THE SONG: After FALLBORN (my band project) broke up. I kind of put the guitar down for a bit... it seemed to make me feel weird... so I sat down at the piano where I found loads of new inspiration. My piano playing is all self-taught and kinda questionable... I call it Drummer-Piano:)... I grew up with a piano around and I always tinkered on it throughout the years, but I didn't take lessons... drums are what I studied, piano was a little jungle gym... at least back then. These days, it's much more than that. Around the time of Reckless" I was able to get this amazing upright Steinway piano from the year 1900. I fell in love. IT probably helped that I had been listening to lots of Thomas Newman, Rufus Wainwright and a bit of Regina Spector. I was connecting to how Regina and Rufus both brought classical influences into their songs (as does Muse; a band I dig). I've always loved that... Maybe it's because what we call "classical" has such deep roots into history... it touches different nerves and feelings than say, the blues. It's all apples and oranges. I LOVE blues influenced music too, believe me, can't really have rock without the blues. I've realized that on some level when I'm writing, I'm aware of the line between the two and how they play against each: blues and classical. The blues and also folk, feel somehow rooted in the earth... classical in the heavens.

This song was semi-inspired by the book by Cornelia Funke called "Reckless".... I was about to be hired to write a song for the book which was about to come out. But, before the deal was done, I'd written the song (I get antsy). I didn't know much about the book, just a basic synopsis, but I knew I wouldn't (and probably they wouldn't) want a song that's glued to the book. So I wrote something personal that I felt connected to the feel of the book's story yet also felt 100% me. I also went on a week long tour opening for her reading. It was fun and interesting to watch her and this Shakespearian actor dude, read from the book. She wore a crazy costume and he wore an old tux. Kinda cool Nic and Jules came with me for old times (FALLBORN) sake. It was good to reconnect with them and play some music. New York, Seattle, Chicago and one other stop I can't think of... I'll never forget it! haha Gulp. My memory sucks for this kind of stuff.

THE RECORDING: Organic was the word for this album for me. Open and organic... so actually two words:) Oh and timeless and honest... four words. Those words were like a compass. North, South, East and West: I had my little world I was going to be operating in. And I could go any direction.

I was really into this new snare drum I'd Frankensteined together from a 14"x12" floor tom. I wanted a big fat sound.... obese in fact. So I attached a snare strainer to this floor tom and for good measure and raunchiness I attached a tambourine apparatus that drops down onto the top head so it jangles when I hit it. I LOVE THIS SNARE.... Actually, it's all over the MURDER YESTERDAY album... listen for it!

On the vocals, it's my vintage Telefunken U47 through a Neve 1073 mic pre through a Retro 176 compressor (every vocal on the album is this signal chain). I press record and run into the other room to track... this is also my album exercise routine. Cardio baby.

This is me on everything except bass, which is The Great Bass Artist David J Carpenter... a.k.a Dave. He's all over this album (another Bass-Great, Nic Rodriguez, is on "Blink" and "You Say"). He plugs in and plays so emotionally. He cares. He's so melodic. He played his hollow body electric bass. Also through a NEVE 1073 through a sans amp (and direct).

I played a combo of Gretsch toms, the Obese snare and a DW X-Shell 16"x23" kick (this kick is amazing). Also, on many songs, including this one, I used big marching bass drum mallets... in both hands... I wanted that thick dumpling sound on the drums.... I wanted the hi hats to have a softer attack and the cymbals to sort of expand rather than explode... delayed reaction... and juicy attacks on the drums.

Also, right before I mixed this album I got a NEVE summing mixer... right when I plugged this thing in I felt good. The transformers in it just add that attack to everything that you always listen for... and the summing added some space to things as well. It has a mid-side feature which I used on most of the album as well... it makes the stereo spectrum wider and more "3D". This aided me in my search to fulfill one of my three compass words "OPEN"!

