Categories
What's Going On...

Grabbed By Lyrics? Me? Whoa. Stages and Stereos

Anyone who’s spent much time talking to me knows that I’m not exactly a “Lyric Guy” – meaning, I listen more to the sound of the vocals, but not always exactly what they’re saying with the vocal.  I’m more interested in making the vocal sound engaging to the listener.  The lyrics are for *them*, not me.

 

Not always.

I just did a single for Stages and Stereos.  It’s gripping.  It’s about a guy who is in the military, in the middle of the action, and it’s one of the guys in the band.  It’s different when it’s real.  The bass player was in Afghanistan.  He was running and stepped on an IED.  It wasn’t pretty.  He didn’t come away unscathed.  He’s alive and sharing.  That’s bold and I think it’s great.  Be on the lookout for this one.

Oh, it also ROCKS

Engineered and produced by my old buddy Lee Dyess at Earthsound Recording – bringing me screaming rock with killer kick drums and really loud snares since 2004…or something.  It’s been a long time.

Categories
What's Going On...

What a week. Only lacking a kitchen sink…

Ok.  That’s a stretch.  I totally have a kitchen sink.

This week has been chock-full of different stuff.

The upcoming Francesca Battistelli Christmas record is in the can…well…the stocking, so to speak, all but the parts order.  There will be a Mastered for iTunes version available, if you’re an iThing haver.  Also CDs at stores, like our forefathers bought music for their CD boom boxes when they walked up hill both ways in the snow.  At Christmas.  See how that happened?  It was an accident.

 

 

Also this week, an album for Jeff Sparkman at Trinity Church, a bit of a rocker with some acoustic niceties mixed in.  Tuesday was an EP for Matt Boswell, brought by long time regular producer and engineer Jordan Critz.  An album by artist Jennifer Shaw, from producer and engineer Paul Marino.  A couple of songs for Don Chaffer and his wife’s band Waterdeep (awesome cover tune, by the way) one club bumper for DJ Maj, a punk rock tune from Stages and Stereos for my buddy Lee Dyess at Earthsound Recording…that song will have its own post.  It’s interesting, and I want to make sure I’m not blowing anything by talking about it before they do.

Now, it’s back to finishing the Trinity Church recall mixes and getting into Lisa-Marie Fisher’s album.  She’s German, doing a pop thing with a little country feel.  A little work from my family’s homeland.  Isn’t that fun?

Seriously.  If you’ve read this far, you must be bored or avoiding something.  Maybe, if you’re not doing anything, mosey over to my facebook page and give it a Like.  You’ve obviously got a minute to kill on Friday afternoon.

Have a great weekend, and send me some tunes!

Categories
Mastered Here

The Daughter Project LP – Available Now – Support Victims of Human Trafficking

The Daughter Project LP

More than your average LP

Available now on iTunes

From the Facebook Page…

The Daughter Project LP is an album of music that was made to help raise awareness and finances for The Daughter Project. The Daughter Project is an organization of people from Toledo OH and surrounding areas who are motivated to help women and girls who have been rescued from human sex trafficking by building and providing recovery homes and providing all the care and needs for these victims so

they can get back to living life. The Daughter Project built their first home in 2011 and has made plans to build several more as there are a lack of recovery homes with this specific purpose in the United States.The album was made over the course of late 2010 until mid 2012 and features independent artists from Toledo OH and Southeastern MI. 100% of the money generated from the online sales of this project go to benefit The Daughter Project. All of the people involved in this project donated their time and song licenses 100% for free.Credits:
Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Jake Rye at Sonus Clarus Media Group
Mastered by Dan Shike at Tone And Volume Mastering
Drums and Percussion by Scott “Skipper” Gentry and Mark Graalman. (Mark Graalman appears courtesy of Sparrow Records)
Additional Programming and Synths by Jake Rye
Additional Guitars by Jake Rye and Seth Huff
All other instruments performed by artists.Artists include: Kurt Scobie, Canons, Jake Rye, Kathleen Reynolds, Not Forgotten, Carrie Jo Arndt, Ryan Valdiviez, Southbound Fearing, Aaron Valdiviez
Album art by Tyler Hayes
Categories
Charting Tunes

Charting Songs This Week – 3 of the top 5 on one of ’em. woot.

It’s time for that list…the list of stuff on the big radio charts that I’ve mastered.

Exciting, right?  I KNOW!

So, what we find…Meredith Andrews has popped into the action with her single “Not For A Moment (After All)” on the AC chart.  I’m sure we’ll see that climbing for a while.  You can go check it out at her Soundcloud Page if you’d like to hear it.  I’m sure she’d love that.  Big thanks to the nice folks who use me to make them sound better.  I’m a lucky dude.

 

Also, on the christianrock.net top 30 chart,  three of the top five songs came through here.  I like those numbers, and I like those rockers.  They are…

  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • MATT MOORE “Fading”
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG
  • WORTH DYING FOR “You’re Alive” – AMMUNITION

On the Christian Rock National Airplay Chart – Same as last week.  I’ll refresh you though.  Cheers to long lasting chart positions.

