Faces of My Time

Dimnent Session

2009-06-28T22:58:00.005-04:00

The seasons have changed since we spent time on a cold January weekend in the basement of an old chapel working the in's and out's of live recording. The good graces of a couple close friends got us there. Matthew and Grant traveled down for the weekend to Hope College.

We loaded in all our gear into a room just recently used for a foreign language class. It took the good part of an hour. Drums where set up in the corner behind a shield and some carpeted panels. Matthew set his bass cab up in the tall hallway leading down the middle of the chapel basement. We pushed it around until we found the right place and set up a big mic in front of it.

My amp was in a room across the hall where I had been taught by Professor Kent Van Til about Christian Ethics.

All of the mics traveled into an adjacent studio room housing the mixing board and computer and some huge pair of underwear that was floating around for whatever reason.

We spent all afternoon sound checking and all evening tracking the first three songs of the four we would end up recording. Andy and Ben only required coffee to work as the engineers for us, and they did an excellent job, producing a good sound, directing us gently, patiently and carefully, and knowing what to do when things got tricky.

Perhaps the sweetest moment of the recording process for me came late on the first night when we recorded Two Weeks In. We decided to change the lighting in the room before we started the song, and Andy brought in some stage lights and shined them on the wall. The room became much more cozy. We set up the accordion for Grant right across the room from me. The process of recording that song was decidedly much sweeter and relaxed than the others, and once having it tracked, the mix really brought itself up out of the recording. It was a good end to a long day.

Please! Take advantage of the fruits of our labor free of cost at our purvolume site.

CLICK FOR THE SONGS

Concerning Sabbaticals

2009-01-25T04:06:00.004-05:00

I thought today about how it might be a good idea that it become a social standard that every person, whether they be a nurse, a pastor, a middle school teacher, a velcro salesman, or a stay at home mother, that everyone would take a sabbatical.

This thought came to me when I very recently visited a place that I had not really been to in a couple years. It was astonishing to me that, at least at a surface level, how very little things had changed over the period of time that I had been away. People, for the most part, where caring, thinking, and worrying about the same things that they were three years ago.

And from my perspective, having been away, it offered me the opportunity to look at certain things with a different point of view.

This is not to suggest that I am awesome and smarter than anyone else, but I just think that it would be very beneficial for everyone to take like a year, maybe just a year and a half even, and leave. Get away, live somewhere else, sink into a new rhythm, learn things from different people for a while, and then come back with fresh eyes.

Speaking from the small amount of experience my life has given me, it seems that no matter who you are and what you do, after a certain period of time, the ruts of our lives are so deep that we cannot see out of them. It is not all so bad, but it is just a thought I had. Plus, sabbaticals sound like they would be fun.

ok thanks if you read this! talk to you soon

Jacob

Flews

2008-12-02T19:27:00.003-05:00

Hello yous,

I recently learned what flews were. As in a plural noun, "flews": the lip flaps common in many breeds of dogs. Such are the joys in playing Balderdash late at night.

So we are likely playing two or three shows this month for the first time in eons, most likely two shows at Jacob's Well scheduled for the 13th and 19th of December. It'll be a great return.

We're going through this weird phase of recording and selling/breaking a lot of equipment. I'm selling an amp and two basses, so if you are interested you should go jump on your bed in excitement and then try to contact me somehow.

I love each and every one of the people who read this. Stay posted for more info on our EP release sometime in the beginning of next year.

Sometimes when we touch,

Matthew

Studio 2

2008-11-12T01:36:00.002-05:00

A weekend home has never been more necessary.

I came home to record some parts for the record that we are still working on as hard as ever, and found myself simply looking around and breathing in all things home.

The weather was incredible. The end of fall is almost as gorgeous as the late september peak. It is when the earth takes on the most subtle tones. The air is alive and the skies are moody. Snow is just covering firm ground. I just really like these times.

My house was so warm. It was great to see my family and my dog, catching up over books, and around a fireplace. My room was such a haven to my body worn of campus living. I was able to spend some very needed time alone with music, books, and boxes of summer memories.

I lived with my dearest friends and bandmates again. We caught up in small increments and shared stories, thoughts, worries and music.

We watched the world turn winter.

