What To Keep & Let Go: Production Journal

ORDER HERE

2012-01-28T09:29:00.005-05:00

Since releasing the physical version of What To Keep & Let Go, I have had a few people say they were confused on where exactly to order it. The page I had up since March was geared more towards pre-ordering and now since that stage is over, I have created a new site that best fits the style of the album release while also making it much more clear on how to purchase your copy. As you will see from the included links at the bottom of the page, the only sites not available at this time are Itunes and Amazon but I hope to make them accessible soon. So keep checking back at his page for changes to the content. In time, I hope to include additional features such as band bios, lyrics and merchandise sales (that t-shirt you see will hopefully soon be available for purchase).

ORDER HERE!

Until then please visit the site, place an order of the CD and tell your friends about the music!

Thanks!

Orders Arriving!

2012-01-23T07:45:00.004-05:00

So I shipped out the pre-order copies of What To Keep & Let Go on Friday and they should be arriving in your mailboxes today! Just thought you'd like to know :)

Enjoy!

1-2-3 LET GO.

2012-01-15T10:50:00.003-05:00

January 23rd (1-2-3) is the official release date of What To Keep & Let Go. The reason for the week buffer is to give me some time to put together the orders, package them up and ship them out by Thursday with enough time for you all to receive your order by Monday! I also will have a better order page up by then as well as some other stuff ready for view...HINT: It has to do with the next project.....:)

Anyway, thanks again for all your support so far and I look forward to you getting your copy!

If you haven't ordered yours yet and would like to, you can go here: http://www.dylanduncan.com/whattokeep and click on the PRE-ORDER link at the top of the page. :)

Order Page and Send-Out Update

2012-01-14T13:02:00.003-05:00

I have had a few people ask where to order the CD and although I have had a pre-order page up since March, I can understand it's not incredibly obvious how to get there. So! In the next couple of days, I plan on setting up a new and updated page that directs you more easily to the place that you can put in an order for What To Keep & Let Go. I also hope to have it available on Itunes soon as well, however that will be a more digital based order. For now, the physical CD's will be mailed directly from me upon receiving orders.

And for those who have already ordered/pre-ordered, I plan on sending CD's out sometime next week. There are some final touches I must take care of before making it totally available. Expect to have the CD in your hands by 1-23-12, if not before.

It Has Arrived.

2012-01-11T22:19:00.001-05:00

I got a call today from my leasing office saying that ten boxes were in the lobby waiting for me. I knew that What To Keep & Let Go was arriving today but seeing the boxes, nearly 9 years of my life's work all packaged up against the wall, was quite unbelievable.

So it's here. And here are my words about it from over on my YouTube Channel:

What To Keep & Let Go Has SHIPPED!!

2012-01-09T19:17:00.003-05:00

Wow. It really is happening.

I got the email notification tonight that What To Keep & Let Go has shipped from the manufacturing warehouse in New Jersey and I am scheduled to received the physical CD's as soon as Wednesday, January 11th! :) I am beyond excited to not only close this amazing chapter in my life, but to share with you all the final product..far beyond the digital realm. Having something tangible in your hands always further emphasizes the artistic integrity of the project as a whole, allowing for the seamless integration of audio and visual into one final product. Not only will those that pre-ordered finally get their copy, but they and everyone else who purchases has it will receive immediate and exclusive access to my next project.

Exciting things to come and I hope you continue to follow me through my musical journey.

Much love and thanks for the support. Updates on availability of the CD to come soon!

"I'm A MOOOOONSTER!!"

2011-11-01T19:10:00.003-04:00

On Halloween, I officially released my song "Monster" as a single, cutting ties with its affiliation as the "extra" on the digital download of "What To Keep & Let Go". What better and more appropriate time to have this tune spread its wings than on the day of witches, ghouls and, of course..MONSTERS!

To accompany it is a brilliant cover produced and performed by none other than the oficiando of dark and creepy artistic representations - David Ireland. Every year, David releases a CD with his spooky, musical encantations and I was honored to have him include his own rendition of my song on his 2011 release "Halloween Creatures". I approached David and asked if he'd be interested in including it as a bonus track on my forthcoming single release and he so agreed!

So without further delay, I invite you to check out David Ireland's cover of my song "Monster", available now as a bonus track on my single over at Band Camp. Check it out! Only $1 to purchase both songs and all proceeds will help keep me out of the dark (a.k.a. pay my electricity bill). hhha kidding. kinda.

"Monster" To Be Released as a Single On Halloween...

2011-10-19T17:46:00.004-04:00

....with a BONUS "Monster" cover by David Ireland!

This Halloween, expect to see the official "Monster" release on my Bandcamp site for sale as its own item with cover art included, featuring a bonus track by fellow musician and friend, David Ireland of Sharon, MA. David releases his own music every Halloween and this year his CD entitled "Halloween Creatures", featured his very own take (rather scarier take :)) of my song "Monster". I asked Dave if he'd be willing to share this version with you all in the form of a bonus track of my single and he agreed!

So next weekend, be sure to keep an eye out for this release. The single will be for sale and all proceeds will go towards funding a future project.... but which oooone...oooooohh hahahhaa haha waaah haha...ha....heh.........

"Circles" Music Appears In Real Estate Video

2011-10-18T19:10:00.002-04:00

Back in early September, the instrumental version of "Circles" featuring myself on acoustic guitar and Marcin Kuc on bass, ended up lending itself to the musical side of a real estate video created by my friend Kristen Hoffman Bryant. Kristen is setting up a website company for virtually touring real estate options for potential home owners. The idea spawned from her very own experiences in the market: "I decided to create Simply Designed when we were selling our condo and I realized how many searches for homes start online."

You can check out Kristen's, soon-to-be "facelifted" website here.

Also take a peak at her first video up on YouTube, featuring an early studio version of "Circles".

(Thanks for the plug at the end of the video, Kristen!)

Yeagerfest 2011!

2011-09-24T17:23:00.011-04:00

Amidst the flying monkeys, tossed horseshoes and swung-at-piñatas, music filled the air at Mark Yeager's 50th birthday bash last Saturday at Stardust Farm, Chapin, SC. Hosted by my very own bosses, Stan and Julie Wetherell, this event lasted from 4 in the afternoon until the early morning hour of 5 am, where we danced around a pool table to songs that only sunrises would accept...or a few keg stands.

Among the LIVE music of the evening, Danielle Howle, local favorite and brilliant story-teller, headlined the Woodstock-esque event (complete with tents and a dirt bike), supported by one of Mark's friends' group and myself. The honor was all mine to help ring in the second part of Mark's journey of life, paying tribute to his generation with cover songs by Jethro Tull, Pure Prairie League and Little Feat (all crowd pleasers/sing-along-opportunities) Of course, I tickled the air with some of my staple songs such as Horizons, City Lights, Kaleidoscope and Bicycle on the Ice (dedicated to my new friend Sam who happens to be a cyclist) but I also played first-time-ever-performed songs that I began writing for my forthcoming EP entitled Routes (you will hear about this in a couple of months). The show was a great success, all the artists aimed to please as well as sing their hearts out for Mark, his friends and family. My set ended with a tweaked cover of Alice Cooper's "I'm 18", where I invited Mark up to listen close to my "I'm 50!" rendition. He was a bit confused but caught on by the time "I've got a dementia brain and a bi-passed heart" verse came along! haha The only stumble of the entire night was during a random argument between two drunken lovers at 5:30 in the morning. No matter, this incident was completely forgotten when we all sat down to a breakfast of Kahlua induced coffee, shrimp and grits and some amazing eggs cooked up by one of the over-nighters.

Great country fun, amazing support and a much needed back-on-the-stage experience. I thank Mark and his wife Lisa for inviting me to be a part of the celebration. Sure wish I caught some of that high-gravity beer in that sweet-ass growler, however! Oh well, next time!

Benefit Concert in Reading, England...

2011-09-09T01:24:00.002-04:00

...and I'm playing at it!

Not sure I had mentioned this in a previous post (probably not as I haven't been very good at updating this blog lately), but I am traveling to England in a little under three weeks to meet up with Judy Buy and her family to play a benefit gig for Amyloidosis that she is hosting. It's a great opportunity that sparked interest many months ago over a Facebook conversation with Judy after she had learned of my song "Hello, Amy" and my connection with the disease and the foundations over here. After a few exchanges involving our then fantasy of my oversea journey, I turned to Mary O'Donnell at The Amyloidosis Foundation, my friend and contact for fundraising efforts and longtime supporter of The May Fund and my creative endeavors. She took it upon herself to gather up some resources and ultimately give me the go-ahead to make the trip to England to not only support Judy and her cause, but represent Amyloidosis on this side of the pond. It's a FANTASTIC opportunity, one that I jumped on immediately upon receiving the financial support from Mary and the anonymous donors that helped with the expenses (Thank you, whoever you are..).

I cannot wait to meet Judy, her family and friends and share my music with Reading, England. I will be sure to take lots of pictures and video of the trip. More to come!!

Abroad101 Features "Electric Candle" In Video

2011-08-11T19:47:00.002-04:00

There's a new promotional video for Abroad101.com that features the instrumental part of "Electric Candle" in the first part of the presentation. Check it out!

Study Abroad Overshare Disorder Video

"ONE DISEASE. MANY VOICES"

2011-08-10T23:03:00.002-04:00

Well things are certainly set into motion. It's been a while since I have written in the blog and that is due in part to a lack of eventful reporting! Sure, there has been a little development in the fundraising efforts for the WTKLG physical CDs; there has been some potential interest in sponsoring the entire project and I have made some attempts at "kickstarting" the project by setting up an online, time-sensitive, fundraiser through Kickstarter.com. However, news has been slow overall and frankly I have been too preoccupied with my illustration and design projects as of late. Additional, my empty wallet has kept me far away from the late-night, booze-infused open mic events down at The White Mule, putting my performance endeavors on hold and leaving the blog pages void of any cool stage photos and/or reviews of any shows.

But I digress...as usual! Here I am about a month after my last post to report a very exciting side project in the works. It has always been, at least in the last few months, a big ambition of mine to release "Hello, Amy", previously released on WTKLG, as a single and be available for sale to help raise money for the awareness and research of the disease that the song talks about. What I didn't expect, however, was this little project to grow in such an ambitious and peer-supported way. Originally, I had thought of including an alternate version featuring Alyson McKinster on piano and back up vocals, providing a more somber side to the song. A few days ago, I was talking with Chad Macomber about a future project he is working on and it dawned on us to include yet another alternate version that would feature his ukelele-picking, "campfire" style. So the CD had grown to three. Very cool.

But it wasn't long after this that I thought- why stop there? Why not offer up the song to a number of different bands and musicians to diversify the CD as much as possible; to have the artist cover "Hello, Amy" in a way that is unique to them and their style of music; and to allow their voice to speak the story of Amyloidosis, ultimately strengthening the awareness potential and spreading the word over audiences of many different musical genres. With this newly evolved concept to the "Hello, Amy" single CD, it only makes sense for me to withdraw any of my own previously planned contributions to the alternate versions, such as the piano cover with Alyson. I want each and every added song to be created entirely by the respective artist/band. It is my hope to build a musical "army" to support a great cause and to my delight, there has already been a great response in the last couple days. I hope to hear back from each and every artist I have contacted, as they all have a very different sound that would be amazing for the project.