  • MIKE MAINS & THE BRANCHES “Miracle” – PLATINUM POP
  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG
  • WORTH DYING FOR “You’re Alive” – AMMUNITION

Christian AC National Airplay

  • BIG DADDY WEAVE “Redeemed” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • JASON GRAY “Good To Be Alive” – CENTRICITY
  • FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI “Angel By Your Side” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG
  • MEREDITH ANDREWS “Not For A Moment (After All)” – WORD-CURB

 Christian CHR National Airplay

  • STEPHANIE SMITH “Letting Go” – GOTEE
  • REMEDY DRIVE “Better Than Life” – CENTRICITY (There are a few versions out there, and I did one of ’em)
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG

How’s all that goodness?  Love it.  Rock on.

 

Categories
What's Going On...

Mastered for iTunes. Yep.

I’m in the midst of mastering the new Francesca Battistelli Christmas album, which is pretty fantastic, I’ve gotta say.  She sounds just gorgeous, and the mixes are out of hand.  I love it.  We’re doing a MFiT version, so it will be silky smooth on your iDevices and whatnot.

Categories
What's Going On...

Week End Buffet of Sound

 

Well how much fun has this turned out to be?

The last couple days have been such an unexpected good time.  An acoustic folk band called Robinson that barely even exists yet, but they’ve got three really killer tunes that sounded amazing, and they really made me feel good.  How often does work make you feel good?  All real, and very cleanly recorded with some pretty delicious low end.  Also a happy producer to go with them.  Right now I’m working on an EP for a band called 3 Car Pile up.  Indie rock with some dirt smeared on it.  A little fuzzy here and there.  Mixed by a drummer, so you know it’s hittin’ proper style.  Kinda reminds me of Silversun Pickups a little bit.  Nice one Paul.  Earlier today I had a Christmas tune for Dara Maclean, which sounds awesome, a rocker for Undeserving, which was full of vibe, dynamics and thump and a Christmas single for Brigitte Donoho.  I don’t even have lights up yet.  Whoops.  Through all that I’ve been getting the system for verifying Mastered for iTunes stuff rockin’ for Monday.  Of course, I need to go buy some more wires.  Awesome.

 

Also.  Football has started.  Go Steelers.

Categories
Charting Tunes

Charting Songs This Week

There’s plenty done here that’s out on the radio charts this week.

Let’s have a look.

On the R&R Christian Rock National Chart:

  • MIKE MAINS & THE BRANCHES “Miracle” – PLATINUM POP
  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG
  • WORTH DYING FOR “You’re Alive” – AMMUNITION

On the CHR National Chart:

  • STEPHANIE SMITH “Letting Go” – GOTEE
  • REMEDY DRIVE “Better Than Life” – CENTRICITY (There are a few versions out there, and I did one of ’em)
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG

On the Christian AC National Chart:

  • BIG DADDY WEAVE  “Redeemed” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • JASON GRAY “Good To Be Alive” – CENTRICITY
  • FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI “Angel By Your Side” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG
  • ONE SONIC SOCIETY “Forever Reign” – ESSENTIAL WORSHIP/ESSENTIAL/PLG

On Chrstianrock.net top 30

  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals”
  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken”

 

That’s a lot of tunes friends.  You can get rocked out like they did.

Categories
What's Going On...

The Daughter Project LP

Today I’m working on The Daughter Project LP.

One of my longest time clients and old friend Jake Rye (that’s his Facebook link if you want more on him) has been working on this labor of love for two years, and it’s almost home.  Home is a big deal in this case.

From their website…

 The Daughter Project is a non-profit organization in Ohio which builds recovery homes – trafficking shelters for girls who have been rescued from sex traffickers.  We are an all-volunteer organization, except for our House Moms & Case Manager.

 

 

 

Some pretty heavy subject matter to be sure.  Some days you work for love.  Today is one of those days.

For more information, including how you can support the girls rescued from human trafficking (yes, human trafficking, in our civilized land) visit the links below and consider helping them out.  It’s an outstanding cause.

The Daughter Project

and on Facebook…

The Daughter Project Page

Categories
Mastered Here

Mastered Here – Leela James – “Something’s Got A Hold On Me”

So.  I did a song on the new Leela James album.  Produced by Shannon Sanders and Drew Ramsey, who are both just the most out of hand musicians and men of soul and power you ever will see (they also have fantastic rides).  Check out the video for “Something’s Got A Hold On Me” – available at the places where you get music.  Hopefully where you buy music 🙂

Crank it up.  This hits and she sounds amazing.

Categories
Uncategorized

New site. How fun is that?

Moving the website over from the old unmaintained iWeb site to WordPress.  Wow, there’s a bit of learning to do.  Getting it sorted though, and I’ll be posting updates and amusing things on here as well as all the other places.  Hopefully it won’t be a flood of blathering, but sometimes I blather, so waddyagonnado?  It won’t hurt too much.