:)A

Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

Excerpt of Cornelia Funke's Press Release on her website, which mentions the song "Reckless":

Cornelia Funke—the beloved and bestselling author of The Thief Lord and the Inkworld Trilogy—invites you "behind the mirror" for an once-in-a-lifetime theatrical storytelling event! Join Cornelia and special guests Lionel Wigram and Elliot Hill LIVE Tuesday, September 14th at 1:30 pm EST for the worldwide launch of Reckless, featuring a special musical performance by Adam Watts.

"This event is not to be missed as Cornelia takes the stage to perform a dramatic reading from her anticipated new novel, Reckless, with acclaimed stage actor Elliot Hill. Following the reading, you will witness a rare conversation between Cornelia and Reckless co-creator Lionel Wigram, executive producer of the Harry Potter movies and producer/co-writer of the Sherlock Holmes film. Together they will pull back the curtain on the creative process and give fans an intimate look at how the world of Reckless came into being.

The event will also include an interactive audience Q&A session and a live musical performance by special guest, Adam Watts, who will sing an exclusive song inspired by Reckless. Storytelling, film and music combine in this unprecedented event sure to spark the imaginations of fans young and old!"

http://www.get-reckless.com/events.html

Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: This song represented a big time for me spiritually. I was experiencing a re-birth of purpose. Connecting to a deeper sense of why God has given me my talents and how He wants me to use them. I had lost focus, and through writing this song, I felt I was connecting back to the real stuff. I was actually feeling the work He was doing in me. That's such a cool thing; when something like that comes out in an emotion that feels good... painfully good. There's some sense of loss involved in it... like I'd been missing out on something for months... and now it's back... not I'm back in line with Him. This song is all about being able to look back on life and hopefully feel like, "yes, I don't waste it all... I really tried to do something meaningful with it all...". I'll let the lyrics say the rest.

THE RECORDING: I really enjoy melding classical sensibilities with rock. This song is a half and half mixture. There are two versions of this. The original version was built around these arpeggios in the strings. This is the version that my band FALLBORN ended up playing live quite a bit. The video you'll see here is that version... the video was made as a companion piece to our live show, so it's sort of half light show, half music video. Daniel Chesnut and I had a blast making it together. That version is a combo of me drumming with Jules Rodriguez coming in on the chorus and bridge. Double drummer action! Also, it's Nic Rodriguez on bass and Matt Rodriguez and myself on guitars.

The version that ended up on Murder Yesterday morphed. I'd always wanted to replace the string samples with a string section recorded specifically for the track... there's a misconception about strings.... people say "fake strings" when you use string samples... but they're not fake... they're real strings, it's just that somebody else recorded them, one note at a time, so people could use them on a budget... maybe that's obvious:) But it's worth mentioning... in a blind taste test, string samples can be right up there with strings that you shell out big money for and record yourself... THAT SAID! I went for it. I hired The Section Quartet to come in and co-arrange and play this song at my studio. We layered and layered them and it ended up sounding AMAZING. They are ridiculous players. Eric Gorfain is their leader... him and I did the arrangement. The first half of the song is significantly different than the FALLBORN version. The arpeggios are mostly gone, replaced by a sort of Eleanor Rigby treatment. I love both versions. But, I do think some of the aching heart is missing in the new version, replaced by a slight playfulness. The arpeggio parts ended up being nearly humanly impossible to play with a real string section... particularly on cello... and the cellist, Richard Dodd, is amazing in The Section Quartet:) (the others are Daphne Chen on violin and Laure Chipman on viola).

On version 2, I replaced all the drums and also enlisted Dave Carpenter on bass so it had the feel of the rest of Murder Yesterday. Another thing I did was make it more in your face. There are less effects on the vocals and the mix is much more intimate and earthy overall. It's kinda crazy how different the emotion is after those handful of changes.... even with the same vocal performance and chord structure.

I hadn't heard the old version in awhile... until today actually... it was fun to hear how it's changed and how both version have their own thing. Hope you enjoy listening.