In the coming weeks, look for a more definitive list of contributing artists as well as a web site launch for the project. Thanks goes to those who are already working hard on their cover songs and especially to Mary O'Donnell at The Amyloidosis Foundation. She has been instrumental in the last month or so in my creative endeavors and I couldn't thank her enough for her support and sponsorship of the "Hello, Amy" single CD. This will be a beautiful project that I hope will generate a lot of buzz and awareness of the disease.

If you are a musician and would like to be considered for the compilation CD, please write me at music@dylanduncan.com.

Matt Koelsch Music

2011-07-07T09:12:00.003-04:00

Recently I have had the pleasure of working on a venue poster for Matt Koelsch, a musician I have never met in person yet he sings on one of my songs on What To Keep & Let Go. Anyway, to gather inspiration for the tone and emotional evocation I'd need to come up with an appropriate visual, I started listening to his music more. I have to say, he is one of my favorite independent artists out there right now. His songs are infectious, hooky and well-produced. "Against The Night" and "Fall Away" are two of my favorite, while "Vomperbach" helped inspire the waterfall/river aesthetic in his poster.

Please be sure to check out Matt's music. And if you happen to be in NYC on July 23rd, go see him perform.

Thanks again Matt for your help on "Circles"! Hope to work with you again in the future!

Performer Magazine Spotlight Piece by Julia Rose DeStefano

2011-07-07T08:08:00.006-04:00

I first started talking with Julia Rose DeStefano back around 2007 when I was living at Chad's house in Marblehead, MA. I recall penning away such songs as "Electric Candle" and recording rough demos like "Hello, Amy", while in the background my small TV was lighting up the tiny attic space I had called home for a year and a half. I was recording video journals of my thoughts on Amyloidosis while at the same time struggling to figure out where to go from where I was.

These are just some of the many memories I hold close to me from that time period. But I will also never forget talking with Julia and being so inspired by her creativity, her musical knowledge and writing aspirations. I am very drawn towards people with similar crafts and ambitions. So it's no surprise that nearly four years later, we have once again connected and fused our artistic passions into her writing.

I used to always tell Julia: "I want you to review my CD when it's complete." At the time, Julia wrote, and still writes, for Boston's rock and roll magazine "The Noise" and I knew I'd always keep this creative connection in my mental rolodex for when the time came. So when "What To Keep & Let Go" was completed, I pulled out her contact info and requested she review the CD like we had talked about so many years before. Being the great supporter of the arts that she is, Julia accepted. But it was better than I expected: She was going to feature me in a Spotlight piece in a different magazine that she contributed to. Performer Magazine, another of Boston's musicians' resource, ended up playing host to a very thoughtful, well-written piece by Julia, describing not only my musical history, influences and goals, but my "Healing Power of Music" and the effect that my writing has on ultimately aiding in my personal therapy. The article came out great and I couldn't be happier to have kept contact with Julia so it could finally become a reality. As all the creatives that come into my life, I hope to work with her again.

Thank you again Julia for such an amazing article! Your support for my project has always been very appreciated.

For more on Julia's artistic side, you can check out her website here. And be sure to pick up the July issue of Performer Magazine, on sale in the Boston area. For now, I have attached a screen shot of the article.

WUSC Radio Interview

2011-07-03T10:38:00.002-04:00

Back on April 22nd, I had the pleasure of visiting the radio station over at USC to meet with Lauren Williams and Tyler Price to promote my show with Danielle Howle. I had a great time with the interview, sharing my musical influences, album process and even a little live rendition of "Hello, Amy". I hope to stop in again soon!

Here's a photo of these great radio DJs. Thanks again, Lauren and Tyler! Had a great time.

The Beauty of Darkness

2011-07-03T09:50:00.005-04:00

Lately, I've realized just how valuable bad things can be. It's absurd to cast aside such times and hope for only the good. They need each other to push against, to exist so the other can too. Call it the yin and yang notion to life but I refuse to see it as so black and white. It's full of mixed color and different shades of gray that can be the most beautiful thing in your life if you let it.

So the next time I am flooded in darkness, as I have been recently and sure to be again, I will keep my eyes open, squinting to seek out that tiny dot of light that is slowly finding its way back to me. It will once again surround my life and I'll take it in like an old friend, not being afraid to say goodbye when the time comes. Because I know it will return. And all the while, I'll hold onto the beauty of this process.

On My Way

2011-05-29T11:22:00.004-04:00

This weekend marks a year since I left Massachusetts and moved to South Carolina. Time moves swiftly, that's for sure. So much has happened in that time period that I cannot even begin to describe it to you. Some bad, some good...all very valuable. It's been probably the biggest transitional period of my life. Sure, I've made many moves and changed my circumstances and surroundings many times. But this experience away from my comfort zone and padded walls has really shaped me as a person. I have experienced failure to the utmost degree, knocking my "I can do anything" outlook down to a proper modest level. I have always been a humble person, I would say, but with so many nets around me I've never been as afraid of setbacks hurting me. But how can you ever grow that way?

In South Carolina, I have been forced to look deep in the mirror at all my flaws, my set backs and my insecurities; to let go a little bit of control and to say "Dylan, you can't do this alone.." It's been a very hard lesson to learn. I have a lot of people, both in my life currently and not, to thank for helping me realize so much about myself. I am forever growing and have still so much to learn. And as I still continue to struggle, both emotionally and financially, I am learning how to become a better person everyday.

"On My Way" was written and recorded just before I left Boston. It was to be included as a hidden song on What To Keep & Let Go, attached at the end of Ask You. For those who have listened all the way through the songs on my website, you've probably heard it. But there are many that haven't. So today, on the 1 year anniversary of the journey that changed everything, I release "On My Way"- probably the most honest account of myself to date.

I hope you enjoy. I love you all. And those of you who have helped me to see myself a little more, I thank you. This song is for you.

On My Way, available as a free download and will be featured at the very end of What To Keep & Let Go, physical format coming soon.

My View From The White Mule Stage

2011-05-07T11:11:00.003-04:00

Every Wednesday night for about a month, I have been performing at The White Mule on Main Street as part of their weekly open mic event. It's a very great time and I have met a bunch of fellow musicians, who I must say, are some of the most talented bunch I have seen in a while. One guy has a picking style like no-other I've seen, and Nicole (one of the hosts) has a very soulful voice and has performed with a number of different bands around the area.

The style of music varies and often times find myself inspired by the different techniques and song writing angles these artists bring to the stage in their late night hours. I can feel myself wanting to branch out and change things up a little. City Lights and Stand hold their own pretty well in this sort of environment but I found this last Wednesday that spicing up even a mellow song like Electric Candle was more than appropriate and found a nice place amidst the percussive, more upbeat styles of my musical peers. Mind you, I am not interested in compromising my style in any means. However, I think my interest in theirs is a testament to my willingness to be open to anything. I am excited to see what I learn this year and how my song writing will adapt and grow. I refuse to stay where I am at this moment. Change is inevitable and I welcome it.

For now, I will continue to promote What To Keep & Let Go the best way I know how. I miss the band playing with me but I am trying to make up for it with energy and soul. Connecting with people is the ultimate goal and I hope I am.

Above is my view from the White Mule stage at 1 AM a few weeks back. Hence the lack of people..

And It's May

2011-05-02T22:36:00.004-04:00

Yet again :) This month always touches my heart in such a special way for so many different reasons. This particular year I can add one more significant event to the list as my sister is getting married on the 14th! I am so elated for her and the entire family as we make it to such a milestone! Of course, I can't help but think of my mom and wishing she were here to see her beautiful daughter walk down the aisle. She would be so proud :)

So this May I'm not only celebrating the dawn of my sister's new life but also honoring my mom's courageous and rather beautiful fight for her own. So for the entire month, I am releasing my acoustic version of May as a single for sale on Bandcamp which includes a bonus track of the fully produced version of the song that was featured on The Eleven Project's album "Detour" with Chad Macomber back in 2002. You can download both for only $1.00 and all the proceeds will go towards Amyloidosis research. At the end of the month, I will split the amount in half and donate portions to both Boston University School of Medicine's Amyloid Program and The Amyloidosis Foundation.

You can purchase the single here. Please help me to raise some money for a good cause. Trials are being conducted around the world for a cure and I will continue to help raise awareness and funds for research for as long as I am needed.

The Watershed Show

2011-04-24T09:58:00.003-04:00

Last night I opened up for Danielle Howle at The Watershed in Lexington, SC. It was a great little venue with low lighting and an attentive audience. My set comprised of a good mix of What To Keep & Let Go songs and a few others. I weaved in and out of some stories to support the songs and got a few laughs here and there. I hope I touched some hearts as well with Ask You and one of my new ones Our Lives Stood Still.

Danielle is great; if you ever get a chance to see her live, do it. She has a wild and unbridled style that puts my stiff-legged performance to shame. haha Very inspiring!!

Thanks to Ernie and Leslie Chartier for having me play! Still lovin' that roasted vegetable sandwich..

What's On The Horizon

2011-04-17T11:00:00.002-04:00

Well it's been a while since I have updated the blog! For that, I apologize. I have been quite preoccupied with getting my life in order, which has consisted mainly of my health, mental well being and financial stability. Oh, and of course music :)

I have been doing a lot to try and get my album out there as much as possible. I played an open mic last week at The White Mule in Columbia and plan on playing every Wednesday just to get the exposure. It's a great little, underground venue with a tight sound system and lots of open and exciting people. As some of you know, If Not Now Then When was on the radio a few weeks ago and there is a chance that Horizons will be airing soon too. I have been someone of a pest, bugging the guys over at WXRY to play some more of my songs and make a mention of the website. haha Ask and you shall receive yes? Hope so!

One of the biggest things coming is I am opening up for local, and very well known, artist Danielle Howle down in Lexington next Saturday. I get a half hour set and I hope to attract some more fans that way. Her music seems very folksy in origin and I am very excited to lead into her performance. It should be a fun time!

As far as album sales, things have kinda taken a dive since the first couple of weeks but I hope to get that momentum going again. I have passed out countless little decals to people all over Columbia and I hope it gets a buzz going. With the radio presence and some of these shows, I can't imagine that it wouldn't help a little.

As far as the physical CD's, I have yet to raise enough money to get them actually pressed. I appreciate the patience of all the people who pre-ordered, and those simply waiting for the hard-copy edition, but I promise you will have them in the near future.

Until then, please keep passing around the music and I hope you have been enjoying it!

