I admit it: I’m a little high on the smell of my new CD, Give It A Whirl. You know that fresh-minted smell you get when you crack open the shiny cardboard cover for the first time? I’m inhaling it and more than that, I’m reveling in it.
These past few weeks have seen me tooting my own horn a lot, and it’s not comfortable for me. I’m a lot more at ease introducing other people, or letting people know about their great work through Roots Music Canada. I believe in this album, though, and a lot of people believed in this album, so I’ve doggedly done what I can to make sure it gets the kind of reception I feel it deserves.
Still, it’s been such a hard climb and such a long time coming, that as of yesterday I felt as if my first studio record had simply worn me out.
That was until I rehearsed with producer Gregg Lawless and a knockout band this afternoon. I felt as musically grounded as I’ve ever felt, with their incredible experience and talent to back me up.
Shortly thereafter, I visited my friends at MMS to pick up boxes of the new beauties. They are works of art. Thank you, Janine Stoll, for the hard work and sensitivity that went into this lovely design. It’s made the project shine.
The package makes a difference in listening to the record, too. As many times as I’ve heard the rough mix, and then the master, it was nothing to finally popping the album into a stereo to listen to every track in its completed form.
It’s been a long road. It was a hard grind. But as of today, I can tell you it was truly worth it.
Tomorrow, I’ll share that feeling with the audience, in a live setting at my CD release at Hugh’s Room. Today I share it with anyone who’s sweated for a long time to bring a project to completion. It’s good to feel the satisfaction, eh? May every musician be as satisfied as I am today with this work. I know I’ve done my best, and damn, I’m happy with Give It A Whirl.
So much so, it feels like I kind of want to keep those babies close, hug them to my chest, sleep curled up among them in a real pile, and hang onto that feeling.
But no. We didn’t come all this way just to revel in having them around. I’ll be hearing the new CD whisper to me all night long, the night before the big gig: ‘Please release me, let me go…”
And tomorrow night, I will. With pride!
We are looking forward to tomorrow night!
Looking forward to receiving my very own copy!
Well done David! Congratulations and I can’t wait to hear it!