THE SONG: This song is about growing up. Growing up is this two lane road. In one sense it happens whether you like it or not... in another sense it only happens if you put in the effort; There's a a passive side and a focused, deliberate side.

If you're not careful, as you live, learn and grow you can lose something. Life gets more complicated... you understand some things more, some things less... you grow thicker skin... you get used to the way things are. Some of this is great.... even essential for survival I think. But, I noticed that for me, at times, I was making things complicated that didn't have to be. Especially relationships. IT's easy to turn love into some kind of odd war or game or worse. The best love is simple... and cuts through the complications with it's selflessness, directness, it's lightness... even in the face of infinite heaviness.

The lyrics of this song are aimed at someone... me:) More than anything else, It's me, singing to me. I hope no one takes it as preachy... it's not meant to be that way... but if they do, that's fine too! I guess coming off as preachy isn't too bad, as long as it's something worth preaching... something true... something I know is consistent with the Lord. He says to love Him with the pure love of a child... and therefore to love others in the same way. Sounds good to me. Simple.

THE RECORDING: I love this piano sound... "tack piano" in Ivory. It's got all the quirky creaks and clicks and weirdness of an ancient piano. I thought it worked well to setup the nostalgic stuff in the lyrics. Felt right.

This is Cory Joseph on acoustic guitar. He played so great and transparent. You can really hear him though at the end of the chorus... juicy finger picking touch on my 1966 Martin D18. Mic'd with my Vintage Telefunken U47. Good combo, those two... those three, including Mr. Joseph.

While I'm talking guitar, I have to mention the player of this beautifully melodic guitar solo. One of my other good pals, Scott Harrah. This guy NEEDS guitar... he speaks through the thing. I know that's a cliche'... but it's true. He feels every note. Makes it sound like a voice. When my wife Natalie heard this solo she said "Oooh I love it... that's so Scott". And it is. Thanks Scott... not only is it perfect for the song... it meant this song didn't need a bridge... Love Simple: Song Simple.

This song features my Fatty Snare... I describe that snare in my "about the song" for "Reckless"... go see!

The Section Quartet is all over the song as well. A co-arrangment. This song got at least 20% better once they got on there... love the way they can capture that subtle gypsy sound. Verse two has some sweet nuggets in the violins... listen for it.

Enjoy. And keep love simple when you can.

:)!A

Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: I wrote this song for my wife Natalie. I'll leave it at that:) My hope is maybe this song can be your song to someone you love.

THE RECORDING: I wrote this song initially on a tiny antique toy piano that I keep in my bathroom... I'll leave THAT at THAT too:) Anyways! I wanted this song to have an almost nursery rhyme quality to it. All the textures and EQ/compression, instrument choices etc. are all meant to come across feeling a little bit like the blanky (blanket) you had when you were a kid. Not that I remember mine, or even if I really had one... but you know what I mean... comfort... warmth.

The drums... this is a Remo Piccolo snare I've had forever... love it. I wanted to be able to hit the drums hard, but have them still feel sensitive... hopefully I achieved that paradox; authoritative sensitivity! I think somewhere down deep I was inspired a bit by Manu Katche' on this one. Love his playing on Peter Gabriel's SO album... a big influence on me back in the late 90's. Check him out on the live SO VHS! amazingly passionate and creative drumming. where is he now? I wonder. I digress.

This song really puts me back in the place I was at (emotionally) writing it. I hope it takes YOU somewhere... Enjoy:)

- Adam

Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: This is my metaphysical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual theme song... unfortunately for me!

This song was written in 2007, but it was locked in the vaults for a while. When it came time for this album, I knew it had to be on it. The song still felt like I wrote it yesterday... and since I was murdering yesterday... :)

What the song didn't have was the strings... but we'll get to that.... back to the song:

It's probably true for a lot of people... but I feel like I've spent a lot of times in some kind of tug-of-war with God... then I love up and I'm just fighting with myself and God is like "Adam.... c'mon, man...". :) What kind of idiot gets in any kind of battle with God? The human kind. I could go into more detail about this struggle... but I think it would just make the song more mine and less yours. I want it to be yours... by that I mean... I hope that if you find yourself in these kinds of battles.... being a victim of yourself or of the world for that matter... that we can connect through that struggle and maybe through this song. Life is not easy. But the best way for it to be hard, is when you're learning from the bad stuff and growing... inching our way toward love, understanding and grace... for ourselves and each other. Amen.

