peter j stein - oh, america -: LATEST ALBUM NEWS

Writing a song is relatively easy; getting into the studio and making a song into something that sounds groovy is another story. Have to publicly thank my audio engineer for believing in me, helping me with the confidence to get into the sound booth and lay down the vocals to "Somebody's Lover". We are almost at the mixing stage, and, as with each prior tune, this one is my favorite.

Stein's latest creation, "Somebody's Lover", a third song for his second album, is in production. The song presents a unique twist on Stein's usual themes of love, finiteness, and the puzzle of intimacy, interlaced with his attempts to create emotional highs between his guitars and vocals. Stein feels compelled to complete a new song every 3 weeks, in his efforts to release his "Open Sky" album in November.

"Under An Open Sky", the title tune for Stein's 2nd album, has finally been mastered and released, now availalble on this site. Initially loaded as a 2 minute clip for the listener, it will be gradually uploaded to the various commercial sites, including iTunes and Broadjam. An alternate version of the song, which includes the natural sounds of a Montana landscape, will also soon be available.

"Under An Open Sky" is nearly ready for public consumption, with backup vocals completed, reminiscent of CSN&Y. There is a great mix in progress, of vocals, harmonica, five acoustic guitar tracks, electric bass, percussion, and organ. The listener will be transported to a Montana landscape, and, hopefully, completely blown away by this rocking tune. I can't wait for my listeners to experience it!!

With his acoustic feet firmly planted on the ground, Mike, MREStudio's audio engineer, reminds me for this song, and for virtually every song, that there are still several intervening steps that require thought and work, before the vocals of the song, "Under An Open Sky", can be added. The magical wish to have the song completed and mastered within a few minutes clouds the songwriter's misty mind. There remain tom-toms and cymbals to be judiciously placed, before we begin the lead vocal. Damn! It don't come easy.

Having just added percussion, bass, harmonica, and keyboard, I cannot stop singing and tapping my foot to this almost completed, rhythmic, title song, which now only lacks the vocals, prior to the mixing process. The verses are tight and ready to go, and I'm geared up like a coiled spring, for my next recording session on Tuesday, as the song clamors for release from its prison inside me, within the next couple of weeks.

The first 3 tracks for the title song, "Under An Open Sky", were laid down today, as the developing song guides itself in its demand for acoustic guitars, eshewing electronic instrumentation. With the guitars in place, harmonica, bass, and vocals will follow on Wednesday, as the lyrics fall into place on their own accord.

Finally, studio versions of "Rebecca", and "Only A Man" have made their debut on itunes!

This will be a tune dominated by harmonica and guitar, which hopefully will bring it all back home for Bob Dylan fans, at least faintly reminiscent of one of the greatest poet-songwriters of the 20th century.

Having completed the opening tune, "If My Love Were Untrue" on September 3rd, for my next album, the listener will be satisfied with this quiet love song, with its heavenly ending. The song is a relatively simple ballad, with some sonic surprises, made possible by the studio keyboards.

At the near completion of its first master track, "If My Love Were Untrue", Stein's 2nd album, "Under An Open Sky", is off and running, with preparations complete for the title song, "Under An Open Sky", recently written, arranged, and ready for recording. The song resembles a variety of tunes internalized decades ago, from artists such as Bob Dylan (Love Minus Zero/No Limit), and Peggy March's "I Will Follow Him", and the title of the Jackson Browne tune called "Under The Falling Sky"; but the comparison stops there, the ultimate flavor of the song taking off into unknown territory somewhere within or beyond folk-rock balladeering.

We will begin mixing "If My Love Were Untrue" on Wednesday, August 27, 2008, having completed all the instrument and vocal tracks today. I am beginning to discover the beauty in mixing 2 acoustic guitar tracks panned left and right, and adding the electric Gretsch White Falcon for instrumentals. Choices are infinite, but we settled on a shaker, wood block, and tambourine for percussion, with a cameo appearance of a French Horn, and a choir of angels, to highlight the vocal chant finale, as the song flows back to its beginning.

My first studio song completed in late June, "I Just Keep Seeing Her Face", is now available on iTunes as a single. The song attempts to describe personal growth and the passage of time, a stimulating process complicated by the pervasive presence of womanly beauty. My Gretsch White Falcon alternates leads with my harmonica, both interweaving their way through various orchestral string patches. I pulled the lyrics from a song that I initially wrote in the 1960's, combined with phrases that I put together in February, 2008.

My new album, "Broken Man, Trapped In Time", has been duplicated in bulk, and hard copies are available beginning August 19. 2008. The album will upload to iTunes and CDBaby within 6 weeks. You can hear clips of the songs if you simply click my "music" link. The 4 song project took 3 months to create. I have begun work on a new album, beginning with a tune called "If My Love Were Untrue", a folkstein song that speaks of the mysterious power of love that unites 2 people and holds them together. I should complete my 2nd album of about 8 songs by the end of September.