With all this said, we also spent time in the studio. We were able to track vocals on three of the tracks that we will be releasing which was a good feeling. We felt like the weekend set us up well for our recording plans for Christmas break. It was a good way to, in a sense, sink back into the studio after about a two month break.

I am still very excited about everything that we have been working on. And even though now it is hard for me to see how everything will all come together, I feel confident that we are producing something good.

We will be posting a demo on our myspace soon so check back often!

Talk to you soon,

Jacob

Studio 1

2008-07-30T08:57:00.007-04:00

|commuting|

|nook/sick blanket/unlimited texting|

|tribal dancing|

|DI's for life|

Wildflowers, Clouds, All Things Summer

2008-07-26T20:09:00.003-04:00

Well, I suppose that recording music, like all things worth working and waiting for, will be a difficult thing to do. We have been in the studio for a strong two and a half months, and I just want to say that I really love making music. It is actually incredible. And I can speak for all of us when I say that we absolutely cannot wait to share this material with you!

But as I hinted at, it has not really been easy. Whether it is simply enduring hours of the same rhythm or hours of takes that would amount to one and a half minutes of the song... recording takes a long time. In addition to those inevitable hurdles, there are the occasional moments when nobody wants to record anymore, because as amazing as making music is, at times it is work. That is just harsh reality.

So, I come to you know through a couple months of sweat, stress, arguments, accomplishments, and breakthroughs to say that really... things are going well.

Last Sunday, after we all had gone to church. Myself along with Grant and three of our closest friends, piled in my car and drove to one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. About an hour and a half north of Traverse City is a village called Glen Arbor. Glen Arbor is on Lake Michigan. We drove down roads that sat in fields with a lot of flowers, passed over hills, and chased faded yellow lines until we were standing on hills, literally with the clouds. We swam in Lake Michigan, had diving contests, tumbled down dunes, threw rocks, walked on stones, and sat in the sun. We watched and felt the world around us.

Then, with bellies full of burgers, onion rings, and tater tots, we headed home.

The sky was full of heat lighting. Silent and powerful. The roads where quiet on the long drive back, and as we rode in my car with wet clothes and smelly bodies, we were listening to music.

There are times when the music that I am listening to feels so right that I almost don't feel like what I am experiencing is even real. It is almost like I am simply watching a really good movie. This happened to me at this point. And it lead me to think about how very grateful I am for the friends that I have.

Much like recording, friends this summer have not been easy, but like anything worth working and waiting for, comes decisions to be patient and have more focus than the moment at hand.

I have been thinking more and more and more about the importance for me to realize and live with the realization that all good things take time. Anything worth anything at all is going to take time, but our culture does everything it can to tell us otherwise.

I honestly don't want to be that guy blogging about culture and how it sucks, but the overstimulation, complete media-saturation and instant gratification worldview that proliferates TV and movies is completely disgusting.

People can't sit still. We have become a people that can't walk down the street without noise in our heads and a screen in front of our faces. If something doesn't satisfy us, screw it and find something else. If something is strange, or stretches us, or actually takes brain power to understand, forget it. And this is not just something that affects the way people watch movies and listen to music, but is something that I believe deeply impacts the way that we treat the people, the world, and God.

I have found the more that I make decisions to do the things that will require patience and thought the more I find a much deeper level of enjoyment.

So, with all that said. We all hope that maybe we will be able to give you some music that you can think about. Music that will be more than you bargained for. Music that you could come to when you need it the most.

All good things take time....

Jacob

ALSO! UPCOMING SHOW - PLEASE COME!

riding in silence

2008-07-10T22:55:00.003-04:00

think.

question.

ponder.

search.

ask.

reflect.

delve.

then, just maybe, you'll find something great.

-josh.

Day Jobs, Late-Night Diner Runs, and Recording.

2008-07-03T20:55:00.004-04:00

I feel like I have so much to say, but really at the same time, nothing at all... i do not understand this, but for the few who read and the couple who care... here's what:

I spent the last fall and winter in a different city at college. For the large part of of nine months I was separated from Matt and Grant. This was very difficult. Not only did I immensely miss their brothership, but just being able to actually be a band stopped happening. This will happen again. I go back to school in the fall, Grant moves to Ohio, and I suppose we will all be better prepared this time around. Needless to say, after a couple short and vain attempts at assembling some recordings over the school year, we had decided to tackle the album recording over this summer. When I came back it was strictly business - day one until day done.

