Finally on Spotify

JoosTVD - Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy [2012] 

Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy: what proces? Progress!

Finally it's out there...now....got a second...?
Just like last year's record I´d like to fill you in with some details about the new one.
Well, the albumtitle came as a quick surprise: it was the flow and combination of the words.

The proces of songwriting goes on, even now, but it's just like a painting, you have to stop in time and say: it's finished. There has been a drastic change in the recording proces though. And some unexpected guests dropped in that have lead to spontanious combustions....
First, I had to profess myself with some new interface (Pro Tools) which had a positive influence on the process. Had a lot of fun with a whole new perspective on how to arrange the songs. Hey, only smooth recording here, no tape knots with too much hiss on it!
I play everything except for some organic samples, like woodwinds, strings, a few basslines and drums (although I can handle a stick I have got a "high" standard in my head for that). As long as the organic, human feel shines through. For example, my son Sam plays bass- his recording debut- on song 2, only for a few bars (to keep it "simple"), so I could use his funky slapping all the way through the song.
On another one-take session, my old pal Wijnand Brant (WB) improvised solo acoustic guitar on song 19 intensively along my moody piano instrumental, so I had a lot of various melodies to choose from. Only some didn´fit in or didn't gel, so I used the cut/paste method (sort of had to rebuild his lines as I do with other samples) to find a new structure. With his feedback I changed some parts. On song 11 I also used his picking from that session.
What makes this process always so furstrating are the details I often seem to struggle with. Mostly on the vocal (come on, a little more self-confidence TVD!) and the lyrical side. I ain't a perfect pitched studio-singer. "Give it all in one-take" does it for me. The intensity is there. And, no auto-tune for me! So there are always the little rough parts I have to correct, with the right feel in mind. Work on it!
Another slowburner are the words: they-not-always-come-easy. A first spontanious one-liner does the trick mostly, but it can take ages before words blend when I put them on a melody. Let alone, without being too pretentious, preachy or self-important. Work on it!
Aaaaarrrrggggh....
I 'm aware I´m not a live band, I just use the studio as a tool to make the songs work just as I have envisioned them in my mind. Basically it´s guitar or piano I work on and if I´ve got  a song worked out (a lot of repetition helps).
Pro Tools helps me out to do this all in a very flexible way. I guess many hermit studio- musicians recognize the things I do.
I don't care if It fits in a market, that's the exploitation side of milking out a blind cow. The market changes fast. As I write this, a huge merging is happening between Universal and EMI. I wonder who will have the power and monopoly over creativity. A more honest equal divided pay-system in the near future would be welcome(!)
To me, music is about emotion, freedom. To spread this around the world in a few clicks, is satisfying enough for me, because of the worldwide access. More people can listen. I thank them for that and for their patience to wait for this one. It is streamready (spotify) and you can even buy it! (iTunes, etc), just try out the widgets! Soon you can grab those new soundbytes on the right (scroll to "Grabbelton"). There's a lite version I saw somewhere by the way...You can support me by streaming the stuff (soon on spotify I hope). It's that easy...

Hey, but don't be a stranger, if this music means something to you.....I'd like to know.
You can give reviews on Jamendo, facebook or up here. It means a lot, more than a golden ticket....
Next up: the songguide, the moodswings

The "lite" version

For the ones who like it short and sweet:

Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy lite version on Bandcamp

It's up here too, on the right, in the widget section.....sooo wha'da'ya'think?

Drool All Over You, don't Jagger me!

On soundcloud Drool All Over You with that Jaggerlips expression

The video

Delay....

Just got a message from Routenote. There's a slight delay "it may have run into some problems at itunes". Wow, I hope they know what they are doing up there at iTunes. I did not use any foul or disturbing language on the album, as far as I know or did I?
You CAN find me at Amazon btw, uncensored:
 Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy
Hang in there folks...

Teaser 3: When The Gutter Looks Up

Another preview from the new album "Art Decoy the Bluebeard Boy" to stimulate the mind.

                                      
                                   And a fourth teaser? Nope, teased you enough...

Teaser 2: Bet That You Feel Better

Just a little snippet (to tease you) from the new album "Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy".
On Bas: Sam, my son. Hey hey, what a funky boy....

                                                        There is a teaser 3!

U wanna hear some, mmm? Teaser 1: Toy Tornado

Although I'm not a videoartist (that's why the short version), I know there are a lot of Youtube fettists out there. To stimulate their senses. So let's relax now, enjoy one of the turbulent instrumentals (yep, no voice here):

"Toy Tornado" (edited version from the new album for 2012 "Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy")

 

And yes, there will be a teaser 2!

Waiting.....

The album is  in the distribution hands of RouteNote, it's in "Pending Moderation". Waiting to be approved so to speak (maybe 20 songs is too much to handle), so it's still not clear when you'll be able to hear it on Spotify for example. Check anyway, you'll never know. Guess I'll have to knock on RouteNote's doors then. But.... this week I'll fill your head with a few (!) teasers from the album. So when it's officially released, I'll come outside..... so patience.

Platforms

Well, while I'm busy with some editing on the videoside of things, I always check some of the platforms I've put my songs on, for example TheSIxtyOne
I've  read some nice, surprising comments  and that's more or less the main thing that keeps me going. On the song Leak ("just an awesome voice"). On the song Suits In A Building ("The coolly accented voice truly suits this big ticket musical gem"). On the song Back In The Race ("Back in me head I seem hear Santana, Dire straits, Barry White, and more") ("Is listening to your music what they call "cloud computing"? I think I'm wired now! lol Thanks for posting all your awesome songs here"). Your support, feedback is always welcome. See you on Youtube...

Be happy!