So wow. The amount of things that piled up on me when I wasn't looking.
After Irene hit us and I lost power for a glorious three days, and sulked, since things were not going smashingly at the Aladren abode in New Jersey.
To be fair, many people lost their lives to the storm, and it was a tragedy, and I honestly believe I got the better end of the deal from the storm. My hard times were more a collection of jetlag, my cousin visiting, my brother moving in, moving down into the cat fur suite, and the long drive back to Athens.
But I'm back and ready to go. And in all the chaos of scheduling and adjusting to things, I realize that it's the 10 year anniversary of September 11.
What the fuck?
Even now, a few days later, it still hasn't sunk in.
Everyone seems so involved about politicizing the damn event, and I just can't get over how little I feel about it.
It's horrible, but I really don't feel that affected by the 10th anniversary of a horrible attack on our country.
I'm not sure what else to write now. I know I should put down how my trip went, recording plans, news about the Flying Cynics, but I just can't get inspired right now. I just want to post to let you all know that I'm still here, so... blah
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Blog Updates!
Hey all! Again, I know I usually update these on Wednesdays, but time is really relative, so shut up.
So I've been writing three ukulele songs simultaneously, and I'm not sure if they're all going on the album or not, since my original travel plans have changed. That being said, I have the eurail pass in my hands, and with some awkward financial complications involving everyone's favorite Bank of America and the currency exchange between euros and America-money, I should be able to head off from Zaragoza to Barcelona, Chapter One, in a couple of days.
I've always been trying to figure out time to film at least a couple of these songs for everyone to see, but for some reason or another, I can't seem to get it done, so sorry. I'll try in the future, but things are kind of crazy in Spain.
That's really all there is to my blog today, so...
Today I recommend Owen Pallett's cover of "Hard to Explain," by The Strokes.
Also, for my music, try listening to my first release, -1
So I've been writing three ukulele songs simultaneously, and I'm not sure if they're all going on the album or not, since my original travel plans have changed. That being said, I have the eurail pass in my hands, and with some awkward financial complications involving everyone's favorite Bank of America and the currency exchange between euros and America-money, I should be able to head off from Zaragoza to Barcelona, Chapter One, in a couple of days.
I've always been trying to figure out time to film at least a couple of these songs for everyone to see, but for some reason or another, I can't seem to get it done, so sorry. I'll try in the future, but things are kind of crazy in Spain.
That's really all there is to my blog today, so...
Today I recommend Owen Pallett's cover of "Hard to Explain," by The Strokes.
Also, for my music, try listening to my first release, -1
Friday, July 29, 2011
Belated Blogging! Back from the Mountains!
Hey all! Sorry about the late blog, but the internet up on the mountains cut-off, so blahdeblahdeblah here it is. I wrote a new song up there, currently untitled, but I'm liking how it sounds so far. I'm considering filming a few of my new ukulele songs to post up for everyone to see, so keep checking back!
In honor of the nearing deadline of Sxip Shirey's newest album, here is the video of "I Live in New York City" off of his latest album, Sonic New York!
Also, I recommend listening to my mini EP, "One Week to Dream." These two songs are ending up on the upcoming album project, by the by.
Until next weeks, friends!
In honor of the nearing deadline of Sxip Shirey's newest album, here is the video of "I Live in New York City" off of his latest album, Sonic New York!
Also, I recommend listening to my mini EP, "One Week to Dream." These two songs are ending up on the upcoming album project, by the by.
Until next weeks, friends!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
A Bit Delayed
More updates from abroad. I've been in a recent mental downturn (more accurately, recovering from said mental downturn), and as a positive result, wrote a shit-ton of really depressing psychotic lyrics. What could this mean? Could a sister project have been born out of this depression? Who fucking knows?
Honestly though if I do make a sister release to my upcoming album, it'll have to be after this and "Someone's Dreaming." I have too much on my plate to seriously consider another release on the stockpile of releases I've been acclimating. That doesn't mean that I won't be writing music or experimenting on new songs, it's just that I have to take some things slow sometimes, ya?
To all of my viewers looking for some new music, here is "A Brand New Me" by Bitter Ruin.
And if you haven't heard it yet, check out my demo track of "Surgery"
Honestly though if I do make a sister release to my upcoming album, it'll have to be after this and "Someone's Dreaming." I have too much on my plate to seriously consider another release on the stockpile of releases I've been acclimating. That doesn't mean that I won't be writing music or experimenting on new songs, it's just that I have to take some things slow sometimes, ya?
To all of my viewers looking for some new music, here is "A Brand New Me" by Bitter Ruin.
