New Album

Hey Guys....

so to whoever may still read this, I have some news.

First of all, I'm getting a legit website, and that's where i'll be blogging from here on out. You can go there (when it's finished) to get all the info on what i'm working on. But as of now, I'm just enjoying summer, and being creative....which brings me to my second piece of info...

I AM hard at work on writing and recording parts of a new album. I have really been listening hard to all the mistakes I made with Jet Sky Alley (and there tons of mistakes) and want to improve on them. The album is FAR from being done - remember that JSA took me 3 years in total to truly create. So don't expect it within this year. Just letting you know it's happening. I'm two songs in, and am already VERY impressed by the improvement. But understand it's not gonna be a sequel to JSA. It's quite different, while staying true to my style. I don't know.

You may ask the title? As of now, it's entitled Seeds that Grow in Dark Places. May change. may not. Who knows.

Just wanted to update you on it. May release a sample of the first song that's 'finished' called BREADCRUMBS. Love it alot.

4.19. Been Awhile...

Howdy everyone. It has been AWHILE. I'm sitting here at 3:10 on a Sunday night...seriously not looking forward to another week of classes. I cannot begin to believe that summer is so close. This time last year I was viciously cycling through songs I'd written, trying to create a CD. Somehow, I think I'll take this summer off, and just focus on writing - because that's one of the most fun parts about music. Just writing it, and toying with it. I do have a lot of songs ready to record and ready for people to hear, but I think I'll save them.... :)

As for right now, I'm busy (ish) doing a show at college. Actually, to be honest, I'm not busy at all. Hahaha. But it's a nice way to end the semester.

I will say that this summer I am planning on taking a lot of trips. For instance, LA, NYC, OH, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio for starters. I'm letting whatever happens, happen.

I'm also feverishly looking for songs for an upcoming audition. Hahaha. I'm so done with college, and I'm less than halfway through.

Anyway, thought I'd say hello.

Carl

11-6: Things in motion

It's been awhile. It has really been awhile. But I have been head-deep in my latest production, Three Musketeers. I hope you all are sick of my music because of listening to it too much. Haha. JK. But really...

I already have a number of songs in progress for another album. I don't think I'll release one ANY time soon, but I just want to have an impressive layout when it comes time.

In other news, I'm writing my sister a debut album - it's gonna be very Lady-Gaga-Britney-Spears-ish, and will be a challenge for me to write. But it'll give me a chance to spread my wings. I have one song completely done, and will probably try to write four or five more. We'll see how that goes.

Gotta go on stage. I'll try to keep you updated more often. BAH!

10/2: What?

So good news. 13 people have PRE-BOUGHT my album! Before it even reached Itunes! You are all making me feel so happy. I've heard great things about the songs, which is more than I could wish for.

Along with the good reviews, one of my friends sent in a couple of the songs into a radio station in OK. It appears as though the radio station liked one in particular (Rain_Fire) and is going to attempt to play it. I don't know which station, or if it will happen, but just to have a good response is enough for me!

For everyone waiting to buy it on Itunes, as I understand it, the album will be up on Oct 6 - next tuesday. I can't wait for everyone to hear it!!!

ALSO - if you are listening to the songs, but want to know what I'm saying word for word, I made a LYRICS website. Soon, I'll have a legit website (courtesy of Harry Perrin) but as of right now, i'm just having to make site after site. :)

www.carlculley.wordpress.com

And that's it! Please go to cdbaby and listen to the previews! This is making my life!

10/1 - AND IT'S HERE

After 3 years, A summer of final work, Many nights of mastering, tweaking, waiting, pressure, uncertainty, and laughter, and another month of simply waiting and wondering -

It's here!!

You can preview (and buy) the album on Cdbaby!
www.cdbaby.com/cd/carlculley

OR.

If you don't feel like subscribing to the site, just wait a week and the cd will be on ITUNES. :)

Thanks for all your support. I have a lot of plans for this album, so I will continue to update this (probably more regularly now that I'm done with the album) with life stuff as well as album and music stuff.

But keep the word of mouth going. You are all making me the happiest person alive.

:)

9-15: BLOG 40

40 Blogs later, and I am officially finished. The cd's are sent in. By friday, I should know the date when JSA will be released. I can't wait for everyone to hear it. I changed alot of things last minute, but I'm TOTALLY glad I did. I've said it before - this album is the best I can do right now. No, I didn't use top notch recording equiptment - I recorded the ENTIRE album in my home. No, I didn't have a producer watching my back and making sure I did things right. But I'm proud of how it sounds. I could always go back and change that. I will NEVER be satisfied with the vocals. I can always "sound better". But that's the beauty of making this record. I have a place to grow from now. I have a starting place. A launch pad. And I just can't wait for people to critique it, to love it, to hate it, and to enjoy what I've poured most of my soul into for 3 years.

And as almost everyone else has, I must say something about Mr. West. I will be honest: I cannot stand Taylor Swift's music. Do I believe she deserved the award over ANY of those girls? NO. But she is a gawky, helpless girl who DIDN'T CHOOSE TO WIN THE AWARD. People voted for her. How dare someone get on that stage and take that moment from her. My mom always taught me that "Everyone deserves their moment." That quote has never been more clear to me. And quite honestly, I think Kanye West is an asshole for what he did. NOBODY is talented enough to ruin somebody else's moment. And clearly not Kanye. It's time he learned that the world is not built around him. And that he is not the groundbreaking artist he thinks he is. He is just another rapper that seems to have captured the world with his clever rhymes. But something makes me think the world has finally escaped his net.

And with that I say: LOVE.

