The Heart Gets Heavy”

01./A1. Life On The Run
02. /A2.  A Good Man’s Got Nothing To Prove
03./A3. Crazy Blue
04./A4. Lemon
05./A5. All We Have Is Our Love

06./B1. She Ushered Me Back Into My Grave
07./B2.  Erotica
08./B3.  Undiscarded Jacaranda
09./B4.  Gatsbyfied
10. /B5.  I Found A New Me
11. /B6.  Man On The Run

All songs written by David Ivar Herman Dune

Personnel:
David Ivar: Voice, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Drums, Bass, Upright Bass, Keyboards and Harmonica
Mayon: Backing Vocals
with:
Spencer Cullum Jr (Steelism): Steel & Pedal Steel Guitar
Caitlin Rose: Voice on Crazy Blue & Gatsbyfied
Jolie Holland: Voice & Violin on I Found A New Me
Jon Natchez: Saxophone on Life On The Run and Crazy Blue
Jeremy Fetzer: RoseGuitar on Crazy Blue
Dani Fine & Jordan Wainer: Backing Vocals on All We Have Is Our Love

 Produced by David Ivar Herman Dune
Recorded by David Ivar at Santa Cruz Studios , San Pedro, California
Mixed and Mastered by Adam Selzer

Cover artwork by David Ivar, additional lay-out by Krstof Milovanic

(p)&(c) 2018, 2021, Herman Dune/Santa Cruz Records, under exclusive license to BB*ISLAND. All rights reserved. Made in the EU.

official retail release date Europe: Jan., 14th 2022

LP: BBI 0441 UPC/EAN: 4260064994417
ltd colored LP: BBI 0441X UPC/EAN: 4260064994400
CD: BBI0442 UPC/EAN: 4260064994424

Bonus CD: Santa Cruz Gold Nuggets
CD: BBI 0440 / 4260064994493