Record Stores... They Still Exist???

If you ask when was the last time I bought a physical CD in a record store, I'll have to concentrate for a few minutes and try to remember if it was even this year....

Even today, as I popped into the bookstore to buy a new notebook (I always carry one in my bag wherever I go - for both musical and journalistic purposes, you just never know!) I ended up next to the music department and remembered that one of my co-writer and producer Billy Stein's record had hit the stores nationwide today. Linda Eder's much anticipated "americana" release, "The Other Side of Me".

Ever since I first got to Manhattan/EMI and did my showcase this spring, they've all been talking about the album that was already done but because of internal political reasons (nothing to do with the actual product, sadly - this is the reality of the music industry today: it's not about the music) the label couldn't commit to a definite release date and deliver. Same old story....

Anyway, many months later, the album is now in stores through Verve. And it was worthwhile.

I was first introduced to Linda's work when I came to the US in 2000 to do the Alan and Marilyn Bergman tribute show. Back then she was quite well known if you liked that kind of music - Broadway standards.

But today, I heard the record that she should've considered making even earlier. (Actually, I did hear bits of it at Billy's studio a few months ago - so I was already familiar with the material more or less, but hush hush :-)

As I was unwrapping the CD, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic about the time when I, as a little girl, seized every opportunity to drive miles out of central Moscow with Dad to our favorite "Purple Legion" where they sold imported records from abroad...quite a luxury back then! A CD was 15.00 USD, but it was worth every penny - what a joy!

Nowadays, I barely even bother to walk into one of those mega record stores... Why? Because quite frankly, very few amazing albums are being made and released on regular basis these days - and it's no big deal if I just get a song or two off iTunes and ignore the artwork and credits included in the physical copy of the record....

It's just rarely worth the hassle and utter excitement like before.... Will it ever be the same again? Doubt it. But something else will surely come along - no doubt. That's the way it is...and always has been - a full circle!

Something "Beautiful" is on its way....

A couple of days ago, I posted a news scoop on my new Guitarati application about two brand new tunes in the making...

In fact, one of the songs was mentioned in my earlier blogs where I talked about a long songwriting session with a real musical gem - Billy Stein - on a miserably rainy day.

It's called "Beautiful" and the title came as no surprise, because when Billy and I first started laying down some musical ideas for the tune a couple of weeks ago, we kept telling each other that it was already beginning to sound "beautiful"... So we thought, why not keep the title? (That is, when it's done and posted on myspace and you don't agree that it's beautiful, then we'll have to find a new title!)

We spent a session or two going in circles with the different ideas for a final topline, and ultimately we realized that coming back to the tune the following week would do us - and the song - a big favor! :-)

Earlier this month I started working with another great songwriter, Jeff Franzel, who like Billy has worked on some amazing projects and has got a whole list of incredible credits to his name. Jeff, a longtime songwriting partner of mine Ayhan Sahin (remember "Wild"? Billboard Top 10 Critics Pick for 2007!) and I are currently finishing another new song called "If I Lose You Now" (more on that later - we're recording the vocals this coming Thursday!!!) Jeff and Billy just happen to be based literally across the street from each other (that's quite impressive for NY!) and also have a million mutual contacts and friends in the vast world of music, so I thought "wouldn't it be fun to introduce them?" Who knows why their paths haven't crossed yet tete-a-tete!

And there it was... A fresh pair of very musical ears heard our "song in the making" - Beautiful - and made a suggestion or two "just as an idea"... And guess what? The three of us finished the entire song (so far just the music, lyrics are on their way - due any day now!) within a couple of hours, as I had to rush to a meeting at EMI, so a little bit of pressure was all the more inspiring and stimulating!

I was just listening to the rough guide vocal on my iPod and I'm so excited about this song... Every now and then, you come up with something brand new with a great group of people, which in itself is a blessing, and you can feel the excitement deep down - you know it's going to be something special!

Hopefully this feeling of genuine anticipation for the new song will manifest itself into a brand new "musical baby" that the three of us can be proud of. '

I sent Billy a text yesterday telling him how excited I am about finishing the song and playing it to EMI: for those of you who don't know, I met Billy Stein through Manhattan/EMI when I was preparing for the private performance earlier in April, so needless to say, I am immensely grateful for this wonderful hook up! Playing with Billy was so much fun not only at EMI but also at the Songwriter's Circle (check out my Bitter End photo album to see our snaps!)

All that's left to do to make "Beautiful" really beautiful is determine what is "beautiful" - that is, come up with a lyric! I'm still toying with the idea... It's strange but I've never really been that good at positive outlooks in the lyric. If you think about it, "Thinking of Someone Else" is a cruel lyric (Chris Neil, one of my co-writers and producer on the record alongside Ben "Jammin'" Robbins, is one of the most talented male writers from a female's perspective, that's for sure!) And even a happier song like "Connected" is a bit on the cynical side, too: it's an online chat that grows into a bond between two online characters, one of whom turns out to be a computer program - a mere software - "data flows through its veins" - while the person on the other side of the screen has fallen for this computerized character believing in all honesty in its truthfulness and "humanness". We've all been through this at some point, I guess, except maybe not on this level of cruelty and "robot"-esque unrealness. Do you remember the online chat boom in the 90's? Who knows who the people we spent hours chatting with back in our teens really were???

So, anyway, getting back to the new song and the upcoming lyric - just for a change, I'd like to try a slightly more positive vibe this time around... Even if it's got a twist by the end of it all... Otherwise, I won't be true to myself, will I? :-)

Time to retire to bed - it's Monday tomorrow - again!