Shades of Grey (Amber's Song)

Recent news...

So my vocal microphone was dramatically dashed into hardwood floor while attached to it's stand...for over a week I assumed that it was completely ruined because I had been told it was very sensitive to that sort of thing when I bought it. Today, out of the blue, I decided to try it out anyway and....WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE! It worked just as fabulously as it did before :) So I recorded a phenomenal version of a song I was just commissioned to write by a friend who's an art major and needed a song to incorporate into a senior project...it's called Shades of Grey (Amber's Song) hence the title of this blog post... the recording is all me and garage band...lol.

I also started much work on a painting...I don't paint very often but again, it's sort of commissioned (different person though). Here's some photos of the work in progress:

This is a photo - of the photo - both of which I took myself...that I based my painting on :)

the unfinished painting with the photo

my palattes

close-up of unfinished flower

I'm an artist and photographer on the side...lol. There's something you might not have known about me. I can also hand-make grapevine wreaths...and I like ice cream...okay. now i'm going too far.... i'll share more photos and paintings in future posts if anyone shows any interest in me doing so...if not - i'll probably put them up anyway...ha ha. well other than that, the ancient edison style electric wiring in this house is being touchy so some days there's spurts of no electricity or no electricity all day EXCEPT for key places ( i swear that someone handpicked the most important areas of our house to work). Our fridge stays on as well as our washer and dryer. Our electric water pump stays on (without which we would have neither hot nor cold water), each bathroom has a light that works, and our entire art/music room that we use almost constantly...so someone was seemingly looking out for us in deciding which parts of the house would be in the dark...oh and the attic lights work...weird. All of this means simply that the basics of life have been a little chaotic, but I've gotten through it so far and I'll continue to do so whether or not I ever get to the other side of the struggle. Hope everyone is well! Videos to come soon...though they'll be a little out of the ordinary...you'll see what I mean..

*Kori Eryn*

Late and Lying to You

I recorded a rough demo of my new song called "Late" ! You can give it a listen on my myspace. Be sure to add me as a friend now that I'm beginning to utilize my page a little more. I'm a little short on friends...I haven't really been keeping up the site til recently and therefore haven't been bent on advertising it. But with new songs up and few new photos and more to come, I'm getting excited. So by all means, come share in my excitement :)

The lyrics are as follows:

Set me straight 'cause I can't wait for tomorrow

This day won't last more than a day but I can't wait...

Am I running out of time? - no...

I've been one of those 'hurry-up-and-go's but now I'm late...

I'm always late living and I'm wastefully forgiven

But if I take my time then I'll know where I've been

Women raise up babies - don't you know

I say, women raise up your babies nice and slow

Thoughts of time have worn me thin

and now I'm ready to begin again

My plates full of excuses and rendering me useless

But if I take my time then I'll know where I am

These days I'm slowing down...

'Cause I'm always late for living and I'm wastefully forgiven

But if I take my time then I'll know who I am.

All Lyrics and Music ©K. Eryn H.

I also recorded a new video. It's a cover of Schuyler Fisk's "Lying to You". I made some changes and I'm pretty happy with the result. Without further ado - the video:

On a personal note, I woke up to the sun this morning after more than a week of overcast, cloudy, rainy and otherwise dismal weather. That under any other circumstances would have cheered me up immediately...however, I had a rough night last night and didn't get much sleep at all and unfortunately, having a beautiful toddler to love means that you don't get to sleep in when you need it. I love him, but oh how I needed some extra rest... I think I'm going to go outside and enjoy the weather for a little while today and take a nice stroll down my little country road and take in the visual splendor. lol. Perhaps I'll post some pictures of the house, yard, and surrounding area/neighborhood in my next blog so that you can see the inspiring landscape I'm so fortunate to soak in on a regular basis. For now enjoy the new music and as always, I'd love to hear from you! :)

*Kori Eryn*

Currently listening to...

So I've been listening to some talented artists lately...I actually discovered them all on youtube. They are all inspiring in their own rites. I urge you all to check them out and support them if you are so inclined :)

Kyler England 

 - my favorites so far-

818

You and I

Clean Slate

*note* Kyler recently closed her youtube account, which I was not aware of until now. So even though her acoustic renderings were my favorite, they're no longer able to be accessed so I linked the first 2 songs to her website where you can listen to a few songs on an embedded player. And I managed to locate the third song not only on her site but in an acoustic video which I linked it to. Most of the acoustic videos of her on youtube now are very poor quality :(

Laura Marling 

 - my favorites so far-

New Romantic

My Manic & I

Night Terror

Failure

Schuyler Fisk 

 - my favorites so far- 

Be Still

From Where I'm Standing

These songwriters are inspiring me at the moment, but I'm also craving some Rilo Kiley (Jenny Lewis) . More Adventurous (2004 album) seems to have disappeared from my collection and I can't seem to get my fix...

