"SILENCE" album is RELEASED!

1. Love Can Build A Bridge

2. Lay Me Down

3. Mad At Jesus

4. Black & Gold

5. Beat of Your Heart

6. Flowers

7. Promises To Keep

8. Silence

9. In The House of Stone And Light

10. If You Came To California

11. Before The World Ends

12. Philadelphia

13. Stars

My new record, the follow up to "Book of Goals."   This album is for my mother.  I miss you so much.

STUDIO DIARY #11

So this will be the last studio diary for what began as the whirlwind recording sessions and has ended with a brand new sound for me and what i like to think of as an evolution in my songwriting and recording.   The record will have 13 tracks on it and there are some very very raw moments on it.   Some pretty confessional and dark moments.  Some moments of joy and light.   This project has helped me a lot i think with my mom's death and figuring myself out right now.   it felt good to sing it and write it and watch it come to life rather than to talk to anyone about it...  so many hearts are in recovery and so many of us are learning to live over again (and again) sometimes.   i don't feel healed.  but i do feel ready...  

The record will be released in about 8 hours.   I'll post up the artwork and get 'mad @ jesus' on soundcloud.   Until then, i got some mad dash last minute work to be doing!

"MAD AT JESUS" has been released as the 2nd over-all and first proper single from the new record.

this is, i think the 2nd song I wrote for the record right after "Philadelphia."   I for sure finished this one first.   It was these 2 songs that woke me up to the idea of going into the studio again.   I love the harmonies and the play on 'jesus take the wheel.'   i was in an awful place when i found out my mom had passed.   these songs are for her and were to write and were to sing, and are to hear wildly theraputic for me, i think....   i've gotten this far...  i was afraid of the lyrics of this song.   scared what people would think about the actual way i really felt.  that i was somehow just being blasphemous but i don't think so.  i think the emotion of actually being mad is something that could not be felt for something/someone you did not believe in?     my own version of jesus, who i'm still angry with.

STUDIO DIARY #10 (Are you there vodka? It's me, Jay."

havin a ridiculously good time trying to write in a missing 3rd verse to one of the songs 'lay me down.'  i knew it was missing a verse and i tried to ignore it but i can't fool myself.   i keep messing it up and it's making me laugh.. having a lot of fun.  i love this song...  i am having a bit of an artiste crisis over which song i wish to post first.   as i do, i post a single from the album to the internet ever month or so and see if it gets any reaction... i call them singles.   it's usually super obvious to me which is going to be the first but for this record, what started as a couple days to myself around christmas has turned into my favorite project i've done so far ever.   even more so then generations...

STUDIO DIARY #9

headin back in2 the studio l8r 2day 2 re-record the vocals for a track called 'stars.'    also need to play some hard core guitar on 'b&g.'   letcha all know how that works out haha.

STUDIO DIARY #8

wrote and recorded another new song for the album and even worked out an early tracklisting.   there are 6 tracks confirmed and READY to go at this point but i think something like 14 or 15 have been recorded.   i quit smoking yesterday (the 10th)  and so i'm kinda rocking the insomnia tonight trying to figure out the first single.   i know it's one of 2 songs but we'll see which one it turns out to be...  that's about it for now.   just kinda googly eyed and stoopid right now =)

STUDIO DIARY #7

still a lot of work left to do on the album.  no idea what the final track list is going to be or the singles.   still some sound tweaking and remixing left to do, but i think all of the songs have been picked now.   i just wanted to pop on and announce the release date for the "silence" album as my birthday, February 3, 2012.   The fist single will also be released on that day!   So we are 3 weeks away from the new era!! (although we're kinda over lapping eras right now with 'remember me' and 'love can build a bridge' both out there...)

so, ok.. peace out

STUDIO DIARY #6

had the photo shoot for the album today.  like i said before, it was an homage to rudy valentino and though i'm still working on it all.. it's looking pretty decent.   wrote and recorded a new song for the album "Before The World Ends."   Been dealing with some pretty heavy stuff during these sessions and so it kinda felt good to put a lighter dance song on the album. i think i'm rounding the finish line on the record.   have some remixes to do and some touch ups here and there... but then again, who knows, out came "Be4 the world ends" today so i guess anything is possible.   yes.  the album title is "SILENCE."

STUDIO DIARY #5

7:07am...  i guess i kinda am a rockstar... after a long night of good drinks, good convos, and possibly even good music... i've laid down about 3 or so more tracks...  there's some volume tweaking and edits to do but the majority of the album has been recorded...   as i've mentioned be4, i am in no rush with this record so it'll be interesting to see how what i have now evolves...   i will say, vodka in hand, that i am in love with this new record...   that's a good sign, right?  it's such a departure from the last album...    the album title... is it 'silence' or is it 'stars'?

STUDIO DIARY #4

just finished another day in the studio today... listening back over so that i can pick up on some things i might want to change... but i am really proud of what i'm creating.   this album is turning out to be pretty real and raw and has a lot of heart.   there's a vibe of anger, but of also spirit... some of the songs are pretty drum and bass and then some acoustic and then others along the lines of 'love can build a bridge.'   

i thought i had recorded all of the vocals but as i learned today while recording the title track, my 3rd verse was written and so back to the mic i went...

also not sure that all of the songs will make the album.   might be yet another full vocal session.   i'm sure what doesn't show up on the album will pop up on the next vault collection...    

for now, a few days break from the studio perhaps?   no promises!  i get so addicted! 

STUDIO DIARY #3

hit the studio 2nite to do an updated version of "black & gold' for the album.  the beat is pretty sick so i'm happy with it.  also worked on 'beat.'   it's got a tribal flair for sure and i really love it...   getting kind of into this as the project is lifting off of the ground a little bit...

LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE PROMO SINGLE RELEASED

the video, a tribute to my mom was released via facebook, jblog, and youtube on christmas eve but i'm officially releasing "love can build a bridge" as the first promo single from the new album.   i can also confirm that the albums title will be "SILENCE" and the cover art will be an homage to ruldolph valentino and silent movies.  

"REMEMBER ME" released as the 4th (5th overall) and final (?) single from BOOK OF GOALS

I have to admit, i love this song.  I love the percussion.  I love the message.   I'd like to remake it someday with stronger vocal.   I do think it's a beautiful song though and I'm happy it made it's way to being a single.  It deserved it.  It was the first song fully recorded and finished for the "BOG" album.   Welcome to the new year. A good way to open it!

THE CLOSET TAPES 1992-1995 VOL I, II, & III RELEASED!!!!!!!!!

"THE CLOSET TAPES 1992-1995 VOL I, II, & III" The early years collection that i have been working on since i think may of last year is officially released today in 3 volumes.   44 songs total.   There is no single release from the collection at this time since most of these songs have already had their day, I'm just really happy to have these songs back into my audio world/catalog.   This collection means a lot to me!   HAPPY NEW YEAR!