Update...5 Down, 3 to Go

7 months Later...

So...apparently I haven't blogged in a while.  Fortunately that doesn't mean that I haven't been working during all these months.  Sure, I can admit that this has taken longer than I thought it would...that I've seen self imposed deadlines come and go more than once.  Could I have been finished by now had I put in adequate time and effort?  Quite possibly.  But in reality life (and inspiration) just doesn't work that way.

Yes, there are times when I just don't have it in me to sit down at a computer at the end of a long day and pound out work on these same songs I've now heard hundreds of times.  That being said, I am still quite fond of this current batch of music and firmly believe this will easily be the best work I've ever done.  Creativity and motivation seem to come in spurts, and I try to get the most out of those periods before they disappear.

I'm now well past the halfway point.  5 of the 8 songs are finished.  4 of those have been listenable online for many months now.  If you haven't heard them in a while, it might be a good idea to go and check them out.  I've been quietly making changes and improvements to those online files.  Track #4, "You Can Never Go Home" has had the most substantial facelift compared to the first version I posted months ago.  I think it's really come together nicely.  In retrospect, I probably made it available for listening sooner than I should have.  Sometimes I just get too excited for people to hear new stuff.

I'm currently fighting the temptation to make some more music available for listening.  Track #5, "Save My Soul" could really be released today and I would be happy with it.  But my philosophy with this record has been one of "good is not good enough".  And so I find myself taking things that are good and trying to make them better.  As good as "Save My Soul" is right at this moment, I still have a couple of things I want to try that will improve it.  For example, at this point the song has no acoustic strumming whatsoever, and really I don't miss it that much and it may not need it...but I'd like to add it just to see how it sounds.  Also, the end of the song needs...I don't know...something.  I don't know what specifically, but I'll know it when I hear it.  And really it doesn't NEED it...it's really good as it is...but why not take that extra step toward greatness?

The remaining 3 songs are already recorded in very rough versions.  I could see them being finished very quickly but again, inspiration is fickle and comes and goes at her pleasure.  So really we're looking at early next year before it will all be ready for you to lovingly download onto you hard drive.  but I'll go ahead and say that I really believe that it's going to be something that people will enjoy and come back to.  Something worthy of your playlists.

Also, I'll try to keep the blog a little more current...in case there is anyone out there who actually cares and reads this.

Update...2 Down, 6 to Go

It is a great feeling to have two new songs completed and out there for all to hear. I am happy with the positive feedback I've received on "Never And Forever" and "Come And Gone". People seem to be enjoying them. If you are one of those people, please don't hesitate to share with friends. I would like as many people as possible to hear this music.

I know I've mentioned "So Far Gone" a few times before. Well, it is almost completed and ready to debut. This is the song that I feel people will connect with the most. I mentioned in my last post that the song sounds a bit "samey"...meaning that it was interesting and beautiful but it kind of repeats itself and goes on without any real changes...not necessarily a bad thing, but could get monotonous. I've made some changes that I feel have taken this song to the next level. It has gone from being merely pretty great to mesmerizing and heart-rending...and it was all done with the addition of one simple guitar figure that embellishes the chorus.

I know what I like in music and this is it. And can't speak for the rest of you, but this new part completely makes this song into greatness for me personally. I hope when you hear it that it makes you feel the same way. I hesitate sometimes to talk up my own work because music is so subjective and I don't want to build too much expectation for what is essentially a very simple song. I'd rather just release it and have others talk it up for me ;-) . Of course that's not going to happen if something is not genuinely great. Anyway, I will upload it for all to hear once I get the mix sounding exactly as it should. Probably over the weekend.

As for the rest of the songs, they are in various stages of completion. "You Can Never Go Home" is probably the most complete, while "This Time" has not even been fully written yet (hence no lyrics online).

If you're reading this, thanks for paying attention. I'm grateful that people enjoy what I do.

James