My friends, I am very happy to report, as of Saturday, May 16th, the end of major combat operations tracking on my third album, Title TBA.  Casey comped together a vocal track for "Mall of America" from our last session, and I went through line by line and doubled it.  I think it sounds pretty damn good.

Yup, mission accomplished.

Now, assuming no unexpected situations arise with insurgents the mixing and mastering processes, it is my sincere desire and hope and expectation to have this puppy done and ready for release in the next couple months.  The actual release date is still quite fuzzy, of course, but I'm aiming for early fall.

If anyone reading this is at a record label of any size or stature and would like to help me with the release, feel free to drop me a line.

Hey, I forgot to tell you about this:

The wonderful people at Beep Repaired have released a new compilation of songs from their nearest and dearest, and I'm on it!  This is the first release of a song from my forthcoming/in progress third album.  (The new recording of "Mouse on Fire.")  It hasn't been added to the Beep Repaired online catalog yet, but I hope it will be soon, and at a very reasonable price.

Here are all the bands on the thing; 2 discs of awesome!

Autopilot is for Lovers
Baby Sloth
Beast, Please Be Still
Blicky
Brittain Ashford
Choncey Langford
Cock and Swan
Corespondents
Dead Doctors
H is for Hellgate
Happy Birthday Secret Weapon
Hecka Ar
Iron Clads
Lake of Falcons
Leaf Language
Leisure Hive
Levi Fuller
Lonesome Shack
Low Red Land
Navigator vs Navigator
Oars
Old Man Smithers
Open Choir Fire
Police Teeth
Sequin Socks
Smile Brigade
Snowman Plan
Sweet Potatoes
The Bismarck
The Contraband Country Band
The Curious Mystery
The Graze
The Whoremoans
Unlearn
Virgin of Birds
Webelos
Yonderlow

Day 15: Friday, April 3rd

As promised in the previous blog, I took Friday the 3rd off to take advantage of Casey's spring break to get some vocal work done.  We completed vocals on "The Hunter Surrenders" and "Pigeon Feeder" (and added a super sweet bassy Fender Rhodes part on "Hunter"), and did most of the vocals for "The Mall of America."  We decided to double the vocals on the verses on that one, though, and we haven't gotten around to finishing the second vocal track due to my being attacked by the worst canker sore in the world - on my tongue - which rendered me near-mute for several days.  Awesome.

Day 16: Sunday, April 11th

Cello!  This was a pretty quick one.  Ki came over, and I pretty much left her and Casey to their own devices as she busted out her parts (as written by the generous and talented Mr. James Nixon) on "Seaplanes" and "The Mall of America" in an hour or so.

And that's where we stand now.  I anticipate that we will finish the doubled vocal on "The Mall of America" this weekend, and then we will be DONE WITH TRACKING.  Yay.  Then, after mixing and mastering, all the other gears of Releasing a Record go into motion, and hopefully this thing is in your hands before the leaves start fallin' from the trees.

Stay tuned for a final recording diary, and then maybe some mixing and mastering diaries if I'm feeling like they're worth diarizing about.

All right, we're getting there, people.  Yesterday we finally put some instruments on top of Lindsey's lonely drum tracks for "Pigeon Feeder."  I realized this new version is much faster than the original, which I think is an improvement.  I recorded a decent take of the acoustic guitar part in a few tries, then relearned the bass part real quick and played that (got a nice, fat, bassy bass sound, too - hooray for Ampeg!).  Then I relearned the super-simple "guitar solo" on the bridge, and recorded that with some fulltone overdrive and a little tape echo sound courtesy of my Line 6.  And bam, now it sounds more like a song!

