I just found these clips of a bass recording session with my good friend Mike Bear earlier this year!
XO,
~Renee
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Decisions, decisions...
For those of you who have been asking me (poking me, prodding me, kicking me...;) about the album, here's the final word.
I made a decision the other night to scrap most of what I've been working on over the past year and a half. What?! Yeah.
I'll use some of it for demos, or to keep in my own personal cache to look back on years from now and say, "What the hell were you thinking when you wrote this?" but I realized that to come up with a album of music that I love, and that others will hopefully enjoy, one that's worth everyone's time and money, I need to get into the studio and give these songs and a whole batch of new ones the full treatment. The plan is to be in the studio by mid-summer of next year, so in the meantime I'll be looking for a producer and going through my list of badass musician friends who would be interested in banging out some tunes with me next summer. So if you play any instrument whatsoever, you may be hearing from me in the next few months. :) I'm anxious to get new music out, but since this is a major project and self-funded, it requires a bit of planning.
In the meantime, I'll be releasing a 5-song EP in February. It will be stripped down, unplugged, songs that I planned to include on the album that are quite close to my heart and may or may not make it on the full album next summer, and a few that will be full band on the album but that I thought might do well as an acoustic version. It should be for sale in February and of course I'll keep you updated on that.
Thanks so much to everyone for your support - it's been a long, slow road, but I'm SO excited about putting this all together and sharing it with you. Many more updates to come in the New Year. Thank you thank you thank you....
XO,
- Renee
I made a decision the other night to scrap most of what I've been working on over the past year and a half. What?! Yeah.
I'll use some of it for demos, or to keep in my own personal cache to look back on years from now and say, "What the hell were you thinking when you wrote this?" but I realized that to come up with a album of music that I love, and that others will hopefully enjoy, one that's worth everyone's time and money, I need to get into the studio and give these songs and a whole batch of new ones the full treatment. The plan is to be in the studio by mid-summer of next year, so in the meantime I'll be looking for a producer and going through my list of badass musician friends who would be interested in banging out some tunes with me next summer. So if you play any instrument whatsoever, you may be hearing from me in the next few months. :) I'm anxious to get new music out, but since this is a major project and self-funded, it requires a bit of planning.
In the meantime, I'll be releasing a 5-song EP in February. It will be stripped down, unplugged, songs that I planned to include on the album that are quite close to my heart and may or may not make it on the full album next summer, and a few that will be full band on the album but that I thought might do well as an acoustic version. It should be for sale in February and of course I'll keep you updated on that.
Thanks so much to everyone for your support - it's been a long, slow road, but I'm SO excited about putting this all together and sharing it with you. Many more updates to come in the New Year. Thank you thank you thank you....
XO,
- Renee
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Renee's Hallway #1 - Heart
This week is my first attempt at recording and uploading with HD video, and after about try # 462 of finagling the audio encoding, size, speed, blah-de-blah, I finally figured it out! :) My hallway seems to be prime space for recording these videos (okay...or it's just that I'm lazy and don't want to move my keyboard too far ;)
So here is my take on "Alone" by Heart, with one wonky chord halfway through. I think I rolled my eyes at myself afterward, and it looks like I'm possessed. Good times! ;)
XO,
~ Renee
So here is my take on "Alone" by Heart, with one wonky chord halfway through. I think I rolled my eyes at myself afterward, and it looks like I'm possessed. Good times! ;)
XO,
~ Renee
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Monkeys and sloths and geckos, oh my!
I just arrived home a week ago from the latest trip in my quest to conquer world travel, and what a crazy, amazing, wonderful adventure it was! The people were warm and welcoming, and so was the food. :) I've posted a whole smattering of photos on my Facebook (I got a little happy with the camera...check them out HERE) but I thought I'd share the top ten moments that stood out for me over our 12 days of exploring. (In no particular order...)
1. Machu Picchu - We've all seen the beautiful postcard photographs of the ruins in the foreground being framed by that one signature mountaintop in the background, but I had no idea how huge and amazing it was until I was there! Walking around this unbelievably beautiful place with the green valley down below, the haze floating over the mountains, wild grazing llamas, the sun casting shadows on the walls of the ruins, birds chirping. No matter your belief or lack thereof, you can't help but feel something spiritual there.
