2nd New Song This Week - "To My Dismay"

Apparently I'm on a roll, two new songs in one week? That is rarity for me.

This is "To My Dismay", which for some reasons seems like a Christmas song to me, but is most certainly a childhood sweetheart song. You know, the kind where the boy annoys the girl because thats how you flirt. Duh.

On my mother's front porch,

In the month of May

You just looked so happy,

To my dismay.

to my dismay.

And the measles came back,

and then they went away,

but you were always laughing,

to my dismay.

to my dismay.

Sitting by the ice,

covering the bay,

you would always break it,

to my dismay.

to my dismay.

Running through the wheat fields,

to the sounds of trains,

You could always get me,

to my dismay.

to my dismay.

New Song - "Sneakers"

So there will be a couple of big news posts coming up in the next couple of days, as next week I will have copies of the new album, Ghost Towns, in hand, and will fly up to Fairbanks to begin the Alaska tour. But, before that excitement, I wanted to share some lyrics from a new song I wrote the other day while flipping eggs at the diner. I'm calling it "Sneakers" for now, but we'll see, I haven't exactly been on top of the naming game lately. Enjoy!

Well the farm lights off in the distance flicker,

and you're driving home on the 94.

The band on the stereo, begging you to listen,

but your mind is stuck on the night before.

When the summer's half gone and you've beat it to death,

and the days come and go like the feeling in your chest.

Don't you think about what you almost had,

suitcase and telephones ain't bad.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

You told me you'd be trouble,

you were right, you were right.

and the devil's in the distance,

in the night, in the night. (x2)

And the drive was short,

'cause you weren't really thinking

'bout the road, its straight,

but your brain is a twisting.

And the red lights have all started looking,

like the landing strip if the plane mistook it.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

You told me you'd be trouble,

you were right, you were right,

and the devil's in the distance,

in the night, in the night...

One Last Single For Free Download

Just wanted to let you all know that I've put up one more free single for download at my Bandcamp site, an upbeat rootsy number called "Come Down". The album will be available for purchase next week, so this will be the last single released before that time. Enjoy!

John

Help Press the Album... and Get a Free Signed Copy

I am so very excited when I think about how close the new album, Ghost Towns, is to being released. It is off to mastering this week, yet there is still more to be done. After that it will be printed and pressed, and off to the masses, and you can be a part of it, there is still time!

Recording and releasing an album is an extremely expensive thing for independent artists to do, but we have to to keep the ball rolling and bring new stuff to your ears. I have been working part time cooking breakfast at a diner, substitute teaching, and doing some summer landscaping work to help finance this baby, but I could still use a little help.

Thats why I have included a donation button at the bottom of this post. Anything you can give to help the effort would be beyond appreciated, it would be praised on high. And I'll make it worth your while.

Anyone who donates $12 or more (the cost of the album when it is released and available) will get a free, signed copy mailed to them directly by me personally. I will sign it, seal it up in a nice fluffy mailing envelope, and walk it to the post office, sending all of my love, thanks and gratitude along with it. When you donate, just leave your name and shipping address and I will send your copy as soon as I get them from the press.

Thank you all for your continued support and interest, albums don't get released without you.

Best,

John

2nd Single Released - Free Download

Hey all,

Just wanted to let you know that a 2nd single from the upcoming Ghost Towns album, "Disclaimer", is available for free download exclusively at the St. Louis-based music blog 5 Score Pachyderm. Thanks for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy!

John

Planning Alaska

In a little over a month, I will be headed back to Alaska for a tour and a wedding, with twice the amount of shows that I played last year. I spent my afternoon today sending out posters to the venues, contacting the Alaskan press, and planning my travel arrangements, which, I must say, are pretty crazy. Now if you've followed this blog in the past, you'll know that I have had some pretty crazy travel connections, especially when training and busing it all over Europe, but I think that this trip will take the cake.

For your amusement, my itinerary:

Wed., July 21st -

Drive four hours from Madison, WI to Minneapolis, MN to fly out from there. Why not just fly from Madison, or closer cities such as Milwaukee or Chicago? Well I was using frequent flyer miles, and for some reason it was way cheaper and affordable totally using miles when flying out of Minneapolis.

That day's flight schedule: Minneapolis -> Detroit -> Anchorage -> Fairbanks

Thurs., July 22nd - performing at the College Coffeehouse in Fairbanks

Fri., July 23rd - playing a House Concert in Fairbanks

Sat., July 24th -

catching the 8am train from Fairbanks to Denali Nat'l Park, where I am opening a show that night at the Denali Salmon Bake, an Alaskan institution. Here I am also meeting up with some friends who I will travel back to Anchorage with.

Sun., July 25th - driving down to Eagle River (outside of Anchorage) for a 3pm matinee show at the Alaska Fine Arts Academy, and then down to Girdwood (south of Anchorage) for an evening show at the Silvertip Bar & Grill.

Monday-Wednesday morning - hanging out in and around Anchorage with my friends

Wed., July 28th - flying down to Juneau from Anchorage (Ted Stevens Int'l Airport), meeting my friend Chris for a drink, and then catching a midnight ferry to Haines...

Thurs., July 29th - hopping off the ferry bright and early in Haines, hopefully crashing for a couple of hours, and then performing at the Southeast Alaska State Fair at 2pm. After enjoying the fair for a few hours, I have to hope another high-speed ferry around 7pm to Skagway, where I am performing that night at the Skagway Brewing Co.

*As a sidenote, the State Fair folks said that there might be room on the VIP plane which is flying festival headliners from Juneau to Haines. I am greatly hoping for this option, as it will not mean a sleepless night on the ferry.

Fri., July 30th - getting back on an early morning ferry to Juneau for...

Friday and Saturday - Wedding Festivities!!!

My good friend from high school, Chris, is marrying a lovely gal from Juneau, and I am one of the groomsmen in the wedding. So once I step off the ferry, Friday will be spent doing the rehearsal dinner and such, and then Saturday will be the wedding. I'm really looking forward to what I am positive will be a beautiful wedding and night to remember.

Sun., August 1st - hanging out in Juneau, and then playing that night in town at the Alaskan Hotel, the last show of my Alaskan tour.

Mon., August 2nd - a 6am flight home... Juneau -> Seattle -> Minneapolis, and then a 4 hour drive home.

So lets recap on the modes of transportation on this trip:

Car -> Plane -> Train -> Care -> Plane -> Ferry -> Plane -> Car

Crazy, awesome, fun-ness. I will sleep for a week afterwards, but it will be well worth it.

5 Score Pachyderm - Mixtape

5 Score Pachyderm, a blog from St. Louis, decided to include my song "Letter From Southeast Asia" on their latest mixtape, along with the Bowerbirds, Damien Jurado, Dear Vincent, and more, check it out for some neat free downloads!

http://www.5scorepachyderm.com/?p=8454

Thanks, 5 Score Pachyderm!