Danielle Thrush

I would have posted earlier but December hit like a tidal wave. We began the Danielle Thrush album and I simultaneously mixed the As We Tremble project. It was a busy, busy month, not to mention the hectic nature and schedule of Christmas time.

When Danielle approached me to produce her first full length album I had a certain amount of trepidation due to how incredible her e.p. sounded. It was produced by my dear friends, Aaron Ankrum and Joel Hanson and was mixed by Mark Nash. All heavy hitters in all that they do in their musical careers.

I have recently come to grips with the reality that my style of production is a bit different than that of my peers. What I am about to try and communicate, in no way, devalues the approach of other people in my line of work. It isn't at all a "my way is best way," but rather, it is me finally becoming okay with my approach being "different."

A few words on that...

Though my sound is a very clean one, I tend to gravitate towards music that, although it could still be categorized as "pop music," tends to be more eclectic and to my ear, is more like... painting. Only instead of a canvas the medium is sound. This is music that really gets my blood pumping. Unique instrumentation (not unlike creating mixed-media), the risk-taking in finding non-traditional sounds and effects (using unique and contrasting colors), not to mention my love for hearing authentic instrumentation as opposed to stock sounds from a digital synthesizer or computer program (real brushes and real paint, as opposed to creating a digital image on a computer) hence the investment over the years in my ever-increasing vintage keyboard collection! Of course, I record onto the computer, but for me it is more like a photographer using old equipment and real film and then processing it to its desired final look in photoshop.

I have come to find a substantial degree of value in the approach of trying to create something that has never been heard before. So things like, having the artist sing into a plastic cone, sticking a microphone into a ceramic hand-drum to help shape the sound, beating on large plastic bins instead of drums, using car keys instead of a shaker, etc. really excites me. In general I would say that I prefer risk over safety and have found that it produces something of original value.

In the art world, of course, an original work far exceeds the value of a reproduced print. Recorded music, by nature, is like a print. It is reproduced for the masses and everyone who puts the music into their CD player, or iPod or computer gets the exact same thing. With visual art, there is a distinctly different feeling to experience an artists original work. You see the texture of the paint, you are standing in front of the very canvas the artist stood in front of for hours on end. It is... original. None other in the world like it. Therefore, my approach to recording is to attempt to make each "print" original at the onset. To create art on this sonic canvas that no-one has ever heard before. In doing so, the desired end is to have the listener tap into that same feeling when they stand in front of an original work of art. That wowed feeling of, "This work that I am seeing (hearing) right now has never been created in this way before." To cause them to listen on a deeper level. A level that moves them to the core.

Back to the Danielle album...

I informed her during our first meeting that, if she was looking to record something that was an extension of her e.p., that I probably wasn't the best fit, as my production style is a bit more organic and eclectic. After informing me that she was indeed hoping for this, we began this journey. The players on this album are the guys who have been playing in her band. Alex Young on drums, Zachary Ojeda on bass and Kyle Tennis on electric guitar. All three brought their very best and even allowed me to stretch and challenge them, both in the parts they played and in the tones from their instruments. Honestly, I was a little nervous to work with musicians outside of the realm of who I normally hire, however, they all worked incredibly hard and gave me really wonderful parts to work with. It seemed to be a rewarding experience for all participants.

At this point, we are in the mixing stage and it will be completed no later than mid-February.

I am really proud of this work and I hope to have helped define Danielle as an artist, as a songwriter and also have helped her find a sound that is her own. A sound that has uniqueness and originality. A sound that young songwriters will use as an example of their own influence.

Alex Young on drums
Zach Ojeda on bass
Kyle Tennis on electric guitar
A Library staple: Ben Rosenbush playing cello
Danielle singing into a microphone inside a plastic cone
Alex playing various junk for the looped section of the song "Parade"

Blog Ketchup

It's been a busy couple of months for me. All kinds of recording at the Library, my band Greycoats, going out to play CMJ in NYC, playing Hammond B3 and Yamaha CP70 electric piano for the Joel Hanson CD release party, renting my studio out to other local producer/engineers and in my spare time building a three-tiered mansion for Maddox, our pet tortoise.

I have had numerous sessions over the last two months, but I will focus on just a few here.

