The horizon is always in view

This past weekend I spent four hours inside a 'proper' studio to record some vocals for Switchback and The Safest Place to be. One of the drawbacks of living in a flat is that the neighbours don't always love to hear my dulcet tones at full capacity. Honestly, some people.
So the studio accommodated the full wrath of my volume. One of the more annoying conclusions to this session was that my voice was not in great form due to a) the cold weather, b) the lack of ANY heating implement in said studio room, and c) I haven't sung in about a month. All in all, not the most productive day. I did salvage some of the recordings though, specifically the chorus to Safest Place. I've since been working on this song and think it's virtually finished. The verses were giving me problems initially as there was no great contrast between them and the chorus. After several unfruitful attempts at different phrasings I was contemplating putting the song in the 'almost but not quite' refuse receptacle, only for the Mrs to save its sorry hide with her keen ear. I was just sitting in my office, strumming the verse chords and singing along when she noted that I was singing in a much lower key, more naturally and fluid, so suggested I try this in the recording. Well, duh! It turned out to be quite the idea. The contrast is much more pleasing, to my ears at least and gives the song some dynamics of which it was definitely in want.

Also in the studio, I got a friend of mine to add a solo to a slightly reworked version of Tides. This is after my own attempts at soloing which are better left unheard. The solo is sounding great and gives a good edge to this song. I have a feeling that if anyone has favourites from this album, this is going to be it for most.

Switchback is getting there but needs some polishing up, particularly some guitar parts that need adding. In the studio session, I managed to add a very loud vocal part to the outro which has really added something. This one is next on my list to finish up. It's getting tight now, the date for the album is set at 1.1.11. Here goes nothing......

Where to begin to end?

So they're are about four tracks that in my head are more or less complete (see this evidence). I say more or less, as it's been drawn to my attention that a couple of these could do with some humanised drums to bring out more dynamics. They're finished in as much as the melody and majority of the elements what do make a song are there. Now what do I do?

I have 6 songs left to complete, that are in various stages of development/refining:

Tides - this is one of the oldest (see Lights Out and Glacier). My first encounter with recording in Logic and by 'eck does it show. Lots of overdone effects and the bridge/solo thing that is waaaaaaayyyy too long (and also a bit rubbish). It needs to be sliced and diced (maybe I can use this?). Having said that, I think it has one of the strongest melodies and the outro is pretty darn good if I say so myself (which I did in actual fact)


The Safest Place to Be - I have the music recorded for this which I'm pretty happy about. Needs the vocals recorded and some guitar parts, but not much more. It's turned into a little pop rock song, which is quite nice.

Switchback - the most recent song i've written. Needs major tidying up. The chorus is good though.

Into the Night - this is almost complete but need to tidy bits up here and there and possibly re-do the vocals as they do sound a bit 'strained' (no potty humour please)

Acres - by far the one with the most work needed. Just can't get my head around how to arrange it. Its a 'pretty' song I guess but can't quite get it to where I want it yet.

Glacier - this is a pretty old song. I have a completed version of this but I've picked up on things that need changing and the vocals need a do-over too.

Looking at the above, it seems I have a lot of work. The hardest part though is writing and arranging the songs, so in that context most of them are done (except Acres). I was a bit premature thinking about Album artwork though wasn't I?

And in your arms, is the safest place to be...

The Safest Place to Be is the one tune on Subterranean that has caused the most frustration, disillusionment, general dissatisfaction thus far in my writing/recording process. It's never sounded quite right. There's a chorus there, there's a verse there but there's never been a song quite there. I've considered scrapping it entirely but I'm told it is worth keeping, so therefore I keep trying. I need to get round to writing a new bridge, but other songs keep coming up and I easily procrastinate.

The lyrics are the most complete, cohesive part of the sum and they motivate my continual efforts of delivering a chord or two worthy of them. The message is, in a general sense, about putting way too much faith in one man/person. They were written around the time of the US elections and are a comment on the hype of those times. Not that there is a particularly political point being made, just that there are really only a few things in this world we can/should entrust our complete confidence in, and it's usually not wise for it to be a governmental representative, whoever they may be.

Here's the words:

In the garden we will walk

circling trees to distract from the thought

In this honesty undone,

holding anything back for too long

Wait & see where this one goes

No where new and no where soon

And in your arms is the safest place to be

And in your arms I keep the closest thing to me

Won't hold on to this much more

the sunlight breaking like boots through the door

Hope in anyone so hard

There comes a truth that will burn up the heart

Wait & see when this one starts

No where soon and no where fast

And in your arms is the safest place to be

And in your arms I keep the closest thing to me