Thanks a million. Love you all

Dylan

The Knicks-N-Knacks of Sit-N-Spin

2011-03-27T09:02:00.009-04:00

One of the charms of this studio in Greenville is all the visual eye candy. As an artist and illustrator, I definitely appreciated all the interesting things to look at while we gave our ears a break every once in a while. When the "listening fatigue" settled in, it was time to go kick some alien butt on "Space Invaders" or go chat it up with the baby knight. Oh, and I was extra impressed with the "Christmas Story" tribute. Good touch!

Check out all the fun things gracing the walls and halls of Sit-N-Spin.

Alex In Pencil

2011-03-26T10:12:00.003-04:00

To keep with tradition of sketching my engineers and mixing masters while they work, here is my rendition of Alex at the booth.

Sketched from the comfortable leather couch at Sit-N-Spin Studios during "Hello, Amy" mixing session.

Sit-N-Spin Studios

2011-03-26T08:57:00.019-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working with Matt Morgan and Alex Vieria on finishing up What To Keep & Let Go. Their studio, drenched in soothing lights, invigorating art and a sweet throwback to video gaming in the form of "Space Invaders" arcade game (no quarters required!), truly helped to shine up and polish what David Eastman, the band and myself shaped and carved up in Boston. With proper compression, EQ balance, and track leveling, What To Keep & Let Go went from great to brilliant in just a few short days. What we created in Boston was already tight and magnificent in structure and soul. But these guys in Greenville, SC certainly added a touch of clarity needed for this album to walk out the door in confidence. It has a lot of places to go after all and many people to see! Gotta look its best!

So with all that said, I'd like to give a shout-out to the guys over at Sit-N-Spin and thank them for their tag-team effort for helping me meet my deadline on March 20th. You truly are a great duo of engineers that did a stand-up job and I can't show my appreciation enough.

Take a look at some photos from our weekend session.

Taking In The Silence

2011-03-26T08:08:00.007-04:00

So it's been about a week since the online release of What To Keep & Let Go and so far it seems to be quite the success. The response is good, some sales have been made and an overall air of satisfaction appears present. I, myself, have taken the time to take a few steps away from it all, breathe, think, feel and simply soak in everything that is going on around me. I've recently referred to this album as my child who I have finally let out into the world and now I feel it is out right now playing with you all, making its mark and growing even more with you all in its life. I think that's appropriate. For something to grow it has to be let go. It has to be free and it has to be out there to show every inch of itself, the flaws and imperfections as well. It can be sad. It can be humbling. It can be hard to lose something so close to you. But it's good and healthy to realize that your creation is not just for you. It's for everyone else as well. And while you were the one that cared after it, raised it and brought value to its life, it will be the people around it to truly help it shine. From all angles, the creation will be bombarded with self-realizations, criticism, and empathy as it absorbs into their lives. It will be so much more than it ever could be sitting in a computer, trapped in folders marked "To Do" and "Rough Mixes". And I have many people to thank for helping me nudge this child out into the world. You know who you are.

So, with a cup of coffee in hand on a Saturday morning, I'm clicking through the tracks and soaking in the silence of my life, contemplating the meaning of it all and examining myself a bit more. It feels good to have accomplished something so big in scale, so full in purpose. My vision isn't over, however, and you will see the next project pick up right where this leaves off. I will gather my thoughts and see to the strings of ambition inside me being tugged left and right to get going on something else.

But for now, there's silence. And I think I like it for now.

What To Keep & Let Go

2011-03-20T18:45:00.006-04:00

It has arrived. Finally. :) It's truly amazing to be here at this moment after recalling when it all began for me back in 2003...I remember sitting at my computer desk in my college-memorabilia littered bedroom, penning the very first words of Stand. Since then it has gone through many revisions...finally landing itself with a sweet bass line, energetic drum section, atmospheric guitar riff and a beautiful female vocal presence. This can be said for all the tracks on the record, in fact, as they all took a very long road to get to where they are...being graced by such talent as Marcin Kuc, Cullen Corley, Chad Macomber, and F. Eastman as the main contributors to its development as well as supporting roles like Alyson McKinster, Brendon Thomas, Aaron Pring, Tess Gallagher, Matt Koelsch, Dan Cooper, Angela Paladino and Matt Morgan. Phew...what an ensemble. What a team!

Two years. And here it is. I'm so proud of it...so grateful, so humbled by the help, love and support I received during this time. You ALL truly made this happen for me and I'll never forget the experience. Thank you for helping me tell my story... I love you guys very much.

Listen here now.

My Night Drives

2011-03-17T07:43:00.002-04:00

Well my Mazda definitely got the workout of its life this last weekend/week as I made my way to and from Greenville and Columbia...back and forth in a passionate attempt to be there for every moment of the mixing. Of course there were times it wasn't necessary for me to be lurking over their shoulders so I took advantage of the down time to do some laundry, clean a little and catch a few breaths after this full-speed-ahead couple of months.

It was a great time up in Greenville with Matt and Alex and an experience that just adds to my already memorable adventure this last two years. Check out a couple videos from my rather sleepy self driving in the dark..but feeling full of light, believe me.

3-12 Update

3-14 Update

Matt Morgan On Guitar

2011-03-16T07:38:00.003-04:00

I have added Matt Morgan, the mixing engineer for What To Keep & Let Go, as a guitarist on the record. On Saturday, we made the decision to replace the piano part that was planned for If Not Now, Then When performed by Alyson McKinster with another instrument. Unfortunately, as beautiful as Alyson's ideas were for the song, we just didn't get a good enough take for it. I think that in the future it'd be a great idea to record an acoustic version of the song with Alyson on keys. In the meantime, I think you'll all be very happy with the guitar part we added.. Thanks, Matt, for putting something together on a whim! It came out incredible.

The Choices That We Make...TAKE THE POLL!!

2011-03-15T07:48:00.003-04:00

I have made a mountain of decisions during this project...creatively and personally. I'm going to leave this one up to you haha

To the right you will see a poll in regards to whether or not I should release the tracks on the 20th in their digital form or wait until the CD is ready (which, financially speaking...could be a while I'm afraid) I'm really hoping to have the physical CD in your hands sometime in April but there's a hefty process involved that a week just won't allow.

However, with that said, there is no reason why you can't hear the songs and perhaps purchase the album on Itunes by next week. The music world, as we know, has changed a great deal with the digital age so perhaps this is what most of you would prefer anyways. But for you who like something tangible, something you can throw on the floor of your car and say "damn, I don't take care of my CD's like I should!" (like me), then you might want to wait a little bit longer.

So please...participate in the poll and lend me your opinion on this. After all, I have delayed this enough and would hate to do it again without at least getting some feedback from you guys.

I appreciate it! Thank you! Poll closes on March 19th..

A Closer Look At The Monster

2011-03-15T07:18:00.003-04:00

Here is a better view of the "I Mean No Harm" poster, included in The Monster Package on my site. If you're interested in purchasing just the poster, they are also individually for sale. Just write me at music@dylanduncan.com for details. The poster is 17x30 inches.

Japan

2011-03-12T12:09:00.003-05:00

I'm going to find a way to help..

Red. Yellow. Greenville.

2011-03-12T12:03:00.002-05:00

I'm getting my album mixed this weekend in Greenville and last night I took the trip up to meet with Matt Morgan and Alex Riviera at Sit-N-Spin Studios to drop off my LaCie (pronounced Lay-See?) hard drive and hang out for a little while to get things started. It was great to get acquainted and see where What To Keep & Let Go's home would be for the next few days. I'm heading back up today for the remainder of our weekend session and will be sure to get lots of photos and perhaps video of everything. Very exciting!

Here is a video from last night's trip up there.

Café Chartier Set

2011-03-12T10:23:00.004-05:00

Here are some photos from my small show the other night. Thanks again to Leslie and Ernie for the opportunity to play for them and their customers! If you ever happen to be in the Lexington area, be sure to stop into their place and get the veggie sandwich...it's amazing!

I Mean No Harm. The Monster Has Finally Arrived...

2011-03-11T07:55:00.003-05:00

The Weston Monster has finally shown itself. Click on the link below to see what all the mystery has been about...

"I Mean No Harm"

Café Chartier Performance Tonight

2011-03-10T07:51:00.003-05:00

If anyone is in the Lexington/Columbia area tonight and wants to come out and see me play some tunes from my forthcoming album (and others NOT included) then make your way down to Café Chartier where Leslie and her husband, Ernie, have invited me to play 2 half-hour sets between 7:00 and 9:00. Anything in between will involve me sampling some of what I hear is their delicious food and sipping on some soothing tea in the corner somewhere. :) There will be some merchandise for sale to help raise money for the production of the album as well. Should be a good time, provided my broken finger doesn't get in the way. I've already had words with it to behave.

Thanks again to Leslie and Ernie for the opportunity. See you tonight!

Kelin Welborn Joins The Behind The Music Section

2011-03-08T07:32:00.004-05:00

I was up visiting my good friends Jason and Kelin Welborn (and their daughter Amelia) this last weekend in Portland, Maine and it was probably the most relaxed I've been in months! Getting a good chill in these bones, drinking up some good coffee talk and revisiting my childhood through Disney cartoon sketching was just what I needed away from the hecticity that has been my life lately.

Anyway, the "work" I did get done up in Maine for the album was all thanks to my favorite Portland family for they took me around to find a shooting location for What To Keep & Let Go art. It was such a blast. Being the last possible winter before its release, it was important to me to get as many visual elements as I could and what better place than this frigid state to ensure I could walk on water and be okay. So on a gloomy Saturday afternoon, the four of us headed out to find the perfect spot. I do believe we found it. Kelin, sporting a nice Nikon D5000, accompanied me to the edge of the snowy and icy surface and snapped shots as I made my way out into the center. After some wide shots of me out in the white open space, Kelin took the opportunity to take some portrait shots as well. It was a great and humbling feeling to be coming full circle on the project, topping off my 8 year concept with the final images to be used from here on out.

They came out great and I thank you, Kelin, for your dedication on this! And Jason, thanks for driving and offering up suggestions. And Amelia, your picture came out great too ;)

To check out Kelin and Jason's design, illustration and computer animation website, be sure to check out their brand new site! They're both very talented. Thanks again, guys.

Welborn Design

Matt Koelsch: The Next and Final Back Up Vocalist

2011-03-08T07:19:00.003-05:00

Allow me to introduce singer/songwriter Matt Koelsch to you all. I met met Matt through an online posting for a back-up singer to be on Circles and after listening to a few demos and hearing his rendition of the song itself, I was sold and invited him to be a part of the project.

Matt and I worked long distance over the computer on his part for Circles as well as coordinating times for him and Dave to meet up in the studio. We were able to him in last Thursday and apparently everything went really well! I am excited for you to hear Matt on the album but before you do, go ahead and check out his own websites.

Thanks again Matt for all your hard work on the project!

www.myspace.com/mattkoelsch

www.myspace.com/musicbylunchbox

Marching Towards The Deadline: Video Update!

2011-03-03T07:42:00.002-05:00

Digital vs. Physical Release

2011-02-22T07:17:00.004-05:00

Did I mention how serious I was about releasing this puppy on the 20th of March? Well I am! But to do so may require sacrificing a physical format release...for now.

