Trying Out Tumblr

In short, read my latest posts on Tumblr.

Over the past few days, I've been exploring Tumblr as a possible replacement option for Blogger. The reason is simple: traffic. But it's more complicated than that.

The number one reason to switch is that more people will see what I write; and after all, that's why we all write, right? Tumblr has a better built-in system for organic searches and finding new or related posts.

In addition, Tumblr is committed to updating their iOS app. This is huge because the majority of my posts are written on the go.

Finally, the reader-side format is easy to read, navigate and share.

So there you have it.

At this point, the jury is still out; but in the meantime, while I'm testing out Tumblr, you should really follow me over there:

http://jaymathes.tumblr.com

Three Concerts You Should Go To

I'm getting back in to going to concerts. Not that I wasn't into going to concerts before, but it's just that going to a concert is expensive. The biggest cost is usually the ticket, then travel, then the hassle of the crowd, etc. But I like crowds, first off. And secondly, I also realize that concerts give people experiences unlike any other. Music is better live. Better when it's experiences with others.

Over the next three months, there are three concerts I think you should go to—if you live near Chicago. Here you go:

1. Switchfoot with Gungor. 9/19 at Olivet Nazarene University. One of the best alternative bands around. Fantastic songwriting and just plain nice guys. Not so sure about these Gungor folks, but my brother really likes them, so they're probably okay. The venue probably isn't the best, but it's only 90 minutes away from the Fox Valley; and besides, this might be one of Chicago's last chances to see Switchfoot play—ever.

2. John Mark McMillan. 9/21 at First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn. This dude is an incredible songwriter. And even though he writes some of the modern "hits," he understands songwriting aesthetics. Excellent lyrics. Likely a nice, intimate space with average sound (unless he provides his own back-line).

3. Josh Garrels with Will Reagan. 10/25 at Wheaton College. Really unique voice. A groove that hits that sweet spot. I have a lot of respect for a guy who gives away so much of his music for the greater good: spreading the love (and getting more fans out to live shows). This show will be a highlight of the season for me—in addition to the future birth of my second daughter!

A Man with a Gear Problem

My wife and I don't have a lot of money. But somehow, over the past couple of years, I've somehow found enough of it sitting around in our bank accounts to make a few gear purchases. Recent purchases include a couple new microphones, a very nice mic preamp, and a sweet Telecaster electric guitar (it's not actually, technically a Telecaster...).

But recently, I've started to feel a bit of a reckless pull—towards whimsically buying whatever I want, when I want it, when it comes to music equipment. I might be in trouble.

For the past eight weeks, I've been talking about buying another mic preamp in order to better handle recording live drums. It seemed like the most logical next purchase for my studio, though I knew that I also likely ought to own a Les Paul, in order to round out my guitar sound/palette...

But I've also known for a while—since about March—that there was a good chance that I'd be needing to buy an electric bass guitar. Why? Because I had a friend who, for six years, conveniently let me house his bass at the studio. In March, he came by to bring his instrument back home. The clock was ticking.

The need for a bass came to a head when, just a couple weeks ago, the bassist I had lined up for some session work fell through. I needed somebody to thump out some lines pronto; and, although there was an offer on the table for me to borrow a quality instrument, I knew my time was better spent elsewhere. It was quicker to run to Guitar Center, buy a bass, and drive back to the studio than to drive all the way out to a different friend's place, grab his, and come all the way back. The decision was made.

Here's a picture of what I got...

2011 G&L Custom JB Bass

...On Moonlighting

Tonight, I'm moonlighting. Y'all know what that is, right? Here's how I like to describe it:

Moonlighting is doing what you love after those whom you love are fast asleep.

(Follow me on Twitter for more profound one-liners such as this :) ---> HERE.

Moonlighting is honestly one of the hardest ways I can think of to sustain or develop a career or business. Bravo to everyone who is in it, into it, does it, and works hard at the work he or she really, really wants. You rock.