Casey's on spring break this week, so I'm going to take Friday off work and devote the day to vocals, which is all that's missing from the final three songs ("The Hunter Surrenders," "Pigeon Feeder," and "Mall of America," from which we'll be using most of the tracks I've already recorded, just remixed by Casey's sure hands on his fancy machine.)  I hope to have Ki record some cello on a couple songs, and then . . . we're done?  Well, then we mix and then we master and then I see if I can afford to press this puppy on vinyl, and then we're done.  So yes, I think I can confidently say this album will be released in 2009, probably late summer or early fall.  Fingers crossed and knocking on wood.  Hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

Woah!  Yesterday was quite the whirlwind of activity.  First I worked at my job, a wonderful place called Jack Straw Productions, until about 5 (OK, so that wasn't so much of a whirlwind, but bear with me).  Then, at 5, I was joined there by Casey, Jack Straw engineer Moe Provencher, and drummer Lindsey Reeves, to lay down (that's musician-speak for "record") drum tracks for the social anxiety disorder anthem "Pigeon Feeder" (also heard on 2007's pseudo-album The I Is not Always Me, with sub-par drums played by me).  Moe and Casey got Lindsey all mic'd up and sounding huge, I went into another room with my guitar and mouth to play along with her, and we ran through a few takes. 

The fascinating thing was this:  We were playing along to a click track to make the future tracking of guitars and such easier.  At 88 beats per minute, the verses sounded fine, but we kept getting overwhelmed in the choruses and bridge; they felt too fast.  So we slowed down to 86 BPM, and everything felt we too slow, and we were rushing the choruses.  I was starting to feel a little desparate, and like maybe the click wouldn't work, but we decided to try splitting the difference, just for the heck of it - me thinking "how is 1 BPM going to fix anything?"  And you know what?  87 BPM was the magic number!  After that we played through 3 close to perfect takes, which will be the base of a full, kickass recording of this song.  Hurrah!

So after about two hours of that we were done, and Casey was running off to see Brightblack Morning Light and Dan Higgs at The Vera Project (I will admit here that I sort of wished I could be going with him).  Lindsey and I still had more work to do, though: We loaded up her Tribute (which I keep seeing as Trilobite, when I look at the back of it - that would be a good name for a vehicle, don't you think?) with her drums and my guitars, and headed over to The Comet to play a show with Little Pieces and . . . well, that was it.  Blue Skies for Black Hearts were supposed to play, but they live in Portland, and I-5 is completely flooded between here and there, so they didn't make it.  So Lindsey and I set up in a leisurely manner, and played a pretty awesome set, I think.  I got to borrow Herman Jolly's gorgeous Fender amp, and my acoustic guitars sounded fantastic through it.  After we were done, Little Pieces set up and played a delightful set of pop gems.  Then they took a break and played another set to compensate for the lack of a third band!  What troopers! 

Then I went home and went to bed, and woke up and went to work again.  The end.

P.S.  It can be hard to find old blog posts on this here myspace, but if you're interested you can read the very first post in my recording saga (from an embarrassingly long time ago) here.

Hey, remember me?  Remember that album I've been recording for ages?  All right, I admit, things have slacked off a bit.  Day 11 was, um . . . over 8 months ago?  Yikes.  The problem is we finished 6 songs, so for the next day of recording to start we had to start a whole new couple songs from scratch and open up a whole bunch new loose ends.  And then the summer happened, and the holidays . . . and we're lazy.  So you see the problem.

Anyway, yesterday my trusty engineer Casey and I started one of the remaining songs that will be part of my heretofore untitled 3rd album.  This song is called "The Hunter Surrenders," and it's 7 and a half minutes long and slow and droney.  Luckily Casey didn't fall asleep during the many, many takes of guitar overdubs.  He had some zombie fiction to keep him company.  This is another song that I wrote and perform live using the looper, so adapting it for recording proved a bit of a challenge.  First I had to figure out exactly how long it was and where my vocals and the other parts go.  Then instead of using the looper, I recorded each part separately on guitar, and then added some banjo for good measure.  So, like I said, a lot of takes.  When next we revisit this one, we'll do a little percussion, some vocals, then it should be good!

This Thursday we're recording drums with Lindsey Reeves for the song "Pigeon Feeder," so I should have a further update for you very soon.

[I don't generally use this blog for political purposes, but today is a special case for many, many reasons.  Bear with me.]

This is, without a doubt, an incredibly happy day, a joyous day, a historical day.  I haven't felt this happy and engaged and excited about an election result in - well, ever.

