We had quite the privilege and honor of working with Mike McClure out at The Boohatch in Ada, OK for the up-coming EP.
It truly was a unique experience, a far cry from what we had when "Sounds Like Home" was recorded. With that album, it was more regimented and technical, with attention to details we normally don't notice in a live show setting. Mike a.k.a. Mac a.k.a. Macfucius helped create a relaxed, yet creative environment for us, like a Red Dirt wizard. I felt we captured more emotion and perspective while tracking because of this setting. The tones and melodies were warmer, with an almost organic feel to them. The music flowed out of us more than we expected, and we thank him for that.
The songs in this EP talk about emotions most people don't readily speak about. Sometimes you know exactly what you are feeling, yet there's not much you feel you can say in those instances. We hope to delve more into that spectrum of a person's heart with these songs.
Unfortunately, Chris was sick for the majority of the trip, and I highly doubt you wanted a scratchy , barely audible voice in the EP. Chris will be back in the studio later this month to wrap up vocals.
As far as a name for the project, I have tossed a few names around, but so far, nothing has really stuck. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share with us... You never what we might do.
Thanks for tuning in...
-LH
Reply
We have been working diligently behind the scenes on a healthy docket of shows to kick off 2014 in style. We just updated our calendar, and have released several confirmed dates. We are working on some more as we speak, but we hope to see your beautiful faces out on the road. Cheers.
Reply
Well, folks, we have reached the end of an amazing year. 2 top 30 songs, a new album, and a ton of great shows in new venues and cities... Not too shabby in most books.
2014 will bring far more goodies to the CBB family, including new music, new dates, and more opportunities for the band.
We can safely say we really have been doing this OUR way, writing music WE love, and being true to OUR sound. We certainly couldn't do any of this without your support.
2013 is wrapped up... Get ready for 2014. Cheers
-LH
Reply
The first single "Middle American Blues" is wrapping up its run on the radio. I can't believe how well it did for being a debut. Our promoter Jay did a phenomenal job for us, and we can't thank him enough for it.
"Sounds Like Home" was released today, and I think it should do even better, given how well it has been received at shows, not to mention the great people of Monahans have adopted it as their unofficial anthem. Way rad in my book.
This song reaches out to more people in terms of real life experience. MAB spoke to people on a serious tone, but SLH is more cheery and festive. I hope everyone else in this great state digs it too...
Reply
Hey everyone...
I want to thank all of you who take the time to help us with our goals. Whether its going to our shows, buying our music, adding us on social networks, or calling up your radio station, I can speak for the band that we truly are grateful for your support. It takes time and effort on our end to do what we do, and we appreciate the same you return for us.
This post is about the observations I have made since joining this band 4 years ago.
I know as musicians we are always looking for the elusive "break". The days of overnight record deals and instant success are long gone. You honestly have to work harder than ever at it. That involves marketing, booking, and improving your chops on a constant basis.
Some artists try to take shortcuts. There really is no actual shortcut. If you are not willing to put in honest-to-God work behind your craft and how you present it, someone will call you out on it eventually. You can't buy success. You have to earn it with a product that people genuinely enjoy and will continue supporting.
I'm not trying to single anyone out. They know exactly who they are, and they are the ones who have to live with the guilt and shame that they hide deep inside.
I would rather crash and burn knowing I gave it my best and my all, then be a shell of myself amongst the lights and cheers...
Reply
Well, Crude Fest 2013 has been in the books for about a week, and people are still telling the tales of those 3 wild and crazy nights. They range from meeting some of the bands, to the friends and family that they shared that time with, and of course, the quintessential "After I shotgun'd those 4 beers" legend.
For us, it was our 3rd year in a row playing the festival. We made new fans, met some great people (both artists and general public) and indulged in the fun-filled atmosphere that makes Crude Fest so special.
One experience I had was talking to someone about being backstage and in the midst of some the bigger artists in Texas Country today. This gentleman spoke to me about the opportunities of meeting these people and potential doors that one may open by chatting up a storm about what an artist he helps manage. I was told that that this was the life: just being in their presence and perhaps gaining a footing due to your heavily-poured charm. He was suggested that our band needed to take advantage of this now...
