I have been writing and recording some new stuff between playing Valkyria Chronicles on my PS3, watching episodes of Rock of Love Charm School and keeping an eye on the MLB Winter Meetings.  I should have a new EP out early next year.  On January 3^rd I will be playing my first solo show since May.  I'm excited about it and dusting off my Julie Doiron records for some inspiration.                           

I started recording the next Hurka album today at Jon Crawford's studio.  Recording with Jon is always a good time.  He's playing drums on the album again and I'm constantly amazed at his ability to lock in on the songs in mere moments. It's a crazy thing to behold.  He's got some new vintage equipment in his studio that is making the stuff sound really really good.  We recorded drum and guitar tracks to "Haste" and "Loney Loved Kemp" ( The title of this last one was inspired by The Kris Special's "April Loved John").  Speaking of the Kris Special: Duane, Shari and I went to see them in Pomona tonight.  They knocked it out the park as usual.  Be sure to check their music out.      

Behind a cloud of smoke / 11:35 / the districts all alone / it must be an off night / a demon came to lure me from my sleep / with candy on his breath and nikes on his feet / he takes me by the hand / and then takes my guitar / the hair on his face looks like gold silk that's been newly spun / playboy walking through the door / his iron suit no more / affinity no more / an ancient horoscope / if you live by the sword you'll still die next to the soda gun / close your eyes / count to 4 and down you go / get your hands on some steel / 10 and O down on your steering wheel / close your eyes down the road and down you go

Pedal boards are resumes / rusting strings are pickup lines /single? Double shot? / it's all the same / stay and rumble lucky number / lower lights make you feel stronger

Night on the town it's almost 2 am in your black carriage of death / me on my white steed with the subwoofer thighs / just passing by / and the liquor store signs seem to pave the way / they're neon roses in the dark / and their stems reach down into the parking lot / you hold them up / everyone wants to know where you've been / were you hiding half their lives? / and they say: oh the birds seem to sing when you're near it's the sweetest…../ and their knees buckle when you approach / they all fumble with the locks / and they say: even motors synch up when you're near / it's the sweetest…..

Metal spray paint fails / metal spray paint fails / it's a shiny runny mess underneath my lust for you

Only a demi-god could spit and growl and make it rhyme as well as you / you're a blur of motion and obscenities / a 3 act play of vanity…..

Metal spray paint fails….

You're a chrome plated engine serenade / you're a gamble / a blockade / there's no getting through to you / You're  a chrome plated engine serenade / you're a titan in the fray / heated up and resolute / metal spray paint fails / metal spray paint fails / it's a shiny runny mess underneath my lust for you

Never shy away from all the crowds that come your way or their widening blue eyes that shine and shine / and there ain't nothin' on the god-damned line that we can ever dry inside / put your jaw at ease / let your arms drop down / let it all go black / 'cause you're stepping out / tell yourself that It's o.k. / 'cause there's no one really listening anyway / and your skill is searing my naïve and staggered seams / and your goodbye echoes through the middle of me

And the constellations are counting out the next 4 songs/ and the drunks are all inspired to sing with you / and you know that you will probably misplace the beat / 'cause you put that fool orion on the 2's / but you know that it's o.k. 'cause there's no one really listening anyway

Inspiration comes in many forms / you my friend are one / the smell of jasmine coming in through my car door / the smell of you freshly bathed turning back / I saw you standing outside of the 711 / I know that's a beer in your hand / and even though more recent things have turned out wrong  we're still the summer's biggest sham / lets see you hide that in a brown paper bag / the jars quake in the kitchen when you call my name / your cologne evaporates into air / the nervousness and sideways looks can all go away once you're pressed tight up against my frame / go on / do it / I know you can handle it

A king in the summer heat's opening bout / and your poorly timed sandscreen returned to the ground / and you tell him that you cannot explain yourself / you're a high handed actor with marbles in his mouth / when I woke up on the 26^th day of the month with a blind arrogance that was hospital strength / I was taken by the safer things I'd tried to accept and knocked down by the weaker things pushing my chest / and the trick is to step out thinking it's not as rough there as they all had you believe / I want you back before sunset / please put your pride down and let yourself walk free / I want you 4 square on my terms / you know it's never late / to make these things run clean / and my back hurts but I can stand for hours / and I can sing for days / and I can run for years / and I'm not trippin' as much as I am backsliding into a plan I thought had run through me a long long time / but see the streets are quiet until I can speak / and that's still not happening and the guys they all went home right after dark

I knew it would break son / he was starvation with an end around the block / and the streetlights cast the only abstinent shadows / dude next to me looks like a model in his brand new car / and I'm going going back back to cali cali 'cause all my alloy is rust / I'm going going back back to cali cali 'cause squeeking wheels aren't half as fun when they're not rolling / you're in control then / you got a tap into your slim American dream and nearly broke it but it's still working and it feels right / they told me you'd break me / they told me you'd take me for everything I was worth / they told me you'd break me and there I stood thinking that it all could get much worse / with the beat still playing in my head / and in the final sort I'm the victor I'm the goal / I'm the intangible vapor that's locked in and then goes / and you're still wide awake / you're my hopeless 4 a.m. / tied an anchor to your car 'cause I don't need it today / and I'll just keep on drivin' past my new home 'cause it's sad that it's 8 o'clock again and I'm still not done with you / with this / with everything that comes and goes when you're with him

And there stood Arthur with the last of his unqualified knights / and remember when we used to hold the city on your cuff? / it was gray if gray was vibrant but it never was enough / and no monolith could climb above the structure of your back / and no cataclysm stronger than the echo of your laugh / now freeways keep crossing / lines keep crossing / the breathing goes str8 to my head / and I don't need liquor and I don't need valor / their breathing goes str8 to my head / and it was you that let me run free / and it was you that never wanted me / no more breakup premonitions / new beginnings old addictions / it was you that let me run free / you're too brave to realize you no longer have a home / and you're checking for a heartbeat or a vibrating cell phone / and there are things that the setting sun can not offer me / the deep bronze of your skin and the blue of your jeans / the knuckles of a fighter / the throat of a king / and it was you that let me run free / it was you that never wanted me / so ignore the stains of yard grass or the tans I get from park lamps / it was you that let me run free

Dogs will howl my name and my doings in the night / you'll hear my tires coming like ravens deep in flight (like angels in a line) /  tired of the driving / tired of the avenue / like buddies split the difference / like that I am split too / how I've grown / every armor bestowed / how I've grown / I see you no more / my heroes have reformed / their guilt is their new throne / with photos in their phones / ready for confessional / come my beau discouraged by all / come my beau we'll have beer help us along / come my beau I've been waiting for it all night / come my beau let the cleaning crew take flight

Recording is finished. I'm very very happy with how things turned out!  Mixing begins next week.  After that the cd will be mastered and pressed. I'm antsy. I want this cd to be completely done already!   I'm very excited about the cover art for the cd as well!!   It was done by none other than the very talented Tara Jane O'neil!!!!!  More news to come.

Recording for my new cd starts at the end of October!  I'm so excited I just had to...ummm..post a blog i guess.