THE RECORDING: Pretty simple. This song started as just a guitar and vocal. Both recorded with my Telefunken U47 through a Neve mic pre and a distressor. I left both very dry as well... there's just the tiniest bit of super-fast slapback delay on the vocal. Just to give it some space.

When it came time for thew home stretch on this album and I was deciding which songs would have The Section Quartet, this song was screaming for it. I sent the song to Eric Gorfain (violinist/arranger) and said, "Go for it. Do your thing. Make it dark." What he sent back for the arrangement was like 98% what you here on the recording. I was BLOWN AWAY. Jumping out of my skin with excitement. The gypsy-spooky-half-step-gliss crazy intro melody is what dreams are made of. It brought out the surreal-stuck-sticky-darkness of the song in a way I never thought possible. AND, when they were in my studio, they did this in TWO takes. And take one, would've been great too... but man, they are just unreal. It was almost weird... and btw, the other three players were SIGHT READING it.

I still feel like this is one of the songs that's closest to my heart in many ways.

- Adam

Original Release Date: September 21, 2010
Written: 12-26-2007

THE SONG: I don't often write in story form... or parable form... and I don't remember exactly what inspired me to do it with this song... but it felt like the right way to express the difference between God's perfect love and ours, which so often falls short or is, in some way, tainted by the pain we've gone through.... our sins... the sins of the world... our brokenness... our selfishness... This song holds a special place in me. It expresses something for me that no other song I've written does.

We all carry around baggage. And we started piling it on just after birth don't we? We have expectations... things we're seeking for good and bad reasons... and there's something deep inside all of us that craves a love that is perfect and graceful regardless of what we bring or don't bring to the table. I know I do. I've heard it described as "the God shaped hole". That sounds about right. That's the biggest hole I think.... but there are others. We need people. We need relationships and we want unconditional love even if we can't give it.

So this song tells the relational-love-pain-life-story of man, woman, and finally God.

I'll walk through the song... each section tells a story and builds to the end.

VERCE ONE: The male archetype. Man sort of at his worst. Strong, stoic, proud, self-centered, ambitious, sarcastic and detached (hence the sarcastic flavor to the lyrics: "give the man a medal..." good job sir, you're a jerk!). Mr. I got It Together. I think all of us men have varying degrees of this guy within us. Try getting unconditional love out of him for any length of time... ouch.

VERSE TWO: The female archetype. I could get into trouble here, attempting to sum up the female burden:) But, I think in some overarching basic ways, men respond to pain by acting outwardly strong... overcompensating maybe. Whereas I think girls/woman respond to being heart-injured through a different kind of acting out that is more about searching to fill a void through relationships that maybe aren't the best ones but that feel somehow familiar... in ways that can further hurt... and then guarding their real selves by building walls that are nearly impossible to scale.

I'll try to say it another way... Men tend to want to fill the void through broken ambitions, woman tend to fill the same void in broken relationships.

THE BRIDGE: This part goes into a more all inclusive place. Pulling back, looking at the whole thing. What are we all really looking for in this flawed search for unconditional love? For me, I realized the cure to this brokenness is found in Christ and I'm not afraid to say it... even if some people think it sounds preachy. After hearing this song, a friend of mine, (who isn't a believer), semi-pleaded with me to take out the blatant reference to Christ at the end of the bridge... it was almost as if it ruined the song for him. He even said something like "the song is going along great and would appeal to so many people... then you sing that last line and it really limits things and might turn people off... people I know..." Not an exact quote of course... but that line and the final chorus struck him as maybe starkly shockingly overly specifically narrow in some way... I think that's what he was a saying... and my response is: mission accomplished. That's what I believe and songs are where I express that with the most laser-beam specificity... if it's uncomfortable then good:) I'm uncomfortable too... just in different ways... it's honest and true and that's what matters... as long as there's love in there.

