I think I am finally caught up on sleep enough after the frenzied rush to launch the new Ithaca College website. I am really happy with it how it came out though, and happy that I am no longer at work at 3am...

In the midst of all of that I managed to get away for a day and a half to Pyramid Sound where I will be doing the full recording and production of my album. This first session was all about drums, and Devon Reehl, joined me to record. Pyramid is renowned for having an amazing drum recording room, and the tracks I walked away with prove it.

DAY ONE

We started with the song "Start Again Tomorrow" which hasn't been released yet, so going into too much detail about it probably won't be particularly meaningful or interesting. However, what was interesting is the way that we realized the beat we had been playing before to this song wasn't the right one. Alex, the co-producer, devon and I worked for quite a while to figure out what the right beat was, and we found it and it makes an enormous difference to have it fit organically. This track is going to sound great - I can't wait for you to hear it.

I got to hang out in this little sound-proof chamber and play guitar and sing, while Devon was out in the main room, hearing me through headphones, and we could see each other through the glass. I was recorded, but just for reference - it was all about the drums. I must have sung start again like 25 times before we totally worked out the part, found the exact right groove, and decided we had the perfect take.

After a short dinner break, we got started on "Fall". I have had mixed feelings about putting drums on this song for a while now -- on one hand it's definitely more driving than some of my other songs, but I kind of like the simplicity of the song with just acoustic guitar and voice. By the end of some playing, and listening, we all agreed that having no drums was the best choice. (crazy, eh?)

So, on to "Put Up With Me" - we had worked out a beat for this before, but I wasn't digging it. I was also trying to understand the song, esp. when I tried to create a click track to use for the initial drum sessions, and found out that the song changes tempo considerably between the versus and the chorus. We messed around with this song for a long time, and tried crazy things that make it sound like zydeco and alt-country, and who knows what else, but ended up with kind of a funk beat. It's really amazing how when you find the right thing -- it just works and you know it -- the song feels different - almost takes on a life of its own.

So, Put up is going to have a different feel that what you know from my currently published recording, but I think you are going to really like it :) We wrapped for the night without getting a satisfactory take, as it became clear they were getting progressively worse, and there was little point in continuing.

DAY TWO

We came in ready to jam on "Put Up With Me" -- listened to the last take from the night before, and played it twice, both were good, and we decided the first was the keeper.

Finally, I set up my keyboard (this time in the control room because the booth I was in was too small for it), to record "Something I Don't" - another song you have not heard, but is without a doubt my favorite song on the album - I am so excited to share it. Dev and I had worked something cool out for this already, and somehow, the mood and spirit of the whole process were so alive that we just nailed this song on the first try - it was really amazing. We did another take for good measure, but in review it was clear after about the first 5 seconds, that the first was the one and only.

Alex did some old school editing to get the part perfect (there was one hit slightly off or something minor.. old school because we didn't record to a click, so it was kind of like cutting tape). I walked away with a CD of the three songs, and I'm practicing them now.

Next sessions are supposed to happen in the middle of September - I am craving them so badly now - knowing what an amazing feeling it is to be part of such a intricate and excellent process.