Vanessa Carlton: In Her Words
The singer checks in from the studio -- here's her entire diary entry!
New York City -- Salut. First off, I’d like to preface this confessional with a statement of love for Teen People. It is by far one of the best mags on the newsstand. I’m not just saying that because they’ve put me on the cover and have commissioned me to blab away. This mag seems to genuinely love and respect music. Therefore, I don’t feel like a panel of snarky bastards are going to judge and persecute my mental mumblings. Ahhhhhhhh, with that out of the way I have become significantly more relaxed and I’m now twirling my hair around my finger.
So you wanna know what I’m going through, do ya? Well, at this very moment I’m sitting in my apartment trying to figure what to do for dinner. Unfortunately that’s the least of my problems. After all, I’m in the middle of recording my sophomore album and people are watching and waiting. Though, I feel their eyes upon [me], I find solitude in the studio. I’m in New York on a writing hiatus right now, but the majority of the last couple months have been spent in San Francisco recording at Mourning Wood Studios. My days usually consist of waking up at the crack of 10 a.m. and driving myself to ballet class, where I proceed to sweat my brains out [for] an hour and a half. During this time, I usually reflect on what I have to do that day in the studio, and then proceed to wonder what my life would be like if I were a dancer instead of singer. I fear that curiosity will linger for all of time. As noon approaches, I head on over to the studio and meet up with Stephan Jenkins (yes I also date him -- what a coup!), my producer. He is a fantastic songwriter, producer and frontman for Third Eye Blind (totally underrated band). My other partner in crime is Sean Baresford -- he is engineering my record. He also happens to be the sweetest Englishman in the universe. Each afternoon Stephan, Sean and myself chip away at an album that is potentially the most important of my career. FYI, I have salmon, and the boys usually have Mexican for lunch.
To be honest, I can be lazy. I don’t always enjoy studio work. It’s tedious and time consuming. Considering I’m incredibly impatient and impulsive, I tend to get annoyed and tired. On the other hand, there are moments in the studio when a part will come together, or a missing piece to an arrangement will reveal itself and you’d think that Christ himself had been operating Protools that day (yes, we use Protools). Protools is a digital recording program. Essentially it allows us to record music on a computer, which makes editing a whole hell of a lot easier. (yes, I edit) Actually, part of the record is on Analog (tape), 'cause old school is always always better. After about two months of rampant discussions, tantrums, and revelations, I am more than halfway through my record. I love it. It is perhaps, the closest I’ve come to recording music that truly reflects my taste. I’ve decided to name the album (drumroll insert) Harmonium. My first album title for this record was The Boom in the Hole. Yeah, I know. What can I say, I’m creative! The root of the word "Harmonium" is harmony, which is also the root of this record, not to mention the most important element in songwriting. This is my grass roots record. No bells and whistles, no drum loops, just some harmonies and rhythms to tickle your fancy.
After about two months of rampant discussions, tantrums, and revelations, I am more than halfway through my record
only about 2 months and shes HALFWAY through,...YAY!!! ...so...another 2or3 months and she'll be done :?
...sounds good.
I’ve decided to name the album (drumroll insert) Harmonium. My first album title for this record was The Boom in the Hole. Yeah, I know. What can I say, I’m creative! The root of the word "Harmonium" is harmony, which is also the root of this record, not to mention the most important element in songwriting. This is my grass roots record. No bells and whistles, no drum loops, just some harmonies and rhythms to tickle your fancy.
...well, to be honest, I like "Harmonium" better than "The Boom in the Hole"
and Vanessa was thinking "Harmony" from that word... not "An organlike keyboard instrument that produces tones with free metal reeds actuated by air forced from a bellows.
-- (dictionary.com)"
so, ...yeah... thats nice to know.
Thanks for the link, Let!!