And if you haven't heard it yet, check out my demo track of "Surgery"
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Blog Updates and Vacation
Hey all, I'm blogging from Spain (just like old times), and I've been having some adjustment time after a long flight, a long drive, and a couple days of awkward sleeping. I've decided to force myself back into normalcy, though, and hopefully I can get back on track of shit that needs to get done.
First order of business: Working out my travel plans. Travelling to Spain isn't my only travel plan, as many of you may have heard, I'm going on a multi-country journey across Europe, ukulele and nanokeys in hand, exploring the world and writing songs. The plan is to go to France, Benelux, Italy, Greece, and Croatia, though I may not be able to go to Croatia (something about returning to Spain after all of this, we'll see though...). This means I have to buy the Eurail pass, get a hostel pass, figure out where I'll be staying, how not to get mugged, and how to not make a complete ass of myself in foreign lands.
Second order of business: Write some fucking music. I need to get started on my Spain song soon, specifically since I'm planning on working out a collaboration on it (more details as they arise). I know that I'm still probably just a bit jet-lagged, but I can't just laze about all day, right?
Third order of business: Finish my fucking plays. Seriously, Waiting Room and Captain Amazing have been on mega back-burner all summer, and I need to finally finish Waiting Room and write out a proper first draft of Captain Amazing.
Fourth order of business: Baltimore Waltz and this fucking research essay. I know that without a library at my convenience all this scholarly research is much harder, but that doesn't mean that I can't figure out something to do in the mean time. I have some of the books for my essay already, and I brought Baltimore Waltz with me, but beyond looking up German words and what bunnies mean to the homosexual community, there isn't much I can do here. Honestly this part of my plan may have to wait for me to get back, but I'm afraid that by then I just won't have enough time to work on it.
Despite all of my stress though, I'm having a grand old time back in Spain. It's just as beautiful as I remember it, and I'm hella glad to be eating the amazing food here again.
That's all I have for now, but tune in next week, and I'll probably say other things then.
Bye!
First order of business: Working out my travel plans. Travelling to Spain isn't my only travel plan, as many of you may have heard, I'm going on a multi-country journey across Europe, ukulele and nanokeys in hand, exploring the world and writing songs. The plan is to go to France, Benelux, Italy, Greece, and Croatia, though I may not be able to go to Croatia (something about returning to Spain after all of this, we'll see though...). This means I have to buy the Eurail pass, get a hostel pass, figure out where I'll be staying, how not to get mugged, and how to not make a complete ass of myself in foreign lands.
Second order of business: Write some fucking music. I need to get started on my Spain song soon, specifically since I'm planning on working out a collaboration on it (more details as they arise). I know that I'm still probably just a bit jet-lagged, but I can't just laze about all day, right?
Third order of business: Finish my fucking plays. Seriously, Waiting Room and Captain Amazing have been on mega back-burner all summer, and I need to finally finish Waiting Room and write out a proper first draft of Captain Amazing.
Fourth order of business: Baltimore Waltz and this fucking research essay. I know that without a library at my convenience all this scholarly research is much harder, but that doesn't mean that I can't figure out something to do in the mean time. I have some of the books for my essay already, and I brought Baltimore Waltz with me, but beyond looking up German words and what bunnies mean to the homosexual community, there isn't much I can do here. Honestly this part of my plan may have to wait for me to get back, but I'm afraid that by then I just won't have enough time to work on it.
Despite all of my stress though, I'm having a grand old time back in Spain. It's just as beautiful as I remember it, and I'm hella glad to be eating the amazing food here again.
That's all I have for now, but tune in next week, and I'll probably say other things then.
Bye!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Update: Someone's Dreaming and New Album
So, wow... I have completely remiss in updating my poor blog. Regardless, I will continue to attempt constancy, but that's always going to be touch and go with me.
THE POINT OF THIS POST IS that I'm updating you all on what I've been doing since writing the songs for Someone's Dreaming. (which was at the top of the year or something to that effect... so only a good six month gap).
SOMEONE'S DREAMING IS STILL IN RECORDING! I'm totally, horribly sorry about this. I really am. Winter quarter ended before we could finish, and we all thought, "Hey, we'll knock that shit out Spring Quarter, have a release show, and it will be just perfect." Unfortunately, I took more credit hours than I probably should, and so did the guy I'm recording with (my good friend Paul, Stocklin), and we are desperately trying to piece together the missing bits of the songs, like drums, and lead parts, particularly the violin, which is giving us NIGHTMARES trying to score and record, though not the fault of our violinist (Amy Brighter). I can't really make a promise about when it's going out, but I assure you that the heart of the songs are there, and above all, I want to release this music the right way. Not rush it out early and have it suck. Patience is key here, folks, remember that.
IF YOU WANT NEW MUSIC, CHECK OUT "ONE WEEK TO DREAM"
Seriously, I know I recorded those songs in a couple of weeks (1 and a half, really), but they pretty solid for roughs. I've been getting some positive feedback on both of them (particularly Dressed and Bound).