My response? I told him I completely disagreed. I was appreciative of being able to enjoy the sets backstage, and able to meet some of the big dogs, but that's not why I'm in music professionally. In fact, I can speak for the band in that aspect. I am in this band to fulfill my life-long dream: to play for a huge crowd of people and make them go ape shit doing what I love to do, and do this for many, many years.Sure, we will eventually cross paths with the bigger names, but I want to be in that position due to our artistic merit. That's how I believe you earn respect in this game... Anyways, this gentleman got quiet, looked awkwardly in the distance and said he was going for a beer... lol
We also have become good friends with Dolly Shine, another up and coming band out of Stephenville, TX. They bailed us out of an unexpected free night a few weeks ago, and were nothing but class acts and down-to-earth guys. Most acts we have shared the stage always had a level of separation due to their status and/or personality. Not these guys. We are both a bunch of musicians, trying to live our dreams through hard work and a positive attitude. I look forward to playing with these guys in the future...
Music is a business. You just don't have to be an asshole to be successful. Cheers, everyone.
Reply
Hey guys, Crude Fest is a few days away. We can't believe its our 3rd year in a row to play this awesome event. It's always quite an adventure every year, so we are curious as to what this time will bring.
Our radio single has been killing it for a debut. It just charted on the Texas Music Chart this week at #49, while staying at #40 on the TRRR.
We got to meet some great guys in Dolly Shine, out of Stephenville. They let us open last minute for them at Bostock's, and they were some the most down-to-earth gentlemen. We had a blast and are looking forward to playing with them again at Lone Star.
Overall, given how our spring has been going, we can only expect the summer to be insane busy. We already have a few shows in the works, and more venues coming up due to our radio play.
Thank you, everyone... For allowing us to get closer to making our dreams a reality... Cheers.
Reply
Well, 2013 is off and running with a solid start. We have a strong new album, our first booking agent, and a radio single that has been performing WAY better than we honestly anticipated. We have a great group of friends that have our backs 100%. We have amazing wives/fiances/girlfriends that are supporting our endeavors with this band. We may have lost Trevor from his bass post, but we gained a new friend in his replacement, Bobby Schuylar. Our main focus now is to push ahead with our gigging schedule and keep getting our name out there.This year is where I feel this band will be truly tested, not just by hardships or struggles, but what we are made of as musicians who love this line of work. I know this has been quite a mushy post, but I felt this all needed to be addressed first and foremost. AND, I promise from now to make these much more frequent and interesting, seeing as I took a year off on my blog duties. Thanks for reading, and remember, we are just getting warmed up...
Reply
Well folks, we have most of the album tracked. Most of the drums, bass, lead and rhythm guitars are completed. Vocals are still waiting to get started for the next session... As far as the experience, it has allowed us to focus more on details that we usually take for granted. Not necessarily certains hits being played, but more of why we play this song like that certain way; why is Am I Drunk a swing, or You Can't Say That To Me is so driving... Through out this process, we have taken consideration of course of how you guys would interpret these songs, if the lyrics are relatable, and where we might be able to upgrade if possible... Scott Faris (producer, engineer) has done a wonderful job with our sound, pace, and energy on this album. The guy is a class act... We have grown much more confident since the EP and its shown her in the tracking room and also on stage... This is going to be an album that will potentially set the course for this band, so we have met this challenge with guns up (Tech reference lol) and will continue to make this worth your while when you listen... That's our promise...
Reply
Sorry for the lateness of this post... that's my fault lol. We have finished 4 drum tracks so far, and things are looking very awesome. Scott (our producer) has been cracking the whip, but in a constructive way, in order to make sure we get this project as great as possible. There some minor tweaks made in comparison to what we do live, which is funny, since we approach live sound much more differently than studio. That's because its a dynamic we really haven't noticed since we havent been in a controlled setting like a studio in quite some time as a band... Next on the agenda will be more drum tracks and possibly cleaning up the bass tracks, while Chris and Zack finalize guiatr parts on their ends... Stay tuned =)
Reply
Chris Brazeal Band / Blog
Studio Blog
We had quite the privilege and honor of working with Mike McClure out at The Boohatch in Ada, OK for the up-coming EP.