CC

9-8: Laboring On

Seeing as I have to get up to perform at 6:00am tomorrow for the show I'm in, I should probably be fast asleep. But I'm not. Not anywhere close.

Because I'm pumped.

The album is done. I'm burning the disc as I type, which means tomorrow I will ship it off to cdbaby for them to finalize and rip onto....ITUNEEEESSS! And as of right now, you can expect it (keep your fingers crossed) on Itunes by next Tuesday - September 15.

BUT what I thought I'd do tonight is give you some insight into what the album will sound like. What the songs are made of. What they're about. So when you hEAR the album, you can come back here and see just what you're hearing. :)

1. I Dream On the Horizon - Basically, this song was one of the last songs to be finished writing-wise. This song was originally titled Jet Sky Alley, until the REAL Jet Sky Alley appeared. Then THIS song was rewritten, and became what it is today. Complicated, I know. But this song has a lot of guitar tracks (I believe 12), and is also one of the songs Heath Martin helped with drums on...and they sound GREAT. This song is basically about getting sick of living the same day over and over, and living with the same pain, and finally going to sleep one night and realizing it's up to you to change things. And then dreaming on the horizon. WOOO. How clumsily cliche. But I love the song, and it's one of the more rock-driven songs.

2. I Need You - Well, this song was written for a girl I was dating back in the day...as in 2 years ago. Hahaha. But that's basically the song. It was always called I Need You, but was a much...wierder song when I first wrote it. Maybe one day you'll hear the old version. But it's one of my favorite songs I've written just because it is so simple, and yet says so much. I also like that all the guitars are played on a incredibly old and broken guitar that was missing two strings, but in a way, it adds a very cool sound to the song.

3. 11:11 - I wrote this song (originally called Century to Be) when I was 7. No joke. I even have a recording of it. Not much has changed, besides the key of the song, and some of the verse lyrics. But the chorus is exactly the same. The song is basically a homage to people who believe in "signs". I got really interested in the whole theme of 11:11 and why people believe in it, and HARDCORE believers think 11:11 is a "wake-up call" our guardian angels use to remind us that they are there for us. Pretty haunting and awesome when you think about it.

4. Jet Sky Alley - This song has 59 tracks of sounds on it. Ugh. Let me just say it was a b**ch to master. But I'm proud of how good it sounds - it's one of the best mixed on the album. The song is about Jet Sky Alley, which has a special meaning to me, but is basically that ethereal place where you dream of living. It's my fighting song - I will do whatever it takes to find "my place" in this world. Listen carefully, and through all the guitars, you can hear my kazoo solo. It's rocking! Forget harmonicas! Kazoos are where it's at!

5. No Need to Speak - One of the more recent songs I wrote, I actually wrote this in my dorm near the end of my freshman year of college. Very simple lyrics. It's basically about me talking to someone who is hurting in a relationship, and me wanting them to listen and realize what they mean to me. Because I know what they've been through. Not saying...that...this has happened...or anything...hmmm. But it's a very beautiful song (in my opinion) and has a jazz feel to it. I even added some saxophone sounds that Rob Hervan did for me. Short but sweet.

6. World - This song was probably the first song on this album I wrote with the intention of writing this album. It hasn't changed lyric-wise or melody-wise at all, but it really has changed sonically. I love the different effects this song uses, and it gave me a chance to work with a new drum system I found. The song was based on a conversation I had with my mom about how people are constantly worried with where they'll end up and what's right and what's wrong, and they worry so much that they forget where they are, and how important that is.

7. Ghosts + Goblins - This is a darker song, but has a very important meaning. It's about how people can be so judgemental, when they make the same mistakes everyone makes. Even the goody-two-shoes girl will sometimes be seen "in the dark". But Heath's drums sound incredible on this song, and it's some of my better guitar work. Alot of cool sounds, including a sound I made by putting a paper clip inside a soda can and shaking it, and then looping that sound through guitar pedals. You'll hear it come in at around 2:35 if you're interested.

8. Cause + Cause - When ever I was finishing the album, I found I really needed a piano-centered song, and this is lyrically one of my favorite songs. It talks about alot, but in the center of it is the fact that however much we question, we are all connected. There are some quiet guitar sounds that I love, but the main focus in this song is the piano - and I love it!

9. Rain_Fire - I had two versions of this song, but in the end, I went with this version. It is a less clear version, but I actually really like the muddy, over-the-top quality of it. The song is a reference to Pentecaust, but basically talks about how even in the darkest of situations, light can come...and can make you feel stupid for doubting yourself. This song reminds me a lot of Animal Collective sonically (not lyrically - I was not high when I wrote this song. haha)

10. The Road to Now - Personally, this is the best song I've written. It has 75 tracks, mainly vocals, and very sweet tribal drums I made from a simple congo drum I own. But most of all, I just love the message of this song - that no matter how hard the world you live in gets, you can always go back to your family/friends. You are never alone. The only song I've written that still manages to give me chills.

11. Finding Eden - Another mumbo-jumbo of tracks, this one has 61. Alot of cool drum sounds, and alot of vocals. This song is a very dance oriented song, but has a lot of heart to it. It's a pure love song about convincing this girl that love is still possible in a world of people who doubt it. Some of my favorite lyrics in this song. A song I crank up the volume to when I'm listening to it.

12. You Were Meant for the Skies - Alot of people tell me this is their favorite song on the album, and it really is a very uplifiting song that pushes people to not give up. Has some accordian and banjo sounds, and nice drums at the end. It was always going to be the last song in the beginning. I knew the minute I heard it.



So I hope it won't be too long until you get to hear it.... haha...

I am in awe of everyone's support. I really am.

:)