Archive for the ‘New Record’ Category

J RAUD & THE FIRING SQUAD’s upcoming album is about 70% complete. The title is Dance of Words. Its projected release date is sometime in the Fall of this year. Most of the songs were written between September 2009 and May 2010. Ryan Minton is producing, with assistance from Bryan Bowman and me.

Songwriting Process

When I write a song, I like to work quickly. My lyrics and music are usually finished after about 15-45 minutes. I edit later. Artistic clarity is brief.  I usually write after an epiphany or a summation of thoughts I’ve had over the course of days or months. The songs are helpful to me (that’s why I write). I also hope others can discover something from them and be a part of them.

The songs for Dance of Words were written while I was sitting at a desk, guitar in lap, and typing out lyrics on my computer. I would look out the window. The words just came to me like epiphanies do.

More updates to come…for your reading pleasure, lyrics for “The Ego Song” from Dance of Words are below.

The Ego Song

I’ve been going through day to day

Waiting for a change

Wait could make me new, not stay the same?

I live in a world where humans are robots

And robots stay the same

Have I lost all feeling? I’ll be lucky when I’m blue

Chorus:

Take my money, take my clothing, take my car

Take my status, take my ego too

Take my blindness, take my narrow-mindedness

Take my heartache, take my selfish nature too

-

It’s a matter of sane

This day to day

What could make a change?

Though my heart stays the same

I live in a world where humans are robots

And robots stay the same

Have I lost all feeling? I’ll be lucky when I’m blue

(Repeat Chorus)

Recording holds a different set of factors every time it comes to making a new album. These factors may mean a different room to record in, a different technology to record with, or new musicians. For instance, “Naked as a Jaybird” was recorded using cassette tape, by myself, in a bedroom in 95 plus degree weather, consuming copious amounts of sweet tea. For the currently untitled new album, Bryan (drums, percussion) and I are using portable digital technology. The benefit of recording portable means that we can record outside if we want. You might hear a bird in the background, or a car that passes by.  This is exciting to me, since I have never recorded with something so portable. We could record my vocals in a cave if we want. I have at least 12 songs that we are working with, at the moment, with more on their way. I’ll keep everyone updated on our progress.