On March 20th, I plan on making the songs available to you all on my website, Reverbnation, Myspace, Facebook and Itunes to name a few. You will have the option of purchasing it this way with a digital booklet that will include the lyrics and all that jazz. However, if you wish to wait or have something tangible as well, I will be working to get the album pressed and packaged and ready for your shelf not too long after. This physical release will have its perks over the digital version so I'd recommend buying it that way. If you want both, the more power to ya!

Anyway, more on that as we approach the deadline. Look for an official, FULL website in the next few weeks as well...(hint: keep an eye on that countdown)

Thanks all! Much love.

Safe Travels, LaCie External Hard Drive

2011-02-22T07:12:00.002-05:00

Today I send my trusty hard drive through the USPS to go fetch my What To Keep & Let Go files :) When it returns, I will bring the files that Dave has loaded onto it to a studio down here in SC to mix the record!

Exciting times. I will report more later.

Weekend Update with Norm Macdonald

2011-02-12T20:04:00.002-05:00

That'd be much cooler than watching my silly mug. haha Nevertheless, take what you will from my video update!

Everything's In Motion

2011-02-12T18:50:00.002-05:00

Writing the next album...

Alyson McKinster and Dan Cooper

2011-02-11T07:39:00.002-05:00

Meet my two new back up vocalists. Alyson has been on board for a while but I haven't had a chance to properly introduce her in a post, 'tho I'm sure you have seen her name floating around some blog entries. She is currently featured on both If Not Now Then When and Ask You and has plans on returning to the studio in the coming weeks to lay down some tracks on Bicycle on the Ice and perhaps a couple others. Her voice is a great fit for the songs and I'm very excited about having her as part of the project. She also plays piano on If Not Now Then When so her touch on the song certainly doesn't go without notice. It's brilliant, you'll see.

As for Dan, I met him a while back through Marcin and knew from word of mouth as well as sound clips that he possesses some phenomenal pipes. Naturally, it made sense to have him back me on one of the most difficult and energy-driven songs on the album - In The End. So fortunately, our schedules aligned when I was up this last January and Dan came in and recorded his part in a little over an hour. It, too, sounds amazing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again- this album is dripping with talent and these vocalists are no exception. Thank you Alyson and Dan.

R.I.P. Intermission

2011-02-10T21:20:00.006-05:00

Even a name change and lyric rewrite couldn't save this song. Intermission, previously Passing Into August, has gone through the ringer a few times in order to maintain its spot on the record. Countless demos, a hook added in and a simplified conclusion aided by Marcin Kuc, weren't enough to make this tune last to the final track list. It's sad for me to abandon any song, especially a veteran like Passing Into August/Intermission (I still remember when POA was thought up back in August of 2003). However, when something doesn't fit and ultimately brings down everything around it, it's time to say goodbye. Intermission ended up feeling much more like a filler piece than it did a contribution to a whole artistic vision. It was a deep breath that kinda left you gagging, not really breathless and lyrically it never was quite strong. A good sign that a song doesn't really work is when you aren't even excited to work on it. All the other songs on the record feel very complete and special to me and I want to protect that, not tarnish it with something that is better left in the "valiant effort" folder. Thanks to Dave, Marcin and Aaron for their work on this song.

POA/Intermission, I say this to you: Thank you for carrying me through to this point and your involvement was not in vain. After all, the negative space in art is just as important. Your absence helps to make the album as strong as it can be and I appreciate the sacrifice. Much love to you and may you find your place somewhere.

**PLEASE NOTE THE UPDATED TRACK LIST ON THE RIGHT SIDE PANEL OF THE BLOG***

The Last Studio Session

2011-02-07T17:54:00.007-05:00

The weekend of January 28th, 2011 marked my final day in the studio. Did we finish? Not QUITE but we're close. And the remaining things left to hash out can be executed by the very talented Fat Dave and the remaining back up vocalists. I have Brendon Thomas in New York gearin' up to record some backing tracks for Circles and Alyson McKinster is set to revisit the studio in the next couple of weeks to lay down some vocals for a couple songs. I am hoping that our production is complete by February 20th so as to leave a month wiggle room for mixing, mastering and reproducing of the CD's. The only thing that could pose an issue is finding a studio down here in Columbia that I can afford to mix and master the CD in time for the release. Rest assured I'm going to do everything in my power to stick to this deadline of March 20th.

Check out some of the studio session photos where Dave mastered the keys once again to lay down some sweet sections in Circles. We also had the unique experience of recording back up vocals together at the same time for the song. It sounds, needless to say, quite spectacular what has been done with the song.

Thanks for reading and be sure to keep checking back.

LOL (Lots of Love) Dylan

There Are Your Two Sides To Every Story.

2011-02-04T02:41:00.001-05:00

We're sneaking up on the Weston Monster's trail...

A new site has been released, leading us that much closer to unraveling the mysteries of the creature that has been intriguing us for so long. Keep a bookmark on this page as I have a feeling things will be changing on this site very soon.

Lots to come. Check out what looks to be the "coming soon" page for this official Weston Monster website.

Click here.

Broken and Bruised but Still Amused :)

2011-02-03T18:00:00.003-05:00

I'm getting better at typing despite my little mishap in Boston this last weekend. Yes, I managed to break my finger. And how, you may ask? Well I was a playful idiot and decided to wrestle my friends in the snow (instigated by me, of course) on the way back from the bars. Apparently, the mix of frigid snow (Marcin kinda-sorta borrowed my gloves) and spirit-induced numbness, will render one oblivious to any serious blows to the body or *cracks* to the bone. After a few "is this frostbite?!" inquiries and a four hour night's sleep, I realized it was pretty badly damaged. It wasn't until I went to Doctors Care on Tuesday that I realized the ring finger on my right hand was in fact broken. Funny, the 45 degree angle of the end of my finger and the black spot on the nail didn't LOOK serious. haha

So anyway, here I am, almost a week later, with a cool little splint hugging the fracture, struggling to thoroughly scrub my hair and doing a sweet left-cross to put a contact lens in my right eye. No easy task! I'm amused and impressed by this self-sticking tape they applied to the brace. (The tech guy said this stuff costs $300 bucks a box. hmmm. Maybe I can sell the three strips he gave me to buy some groceries.)

Boston was great and well worth this fiasco. And if this adventure has taught me one important lesson: Don't Drink & Dive...in the snow.

That is all. Well...until next post of course.

I Think I'll Go To Boston....

2011-01-27T22:28:00.003-05:00

I'm not a big fan of Augustana but this line couldn't be a better post title.

The dishwasher is humming behind me and my iItunes shuffle is honing in on some pretty sweet Frames tunes. Yeah, that's probably why I'm still up when I have to leave in 5 hours to head to the Charlotte Airport (still have to look up the address) and make my epic trip back to Boston for the weekend. Chad just called me a procrastinator a few minutes ago on text message because I said I hadn't even packed yet. And since I'm running on about 8 hours of sleep in the last two nights, I didn't even understand what he meant after only 2 minutes had passed since I told him that. haha I'm so out of it. So why not go to sleep? I dunno..nerves, (the good kind) and I just barely got home from work at 8:30. Call me crazy but it's not a night at home unless you're awake doing something cool...like packing for a trip and eating fake chicken patties.

Ah Boston..it will be nice to see you again without the holiday hustle and bustle. It will be nice to come full circle with the album and leave Fat Dave's Studio with some of the best memories I've ever had. It will be nice to drink some dark beers with my good friends and to get my feet wet and cold because for some reason, this Vermonter doesn't own a pair of boots. Oh South Carolina, how you have tamed me. Speaking of, I've been told I talk a lot slower now.....

Wow, can you say tangent? haha I am just rambling here. Time for bed. See you in the morning, Boston. It will be nice.

So in about about five hours I'm blue jetting up to the snowy city of Boston to finish up What To Keep & Let Go! On Saturday, after recording is complete, I will be hanging out with my buds up in the city and having a grand old time.

Are You Afraid of Your Shadow?

2011-01-16T23:24:00.005-05:00

For most of this project, the mystery behind the Weston Monster has left me, as well as possibly you, rather perplexed. Where is it from? Where has it been? And what does it want and have to do with me? Well on February 2nd, all of our questions will be answered.

A new website has been launched, initiating the reveal process of the illusive beast and on what appears to be Ground Hog Day, we will catch a glimpse of what this whole thing is about.

Click here to be a part of the unraveling...

The What To Keep & Let Go Players

2011-01-10T12:10:00.012-05:00

What To Keep & Let Go wouldn't be what it is without the talented ensemble of musicians that have been a part of it. This record has come a long way from the simple demos in my apartment living room and with the help of these wonderful people it has exceeded all of my expectations.

To showcase each and every player on the record, I have put together individual posters for each person including their role in the music. Not included are some of the back up vocalists I have on the album as I don't have photos of them, unfortunately.

To you, the musicians, thank you so much for all your hard work, talent and love put into this project. I think almost every day about how this album wouldn't be nearly as great without you and I will never forget the time we shared getting it ready. I will forever be grateful and honored.

Post Trip Post

2011-01-07T22:04:00.002-05:00

I only did one video on the trip back down to South Carolina last weekend. Lots of reflection took up most of my energy. That and trying to find the route home that best suited my journey. Word of advice: avoid interstate 77 in the middle of the night down in North Carolina. Lots of hills and fog mixed with fatigue makes for not a good time. It was good to be back.

Updates on the Interstates

2011-01-07T21:48:00.003-05:00

If you care to watch my goofy face explain where I am, where I will be and what I will be doing then make sure to check out these videos from my coastal drive from Columbia to Boston this last December. Unfortunately, my camera card clogged up with my silly videos before I could complete the trip so it cuts off when I'm in Maryland. Oh well...I'm sure by video #4 you'll be happy it did :)

If you have some time to kill, check em out. Otherwise, no hard feelings. haha

4:30 AM

6:45 AM

Virginia (time unknown)

12:30 PM

Despite Storm and Flu We Made It Through....Almost.

2011-01-06T22:52:00.010-05:00

I guess tonight is as good as any to write about my trip back north for the holidays. By the way, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

"So this is the new year and I don't feel any different" - Death Cab For Cutie

I usually feel this way when the new year rolls around. But this year feels like it's actually going to be a little different than most. For one, I'm finally going to finish this long awaited project I have been writing for nearly 8 years. It's a great feeling and I'm glad to be sharing my vision and my story with all of you. Second, I have gone through a lot of personal changes that have helped me to develop a great strength, awareness and growth to take me into my future years. Perhaps I'll elaborate on the details of this rather vague passage later but for now I shall share with you a bit of my studio time this last December.

It was great to see Dave again and it didn't take us long to fall back into our routine. We began by hashing out a detailed to-do list which comprised of filling out such songs as Horizons, City Lights and Bicycle on the Ice. Back in May, we had to cut my studio time short and so Horizons was left lingering with only half of the back up vocals completed. We picked up right where left off and attacked this song for most of Sunday. Unfortunately, I started feeling rather ill mid afternoon and after my final tamborine take, I got sick and had to lay down on the studio floor while Dave worked on the computer through some of the sorting. It wasn't long when I realized that I wasn't going to be able to continue for a while. Bummer huh?

