I’ve uploaded some tracks to myspace… I also resequenced the album because it’s better this way:
If I sent you mp3s please consider reordering them as per the above and dropping “Sheep.” And then let’s never speak of this again.
So, five and a half years after finishing my first album and just in time for CDs to be obsolete, I finished a CD album called Give/Sell. It’s got 12 songs in about 34 minutes. Side A (1-6) is indie pop/folk and not a big departure from Iowa Anvil. Side B gets a bit more interesting, with some different structures and production choices, and songs flowing into each other (which is something I’ve always wanted to do).
I made this album by myself again, with a tiny cameo from Sam Jansons at the end of “Bet.” If I’ve given (or sold) you the demos I compiled in 06 and 07, most of these recordings will be familiar to you. But that’s why they’re called demos.. I changed lyrics, added instruments and harmonies, rerecorded things, edited, mixed, and did tons of remixing. It was a lot of work and I’ll admit, it’s not Kid A. It shouldn’t have taken four years, but I’ll address that in a minute. Here’s the track list:
Sooo… what took so long? That’s a long story, and this is a blog, so I’m going to tell it.
Firstly, I had technical difficulties. I record digitally and had a problem with something called “loopback latency” that messed me up for at least 2 years, made recording into a miserable experience, and screwed with my head. Eventually I got that sorted out. Then had to learn a lot about EQ and mixing, and that took forever. I also went down some paths that didn’t pan out, like external summing, and trying to build a plate reverb, and stuff like that. Fun things to do at the time, but not quick.
Secondly, I had some rules, such as “no autotune,” “nobody can play or record but me,” and “no drum editing.” These constraints were a personal challenge, partly since the bands I try to emulate recorded analog, and I don’t, I felt this was the least I could do to keep from “cheating,” as it were. But this meant I had to do tons of takes (my poor neighbors) until I had it right. And even then I had to break the drum editing rule. I edited. And comped vocals like crazy. Takes-recorded-years-apart crazy. Of course now I realize that wasting years is worse than breaking any of these rules, so I’ll probably abandon the solo thing and also cheat like hell next time.
Thirdly, I had distractions. I’ve played in four other bands since I released my first album. Not that I regret being in or having been in any of them, but they took/take time.
And finally, life stuff. The first time I thought the album was done was March 2008. I’d set a mastering date to give myself a deadline.. which was good in one sense as I got a lot done, but it was bad in that I wasted money having something mastered that wasn’t right. Then I got laid off, then married, then I got a new job, and a second job. I’ve been busy.
But regardless, it’s done, and I’m glad. I learned a lot making it, hopefully enough that I won’t have to spend as long making the next one. Oh and, I like this record. It sounds good and is fun to listen to, if I say so myself.
PS, I’ll put songs on myspace soon.
I’m finding it less and less exciting to run my own server, and I have no time for it, so I’m starting a slow move into the cloud.
Also, the album I’ve been working on forever is mastered, which means it’s done. I’ll talk more about it in a few days but for now I can say I’m pretty happy with it. And very glad it’s done.
I hope for good this time:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96105602
Hearing that voice again is something else:
I think this means it’s time to retire “Engine” from my setlists. I’ll play it one last time tomorrow at the Essential Baking Company, 6:45pm, in Wallingford (Seattle).
Here are some things that have happened lately:
Firstly, I moved in September, so my studio was upended for a month or so, but I’ve got it put back together and it’s ready to go. My new place is way more comfortable but not quite as flexible as the old place, mainly in that I can’t be as loud. Recording drums will be a bit more challenging, and/or I’ll be figuring out how to make electronic music with drum machines and whatnot. Either way it’s going to be cool.
Secondly, shortly after moving I went on a European tour with the Rodeo. It was crazy fun, you can read a somewhat exaggerated version of events here: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=408884. A few days after returning I left the band to spend more time working on my own music. It was sad to leave such a fun group, but the guys have completely supported me in this move. I get to go back to being a fan, and given the nature of our collective, an occasional collaborator. Thank you Brent, Tim, Sugar, Curtis, Mason, and Johnny for a great year.
Thirdly, I think I have a plan, and that plan is to stop making demos. In March it will be 4 years (!) since finishing my first album, and that’s long enough. Plans are good, right?
And finally, I think the new Radiohead album is awesome. It’s so mellow, it took some getting used to, but I like it better than the last one. Some neat things.. they left little imperfections in the performances, string buzzings, that sort of thing, plus recording-wise it sounds more like a band in a room, at times, than any of their albums since the Bends. Some strange things.. there are bits of the album that sound like other bands (strange for them maybe, it wouldn’t be strange for any other band). “Bodysnatchers” sounds like a Pearl Jam song almost, and “Arpeggi’s” “I hit the bottom” melody is just like one off of Vitalogy). And some bits sound like Moon Pix Cat Power, and some parts sound like some of that newer piano-driven Death Cab for Cutie. A little. Enough to make me think of it, but not enough to be litigious or anything. “Faust Arp” is like Nick Drake and Led Zeppelin. They reference themselves a lot too, and good for them.
Each new Radiohead album has been an event for me since I became a fan in 1999 (and probably for you too, if you’re still reading this), and they didn’t disappoint. It was crazy to see it all over the news for three days too, and not just from their innovative decision on how to sell it (though mostly). I don’t know what the future of the music industry is, I think I would still personally benefit from being associated with a label, but only because of the power a well-known label has of getting your name out there. Regarding letting people pay what they want for a download, I would copy Radiohead in a minute. Technologically I don’t have that option with Paypal as a card processor (I don’t think), but generating a random username and password for a download page wouldn’t be that hard. Definitely something to look into.. it’s way better than making your downloads free while offering a paypal donation link (which lots of people do), because it’s so easy to ignore the donation option. Making people pay at least a transaction fee forces them to consider the worth of what they’re downloading, and the chances of them adding a buck or two out of guilt go up considerably. Brilliant!
Oh yeah, I also have a show coming up November 9, at the Mars Bar. Mark yer calendars!