I, on the other hand, struggle to find balance, often caving into the desire (or need) for rest, relaxation, or recreation.

Tonight is my first time moonlighting in nearly seven months. I hope it will be the first of many more nights like this to come in the coming weeks and months—but not too many. Because I'd rather be doing this as a full-time gig during the day. Yes, I can dream, can't I?

What I'm working on: A soundtrack and narration of The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm, illustrated by Gail Schoonmaker.

We're Buying a House!

My wife and I are buying our first house. Today began the five-day attorney review period. We are excited, feeling blessed, but also quite stressed out.

We have three, young children, so on top of the ordinary stress of three under five, the usual music business stress—bringing home the green, finishing up a new record for summer—and the fact that we are expecting our fourth child in September, we have gotten to view homes for sale, negotiate, and scramble with finding an attorney, an inspector, and locking in a mortgage rate. Yum.

We love our children. Each day we feel inadequate to parent them. They deserve better. These facts make us rely all the more on Jesus for the strength and wisdom to parent and lead our children well. And, it gives us all the more reason to remind our children that they have a Heavenly Father who is perfect, who will always treat them fairly, who is always there, and who loves them unconditionally, without even a single lapse in displaying his affection for them. In Jesus, they do get better.

We trust and pray that our new home—our first home—will be a place where our children feel safe and loved—but only so that it reminds them of the much greater belonging they should feel for being a part of God's family, adopted as his sons and daughters, by His grace.

We trust and pray that our presence in the community will be a shining witness of God's grace in our lives and that through us, the Holy Spirit would work miracles in our midst, building meaningful relationships with our neighbors and helping many to understand the good news of the Gospel in new and extraordinary ways. May our home help us to do that.

We trust and pray that our marriage and our home will be filled with compassion and grace, generosity and an eagerness to share, and will resonate with Gospel melody: Christ's love for us on display through the mundane and the magnificent.

We are financing our home. But we do not presume upon God's grace to provide for our family's needs. We submit ourselves to his loving care and, in faith, believe that he will do what he says he will do: give us all that we need to live by faith.

He has called us to steward the resources he has given us to the best of our abilities, always seeking to honor him with what he provides; and for many—including us—we believe that this means operating within the broken mortgage banking system.

Why? Because buying and renting cost nearly the same. It's about monthly cash flow. We could rent, but buying allows us to reinvest our money. Yes, we are "stuck" because of taking on a mortgage, but we are also putting down roots, committing to invest ourselves in a particular community—for the long haul.

And we can't wait.

To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade? That is the Question

Reason 7's Rack Effects and Virtual Instrument Modules

I use Logic Pro for almost all of my recording. I like the interface way more that Pro Tools, and I know all of the key commands, and I love the virtual instruments and plug-ins. I'm currently running Logic Pro 9.1.8, which is, most likely, one of the very last updates to their version 9 software. A while back, I raised a stink about certain features not being in Logic Pro, the lack of updates, and how Propellerhead's Reason software was constantly being improved, where Apple's Logic seemed to be stuck inside a major corporation unwilling to innovate for their pro audio users. Enter Logic Pro X. Finally, an update. A big one. But is it worth it?

When Reason 7 came out, I vowed to leave Logic Pro behind, but that hasn't panned out—at least not yet. I was in the middle of several really big projects (and still am) and had started them in Logic, so it's difficult to migrate them over—especially to Reason. It's just such a different kind of animal. Much more analog-like, and definitely in the baby stages of development when it comes to key commands and back end features. Of course, Propheads would say they've stripped out the junk that is rarely used and left what is musically useful.

Also know that I exclusively use Reason 7 to create electronic music for Argo the Ship, and I love it for that platform.

But I'm thinking about testing out Logic Pro X to see if the updates are useful enough to make the switch up to version 10. Why? Probably because I'm familiar with Logic and by sticking with it, I don't have to waste precious minutes learning a new interface. I can spend more time creating instead of fiddling, figuratively speaking. Pro Tools is out. It's down to Reason 7 and Logic X, both of which I know, use regularly, and love.

