Recording a record at the Cape house is an incredible experience. First of all, his wife Kristen makes the strongest coffee on the planet. So even on days after staying up till 3:00am with Joey drinking fine Irish whiskeys, you can be instantly motivated to write twenty minutes of lyrics to a three-minute song. The One Week record was my first experience recording as a solo artist, which has its pros and cons. Pros being, we were able to make quick and drastic changes to songs that in a full band scenario would take weeks and likely end in a fistfight (at least my old band). Also, because the music is so stripped down, we really had to investigate to find the core of each song. It was a daunting task, but in the end I felt it led to more honesty in the music and lyrics. The only real downside to a two person dynamic in the studio is there is no real tiebreaker in making crucial decisions. I distinctly remember this one time when Joey really wanted to eat Vietnamese food, but I was feeling El Salvadorian food way more. We eventually hit a stalemate and started drinking fine Irish whiskey instead. All kidding aside, I will say that the concept of One Week Records is genuine. Joey had a great idea with this label and is executing it in most authentic way possible. In addition to having Joey play on the record, I was also fortunate to involve some really great musicians on the album – Katie Weed, Angus Cooke and Chris Cresswell. Chris being scheduled to record right after me, we cut a deal with each other – I’d play piano on some songs if he sang on mine. And after hearing his songs, I was so stoked to be apart of it. In my experience the most valuable part of recording music is the people that you are surrounded by during the process. Joey, Kristen and Violet are not only some of the most inspiring and creative people I have ever met, but also truly great hosts. Overall, it was a great experience and I am looking forward to hearing more and more One Week Records as they come to be.
