“Class Dismissed” Release Date

As you’ve probably read by now, my new album is called Class Dismissed.  You can read more about it by clicking here.

Barring any unfortunate replication-related difficulties, here’s some exciting news:

Class Dismissed will be released on CD and iTunes on Tuesday, February 10th!

Keep checking back here for more information.  Don’t forget, you can hear a preview on my MySpace page or can become a “Fan” on Facebook!

Introducing “Class Dismissed”

Find out more about Class Dismissed by visiting class.loquaciousmusic.com!

Many of you have been wondering where I’ve been for the past week. Good question! I’ll tell you!

I’ve been on a sort of “working vacation.” No, I’m not teaching, but I am working on a new project: Class Dismissed, my sixth (or seventh, depending on who’s counting) album, and the first one to be done “right.”

You heard it here first, gang: this six-track E.P. is going to be mastered, fitted with professional artwork and graphic design, and pressed into 300 CDs or an unlimited number of MP3s available from iTunes, eMusic, and other online retailers.

Here’s the tracklisting:

1) The Words Were High
2) (It’s Always) About You
3) Old Town (re-recorded with new vocals and other fun stuff!)
4) I Know All the Words
5) Remember Brian Wilson
6) Improv #6

Each of these songs has been lovingly handcrafted in my home studio with the help of the inestimable Simon Knight, my long-time helping hand, and the infallible Mitch Friedman, the guy who got me interested in all this in the first place. Gus, my contact at DiscMakers, is back in the office on Monday—and then we’ll get the ball rolling.

Five new songs? Check. Photo shoot in my bedroom with the Nikon, a tripod, some halogen lights, a suit, and some apples? Check. A copy of Logic that I’m still learning how to use? Double check. It looks like we’re good to go on this end.

For now, I’ll leave you with a piece of one of the songs on the new album. It’s called “Remember Brian Wilson,” and I wrote it on New Year’s Eve while sitting at Kate’s house waiting for her to return from Minnesota. I am more proud of the bridge to this song than of anything I have ever recorded, ever. I approached it in the way that I think Green Gartside, the person to whom this album is dedicated, approaches all of his songs: I sat down at the piano and tried to find chords that had nothing to do with each other; then, I tried to find a way to link them together. (This explains both “Hypnotize” and “Wood Beez,” by the way, in case you were wondering.)

So I’m proud of this little collection of songs, and I hope you’ll snag a copy—either digital or physical—when it’s released. (More on that release date soon, I promise.) As another incentive for you to buy buy buy, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Darius Goes West Foundation, in support of a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Check http://class.loquaciousmusic.com for updates and more information!

My Christmas Newsletter

 

So you know how everyone and his mother (or grandmother) writes one of those “End-of-Year Holiday Wrap-Up Letters” and includes a picture of the children and the grandchildren and the great-great-grandchildren? Yeah, well I’m not doing that this year. I will, however, make a holiday list on Facebook, which is basically the same thing. But with fewer stamps.

Here it goes!

Happy Holidays!

Well, it’s been quite a year. Oh, wait, it’s not 1929? I was totally thinking that it was, what with the “Great Recession” thing or whatever. But President Ron Paul will totes fix everything, with his gold standard and weird Star Trek-like conventions and stuff!

Many important things happened in 2008. Here are just a few highlights:

- I bought new sneakers at Sports Authority.
- I released two new albums and a new single.
- I moved twice.
- Erin helped me pick out new glasses because, without my glasses, I can’t see to pick out new glasses.
- I made you a Christmas song.
- I wrote a book.
- I got kicked out of a Starbucks because their coffee was so nasty that I actually spat it out. Onto the floor. Oopsie.
- I became a star commenter on a website on the Internets. Also, I met Halden, my long-lost brotha from another motha. And Barry “Barack” Hussein Osama became our Muslim terrorist President of the United Arab States of Arabia.
- I got into a car accident.
- I bought a new car. Then my dad gave me another one.
- Stephen made his strangest album yet, which is saying a whole heck of a lot.
- I decided that I don’t actually like The Clash.
- I discovered “Don’t Wait That Long.”
- I bought the coolest clock ever.
- My dad made Jay Leno, again.
- I lived through another year and came out the other end just fine.

See you in 2009!

Merry Christmas!

Click here to download “Come Over to My House” for free.  It’s my Christmas gift to you!

Old vs. New

There’s an interesting discussion on TNC’s blog (my hourly read) about the Souljaboy/Ice T. controversy.  Yes, I’m sure you’ve all been talking about this for months, but it just came to my attention.

James’s “Crash”

I don’t mean to beat a dead horse here, but…

How in the hell does this sound good to anyone?

Rhino Records Can No Longer Be Trusted

Rhino Records can no longer be trusted to remaster albums properly.  

Do you see this, Rhino?  This is you hot mastering the new Warren Zevon re-issue.

Pathetic.  Absolutely pathetic.

“Come Over to My House (It’s Christmas)”

I wrote this Christmas song a few years ago, and I’ve finally gotten around to arranging and recording it.  It’s a simple tune about wanting to be with the person (or people) you love around the holidays.

You can download the entire single, which includes an instrumental version of the song, an acoustic demo version, and album artwork by clicking here.  If you just want to download the song itself, right-click this link and choose “Save Link As…”

I hope you enjoy it!  Lyrics are below the jump…

Rest in Peace, Kevin

Kevin Gilbert
November 20, 1966 – May 17, 1996

Love knows no justice at all.

Rhino Goes Above and Beyond

Dear Consumerist,

This morning, I downloaded the new Smiths compilation from Amazon.com.  Unfortunately, the album was “hot mastered,” as are most new albums these days.  The process of hot mastering ruins the subtleties in the sound and raises everything to the same volume, thereby clipping sound waves and destroying intricacy.

Usually, Rhino Records has had a proven track record of releasing albums that have not been hot mastered.  However, this Smiths album was, and I sent Rhino a note saying as such:

Hey guys,

I’m very disappointed with the hot mastering on the new Smiths compilation:

I expect better from Rhino.

Sincerely Yours,
Ben
Fairfield, CT

I didn’t expect to get the following e-mail back:

Dear Ben,

Thanks for your email and I am sorry that you are disappointed with this release.  If you would like to return this title for a refund or exchange (of a comparable item from www.rhino.com, not including Rhino Handmade titles or items from the Extended Store), please send it to:

Rhino Customer Service
Attn. Mac Dunlop
3400 West Olive Ave.  5th Floor
Burbank, CA  91505

Please include your mailing address and a copy of your email (or a note detailing your request).  Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Dr. Rhino

I replied to the good doctor:

Dear Dr. Rhino,

To be perfectly honest, I was surprised and thrilled to receive your note.  Unfortunately, because I bought the album as an MP3 download from Amazon.com, I don’t have anything to send back to you.  However, I have forwarded our exchange on to the website Consumerist.com for their “Above and Beyond” feature.  You guys have certainly gone above and beyond.

I will continue to buy Rhino Records releases—but only if they’ve been mastered by Bill Inglot and Dan Hirsch!

With best wishes,
-Ben

Pretty cool, huh?