Studio time was cut short and I was bed-ridden for the rest of the night. Snowed in with a fever of 101.7, What To Keep & Let Go was at a stand-still once again. Luckily we were able to finish up Horizons before I succumbed to my sickness and it sounds SO great. If you ever have heard of Bon Iver, think layering of vocals and combine that with an energy that would kick that pink bunny's butt.

Two days later after recovering from my little bug and spending some time with my friends in the city, I returned to the studio to work with Dave. I was feeling a lot better and was able to finish up most of my back up vocals that day. The highlight of the afternoon was working with the new back up singer, Alyson McKinster, a very talented vocalist that I had the pleasure of discovering from a Craigslist ad that I posted a few weeks before traveling up to Boston. We had a few exchanges and I heard her demos and was very impressed with her singing and musical abilities. She was immediately asked to contribute to If Not Now, Then When as well as Ask You. So on Tuesday, the 27th, we recording some female backup vocals for those two songs and also utilized Alyson's piano skills as well. We decided to turn to the real piano for the song but unfortunately it was a tad out of tune and we weren't able to get the take we needed. She did nail down her part on the keyboard, however, and we will use what we can.

So with Alyson's contribution, some polishing of my back up vocals and some additional work on City Lights, Bicycle on the Ice and Ask You, we find ourselves that much closer to being complete with the production process. However, due to losing such a block of time on Sunday because of my sickness, it has become evident that I must return to Boston sometime this month in order to make up for lost time. As of now, it's looking like I will be flying up the last weekend of January to work with Dave for about two days to wrap the project completely.

More updates to come as well as some video from my trip on the road. Thanks for reading and we'll catch ya soon!

Lyrics: In The End

2010-12-31T15:13:00.004-05:00

I wake up to find you in the middle of a slow rewind
and you don't know how far you've gone back but you are stuck in the wrong time.
But I will try and save you from the poison running through your mind
and when I bring you back stay with me, just breathe...know that you are alive. Alive...

But we forget ourselves again in the attempts to make amends.

Though everything seems lost and all lines are crossed
this is not what you'll choose in the end.
for when all is clear, no more pain and fear........

Don't you see your safe now, no more shadows to cover your eyes
so why do you look back from where you came in hopes to run and hide?

So we forget ourselves again in the attempts to make amends.

Though everything seems lost and all lines are crossed
this is not what you'll choose in the end.
For when all is clear, no more pain and fear
you will know who you are in the end.

Oh baby, everything that you need to be breaks away when you no longer see
that to be right here will set you free.
All you have to do is stop and breathe.
Just breathe. Breathe...

Though everything seems lost and all lines are crossed
this is not what you'll choose in the end.
For when all is clear, no more pain and fear
you will know who you are in the end (3x)

You will know. You will know.

The Countdown Begins...

2010-12-21T18:24:00.002-05:00

From the first day of winter to the last. Today begins the official countdown for the release of What To Keep & Let Go. Exciting!!

Check out the new Official Website which will be updated when the timer runs out. So don't forget to watch that clock!

Special thanks to Jeremy Hamel at Sliced Design for helping me code out this website and timer.

You Will Know - FINAL POSTER!

2010-12-21T18:12:00.004-05:00

Today, being the the first day of winter and what I consider to be the launching pad for a heaping pile of promotional agendas, I am releasing the final poster for the What To Keep & Let Go project. The cool thing about this image is that it's the first promotional photo taken a little under two years ago up in Maine by Melissa Xenakis. When it was taken, I knew it'd be one of the final posters of the album.

This poster has the expected release date of March 20, 2011 stamped on it as well as an updated cast of musicians. Enjoy!

From Winter To Spring..New Due Date of March 20, 2011

2010-12-20T19:56:00.009-05:00

Well ladies and gentleman, today marks the day that I was hoping to release What To Keep & Let Go. And why this day, you may ask? Well today is the first day of winter and with my record being so heavily drenched in wintry themes (did you ever notice a bicycle on the ice?), it seemed only appropriate. But unfortunately the release date gods were not on my side because I never found the cash I was praying for to make this a reality.

Nevertheless, as I'm so accustomed to adapting to my environments and situations like a sneaky little chameleon, I welcomed a new concept for such a themed release. With December 21st being an impossible release date (you'd all have to settle for unfinished pieces), I have set my sights on not the FIRST day of winter...but the last.

That is right. My new, and I must say rather REALISTIC, deadline is March 20, 2011. Not only does this still fall in the wintry realm of my themes and concepts, it also serves as a cusp to a new beginning, falling on the eve of spring, which we all know symbolizes birth, growth and some damn good maple syrup.

I'd also like to point out how very appropriate a March release date is for What To Keep & Let Go when we revisit the photograph that heavily inspired the theme of the record itself (see the original post on March 3, 2009). The photo that my dad took back in 1962 of an old Schwinn bicycle on an iced over lake has influenced this project in a great way, providing not only the title of one of the songs, Bicycle on the Ice, but also lending it's aesthetic hand to the art and vision of the album itself. The photo was taken in March of that year. And so, What To Keep & Let Go will be released 49 years later in the same month.

And so there you have it - mark your calendars for Sunday, March 20, 2011. I know music is usually released on a Tuesday but now you can drive to work on a Monday with the songs you've been waiting to hear for two years. Just don't get into a wreck from all the excitement. haha Just kidding.

New Update from a New Camera

2010-12-18T15:49:00.002-05:00

Strings Attached

2010-12-13T22:54:00.002-05:00

I am currently working on writing string arrangements for Horizons, City Lights, Circles and a few others in preparation for studio time in a couple weeks. I want to make sure I'm prepared to work with the limited time we'll have in order to get everything completed. It's a trip, I tell ya, to think about reuniting with Dave and the the gang to wrap everything up. In a way I think it's somewhat poetic and appropriate that after two years in the making, I return to Boston to see it through to completion. I am in talks with a local female singer to accompany me on If Not Now, Then When? and she is currently working on her own to fill out the song with her voice and piano melody. In coming posts, I will introduce the new addition to the talent line up.

Not much to report for now but look for lots more updates in the next couple weeks.

The Return to Weston

2010-12-05T00:15:00.002-05:00

To my delight, I will be returning to the studio in Weston, MA in a few weeks to finish everything that wasn't able to get done on What To Keep & Let Go when I moved to South Carolina back in May. It had been my hope that over the summer Dave and I would be able to accomplish a great deal to have a December release of the record, but as we all know that effort proved to be futile. Things happen for a reason, however, and I am happy to take the necessary time needed to finish it up right.

So I have planned two days at the studio with Dave to crank out some back up vocal parts, finish up recording some symphony arrangements and work on overall mixing of the songs. It is a little up-in-the-air as to exactly what days I will be there, but if all goes well, everything that needs to get done for an early 2011 release will get completed in a few weeks. In the meantime, I will be warming up my vocal chords and writing some piano parts in order to have everything ready to go for my two day production schedule.

I am excited to return for the holidays, see some friends, breathe in some cold, bitter air and finish up a long standing project.

Thanks to those of you who are still with me on this journey. Much love.

Inevitable Delay, Official Music Web Page And A Mailing List

2010-11-21T09:21:00.006-05:00

With a month to go until my projected release date of What To Keep & Let Go, it is clear to me that I am once again going to have to delay the project until it is at a point where I am satisfied to share with you all. I was really hoping that November 21st would be the time to send in the songs to get made into the physical CD, but with lack of resources to best complete the songs as well fund the production, that is definitely not possible.

I promise that the next release date I give will be the final one. I am so sorry for so many delays but life sometimes gets in the way of completing projects and this is no exception.

With that all said, I'd like to introduce to you all something I have been working on that will help to keep those involved better in the loop and perhaps still interested in this project. haha This production blog has served me well the last two years in updating everyone with the process of the album and I will continue to do so until it is complete. However, today I am launching my official music web page that is fully equipped with a mailing list feature that you, once subscribed, can benefit from receiving direct-to-email notifications, updates, links and other fun things about the What To Keep & Let Go album as well as future projects. Along with the mailing list, you will find links to several social networking sites that my current demos can be listened from and you will also have better access to my current single, Stand.

Official Dylan Duncan Music Site

So although I have brought disappointing news of a delay, I hope you will be happy with the new site and mailing list option. I plan on keeping the website updated frequently with features and new links. Sometime in the near future, keep your eye out for a t-shirt design contest, giveaways and an official What To Keep & Let Go website linked directly from my music site. And if you're curious at this point how long it might be until the album is released, please know that it is definitely still be in the winter season.

As always thank you for your patience and dedication to the project.

See Any Monsters?

2010-11-02T22:21:00.002-04:00

The Where Is The Weston Monster site has been updated! Go check it out. Be sure to continue visiting the site for updates as there are more things coming...

Click here to jump to the site.

Is There Anybody Out There?

2010-10-25T22:45:00.002-04:00

Pink Floyd would like to know if you're still following the progress of What To Keep & Let Go. haha How COULD you really when there hasn't been much to update!

My bad..

So sorry for all the lack of updates and things....The only piece of news I have to share is that I was able to get all the songs from Dave and have been listening to them a lot to really figure out what to do with each. To the best of my knowledge, Dave has been working on the list I gave him and this week is supposed to be a pretty big production week. All I can say is from hearing the record from start to finish is that I am pretty excited :) I think my favorites are going to end up being City Lights, In The End and Electric Candle. I am looking forward to hearing the finals!!

More to come soon...I am hoping I don't have to report any news of a possible delay in the project.....:/

The Return of Video Updates

2010-10-08T19:32:00.002-04:00

It's back!

A Preview Of What To Keep & Let Go

2010-10-07T18:53:00.003-04:00

YES!! I'm so excited. Sometime last week I requested that Dave send me every song where it stands at this point in production so I can hear the whole thing through. And why do I want to do this? Anyone? Well simple! That way I can figure out the flow between songs and also what is left to do on each song. It's been quite a while since I've heard the songs in their studio versions and a refresher will be quite nice. Dave has assured me he will have the songs for me by tomorrow. From there, I will take the next week to pick through each song, take necessary, detailed notes and supply Dave with a thorough to-do list for us to finish up the tunes. It will be great to hear where we are at as four months definitely blurs the vision a bit.

I think this will be a good test to see how happy I am with the songs as a break in hearing them was probably a good idea. I'll keep you posted on how things are lookin'.

Mailing list coming soon...

The Ebb & Flow of What To Keep & Let Go

2010-10-03T10:06:00.004-04:00

I apologize again for the lack of posts this summer, especially to those who may miss more video or pictures. It's been a lot of work keeping up with the production from afar but Dave and I are confident to have this project all wrapped up on time. Again, if it's not truly how I want it by then, I fear another delay but at the same time I am determined to not allow that to happen.

