We will be wicked, and we will be fair...: seanan

We will be wicked, and we will be fair...

I am currently in studio for my fourth album, titled Wicked Girls. It's my second album recorded at Flowinglass Music, with Kristoph Klover acting as my recording engineer and musical guru. There are going to be sixteen tracks, fourteen original and two covers (one by Dave Carter, one by Brian Gunderson—see if you can guess what they are). Michelle Dockrey appears on thirteen songs. SJ Tucker appears on two. Betsy Tinney appears on three. Amy McNally appears all over the damn place, burning up the floor with her fiddle. And it's going to be...

It's going to be damn amazing.

Vixy was down this past weekend to record her parts for the album, a process that required two days in the studio, and meant I needed to record my lead vocal lines for two songs, to give her something to work against ("Wicked Girls Saving Ourselves" and "How Much Salt?"). Working with her is a joy beyond belief, because we genuinely improve each other. I am a better lyricist for knowing that she's going to play a part in making my work come to life. Several of my better songs—"Wicked Girls," "Missing Part," even "Sycamore Tree"—were written, at least in part, with her voice in mind, either as a lead or backing vocal. I am a better vocalist because I know I have to live up to what she does.

It doesn't hurt that she's, y'know, one of my best friends in the world, and also a good sport about the amount of crazy that Kristoph and I can generate when left to our own devices. We just point her at a microphone and tell her that she's good to go, and wow...wow, does she go. I sit in the booth and I listen, and I rejoice that I have such amazing people in my life.

We listened to the rough playback of "Wicked Girls," totally unmixed, totally raw. Just voices, guitar, cello, fiddle, and djembe wrestling for control. And even without the polish that Kristoph is going to use to turn it into something real, it was...heartbreaking. We both just cried.

I love my recording engineer, and I love my Vixy, and I am going to love this album. I can't wait for you to hear it.

wcg

April 30 2010, 03:26:04 UTC 7 years ago

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You two do make amazing music. I often just turn off the car CD player after Sycamore Tree ends, because it's just That Good.

seanan_mcguire

April 30 2010, 03:52:03 UTC 7 years ago

Awwww, that's awesome.

dimloep_suum

April 30 2010, 03:42:38 UTC 7 years ago

Oh my paws and whiskers, there are new Seanan books *and* there's new Seanan music (eventually)! *squeeflail*

April 30 2010, 03:52:55 UTC 7 years ago

Yup! I'll announce when it's ready for pre-order.

vincentursus

7 years ago

Deleted comment

April 30 2010, 12:29:32 UTC 7 years ago

There's nothing wrong with being male and liking "Wicked Girls"!

mgucciard

April 30 2010, 04:23:51 UTC 7 years ago

My immediate thought on reading the first sentence was "Great! When can I pre-order!!"

SO looking forward to this album.

Yea!!!

-M

April 30 2010, 12:30:10 UTC 7 years ago

Part of why I'm talking about the album more is a vain effort to get people to stop asking me that. :) Excitement is great. Pressure right now, not so much.

No Pressure - Joy of anticipation

Re: No Pressure - Joy of anticipation

snowcoma

April 30 2010, 04:51:03 UTC 7 years ago

I am so excited for this! I was totally blown away by her voice when I saw you perform, and the two of you together are breathtaking.

April 30 2010, 12:30:40 UTC 7 years ago

It's going to be magic.

cleothyla

April 30 2010, 06:41:47 UTC 7 years ago

Can't wait to get it! Wicked Girls has become my theme song. :)

April 30 2010, 12:30:51 UTC 7 years ago

Awww, yay.

technoshaman

April 30 2010, 08:16:47 UTC 7 years ago

We listened to the rough playback of "Wicked Girls," totally unmixed, totally raw. Just voices, guitar, cello, fiddle, and djembe wrestling for control. And even without the polish that Kristoph is going to use to turn it into something real, it was...heartbreaking. We both just cried.

yeahwell, the only reason I don't cry every time I hear you guys play it live is because I'm singing it back at you ffff... :)

You will have an order for multiple copies small numbers of seconds after I read it's ready for preorder. (Which was gonna be my question only everybody beat me to it while I was off doing *other* forms of art...)

filkertom

April 30 2010, 10:11:11 UTC 7 years ago

Can't wait. :D

April 30 2010, 12:31:04 UTC 7 years ago

Yay. :)

tal125

April 30 2010, 12:59:55 UTC 7 years ago

And we cannot wait to hear it. :)

April 30 2010, 14:50:23 UTC 7 years ago

Glee. :)

jeffreycwells

April 30 2010, 13:35:43 UTC 7 years ago

The new disc sounds heavenly. As ever, I seethe with jealousy over people with established musical talent. I'm constantly on the verge of throwing my hat into the ring out of sheer envy, but I wouldn't know how to even start.

Which... come think of it, is a question I don't know the answer to. How did you get your start in Filkdom?

April 30 2010, 14:51:22 UTC 7 years ago

I...showed up. Seriously. Filk is a big, loving, welcoming community, and all you have to do is come to the party to be a part of the party. I didn't really start performing regularly until I managed to screw my courage to the sticking point (and bribed a guitarist), but I was a part of the community from day one.

ladymondegreen

April 30 2010, 14:43:40 UTC 7 years ago

*so pleased*

April 30 2010, 14:51:29 UTC 7 years ago

Me, too.

vixyish

April 30 2010, 15:45:52 UTC 7 years ago

*bouncesnufflehug*

There aren't words, see. Or there are, but I'm not the one who's good at them. :)

("Tired of chains" was the moment I really truly lost it, sitting there in the booth.)

Working with you is a joy beyond belief. The only thing more amazing and inspiring than your songs is the freedom you give me to come up with ways to add my voice to them. It's almost like I get to do a little bit of composing myself, and I get to have the delight and satisfaction of that without having to do any of the actual work. :)

I love my Seanan!

May 21 2010, 17:08:48 UTC 7 years ago

Love and love and always love.

rosered32

April 30 2010, 20:14:53 UTC 7 years ago

I can't wait! I love Wicked Girls and really loved when you offered to write verses for some of our favorite Wicked Girls.

Thank you and love A Local Habitation. Picking up Feed this weekend!

Keep at it as we(Your fans) love your work!

June 14 2010, 18:47:39 UTC 7 years ago

Absolutely. :)

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We will be wicked, and we will be fair...

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No Pressure - Joy of anticipation

Re: No Pressure - Joy of anticipation