Just got done in the studio after spending nearly the entire weekend recording. The new record will be out soon- I'm hoping people can have copies in their hands (or on their hard drives) as early as February. If we can keep making good time, we'll be able to issue it by then, I have no doubt.

Popeye and I spent 10 hours yesterday and 9 hours today recording. I forgot how exhausting it is- not because it's physically strenuous, but because it's repetitive. We want it to be perfect, and that means that if I can't hear the "ch" sound at the beginning of a word, or if I'm an eensy bit flat, or if there's a ring in Popeye's snare or he jumps a beat on the bass, we go back and do it again. Thank god for ProTools. I can't imagine what folks did before they could patch. I suppose they just practiced a lot more beforehand.

We weren't short on practice, though. My back is still really sore from spending hours this week with the Toronado (very heavy guitar) slung on me, and my calves are a little bit achy, because it turns out I like to stand on my tiptoes when I sing. Who knew?

Anyway, we're recording with Eric Butkus at DelMark studios (www.delmark.com). This was the same engineer/studio that we used to record "Ninjas Vs. Zombies Vs. You". It went so well the last time (and it's 2 blocks from my house), that we decided to complete the record there. Plus, Eric is the complete package. He's very diplomatic (he says "Let's try that one again" instead of "You're sucking", which is what Popeye and I say to one another), he knows his shit, and he really is invested in the music. He's the one who suggested we use the Leslie (ancient organ amplifier) that we used on the last recording, and he has a few tricks up his sleeve for this recording that we're already trying.

Yesterday we finished recording the drums, and today Popeye knocked out the bass parts. That's 9 songs in 4 hours- practice actually does make perfect, it would seem. I also tracked all the lead vocals. (Hopefully) a week from Monday we will go in and lay down the guitars and some additional percussion.

I'm also happy to announce that two of my favorite Chicago musician friends will be joining me on this recording- Glenn Koets from Spiritual Escort will be playing keys on a song and Bill Lechner from Life Is Drama (www.myspace.com/lifeisdramaband) will be playing lead guitar on a song or two. I'm really excited about it. I've already listened to some of Glenn's ideas and I think this is going to be the best of all worlds.

The tracklisting of the new album as we know it will be (in no concrete order):

1. I Knew I Should Have Stayed Home
2. Heroes of Cheerleading
3. Pink Lungs
4. Halfway
5. The Ballad of Charles Lang
6. Envy
7. Stuck In a Bar
8. Music Is Art (So Go Get a Fucking Job)
9. Laurel Crowned
10. Barstow
11. a mystery cover, to be named later if I can get the rights.

So I'm feeling good at the end of this weekend, and I'm *stoked* about how good the stuff sounds that we've done so far. But I'm also ready to pass out.

Love,
Nick