Last blog I was all “So yeah I wanna make you guys a demo but I don’t know if I have time…”

Well, there are now 3.  The first one I put up is called “Far From Us.” God put a close friend of mine on my heart that day, I was inspired to write so I did.  The second one, It(Tres Paisley) I wrote Summer 2009. It’s one of my favorites, I have to say. I loved being that candid with God and myself about the changes I was noticing in myself. They were really scaring me. When I record the next album, this is one of the songs that will make it to my top 30 songs to narrow down to 12. I hope it makes it to 12! I think a lot of Christians that grow up Christian go through this weird transition period of not knowing if something is okay by God or not once you start to get out more. The third song, well, this one I also wrote in 2009. I wrote it about the love of my life. This song is called “Giver.” After 4 months of hanging out and falling in love, the statements in the lyrics are the things that I noticed about him. Someone being so giving of themselves is SO rare, this is him. It was his birthday on the 10th. Since we’re big kids now if we want something we just go buy it… makes it hard to get gifts for each other. So this song was his gift. I wondered if this was just being really cheap, but then I added up the costs of all the gear I had to use to give him the song for his birthday. Turns out that present cost me 2600 dollars, so I think we’re good Plus, I couldn’t have given him anything else for a gift that could be any more from my heart than a song.

So I love it when boys sing and write. Lucky for me, I have boys that are friends that sing and that write. The other day I was at Nate’s(if you don’t know by now, he’s producing the album) and we were talking about our what’s turning into a long-time dream of writing, singing, and producing a song together. Since he’s got the studio, we could make it good enough to sell it on iTunes. Of course, Nate’s got EOA stuff going on(End of Abstract… album release is later this year, it will blow your mind if you love alternative/rock/amazingness), and I have my album stuff going on. When all of this is over tho, that’s next!

Anyway back to my story! So Nate and I were talking about doing a song together. Good. Consider it done. Then I went to College and Careers, and Cody Matchett tells me he’s got a song he’s written that he’d like me to sing on. Consider that done too, because I’m totally gaaaaame(Cody and I do worship together at Faith, so we’re used to singing together).

Then I get home and there’s this facebook inbox from John Morrison, another GREAT guy musician in the city. He’s saying “we should collab” and I’m thinking “I was basically just waiting for you to ask.” We have a similar music style. So we’re getting together next weekend to write and see what we can come up with. When it’s done, it’ll be recorded and in your hands.

That’s the latest! OH WAIT! Recording! Still doing some vocal recording for extra voices on the album. I’m pretty much done, but I have to bring in my friends you see I’ve got a great musician lined up for cello and violin, Odum’s working away on scores for us, all is well in the Valley

That thing being this album… we are smack dab in the middle of writing the music, recording the music, creating the music. It’s been three weeks now of at least twice a week Odum coming into the studio, him, Nate, and I sitting for hours and coming up with things for songs. It’s been an interesting bit to say the least! You know, sometimes when someone uses the word “interesting” you think they mean it in a negative way or just to cover a negative comment. But in this case, it’s been interesting in a very wonderful way. I really enjoy working with these guys. I will be so sad when Odum goes back to school at Mount Allison in September and we can’t get his help anymore. He’s been a crazy life-saver and life-creator when it comes to my music. He literally listens to one of my songs, and knows it. He knows what sounds good and what doesn’t, I’ve never known someone who can just listen to my song, then pick it out on the piano. It’s wild and a thrill to experience. It’s like a brainwave and it’s a little creepy, however I’m over it because YOU people are going to love what he’s done! He’s like the sprinkles on your chocolate sundae…
So how are we doing progress-wise? We’re doing very well. One of the biggest things we’ve been faced with is the fact that I know my songs inside out upside down, however, I cannot play them. Sure, I can play a little TERRIBLE ditty on the guitar or piano, but it’s very vague. Odum has been a big help that way. I’ll hum things and use little blips and blob noises to try to explain how I think the music should sound… he interprets it and makes it musically legible. This is time consuming, but the most of it is over. From here things should fly a little faster than this album’s most recent set of wings.

Alas, this is the blog that I have waited to do for a month and a half.. the “THE SONG IS ALMOST DONE!” blog. To share with you the experience of recording with Melody Valley is difficult to do, but I’ll try…
I don’t know if everyone who’s ever recorded anything has had this experience or anything close to it. I imagine some of the fundamental things about all this- the excitement of getting a song that you wrote and dreamed about recorded, the hoping that you do about the final product, they’re all things that recording artists experience. But when you’re with a stellar studio, I think(from my narrow window of experience), that all of the things you enjoy and thrill you during recording are enriched to be an even more pleasant experience… First of all, being a Christ-loving artist recording at a Christ-loving studio makes this whole thing so much better. The goal in everyone’s mind is not to create music just for the sake of music, but to use great music as a tool to get to the core of the songs meaning, as an outreach to the people who want to listen. It’s all about God, and that makes this all easier and I believe adds an extra blessing to the music we create.
Needless to say(when you hear the mix I think you’ll agree) there’s a pretty talented team in that little studio. There’s a perfect balance of talent and interests to accomplish a good recording. Nater is awesome! He’s been the one primarily working on my song with me. Other people who have spent time in the Valley to help with recording are Sarah, Scott, and Luke. Amber has designed my single art which looks amazing, and Nick does a wonderful job on my website which really helps when I want to give people a place to go to find information. Tim has tagged along and been patient during many recording/mixing sessions, which is great even just to have a third opinion!
One thing that makes this experience unique are the talks we get into in the Valley. After recording or mixing, sometimes we just get talking about something and out come these brilliant deep thoughts from people… it’s amazing. Some of the talks we’ve had about real issues in the church and the faith have really had an impact on encouraging my walk with the Lord.
Be Heard is almost complete, and I wanna say a final thank you to everyone- Melody Valley for recording me, fellow artists for playing for me, and everyone who listens because it’s all about you guys you know… my passion is outreach for the church. That’s the body of believers, and even if you’re not a Christian, I hope I can encourage you too to learn better who God is and what life looks like from a Christian perspective.
This single is the start of an album… Lord willing, we will be recording all summer and as long as it takes to get an album completed! Thanks so much again everyone.

I’m feeling quite poetic today. So out came a poem of some collaborative thoughts.

Night Next to Nothing

to be honest, if im allowed
ill tell you that logic is a form of art
say that upward is finding its start
so critique me
state that facts are the answer
practice pledge enforced knowing
im disowning my inner contradictor
perhaps if you step back and think in your sleep
the problems will all solve themselves
and maybe if, logically, you reason long enough
you’ll see reason’s a lie in itself

hello, welcome now, to the world you avoid
to a place without structure, a town without noise
goodbye, as i note that you’re leaving so quick
you were here but a moment, got lost in the thick

to be honest
if thats something you’ll allow me to be
I’ll tell you i don’t believe in your mask
say theres something behind if you’re asked
but its seldom
that theres anyone who wants to know
your person aside from the show
is there anyone who wants to see?

its the nighttime
next to nothing.
in the day the small shadows will show
not just cover, but fall from it’s glow
and it’s missing
all the freedom in the wondering of might
all the truth that comes out in the night
every soul that wants to be made right

its the night… next to nothing
its the searcher… who wants something