May 18, 2009 at 10:09 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: acrylics, art, brush, canvases, creativity, deviant, harriet, oils, paintings
Hello all.
Harriet Barratt has returned from school for the summer and is pursuing her painting more rigorously than ever. Do be sure to add this website to your favorites and check back frequently for intense new paintings. 
Do consider your summer to be officially a lot more colorful.http://harrietecb.deviantart.com/
May 13, 2009 at 8:24 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: audio engineering, audio production, columbia, learning, music producing, prod 2
I just absolutely crushed my Production 2 Final. I finished it within a half hour and I was leaps and bounds the first person done. I studied really hard for this test and when it came time to apply what I’d learned, it all came down in one fluid motion. No stopping and thinking, just pure writing for those thirty minutes.
I have to go back to Prod 2 by 9:40- that’s when class is resuming- but I just wanted to come back to my room to listen to some music, share some thoughts, and grab some food before I continue with my day.
It occurred to me during my final how “on the right track” I really am. Last night this senior here at Columbia who’s in the same concentration as me saw my final notes and was like, “Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen this crap in so long- can I take a look?” See. While the information I’m learning right now is sometimes super intense and way over my head, it really is all a bunch of information I don’t TRULY need to know to be a successful audio engineer. What I’m learning right now is set to make me the BEST audio engineer. So it’s like, Columbia is teaching me all the science and the logic to producing and after listening to endless amounts of varying music, I’ve taught myself aspects to audio producing you can’t learn anywhere; stuff you can only feel, which you either have or you don’t. But what made me really happy today was that even though I’m learning all this far-out stuff that sometimes seems ridiculous to commit to memory, I’m still applying myself 100% and I AM learning everything. Basically what I’m trying to say is that I really do have a future in music producing, I can feel it more than ever, and I’m so excited to get there.
I don’t know everything. I still have a long way to go. But my eagerness to know information and my willingness to be corrected and be wrong all have me filled with such hope that one day I will be some great music producer. I’m not set in my ways- I’m totally down for always learning… and this will be my greatest advantage when it comes to securing the sky.
Sure, maybe Erik and Joe are better at knowing the logic to these things; a lot of people are better at understanding all the science and math than me- but if I’ve learned anything this past week, they can’t FEEL a song worth a damn. So many people lack the musical intuition deep inside them which allows them to craft a song and truly be a great, participating engineer. And even though I’m still such a freshie when it comes to audio engineering… I’m so on the right path and I’m so ready to keep learning.
I can’t be afraid of feeling overwhelmed, of feeling stupid, of feeling wrong. It’s going to happen! That’s why I’m going to school for this stuff. So long as I just remember that an open mind is the greatest asset to my future endeavors, I can’t fail. I simply don’t have it in me to accept defeat.
Shit yeah.
May 12, 2009 at 8:55 am (Uncategorized)
My favorite scene in Start the Machine is when Tom’s playing guitar and his daughter is listening to it through headphones. She’s curled up on the couch, so into her father’s music, just spending time with him while he does what he loves.
That’s what I’m working towards everyday. There is not a day that goes by where I don’t think of marrying Harriet, having gorgeous, intelligent, gifted children with her, and living my life the way I’ve been dreaming of for who knows how long. I try every day to be such a good person so I can always be a genuine role model for my kids; I try every day to keep my life in check so I can be Harriet’s strength and happiness at every turn; I try every day to push myself musically and think differently about how I write music. I don’t always succeed- and in fact, this past month I’ve seen myself get defeated by life’s circumstances rather often. But this past week has brought such clarity, such newfound optimism, and I’m so ready to just… excel in my life more than I ever have. My head is more clear than it’s ever been and I’m ready to take full advantage of that.
Maybe life doesn’t always work out the way we want it to, but as long as we’re giving it all we’ve got, there’s no way we can leave behind regrets. I’ve got lofty, yet simple ambitions and I think of attaining things that people decided weren’t attainable. But I’m willing to work harder than anyone else to achieve what I set my mind to and this summer is going to be a time of great change and success.
Every year I get a little more ambitious- every year I grow a little more. And this year I am wiser, bolder, more talented, more prepared, and more ready than ever to just take all I’ve got to the limit and then break it far past what I thought I could do. From the love I have with Harriet, to the music I make, to the work I do, to the friends I spend time with- it’s all going to fucking change drastically this summer and it’s all going to be beyond extraordinary for anyone involved. My feet are slowly leaving the ground and anyone holding my hand is going to soar with me.
