Merry Christmas! I made this with Damien Jurado, Kyle Zantos, Joe Ruppert, Cole Mauro, Dave Hall, and Hannah Williams. Recorded at The Red House (with Bearhead gear), and Bearhead, mixed at Bearhead (on the new console and new HD rig!), mastered by Rick Fisher at RFI.
(click image for download link)
Steve
Busy year. I made records with The Washover Fans, David Bazan, Kate Tucker, The Grandtours, and History for Sale, mixed a record for Sweet Secrets, tracked and mixed a couple of songs for Ivan & Alyosha, tracked and mixed a song with Shawn Smith, mixed a song for David Cover, mixed some live tracks for The Head and The Heart, tracked and mixed a Christmas single with Damien Jurado, tracked some drums with Wavves for MTV, tracked some drums for the James Redfern record, and built a new Bearhead. Now I’m in pre-production for a record with Jen Wood, whose new songs are just unreal. Tracking some vocals with The Horde and The Harem next weekend, mixing a Washover Fans live record the following week, then headed to CA to make an acoustic record. Lots more in the works.
-Steven
*These projects were recorded at Bearhead, Litho, X, Toy Box, and Avast.
Over the winter I packed up Bearhead, and engineered a record for David Bazan in his Ballard practice space. Bazan co-produced with Yuuki Matthews (Crystal Skulls, Seldom), Andy Fitts played bass, and Alex Westcoat played drums. Jared McSharry added some tuned guitar feedback. I had so much fun, and the record rocks. It’s out on Barsuk on May 24th.
Had a great weekend with the Washover Fans over here at Bearhead Studio. Folk/Americana/Alt-Country, with just a little bluegrass… We got so much done! Still a ways from release, but it’s sounding pretty great. The Fans’ fans are going to like it.
In other news, The Head and The Heart signed to Sub Pop, and I mixed and partially recorded 2 more songs for the newly remastered, rereleased record. Congrats! It’ll be in out on CD and vinyl in April.
I also spent the last couple of months engineering and mixing a record for David Bazan called Strange Negotiations, produced by Bazan and Yuuki Matthews (Crystal Skulls, Seldom, Sufjan Stevens). I brought my studio over to the Bazan Band practice space and we did it all in that one little room! It was a really fun record to work on.
Steven
After a really fun week of BGV’s with Stephanie and Abbie Platter, we’re into accordion and toy piano land. We’ll try not to overdo it…but who knows. We might just end up with a solo accordion record….
photo by Robertsen Ashman
The record is done. Basic tracks were done by Shawn Simmons at Studio Litho, then vocals, percussion, and a little bit of guitar and keys were done here with me. I mixed the record here, and it was lovingly mastered by Ed Brooks over at RFI. This is a really fantastic group of people, exceptionally gifted, and really fun to work with. Seriously, go see them live! They bring it. Record release of the eponymous The Head and The Heart LP is June 25th at Conor Byrne, in record stores June 29th.
It’s been a busy year so far at bearhead! I had a blast assisting Blake Wescott and David Bazan on the new Rosie Thomas record over the holidays. It came out sounding great, and we’re very proud of it–can’t wait for it to come out!
Andrew and I have spent the last couple of months tracking his new LP with drummer Jeremy French and bassist Brandon Hiller. It’s sounding very cool. Awesome tunes. I’ll post some pictures soon.
The Head and the Heart is tracking their new EP at bearhead, and we’re having a great time! This band is so talented, and a lot of fun. Go see them live!
-sja