Hopefully the song says it better... that's what it's for:)

THE RECORDING: I tried to produce and arrange this song in such a way that it really told the story... and went all over the emotional map.... from playful and surface feeling, to deep and aching. The string quartet (The Section Quartet here again) are bouncy and playful in the verse. I picture a dude in a suit and tie checking himself in a mirror, giving himself a thumbs up. The chorus comes in and everything changes... drums are halftime everything is legato and flowing... aching. I used the softest shaker I could find. Dave Carpenter on bass playing beautifully simple.

The drums: My Custom Fatty Snare is in the chorus (explained in the "Reckless" notes). And it's my bronze Black Beauty in the verses. So there would be even more contrast between the playfully detached verses and the more authentically "heart on sleeve" deeper honesty of the chorus. Also, I played this song with big marching bass drum mallets, so it'd be nice and mushy and thick. I used these uber-thin hi hats as well... for even more gushy-mushiness. .. that's a Jack Dejohnette ride cymbal and some old crashes as well... earthy. The stereo room mics always got a lot of love on this album... as did the mono rom mic (U47). Neumann TLM 103's on the overheads... Sennheiser 421's on the toms... SM57 on the main snare and a 421 on the Fatty. D112 in the kick (DW X-Shell 23"x16"--amazing drum!). Oh and btw the toms are Gretsch... the same kit I got for Christmas when I was 11. My parents got it through the Recycler for $450! 5-piece Gretsch for $450. Nice job mom and dad:)

Vocals are through my vintage Telefunken U47 through a Neve 1073 mic pre into a Retro 176 Compressor into protools through an Apogee Rosetta. Always 48k, 24bit.

I used quite a few "Tape Head" plugins (and many others including the PuigChild, PuigTech, SSL Channel, Impact etc. etc.) across this album on various things to help get that warm tone.

:) Adam


Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: The theme that runs through this album is a kind of rebirth or starting over.... forgetting the past... and yes, killing it! But only killing the stuff that's getting in the way of the present, I have nothing against nostalgia:)

It was really hard to see the dissolve of my band FALLBORN. We're all close friends (and they're all brothers!) and we had all worked incredibly hard at the band. When it ended I felt like a dream died... or that the dream killed me... so I had to kill it back! haha. All this killing talk is sounding a bit morbid! It's just a metaphor people!

This song is about all of those emotions funneled into the story of two people in love. The resonances of rebirth echoed through my band situation, but also through my marriage as well, so this song covers it all. I needed to find a new place to plant my flag (emotionally) and start over somehow. I had taken every inch of my desire to share my own music with the world, and put into my band (where I had once put it into my "solo" music)... is I felt like that chance had passed... I was older now... andy maybe on some level, I wanted to go back to the "solo" life as an artist... though I didn't know it at the time of the band breakup (early 2010).

I felt such a sense of relief, satisfaction and catharsis when I wrote this chorus. when the lyrics came out, it just felt good to put it all in such a way that felt sad but celebratory... "let's burn this city down, dance on the ashes". I loved the city... but it had to go:)

I knew when I finished this song that I was making a new album and I knew what to call it.

THE RECORDING: I'm a completely self taught piano player... so that means, I'm not a Pianist, I just play the piano:)... like a drummer. So thank the Lord for midi. In order tow write what I heard in my head and to be able to phrase like I wanted to vocally... I sequenced the piano for the verse and wrote over it... it's not the easiest thing to play and sing, with good feel. So that's how the recording started... as I was writing the song, as usual. I got all the way to the bridge then laid down drums and began building the track.

