Trains and Photographs

November was a very busy, non-musical month for me. I didn't play any shows. I didn't write a single song. I had some important family stuff to tend to, though--traveling from Greensboro to Birmingham...twice; hosting Thanksgiving for my entire family; learning how to properly roast a 20 lb turkey. December marks a return to form. Shows, music, and, thankfully, songwriting.

Upon announcing the recording of The Return of Spring, my next studio album, I grew a bit wary of a unavoidable reality. I could record this album now having written 20+ songs that fit the mold of what I want to say. However, I don't want to just rehash songs that have been sitting around for 10 years. Maybe there's a reason that the handful of songs, which revered by fans, haven't made it onto one of my previous recordings.

That being said, I made the choice to write a few more before locking into a recording schedule. After all, I own the place. It's not like I have to book time for most of the work...drums are a different story, but, generally, I can work via my own schedule.

I've been keeping my eyes and ears open these days. I've been taking things in and letting them out in some new songs. Last week I was particularly moved by a model train exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center. My interaction with it found its way into a song called "The Original Pullman Palace Car Dream." It's unlike anything I've every done, and, for that reason, I'm in love with it...for now. I also reserve the right to be fickle and tempermental with my own material.

I wrote another song about a photograph. There are lots of songs about photographs. I think I have a few. I now have another. It's very similar to "April Moon" but yet, different. I think it may work well with it. The song is called "Capture."

Over the past few days, I've been demoing and re-demoing these ideas with the hope of making them coherent, cohesive songs. We'll see what happens. It's an exciting time when new music arrives. I wonder where it comes from.