reflection

we've been terrible at posting! (how many posts or journal entries commence with those exclamations?)

our biggest news to our loyal followers in this blogosphere is: we are mixing! we finished all our recording in early April, and since then have been trying to create as much time as possible to put to mixing. not so easy with 4 people's lives.

anyway, our friend Ivan is doing the deed. He's been wonderful so far, patient and on-point. He's got his studio set up in his basement in Petworth, lovely how close it is. He's definitely pushing the songs- which he should- but sometimes it's scary. Our children-songs are being cared for and influenced by another for a while. It's that crucial adolescent phase.

Anyway, today Ben returns from Phoenix (and I was in Mexico last week), so we can resume full-steam ahead. We're about halfway done.

Today we printed (finished) Howling, and I'm very excited about it. Sounds beautiful. As we spend hours and hours on each song, I think about the journey, the life, each song has taken. And I certainly intend (and encourage my band-mates) to write out something of a history of each song. The impressions, trials, influences, directions, debates, errors, excitements, discoveries, highs lows and middles of each song. Each one has so much to tell, so much of us in it along every step of the way. Often we forget the earlier parts of the journey, especially in a low period. I hope that when this creation is actually DONE that others will feel that. We've crafted these songs oh so carefully, but there's an incredible amount of emotion in there. Remember where we began this feat, recording live in Butte la Rose, Louisiana, 13 months ago- and we were crazed by the energy. We were high from it. Weeks turned into months turned into year; but we also grew as musicians and people along the way, and all that's in there too.

Ah, boys I love you all very much, and no matter what, these moments are caught in our songs, and they will always be there.

-Vanessa

Seasonal Spectacular

1856 Park Rd, NW DC

Sat, Dec 11, 8:00pm

we're playing in a few days~

Squash Head

Saturday Oct 2, 8pm

1856 Park Rd NW (Vanessa's House)

Frau Eva

Birdlips

Deutschmarks

Maura & Billy

Cam and Rayan

If you give a mouse a piano

He's probably going to ask you to move it... If you move the piano for him, he's probably going to want you to tune it. This is true both of mice and men. And so when we got a piano, it wasn't long before we were in need of a tuner. Our piano tuner was a small and awkward fellow. My mother had warned me that all piano tuners are a strange breed. Ours seemed to be friendly enough, and engaged me in conversation: "Living in the city must be nice" he said.

"Yea, it's pretty sweet."

"Great place to stay in shape"

"I guess if you bike around"

"You do that much?"

"Not too much since my bike lock broke in dupont circle, and has been holding my bike prisoner ever since."

"Well, you able to stay in shape anyway? How much do you weigh?"

"Not too much."

"Here, lets see if I can pick you up over my shoulder."

"Hello what?"

This is where the conversation took a turn for the worse. Also the piano tuner started to stutter.

"c-c-c-come on let's see if I can pick you up over my shoulder."

At this point the tuner was giving me a classic puppy dog with outstretched arms.

"w-w-we could just try it..."

You know what they say... you let a mouse pick you up over his shoulder and he's going to want you to give him a scalp massage, and if you give him a scalp massage, he's going to want to dress you up in his mother's lingerie...

Anyway to cut to the chase ... our piano is now tuned - hoorah!!

Piano

I am sitting in the new(est) Frau Eva recording headquarters (Ben's basement bedroom). Right now Billy is recording bass. We're all here.

As usual, we've spent a good deal this weekend recording (though never enough). David finally has his piano all ready to record. It has involved no less than finding a decent one on craigslist, having it moved- a Kimball baby grand- letting it settle, getting it tuned, and fixing some clacking keys. And then an onslaught of tasty mics & a preamp. Now the fun part; re-recording this beautiful piano over top & in place of his keyboard. It's coming slowly.

In the meantime we've been gently progressing on the seven songs we've got. Still have it in the works to record at least 3 more.

In other news, it's been awesome having Billy as our bassist. It feels like we're a different band, and also we're arranging new songs, sprucing up old ones. We have a newfound energy and definition. After spending a better part of this year struggling with the live show and recording, we are ready to play out (put out?).

Anyway, enough rambling. We are playing a show at my house next saturday, october 2, along with Birdlips, Deutschmarks, Maura & Billy, and Cam & Rayan. The event is called Squash Head. If I get around to drawing up a flyer, I'll post it.

In the meanwhile, here are some pix of piano recording:

David plays 'Howling' solo

Thanks to Lou Black for this video from Saturday night.

La Festa d'Estate

ok, so we're pretty inconsistent with posting. but there's a lot going on in the "real world"; its easy to forget about it. And even if nobody reads this, it's still a document of our lives, right Ben? I've always liked posting, stemming from all that livejournal stuff I did in high school/ college.

Anyway... we had a wonderful show this weekend at my house. i think this is becoming a regular monthly thing. Although Saturday I was stressing because I hadn't done so many things, the event still came together nicely. All the music was superb. I think everyone there really enjoyed themselves, well, I hope so. Thank you to all that made it happen, musicians and revelers alike!

We made a flyer. I drew it, and then together we painted (my first water color experience in years! I loved it. I'm hooked again).

Next show! Saturday, July 17. This time I'll post it more in advance. Maybe.