Album #1 Update #5 (August 27th)

[Greg adkins]

Hey everyone,

We're finished tracking! I recorded my wife singing a harmony vocal for the song "Old Shoes" in my living room on Saturday night and that was the last official thing that had to be recorded before the record could be mixed. It feels so great to be finished!

I went to Asheville last Thursday and Friday and basically sang, sang, and sang some more. That is by FAR my least favorite part of the whole process. For one, who likes to hear themselves talk or sing on tape? Nobody, that's who. So if you hate that, imagine having to sing every song like 8 times in a row. Then after that you sit and listen to each line of the song all 8 times and pick the best one (this is called "comping"). It is tedious and after it's over, you're convinced that you're probably the worst singer in the whole world. By the time I got home Friday night, I didn't even want to hear myself talk!

The only fun part of Thursday and Friday was adding in the dobro parts on 2 songs (by Way of sorrow / on the train back home) and then all of the harmonies. This record is going to have a LOT more harmony than my first record did... I think we have it on every song but one and in a lot of places we have 3 part harmony instead of 2. I owe a big thanks to everyone who sang on the record... my lovely wife Jessica, Dave Potts, Sarah McAffry, and Andrew Osenga. I sang harmony with myself in a couple of places but I don't guess I have to thank myself for doing it.

So... from here, the record gets mixed. That should be done within the next 2 weeks or so. We're going to mostly do that via internet file exchange... Chris will mix a track and then send me an MP3 and I'll make comments and then he'll make changes. We're also going to be setup all day Tuesday and Wednesday over Video iChat to talk about the mixes. I'll be able to hear what he's listening to in real time over the internet. Pretty dang cool!

After mixing is finished, the record will be mastered by local mastering guru Seva. He's the best in East Tennessee by a longshot and yes, his name really is just Seva. No last name. He mastered the last Dolly Parton record and he's done a thousand other things.

I also have a guy working on artwork... quick question for you guys. Which title strikes you better? "Old Radio" or "Chase the Western Sky" I need to get that nailed down this week!

Okay, got to get back to work. I can't tell you guys and gals how much it means to have you along for the journey...

- Greg

[growingyoung]

"Chase the Western Sky" gets my vote. It sounds like the name of a Rich album.

[Sean without an H]

Good point about Rich Mullins... I thought it sounded like Dave Wilcox myself. To me, it just depends on how the songs play out... esp. if they end up with a heavy americana sound, I think "Old Radio" would be more appropriate, though Chase the Western Sky is an all-around cool song title. I think it depends on the songs... it's a little more generic (aka I think CtWS would work well if the songs are more diverse, Old Radio if they are more unified).

By the way, congratulations, Greg! Thanks for letting us in on this process (both title questions and the recording process in general)!

[meriam]

I'm for Chase the Western Sky because it sounds wide open and full of possibilities.

Old Radio sounds like a collection of old songs. Love the song, just not as an album title.

[Greg adkins]

thanks for the good leads guys... I'm still wrestling with it but I'll keep you posted. The logical side of me likes "Old Radio" a bit better... it's probably a better fit and maybe a bit more marketable... but, the artist in me really likes "chase the western sky" and the imagery that conjures up...

we'll see which side wins.

[growingyoung]

I agree with meriam, old radio sounds like a collection of old songs, not a good album name. I'm still rooting for "dork with a guitar" though. I think it's a very marketable name, and it fits. (no offense)

[Zac Pensol]

"Chase the Western Sky", definitely.