If you look at the number of posts per month recently in comparison to the beginning of the production, the difference is quite astounding. I don't want you to think that I have gotten lazy (maybe in some cases, I have haha) but the reason for the drop in updates comes primarily from the fact that MOST of the work is already done. I look at it like we're in the eye of the hurricane, sitting serenely amidst everything going on around the project and just waiting for it to start up again. In the next coming weeks, I anticipate a lot more activity as I have requested from Dave the entire album to be roughly mixed down from start to finish in order for me to hear where we need to go at this point. After a thorough review and dissection of the record, we can move forward with the finishing touches. Along the way, I will be revealing some goodies that pertain to the project such as some t-shirt concepts, a website with complete bios of the players on the record as well as some other fun things. I'm excited!!

So although it's been so up and down, please have faith that the record project and the anticipated after-effects of the production will level out....and not on the low end either.

Thanks again for all your patience. You SHALL be rewarded!

Where Is He...

2010-10-03T09:55:00.003-04:00

Some of you may have noticed on Facebook the past couple of days that I have posted a website called "Where Is The Weston Monster?" Right now, I'm doing my own work to see if I can figure out the mystery behind the creature and in the next few days, the site will be updated to allow for your help as well. It's been a whole summer in Summerville, SC without any sign of the beast and I am wondering why the sightings have ceased and if there will be any more in the near future...I'm guessing there will be.

So please keep your eyes glued to the website for updates and sighting reports on The Weston Monster. It should get interesting...

What To....Do.

2010-09-28T13:03:00.003-04:00

So given my unemployment status during these summer months, I am not 100% confident in using, as I mentioned in an earlier post, a studio down here in Charleston to help me finish up the record from afar! As convenient and great as that would be, I just don't see it happening, financially. Nevertheless, I still push towards the December 21st deadline with dedication and excitement! This project is two years in the making and I don't wish to continue much past that; I simply have just too many more projects I wish to start (including a second album). This is not to say that I don't wish to deliver a quality product. :)

So in talking with Dave, it has come to our attention that the best way to go about this would be for me to somehow acquire a protools interface for my modest little home studio so Dave and I can switch files back and forth and I can record some backups from home. Currently, I own a little M-Audio box that has worked great but I don't have Protools to work my music through. As What To Keep & Let Go is recorded using the Protools platform, it is essential I am consistent with Dave's setup in order to work with his files. So! It is my plan to either sell my M-Audio Firewire 410 to make room for a M-Box (which includes the program) OR I can somehow find Protools M-Powered which is made specifically for M-Audio interfaces.

Phew that's a lot of "M's!" I certainly hope to figure all this out soon so Dave and I can use the next few months to really crank this out. As far as getting the album pressed, I may have to do a little fundraising for that....I'll keep you posted on those events.

Sorry for such a lack of updates this summer! It's been crazy trying to settle in with a job and what not and What To Keep & Let Go has had to take a little bit of a back seat to life itself.

More to come soon including a couple more posters, a website (yes I have said that a lot) and a little update on a certain monster...

"Is There A Chance We'll Meet Again?"

2010-09-06T15:43:00.002-04:00

Back in the beginning of the summer, I was asked to perform a song at a local church in September by their choir director as part of a Special Music segment of the service. Ask You was my song of choice and the performance received a warm recognition by the attendees and their Pastor.

Fitting perfectly into the "Second Chance" Sermon, (not intentionally), Ask You provoked many people to approach me after the service to share personal stories of their own lost loved ones and the hope and meaning the song brought to them. I am always so touched by what I hear from the people that are moved by the song and how they relate to it; one such example involved a man who, like me, lost a parent when he was a teenager after a long illness and a family divided. It was amazing to hear such a similar story and I saw both pain and gratitude in his eyes as he told his story and declared his appreciation for my words to the church. One woman said she lost her grandmother recently and another man was honoring, that very day, the anniversary of the loss of his parent...

Although Ask You is incredibly special and personal for me, it is always a great feeling to sing it for people and have it mean something to them as well. It truly is an honor.

Well without further ado, here is my performance of Ask You on September 5th, featuring a member of the church's choir, Bruce Bryson, who did a great job providing back up vocals and really helping to fill out the song! Thanks goes to him as well as Melissa's mom, Donna, for recording this practice run of the song. Unfortunately, due to loss of memory data, the actual performance was not captured but you can get a good sense of how it turned out :))

Ask You Featuring Bruce Bryson, September 5, 2010.

Remaining Ask You Singles For Sale!

2010-09-06T14:49:00.005-04:00

In light of this last weekend's performance of Ask You and realizing how many CD's I have left of the single, I am hoping to clean out my inventory to make room for the release of What To Keep & Let Go and hopefully generate some money to pay for the production of it. So, if you're interested in purchasing this handmade, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-made-again single which also includes an acoustic version of May, then please write me at music@dylanduncan.com to work out the details. The price for the CD will be $3 which includes the cost of shipping. And heck, I'll even throw in a "Bicycle Button" for the first, say..20 orders. :) Oh and just as word of mention: This version of Ask You is different than the one on the album so for those wanting both, this might be of interest to you.

I am setting up a Paypal account for more convenient orders for those willing to do that and will supply details in the email. Thanks!

Here's The Plan..

2010-09-03T12:09:00.002-04:00

Okay, I know I'm getting redundant in my updates as far as what needs to be done, what will happen, etc etc. haha But as loyal readers and followers you, of course, deserve to know every detail :)

I've been talking with Dave and it seems to be the best idea to really attack the remaining production work which includes some sorting of vocal and instrument sections and putting in place any final pieces such as the bass in If Not Now, Then When and some string arrangements in a handful of songs. This of course would be contrary to our original idea of finishing each song one by one. The reason? Well as the deadline approaches (and it's approaching fast) I feel the best way to effectively handle the conclusion of the record is for me to be in closer proximity with the final stages of production, namely final mixing and mastering. I have been in contact with a couple studios down here who both know my situation and are willing to take on the workload after I've gotten as far as I can get with Dave working long distance. We're all still in talks so nothing is solid and Dave and I might be able to get as close to the finished product as needed to only allow a quick polish at one of these studios. I'd like to finish the whole project with Dave but I also would like to make the final touches being present in the studio so I think with enough planning and execution this could work out rather smoothly. I am determined to have this ready for you all by the first day of winter.

Once I pick a studio down here I will reveal the website and give them an appropriate plug. I can tell you that I am very excited to work with either one of them as their set up is pretty sweet. But I will definitely miss Dave's. It was a great run and I learned a lot about myself, my music and my limitations while working with him there. Invaluable experience that I'll never forget.

Chad Macomber's "Alive Like You" Released

2010-09-03T10:24:00.003-04:00

Chad Macomber, longtime friend and musical collaborator/contributor has released the second single from his forthcoming album The Diaries of Mr. Cam DeBarcho. Entitled Alive Like You, it's definitely, in my opinion, the best produced song of Chad's I've heard in a long while; presenting a sound and mixing maturity that would only make sense from his many years of honing the craft. Chad has spent his music career challenging and reinventing his sound and this song is a perfect example of that willingness to depart from any comfort zone. The trumpets are especially good.

Please go check out his new single Alive Like You and be sure to keep up with the progress of his album and its release.

"...Is there a chance we'll meet again?"

2010-08-26T11:49:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, September 5th, I will be dusting off the 'ol Breedlove and vocal chords to perform Ask You at a local Church in N. Charleston, SC. This song is actually the last one I performed live as it was the final number at the Green Mountain Festival Series show back in November. Although it isn't a religious song necessarily, it definitely has a spiritual tone as it touches upon my questions of an afterlife and whether or not there is a connection between the living and those passed on. I see Ask You as a conversation with my mom who passed away a little more than 13 years ago, offering up my open ears and hoping to gain some answers in regards to her well-being and happiness after spending many of her final years in pain and suffering. It is a song that always brings me closer to her when I listen to it or simply strum the chords in silence. Some have actually thanked me for the song as it has made them feel closer to their lost loved ones and others have found religious meaning in the words on their own, which I feel honored for.

I am hoping to get the performance recorded for the blog and for you, the reader, but I'll be just as content with sharing the song with the church audience and speaking once again to my mom from a place where she's maybe more likely to hear me.

Where We Stand...

2010-08-13T12:15:00.003-04:00

....after Stand.

Although a rough mix, the second single has been released, and with that comes my steadfast drive to get this project completed. Working long distance with Dave has proven to be a little more difficult than I had anticipated but alas, it's still possible. With just over 4 months left until my proposed release date, I am filled with both excitement and nervousness, hoping that I will not have to delay this project into 2011. I have begun writing for my second project and hope to get working heavily on that next year so needless to say an overlap in projects is not so desirable. But if a push back is required for quality assurance, then so be it!

I have been in contact with Dave and we are going to be setting up a schedule sometime soon here that will enable a consistent work flow from now until Thanksgiving when I am hoping to dive right into the mastering and duplication process. Like I have said, I hope to have the CD ready for the holidays and just in time for winter to begin.

I will be keeping you all up to speed on the progress of this concluding project in the coming weeks as well as offering up details on my plans for a second album....Stay tuned :)

Simplify Your Fate....Stand Is Right Here!

2010-08-02T23:50:00.001-04:00

You've been patient...very very patient :) And for that I reward you all with a song off of What To Keep & Let Go which is due out on December 21st! Stand is the first song I wrote for the record and the 2nd single released since the beginning of this whole process. Unlike Ask You which featured only one other musician, Brendon Thomas, Stand is a full band treatment that introduces the work of Marcin Kuc, Cullen Corley and Chad Macomber on this project . This particular version is lacking backup vocals by Angela Paladino but she will be featured on the final release as well as some melodies that will help to fill the song out a bit more.

So until then, please enjoy this early mix of Stand and thank you again for your patience and support!!

Click here for the official Stand page. You can also find the song on Facebook, and soon to be Myspace, Reverbnation

Please Stand By....

2010-08-02T11:35:00.002-04:00

Thanks goes to David Ireland for the creative play on words... haha

Sorry for the delay folks! I headed outta town yesterday to go see my cousin dance and twirl in her drum corps up in Rock Hill, SC and since the mix wasn't quite ready til I was already out the door, I had to wait til today to release the song :)

I'm currently finishing up a few things and will have the song out to you today! Thanks for patience!

Thanks to Dave EASTMAN for taking a summer Sunday to get the mix ready for me!

"For Now I Think I'll Let You Dream Tonight..."

2010-07-29T16:38:00.006-04:00

On Friday July 23rd, my grandfather passed away at the age of 94... I found out a few days ago and ever since I had been scrambling to try and make it up to the service which was held today at 11:00 am in Springfield, VT. Unfortunately, plane tickets were unreasonably expensive and it was not possible to make it up from South Carolina given the time I had and the circumstances I am in.