2. Manuel Antonio National Park - On the Pacific side of Costa Rica, this is one of those places where you expect a velociraptor to come running at you for its next meal as you wander through the jungle. We saw monkeys, sloths, lizards, toucans, and adorable little parrots on our rainforest tour. Some of the most beautiful beaches, framed by the jungle, with warm swimmable water.
3. The Green House B&B - This is hands down the most beautiful place I've ever stayed, and was very sad to leave after two nights. Nestled in rural Peru amongst the locals, this was the most peaceful oasis with wonderful, kind, accomodating hosts who provided us with amazing homemade Peruvian meals every night for dinner, a full breakfast, and great conversation, and their four dogs were an entertaining and sweet addition as well. This was where I first tried coca tea - yummy! We wanted to smuggle some, but you know we have a hard enough time coming back into the U.S. as it is (inside joke alert. ;) (The Green House)
4. Pisco Sours - Peru's specialty cocktail. Oh my. Ohmyohmy. Grapey-limey refreshing goodness. We had several of these in different locations, you know, for research purposes, to test them out and all. ;) Apparently our hotel made the best pisco sours in all of Lima, so of course we made sure to order the cadillac size. ;) Which brings me to...
5. Grand Bolivar Hotel - Our old, run-down, amazingly charming hotel in Lima! It looked like something out of The Shining or 1408 (which of course only I would think is cool ;) It was built in 1924, and really not much has changed since then (including the bedding, ha). It had the most beautiful lobby and a man who played grand piano every night.
6. Waterfall swimming - Another Jurassic Park moment. They dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, where we hiked up and down slippery rocks and steep stairs and across rivers and finally came to the most amazing waterfall in the middle of the jungle where the adventurous among us jumped in and swam underneath. It was cool and refreshing and exhilarating, and I wanted to stay there forever.
7. Jaguar Rescue Center - I adore this place and the woman who runs it. Jaguar Rescue Center takes hurt and orphaned animals and rehabilitates them in the most wonderful, natural setting and then releases them once they're old enough/back to health. We spent about 20 minutes in the monkey pen, letting the baby howler monkeys jump all over us, climb, and chase each other (now I can cross "baby monkey on my head" off my bucket list, y'all ;). We pet sloths, and saw some of the most poisonous snakes in the world. Didn't pet those. ;) (Read their story and see pictures of all their amazing animals here: Jaguar Rescue Center)
8. White Water Rafting - There's a first time for everything, and this was mine! 18 miles down the beautiful Pacuare River in Costa Rica, level II, III, and IV rapids. One twisted knee, one whack in the tooth with the paddle, and a lifetime of amazing memories. It was a blast, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
9. Manuel Antonio Jungle Bungalow - Our bed and breakfast in Costa Rica, right across the street from Manuel Antonio Park. Really friendly hosts who made yummy homemade thin crust pizzas every night (we finished off two 18-inchers, y'all), and cheap Costa Rican beer at the ready. Nestled in the jungle, we heard wild parrots and the occasional monkey, and the B&B's two resident deer, Bambi and Nina (just put the swirly thing over the "n" in your mind ;), came out to socialize every day.
10. Swimming in the Pacific - After the Manuel Antonio jungle tour we walked back to one of the park's private beaches in the afternoon and took a swim. The water was warm, the beach was beautiful...and then it stole my glasses. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "Why didn't you leave your damn glasses on the beach, dummy?" :-P I was just about to do that when a monstrous wave came from behind, sucked me under, and when I came up...there they went. So that was my sacrifice to the Pacific, and after about five minutes of whining and complaining, I decided to embrace the spirit of "Pura Vida", go back in the water, and be glad it happened at the end of my trip and not the beginning! So, while I'm not blind as a bat, I was squinty mcgee for the last few days of the trip. Eh, they were all scratched up anyway, so what a way to go. Pura Vida! :)
Now I'm back in L.A., back to work, and getting closer to sharing my new music with all of you, my wonderful friends and family. As always, thank you so much for your support and I hope to talk with you all soon!
XO,
~Renee
1. Machu Picchu - We've all seen the beautiful postcard photographs of the ruins in the foreground being framed by that one signature mountaintop in the background, but I had no idea how huge and amazing it was until I was there! Walking around this unbelievably beautiful place with the green valley down below, the haze floating over the mountains, wild grazing llamas, the sun casting shadows on the walls of the ruins, birds chirping. No matter your belief or lack thereof, you can't help but feel something spiritual there.
2. Manuel Antonio National Park - On the Pacific side of Costa Rica, this is one of those places where you expect a velociraptor to come running at you for its next meal as you wander through the jungle. We saw monkeys, sloths, lizards, toucans, and adorable little parrots on our rainforest tour. Some of the most beautiful beaches, framed by the jungle, with warm swimmable water.
3. The Green House B&B - This is hands down the most beautiful place I've ever stayed, and was very sad to leave after two nights. Nestled in rural Peru amongst the locals, this was the most peaceful oasis with wonderful, kind, accomodating hosts who provided us with amazing homemade Peruvian meals every night for dinner, a full breakfast, and great conversation, and their four dogs were an entertaining and sweet addition as well. This was where I first tried coca tea - yummy! We wanted to smuggle some, but you know we have a hard enough time coming back into the U.S. as it is (inside joke alert. ;) (The Green House)
4. Pisco Sours - Peru's specialty cocktail. Oh my. Ohmyohmy. Grapey-limey refreshing goodness. We had several of these in different locations, you know, for research purposes, to test them out and all. ;) Apparently our hotel made the best pisco sours in all of Lima, so of course we made sure to order the cadillac size. ;) Which brings me to...
5. Grand Bolivar Hotel - Our old, run-down, amazingly charming hotel in Lima! It looked like something out of The Shining or 1408 (which of course only I would think is cool ;) It was built in 1924, and really not much has changed since then (including the bedding, ha). It had the most beautiful lobby and a man who played grand piano every night.
6. Waterfall swimming - Another Jurassic Park moment. They dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, where we hiked up and down slippery rocks and steep stairs and across rivers and finally came to the most amazing waterfall in the middle of the jungle where the adventurous among us jumped in and swam underneath. It was cool and refreshing and exhilarating, and I wanted to stay there forever.
7. Jaguar Rescue Center - I adore this place and the woman who runs it. Jaguar Rescue Center takes hurt and orphaned animals and rehabilitates them in the most wonderful, natural setting and then releases them once they're old enough/back to health. We spent about 20 minutes in the monkey pen, letting the baby howler monkeys jump all over us, climb, and chase each other (now I can cross "baby monkey on my head" off my bucket list, y'all ;). We pet sloths, and saw some of the most poisonous snakes in the world. Didn't pet those. ;) (Read their story and see pictures of all their amazing animals here: Jaguar Rescue Center)
8. White Water Rafting - There's a first time for everything, and this was mine! 18 miles down the beautiful Pacuare River in Costa Rica, level II, III, and IV rapids. One twisted knee, one whack in the tooth with the paddle, and a lifetime of amazing memories. It was a blast, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
9. Manuel Antonio Jungle Bungalow - Our bed and breakfast in Costa Rica, right across the street from Manuel Antonio Park. Really friendly hosts who made yummy homemade thin crust pizzas every night (we finished off two 18-inchers, y'all), and cheap Costa Rican beer at the ready. Nestled in the jungle, we heard wild parrots and the occasional monkey, and the B&B's two resident deer, Bambi and Nina (just put the swirly thing over the "n" in your mind ;), came out to socialize every day.
10. Swimming in the Pacific - After the Manuel Antonio jungle tour we walked back to one of the park's private beaches in the afternoon and took a swim. The water was warm, the beach was beautiful...and then it stole my glasses. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "Why didn't you leave your damn glasses on the beach, dummy?" :-P I was just about to do that when a monstrous wave came from behind, sucked me under, and when I came up...there they went. So that was my sacrifice to the Pacific, and after about five minutes of whining and complaining, I decided to embrace the spirit of "Pura Vida", go back in the water, and be glad it happened at the end of my trip and not the beginning! So, while I'm not blind as a bat, I was squinty mcgee for the last few days of the trip. Eh, they were all scratched up anyway, so what a way to go. Pura Vida! :)
Now I'm back in L.A., back to work, and getting closer to sharing my new music with all of you, my wonderful friends and family. As always, thank you so much for your support and I hope to talk with you all soon!
XO,
~Renee
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