The Production
I just completed 21 demos and sent them off to my producer (and great friend), Paul Marino. For those of you who don’t know who he is, he engineered and mixed Whispering Endearments and mixed the Clean Up EP. He has also worked on the “who’s who” of Minneapolis music albums and fills in over at Paisley Park (Prince’s lair). Oh and he’s Grammy nominated - hasn’t won yet…. he’s holding out the win for this album ;)
I can’t announce the players on the album yet as Paul and I are figuring that out now, but I can assure you they will all be jaw droppingly exceptional (he’s already suggesting some players who he says are “one of the best in the world.” And the world is very large place. Paul also doesn’t exaggerate… much.
But either way, the musicians, mind you, will complement my sound and what you love most about the new songs you’ve been hearing. Paul has also mentioned the term “ground breaking” a few times when discussing the vision and I return the phrase every time with an inaudible smile of approval and fantastical glee.
We are approaching this project quite unlike my past recordings. From the very beginning of this process I knew I wanted to create something special. Something different. Not just another album. The biggest difference between this project and my last full-length album, Whispering Endearments, is the intention. For Whispering Endearments I worked with a producer who took my songs and crafted them into polished, radio ready, mass appeal, tracks. I worked very closely with him and I was officially a co-producer. The songs were still mine and I still poured my heart, blood, sweat and tears (lots of tears) into that project. The direction and intention for what the songs were for, however, was very specific. They were for the AAA audience. For those not in the biz - AAA is the label for radio stations that play John Mayer, Sara Bareilles, Adele and Matt Nathanson. I know you’re all thinking “I LOVE those artists.” Well I do too, but these artists are part of the old system. The old model. A specific and manufactured production model at that. It’s not necessarily a bad model - it’s just not very “ground breaking” any more.
Now, I could go on a 10 page rant about how ground breaking John Mayer was/is and dissect his chord changes and lyrics as perfect examples - as you could for the other AAAers I’m sure. That’s not what I mean. When discussing “production” for an album there are an infinite number of ways to go, however, producers who produce (it’s not really as redundant as it sounds - technical terms) albums for AAA (or Top 40 or Hot AC or Country or Hip Hop, etc) have a very specific formula and “style.” This formula most average listeners don’t necessarily understand or care about - they just want it to sound “good.” But what “good” is has been crafted and formulated from years of sampling, testing, successes and failures all, though, within the confines of these radio groups. There are demographics that fall into these groups as you can imagine.
So, it was a very conscious decision for the “production” of Whispering Endearments to, more or less, fit in the box of AAA formula. The way I just made it sound makes me sound just as bad as the label execs who force Artists into a box and shoves recycled, un-original crap down the throats of the masses via the radio - I know. But that’s not what it was. Whispering Endearments was and still is my piece of art. I fully stand by it and I was there for every single note. I was a part of the decision making for everything. It was not manufactured by a team of industry people or what not. It was constructed by my producer, Chris Kalgren, my engineer, Paul Marino and me. I stand by our work. And I’m very proud of it.
I shed many tears in the vocal booth and the songs were written from personal experiences and god-honest heart break/renewal. Just because the “production” made it quite polished and “radio ready” does not diminish the heart behind the project.
The direction of this new album is completely different. There is no box we are going to fit these songs into. Radio doesn’t matter any more. We are going to construct something very artistic with no constraints or formulas dictated by sample groups or radio. This will be a truly original and unique piece of art. I promise it will sound like nothing you have heard before. That being said, the songs are still mine and what I love most about music hasn’t drastically changed since I started this process. There won’t be any unwelcomed surprises that will turn you off (hopefully). If you’ve been tuning into my live streams or listened to any of the demos, you know what the songs are going to be - for the most part. I am considering 21 - and still writing more.
The biggest difference between Whispering Endearments and this new album is the production. You know when people say “it’s SO produced.” They really mean “it’s SO polished.” Every recorded piece of music is “produced.” Production is taking a song and making it come to life in a recording. This, like I mentioned, can go a million different ways to be “brought to life.” And of course it’s quite subjective. The way Ryan Adams songs are produced is quite different from the way Bruno Mars songs are produced. Both are “singer/songwriters” but Bruno Mars production style is for the radio and Ryan Adams production is not. Not to say that one is “better” - it just is what it is.
Paul Marino, the producer for my new album (well I’m technically “co-producing” because I will be there and have a say in everything and will help craft the sound), and I have discussed bringing in musicians that complement my sound and originality but also add their distinct flavor and stamp. The musicians will not be your typical “hired guns” who can manipulate their sound to whatever project they are working on. We are bringing in musicians who HAVE a sound. We are being extremely deliberate with the musicians who will contribute to this album.
Like my beat boxing, trumpet and overall blend of what I do live is my “stamp” and has a distinct sound and style, these musicians will complement my sound with their own to create a blend of originality and ground-breaking magnificence.
In short (ha), the production on this project is going to blow your mind.