Taking the plunge with a trial in mid-November...

Life After Kickstarter

This past Saturday (well, very early Sunday, actually), I completed my very first Kickstarter campaign. And, I am happy to say that our project was successfully funded! One of the "bands" I'm heavily involved in, Restoration Project, needed to raise funds–$10,000, actually–to cover recording and production costs for a new EP series. Firm Foundation will be a collection of remade Sunday School songs, featuring familiar melodies but with additional lyrics and new music. We are so, so happy with how our campaign did, and we'd consider it a success on every level.

Last plug before I get to the meat of this post: Even if you missed our Kickstarter campaign, you can still pre-order our Firm Foundation series in the resproj.com web store. The first EP drops in November; the second in summer 2014.

So what's it like to complete a successful Kickstarter campaign?

Three things come to mind when I think about our work and what it means:

1. It's Just Beginning. Maybe you'd think that there would be a respite for project creators after a successful campaign; but the truth is, instead of getting easier, the work gets harder. I expect the next 60 days to include a plethora of sleepless nights as I work to complete these recordings well before Christmas.

2. Obligation. I have to tell you, I was blind-sided by this: the feeling of obligation I have towards all those who have pledged towards our campaign. I don't want to let anybody down. I want these to be great recordings, great songs, and I want to finish them on a really, really tight time table. I want these songs to be as good as I seem to make them out to be.

3. Gratitude. So many people gave so generously. I am grateful to them, and I am grateful to God for placing his hand over our campaign and bringing in the necessary funding. It makes me hopeful for the future, too, that we could, potentially, successfully do this again in a year. On that, we'll see...

Thank you all for your continuous support of my music. I do hope these new recordings will make you proud to be a part of this work.

Review: John Mayer's Paradise Valley

People have been hating on Mayer in recent months. Including me. But let's take a step back and think about what we are really doing when we criticize his work: we are assessing it based on what he has already released and what we've come to expect and like—a poppy, rock sound with good hooks, but most importantly, solid lyrics from the heart. Nothing too witty, just true.

Musically, Paradise Valley must be judged on its own merit. It's different—as different as Born and Raised. Stylistically, I'd call it easy listening. Closer to Rod Stewart than Ed Sheeran. It's not my first choice in style, but I could see myself chilling to this record, if the mood warranted it.

Lyrically, on first listen, I dare day this is a return to the thoughtful Mayer we all once loved. No repeating a single phrase for an entire chorus. He sounds genuine again. Not over-worked and striving to please.

When I listen to this, and John's last album, I can't help but think of the song Stop This Train and how it was really a foretelling of his emerging sound.

I suspect I'll be streaming this album a lot when it drops. Thank you, Mr. Mayer, for coming back to us, even if your label's marketing department failed you on designing your album cover.

Stream Paradise Valley for free this week on iTunes:

http://new.itunes.com/r?v=2&la=en&lc=us&a=B%2BqtFMGnLLahoTQO4d%2B8aGOR%2B0mdfzql2CR1noc6w8L6yqSaWtzelvYOrQuN5QCC&ct=AX4h9O3

Donate Now! Restoration Project Kickstarter Campaign

I'm in a songwriting collective. We write, record, and sing new and old hymns. We're called Restoration Project. Less than 48 hours ago, we launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to record and produce our next EP series. You should donate. Here's the link to our project:

http://kck.st/13SvBmM

Share to Twitter

Share to Facebook

New Albums Out (Last Week)

This past week featured some pretty terrible new releases. If you're looking for bad metal, you could listen to the new Black Sabbath. If you want late–to–the–party pop rock, you could listen to Goo Goo Dolls. But it wasn't all bad. My favorite record of the week was easily Jason Isbell's Southeastern.

