April 11, 2009 at 9:33 pm · Filed under Releases, Video
Some people do vocal warm ups. Some people drink warm honey drinks. Some people get singing lessons. Folks stop all of it. All you need is a white singlet and a can of Old Jamaica Fiery Ginger Beer. The white singlet makes you feel part superhero / part chilled out dad on the weekend. The ginger beer numbs your vocal chords so you can’t feel any of the permanent damage you’re doing to your throat as you sing yourself into the ground. This first lesson is free but please contact me if you’d like personal vocal coaching.
Back to the main point. This is me doing the vocal takes for Other Side. You get the picture for what we were doing – vocals late at night after everything else was recorded in the day. White singlet, ginger beer, headphones, soul . . .
April 10, 2009 at 9:46 am · Filed under Releases, Video
Its Ok – Recording the Guide Track
Getting the rough guide track down for Its Ok. Each track was done like this – talk through the arrangement, put down a guide version with everyone playing, then get drums and bass down properly, then electric guitars, then smoky late night vocals.
April 9, 2009 at 8:29 pm · Filed under Releases, Video
Big House, Big Dan, Big Drum Sound
The mythical acoustic properties of Rush House well and truly extend to the magical staircase of huge drum sounds. This is Dan laying a little wood into his skins. Look at the way he moves. Poetry in motion.
Phil Collins has booked out Rush House for the whole of 2010.
April 8, 2009 at 9:10 pm · Filed under Releases, Video
The Sun – It Goes A Little Something Like This… The Sun is a track I wrote just before we went away to record the album. I knew I wanted it to be simple lyrically and was really depending on the boys to help create a real musical mood / wall of sound / rock opera. Maybe not a rock opera. Anyways, this was my first shot at running through the track so we could start talking about an arrangement. Just a scrap of paper and a few chords. Amazing what became of it!
The Sun – Fleshing it Out
This is the band having a rough go at a full band arrangement of The Sun. You can see how we all worked together in the recording process – all in our little spots but with visual contact to (or through) each other.
April 7, 2009 at 9:06 pm · Filed under Releases, Video
Driving to Rush House
On the way up the M6 to start the recording. We’re in a Ka. No wonder we’re so excited.
Setting Up The ‘Studio’ at Rush House
Intense discussions about where to put what and who for maximum recording effect in Rush House. This discussion is part of the reading for the course ‘How to record a killer album in a 19th century hunting lodge in the middle of nowhere (except for the neighbour we’re scared is going to dob on us) 101′.
The Little Light EP, which we released to a warm fuzzy reception back in 2007, is now available as a free download from the store. Funnily enough quite a few copies got sold and lots of folks said very nice things about it. Little Light captured a season of my life that had been very difficult but there were some signs of life. I wrote Other Side just days before we recorded and I guess the sense of hope that started beaming through there helped set up the creative process for the writing that went into I Think We Both Know. Quite a journey. And I guess as much as I was encouraged by good reviews I was more excited by folks that got in touch to say that the songs had connected with them and helped in some way. I guess that’s what I always hoped though. Its not like my tunes will ever get anyone dancing : )
Wow. More seriously kind words on the album. As I’m a year older this week I really appreciate the point about being mature beyond my years. Encouraging to know that someone thinks I’m young-ish : )
“It is hard to believe that Kris Morris, who hails from the same coastal part of Australia as Jack Johnson [kris: Gentle Jack is from Hawaii but yeah same kinda seaside vibe], is as young as he is. His anguished lyricism and musical competence are from another era, by a significantly older performer. Although he has been variously described as being influenced by the occasionally vapid Ray Lamontagne, the US folksy Ryan Adams and even fellow Antipodean Neil Finn, what emerges is the distinctive and comprehensive confidence of a guitar player and songwriter, whose vocal dexterity can more than stand-up on its own choral intensity.
I’ve been a little busting for everyone to hear the tracks from the album. The problem with having a release date and schedule is that you have the music ready to go and you’re just waiting for promotion and boring stuff to happen. Its very boring. Anyways, without any further ado I hereby unveil ‘I Think We Both Know’ in heavenly streams across the interweb.
Check the tracks peeps! Remember, its available to download from here on April 13, 2009.
You can also visit the full album page with credits and stuff here. Please care and share via Twitter, Facebook, your website, email, smoke signal etc etc
“…the time and effort he has put into this craft shines through on this accomplished and mature singer / songwritery thing. People who know about such things have compared him to the likes of Ray Lamontagne and Ryan Adams, but being a fan of neither, I would say that’s damning him with faint praise, as I would much rather listen to this.” The Rocker
Read the full hilarious version here. Mr Zeitgest you’re very kind!
“Kris’ voice can slide along the soft and gentle to the powerful and dominating with ease. It gives his material power and passion. It allows him to rage without losing control”