Bringing these songs up leads me to my next order of business:
I HAVE SIX SONGS PREPPED FOR DEMOS FOR THE NEW ALBUM, AND YES I KNOW I'M BEHIND ON MY EP
I just have to keep writing, particularly since I've decided to do this album in halves, one half written here, the other half abroad. I'm going to Spain over the summer, getting a eurail pass, and touring around Europe with a ukulele and some new, compact midi interfaces, writing a new song in a different country. I cannot even begin to express just how fucking pumped I am to start doing this (By the way, if anyone knows of some small-level venues in Spain, France, Benelux, Italy, Greece, or Croatia that wouldn't mind a tourist with a ukulele to come in and play snobby American music, let me know!) Travel has always been a big thing in my life, and the idea of combining music and travelling sounds beyond divine. It all works in to my over-arching goal of going on tour internationally. I don't really know if I'll ever get to the point in my career where I can do that and not lose all my money and confidence, but I want to travel the world and share my music for as long as my body can take me.
I feel like I write at my best when I'm exhausted, even though that doesn't logically follow. I've spent most of the day baby-sitting my twin sisters, who are the most adorable creatures in the world, but are complete nightmares to try and get to sleep. I couldn't start filming promo videos for the album because of them, but honestly I'm not too worked up about it. They are adorable, and my gear and camera will all be there tomorrow, so what-the-fuck-ever, right?
Anyways, long story short, Someone's Dreaming still happening, New Album, filming eventually, slight insomnia, travel plans. I have to go and get my dog, Lola, inside now.
Until next update (hopefully not 6 months from now)!
THE POINT OF THIS POST IS that I'm updating you all on what I've been doing since writing the songs for Someone's Dreaming. (which was at the top of the year or something to that effect... so only a good six month gap).
SOMEONE'S DREAMING IS STILL IN RECORDING! I'm totally, horribly sorry about this. I really am. Winter quarter ended before we could finish, and we all thought, "Hey, we'll knock that shit out Spring Quarter, have a release show, and it will be just perfect." Unfortunately, I took more credit hours than I probably should, and so did the guy I'm recording with (my good friend Paul, Stocklin), and we are desperately trying to piece together the missing bits of the songs, like drums, and lead parts, particularly the violin, which is giving us NIGHTMARES trying to score and record, though not the fault of our violinist (Amy Brighter). I can't really make a promise about when it's going out, but I assure you that the heart of the songs are there, and above all, I want to release this music the right way. Not rush it out early and have it suck. Patience is key here, folks, remember that.
IF YOU WANT NEW MUSIC, CHECK OUT "ONE WEEK TO DREAM"
Seriously, I know I recorded those songs in a couple of weeks (1 and a half, really), but they pretty solid for roughs. I've been getting some positive feedback on both of them (particularly Dressed and Bound).
Bringing these songs up leads me to my next order of business:
I HAVE SIX SONGS PREPPED FOR DEMOS FOR THE NEW ALBUM, AND YES I KNOW I'M BEHIND ON MY EP
I just have to keep writing, particularly since I've decided to do this album in halves, one half written here, the other half abroad. I'm going to Spain over the summer, getting a eurail pass, and touring around Europe with a ukulele and some new, compact midi interfaces, writing a new song in a different country. I cannot even begin to express just how fucking pumped I am to start doing this (By the way, if anyone knows of some small-level venues in Spain, France, Benelux, Italy, Greece, or Croatia that wouldn't mind a tourist with a ukulele to come in and play snobby American music, let me know!) Travel has always been a big thing in my life, and the idea of combining music and travelling sounds beyond divine. It all works in to my over-arching goal of going on tour internationally. I don't really know if I'll ever get to the point in my career where I can do that and not lose all my money and confidence, but I want to travel the world and share my music for as long as my body can take me.
I feel like I write at my best when I'm exhausted, even though that doesn't logically follow. I've spent most of the day baby-sitting my twin sisters, who are the most adorable creatures in the world, but are complete nightmares to try and get to sleep. I couldn't start filming promo videos for the album because of them, but honestly I'm not too worked up about it. They are adorable, and my gear and camera will all be there tomorrow, so what-the-fuck-ever, right?
Anyways, long story short, Someone's Dreaming still happening, New Album, filming eventually, slight insomnia, travel plans. I have to go and get my dog, Lola, inside now.
