That's a Pretty Site

We have been COMPLETELY OUT of cds for 2 weeks. That's ROUGH!! :) But we are fully re-stocked with 1,000 more to go. And pretty soon we'll have double that with NEW cd's. Ahhh I can't wait. Tomorrow, we go in for more mix time with the Sonic Fedora. And maybe a visit to the taco truck. Who knows? :)

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Fort Gordon Article

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Happy Fedorial Day!

Happy Birthday Fedora!! It's the Sonic Fedora's birthday, today. :) So we only worked a half day in the studio. But we were surprisingly productive for a half day! Wait... that sounds like I am surprised that we are productive.... But I mean.... surprised at how MUCH we got done in a short time... umm, eh, ok. Not important. :)

In honor of the Fedora's Birthday, I am putting up my favorite picture of us from recording the first record...


Awww... the Hat Factory II. I miss that place. :)

We listened down all the tracks. It's a LOT to take in. It doesn't seem real. It's been almost 3 years since I have recorded any new music. (Other than demos) It's great and crazy and ridiculous that it has been that long!

I am glad we've waited. I've written a lot since the first record, but not everything I write necessarily deserves a spot on an album, ya know? So I had to write, rewrite, and write some more. And now, I have a really solid EP going, and I already have a GREAT start on some music that I am excited about for the future as well. No more of this "playing catch up" thing.

With the first record I would write... we'd record 3 songs or so... and then I'd have to go write more music (and make more money) to go back into the studio. The first album took over a year and a half to record. This one? Probably going to take a week and a half for the whole thing. Granted, it's half the amount of songs.... but still!

Today, I got the vocals done on "Standing My Ground." It took, oh, a couple hours. With the first record? We'd spend DAYS on a song sometimes. I would punch in on the first half a word sometimes. :) It's amazing how much you learn and grow in 3 years. Plus, I've been singing these songs live for long enough that I know EXACTLY what I want on them. So that's cool.

James wasn't even allowed in the room when we were cutting vocals the first go 'round. I had completely forgotten about that! That's so funny to me now. But Ben and I were both SO SERIOUS about NO ONE ELSE being in the room when I was doing vocals. Now, I think it would be really really weird if James wasn't there.

It's a good thing we're getting this done quickly, though. I don't think I could wait that long to share it with everyone!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.

It's a good Good Friday

I went to write with Gordon today and it was SOOOOOO good to see him. There's never enough hours in the day when we are writing together :) But today was great because it gave us a chance to reevaluate everything we worked on earlier this year. I still have so many unfinished songs with him.... that's not unusual for me though :) I usually have a whole stash of songs I am working on that I finish at the most random times. I can try and try with all my might to finish some songs.... but with certain pieces of work - I just have to wait for the inspiration to hit me.

That's how I wrote most of the songs for "Late Night Conversations" - I had an entire digital recorder filled with ideas. And over time I finished them one by one. And the strongest ones ended up making the record.

We finished one today that I am thrilled about! I can't really talk about it yet, but you'll hear it soon enough. :) And then we have 4 others with really great starts. I'm smiling so big right now cause I am hearing them all in my head at once. They are just little infants right now... I can tell what they will look like for the most part... they just haven't fully developed yet :)

SO I have a lot of work ahead of me.

I had to cut us off to catch the last train back into the city. Gordon and I were texting lyrical ideas of one of the songs to each other. But there was an inebriated Italian fella, Fabrizio, that really wanted to talk. His English was a bit broken... which he kept apologizing for... but his English wasn't really the reason he was hard to understand.... It was probably all the wine with dinner.... if I were to guess...

He came to this country to "have experience", which he explained ummm... a few times.... and then a few more...

I can't possibly attempt to explain what he was talking about (nor could he) but the one thing he was sure of..... I have "eyes like fox." He said that over and over again. He REALLY wanted me to know that. He wanted to make sure I go home tonight and look in the mirror to check and see if "Fabrizio is full of BS or Fabrizio tell truth". He nearly missed his stop because he kept putting his hands around his eyes to make the shape of glasses and was yelling "YOU. Eyes like fox!!! Like FOX! You see! Look in mirror!" And THEN once he got OFF the train he ran to the window where I was sitting and was screaming it from the outside... and putting his hands around his eyes again. And then making the shape of a pregnant belly. (That was a whole other story... he thinks I am smart like fox and won't have "The children" until I KNOW... cause I have eyes like fox... ) Yeah. I don't really get it either. The train attendants kept staying close by. And after he got off the train one came over to me and said "We should have put that on youtube." I actually recorded a bit of the conversation onto my iphone because it was cracking me up.

But apparently I have "eyes like fox" so I guess that means don't mess with me?

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Whoa. I'm on a Milk Carton :)

As I sit here working on a song and realizing I only have 2 more days until we go out for our final leg of the tour (our longest venture yet - 6 weeks without coming home) I can't BELIEVE how long it has been since I have played at home. It is so weird when I think about how just 2 years ago I only played shows in Nashville and Columbia... and I didn't even own a Suburban....

Now I have gone through 3 Suburbans and living on the road is a way of life.

All of this was rubbed in this morning when I awoke to an email that had me laughing out loud.



OK! OK!!! :) I GET IT!!! I PROMISE we will play a show here at home very soon. And I promise to make it worth the wait. There are SO many good things in the works right now and I have a lot to process before the next big Nashville show. :)~

I do however, think that was the cleverest and sweetest way for a fan to get his point across :)

Just give us this 6 weeks out on the road... (which is 27 shows... I just counted... there's a few 2-a-days in there) And I promise to have lots of fun surprises when we're back. We'll do it up all country-rockin style and have a big party when we get to come home! There will be LOTS of reasons to celebrate.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie