Jan 26, 2009

Hardships!


I want to take a moment this afternoon to mention my dear friend Jenny Wilson. Her music is really important to me as are her lyrics and overall outlook on making art. She is a very significant musician to me. I so admire people that can record, play, write, produce, an entire album on their own. This takes a lot of courage and focus... Her music has also been important because it's her songs that brought my attention to Sweden and is the reason why I ended up meeting Karl-Jonas, who helped me record in Sweden and who has been such a great help for 'Rubies'.

The first time I met Jenny, I liked her. Her sister Sara, too. Somehow, I feel like they are my long long sisters.

Jenny asked me to sing on her new album, 'Hardships!' due out in February. I was thrilled to record and perform last June with her.... Listen for my spoken whispers- as I remind her of her strength. I love how her songs blend a little R & B in with her folk/pop sensibility. The background vocals are meticulously stacked, reminiscent of old gospel tunes. You must listen to her unique voice. It's what I love about good voices. Full of character and you can hear HER in her voice. She's not sounding like someone else telling the stories. I am in the room with her while I listen to the songs. There is a lot of restraint in her songs as well. The silence is as important as the sound. I can't wait to listen to the whole album. Jenny, I know you have it in you.

Jan 21, 2009

If you're brown, stick around.

So I was luckily able to spend some of this new year down in Mexico. It never ceases to both baffle and thrill me to be in a super hot enviro when folks east and north or experiences the bone chilling cold. D and A are down at the Mexico house until March...enjoying the long hours and the distance before heading to Paris. Also, the big questions. The stuff. Ponder the stuff. We chilled, cooked, danced, made a video for a track I'm working on with the swedish group 'the sweptaways'(thanks dudes!), figured it out, got brown, rode waves, jammed in the studio, played a crumar synthesizer, read books, remembered recent memories, smelled the sweet sandy air, and fell in love with everything again.

I'm on a 2 week countdown in Santa Barbara now. Reeling from Obama's speech. Glad to be in an American for the first time in years. Waiting for my February stint in Toronto. Waiting for San Francisco next weekend for recording 2 songs. I am tired of waiting. Rubies album comes out in the states May 19! Finally gonna tour the Usa. Stoked.

Boom box always babysits
Golden sunset light. Me, Adrian, Mary.
Every night I just wanna go out, get out of my head. Every day I dont want to get up, get out of my bed. Every night I want to play out. And every day I want to do ooh ooh oh oh But tonight I just want to stay in And be with you. (you must know this song?)
Alicia and Luis (the sweet folks that take care of the house) with my sis Danielle and her husband Adrian
The music studio... that we had hot, tequila infused jams in.
Whitest gear alive.

Video stills from the video that we made on the beach at night. We made it for free! Thanks flashlight. Thanks illegal lazer pen-that-graham-brought-back-from-china.



Still chillin'. Side of the road- got a flat tire.



This is what it looked like before I left for Mexico. Christmas morning in Santa Barbara. Rainbow reminders.