download it.

it's done

the album is mixed and mastered and all done. i will post a link to it here in a couple of days when the artwork is done.

tracking is over

Everything is tracked for the record. All that remains is some mixing. Hurrah!

On Friday night and this morning, my friend Brett helped me out by supplying vocals for Float and what used to be called The Drive, but is now called The Winter Mourning Song. I added another acoustic guitar to the latter to finish it off. I also wrote and recorded a short interlude song called You Know, I am Just Not Myself Today last night. It has four acoustic guitars and a heavily edited-together track of chairs moving, coughing, chatter, and other noises.

Today is a relieving day.

only loose ends to tie

Saturday evening saw the addition of horns to Drill Sergeant Evans by the lovely Satish. So that song is done. After that, I took Sunday off and spent the day goofing off with Sabbath and Hendrix riffs and writing some off-kilter rock stuff that I plan to flesh out in March. It was a nice, relaxing day.

Yesterday I re-wrote lyrics to Excerpts From the Hospital Diary and re-named it The Drive. I also constructed a noisy guitar piece called Into the Bloodshot Sun that is meant to directly follow The Drive. After that, I got the basis for a tune called Afternoon Coffee and then laid down some guitar tracks for my friend Ian's record. A very productive day.

Today began with mixing and then quickly starting and finishing a new song called H is For Hospital. This means that I've got all my basic tracks down for all the songs (thew total is 11 songs/36:55). So all that's left is to track some vocals this week, finish up my mixing, and then send it away to be mastered. Booya.

a good start to the weekend

Started this morning off by re-tooling the acoustic guitar mix on Torrealba! It sounds a little better now. The song still needs something to fill it out over the main riff. I think.


Anyway, after tinkering with my cheap ukulele for a while and not coming up with anything useful or in tune, I turned back to my good friend Fred Orcana (the organ). I came up with a really simple riff, set up a slow slow click, and recorded two layers of organ. Then I added some effected organ underneath and three electric guitars (two of which come in as the organs die out). Pretty neat little mood piece, and so quick to put together. I think I'll try vocals and trumpet on it.

The new song is called Drill Sargent Evans and brings my total to 8 tracks at 30:14.

Two songs/04:36 to go.

much progress through backtracking

Yesterday I finished up Float but for vocals and maybe one more acoustic track. I also added another guitar to Dealer Bear, and may be done with that one. This morning, I went back and had a good listen to Torrealba!, and subsequently scrapped the main guitar track. I recorded a slightly different, and in my opinion much better, main guitar part, added a complement to the beginning of it, and then added an acoustic part more for rhythm than anything else. It sounds much better and is nearly done. It still needs vocals and it may get a trumpet or mandolin yet.

After I finished tracking the electric guitars for the day, I got a noise complaint. Oops. I think it's back to the sleepy songs now.



Feb 8, 2008: 24 mins 35 sec recorded over 7 songs either finished or nearly finished.

the new boris is neat.

Took some time to relax last night with some music and hockey. Listened to the new Boris, some Torche, Black Cobra, and King Crimson. I find this to be a much more suitable soundtrack than the commentary of the TSN bunch.

Anyway, today has been moving well. Frequent short breaks, but progress on Float and Dealer Bear. The bulk of the guitars for Float are finished, but it needs one or two more overdubs through the head and maybe one on the bridges. I also put an organ on the long bridge that will provide a little platform for the vocals to sit on.

I'm still a little stuck on Dealer Bear and Torrealba!, and I think the problem is percussion. I'm going to appeal to some friends for drum loops to see if that helps.

Also, Saturday is tentatively scheduled for vocals. This should finish up Hospital Diary, the intro to Torrealba!, and the end of Float. Hopefully it will produce some fruit on some other songs, too. Fingers crossed and all that.