Leavin' Home Update

Hey all!

There are quite a few things on the Before-You-Release-An-Album Checklist, and I am joyfully close to the bottom of that list. Two of the last big things are getting the album mastered and creating the album design.

After all the recording work is complete, I have to get the songs mastered. The people who master the album are my fresh sets of ears. They meticulously go through each song and make all of the different sound and instrument levels uniform across the entire album. Once they’re done, they send me a proof to either approve or reject. For “Leavin’ Home”, I caught something in one of the songs (it sounded like one of the musicians accidentally bumped a string), and getting that taken care of delayed our progress a bit. However, it’s worth it to wait on worthy delays.
Check!

Designing the album is one of my favorite parts. I worked with Evan Walker (he designed the artwork for “Whispered Stories”), and once again I’m thrilled with what he put together. After writing, editing, proof-reading, and editing again, it’s so satisfying to see the booklet and the front and back covers. To see the physical album taking shape. Evan helped create the perfect setting, and I can’t wait for you to be able to look through it yourself.
Check!

Shortly, everything will be submitted and in the production company’s hands, and we are that much closer to launch!

I will have a date for you very, very soon!!

-Brittany

Song Introduction: He Gave Me the Sea

Picking up my mini-series of introductions to songs on Leavin' Home, here are some snapshots of a song called "He Gave Me the Sea".

Two Christmases ago, my whole family met up and rented a house on the Outerbanks of North Carolina for a week. We had 13 people in a big summer house in the dead of winter. Is there a better time to stay at the beach?

My siblings are all married and have families of their own, and during this week there were three kiddos under the age of six running around (really four under the age of six, but the littlest at the time was only a few months old and not quite running yet). When I wasn't being invited to tea parties or playing unique renditions of board games with my nieces, I loved standing in the shadows, so to speak. I loved watching my siblings be parents. My brothers and sisters have always been my heroes, and seeing so many sweet moments between them and their kids was beautiful to watch.

One of the first times we walked down to the beach, I overheard my brother tell my niece that that big ocean was all for her. It didn't matter if she couldn't take it with her, or that she had no idea what to do with it... He simply gave her the sea. She may not remember it, but that moment between my niece and my brother caught my heart. There were a week-full of moments like this that inspired this song.

One Line: "Safe because he’s strong..."
The oldest of the three musketeers was very willing to brave the icy water, but the younger two found the ocean to be a bit daunting. These two were willing to get close to the water if dad was standing there with them, though. As long as he was there--ready to pick them up if the water got too close to their feet, they wanted to get as close as they could. I loved that little bit of adventurous spirit and also where they found their courage--in the knowledge that dad had 'em.
 

-Brittany

Song Introduction: Meet Me in the Wildwood

Quite a while ago, I wrote about “Something to Miss“, going line by line into what each of the phrases mean in that song. I asked if there were any other songs you’d like to know more about, and this was one of them:
“Meet Me in the Wildwood”.

This is a new song that only a few of you have heard which gave me an idea… In the next few weeks, before Leavin’ Home is released, I’m going to introduce a few songs that will be on the album.

So here’s a little bit about “Meet Me in the Wildwood”.

The Characters:
The Sun, the Moon, Sandman, and you.

The Plot:
The Sun and the Moon are meeting to tell each other the stories they’ve watched throughout the day and night respectively. The Sun gets to watch all of the daring adventurers by day and the Moon gets to stay up and watch Sandman sail over towns by night; however, both the Sun and the Moon long to hear about the other half of the day. This is where you come in. They’re inviting you to the wildwood to tell them stories they’ve never heard.

One Line:
“Sandman sails Cerulean across the midnight sky….”
When I was little, one of my favorite books was “Ship of Dreams” by Dean Morrissey. It’s all about a boy who ends up on the deck of the sandman’s ship. From the first time reading that book and studying the beautiful illustrations, that’s how I’ve always imagined the sandman to travel. In this song, that was the image I was picturing–Sandman sailing a ship by the name of Cerulean in the moonlight.

When I wrote this song, I was longing to seize the day. To make the most of simple adventures. To have stories to tell and someone anxious to listen. To put stock in dreams. And this longing is infused into the song. It was SO much fun to record this song that it has changed the sound I’ve looked for since.

Can’t wait for you to hear it soon.

-Brittany

Album 2: Named

I’ve been calling this album “Album 2” since before I started recording over a year ago. Thinking about what to name it, I momentarily considered keeping “Album 2” as the final title, but… that moment passed. After brainstorming, coming up with several options, saying the options out loud in countless pretend conversations, and weeks of thought… I have the name!

The title comes from one of the songs on the album, and in two words it sums up the past two and a half years pretty nicely.

So without any further ado…

Album 2 shall henceforth be called: Leavin’ Home

-Brittany

Album Update

In my last post, I said that if all went smoothly, my second album would be coming out in November.

Well, it’s December, and I’ve got some explainin’ to do.

A few stories short, this album has been long in the making, and I don’t want to rush these final stages. So, I’m going to push the date a bit and make sure that ‘Album 2’ is put together and finished as it should be. I’m heading back to Nashville in a week and a half to fine-tune a couple songs. When I’m in the studio, each song is brand new, and sometimes I get swept away and miss the feel I was going for or a certain note or line and don’t realize it until days or weeks later… So thankfully, I have this chance to polish up a few things and make these songs perfect. There are also many production details that I want to get just right–we’ve worked hard on this record, I want it to be the very best it can be!  So…

‘Album 2’ will be coming out in March!

I’m sorry for the wait and the changing deadlines, but know that I’m very anxious to get these new songs to you!

-Brittany

Album 2

I’m heading to Nashville next month to finish recording Album 2!
(I can’t wait to tell you the REAL name of this album!)

Right now, I’m getting the final songs written, selected, polished, and demo-ed.
I can’t wait to get back in the studio. I wish I could take you all with me so you could experience a recording day–they’re my favorite days!

When I get home, everything will be sent off to production, and I’ll probably be bouncing off the walls until everything is complete and ready to go!

I don’t have a release date set, but if all goes smoothly, my second album will be coming out this November!

I cannot wait to share these new songs with you!
I started recording this album last November, and it is nearly impossible to have recorded songs and NOT share them!

More on Album 2 coming soon!

-Brittany