The book

“And so here, finally, washed up at last at the end of the world, Riley took a moment before ringing the bell. This dizzy dream, this headlong plan set to bloom, or die trying. On the porch, he rolled his shoulders, tapped the cassette in his pocket. The songs are good, he breathed. Let them carry.”

It’s the summer of 1995, and in the heat of the hills above Los Angeles, Riley Oliver is trying to find redemption in rock n’ roll. Fifteen years have passed since his band flamed out at CBGB, and Riley sees the life his former guitarist Will Taylor has built—successful producing career, the lovely Lena for a wife, a gated home—and he wants some of that luck for himself. Jumping the fence, Riley brings the shadows of the past back to Will, and long-buried conflicts darken the sunny Southern California scene.

The Sound of Songs Across the Water traces creation and betrayal, joining and fissure at a time when lovers still made mixtapes to show they cared. Rob Yardumian's language vibrates like a string under the pressure of fingertips, sliding and reckless as he tells the story of bittersweet inspiration and the pain of bringing art to life.

“In this wonderful debut, Rob Yardumian tells an irresistible story about the struggles of two old friends. In doing so he writes brilliantly about music and sex, art and love, the power of money and the lure of charisma.”

— Margot Livesey, author of Eva Moves the Furniture and The Flight of Gemma Hardy

“The Sound of Songs Across the Water is a rock ‘n’ roll novel that does what a rock ‘n’ roll novel must— capture the music, the bristling energy and careening emotions of it, and make it loud upon the page. Rob Yardumian writes like a really good band sounds.”

— David W. Williams, author of The Long Gone Daddies

The record

The plot of The Sound of Songs Across the Water revolves around an album of songs written by Riley Oliver and recorded in Will Taylor’s studio in the summer of 1995. Those songs exist in real life as well, and were recorded in Portland for an album entitled Sing With Me, Brother, For We Have Sinned. I wrote the songs, sang, and played guitar on the record. David Lane produced and played everything else, except for the drums, ably manned by Michael Jarmer.

Here’s my favorite song from the record: