Tagged with Album #2

Pre-Order the New Cryns #3 Album!

We are now offering pre-orders for the new Cryns #3 album!  By pre-ordering, you will be the FIRST to get a digital download of the new record, PLUS you will receive via email a personalized, hand-drawn-by-Toby piece of art!  That’s quite a deal!  And as if that isn’t enough, Toby will also gladly hand-deliver a drink to you free-of-charge at his next house party.  But wait, there’s more!  By purchasing this album, you will be showing your support for a growing movement of artists who are making a go of it in the face of the established power brokers (record labels, A&R reps, monied interests, etc.).  By buying this album you are supporting the Little Guy.  The David.  The guy who has been fighting for truth and justice.

Click the “Buy Now” button below to purchase the MP3 version of the new Cryns #3 album:


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Focus

Here is what is on my band-related docket right now in order of priority:

  1. Finish the new album!
  2. Start “song-a-week” workshop thing (and write a song a week)
  3. Build “Guitar Lessons/Media/Lyrics” page/interface

I have been traveling so damn much recently that it has been hard to get into a groove.  Maybe the first thing on my list should be “Focus”, since that is really what I am lacking right now – at least focus on music.  I have been focusing intently on work-related stuff, which is cool, because a guy has got to pay the bills.  Plus, it is challenging and fun.  But I REALLY want to polish up the new record, which has been in a state of “almost done” for months.

So, for the next two weeks, I plan on spending a few hours per day finishing up the album.  That means plugging in the old Marshall stack for a few hours a day – totally awesome!  The bad thing is that I can’t do that at night due to the ass-kicking nature of the amp.  So, I need to FOCUS.  And get organized.

I’m thinking something along the lines of

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Website work
12 – 1 p.m. Lunch
1-3 p.m. Exercise
3-6 p.m. Record guitar
6 – 11 p.m. Website work

Geesh!  When I put it like that, I really don’t have much free time, do I?  Rock and Roll has never been easy, I suppose…

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Want to Help Me Write My Band's Story?

Cryns #3 is one of a million bands trying to get press. Because we are a relative unknown act, we need to be creative and unique in order to get noticed. One aspect of our promotional push will be story-telling. That is, we will try to tell a compelling story that will perk up ears of writers and influencers. The most notable story in recent years has to be Bon Iver’s “I spent a year as a recluse in a log cabin recording this album“, which went a long way in helping the viral distribution of his record.

We need a story! Here are some things about us that might factor into our story off the top of my head:

  • We are three guys who work full-time jobs
  • We all had normal upbringings and lead normal lives
  • This album is 2 years-in-the-making
  • We sifted through over 50 original songs before choosing the 14 that you hear on the new record
  • The album’s production was kick-started when my office at the U was taken over by the evil, Darth Vader-like overlord.  Feeling pinned down, I penned the song, “I’m Quittin’ My Job!”.  A positive reaction to that song helped me get over being trounced upon by ambitious, uncaring newly-named bosses.
  • I was a division II basketball prospect who chose music over basketball.  I cried when I gave up basketball.  In many ways, it is purer than music.
  • The album tells a story.  My story.  It is an album about being taken apart and destroyed by life and girlfriends and then building it back up again.  My heart has seen some impressive things and has been through a lot of ravaging over the past eight years – that is what this record is about.
  • I grew up on Faraway Farm in Richmond, IL, where for two years, I milked goats for a living, waking up before school, heading out to the barn, and milking goats.
  • Richmond, IL was kind to me.  I was a big fish in a small pond.  Now I’m a big fish in an ocean.  And oceans aren’t as kind as ponds.

So that’s a start.  Do you have any ideas on how to shape some of that into a good yarn?

Your feedback would be much appreciated!!  Thanks!!!

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Recording Progress Made!

With all but one vocal part done, we are entering the final stretch of our recording process for the new Cryns #3 record, which will likely be called “Faraway Farm”. The initial recordings are sounding good, and a select group of fans and friends have already provided some great preliminary feedback. I’m bringing in a trumpet player to rock out on some parts this weekend, and I’ll also be recording some organs this week. Should be fun!

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Mixing Down the New Record

I spent much of yesterday and today mixing down mp3s of the new Cryns #3 record. The next step will be for me to listen to them a few times and figure out if I am happy with them as-is or if I need to do some more work on them. Of course, these are just preliminary mixes, with the brunt of the re-mixing and mastering being done by Auggie Doggie out in Hollywood, CA.

Plus, don’t tell Ryan, but I still have 3 vocal parts to record…SHHHhhhhh…

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