A Decision Regarding The New Album
After careful consideration, I have come to a new decision regarding the way in which I will be executing and releasing the music from my current project “The Protector”.
About 8 months ago, I was ready to release an EP of sketches from the project called “Prophets Become Protectors”; however, I ultimately decided to shelf that idea and instead put my focus into working to discover the sound for the album. This task proved to be much more difficult than I expected. “The Prophecy” was easy, it all came so quickly, but this project wasn’t clicking quite yet.
Upon arriving back to Berklee in last August, I began to make plans to do a live orchestral session project with a very talented friend of mine. Our plan was to go into a studio for a full 12 hour day and knock out 2 songs from the album with a full orchestra. This project did indeed happen, and it is still taking shape for a release of it’s own.
My more recent revelations are the ones that have led me to a decision about how to record and release this album.
In December, I played a show where I played through the music of “The Protector” in its tracklisted order - Just myself and a piano - solo. To say this show went well would be an understatement. The reaction I received for days to come after the show was completely uplifting and exciting. The friends and listeners who came seemed to be just as excited about the music as I had been while writing it - It really did help breathe life into the project when I was beginning to doubt it’s viability.
So now in the last 5 days, after careful thinking, I have come to yet another decision about this release that will wipe out all previous plans.
“The Protector” is no longer an album - It is instead a collection of two or three EPs. In the end I may release them as the intended whole, but for now I will focus on them in groups. In the last 2 days I have had a total burst of direction and mapped out nearly the whole entire first EP - Just in time for a studio day next week, where we will hopefully get 2 songs done.
So… Here’s the new plan. I’ve got a couple studio days coming up, and I’m working hard on finishing the bare bones before then. My plan for the next 3 months is to lock down 5 songs (which I have already chosen, and 1 of which is 80% complete) to release as “The Protector, Pt. I - Wicked Ways”.
The songs I have chosen for this EP I’m calling “Wicked Ways” embody some of the darkest moments within the songs of “The Protector”, and I thought it would be a great way to begin “the releasing” of the new material.
So, jump on board and get excited, because I intend to release some of this music I call “whimsipop” very very soon - In fact, I have decided to release the first single, “Magic“ a lot sooner than I thought I would be doing.
Check out the artwork for “Wicked Ways” up above, and stay in tune for release dates and a sneak peak video diary entry with lots of footage of what has been going on the last 3 months.
This is happening, for real.
Live Austin Show Dec. 30th
AN EVENING OF FEAR D E C 3 0 T H 2 0 1 1 MIE’S HOME / ATX 8PM b r i n g f r i e n d s new album ‘n new music
The Solstice War Defined
A couple months back, I typed up a light overview of my trilogy project The Solstice War, and I thought it would be cool to share it here for anybody who may be interested in reading it.
Below are a couple excerpts from the write-up. If you’re interested in reading more, you can download the full pdf write-up below.
“The Solstice War is a musical journey in three installments that mirrors the maturity and creative processes. While the three installments are laden with concepts, morals, and messages; the ultimate purpose of each individual piece is to solely function as a musical album that can (and will most likely) be seen as a standalone work”
“The story of The Solstice War is told through the medium of traditional ABA’ sonata form : The Exposition (X), the Development (D), and the Recapitulative Reprieve (R). The creative process is executed through XDR, and the 3 chapters of the solstice war also each take on one part of the XDR form.”
“The Protector is the second installment of The Solstice War. It is to ultimately be presented as a 10 song album that represents the execution of the creative process; and, within war, the physical battle. The Protector takes on a heavier tone and statement than that of The Prophecy. While the music of The Protector will follow a story format in certain live performances (a follow up to it’s predecessor), the album also works as a standalone commentary on internal warfare. The Protector is a journey through fear, and how we battle and conquer all sorts of fear. This being so, each song on The Protector represents a different fear, as well as a relationship that most heavily reflects and relates to each fear.”