It truly was a unique experience, a far cry from what we had when "Sounds Like Home" was recorded. With that album, it was more regimented and technical, with attention to details we normally don't notice in a live show setting. Mike a.k.a. Mac a.k.a. Macfucius helped create a relaxed, yet creative environment for us, like a Red Dirt wizard. I felt we captured more emotion and perspective while tracking because of this setting. The tones and melodies were warmer, with an almost organic feel to them. The music flowed out of us more than we expected, and we thank him for that.
The songs in this EP talk about emotions most people don't readily speak about. Sometimes you know exactly what you are feeling, yet there's not much you feel you can say in those instances. We hope to delve more into that spectrum of a person's heart with these songs.
Unfortunately, Chris was sick for the majority of the trip, and I highly doubt you wanted a scratchy , barely audible voice in the EP. Chris will be back in the studio later this month to wrap up vocals.
As far as a name for the project, I have tossed a few names around, but so far, nothing has really stuck. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share with us... You never what we might do.
Thanks for tuning in...
-LH
Reply
New shows!
We have been working diligently behind the scenes on a healthy docket of shows to kick off 2014 in style. We just updated our calendar, and have released several confirmed dates. We are working on some more as we speak, but we hope to see your beautiful faces out on the road. Cheers.
Reply
End of 2013
Well, folks, we have reached the end of an amazing year. 2 top 30 songs, a new album, and a ton of great shows in new venues and cities... Not too shabby in most books.
2014 will bring far more goodies to the CBB family, including new music, new dates, and more opportunities for the band.
We can safely say we really have been doing this OUR way, writing music WE love, and being true to OUR sound. We certainly couldn't do any of this without your support.
2013 is wrapped up... Get ready for 2014. Cheers
-LH
Reply
Radio
The first single "Middle American Blues" is wrapping up its run on the radio. I can't believe how well it did for being a debut. Our promoter Jay did a phenomenal job for us, and we can't thank him enough for it.
"Sounds Like Home" was released today, and I think it should do even better, given how well it has been received at shows, not to mention the great people of Monahans have adopted it as their unofficial anthem. Way rad in my book.
This song reaches out to more people in terms of real life experience. MAB spoke to people on a serious tone, but SLH is more cheery and festive. I hope everyone else in this great state digs it too...
Reply
Music Biz
Hey everyone... I want to thank all of you who take the time to help us with our goals. Whether its going to our shows, buying our music, adding us on social networks, or calling up your radio station, I can speak for the band that we truly are grateful for your support. It takes time and effort on our end to do what we do, and we appreciate the same you return for us.
This post is about the observations I have made since joining this band 4 years ago.
I know as musicians we are always looking for the elusive "break". The days of overnight record deals and instant success are long gone. You honestly have to work harder than ever at it. That involves marketing, booking, and improving your chops on a constant basis.
Some artists try to take shortcuts. There really is no actual shortcut. If you are not willing to put in honest-to-God work behind your craft and how you present it, someone will call you out on it eventually. You can't buy success. You have to earn it with a product that people genuinely enjoy and will continue supporting.
I'm not trying to single anyone out. They know exactly who they are, and they are the ones who have to live with the guilt and shame that they hide deep inside.
I would rather crash and burn knowing I gave it my best and my all, then be a shell of myself amongst the lights and cheers...
Reply
Crude Fest and since
Well, Crude Fest 2013 has been in the books for about a week, and people are still telling the tales of those 3 wild and crazy nights. They range from meeting some of the bands, to the friends and family that they shared that time with, and of course, the quintessential "After I shotgun'd those 4 beers" legend.
For us, it was our 3rd year in a row playing the festival. We made new fans, met some great people (both artists and general public) and indulged in the fun-filled atmosphere that makes Crude Fest so special.
One experience I had was talking to someone about being backstage and in the midst of some the bigger artists in Texas Country today. This gentleman spoke to me about the opportunities of meeting these people and potential doors that one may open by chatting up a storm about what an artist he helps manage. I was told that that this was the life: just being in their presence and perhaps gaining a footing due to your heavily-poured charm. He was suggested that our band needed to take advantage of this now...