Check it out here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/southeastern/id644761037

Another album for the week is Eleanor-approved Jimmy Eat World's Damage. Nothing new, but fun summer music. I'm sure some high schooler who just got his license will deem this the best record of the summer. Check out the song Byebyelove:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/damage/id636268673

Let me know what you think!

New Music Review: Phoenix's Bankrupt!

You've gotta know something.

This week, I'm really diggin' Phoenix's new album, Bankrupt!

And who ever said that nothing good comes from France anymore? Well thanks to this group, you can't say their music isn't any good. Next observation: these Frenchman sing in English. Again, what kind of French dudes are these? Well, I'll tell you: darn cool ones.

Their new album is exploding with synths.  The vocals and harmonizations remind me a lot of psychedelic Beatles era stuff, and the synths bring me back to early 90's pop. Catchy, in-your-face. Michael Jackson-esque, at times.

But strap yourself in because this album is *loud*. Probably too loud. Wait... I'm listening to "S.O.S" right now... This album is definitely too loud. Yeah, ear fatigue, as they call it. Check it out. But be warned: it's best played quietly, cuz this stuff will smash your brains in from both ears.

Take a deep breath when track six comes (Bankrupt!). It's a much-needed ear break. And sounds pretty dang cool, too. It also helps that one of these guys knows music theory.

Here's a link to the album on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bankrupt!-deluxe/id602320012

What I'm Listening To, Song Sketches Online

A couple weeks ago, there was a terribly large number of really great albums that were released. I'd like to introduce you to a few of those artists here... Before I go there, though, I'd like to mention two things:

Brad Paisley's new album, Wheelhouse, came out a couple days ago. My first impressions of the record match my impressions of nearly every other he has done: he's a fantastic guitarist who's not afraid to rip. And some of his songwriting is very good. But I'm not talking about the poppy stuff or the pop culture-laden songs. Those are fun and catchy in there own right, but it's dumb writing, if you ask me. The point is, anything Mr. Paisley releases is worth checking out. I say that about few other artists. (John Mayer is another one.)

Next: I'm going to start posting my song sketches to my SoundCloud profile. Follow me there and you'll get to hear a lot of the stuff I'm working on - sections of new songs or full, new songs - recorded on my phone. Here's that direct link: https://soundcloud.com/jaymathes

Okay, so here's what I've been listening to lately:

Stornoway - Tales from Terra Firma
Phosphorescent - Muchacho
Low - The Invisible Way

I'm loving all three of these albums. And, sadly, I'm still having a hard time remembering which songs belong to which band. That's what happens when you listen to a LOT of good, new music in a really short time-span. Go check all these guys out.

And check out my stuff, too.

New Music... Thursday? Pick of the Week

I can't believe it's Thursday! Yeah, a week and a day since my *last* music post (which was already a day after the Tuesday's new releases dropped).

I've only had a chance this week to listen to a small number of new releases. When you consider each new album probably has a 45 minute-plus runtime, it's easy to see the difficulty of the task. This is why newspapers and magazines have full-time staff members dedicated exclusively to reviewing new albums.

So this week, I'd like to draw your attention to the latest album from one of my favorite artists today: Josh Ritter. His new album is entitled The Beast in its Tracks and you can...

Get it on iTunes here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-beast-in-its-tracks/id579109979

Or consider buying the exclusive B&N edition with a special lyrics journal insert:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beast-in-its-tracks-josh-ritter/25668859?ean=92145170304&isbn=92145170304

Track one is classic Ritter: "night" is in the lyrics and the vocals are doused in reverb. But 55 seconds later, we really get cooking. It's obvious from the start that Josh has heartbreak on his mind, but it's not the kind of turn-off that we've come to know in break-up songs.

As a whole, lyrically, the album comes off in a similar way as Andrew Osenga's Leonard, the Lonely Astronaut (although each artist approaches their subject from different vantage points and ultimately draw different conclusions). Both Ritter and Osenga leave listeners - me - longing to recapture a relational emotion or state of being that has long since begun to wane.

