Recording update

Making a record and preparing it for release takes longer than you expect – even with all the time I can now devote to it!  The good news is the lead-off single “Say I Do” is finished and ready to go, but needs to be coordinated with a firm release date for the album.  You can’t just dump these things out there.  The video is still being edited as well, so there’s that to look forward to – and much more to do before I can announce dates, but we are close now.

I had a full day booked last weekend in Echoplant B (one of Ryan Worsley’s excellent pair of studios) to tackle all the remaining vocals.  I needed to nail six lead vocals (the most important part of any recording, no getting around it), and about 15 harmony parts for the songs still in progress.  With me were Adrian Buckley (drums) and Derek Macdonald (keyboards), who both also sang on “Say I Do.”  As did Eric Lefebvre (bass), but he was unavailable that day, off recording with Danny Echo – great musicians are always in demand!

However, I got my good friend Graham Myrfield (Stumbler’s Inn, Canada Sings) to come over from the island to harmonize with us.  A full circle moment as I shared “Say I Do” with him when I first wrote it and we bounced a bunch of ideas back and forth.  He even recorded a hilarious series of covers of it in various genres that we may share down the road.  Graham’s been on a musical hiatus the past few years, so it was a coup to get him back doing what he loves so much (and we love him doing)!

It was an amazing day, ten packed hours that went by in a flash.  I knocked out all the leads early so we could focus on getting everyone else’s parts down.  Most harmonies I have written already, but the best moments recording are when you come up with something new on the spot.  Creating in the studio is not easy to plan for, you have to be open and willing to explore, let the spontaneous energy flow.  As songwriter I have to let some things go: a new part by a different singer in their voice adds more to the overall song.  And we had some great moments!  Two songs got the full treatment of the whole group around one mic singing four-part harmonies live, my absolute favorite thing to do in the studio.

We’re now editing and reviewing tracks to make sure everything is down – or I’ll need to book another session.  But quite possibly the main job of recording is done, and mixing can begin.   By next week, I’ll have a date I can commit to for the album, and then make the single available well ahead of that – before the end of this month!

I can’t wait to share this music with everyone!