almost famous

have been thinking hard about recording the album in january. when i'm in the studio, i want to remember my priorities:

1) make something edifying, heart-opening, delightful. make something that gets and holds people's attention and gives them something beautiful on which to focus.
2) keep things authentic. i want the music to sound like the amy lou that i have become here in anchorage. don't over-produce, don't over-instumentalize, don't make anything affected. i think a lot about how blake and i talked about the importance of singing plain and true, honestly - not all breathy scoopy radio-fied. "head up, eyes open"
3) pay attention to my singing. for some reason it doesn't seem to come through as much in recordings. i often do one take then call it done - b/c that's the way it works live? or because i just can't stand to listen to (or critique??) myself sing? got to fine tune without sounding canned. hmm.
4) enjoy the process. i am so honored that some great friends of mine are helping out! i expect it to be fun, and challenging. i want these guys to enjoy themselves too.
5) be smart and prepared. i need to educate myself about this very expensive and technical process. AND, i need to practice a TON, so i can go in and focus solely on the process, not my own technical stuff.

here's a cool interview with duane lundy, who is the engineer recording the album at his studio in lexington, ky. he recorded ben sollee's learning to bend album, which is how i first heard of him. hurrah!