I hate when songwriters are marketed as "thought-provoking" or "honest" or any other cliche about possessing a higher level of poetic- or song-craft. Though they tend to be true, these cliches dumb down the really good songwriters into some sort of quantifiable, understandable category. As a songwriter myself, I don't find the adjectives helpful because they tend not to be unique to music.

But Josh Ritter comes off to me as human - and relatable. Reading his own history makes it easy to see why his songs resonate this way with me and many others. He's a pretty normal guy from... Idaho?

So go check out his new record, and if you find yourself listening to the lyrics more than your average Bruno Mars pop song, consider checking out his other records, too. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

New Music Tuesday: Pick of the Week

Perhaps I have been a little over-zealous in my endeavor to review a bunch of albums each week, released every Tuesday. We'll see how this goes in the future, but for this week, I just have a single album recommendation: Ivan & Alyosha's All the Time We Had.

Buy it on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-the-times-we-had/id580389245

I first heard about Ivan & Alyosha through Noisetrade, back in May of 2011. I downloaded their EP Father's Be Kind and have really liked it. eI&A's sound is folk/alt-country, and their newest album reminds me of an interesting combination of Simon and Garfunkel, Elvis, The Beach Boys, Chicago, and some other classic country-twanger, whose name eludes me at the moment.

I haven't had a chance to really dig into the lyrics. I've focused more on the music and melodies. The album features several gems, in my opinion: "Running for Cover" and "Easy to Love". Even better, these two songs are featured on iTunes and at Starbucks. "RFC" is iTunes' Single of the Week *now* and "ETL" was Starbucks' most recent Pick of the Week. Whoever is doing marketing for these fellows seems to know what he's doing.

So go check it out.

Top 25 Albums of All Time - #8

Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago

I just can't get enough of it. Packaged pop-punk? Yes. But is it well done? Absolutely. Maybe the best. Certainly in the best-in-class category. Lyrically, this stuff packs a serious punch, too. Don't believe me on the lyrics? Listen to the *epic* "Deathbed" and decide for yourself. It's awesome. It's a songwriter's song - a story-song. Love it.

Spotify link here: open.spotify.com/album/2i7lUD7JpgyVd2KhuzMp6O

Buy it on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/five-score-and-seven-years-ago/id215485112

FYI: The album cover image I've used is from the original album release cardboard sleeve. It's fairly rare and unknown, but I prefer it to the "updated" cover.

Tubes, Family, and Christmas

[Source Link]

Merry Christmas everyone!

I do hope you've been having a wonderful time in between two of my favorite holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas, obviously). It's been a busy time for me and my family, and I see no signs of a slow-down any time soon - even over school break.

Tonight, my family is going to see the tree lighting in downtown Geneva. It's the kick-off of the annual Santa Lucia Festival. Apparently, she's a Swedish saint who gives out cookies. Awesome. We're gonna try to score a few sweets and watch Santa (not a saint) light this big tree outside the Courthouse on Third Street. (If I ever have another daughter, I might pull for the name Lucy.)

Next up...

What happened last week:

Eleanor, my 15-month-old, got tubes put in her ears. If you're not familiar with the procedure, it's fairly simple, but for a *musician* dad, it's intense. Read about it HERE. It's called a "myringotomy". I'm emotionally drained right now and kinda depressed. Hoping tonight will help.

And what's coming this week:

Two huge recording projects from some friends - one new, one old. Gonna be a lot of work - probably 4-5 full, 8-hour days in the studio before Christmas, but well worth it. I'll be doing tracking and mixing for both recordings.

And last of all:

I've had the weight of the next Restoration Project album on my shoulders for a few months now, with little forward progress. I've started tracking, but haven't really felt "right" about any of what I've done so far. I plan to bring in a couple of friends from Redeemer Fellowship to kind of get some fresh energy and perspective on things.

Gonna be interesting. Gonna be hard work. But I was just reminded again of a belief that I have long held to:

I want to be known as an individual who, by God's grace, has pushed the limits of human capacity - to live, to love, to create.

