to me It Is Real might seem like it’s jumping around but actually fits together. AJ starts by talking about how the glory days of rock 'n' roll are over, wondering if there’s a place for his music and his authentic heart in this cultural and creative let’s just call it “transitional period where shit is frenetic and superficial”. the second verse affirms even if logically it might not make sense he still has to pursue his art. and I take the chorus as the conversations with his ex where he put it out he had to do music, it was his highest calling, he can’t explain why he has to do this but he does, he didn’t mean to hurt her but ultimately this decision made their relationship no longer compatible. yes it’s uncertain, yes the money might not come in, yes maybe cultural trends will block him from the airwaves, yes it might cost him relationships, but this is who he is, for him it is real probably my favorite along with Blind Ambition and Starting Over/Slow Down. the chorus is the best thing
Took a 2 day Break to listen to the new Silversun Pickups album (produced by Butch Vig) and came back to Mother Nature today and holy smokes. This may be my favorite album of theirs. Im entering that stage where I know the parts well now and look forward to every single twist and turn. Mother nature is the biggest grower not a show-er on the album lol
Bring Me Back To Life is definitely about going to see his daughter after being away from her for some time. She is the one who brings him back to life. Virginia is definitely about spending time with his current girlfriend who lives in VA. It Is Real seems to be about AJ projecting how much he believes in his music even though others may not. His music is real, it is honest, and they stayed up all night getting high making it.
What time has The Dangerous Summer been going on at their shows? I don't know the other bands and I'm coming from work
Question for Sam: on a podcast I heard you talking about with the Story so far recording acoustic by changing the speed while recording and then slowing it down to give it a unique tone. And doubling it but on the second acoustic doing the opposite. I probably described this wrong a bit, but is this the technique you used on Starting over? The acoustic has that patented Pura tone
I think I did that for this song because the tuning was super weird. I had to reference their iPhone file they sent me so it was like a drop C tuning or something crazy in order to play it right. My acoustics don’t really like being tuned down unless they have the proper string size for the tuning etc. so I think I pitched one down and overdubbed a second one that was tuned that way and blended them. I think there are 6 stereo acoustic tracks. 2 of the intro riff. 2 of the arpeggiating riff, and then and extra pair that comes through I think after the 1st and 2nd verse to add more support. Probably just a mono KSM44 or Violet mic panned hard left and right.
Thanks for the info! I told A.J at the show in L.A last week that the arpeggiating part in addition to those lyrics in that part "now I'm 6 years older..." is my current favorite moment on the album. It all comes together so amazing there
Just opened up the session. It's Drop A#!!! Hahahahaha. So the song opens with the stereo full open chord variation of the riff. Then a power chord version of it comes in on the 1st chorus, along with the arpeggiating part on verse 2. Sounds like the first two are tuned down in the computer and the arpeggiating one is in standard or whatever. Here's a screenshot. And yes most likely the same guitar for the strums and then a different one for the arpeggiating riff. I don't like to stack tones from the same guitar unless they are reinforcing the same riff.
Also here's a little free clip from a reamp guitar series I did where I used It Is Real. Nice insight to some of those tones etc.
Crazy that this isn't even officially out yet. I've probably listened to it 20 times in full already.
more than that for me. I know this album inside and out better than I know some albums I've been listening to for years
I’m so sad my end of the year Spotify list won’t include the 20+ times I’ve listened to this. I’m taking a break from this album until release day. Very anxious to get back into it!
lol, its dumb but thats the one thing that has kept me from spinning it more than a handful of times.
I've only listened to the four on Spotify, if I love anything on the rest of the album more than the already released ones that'd be quite an achievement
Put all your downloaded music into Plex (plex.tv). You can then link your Plex and Last.fm accounts. You can see it in action on my chart: Albums for web250 | Last.fm