Drums: this is the custom Fatty Snare... built out of a 14"x12" OCDP Floor Tom and snare parts... with a tambourine mounted against the head (see INVENTIONS page:). Lots of room mic on this one... which would be the U47 through a distress or on Nuke. As well as a pair of miss inside my piano that I crank up and compress... love what those do to the kit.

this is the amazing Dave Carpenter on bass... he plays some beautiful stuff on this track.... yet again. He played a Hollowbody bass on this whole album. Juicy. He's going direct through a sans amp into a NEVE 1073, a distress or at 4:1 and into protools.

This vocal is through my Telefunken U47, Retro 176 compressor into protools.

The mix went out my Neve summing mixer, through an SSL Stereo Bus Compressor and through the HAMMER EQ into the LAVRY GOLD convertor.

:)Adam


Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG/RECORDING: A love song for ya'll. It's about how we show love. There are so many ways... There's a great book called the 5 Love Languages... check it out... this song isn't inspired by that book... but they relate. This song lays out the story of someone proclaiming love through a bunch of BIG actions and displays... meaningful stuff... but in the long run, it all just represents this simple, authentic, monumental truth that is just as meaningfully expressed through looking in someone's eyes, letting that love be seen and living a life that is devoted and respectful to them... I guess you could say it's about the non-romantic side of love and how real, powerful and essential that side is... it's the hard part really.... the daily love thing. In the chorus she just says "that's all cool and what not, but you don't have to go crazy, just mean it and live it."

I wrote this song while FALLBORN (my previous band) was still going... near the end of 2009. But my creative process on it, was more similar to my solo stuff. I wrote it and recorded most of it in one inspired sitting... then the guys put some some down on it (bass/guitar)... and I left my drums on it. Much later I added the strings played by The Section Quartet.

The Drums: On a whim I bought a set of roto-toms. I went nuts on them... and turned them all into little snares. I cut up snare wires and added them to the bottom of each drum.... just bent against the head. You'll here these drums on the verses (those high snaps in different pitches). Then I used my custom made Fatty Snare on the verses (see INVENTIONS section). I believe I used marching bass drum mallets for these drums as well.. for that juicy dumpling like attack:)

The first verse of this song went through quite a few incarnations before I landed on what you hear... For some reason it took a minute to find just the right way of opening the song... once the live strings were involved it came together for me.

Recording The Section Quartet was super fun.... and of course, slightly intimidating if I'm honest! haha... there's something about recording a live string quartet that is like "oooooooooh"... it's just so legit and amazing... and they're SO focused in there... nothing like 4 fretless instruments in one room performing together to get the tension rising! They were all so pro and great to work with though, which was great. I had emptied out my drum room and rented some ancient ribbon mics (that I barely used in the end!!). I have some film of this session (which Nic Rodriguez helped with!)... someday I'll throw some of it up:)

Enjoy!

:)A


Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: This song is a special one for me. It was early 2010 and I was really bummed about my band's breakup. I had written a handful of acoustic songs... but they were missing something... I was just too preoccupied and stuck inside.

I was spending a lot of time hanging out with my great friend Daniel Chesnut. His friend David is the manager of Renee Yohe who was the inspiration behind the huge non-profit To Write Love On Her Arms (google it).

Daniel heard they were making a movie about her life story and her struggles with drug addition, alcoholism, depression, anxiety and a host of other horrible issues... and how she came out the other end of it through her belief in Christ and her friends and families love and support. It was a long road... and one that continues to this day... a process for sure.

There's a lot more to this story... but the main idea is, Daniel and I were involved in the early stages of this film's development (it's not finished and about to be released: www.reneethemovie.com).

As we were researching Renee's story we came across a bunch of youtube videos of her being interviewed.

I have a heart for those who are what I call "victims of themselves". Her story moved me and got me thinking about people I know who have dealt with similar issues... and I wrote this song "Queen Misery". At it's heart it's an empathetic song about the "tough love" aspect of helping someone through this stuff... to love and support without enabling. It's a tight wire walk... those around Renee were VERY close to her and walked this wire so many times. I applaud them, and her for making it out the other side and for continuing on the road to recovery.

