Make A Rising

The album has gone from 8 songs to 12. About 50 minutes of new musicccccccccccc.

I have a cold.

Three of the five of us got together for the first time in 2-ish years tonight. We were at the Dr. Dog studio to rehearse material for our 3rd album. Sorry about the bad sound. I recorded it on photobooth. All of December will be rehearsing and recording. After tonight, I’m very optimistic about how this will turn out.

The new songs are poppier and more concise than on previous records, with exception of one 10 minute thing that I’m still trying to figure out. It might get shorter. Anyway I hope to get all the rhythm and guitar tracks done by the end of the month. Maybe we’ll have time to put in vocals and extraneous percussion. Then I’ll take this stuff back to Los Angeles to finish it up.

I know this video doesn’t really reveal anything and it’s not fun to watch, but it is proof that we’re still creating, despite living on opposite coasts.

As I stated in the previous post, I have a bunch of demos sitting on my computer, waiting for proper recording. After powow-ing with the group, the plan is this:

1. Members of the group learn the parts on their own.

2. I book studio time in mid December in Philadelphia.

3. Record rhythm tracks with Justin, John Heron and myself.

4. Depending on how that goes, bring in Travis and Nick to lay down their parts.

5. Bring the tracks back to LA for overdubs.

6. Mix in LA. Album 1 complete

7. Justin come to LA in February. I take a week off to record tracks with him.

8. He takes tracks home and writes arrangements.

9. I record arrangements, and mix here. 2nd album done!

THAT’S THE PLAN!!! See you in December 2011.

Hey. This is Jesse. I don’t know who checks this blog, but today I put together a 35 minute sequence of demos. Half of it is old MAR songs that haven’t been recorded, the other half is new material that I’ve been writing for the past year. So I guess I got pretty excited listening through them. Most of this stuff falls further into pop territory than before, with a majority of the tunes clocking in under 4 minutes; even a couple 2 minute jams.

I’m still working out arrangements on the one longer track, and gonna re-write the melody/lyrics for an older MAR song that we never quite figured out how to play live (and have it sound good).

That’s my hair in the upper left corner. This is where I’ve been recording my demos. Not the most exciting picture I know, but pictures help.

Meanwhile, back on the East Coast, Justin hasn’t had access to a piano in like, a year. We have one sitting in storage, but his new apartment isn’t big enough to host it.

That’s it for now. Sorry I don’t have anything else to show, but I’m going to try to get these songs recorded as soon as I can.

best,

Jesse

John Walsh made this ripping video for Don’t Don’t Don’t. He just posted it on Youtube. ENJOY! Please share with your friends, if you like it.

UPDATE: John adjusted some lighting he wasn’t happy with. Here’s the final product that’s a little easier to see and also a cool explanation of how he synced up his animatronics to the music and shot it live.

Starting this blog has made me go back and scan the hard drive for little gems. Here’s Justin at the piano doing a medley of song fragments he was working on. It makes me a little misty eyed thinking about him playing in a room with a collapsing ceiling.

NEW I FEALING EP

STREAM EP

or visit our BANDCAMP page to download

NOTES

Rhythm tracks engineered by Jeff Zeigler at Uniform. Everything else recorded at the Avant Gentlemen’s Lodge (RIP).

Mixed and Mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth the Thousand Caves.

Produced by Make A Rising.

On this recording, Make A Rising was: Jesse Moynihan, Justin Moynihan, John Heron, Nick Millevoi, Travis Woodson.

GUEST MUSICIANS: Dave Fishkin (sax, flute), Jesse Sparhawk (harp), Beth Brandon (wurlitzer), Alex Tyson (synths), Eric Slick (marimba), Dan Blacksberg (trombone), John Pettit (trumpet), Brandon Beaver (vox), Eliza Hardy (vox), Cecilia Corrigan (vox), Spooky (vox).

All songs written by Make A Rising.
(Flux Dogs written by Nick Millevoi)

THOUGHTS

This 3 song EP was originally intended to come out as a split 12″ with the D.C. band, Hume. Unfortunately, I moved across the country and Make A Rising could not support a physical release. This was also meant to be a teaser for our upcoming double album release, but the status of that project is now up  in the air.

This recording seems like a logical step after “Infinite Ellipse”. We made some internally controversial decisions. I hope it rewards in the same way that 10cc’s “How Dare You” rewarded me after half a year of listening. It took a year and a half to finish these beasts. Enjoy!

<3 Jesse

LYRICS

Don’t Don’t Don’t
(words by Justin Moynihan)

One dream, still more, came as vision.
The hope, I wore, was meant to please him
Forging my way, I’ll never say,
that it can’t exist.
This is it.
Hello goodbye
How many times have I born and died?
Break the line.
One dream, was seen, and showed its reason.
The faith he bore, should relieve him.
Kindly remind me where my mind has been
It’s stuck again.
At the end.
Back here once more.
This time I tore through the fabric of space.
Find my place.
Don’t don’t don’t x2
Take the magic(k?) away from
Take the magic(k?) away.

Flux Dogs
(words by Justin Moynihan)

Trotting through
Trotting along through
Star printed blankets
Blinding you with fear.
Burn beyond
Burn with your laser
eyes mind a vision
visions that you hear.

Take your palm
Erase your fate line
Ride over space time
Ride into fear’s mouth.

Nommo Days
(words by Jesse Moynihan)

With eyes closed fire crawls across my head.
Pounding pillows veils emerge through the bed.
Holding out: Being/Meaning
Lifting ceilings

Reaching out for hands but never can ask.
Missing moments last for digging these traps.
Holding out New I Fealing
Lifting ceilings.

Brush back your hand through the fold.
Who am I? I ma ohw!
Larger forms.
Rose bloom from a crown
Take off my head as my heart receives the one.

Don’t go back to bed
My dad flies behind my head, behind my head x2

Bored up in rooms
wheels resume on barren moons,
draw the drapes,
knuckles drag like apes,
as we live our naps,
like babies on laps,
wait for the power,
to change light without clapping,
to experience the hour,
to live without napping.

Two stars one light and dark,
dancing truth of all ages,
Fanfare received in the trees,
birds sing song of the Dog.

Horns blow message in waves,
“come meet us up the ladder.”
For the change of our Age
test our strength and prevail.

Courage and fear disperse our base assumptions
consume or produce new modes ban judgement from the mind
Action and thought / decisions span galaxies
Reborn as a worm for time lost to the Age of Trash
I want to feel affected by the furthest birthing star
Living for truth / What light and dark directions?
In darkness we compile grief upon our closest friends
In a Dead World / no psychic link to your pets
Pause before sleep / hold the key and my fear of All One!
I want to reach inside the veil and speak to the New Man.
The Mob and Church / a fist attached to the arm
Power dispersed to external idols dims the Light
Internal Scan / probe deep into subconscious
Waters rise to cleanse the eyes
as symbols pave the path.

No rigid lines
I must keep my mind open.