It's quite a joy to go through the development process of a new song.
In our case, it generally starts with a guide track recorded on my little apogee mike and ipad.
This device has proven a great replacement for doing guide tracks on my iphone/wav recorder. the technology is getting smaller and better all the time.
We even used the ipad/apogee to record and release a song (onward traveler, go check the video over the on the left to hear it).
As the song progresses from initial idea to final recording, it will go through multiple iterations, keys, arrangements, instrumentation and yes, lyrics.
I have the great pleasure of listening to recordings of the guide tracks - rough, raw recordings with great vibe and lousy sound quality. I love them. Some of our best playing will remain unreleased. Spontaneous, rehearsal studio/lounge room stuff, some of which would have been entirely worthy of release if we'd been recording it 'properly'
tonight, in the wee small hours, I am listening to brand new guide tracks for songs that until a few days ago, and in one case, a few hours ago, didn't exist.
I've said before that we make 'records' not albums. each of our releases has captured the song writing of that time and is a 'record' of what we're up to, rather than a thematic 'album'. Mind you, that might be a differentiation that only exists in my mind. Oh well, it's crowded in there but fun.
Right now, 6 new songs have turned up almost overnight and some of them are really enjoyable to work on. the curious Assembly project has really encouraged us to ignore the rules we had been ignoring previously., except this time with mad gleeful abandon. Wanna mix Blues and Reggae? Go for it. Folk and Indy sounds? yep. Check that box.. Oh the places you will go.
Tonights stand out winner for me is The Sun Shines On, which feels like Queens of the Stone Age doing Gordon Lightfoot.. What's not to like?
Studio rehearsal testing is dangerous ground for new songs. I was amazed that all of them survived tonights test which means either we're A: getting better at songwriting or B: our standards are slipping. What's even more interesting is, as Theo says, that the songs are 'out of left field' and you just never know what's going to come next.
On one hand, this makes us hard to classify into one genre. On the other hand, we get to play some really interesting stuff that still falls within the canon of Harp and Slide, just nudges it a little into deeper waters.
At tomorrow night's show we'll be bringing some of the new puppies out to play, where the metaphor meets the proverbial. If you're a Cellar Dweller you'll be accustomed to new songs turning up on a regular basis, and until we get them, recorded, the only way you'll hear some great, new and interesting songs is to come hang out with us.
Meanwhile, I'm putting my headphones on and looping the guide tracks in Audacity. Ahh...so pleasant.