The debut album of Alaskan folk singer/songwriter Britt Arnesen a.k.a. 907Britt is scheduled for release on April 8. It represents 11 years of songwriting for Britt, and 8 months of mixing and mastering for me. Working with Britt was a real treat! She granted me unprecedented freedom in my approach, which ranged from simple mixing to adding my own elements to the arrangement. We ended up using my piano, bass, and percussion on “Cinderella,” piano and backing vocals on “Continental Divide” (my current favorite), and backing vocals on “Maybe You.” You can preview the entire album using the player above, and pick it up here (or just click on “download” in the player). Even though the release date is a week off, all purchases include immediate download in the format of your choice.

In support of the release, Britt has five appearances lined up for next week (listed on the banner at the top of 907Britt.com), three of which will be streamed on the web at KTOO.org. Monday, April 5th she’ll be interviewed at 3:30 on KTOO, then the mainstage of the Alaska Folk Festival at 8:15pm Alaska time. Tuesday April 6th from 5-7 she’ll be interviewed on Rain Country Radio KRNN (still accessed from KTOO.org) and play a few songs live.

Somehow Britt even found time to start working on her follow-up release! You can keep up with busy tour schedule on Facebook and see her latest videos on her YouTube channel. Speaking of YouTube, be sure to check out Britt’s covers of my songs “If It’s My Time to Go” and “Touch.”

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This one, based on the White Mantra snippet, was written in the air between Atlanta and Orange County. You can check out the basic verse and chorus melodies via the player below.

The last stanza is the second half of an extended chorus. I’m appreciating that form more and more because it allows me to add fresh material near the end of the song. Nobody writes bridges anymore, arguably because listeners don’t have the attention span for them. It’s all about the chorus, chorus, chorus! I see the extended chorus as a compromise – same melody, new lyrics.

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. Anything confusing or contradictory? What’s the weakest part? The strongest? Before you suggest a word-for-word substitution, try singing it to make sure it fits.

We don’t dream about each other anymore
Spilled our souls and now we’re too close
Close your eyes, accept a simple kiss goodnight
From the one who loves you the most

Distant lovers and fictional heroes
All our fantasies, longings, and hopes
Fill our dreams as we lie here together
Too close, too close

I broke out in laughter when you told me that
Being with me is like being alone
But I knew you meant it as a compliment
This is what it means to be home

Don’t allow yourself a single guilty thought
Novelty has infinite charms
You’ll exchange illusion for reality
When you wake up here in my arms

I see you when I look in the mirror
But in sleep we see through telescopes
Looking out over light years not inches
Too close, too close.

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I’d love to hear your thoughts on a new lyric I wrote this weekend in a Miami hotel room. This one is based on the Grey Squares snippet. You can hear the basic verse and chorus melodies over the chords using the player below (start your mental lyric playback at the second stanza). Obviously the chorus arrangement isn’t fleshed out yet. As always, I’m wide open to your suggestions. Anything confusing or contradictory? What’s the weakest part? The strongest? Before you suggest a word-for-word substitution, try singing it to make sure it fits.

I hear you think about me now and then
To fantasize about what might have been
I’ve always been the one who got away
The careless bullet tends to ricochet

There’s virtue in the straight and narrow path
And while you can’t afford the aftermath
The rear-view mirror tends to draw the eye
So sneak a peek now baby, don’t be shy

But you say you’re happy
So maybe it’s for the better
But you say you’re happy
To chauffeur these doubts forever
Keep me in the backseat of your mind

You’re driving under my influence
Drunk on the thrill and deaf to consequence
You know that I could make your life a mess
And yet you chose to wear your tightest dress.

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Matthew Johnson, Features Editor at ReGen Magazine, was kind enough to interview me and review my latest album, The Thought Chapter. We discuss everything from my artistic beginnings in a Duran Duran knockoff band called European White Disco, to my influences (probably not who you’d expect), to how running a mastering business affects my creative process, and the meaning of the album title. You’ll find the interview and review here (the link to the album review is just below the cover image).

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I’ve got a new song I’m dying for you to hear! It’ll definitely make the album, scheduled for release on August 4. Besides being a dark, catchy, and fun little tune, it may just be the purist expression of my “electronics + classical piano” signature yet. And I make fun of people who dress like vampires, so it’s a win-win.

I also uploaded the song to thesixtyone – the first one I’ve added since they overhauled the site. If you’ve got hearts to spare, I could use the support. You’ll find the song here.

It Must Be Halloween
©2010 Brian Hazard (ASCAP)

You emerge
Your face drawn in black and white
Your corset laced up just right
A vampire in fishnets
“So,” I laugh
“What are you supposed to be?”
You smile but won’t answer me
Is this a trick or treat?

Master of the cheap disguise
Sometimes I can’t believe my eyes, I tell you
(You/I/We) sure know how to make a scene
It must be Halloween

Half asleep
We race home to beat the dawn
I cut through a corner lawn
And slice my head on a branch
“Hang on – I just need to catch my breath”
You say that I look like death
And toss back your head to laugh in revenge.

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Sarina of Legionaire was kind enough to feature Color Theory in her latest Jukebox segment, which surprisingly includes my homemade slideshow “video” for “We’re Not Getting Any Younger.” One of these days I need to make a real video!

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I’m often accused of being stingy on the effects in mixing my own material. I obviously prefer a dry sound, but I concede that it’s unusual for electronic music. At the suggestion of my publisher, I took another stab at mixing “Touch” and added more reverb, plus a slightly distorted delay behind my lead vocal when the piano is playing.

Which do you prefer? The new “megaverb” version…

Or the old dry version?

Maybe it’s a Goldilocks situation, with one having too much and the other too little. Where is “just right”? Am I sacrificing intimacy for depth, and if so, is it a worthwhile trade?

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Today I present the first of twelve new songs, with backing vocals by the talented Helen Austin. I’ll probably make some tweaks for the album, but since I’m already a day behind my “song a week” schedule, I’m going to set it aside and move on.

907Britt was so taken with the song that she covered it before even hearing it, based solely on the instrumental “Hoover Slam” snippet and lyrics. As you might expect, she took it in a very different direction. She even made a video, which you can see here:

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The Rock Band Network Store has launched on the Xbox 360! “If Not Now When” is one of 105 songs currently available. It’s only a buck (80 points), but you can demo it for free. If you purchase the song, you’ll be given the chance to rate it. The store sorts by rating, so your support raises my visibility!

If you’re interested in learning about the authoring process, check out my two articles the subject here and here.

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