Often in an album, it’s tough to realize all of the things happening in the background. Brian Wilson once famously claimed that if you listen to “Pet Sounds” on headphones in the dark, you’d be able to hear each and every instrument & vocal part. And he did that album in mono! Well, I know many of you won’t be listening to my music alone in the dark anytime soon, so I’ve come up with the next best thing:
Tonight, I mixed down many of the tracks from “Those Around Us” (my latest album) and took away the instrument track. That way, you can hear all of the vocal harmonies…and all of the work I put into them! I also threw in the backing (music) track to “Look Around”, as it has the an interesting combination of instruments. I think you’ll really enjoy this 11-track album.
The file is a zip file and the tracks are done in high-quality iTunes AAC format. And, it’s FREE, so why not download it right now? I’d love to hear any comments about these special bonus tracks.
Hello everyone to another special edition of the Laptop Sessions music video blog! I’m happy to officially announce that my new album, “Those Around Us” is now available on iTunes and on CD! If you’d like the album on CD, you can purchase it on my website at http://jimfusco.com/albums/those-around-us.html. If you’d prefer to download the album on iTunes, you can get that by clicking here!
“Those Around Us” features twelve new original songs. I hope you’ll go and check out my website for the full write-up on the new album. I honestly believe it’s my best effort to date and I’m proud to bring this new album to you.
As you see from the album cover above (which looks AMAZING, by the way), I was able to secure Ben Quesnel (at http://bqartstudio.com) to paint the cover for me. As you may know, Ben painted the “Halfway There” cover. I couldn’t be happier with the results of both album covers!
On January 13th, 2012, I had a big CD Release Party with my closest friends, family, and co-workers. Words cannot describe how honored and humbled I was by the great turnout. The crowd loved the seven new songs I played acoustically for them and everyone had a great time. I even got to play a special encore cover song of “Two of Us” by the Beatles with my fellow Traveling Acai Berries member, Steve.
I recorded the entire show in multi-track audio and mixed and mastered it for all to hear. You can listen to the entire CD Release Party concert for free on my website! That’s right, just go to http://jimfusco.com/albums/those-around-us.html and click on the music player in the middle of the screen. I’m really happy I had the opportunity to record it with my multi-track recorder because I was able to mix and tweak it after the fact. I tried to record the show on video, as well. But, something went wrong with the tape and I was only able to salvage the last song I played, “Good Enough”. But, I made the most of that short video and put it on YouTube to show (even for just a few minutes) what a good time we all had at the CD Release Party. I’m presenting that video for you here on the Laptop Sessions music blog, too.
I sincerely hope you’ll go and at least listen to “Those Around Us” on my website and on iTunes. I know you’ll love the album, especially if you’re a fan of the cover songs I play here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs blog. I think you’ll notice the influence of the bands I love and the music that inspires me. As always, I’d love to hear what you think! Write a comment here on the blog, tweet me @jimfuscomusic, or visit my Facebook page at http://facebook.com/jimfuscomusic!
Welcome everyone to a very special edition of the Laptop Sessions with me, Jim Fusco! Today, I bring you a brand-new song off of my forthcoming album, “Those Around Us”! The album is being released this Friday, January 13th and today’s acoustic music video is your first taste of the album. The album will be available on CD for purchase on my website at http://jimfusco.com, so make sure to go over and check it out. As with all of my albums, you can hear the entire disc online for free before you buy! The album will also be available for download on iTunes in the coming weeks- I’ll be sure to post links when the album gets on iTunes.
“Those Around Us” is a collection of my latest songs- I’m extremely happy with the way it came out. I utilized some new instruments and techniques that really took my sound to next level. I even got the album professionally mastered! So, now when you put the CD into your player, it’ll be the same volume as the rest of the CDs you purchase. Plus, the sound is crystal clear with plenty of bass. It’s how I’ve always imagined my albums would sound if I had the technology and means to do it. Realizing this goal was a big accomplishment for me.
Like I mentioned, I used some new instruments on this album, including a lap steel guitar and a 12-string electric guitar. With the 12-string, I was able to get the Byrds/Beatles sound I love so much. It also opened up a new way of playing for me. The 12-string forces you to play riffs and finger-pick instead of just strumming chords. To me, this new technique makes each song sound more interesting with a lot more “hooks” that get stuck in your head! The other big musical addition to the album is the Wurlitzer 200A electric piano (sampled) I integrated into most songs. This classic sound filled-out my mixes without having to add an extra rhythm guitar. Again, it makes the songs all sound unique- you don’t hear the same instruments in every single song. And that’s why I’m so happy with the variety of instruments and techniques I now have at my fingertips. Of course, my new home studio (completed last February) is the perfect place to craft music. It’s comfortable and has everything I need…organized just the way I like it!
I’m trying my hardest to make “Those Around Us” my most successful album. But, that requires the help of my friends, family, and fans online. I need help getting the word out about the album. So, please send a link to your friends and share today’s Laptop Sessions acoustic video on Twitter and Facebook. Speaking of those, did you know you can follow me on Twitter @jimfuscomusic? You can also like my Facebook page. I really hope “Those Around Us” will be heard by a ton of people. That’s one of the reasons why I record my music- to share it with as many people as I can. But, it’s a tough job for one person (with a full-time job, a house, a wife, etc.) to do. So, please get in contact with me if you’re willing to help!
“Don’t Give Up”, tonight’s music video, is an original song I wrote a little while back. It was instantly one of my favorite ones to play and sing. I feel as if I’ve had this song in me for quite a while now. But, “Don’t Give Up” has a more mature sound to it, plus it’s sung in a slightly different (more confident) style. Now that I feel so confident with my instrumentation and vocals, I feel I can expand my songwriting more and take on more challenging subjects and vocal parts. You know, I never thought much about people who sing with “soul”, but honestly, that takes a lot of guts. It’s so much more comfortable to sing songs in your normal range. On songs like “Don’t Give Up”, I had to sing with a lot of passion to get my message across. I hope it worked!
And I hope you’ll check out “Those Around Us”- I’m sure you’ll love the album upon first listen and agree that it’s by far my best effort yet. Check back here on Friday for the announcement of my eighth solo album!
