Ghosts & Shadows – She Makes War Music, ramblings and recommendations

day off – sort of / album stuff / crisis christmas shows :::

No studio for me today, which feels weird after such long hours spent there in the last few weeks. Myles is mixing "Slow Puncture" and "Ghosts & Shadows" while I try and catch up on a pile of video work that's been languishing on my home computer while I've been off playing and singing my heart out. Blogging has also been put on the backburner as I decided to throw myself in and enjoy the making of the album instead of reporting on it as I went along (apart from on Twitter, of course!).

Tomorrow is the last recording day. Two more lots of vocals to do - for "Got Milk" and "I Am" (the first solo SMW song I wrote back in 2005, freshly heartbroken) - plus a few extra bits of guitar. After that I have a pile of minidiscs and micro cassettes to listen through for segues and interludes then the album will be ready for mastering.

Getting this set of songs recorded has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience, but that's just because all the struggle and heartache came before, in the writing, the nearly-recording, the thought-I'd-found-people-who-"got it"-but-hadn't disappointments and holdups. I embarked on album recording three times before this - once when SMW was a band (then we broke up), once a couple of years ago with some good guys who didn't have the time to spend on it and once, this year, at home - sloooowwwwwwllllllyyyyyyy. Each one of those records would have been very different, and I'm pleased this version is the one that got made. I'm so proud and I can't wait to play you all something.

Here's the current tracklisting anyway:

1. Scared To Capsize
2. A-Hole
3. NI(M)N
4. No Fireworks
5. Slow Puncture
6. Eye Spy
7. Let This Be
8. I Am
9. Got Milk
10. Chicken (Shit)
11. Ghosts & Shadows
12. Like Liars

This Thursday and Sunday I'll be performing two shows per day at different Crisis Christmas centres, so if you happen to be volunteering there you might see me! Come and say hello if so. I'll be trying out some of the newly completed songs and am hoping to be able to do some looping too. I'll try and film some if allowed.

I don't really do Christmas, but I do want to thank you all for reading this year and wish you a happy holiday. Make the most of the snow!!