The album cover is a tricky topic. It can really make or break an album for me. Here are a few examples of how this process can go horribly wrong:
In order to not be Sarah Goodbody and expose you to cajun music, I called on the oh-so-talented photographer/designer Ryan Tanner to take my photos for this album. You can check out his other work here.
I can't spoil the surprise of my Album Cover just yet...but here are a few pictures from our photo shoot. (We all know this post is for my mom but I hope you enjoy it too )
this is my view tonight as I listen through the new songs.
I'm listening closely tonight. not just for missed notes before we mix the album...
I am listening closely to my heart. it is beating along with every song whispering that 'we did it.' this is going to be such a great album. I know that it goes over better if someone else raves on the album.
but tonight my heart will tell you that we did good. really, it is so beautiful. I can't wait to share it with you. there is something that happens inside you when you are fulfilling a dream. seems your chest and mind open up and everything in the world feels right.
ryan tilby, me, paul jacbosen, brian hardy, ryan tanner tilby, paul, ryan, mai
the incredible pat campbell
it wasn't all work. fun allowed too.
scott (nightrunner) wiley
appearing tonight: sarah sample & the girl muscles
it is currently 12:34 am. scratch that. now i'm back and the time is 1:05 am. scratch that. it is now 1:42pm on the next day. ha. everytime I sat to write this post, something came up.
we have been recording my new album this week. i am pretty amazed how these songs are turning out. i've been loving that we get to dress up every song. i think we have really treated each song with care, trying to hear what the feeling of the song needs to be in order to translate the best way.
we have been working all day into the night. I am floored at the level of talent everyone brought to the sessions. this album sounds pretty different than my other albums. AND I AM IN LOVE with it!
I definitely think that the songwriting is stronger than ever. I really have tried to follow where the inspiration takes me when I sit down to write, and not let the editor in my mind jump into the process until later. I know that it is when I stop worrying about how to write a 'good' song, and I I just follow my own voice that the writing becomes something of substance and truth.
I have loved being surround and supported by such good friends.
I can't wait for you to hear these songs!!!!
We are making a video about the process of recording this album and what my life as a songwriter looks like... Jed Wells even filmed a little song we played live out in a park... that will be coming soon.
As for now...It is not too late to pre-order this album and get it weeks before everyone else. it will also help me immensely to off set the cost of recording/duplication up front. Click here to find out more.
here is a little taste of a song we recorded this week in the studio. We (as in 10-11 of us) played every song together, live. there is something that makes my heart smile when I think about creating something that is really honest and true, that what you hear was really all happening in that moment. I know there are a million ways to make a great record, but I have loved feeling out this approach. sorry, the lighting is not the best in this little clip, but you will get to at least have a little taste of one of the songs :)) this is a song called "don't bury me" and the idea just came to me out of the blue. I thought about my grandpa who was a farmer, and he was literally tied to the land. there was no such thing as summer or christmas break, or paid government holidays. and I saw the character of the song as someone who had been born into a farming family and had inherited his land, but his grandfathers were all fishermen and his heart more than anything wanted to be on the sea. so it is a song about the internal struggle of a dream, that someone can feel they are destined for something and the realization that it doesn't always work out the way we want. the chorus sings "when they lay me down in a box please, sail me out to sea i've spent all my time being tied to this land please dont, bury me. " he reconciles his dream as maybe something that won't happen in his life... enjoy.
when I went into the studio for my second album NEVER CLOSE ENOUGH Scott was smart enough to hire a studio musician who not only played really well but one who could write up charts for my song incredibly fast.
Budget cuts.
And now I've spent the last two nights after junebug has gone to sleep 'charting' my new songs so that when we all go into the studio on monday the musicians can actually follow along to what I am playing. For most songs I make two charts; one for the people playing guitars with capos (which changes the key) and one that has the real chords of the key we are in for everyone else.
I am not very good at this. I understand of course how to do this. But when you use altered tunings or multiple capos, it really fogs up my mind. So, I have already told the musicians entering the studio, you may need to fix things here and there. luckily...the people joining me are world class musicians in my heart and mind, and I'm sure for them the music math will be no problem.
Here is my all star lineup playing with me MONDAY! One reason that I LOVE playing with these folks is that most of them are songwriters themselves, or in a band of their own. I've linked their names to their own music. Check them out...you won't be disappointed.
often I have people ask me WHEN to I find the time to write songs. usually I use June's nap time to write. sometimes after her bedtime. ("sweet hour of naps, sweet hour of naps") but sometimes there is an overlap where I am trying to finish something and she is roaming around. this audio clip will illustrate. so funny.
This weekend Juniper and I jumped in our car and drove our first test trip to SLC for a weekend of music. The girl did amazingly well for a 5 hour trip strapped in. The purpose of the weekend was to play a a house concert with a group I am part of called "The Lower Lights" for a special family, The Clarks. Last October a group of musicians got together to record a hymns record. What took place was pretty amazing. 5 Days. Over 30 hymns recorded. Everything from old traditional hymns to hank williams hymns. The show this weekend was to try out our songs for a really special family. I am so used to either performing solo or as the leader of the band that it felt really wonderful to be part of a collective of musicians. And because most of the musicians involved in the project are perusing music careers of their own, I think that the performing part felt almost effortless and so much fun to have that much energy on the stage.
The album is not released yet, but you can watch a short video which I think will give you a feeling for the group. Please go to www.thelowerlights.com and enter your email address if you want to know more about the release of the album, have us come perform, get free downloads etc. And if you like what you hear, spread the word.
Also, I did my album cover photo shoot this weekend with my talented friend Ryan Tanner. He wears many hats; my bandmate (keyboards/vocals), my graphic designer (designed Never Close Enough and Born to Fly albums), and he is a wonderful film photographer. Go to his website to check out his talent. http://myonetruevine.tumblr.com/ I may give you a sneak peak of what we came up with soon.
Welcome to the sarah sample blog! I hope you will find something here that makes a connection with you.
I am a traveling songwriter documenting my journey chasing shadows of songs and paving my own road of happiness.
xo
