If anyone ever asks me what makes this newest record different from the EP I’ll say that this “solo record” is more than anything a collaboration among some amazing musicians. From the first drum tracks Go Go Ray played on to the bass and guitar parts Chris and Mike added to the horns and strings, every one of these songs benefitted from these people who play on this record. Even Scott Born brought a sweet little counter melody to mind; always a trusted set of ears.
When I wrote these songs they were in a nutshell. On a cassette tape here, a voicemail message there, chords, words, melodies. Demoing them amounted to a basic 4/4 beat and singing and playing into a mic. A couple were never demo’d at all, instead committed from head to mic on the fly. (something I swear to stop doing, do, regret, and end up sticking with thanks to the feedback of some great friends) Each of the folks who played on these songs added something to it; like a kilner, stillman, and a blender.
I purposely went into this recording process without a finished product in my head. A dicey proposition, but I’ve gotten to the point that I know “the thing” when I hear it. Besides, going into a studio with full faith in the people you are playing with makes it a lot easier to stand or fall by the outcome.
So we’re here. The tracking board has only a few empty boxes where the Xs go. Mics have been aimed, Vox tubes blown, compressor knees flexed, mic ribbons tickled, cigarettes smoked, and spirits consumed. 15 songs in and there are some amazing parts committed to sine waves assembled from 1′s and 0′s.
We’ll complete tracking next week. Then the songs will get rough mixed and will sit, like a good rye whiskey.
Mixing will happen in late September. From there, it’s up to the drinkers of this little world to take it all in, put their woozy heads to bed and dream the dreams we hoped they would.