That said, I am deeply saddened that California (CALIFORNIA!) has passed the bigoted Proposition 8, writing anti-gay religious ideology into their state constitution, depriving same-sex couples of their rights en masse.  Obviously a lot of people voted for this bill and there's a lot of blame to go around, but one group in particular put a huge amount of money into supporting it, and it seems to have paid off in spades.  I'm talking, of course, about the Mormon Church and many individual Mormons.  They spent millions of dollars that could have gone to feed the hungry or save the environment (or to a candidate of their choice for election) to make it so that people in California cannot all marry the people they love.  Why would they do that?

I have a few friends and acquaintances who are Mormon, maybe some "friends" on here that I don't know.  Generally I don't talk to religious friends about their religion, because it's obvious we don't see eye to eye and I don't want to alienate anybody.  And I know that the actions of a church don't necessarily speak for all of its members, but the Mormon Church is known for being a bit more ideologically homogeneous than many others.  So I would love to hear from you: how do you feel about your Church doing this in your name (and possibly with your money?).  Do you consider yourself an active member of the Church?  Have you spoken out or do you plan to speak out to Church leaders?  Or maybe you're pro-Prop 8; if so, why?

Frankly, if an organization to which I had any ties took part in an activity like this it would be next to impossible for me to maintain any connection with that group.  So, progressive (or centrist or non-ideological) Mormons . . . where do you go from here?

October 5th, 2008: First Person
33 songs whose titles start with the word "I."  Try reading through the titles as if they're a short story.  It won't make any sense, but might pass a few minutes.  I think this is re-airing right about now on Hollow Earth if you want to check it out.

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Name	Artist	Album
I Chose Horses	Mogwai	Mr. Beast
I Love Your Point Of View	Fulton Lights	The Way We Ride
I Am A Psychiatrist	Lee "Scratch" Perry	Panic In Babylon (Disc 1)
I Wish	Stevie Wonder	Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium 1 [Disc 2]
I Got A Big Fat Mama	Shuggie Otis	In Session Great Rhythm and Blues
I Miss You Like I Miss You	Chad Vangaalen	Infiniheart
I Feel Too Young To Die	South San Gabriel	The Carlton Chronicles: Not Until the Operation's Through
I Have No Idea	John Vecchiarelli	Tiny Rooms
I Don't Think I'm Ever Gonna Figure It Out	Elliott Smith	Unreleased (From A Basement On The Hill II)
I Throw You Away	Johanna Kunin	Ball of Wax Volume 4
I Throw You Away	Troubleshooting
I Threw It All Away	Bob Dylan	Nashville Skyline
I never shall marry	Amy Blaschke
I Know What I Knew,	Richard Buckner	Impasse
I Am The Mountain	Damien Jurado	On My Way To Absence
I Am The Little Girl	The Graze	Iowa Anvil
I Have Been Wronged	Fog	Ditherer
I Found That Essence Rare	Gang Of Four	Entertainment!
I Was A Teenage Hand Model	Queens Of The Stone Age	Queens Of The Stone Age
I Don't Respect Those Guys	Kaiser & Lindley	The Sweet Sunny North
I Am Not Willing	K.	Goldfish
I Don't Care	Scott McChane	Sweet Pariah & The Beautiful Loser
I Don't Care	The Roots	The Tipping Point
I Have a Dream, Too	Dead Prez	RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta
I Hope Yer There	Tim Fite	Gone Ain't Gone
I Me You I'm Your	Jim Noir	Tower Of Love
I Can't Reach You	The Who	The Who Sell Out
I Can't Reach You	Petra Haden	The Who Sell Out
I See A Darkness	Johnny Cash	American III: Solitary Man
I Pity the Poor Immigrant	Angels Of Light	Akron/Family & Angels of Light
I Would Work If I Could	Brian Michael Roff And The Deer	Inventory
I Don't Know Why	The Quiet Ones	Nite You Surprised Me [EP]
I would die 4 U	Prince

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OK, things have been a little wacky with Underwater Sounds of the Aquatic Ocean lately, and I've been slack on posting playlists, so here's a bit of catch up.