I’ve learned a lot this year. I’ve hit the rockiest of rock bottoms and know what it’s like to walk through hell with weight on your back. Now I’m ready to do something incredible. And every facet of my life is going to be affected.
It all starts now.
May 11, 2009 at 6:59 am (music)
Tags: adam lazarra, eddie reyes, matt rubano, music video, sink into me, taking back sunday, TBS
Taking Back Sunday’s Music Video for SINK INTO ME.
I just watched TBS’s music video for their latest single Sink Into Me and I have to say- it made me wanna do a little write up. As Taking Back Sunday’s sound keeps getting further and further from their sound on, Tell All Your Friends, I keep wanting to promote them more and more. Why? Because they keep getting better and better. Most people don’t care for change- especially with their music. But sometimes change can be for the better and this music video proves perfectly that TBS is at the top of their game.
The one thing I noticed the most was how Adam looks more sobered up than ever- like he’s finally become a performer as opposed to a crazy frontman who sings. Everyone in the band, for that matter, looks like they have more energy than ever and even an air of professionalism that has yet to be seen from TBS.
I thought this music video was brilliant because it was able to capture the primal intensity the band is definitely striving for with their music. Not only can you hear that things are explosive, but in this video you’re witnessing it all go down as the band sinks into a melting stage. My favorite part of it all were the facial expressions. Matt Rubano, the bassist, has never looked so comfortable rocking out, and as I said already, Adam looks like he’s really TRYING to engage us with planned theatrics. In the bridge where it gets kind of quiet and then Adam screams, “Alright!” while holding Eddie Reyes’s face is awesomely haunting.
What I also noticed was that the band is definitely trying to be less emo and more rock and roll. They said right before releasing Louder Now that they were trying to go in this direction, but I feel they didn’t quite meet their mark. While I didn’t necessarily see the change on this record based on the songs, this music video shows that they actually are succeeding now. From the beer bottles and the type of crowd watching them, this felt increasingly more like a good rock concert.
I gotta say- TBS’s new album is definitely at the top of my list for most anticipated albums of 2009. This music video is definitely the first one in a long time to a) have me watch it more than once and b) actually entertain me. While maybe most people gave up on TBS with Where You Want To Be and even more traded in their fan badges with Louder Now, I totally welcome where this is all going and encourage you as well to keep listening.
May 10, 2009 at 11:39 am (music)
Tags: always for you, into the blue, shine, the album leaf, the light, wishful thinking
Although I said I was done writing blogs here on WordPress, I’m not done posting my work. From time to time you will still see stories, reviews, maybe even some song lyrics. If I want to really pursue my goal of becoming some sort of writer for a magazine, I definitely have to keep practicing at doing so! With that tiny introduction, here’s a little write-up of the band The Album Leaf with their latest album, Into the Blue Again.
The first thing that caught me about The Album Leaf was how evocative their music is. There simply is no better way to describe it. The first song, “The Light,” is an ethereal, atmospheric opener that makes you feel like you’re literally swimming through a sea of music. One thing about Into the Blue is that the tones are all very dark- I find myself generally pretty depressed while listening- but don’t let that deter you. The second track, “Always For You” really shows the pop side of the band and it’s from here you know you need to keep listening. The production values on this record are ace- everything feels so fluid and well-mixed.
The tracklisting on Into the Blue seems to have two sides to it: the cinematic instrumentals and the emotional techno-pop jams. Both ends of the spectrum are amazing and no song seems to disappoint. Everything has a distinct feel as well. Each song feels like the perfect accompaniment to a different part of my life. Another track that’s really captivating is “Shine.” It has such a powerful, epic feel to it that if you turned it on at any part of your day, that moment in time would feel oddly important.
One note I’d like to make is that there’s an extensive amount of “stringed” instruments used on this record that give the entire album a very “old-world” feel. It’s a pleasant departure from all other music of today- you really feel like you’re being taken to a different world as you escape with Into the Blue. I recall images of gray skies and empty, rolling, green fields. Especially the song Wishful Thinking really transports you. The roomy sounding piano intro to it grabs onto your heart and most definitely does not let go until the final ending silence occurs.
It’s a downer of an album- expect to run into some negative thoughts. But the Album Leaf is seriously one of the best bands I’ve ever come across and Into the Blue is one of the most masterful records I’ve ever had the joy of listening to. The only other artist to make me feel so much, so intensely is Loscil, and he’s pretty much just making ambience music. This is a true musical experience that does not come around very often.
Rating: 10/10.
Download now: Always For You, Shine, Wishful Thinking.
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