I had the distinct privilege of bringing a portable recording setup to St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, MN to record a 1.5 million dollar pipe organ, played by renowned pipe organist, Bill Chouinard, for the Norah Long project. We did two traditional hymns and then added chimes and bell sounds to another song. For the portable set up I grabbed the Digi002 and mac G4 tower/flat screen computer monitor from my basement, my API lunchbox (which I used for the close mics) and used the 002 pres for the rooms. The mic setup was; 2 - AKG C214's up close, a pair of AT4033's in the middle of the room and AKG C1000's in the far back corners of this enormous sanctuary (kinda wish I knew the total feet of cable I used for this setup). When Bill pulled out all the stops, that thing really screamed. It was really a treat to capture it.
Similar instrument, completely different set of skills, equally known for these skills, I recorded Billy Steele on the Hammond organ in my studio for the Norah Long project. Billy has played and recorded with the grammy award winning group Sounds of Blackness, working at Flyte Time studios with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. I feel so fortunate to work with such world-class musicians. When Billy plays the Hammond organ he literally becomes part of the instrument. He is able to speak, to sing, to yell, to emote through this instrument. From his soul, through his fingertips, onto the keys and through a spinning speaker. All I had to do was put up a few mic's and capture it.
Earlier in the month I had an 8-piece country band visit the Library for a day, resulting in a full album of classic country covers. They all stood in one room and played as live bands do. I mic'd up a drum kit, upright bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica/background vocals, a main vocalist, pedal steel and two fiddle players. The next day I mixed the whole thing and an album by Glen Hanson called "Is What It Is" was finished.

Norah Long

If you are from the Twin Cities and know anything about the local theater scene, then Norah Long is a name you are familiar with. Take a look at her bio on the Guthrie Theater page and you will see what I mean.

Norah and I are working on a full album of traditional church music but she has given me liberty to do with them what I see fit, making it a non-traditional album of traditional songs. We brought in Zach Miller to play drums, Aaron Fabbrini on upright bass and Michael Pearce-Donley on piano and organ for a small handful of tunes. I am also excited to be bringing a portable recording set-up to a large Lutheran church to record Bill Chouinard on an actual pipe organ for a couple of the songs.
Norah has been spoiling us rotten with the most amazing chocolate candy-bars you could imagine. Chocolate with bacon, white chocolate with dried kalamata olives, chocolate with passion fruit and sea salt. Unreal.

It is a delight to work with her and a really fun challenge to breathe some uniqueness into these old church hymns and spirituals.

award winning?

I recently received an email from Elizabeth Hunnicutt with this photo attachment...and a note that said "Thanks Matt!"

nice.

Rachel Kurtz-May

My friend Rachel Kurtz-May and I have wanted to work on a project together for years. Unluckily for me, she has several friends who have smaller recording set-ups and are willing to make albums for her at a very affordable price. This is why it just hasn't worked out, until now. Rachel is recording another CD, from many sources with varying sizes of studios, but this time she decided to throw a little audio love my way!

Rachel came in last week and did a bunch of tracking. Solo acoustic and vocal songs, overdubs of electric guitar with our friend Nate Houge (who was also on the Monsters of Folk tour with me and Jonathan Rundman), our rapping friend Agape laid down his rhythmic vocal stylings on a song called "Kurt Cobain," and we ended the session by doing full drums with her husband Michael on electric guitar and local gospel drummer, Chico Cockrell.

The mixes will be finished up soon and I have high hopes that this will be her best record yet.

Jonathan Rundman

Over the last several years I have had the pleasure of doing a bunch of mix work for my friend Jonathan Rundman. He and I go back several years and even shared a tour together (called the Monsters of Folk tour) with two other friends. Jonathan fully embraces the DIY method of recording with a Digi001, an old computer and only two microphones, all captured in his basement. Jonathan is no wannabe artist though, he has been featured in Paste magazine and frequently tours around the country as a solo artist.

Jonathan brought in a bunch of songs for me to mix and even add some parts to. I love that about him, his trust in me to add whatever I hear to his tunes. One of my favorites in this batch is a song called "Surgical Precision," which has the mood and sonic textures of a fast paced "Get Back" by the Beatles. With no bass on the track I grabbed my Hofner violin-bass, like the one McCartney used, and played a very Paul-inspired bass line, then added a guitar solo. The trick was to play it in a sloppy/cool way like the late George Harrison would play. No vibrato, lots of bends and even a little out of time.

It turned out great and I am grateful for people like Jonathan who keep me busy with mix work.

Jenn Dwyer

With Vicky Emerson's project finished and another full album project in the works I was asked to work on some mixes and minor tracking for various people.

Jenn Dwyer, whom I shared the camera with for a Sara Groves music video back in 2002, has been working on her own album. It was produced by my friend, Ben Gowell and features many of the same musicians I use for projects at the Library. They kindly asked me to mix the album and it is turning out great. Good producers and good engineers make my job so much easier.