THE RECORDING: This was the song that started my newly invigorated love affair with piano as one of my favorite instruments to write with. Guitar reminded me of FALLBORN so much... that it felt right to throw myself off a bit and go to piano.... it also fit the feelings I had. I didn't feel like rocking. I want to get into a more intimate thing.

Matt played some amazingly transparent and music guitars on this song. He's SO accurate... yet SO musical... his ears are deep... not literally... but yeah! He played my 1966 Martin D18 on this... as well as some subtle electric guitar. I remember our collabo on this session having a nice mellow/meloncholly feel that really came out in, and was informed by, The Song. I was happy about that... I like when those things are aligned and there's a certain reverence for the song's subject matter when recording... not pretentious or forced... just some care.... not just "jamming".

I happned to have Nic Rodriguez's epic Tyler 5 string bass at my studio.... I used the poop out of that thing:) The lowend is so huge and warm on that thing. It really married to the DW X-Shell Kick Drum (thanks Jules! And DW).

The Drums: This is my Bronze Black Beauty on verses then I switch to the Fatty Snare on the Chorus... I like the sonic shift... not too noticeable, but works I think.... I hope...

I was flattered when I read iTunes review of my album... they singled out this song in a way that made me feel warm and fuzzy:) Thanks Mr. iTunes.

And more so, thanks Renee Yohe, David, Daniel, Josh, Kim and all involved in that project.

And for all of you out there dealing with addiction and mood disorders of any kind... you're not alone, and there IS hope. God is good... please seek Him.. it's this fallen world that sucks sometimes... it's freewill and a lot of time, mistakes and layers of life (us!) that created the crappiness... but God's love is all around us.

:) A





Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: This song goes way back... wrote it in 2005... I freshened it up and put strings on it for MURDER YESTERDAY. This song is one that stands out for me amongst my others... it just represents a lot of things for me in terms of how I feel about belief... and even just the vocal and finger-picked guitar style of it. Some of my older songs sound very much of that time for me... but this one doesn't have that quality... not sure why. Maybe because it's simple in a lot of ways, yet for me, complicated in a lot of ways... so it just remains fresh... am I rambling? I'll let the song do the talking, how about that! ha. that's what it's for.

THE RECORDING: Used my U47 on the acoustic guitar and vocals. The strings recording was a blast. The Section Quartet KILLING IT again. They used mutes on the first half of the song... SO eerie. Makes them sound like little monsters or something... makes the strings sound like their underground and speaking in some weird language... hard to describe.... but it was such a great choice by Eric Gorfain (first violin and leader/arranger). I told him to just go for it on this song (and The Hard Way).... I didn't wanna get in the way... so I gave him a blank canvas and he absolutely exceeded my expectations. Thank you Eric.

Most of the sound you hear on these strings (and the others on Murder Yesterday) is coming from my two Nuemann TLM 103's set about 7 feet high up above and 3 feet apart (facing out) in front of the four string players who were in a semi-circle.

I remember calling my new friend Jack Joseph Puig to ask about how he engineers strings... I remember what he said, "It's no big deal... people always freak out about strings... it's just like anything else, put mics up and listen. Use your ears. You have great ears. So just go with your instincts. It'll be great. It's no mystery". That's pretty much it. It was like "oh, yeah, duh! Listen. Their just instruments.". He's quite direct that JJP... yet also... not. ha.

:)A



Original Release Date: September 21, 2010

THE SONG: I attended and sang at the funeral of one of my mom's close friends who lost her battle to cancer. My mom had won her battle. As you can imagine there was a lot of emotion in that room. I sang one of my older songs "Beautiful Fall" at the service.

The next day, I was thinking a lot about the fragility of life and how rare it is that we're aware of it while still appreciating the value of it. It's so easy to get caught up in things that don't really matter. This song is about making the most of the time we have here... living on purpose. Loving all the way.

- Adam

Original Release Date: September 21, 2010