Working on a remix of Bear in Heaven’s “Lovesick Teenagers;” they’re labelmates of ours on Hometapes.  Interesting, as usually bands send you the stems (basic tracks) compiled for just three or four instruments when you do a remix, but these dudes sent us every single little track that was recorded for the song. Which is awesome, ‘cause it gives you about thirty thousand more options for the remix.  Here we go…

Just contributed vocals to a song on the new All Tiny Creatures record, due out on Hometapes some time in the next six months or so.  Thomas Wincek is the main songwriter in the band, and is also in Collections of Colonies of Bees and Volcano Choir.  The song’s called “Tough Decisions,” and is dope.  If you didn’t hear Tom’s contribution to the Volcano Choir record Unmap, called “Islands, IS,” you should, you really, really should.  (In fact, you can hear it and see the video here, from Kanye West’s blog).  ”Tough Decisions” is cool in the same way as that song, and will also feature Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) as well.  Be interesting to see what makes the cut between my vocals and his…

-Matt

To be featured prominently on the new record.  I agree with the ranking.  See Jonny Greenwood use it to its fullest potential here.

The National Crayon Museum, looking east.

The Pioneer reel-to-reel works its magic.  Great for warming up guitar sounds, a new discovery for us, and featured prominently on D. Perfume.

So on this record I think one of the first completed songs was “Mr. Let’s Find Out,” which came from a New Yorker article about Leonard Bernstein.  Apparently a nickname for him.  (I had no idea what a screwed up guy he was in a lot of ways).  One of Michael’s best first lines ever:

It’s a good thing
You’re a no one
Because there’s nothing I can do

A narrative like that you just gotta follow, y’know?

(1) Tony or Don or I [Matt] play some drum parts at The National Crayon Museum (the “studio”) in DC(Michael’s basement, specifically); this is usually done over an extended period of time.

(2) Michael takes the drum part and hammers it into something resembling a song, usually editing heavily for tempo issues (ahem — Tony) or just to make it make sense with the song he’s written.

(3) Upon hearing what Michael’s done — either at the studio or via email — Dave, Don, and I [Matt Byars] ruminate.

(4) Upon listening, we come up with ideas.  I [Matthew] tend to assume a gatekeeper function (vote thumbs-up or -down on whether the song’s a keeper), then we come in and record at the studio.

(5) A new wrinkle on this record is me (M.B.) recording at home in Baltimore.  My studio is called Easterns; it consists largely of me lying on my back with a laptop on my chest, watching TV and tinkering intermittently.

(6) After the tracking is done, we spend some time removing things.

(7) We bring the finished tracking into Silver Sonya where Chad Clark amplifies the work into a Parade of Sound (“raise the roof” gesture here).

List of possible songs for the new record, in no particular order:

65 Cent Dinner
Artists in Exile
The Clock Tower
The Collapsitarians
Mr. Let’s Find Out
Municipal Stadium
Outskirts
The Softer Side of You
Discontinued Perfume
Supply Lines
You’d Smile Back
The Declarative