So after many discussions with family and loved ones, I decided to stay here and honor my grandfather from a distance. Everyone was in support of my decision and trusted I'd be there in my own way, knowing how much I wish I could have gone. So today, during the exact time the service was being held, Melissa and I went to Azalea Park, a quiet, pathway-weaved sanctuary laden with pink flowers and willow trees to pay our respects and honor his life and passing. We made our way to a quiet gazebo where I played a song that I had written for my grandfather a while back called "Rising Suns". Unfortunately, I never got a chance to share the song with him but today I found it very appropriate to sing it. I am sad I couldn't be there with my family during this time but glad that Melissa and I could have our own little service in the south for my grandfather.

Rest In Peace, Grandpa. I love you and I'll miss you.

Here is my modest performance of "Rising Suns" with the lyrics posted below. After many starting attempts that were interrupted by bugs flying onto my face and sirens screaming in the background, we got through the whole song. Please excuse my singing and playing errors...it has been a long time since I performed this one.

Rising Suns

your eyes have seen the light of so many rising suns
your feet have brought you further than both of mine have done
and with the beating of your heart you've kept a steady pace
while tragedy and love have carved the lines upon your face

and I can't imagine
how it feels to see it all
to hold on to the memories, however big or small

and one day I will ask you
what you thought of your own life
but for now I think i'll let you dream tonight

the wind has carried secrets, inspired stories told
it's held up walls meant to protect, knocked down the trees of old
but today it serves one purpose and thats to keep your fire bright
for the gentle breeze holds melodies sung deep within your life

and I can't imagine
how it feels to see it all
to hold on to the memories, however big or small

and one day I will ask you
what you thought of your own life
but for now I think I'll let you dream tonight

We never know what tomorrow brings
they're drowned out by songs we sings
but I know that the sun will set
and until it does let's live how we know best...

and I can't imagine
how it feels to see it all
to hold on to the memories, however big or small

and one day I will ask you
what you thought of your own life
but for now I think I'll let you dream tonight
for now I think I'll let you dream tonight
for now I think I'll let you dream tonight

Stand To Be Released August 1st

2010-07-21T17:23:00.005-04:00

While Passing Into August didn't quite make the cut as a song concept, its title still manages to play an important role. On August 1st, I will be releasing Stand, the first song written for the record back in 2003 and the second single to be introduced to you all since Ask You's debut back in May of 2009. With several delays to the project and quite a large lapse in sharing any new music, Stand should satisfy some eager taste buds and offer up a hint of what is to come at the end of the year.

Keep your eyes and ears open for Stand on August 1st!

***Keep in mind that this rough mixed-down version I will be sharing with you is lacking a few components that will be featured on the final edit, including the back-up vocals by Angela Paladino as well as some possible string sections throughout various parts of the song. Said melodies excluded in this single but featured on the final version were written by Chad Macomber.

This is just like waking up...

2010-07-20T10:54:00.003-04:00

...and not being able to sing too well. haha Nevertheless, I have provided "y'all" with a little morning diddy to go with your coffee. Enjoy!

Bicycle on the Ice (Live from Summerville, SC) ...Oh and it's Tuesday, not Thursday...haha.

The 411 on I-26

2010-07-15T10:38:00.002-04:00

The returns of video updates!

Could it be??!!???!

2010-07-08T11:29:00.002-04:00

Oh my god! This morning I was looking through the photos that Melissa took yesterday for the Gibson Les Paul shoot and look what I saw!!! Is that The Weston Monster?!??! Could he have somehow followed me all the way down here from MA and if so HOW? Maybe when we weren't looking he snuck into our moving truck or stowed away in our two crammed cars in between trips from the apartment to the parking lot??...I DID take one final trip to Weston the week before we moved...maybe he jumped into the car when I was saying goodbye to Dave but then if so wouldn't Dave had seen him do it? Wouldn't I have heard him breathing in the back seat or laughing a mischievous little chuckle under my piles of clothes? Either way, this is indeed bizarre. Will I have to rename him The Carolina Monster??

Stay tuned for more on this crazy occurrence. What IS this creature up to....

Lyrics: Hello, Amy

2010-07-07T12:32:00.002-04:00

Hello, Amy
I didn't expect you here this soon
You're not due for quite a while at least that's what I assumed
and I don't want to be rude but I think that you should leave
I'm not ready to sit down with you and talk of life and what it means.

'Cos you're hurting me so effortlessly
simply put: I want you gone
I want you far away from me

Tell me, Amy:
Why do you still insist on comin' knockin' on my door when you know I'll just resist?
I'm closing all the curtains, pullin' up the welcome mat
and if you can't take the hint by then I guess I'm headin' out the back.

'Cos you're hurting me so effortlessly
simply put: I want you gone
I want you far away from me

Well done Amy
I think I've given into you
'cos you've numbed up all my senses and there's nothing I can do
and if you should never leave me I guess I'll take your hand and say:
Amy, perhaps we're meant to be, suppose it's better off this way...

'Cos you're hurting me so effortlessly
simply put: I want you gone
I want you far away from me

Goodbye, Amy
I've had some time to think things through.
I don't know what I was thinking when I said that I'd love you.
Perhaps out of desperation or a fear of losing time
I just know now that I don't want you and there's no way to change my mind.

"I think this guitar wants to go to Carolina with you..."

2010-06-23T10:34:00.007-04:00

Remember the "fantastic four" array of guitars that Dave Ireland let me borrow over the course of the project which included three custom made Taylor acoustic guitars and a 1985 Gibson Les Paul Studio electric? How awesome was that? Yeah...pretty awesome. His contribution helped to provide greater depth in sound and variety on the record that may not have existed with only one acoustic guitar model strumming out the tunes. It was a great display of generosity on the part of Dave and was a testament to his support of the project.

Well his legacy of support lives on with me here in South Carolina as I am reminded everyday by his incredibly generous farewell gift:
The 1985 Gibson Les Paul!! Housed in its pink-lined hardshell case, this cream colored gem helped me create the necessary sound for Circles and will be the driving force for my next record project. I couldn't believe it when Dave pulled me into his office to hand me over his guitar on my last day of work. Words could not describe how honored and appreciative I felt standing there with my new friend in hand but amidst the shock, I managed to squeeze out about a hundred 'thank you's, an "are you sure?" and a few "wows" before heading back to my desk.

So almost two months after leaving for South Carolina, here we are, me and my Les Paul, and I finally have some clearer words to say:

Dave, thanks for ALL your enthusiasm, excitement, support, generosity and advice during the entire What To Keep & Let Go project. I am proud to have your guitar journey with me towards future endeavors and I will be forever reminded of where it came from. Thank you so very much. It says hello, by the way. ......Oh, and Batman 3 pre-production work is starting soon. Keep up with me on its progress?

Lyrics: Electric Candle

2010-06-21T09:21:00.003-04:00

I'm not alone tonight
an electric candle sits with me
I wanna feel alright
don't want to be so cowardly

I push them all away
so they can't see my dried up tears
will they be back someday?
maybe when I no longer fear

getting too close
and learning to love again
I don't know how to say this:
I don't think I'm meant to hold your hand

'cos I forget your face
when you're standing right in front of me
and I wish I wasn't so damn numb
I wish I felt the love you offered me

I brought you home tonight
and in between my memories and my dreams
I hold you oh so tight
but somehow you manage to get free

I chase you 'round the room
'cos you taught me never to give up
but I'll forget you soon
'cos not knowing is what keeps me from

getting too close
and learning to love again
I don't know how to say this:
I don't think I'm meant to hold your hand

'cos I forget your face
when you're standing right in front of me
and I wish I wasn't so damn numb
I wish I felt the love you offered me

I'm getting too close
and learning to love again
but I don't know how else to say it:
I don't think I'm meant to hold your hand

'cos I forget your face
when you're standing right in front of me
and I wish I wasn't so damn numb
I wish I felt the love you offered me

Lyrics: Intermission

2010-06-11T13:05:00.001-04:00

My eyes have opened and I am hopin' to see a little more
I've gone over intermission so I've been missin' the show on the other side of the door

The audience has taken their seats and the curtains have opened wide
the stage is set and my one regret is that I'm not quite on time

to see everything, all the lights and lines worth hearing
and I feel like I'm too late to my own play

The first act's over and the next one begins
and tho' I've missed some things I'll make up for what I can

Applause and now some silence, a spotlight and curtain call
a bow and now and encore. I can't keep up with it all.

The first act's over and the next one begins
and tho' I've missed some things I'll make up for what I can.

tonight I've forgotten every line
so the only thing to do is improvise.

The first act's over and the next one begins
and tho' I've missed some things I'll make up for what I can.

12/21/10

2010-06-11T12:35:00.002-04:00

I have finalized the release date for What To Keep & Let Go - December 21st, 2010. With all the work still left to do on the project to make it to where I would like it, including mixing, mastering, CD art design and mass production of the CD's (not to mention the funding involved for said release), the finalized date seems perfect. I know I have pushed back the project several times and I apologize for another delay but I have realized just how much work there is left to do and I don't want to rush it. Besides, I have always pictured a winter release due to the nature the album art and themes...it just seems to make sense. And why the 21st of December? Well the 21st marks the first day of winter! It's perfect. Could make a great stocking stuffer as well, eh?? :)

"Steve Clayton Pick of the Week"

2010-06-10T13:32:00.003-04:00

Back in April, I designed and ordered some white, acetal guitar picks featuring the What To Keep & Let Go bicycle on the ice graphic; they were to be gifts for my guitar players who helped me on the record. As the gifts were supposed to be a surprise right up until I moved, I didn't want to share the pretty cool outcome of designing these picks on my blog. But now that the guys have them I can share with you all! Shortly after submitting the pick design, I was contacted by Steve Clayton Custom Guitar Picks, the company I used to design them, with a request to feature my pick on their website as part of their Pick of the Week section! I agreed and after submitting a brief description of the project and the meaning behind the design, my pick was featured as the "Pick of the Week" on April 14th, 2010. Thanks again to the folks over at Steve Clayton for choosing the design!

Click the link below to see! Thank goodness they kept it online so I can share it with you all.

Pick of the Week

If you're interested in purchasing a pack of 10 picks, please contact me at music@dylanduncan.com. I will be making them available for sale sometime this summer, price to be determined. Oh, and definitely check out Steve Clayton's site. They have a killer design interface, great turnaround and reasonable prices! Can't end this without a plug afterall! :)

"The rolling hills and willow trees of Carolina wait for me.."

2010-06-03T21:15:00.010-04:00

..and the extreme heat :)

After a couple weeks of intense packing and moving, Melissa and I arrived in South Carolina on May 28th :) It was an epic journey filled with an ABF self-loading moving truck, a smooth sailing GW Bridge and a my first ever Moon Pie in North Carolina. :) This week has been busy as we have sorted through our belongings to make sense of a temporarily scattered life, working from home and hitting up happy-hour for the cheapest Margarita's this side of South of the Border. The storms here are wild and when the darkness engulfs us it reminds me of my years in Florida. In some ways it feels like I'm back there, minus the art classes and triple night partying. There is a calm here that invites for breakfast in the sticky morning air while the Carolina Wrens sit in their nests and the meter man waves a friendly hello; where neighbors come over to play in the lawn and the cotton-candy sky bids farewell to a warm and peaceful day.

