I have been practicing like crazy and working hard on the new tunes. I finished what is now called Truth and Dares, a smoky bluesy downtown kinda song. It has a tricky riff to give it pause for thought and I have been playing on my little classical guitar but now am going to put on some new strings on the acoustic and start getting it up to speed as I am going to record next week! Yahoodles!

I emailed Allan who produced a few tracks on the last album and told him of my idea to record the remaining songs. I have 2 ideas one is the live voice and guitar recorded at the same time or the other is separate tracks not much of a difference you may think but sometimes can be big. He likes the live together idea and I think for feel and what I am after I would agree so we shall see but that is the intent right now.

The music is finished for Christmas Bells, now for the lyrics. This is a fun song and will lift the energy of the album as there are some heavier, darker tracks. Little Girl is done too I added a c section which really flows and gives it a dreamy ending. My attempts at hammer on and pull offs gives it an edgier sound and I will keep at it. The a verse sections will be played straight ahead and then the hammer ons will be a nice contrast for the b verses. This one doesn’t have a chorus per se but it works with the hook in the verse. I changed the key to F from E and this lifts it to a real nice range for my voice as much as I love E it seemed on the b section I was really straining and didn’t sound very nice. Persephone is coming along I am thinking of trying it on the 12 string but not entirely sure.

I unearthed Human Kindness and may or may not put this on it does fit with the overall folk sound and sentiment. Take Back the Power is a tough one and still not working out all the kinks. The time change is a real challenge so have hooked up the old Roland to get some click tracks and percussion going to help me along the way.

I think that I will attempt Long Long Trail again this is an old First World War song and is unfortunately timely. I read that when the soldiers sang this song they did it in a boisterous and loud way. My approach however, is longing and haunting and I will add a harmonica solo in it too to intensify this feeling. We did record this at the Duncan showroom but the harmonica was such a new instrument I had only picked it up a week before so I have had time to get acquainted since. We also upped the tempo midway so Sherri wouldn’t feel alone but now have decided to go back to my first idea of longing, quiet introspective.

Thats where things stand for now. cheers, nb