I look forward to the release of the next Restoration Project album in Spring 2013 and hope it breathes new life into our world.

I'm Not a Web Designer

I have a love-hate relationship with web design.

I'm not a web designer. I can do professional work, and I can get hired to do web design, but I'm not *in it* every day, if you know what I mean. I've taught myself everything I know about it by reading books and scouring websites for critical "code". (My brother frequently reminds me that HTML isn't "code" in the developer's sense. Or is it?)

WARNING: This post is technical in nature and you might just be bored out of your mind to read on. For those of you not interested in computer graphics, image rendering, or web design, I'd kindly suggest that you stop reading here.

So here's the point of this post today (yes, this is a rant):

iPhones and iPads and MBP's have been out long enough now, but for some reason, NOBODY has written an article that simply explains how to implement "retina graphics" on a website. Seriously. All I want to do is "serve" three different image header files to users that match three, different device specs: user 1: iPhone/iPad, user 2: Retina MacBook, user 3: lo-fi computer screens. Why can't this be easy? It beats me.

Next problem: WordPress (and Blogger) both need to update their platforms to support this function *automatically*. Seriously, Wordpress? You're huge. You don't even have a third-party plug-in that will do this well.

Is it too much to ask that my website looks great on an iPad? I think not.

Thoughts on Kickstarter, My New Campaign, Etc.

I love the idea of Kickstarter. I also hate being a late adopter. Which is part of the reason why you haven't seen a "campaign" from me yet...

But the biggest reason, actually, why I haven't done a campaign is that I am afraid of not getting my project fully funded. And that would mean not getting any money at all to use for the next record - even if the project made it to 95%.

The thing is, I have been motivated out of a fear of a lack of support from my closest friends and family and those of you who love the music I write. And for that I am sorry. Please forgive me.

Beginning September 15th, you all will have an opportunity to support me in a new and unique way. By supporting me and the next record financially, you'll be essentially acting as an old-school benefactor or patron. This sort of an idea to support the arts is not new. It's been around for centuries. Mozart, Wagner, Liszt, Beethoven. Everybody has had them. The patron system is how music got made.

And, in some circles, this sort of financial giving to support the work of others is not just common, but almost expected. Think: christian missionaries. Do I consider myself to be a missionary of sorts? Absolutely. A missionary of music with a message that can hopefully, in some way, make some sense out of this world that we live in.

Today, we're seeing a *huge* arts resurgence - especially with music - where artists are reaching out to their fans to support them. It's huge right now, and it should be. AND, it should continue to be.

I want you to support my music financially. Yes, with money.

And what can I give you in return? Music. And myself. And my deepest thanks. For helping me do what I believe I am meant to do: make music for you.

In just a few, short weeks, I'll be posting all of the details for how you can support me in the coming year. Thank you, thank you for your support.

Searching for a New Apartment - Again

There's something that I have learned very recently (about 11 months ago): Looking for a new place to live is a blessing.

It reminds us of the impermanence of life. 

It reminds me that, in the most real sense possible, I don't really have a home here (not yet, at least). No place will ever give me rest - true rest - rest for my soul.

Transience is life.

Today I spent over an hour driving the streets of Saint Charles, looking for apartments for rent. The booty: three places. That's it. I drove every street in the area where we want to move to, I called all three places, and left three voice messages.

Today I find myself in an interesting situation: Time is short to find a new place. Prospects in our desired location are slim. So now what? Ah! The answer is so simple...

Don't worry. 


I'll let you know how I do, continuing to relish existence in the void of not knowing where I'll be living in six weeks. Update coming soon...

Top 25 Albums of All Time - #7

John Mayer: Continuum. Any questions? Really? Let's put aside what we think about Mr. Mayer's latest record for a minute and try to think about things objectively. This is a great album.

View my whole list here: http://jaymathes.blogspot.com/search/label/top%2025