| Just wanted to let anyone who's still on xanga know what I'm up to.
My senior project for the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at NYU is putting together a record for my band The Northern. You can hear our tunes at http://www.myspace.com/thenorthernmusic and also see our videos on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/thenorthernny
Heres one for our song Julia:: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxJTmxDMwYM
Our last EP is called If I Could Meet the Architect and is available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc.
sooner or later these will be working too:
http://www.thenorthern.com
http://www.thenorthernmusic.com
http://www.thenorthern.net
http://www.thenorthernmusic.net |
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| This is also posted on our MySpace blog @ http://www.myspace.com/thechalkbrothers
Recording, Day 7 - Jim
I'm really tired, but I thought it'd be a good idea to start writing every once in a while about what we've been doing. I read the tour diary of Okkervil River's lead singer for class and it was really cool, and made me want to write about our journey through creating this album.
It's so flattering to hear someone say that they like something you created. It feels just like when your parents really really liked that finger-painting you did in kindergarten and put it on the fridge. There seems to be a certain mystique that art somehow gains somewhere between the artist's final touches and the uninvolved listener's (or viewer, or... you know) first experience of the art.
I guess that's what we're working on. Lots and lots of carefully smudged caricatures of life that will hopefully strike a chord (pun recognized, not originally intended, ultimately intended) with people.
And now we're getting our fingers dirty.
So far we've gotten almost everything done for a track called "If I Could Meet the Architect" written by dave. You can hear an older demo version on dave's myspace. Just about all we've got left to do are drums as well as some keyboard flourishes and some yet-to-be-selected 8th note beautiful-noise-making percussion device. Dave's vocals are really killer. We recorded the acoustics at the same time sitting across from each other. Dave was mic'ed with a AKG C 451 B through the precision8 preamps. I was mic'ed with the Rode K2 tube condenser through the Manley pre. That's alot of tubes my friend. Anyway, Dave sounded better.
Today I had to decide whether to use the 451 or the u87 on the (brand-spanking new!) acoustic part on "Just the Way You Are" a me and dave co-write. ... the 451 through the p8's won again. Actually I've yet to use the ISA 428's on anything except as a converter for the Manley and pres for the DI'd Nord. Hmph...p8's are just awesome.
"Just the Way" is coming alot slower than "Architect" for a couple of reasons. First, "Just the Way" is kind of our best shot for a big radio-friendly single. So, we're a little bit slower to just go with a sound we're not sure is COMPLETELY killer, because well... the quality of this track could be really important somewhere down the road. Second... what key?! D is too high on the choruses, Db is too low on the verses. Hmph... we've decided to sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow morning.
oh yeah... tonight lots of people came over, which was awesome. being holed up in your own house (no matter how amazing said house is...) becomes very lonely. people are so awesome.
Sleeping on it.... |
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| - Last Night on the BackporchI think I've turned in to a "busy person". Not just a person that's busy, but one of those "busy people" that are defined by their business, er... (busy-ness). I'm also turning into a perfectionist about almost everything. Homework, papers, music, life... I get a little freaked if I have the slightest inkling that I'm doing something wrong. According to what standard? Who knows.
The busyness and the perfectionism probably stem from the same root, pride. If I'm super-busy accomplishing things and the things that I accomplish I do well, then I must be a pretty darn good person. God save me from my pride, or else I'm gonna go CRAZY.
It's interesting living in a place where people are always DOING something. It's so rare to see someone in a coffee shop just reading for pleasure or not even reading, just sitting. Everyone is here to accomplish something in order to reach the next step in order to be seen by the other important people who can pull them up to yet another step, and finally, at the top of the staircase.................?
Phew... my professor said "If you wait 'til Monday to start this paper you will almost certainly do a shit job." Well, I'm gonna start it tomorrow. Boo-ya. |
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| so me and dave just finished a song we've been recording... check it out aqui |
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