Client's Video Premiered by Paste Magazine

Watch Cadillac Sky's latest music video exclusively on PasteMagazine.com this week.  Their cover of Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" was recorded and mixed entirely at Gravity Boots earlier this year, as was the rest of their Weary Angel EP.  You can hear the title track of that release on our myspace page.  

What We've Been Up To!

Where to begin?! So much has happened since we last blogged, it's hard to know how to sum up all of the exciting news. Amazing studio musicians, dedicated local and national bands, and all kinds of professional clients with high standards of quality have been a pleasure and an honor to record over the last several months. They've honored us, in turn, with their enthusiastic compliments and repeat business.

Tracking full bands live has been the norm lately. With our recent purchase of a high-end RME digital converter we've doubled the size of session we're capable of and improved the overall sound of our workstation. Several bands have had comfortable, efficient live tracking sessions recently using our full complement of equipment. (See our services page for more on our equipment). Recording all at once, mostly in the same room, they minimized the time spent on overdubs and benefited from eye-contact with each other and a rehearsal-like setting. Here are some quick highlights:

- Four piece hard rock band iNSURRECT tracked 7 songs in one day. Just like that, their tracking is completely done exept for vocals.

- Awake! Awake! tracked all of the drums for their second album.

- Experimental acoustic 5-piece Cadillac Sky chose to record all in the same room, not even burdened by headphones, rendering an incredibly sincere performance for their new single and music video which will soon be available on iTunes. The hauntingly talented Jessica Lea Mayfield added a harmony vocal. C-Sky loved the finished master and booked time to record the rest of their EP, which is shaping up to be their most innovative release yet. [UPDATE: Cadillac Sky's Weary Angel EP has been finished and released. Listen to some of it on our myspace page. Billy Cardine of the Biscuit Burners joined them playing Chaturangui on one song].

- Self Contained Suicide recorded the theme song for The Hystik and B Show podcast in a couple takes. They are returning to Gravity Boots later this month to begin tracking their full length album. We are sponsors of the hilarious weekly Hystik and B Show so check out their latest show on their website as well as a video from the session. [UPDATE: Tracking for the album is now just about finished!]

- In March, Sea Gayle Music songwriter Bryan Simpson counted on Gravity Boots to handle the fast-paced tracking of three demos. The six-piece acoustic band included Cadillac Sky, as well as dobro royalty Rob Ikes who all - of course - tracked live. Some of Nashville's best session singers topped it off. Listen to some of the finished product on our myspace page.

- Murfreesboro/Nashville rock band Kelly Kerr and the Distractions are off to a great start on their history-themed album, for which they've welcomed our involvement as co-producers. Their blog is chronicling the writing and recording process of the album. It's a fun read and gives a first-hand account of their experience at Gravity Boots so far; check it out.

- Long time client and friend Danny Combs teamed up with cellist Paul Nelson to record an orginal piece for a video showcasing the photography of Dick Sanders. (See the video on YouTube) Dick was so happy with the song that he gave us three prints of his photos. So, anybody want to trade quality photo framing for recording time?

- Between all of this, we've been hard at work on a Gospel Bluegrass album for another loyal client, The Vellas. Our mixing and vocal editing have earned their praise each time we show them our progress.

"The Recording Is Top Notch..." - Kirk Albrecht, Minor 7th

Danny Combs' album Guitar Out Front, which was recorded and mixed at Gravity Boots and released on Solid Air Records last May, has been selling well and receiving fantastic reviews. Check out the most recent review from Minor 7th:

http://www.minor7th.com/shorttakes2_09.html

Not only does Kirk Albrecht rave about Danny's compositions and performances on the album, but he also remarks that "the recording is top notch." Thanks!

Analog Tape Provides Key Ingredient

Danny Combs and Solid Air Records have been consistently impressed with our recordings of Danny's solo acoustic guitar compostions. We're proud to have earned their repeat business for all of Danny's projects over the last two years.

During our most recent collaboration with them, our 1960's Ampex 440 tape machine provided a key ingredient. How to make it warmer but not necessarily darker? Bright and involving yet not shrill or harsh? There's nothing like tape for that! We recorded our completed mix to quarter inch two track tape and back into Nuendo at high resolution, giving us the choice between mixes with or without the special touch of analog. The difference was subtle but rewarding: bright transients were softened while the overall brilliance and clarity was retained. Both Danny and the folks at Solid Air preferred the tape version.

With dBx noise reduction available on both of our tape machines (2-track Ampex and 8-track Tascam) the unique warmth of tape is also clean and modern. If a project calls for more than the gentle oversight of the analog angels, then more aggresive techniques can unleash the demons of vintage distortion.

Danny Combs' lastest recording will appear on a compilation album for Solid Air Records alongside perfomances by Hall-of-Famer, Tommy Emmanuel, who was named Best Acoustic Guitarist in the May 2008 issue of Guitar Player Magazine, and Oscar Award Winner, Glen Hansard, co-star and co-writer for the soundtrack of the movie Once and musician from the Swell Season and the Frames. The compilation will be produced by the esteemed Disney composers, Richard and Robert Sherman. A big congratulations to Danny for his continued success!

General Hum's New EP

We recently finished recording and mixing an EP for 5-piece ecclectic rock group General Hum. The project showcases the creativity in their writing style and is full of unique arrangements, excellent vocal harmonies, and interesting textures. Aaron and Daniel co-produced the EP with frontwoman/guitarist/songstress Lizzie Conner. Some of the songs were tracked as a full band while other songs where built one texture at a time, allowing for on-the-fly arranging and song development. It was a creative experience for all of us which produced exciting results! The band is currently in the process of doing their own screenprinting for the accompanying artwork. Though the project hasn't been officially released quite yet, head over to our Myspace page to listen for a sneak preview.

Client Scores Record Deal!

The wait is over! We are thrilled to announce that finger-style guitarist, Danny Combs, has made his label debut by releasing his latest album, Guitar Out Front, on Solid Air Records. We think this album is great, and not just because it was recorded and mixed at Gravity Boots. The album was co-produced by Grammy winner, James Jensen and is filled with exciting, original compositions that are masterfully and beautifully played. Guitar Out Front is the follow up to Danny's 2007 independent release, Caffeine and Corduroy - both albums were recorded at Gravity Boots. Solid Air Records is the premier acoustic guitar label in the country, and Danny is their newest and youngest artist. Look for this album in the catalogs of Amazon.com, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, AcousticMusicResource.com, iTunes, or your favorite record store. Listen to the album's opening track "Scrapyard Picker" or the delightful "Bartholomew's Jig" on our Myspace page.

Great New Microphones

We recently acquired a pair of AKG c 414's. These mics are found in almost every professional studio and are popular for their natural sound and versatility. They work great on vocals, drums, acoustic instruments, and just about everything. A handsome addition to the mic cabinet. We can't wait to use them on your project!