Album Update #2

Lessons, Sessions & Rest

Last week I visited Matt at the studio to begin my next song, a lullaby-type melody called Blessing in Disguise. We agreed the song was initially too long, and spent about 5-6 hours adding, deleting, reworking and pairing down the unnecessary bits - ‘trimming the fat’ if you will.

It was an exhaustive process, and I felt hopeful that the song had been improved. I popped into a friend’s house on my way home and was reminded that the PROCESS is what this is all about.

Speaking of home - just over one month ago, Chris and I loaded up a U-Haul and moved me up to his place in Chittenden County. I am thrilled to be back in the Burlington area, although I definitely miss my UV peeps!

Getting down to Norwich to record might be a challenge though, and I’m hoping to find a guest house, guest room, or Air BnB so I don’t have to drive so many hours to record.

Logistics aside, living with Chris has been really wonderful. We had a successful yard sale the other weekend, and to my relief, I haven’t had to clean so many houses to make ends meet. I’ve picked up a few sweet clients in the area, and I’m giving myself permission to …

REST.

I’m sleeping in more often, I’m meditating, going for walks, and spending quality time with my elderly miss Peeka Boo. I’m not filling my calendar with an insane number of to-dos. Don’t get me wrong, moving and nesting is definitely keeping me occupied, as was the Kickstarter when it was in full swing. The culmination of events has left me pretty tired, but also eager to really commit to the joyful work of creating this album.

For example, when I was in the recording session, I noticed my voice was so very weak from lack of practice and use. With funds from the campaign, I was able to book a few voice lessons in downtown Burlington. The first lesson was such an affirmation that I’m on the right track.

It’s a new and foreign feeling to have funds to rely on for this creative process. Having been so focused on cleaning multiple houses each day in order to afford a place to live, I really sacrificed my craft out of basic necessity. It makes me sad that our region is so expensive that many artists have to choose between their basic self, and their basic needs. I’m inspired to continue pursuing fundraising efforts and sharing my experiences as a working-class artist.

I’ll be returning to the studio in October to continue this process. My song Infatuation was recorded a few weeks ago and many layers of instrumentation have been added since. I was screaming with delight one morning while listening to an updated draft. I can’t wait to share it with you when it’s done.

Thanks for sticking with me as it all unfolds.

With heart,

Allison