My response? I told him I completely disagreed. I was appreciative of being able to enjoy the sets backstage, and able to meet some of the big dogs, but that's not why I'm in music professionally. In fact, I can speak for the band in that aspect. I am in this band to fulfill my life-long dream: to play for a huge crowd of people and make them go ape shit doing what I love to do, and do this for many, many years.Sure, we will eventually cross paths with the bigger names, but I want to be in that position due to our artistic merit. That's how I believe you earn respect in this game... Anyways, this gentleman got quiet, looked awkwardly in the distance and said he was going for a beer... lol
We also have become good friends with Dolly Shine, another up and coming band out of Stephenville, TX. They bailed us out of an unexpected free night a few weeks ago, and were nothing but class acts and down-to-earth guys. Most acts we have shared the stage always had a level of separation due to their status and/or personality. Not these guys. We are both a bunch of musicians, trying to live our dreams through hard work and a positive attitude. I look forward to playing with these guys in the future...
Music is a business. You just don't have to be an asshole to be successful. Cheers, everyone.
Reply
April Showers and Stuff
Hey guys, Crude Fest is a few days away. We can't believe its our 3rd year in a row to play this awesome event. It's always quite an adventure every year, so we are curious as to what this time will bring.
Our radio single has been killing it for a debut. It just charted on the Texas Music Chart this week at #49, while staying at #40 on the TRRR.
We got to meet some great guys in Dolly Shine, out of Stephenville. They let us open last minute for them at Bostock's, and they were some the most down-to-earth gentlemen. We had a blast and are looking forward to playing with them again at Lone Star.
Overall, given how our spring has been going, we can only expect the summer to be insane busy. We already have a few shows in the works, and more venues coming up due to our radio play.
Thank you, everyone... For allowing us to get closer to making our dreams a reality... Cheers.
Reply
Late New Year Blog
Well, 2013 is off and running with a solid start. We have a strong new album, our first booking agent, and a radio single that has been performing WAY better than we honestly anticipated. We have a great group of friends that have our backs 100%. We have amazing wives/fiances/girlfriends that are supporting our endeavors with this band. We may have lost Trevor from his bass post, but we gained a new friend in his replacement, Bobby Schuylar. Our main focus now is to push ahead with our gigging schedule and keep getting our name out there.This year is where I feel this band will be truly tested, not just by hardships or struggles, but what we are made of as musicians who love this line of work. I know this has been quite a mushy post, but I felt this all needed to be addressed first and foremost. AND, I promise from now to make these much more frequent and interesting, seeing as I took a year off on my blog duties. Thanks for reading, and remember, we are just getting warmed up...
Reply
Studio Update #3
Well folks, we have most of the album tracked. Most of the drums, bass, lead and rhythm guitars are completed. Vocals are still waiting to get started for the next session... As far as the experience, it has allowed us to focus more on details that we usually take for granted. Not necessarily certains hits being played, but more of why we play this song like that certain way; why is Am I Drunk a swing, or You Can't Say That To Me is so driving... Through out this process, we have taken consideration of course of how you guys would interpret these songs, if the lyrics are relatable, and where we might be able to upgrade if possible... Scott Faris (producer, engineer) has done a wonderful job with our sound, pace, and energy on this album. The guy is a class act... We have grown much more confident since the EP and its shown her in the tracking room and also on stage... This is going to be an album that will potentially set the course for this band, so we have met this challenge with guns up (Tech reference lol) and will continue to make this worth your while when you listen... That's our promise...
Reply
Late Studio Update
Sorry for the lateness of this post... that's my fault lol. We have finished 4 drum tracks so far, and things are looking very awesome. Scott (our producer) has been cracking the whip, but in a constructive way, in order to make sure we get this project as great as possible. There some minor tweaks made in comparison to what we do live, which is funny, since we approach live sound much more differently than studio. That's because its a dynamic we really haven't noticed since we havent been in a controlled setting like a studio in quite some time as a band... Next on the agenda will be more drum tracks and possibly cleaning up the bass tracks, while Chris and Zack finalize guiatr parts on their ends... Stay tuned =)
Reply