Matthew works two day jobs. One is at a golf course and the other is at Quiznos. Matthew is also a family man. Well... he doesn't have kids, but being around his family is important. I admire that. And between these things and a vigorous recording schedule, Matt found himself running thin.

Grant does all of every single bit of the work in the band when it comes to recording. He also plays drums. So basically he makes the album in every way possible if you know what I mean... and that kind of work can also wear on a man's soul, especially when the expectations are so high.

Are goal was set: full length album by the end of summer. Also known as: write, rehearse, write, cut, record and mix 10 or 11 songs in essentially, two months, all things considered (jobs...etc.)

More than anything, the inability to look past dark eyes, tired hearts, and irritated attitudes lead us to decide on Monday night that this was foolish.

We have been working hard, and have made very legitimate progress, but the fact remained that we were facing a self-constructed wall that was not possible for us to climb with the time and recourses given us. And trying to was leaving us stressed, tired, and way more scared than we should ever be while making music.

Because of this realization, we took a step back. We talked things over. We weighed or options.

We have decided that sometime this fall/winter, rather than a full length release, will instead be releasing a seven song e.p. We are all extremely excited about this. We finally feel like we can breathe. We can treat this batch of songs we have like little works of art again. Before with the heavy mantle of eleven tracks, we felt like the songs had an immature sense of pressure put on them. We believe that recording an e.p. will let these songs speak for themselves. In addition, it is simply do-able! As a full length was not. Time is a really big deal, and when the time you are dealing with this is four hours, four days a week after work, that is no way/not a possible way to record a full length album.

So......

I suppose that is all. No names or tracklists... yet. Those things will come in good time. Until then, please keep in touch and we are more excited than you can probably even know to share this stuff with you. Thank you so much for the support.

Jacob

ps. On July 27th we will be at Jacob's Well! Music at 9 pm.

2008-06-19T19:31:00.002-04:00

"I have to pee so bad," Jacob says. He repeats this, then runs to the restroom laughing. Grant, in the mean time, practices his part a bit to the click track. Jacob returns. Grant stops practicing, then starts again. A couple of minutes pass. I remark about some kick drum hits. Silence ensues only to be broken by Grant's angry emergence from the studio. He's coming to eat me. Gotta go.

Matt

Tonight, Grant Exploded While Recording, and We had to Scrape him Off the Walls

2008-06-08T23:35:00.003-04:00

So today was a good day. Lots and lots of stuff was done. Well, actually just two big things. Grant finished tracking two songs today. Oh yeah, did we mention that we're in recording? Anyway, we were tracking the second song when Grant became a man and nailed it in one take, I think. Take that, Alex Gustler.
Afterwards he ran upstairs to get water, returning only to own at Ratchet and Clank.

In other news, I wrote some words on paper. Here they are:

You should get it into the open,
But screaming is bad for your voice,
And as bad as speaking your mind.
I'll role with the wheels of change,
Always staying the same,
And let memories light up the night.

I'm not as spry as you,
Getting sore from experiences I haven't had.
And to the brothers who always listen,
I've got nothing to say.
But to the Friend that is closer than them,
I'll try to speak my mind.

Sincerely,
Matthew

Remember That One Time We Went Jet Skiing and Matthew Died?

2008-06-03T00:42:00.005-04:00

It is about 5:30 pm and we are all piling into my Toyota Rav 4. We are heading over to our good friend Josh's house. We are going jet skiing.

Long story short: two hours and 165 donuts later finds Matt with a bloody head and plans for a good old fashioned Muson Hospital run...

Another one of our friends Ben Pina had shown up and decided to come with Matt and I on our way to the ER. When we got there, it was first things first: 1) sign in 2) officially make everyone in the waiting area uneasier than they already were. Not going to lie. We were obnoxious, but all in the name of keeping Matthew from tears.

As the wait grew from one hour to another Ben and I threatened to begin breaking limbs to see if maybe that would get Matt in faster.

Finally, at 10:00 Matthew emerged with 8 stitches above his right eyebrow. I am happy to announce that he took it like a man, and is in great health.

We like Matt. And his face. So that is good.

Jacob

Up & Running.

2008-05-30T20:46:00.003-04:00

To all who are interested, this is a spot where we will be sharing our thoughts and updates, video blogs and stories! Keep in touch..

Jacob