Low baggage, high mileage.

Good morning! Or afternoon...or evening...I'm sitting here listening to some rough mixes of what we've recorded so far...the record is coming together nicely but it is taking me longer to make it than I had anticipated. Partly because of scheduling mistakes from my end and also because I am learning a lot about the gear I am using as I work through the process.

It's alright though.

Kierstin and I really believe in this batch of songs and we both agree it's worth it to make sure it's 100% up to snuff before we get it out there. It's really a labor of love!

Our old upright continues to open all sorts of creative doors....I've actually written more of the record on piano than on guitar which is something that has never happened before. I'm getting proficient on it and it feels great to play it so often. Kierstin says I've got some McCartney in my piano licks...you gotta start somewhere! It's funny how your influences choose to show themselves.

I've also been carefully mixing those electronica textures with the orchestral sounds. I'm aiming for timeless....stone not linoleum.

Last week I mostly worked on developing some rough songs that I've had for a year or so. I keep a journal of musical ideas in ProTools so when it comes time to sort through music and make a record I've got stuff to work with. Two songs came last week. One is pretty commercial sounding and the other feels like a B-side. (we'll see what happens with them....they need to age a little bit) I took my hard-drive down to Monroe Jones to play him what I've got going and we talked through some arrangements.

So this week I'll keep working on the songs and getting ready for some sessions we're doing here at the house. Jim Dineen has been my engineering partner in crime throughout all of this and he's getting some incredible sounds. I'm excited to see what we come up with sonically after recording here on our old hardwood floors in the living room.

I'm trying to get to the top of the mountain that I see. Low baggage, high mileage. Talk to you later.