Apologies to those who might have been trying to find my show.  It is now airing live every other Sunday on Hollow Earth Radio from 3 to 5 (Pacific).  Check it!

Thanks for listening to Hollow Earth - and if you haven't been listening, start now!

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July 31, 2008: I quit my job!
Name	Artist	Album
The Workplace	Jim o'Rourke	Halfway to a Threeway
Welcome to the Working Week	Elvis Costello	My Aim is True
Working For The Man	Roy Orbison	The Legendary Roy Orbison [Disc 2]
City Jobs	Jeremy Burk	Ball of Wax Volume 12
Quit Yer Job	Southside
Quit Your Job	Chixdiggit!	Born On The First Of July
FoundSound_girl_getting_job
My New Job	Fetus Joe	Demo
Sirens In the Park At 11	The Dust Dive	Asleep or Awake Walk
Hands on Us	The Notwist	The Devil, You + Me (Promo)
Century Eyes	Shearwater	Rook
Pearrygin	Grand Hallway	Yes Is the Answer
Beep-Bo	Sir Jhon	Sir Jhon
Hora Staccatto / Ciocarlia	TARAFUL CIULEANDRA FEATURING MARIA BUZA	Romanian Gypsy Music
The Softest Voice	Animal Collective	Sung Tongs
Her Tears Are The Footsteps Of Angels	Hypatia Lake	Angels And Demons, Space And Time
Heart Of Snow	Black Mountain	Black Mountain
Hafsól	Sigur Ros	Hvarf - Heim
Nesbitt's Lime Soda Song	Negativland	Escape from Noise
Eating At The Grocery Store With William	Tim Fite	Gone Ain't Gone
Hike The Lake	Marco Mahler	Design In Quick Rotation
Drive Until He Sleeps	Ui	Lifelike
Cells Divide	Sleepy Eyes Of Death	Street Lights For A Ribcage
The Hippopotamus	Water Kill the Sun	The Arithmetic Project - (minus)
False Tigers	Antlerand	Pencils Down
Year of the Dog	The Lovely Sparrows	Bury the Cynics
Members Of The Show 'Em How It's Done	The Theater Fire	Everybody Has A Dark Side
Bird On A Wire	Johnny Cash	American I
August 31, 2008: The First Live Sunday Show
Name	Artist	Album
Blueberry	Johanna Kunin	Ball of Wax Volume 2
The Best Is Yet to Come	Archer Prewitt	In the Sun
Singing To The Earth (To Thank Her For You)	Apollo Sunshine	Shall Noise Upon
Oh, Mojave	The Ruby Suns	Sea Lion (Memphis Industries)
Re: Stacks	Bon Iver	For Emma, Forever Ago
Cowgirl In The Sand	Neil Young	Live At Massey Hall
Massachusetts	Unbunny	Fission Romance The West
Little King	Pufferfish
Bringin' Home The Rain	The Builders & The Butchers	The Builders And The Butchers
Home Life	Shearwater	Rook
Life	Au	Au
centraliaDeadMarch	Perish the Island	Experiments in Distance Influence
Fred & Renee Make Love	Angelo Badalamenti	Lost Highway
Blestemul	TARAFUL CIULEANDRA FEATURING MARIA BUZA	Romanian Gypsy Music
A Plea To Rephel	Hypatia Lake	Angels And Demons, Space And Time
Ditherer	Fog	Ditherer
The Fortunate One Knows No Anxiety	Ui	Lifelike
Nerds	The Dodos	Beware Of The Maniacs
Gone	Doug Martsch	Doug Martsch
Sick As A Gun	Weinland	La Lamentor
Devil in the Details	The Lovely Sparrows	Bury the Cynics
Desire	Talk Talk	Spirit Of Eden
September 21, 2008: No More Messing with the Schedule, I Promise!
Name	Artist	Album
garrett_monster_dream
armenia	St Rainbow	Whatever It Is, I want it
What We Want	Brittain Ashford	Waterhouse Records
Rabid Bits of Time	Chad VanGaalen	Soft Airplane
Spread Your Bloody Wings	Smog	Doctor Came at Dawn
Hung From The Moon	Earth	The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull
Sideways Glances and Coded Speech	Fulton Lights	The Way We Ride
Go Missing	Matt Sheehy	Tigerphobia
I just Know My Husband Was a Wonderful Dancer	Hollow Earth Radio Field Recordings
Ghost Ship In A Storm	Jim O'Rourke	Eureka
Each Dream Is An Example	Gastr Del Sol	Camoufleur
Doin' It	Shuggie Otis	In Session Great Rhythm and Blues
One Mo Gin'	Bookworms featuring Jonesy	Solos in Stereo II
Hoarse	Cepia	Natura Morta
The Parakeet Beat	Sunburned Hand Of The Man	Fire Escape
drunk singing waiting for a train	Hollow Earth Radio
Saints	Marc Ribot	Spiritual Unity
No Nuts	Hieroglyphics	Third Eye Vision
Corner Story	Del the Funky Homosapien	Future Development
Over The Counterculture	Tim Fite	Over The Counterculture
escape artist	sage francis
Passing Me By	The Pharcyde	Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
Ryan Day - Crows and Masturbation	Hollow Earth Radio Voicemails
Description Of A Fool	A Tribe Called Quest	The Anthology
North Col	Shearwater	Rook
A Plea To Rephel	Hypatia Lake	Angels And Demons, Space And Time
Courting the Phoenix	Lord God Bird	Oceans Rising
Mocking Solemnity	Sunn O)))	Flight of the Behemoth

