Facebook doesn't cut it. Im back to blogging.

The idea of blogging has been on my mind for a while. Finally I decided to give it another go. Initially my blog was created as a sort of  / website to talk about the making and recording of the EP "As easy as it seems" from 2011.

One of the things that has brought me back to blogging has been the decision to release more recorded music. The idea of having a blog is nice. In the internet world where everything is short sweet and gone the next day, I like that there can be a diary, a log if you will, of  full ideas thoughts images that can easily be traced through and tell a story. Not that FB posts don't tell a story but its a pain to scroll back through them.

So Blogger, here we go again. You're the one who knew me when.

I'll be talking once more about songwriting, the process, turmoils of digital recording, excitement of live shows and finally finishing the new record. This will be the first full length album I've ever released. Hang on for a bumpy ride!

Free November music

For your listening pleasure
http://athenaholmes.bandcamp.com/album/athena

Hot fresh tracks

Hello and happy 21st of November.
Its a really cold day in Montreal and what better way to celebrate than in a musical way.

Over the years I have had the pleasure of working in several professional studios and some not so professional studios, and have also played some great shows.
From those experiences I have compiled some live, studio and demo recordings for your listening pleasure.

The tracks will be offered as a limited free download this week.
You can access the link to these songs by checking in here later today.
Hurray!

Thanks for your support.

Review

Thursday March 31st
The Montreal Mirror gives "As easy as it seems" 9 out of 10.
A great review! It feels so good to have your hard work and art appreciated.

"The Montreal songstress speaks on the truths,fictions and the constructs we create with these to fit our own stories, with a three-song ER that will appeal to anyone's acoustic sensibility."

The cover art

Finding artwork worthy of an album cover is no small feat.I learned from my last EP that having my face plastered on every disc wasn't always cool to me.For this disc I approached my very gorgeous and talented friend Annie Banks. She is the only artist I know who works with lino, making first a drawing, and then a negative which she draws onto the lino and cuts out. She ends up with to make what looks like a giant stamp. It takes a lot of time and a steady hand. She made the heart frame on the back the back too.

Here's what Ms.B has to say about her works:
"I started printmaking in grade 10, when i was really sad and angry. Now I'm 26 and I'm still sad and angry sometimes, but also hopeful and art helps me to heal myself and is an outlet for feelings. I'm inspired by all of the revolutionary printmakers who have used printmaking as a medium to express their message; I hope that my prints can also contribute to social justice. I've worked with musicians (such as the lovely Athena Holmes) and organizations (like No One is Illegal), and do works by request. Myself, I am a white settler woman of mixed European descent who is privileged to live, work and study on the unceded land of the Lekwungen people. I'm a second year student in the Indigenous Studies program at Camosun College."

Check out more of Annie's work on Flicker:
www.flickr.com/photos/anniebanks
For more info contact:
anniembanks@gmail.com

Somethin' special

Sometimes you meet someone, and you know its right. This was the case when me and my musical accomplice Paul K met Max. He was the drummer we had been searching for for a long time. Anyone who has ever played in a band knows that a good drummer can be hard to find.

The three of us had been playing together for about 8 months. And after a particularly fun show we were counting up the cash and things got heated.Max got mad and he left. The next day, we received an very angry email explaining how terrible we had been and his reasons for leaving the band. He couldn't trust us.
I was totally crushed.

His leaving with an angry message and no room for discussing nothin' was what really stung.I went home and started with the guitar part really simple and the lyrics just started to flow out. This one was tricky because it has a fast pace and I had to try and keep up. It was Paul's suggestion that we put kazoo in the solo section during the recording.I love to play the kazoo.

After a few months apart, Max changed his mind and re-joined the band. We tried our best to continue on despite our differences, but things were never the same and eventually we disbanded.

Basically, communication is key in relationships. Really, emails are the worst way to break things off with anybody. My advice would be, write it, sleep on it, then speak about it face to face. We still love Max and wish him the best. I see myself in him too.


Somethin’ Special
What can I say ? I feel so let down
and I am disenchanted with the words you said
What can we do? I never stood a chance
When I first read your letter I began to cry

You know we’ve got somethin’ special
that doesn’t happen every day
You know we’ve got worlds to conquer
Please don't you let it slip away

I feel so low and I don’t know what to do about it
I wonder if your heart will open up my way
And are you lonely up there lookin’ down upon us?
Is there something else you’d like to say?

You know we’ve built somethin’ together
that doesn’t happen every day
You know we’ve got miles to travel
Please don't you let it slip away

Next time, don’t you put me down
we wont let you down the same
This time we can figure out
we can do without the pain

Now that some time has passed I feel differently
and I must say that I am wary of your ways
Asking questions like, “Is this a glimpse of all of the hardships we’ll have to face?”

You know we’ve got somethin’ special
that doesn’t happen everyday
Please don’t give up on each other
Why does it have to slip away, slip away, slip away?

Maskerade

There was a time when I didn't know if music was really a meaningful path. I was thinking about the bigger picture, the wars, the safety and homogenization of the western world. I was thinking about Judy Garland when she was on top of her game and yet still depressed and lonely.When you have everything and still feel empty, that can be a hard hurtle to get over.

I wrote the melody first. It was slow and folky.
Paul extended the guitar melody on the flute, and I changed the vibe of the song to a slightly upbeat reggae groove. It seems to fit well. This song was on the first demo I sent to Pop Montreal in 2008.I love the way the drums are just reggae enough.


Maskerade
Its cloudy and cold outside
My feelings are washing over me
Life is just a maskerade
I cant tell this mask from my face

Still the sun can be seen through the clouds
And I still have these dreams
Feeling older than ever before
Don’t know when to stop and when for more

Rules and regulations fools and temptation wasting away
Will we change or will we stay the same?

Paint my face again
I do it, I do it in a natural way
All the world is just a stage
I cant tell this mask from a cage