So while I've been enjoying all this beauty and organizing my new life down here in South Carolina, What To Keep & Let Go has taken its place on the back burner- until now. It's good to get this update out to you all as I know it has been a while. But rest assured that just because I have moved, it doesn't mean that the project will fade away! In fact, the timing of the events for recording vs. post production are quite astounding as I will be able to do most work long distance with Dave, (can you say Postal Service?) and hopefully have the whole thing wrapped up by the winter (yes I am thinking an extension is in order but I feel the winter theme makes that some-what appropriate so I'm good with it.)

So where do we stand? Well during my last session at the end of May, Dave and I were able to get some of my back up vocals recorded and even though we had to cut it short during Horizons due to time constraints with my move, we were confident that with a few of my returning trips back north this year and with the help of some vocalists in the Boston area, we will be able to finish up the vocal side of the record. I have requested that Dave send me all the songs as rough mix-downs so I can see, rather HEAR, where we're at with the tunes. It will take some time but Dave is going to get me the files soon. At that point, I will go through each song, deciding where things need to go and conversing with Dave about the direction for each. I suspect that we'll need filler instruments, in most cases, and with my M-audio keyboard I will work on symphony arrangements for Circles and City Lights.

More to to come from Charleston, SC in the coming weeks including a new poster, the return of video updates and a more structured website is looming in the near future. Thanks so much for all your patience! Much love.

May You Be Patient...

2010-05-21T20:46:00.004-04:00

been on vacation. celebrating 30th. preparing for move. be back soon :)

lots o love. dylan

Music On The Lawn

2010-05-10T10:43:00.004-04:00

It was a nice day to play guitar in the lawn while I waited for my session to begin.

Lyrics: Circles

2010-05-10T09:39:00.004-04:00

Oh, this hunger now it takes me, swallowing me whole.
The longing, it’s unbearable and it’s pulling at my soul.
Why is it we always want the things we don’t have?
But put desire over doubt and what you love will last.

And if we just live inside the moment we might not miss the world around.
If we just stop running in circles in hopes to find what can’t be found we’ll be alright
we’ll be alright.

But for everytime I told you I’d change, there was an ounce of doubt 'cos passions remained.
For if there is one life, why not make it shine? Why not do what makes us feel alive?
The choices that we make will live with us everyday so we better treat them right.
We gotta treat them right.

And if we just live inside the moment we might not miss the world around.
If we just stop running in circles in hopes to find what can’t be found we’ll be alright
we’ll be alright.

Just don’t be afraid, someday you’ll know where you belong.
It’s what you lose that defines you and helps you see who you’ll become.

And if we just live inside the moment we might not miss the world around.
If we just stop running in circles in hopes to find what can’t be found

Oh I will live inside the moment and I won’t miss the world around.
I will stop running in circles ‘cos everything is right here, right now.

You see, we’d make it right tonight. I know we’d make it right tonight if everything had never changed but we’re not to blame ‘cos how will you know what to keep & let go when all you have’s a lifetime to decide?

Oh we will see when everything goes dark. We’ll bind when we come apart.
This is just who we are- slow beating hearts waiting to start again.

May Update

2010-05-07T16:08:00.003-04:00

A long overdue update.

Lyrics: City Lights

2010-05-05T10:28:00.004-04:00

Please note, I messed up the order of the weekly lyrics. City Lights comes before Bicycle on the Ice on the record.

City Lights

The summer's over and it's getting cold
and I dare not ask you what has not been told
'cos we succeed in hiding all our secrets
endless abyss of truth and all its rejects

oh, we can't comprehend anything other than what we know right now

and where are we going?
the city lights are bright and glowing but we're in the dark tonight.

do you believe in love and its illusions?
a simple kiss can twist sought out conclusions
and lead you to a place thought to be fiction
but I'd rather make my way without the friction

oh, we can't comprehend anything other than what we know right now

and where are we going?
the city lights are bright and glowing but we're in the dark tonight.

but here in this moment
of dying dreams and hearts now broken let's try now to make things right.

oh no, we are wrong to try and be still when we're moved passionately
but we cannot capture love 'til we set it free

and where are we going?
the city lights are bright and glowing but we're in the dark tonight.

but here in this moment
of dying dreams and hearts now broken let's try now to make things right.

let's try now to make things right, let's try now to make things right.

the summer's over and it's getting cold....

And It's May...

2010-04-30T16:56:00.006-04:00

My favorite month is here.

As some of you might know, May signifies a lot for me....birth, death and hope all wrapped up into a 31 day period. It's no secret to a lot of you that May is the month my mom passed away. This year will be 13 years on the 26th. My does time pass. It's not depressing to me. It's more a time that I remember her the most; when the buds come out on the trees and the morning dew gives way to bird calls in the glowing forests; when hummingbirds come back everyday and the silence is so loud you can't help but hear every memory.

In honor of this month and of my mom, I am posting May, the song I wrote for her back in college and was recorded with Chad Macomber on our collaborative album, Detour. I revisited the song last year for a re-release on the Ask You single, performing a more intimate, acoustic version and you can hear it here. The song will be available on my myspace, reverbnation as well as on the side bar of this blog later this weekend.

As we approach the anniversary of my mom's passing, I will be working to fundraise a bit for Amyloidosis research by selling the remaining copies of my Ask You single which includes this version of May. Look for more details soon.

Passing Into August Passes Away...

2010-04-30T11:00:00.005-04:00

...but leaves behind its melody, instrumentation and structure.

In light of all these changes and revisions, Passing Into August has been completely re-written. For personal reasons, album flow and thematic relevance, PIA has gone intentionally MIA and left room for a completely different story and set of lyrics. The new song is called Intermission and its placement on the record from my recent track re-order (after Circles) is perfect. Intermission has more meaning to me than PIA does; not to say that PIA didn't tell a good story but all along this song has never seemed to fit, nor did it ever really make me excited. Intermission's lyrics even seem to fit better into the whimsical piano mold left behind by PIA, serving as not only an integral part of the theme but as the actual "break" between the first and last half of the record. What To Keep & Let Go has revealed itself to me in recent months as a sort of two act play with a very defined first half and second half; there are even two distinct climaxes of the record- Circles (track 6) and Ask You (track 11). Both of which hold a lot of central themes of "letting go".

Intermission is the missing piece of this 7 year long puzzle where Passing Into August was sort of a stepping stone towards it. I'll never forget what Passing Into August meant to me and what it may have meant to you as well. I am sure at the very least a part of the song will show up again in the future. Some of the lyrics are strong and noteworthy to my life but this may have just not been the right time for the message to manifest. As the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh would say: "the conditions simply aren't right".

R.I.P, P.I.A. Thanks for carrying me through to this point. You have played a very important role in deciding what to keep...and what to let go.

Look for the newly added Intermission on the track list as well as lyrics in coming weeks.

Even in the end, there's room for change.

2010-04-30T09:34:00.009-04:00

Throughout this album project, there have been a few kinks and holes in certain songs, lyrically speaking, that have required some attention. In some circumstances, even structural work was needed and thanks to the help of the guys in the band, that has long since been attended to. Now, in the remaining weeks of recording, I find myself still at the point of revising lyrics and making sure I am saying exactly what I want to say. With half these songs written a little over 5 years ago, it makes sense that some things might call for a revision depending on a change in viewpoint, relevance or personal meaning to me. Usually I like to leave the songs alone as they show history of inner growth and change in my life. But in some cases, the lyrics simply just don't make sense...as if they never truly found a place within the theme. I may have simply rushed the words in the early stage of writing these songs.

So not even an hour before I was scheduled to sing In The End at Dave's place on Tuesday, I was sitting on the couch finishing up an all-day rework of certain parts of the lyrics so that the whole thing flowed better and made more sense to me. At one point, I even had to tell Dave I needed a few more minutes to get something solid written up. He went back to his house to feed the cats while I finished up work on the chorus. haha Fifteen or so minutes later, I penned the finished words to the song and am very pleased with the changes.

Thanks, Dave, for your patience in all my crazy re-writes.

Angela Came Down To Back Up

2010-04-29T15:32:00.011-04:00

....and then back...up? haha

On April 26th, I reunited with my old friend, Angela, as she arrived in Weston from Vermont to back me up on Stand. It was great to catch up and give her a run through of the studio space where she'd be adding the very first back-up vocals to the record. After a brief introduction of ideas and hashing out our goals for the singing parts with Dave, Angela hit the recording room, did some warm up runs and managed to get her parts sung in time to meet a friend for dinner in the city!

Thanks again, Angela, for making the journey down to MA to lend your vocals! Much appreciated :)

Check out pictures of Angela's session.

Rollin' Up Our Sleeves, Gettin' Down To Work!

2010-04-26T11:16:00.009-04:00

And Dave did just that! As I finished up my singing on Sunday for Hello, Amy, I walked out to the console room to see that Dave had his sleeves rolled up from the warmth of the studio. Or perhaps it was 'cos he was gettin' down and dirty for our long day or recording!

Back and fresh (but a tad jet lagged) from Costa Rica, Dave was gracious enough to invite me in on a relaxing Sunday to get some serious work done to make up for a little loss time. And with two additional studio days to follow, this was indeed gracious. We started at 12:30 and after a brief experimentation session of restructuring If Not Now, Then When (more to come on that soon) we got right into vocals. Thankfully my vocal practicing and car-ride-up-warm up has paid off as I was able to get through my sessions comfortably and with a lot more control than I used to have. At a few points I even managed to widen my girlfriend's eyes during some belting parts at the end of the song. The thumbs up in my peripheral vision were enough to keep me confident throughout :)

In about 5 and a half hours, with deck breaks for fresh air, tea drinking and lyric writing, we managed to get down Hello, Amy, Horizons and If Not Now, Then When. Not bad considering it takes roughly an entire normal session to get down one song. Today, Angela comes in for back-ups on Stand and tomorrow we will continue with the final two songs for me to sing- In The End and Passing Into August.

Thanks to Dave and Melissa for an afternoon of studio time!

Photos by Melissa Xenakis

Lyrics: Bicycle On The Ice

2010-04-26T10:30:00.003-04:00

And this is just like waking up, forgetting all the dreams you had
trying your best to write them down on paper
while they're still clear inside your head. Please try not to forget.

The country hills loved you at twenty-five, 'cos they knew what you'd become
now the city walls keep you inside
from everything you grew to love and all the things you would become.

And they're all watching you from the ground as you drift away
but you're heart is filling up and falling back down from the weight of it all.

And the bicycle on the ice feels the same way that you do
it needs no one to say it's out of place
sometimes it's better just to move to where they can't find you.

And they're all watching you from the ground as you drift away
but you're heart is filling up and falling back down from the weight...

'cos you knew that this could happen, your love would want to stay
now you know I'll be okay, now you know I'll be okay.