Then there's always my other favorites:

Brandi Carlile

The Story

Turpentine

Have You Ever

Ray Lamontagne

Damien Rice

Glen Hansard (he starred in the independent film Once with Marketa Irglova with whom he performs the hit from the soundtrack "Falling Slowly". They went on to form the group "The Swell Season". check it all out)

Iron and Wine (check out the Woman King album!)

On a different note I wrote a new song yesterday!!!!! :-D  You have no idea how happy that makes me. It's called "Late"...in brief, it's about patience. I cannot wait to share it. I wrote it outside the standard tuning - in DADGAD. I'll catch up again soon, hopefully with a new video or two. I have plenty to share...

*Kori Eryn*

Just as I promised

For all the info and lyrics on this video, check out the youtube page here.

I've just about finished reading Carl Honore's 'In Praise of Slowness' and it has had a very calming effect on my life to say the least. It's reminded me of who I am, what I stand for, and most importantly, how to be content and at peace even when the rest of the world is running around like headless chickens. The book is from a journalistic  approach, capturing all the happenings of the slow movement around the world throughout history. Therefore, it's very all-encompassing and very easy to relate to no matter where you happen to be from. Anyway, I'll be reading some of the other books and essays he sites in his writings in the future so that I may truly take advantage of all the benefits possible by learning to implement more of the ideas into my own life. It's certainly made it easier on a personal level to come to terms with my current life and indeed in balancing all the fragile pieces of my life to fit together like a whole. The fact that I'm posting this video today to accompany this blog can attest to the changes I've already made. I have somehow, by slowing down my mind and being not only patient but truly content, uncovered extra time to devote to my music and other hobbies such as writing, painting, photography, reading, and just general wandering outdoors and thinking. I realize now that I spent all that time previously being stressed out by self-created issues. These issues disappeared upon realization that life will go on and nothing can be gained, but instead there is much to be lost, in stress...including years off my life, good health, and simply happiness.

Just a little insight into my life at the moment :)

Back to music...check out the following videos as well. 

Collaborations with Henry Derix (new):

Fabric of Our Lives

IWS

and also his own instrumental that I enjoyed...It's not enough

We recorded these videos half-hazardly and rather impromtu when he came down from Providence to my house in Ashaway, RI this past weekend. Be sure to comment and rate or just watch if you don't feel so inclined to share your opinion. I appreciate any reading this blog (I'm still not sure if anyone does...lol)

*kori eryn*

No more doom and gloom, please...

Well, I posted a new youtube video with my song "This Place". If you haven't seen it, of course I recommend that you do and also that you comment and rate because every thought counts. I'll post a link here as well. Lyrics and info are in the side bar for those who are interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcuBYbXWN-c

Alright, so I admit that I have been very stressed out and that the stress was directly causing the ailments I'd been complaining of. Having realized that, I've parted with my old ways (I hope) and "I'm moving on to feeling all right, any time now"-to quote my unfinished song inspired by the ordeal.

I purchased an iMac and a video camera and I'm incredibly pleased with the videos I'm coming up with. I'll attempt to be more consistent with videos now that I have the proper resources with which to make them...On that note, I also have newly purchased Logic for recording, which I have yet to figure out. I can record but I can't hear it played back to me...I think I need to spend some more time getting to know the program, though, before I panic officially.

I played some songs at an open mic in downtown Westerly, RI last week, which was exciting for me because I haven't played music for anyone but my close friends and family since high school 4 years ago. It was held in an old bank building that I'd never been in prior and it was absolutely breathtaking! I was nervous and I screwed up lyrics and chords at times, not unlike most inexperienced nervous people. The joke was that it was less like an open mic and more like a support group for nervous people...lol. I think we were all shaking, sweating, or turning red (this is my personal reaction to stage fright). All that aside, I truly do enjoy performing for people. It reminds me how real my songs are and that I do have something different to bring to the table. Staying home all day with a two year old who usually just cries and whines when I take my attention away from him and give it to my guitar, I am often lacking in proper encouragement. That is exactly why it's so important for me to get out there and let my music be heard whether it be at an intimate open mic or on youtube.

I'm trying to update my myspace page little baby steps at a time...like I said, I'm still figuring out Logic, so the making of my new recordings (hopefully better quality than the current) are directly dependent on that time frame. Sorry for the wait, but afterall "slow is beautiful" :)

Speaking of slow, anyone who has not read Carl Honore's 'In Praise of Slow' needs to pick it up asap. I'm in the middle of reading it now and the insight and history is amazing. In this hectic world of deadlines and schedules , where we're all guilty of speeding at one time or another, and many read their children special 1 minute bedtime stories made to support our high speed lifestyles, we all need to learn to slow down a little and we'll all be a little healthier and happier for it. Our brains work better when they have a little time to themselves to relax.

*kori eryn*