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July 17th, 2008: Vampires and Tigers and Flowers, oh my!
I had fun mixing up some brand new stuff and some good old stuff and a bunch in between for this show, which will re-air tonight (7/18/08) at 6 p.m. PDT on Hollow Earth Radio.

..tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> ..table>

Name	Artist	Album
Persian Popular Song	Unknown Artist	Victrola Favorites
Piatra, piatra	TARAFUL CIULEANDRA FEATURING MARIA BUZA	Romanian Gypsy Music
Compay	Tin Hat Trio	Book Of Silk
Kreupele Nachtegaal	De Kift	De Kift
Sandinista	Low	Drums And Guns
Vampires	Conrad Ford	Secret Army
Vampiring Again	Califone	Quicksand/Cradlesnakes
I'm A Vampire	Future Bible Heroes	Eternal Youth
Imhotep	Laura Carter, Eric Harris, Chris Jolly, Jeff Mangum, & Heath	Curse Of The Seven Jackals
Screaming at a Wall	Minor Threat	First Two 7"s
Screaming At a Wall (Cover of Minor Threat song)	Amateur Radio Operator	Sirens of Titan
Reckon	Brown Bird & Annie Palmer	Split EP
Cold November	The Maldives
wildflowers	Tom Petty
All Misery / Flowers	The Gutter Twins	Saturnalia
Cry Like A Baby	Box Tops	K-tel Presents Land Of 1000 Dances - Songs Of The 60's
The Pica Beats	The Pica Beats	All Mysteries Solve Themselves
Factorytown	Poland	Ball of Wax Volume 12
A Song About Tigers (Revisited)	All Of My Brother's Girlfriends	Second Album on Cassette
all tigers are different	Mister Rogers
We Tigers	Animal Collective	Sung Tongs
Fuel Injector	Telephone Toughguy	35 Asbury
I Sold Out	Boo Hiss	Ball of Wax Volume 3
The General's Gleaming Edge	Hypatia Lake	Angels And Demons, Space And Time
Epic Problem	Fugazi	The Argument
Lightning Bugs	Yeek Yak Air Force	Yeek Yak Air Force
Lost In Forests	Boduf Songs	Boduf Songs
No Bad News	Bonnie "Prince" Billy	The Letting Go
The Times They Are A Changin'	Bob Dylan	The Times They Are A-Changin' [UK]
Music For Evenings	Young Marble Giants	Colossal Youth
(Nothing But) Flowers	Talking Heads	The Best of Talking Heads

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