Until next update (hopefully not 6 months from now)!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Writing Journals: Dreamstaylite
So, Monday was Martin Luther King day. Hooray and happiness. Unfortunately though, Glidden was closed. I of course found this out after packing up my keyboard, stand, distortion pedal, and walked over there. Fuck. Well, I thought that I'll just not write a song today, but after my roommate left, I felt compelled to. So, listening to the Decemberists the entire time (by the way, the new album rocks!) I got to work on this rather epic, grand sounding song, "Dreamstaylite." It certainly wasn't an easy thing to do, writing a song late at night, especially since I borrowed Eric's noise-canceling headphones. They sounded great, but I wasn't able to hear myself sing at all. Despite this, I finally worked my song out, and completed song 2 of 6.
As far as planning the song, I've enlisted Dan Baker and Amy Brighter on bass and violin respectively.
As far as planning the song, I've enlisted Dan Baker and Amy Brighter on bass and violin respectively.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Writing Journal: Someone's Dreaming
I am starting a journal describing the process of putting the EP together, so it may be best to start at the beginning.
The first song I wrote was the title track, "Someone's Dreaming." I started a system of selecting which pedals to incorporate into each song, and with this one I took the Delay and Shift pedal. I ran to a Glidden practice hall after work on a Sunday and set up my guitar, amp, and the like, listening to Owen Pallett all the way. This was my first attempt at writing songs with pedals, so I was a bit nervous.
This is exactly what I like about practice halls. Writing music is hard for me to do publicly. Not to say that you're isolated in the practice halls, you can hear everyone around you. Singing, violins, trombones and pianos all blazing out, some fantastic to hear, some not so much. That is the point though. In a way, we are all in a community, practicing our own music, aware of each other, but understanding that we are all here to learn.
Anyways, I was figuring out how to loop things with my pedal and decided to write a bass line for it using my guitar and my nifty shift pedal. With the song finished, I packed up and left. One song down, five to go.
Now that all the songs are written, and we're about to head into recording, I've enlisted the help of Dan Baker on bass, Amy Brighter on violin, Liz Held on cello, and Eric Miller on drums for this song.
Look forward to the EP March 18th, 2011.
The first song I wrote was the title track, "Someone's Dreaming." I started a system of selecting which pedals to incorporate into each song, and with this one I took the Delay and Shift pedal. I ran to a Glidden practice hall after work on a Sunday and set up my guitar, amp, and the like, listening to Owen Pallett all the way. This was my first attempt at writing songs with pedals, so I was a bit nervous.
This is exactly what I like about practice halls. Writing music is hard for me to do publicly. Not to say that you're isolated in the practice halls, you can hear everyone around you. Singing, violins, trombones and pianos all blazing out, some fantastic to hear, some not so much. That is the point though. In a way, we are all in a community, practicing our own music, aware of each other, but understanding that we are all here to learn.
Anyways, I was figuring out how to loop things with my pedal and decided to write a bass line for it using my guitar and my nifty shift pedal. With the song finished, I packed up and left. One song down, five to go.
Now that all the songs are written, and we're about to head into recording, I've enlisted the help of Dan Baker on bass, Amy Brighter on violin, Liz Held on cello, and Eric Miller on drums for this song.
Look forward to the EP March 18th, 2011.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Resurrection! "-1" and a New EP!
So, it's been awhile since my last blog, but whatever. The first big piece of news is my EP, "-1" is out on Bandcamp, iLike, and ReverbNation for free! I'll post the links below.
In other news, I have my full on, punk rock plans for 2011. These plans include a second EP to be released sometime late February/early March which I've already started writing songs for. Then in the spring I'll start work on an LP! How exciting is that?
Anyways, the EP I'm working on is called "Someone's Dreaming," and I'm planning six tracks for it. What interesting with this one is that I'll be collaborating with a friend of mine on this album, one Eric Miller, who will be working as my producer/sound collaborator/awesome person who's letting me use all his nice toys.
I think that's all I have to say for now, and I'll probably write another song for it tonight (hopefully).
Thanks for reading, and buy the damn EP!
Bandcamp: http://javieraladren.bandcamp.com/
iLike: http://www.ilike.com/artist/Javier+Aladren/album/-1
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/javieraladren
MY WEBSITE: http://javieraladren.com
In other news, I have my full on, punk rock plans for 2011. These plans include a second EP to be released sometime late February/early March which I've already started writing songs for. Then in the spring I'll start work on an LP! How exciting is that?
Anyways, the EP I'm working on is called "Someone's Dreaming," and I'm planning six tracks for it. What interesting with this one is that I'll be collaborating with a friend of mine on this album, one Eric Miller, who will be working as my producer/sound collaborator/awesome person who's letting me use all his nice toys.
I think that's all I have to say for now, and I'll probably write another song for it tonight (hopefully).
Thanks for reading, and buy the damn EP!
Bandcamp: http://javieraladren.bandcamp.com/
iLike: http://www.ilike.com/artist/Javier+Aladren/album/-1
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/javieraladren
MY WEBSITE: http://javieraladren.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)