While I’ve been waiting for Applewine to be created from things I’ll never know, I wrote and recorded demos to eight (8) songs. At least two of them are hits: “Nuke Song” (written while watching too much CNN after North Korea tested their first nuke) and “Love Working Over Time.” Good musical notes, you see. But yeah, I should be getting the CDs in my grubby little mitts about a week from tomorrow. And shortly after that, Applewine will be available to order online.

Also, I will be co-recording the second Shaky Hands album along with Nathan Delffs, who has also recorded and played with The Castanets. That will be a fun album to make, like a unicorn party. I swear, homebrewed recordings are the best. WE’RE TAKING THE POWER BACK.

My next album is going to be called Missing Briefcase.

–Alex

It’s like freaking 140 degrees here. Al Gore, please help my apartment cool down to a normal temperature. So it’s the hottest days of the year so far, and what do I do? Stay in and record the new album. Mostly guitars lately. And tambourine. There’s still a lot of work to do, but the songs are starting to sound like songs, so that’s always exciting. I hate it when they sound like shovels. But yeah, I’ve been doing a lot more solos than on past albums it seems, which I totally didn’t expect. I kind of blindsided me. The “Under Your Spell” solo is mind-blowing in its torrential downpour. It’s like being sucked into a wind tunnel/slip ‘n’ slide. Wind tunnel… that sounds pretty good right now.

I have a couple of ideas for album titles, including The Earth’s Temperature Is Increasing And We Are All Going To Die. I’m not going to tell you the good one yet.

Hot flash: The Upbeat Cafe’s podcast is featuring “I Am The Ice Age” this week. I am downloading it right now… you should too (it’s on Show 8). They’re a venue in Georgetown, Kentucky that likes their indie music, of all types (seems kind of like their version of Portland’s Mississippi Pizza). It seems like a pretty super place. If I’m ever in Kentucky, I’m there.

Alex

What news! The new album recording has begun in earnest. Yesterday I spent all day recording mostly bass, and some acoustic guitar. It’s all still very skeletal, but the most developed songs at this point are “Under Your Spell” and “Plains Of Mostly Still Life,” because I’m excited about them. I’m going to record more today, with some intense shaker and tambourine action in addition to more guitars. I’m also trying to think of an album title. How about Cousin Larry, Don’t Be Ridiculous?

Time for a hipster cool dude moment. I saw a heckubba good band last night. They’re called The Waxfire. I went to see my friends The Shaky Hands at the Towne Lounge last night, and these people from Olympia opened. They’re just girl vocals, acoustic guitar, cello, piano and drums. They were super tight and at near virtuoso level on their instruments. Good songs too (that’s the important part). Their set was… thunderous (hire me, Pitchfork). Definitely not your usual indie band. Especially considering they’re from Olympia, home of all your favorite four-track raggedy twee bands.

You know what’s way better than air guitar? Air shakers.

–Alex