Several nights ago, we all took a collective deep breath and agreed that our upcoming album "This Is The River," was complete and ready for mastering. After nearly three years of writing, conceptualizing, assembling, and editing, it was time for us to hang-up our proverbial "recording boots" and start rehearsing these songs as a full band, and perfecting them for mass consumption.
Three years ago, when I sat by myself in a Minneapolis cafe on a winter's day, and decided that my next creative endeavor would involve writing and recording an entire album focused around the concepts and imagery of the Mississippi River, I wasn't really sure what I was sinking my teeth into. From its waning beginings in my home state, to its menacing and powerful sprawl in the south, the Mighty Mississippi has proven to be an endearingly challenging and rewarding subject.
The process has been long, hard, daunting, and fun, but has proven to be worth the effort. Mark Twain once wrote "The Mississippi River will always have its own way; no engineering skill can persuade it to do otherwise..." I think that the same is true about creative energy, and art.
There have been so many wonderfully skilled and generous people who's contributions have helped us to ultimately make the record that we wanted to make, without compromise of our artistic goal. To these folks we will be forever grateful. I speak for Fair Oaks when I say that we are all sincerely excited for this album to be heard and enjoyed.
-Andy Ulseth, October 23rd, 2013
Three years ago, when I sat by myself in a Minneapolis cafe on a winter's day, and decided that my next creative endeavor would involve writing and recording an entire album focused around the concepts and imagery of the Mississippi River, I wasn't really sure what I was sinking my teeth into. From its waning beginings in my home state, to its menacing and powerful sprawl in the south, the Mighty Mississippi has proven to be an endearingly challenging and rewarding subject.
The process has been long, hard, daunting, and fun, but has proven to be worth the effort. Mark Twain once wrote "The Mississippi River will always have its own way; no engineering skill can persuade it to do otherwise..." I think that the same is true about creative energy, and art.
There have been so many wonderfully skilled and generous people who's contributions have helped us to ultimately make the record that we wanted to make, without compromise of our artistic goal. To these folks we will be forever grateful. I speak for Fair Oaks when I say that we are all sincerely excited for this album to be heard and enjoyed.
-Andy Ulseth, October 23rd, 2013
T-shirts are in