Monday, November 9, 2009

The Album Is Dead! Long Live The Album!

Blogging. I will blog. I promise to blog. I am blogging. There. How hard was that, now? Lately I’ve been enjoying the brevity and occasional intimacy of Twitter and Facebook updates over the more detailed endeavour of blogging. I’m sure it’s largely out of sheer laziness; the sight of the blank page of a new Microsoft Word document can sometimes be daunting, but I also enjoy the feeling that I’m text-messaging a whole bunch of people out of the blue. It’s like releasing a single every few weeks rather than waiting for an album to be completed, marketing plan established, and shops to be stocked. They DO say the album’s dead, don’t they?
And that, friends, is why I am, most morbidly, nearing completion of my first real solo album (2005’s The Vanity Project, which will eventually be rebranded under my name, was recorded initially as a record with Stephen Duffy). I’ve been working in Los Angeles, Ontario, and in the basement of my Central New York home on this album for the past few months and I’m truly excited about it. I’ve been working mostly with producer John Fields (Paul Westerberg, Bleu, Semisonic, Jimmy Eat World, and, um, The Jonas Brothers), and it’s been a blast. Before I started recording, people would ask me what kind of record it was going to be, and I really couldn’t answer. I never know what an album will sound like until I’m making it. Maybe it was going to be an album of downtempo folk songs reflecting on the inner and outer tumult in my life the last few years. Or a cabaret-style album of perverse art songs. Or some kind of screaming noise catharsis.
Turns out, it sounds a lot like Steven Page: Power-pop, gay disco, big band swing, acoustic ballads. It seems as eclectic as the the best BNL albums were, but I guess I’m biased that way. Songs were written with Stephen Duffy, Craig Northey, and on my own. Guests include Pete Thomas of The Attractions and The Impostors playing drums on most tracks, vocals from Esthero and Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket, cello from Kevin Fox.
Who knows what the world will think of it. I’ll have to wait until it finally comes out, some time in 2010. Then, a tour will be mounted. As will my horse as I ride by LIKE LADY GODIVA.
Will the album be truly dead by then? Will this collection of songs seem like a quaint relic of a simpler time? Or the out-of-step ramblings of a crazy man? Perhaps once this album’s out of my system, like the baby in Alien, I’ll move on to a more rapid succession of singles and EPs, or maybe I’ll still do both. If Twitter is the single, is the Blog the album? I hope not. Music is better than either.

21 comments:

  1. Can't wait to hear the new album... Your friends and fans in Boston!

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  2. Looking forward to it. Is it going to be called Opehlia?

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  3. Very excited. Thanks for the update!

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  4. Im 100% behind you on anything you do Steve. Keep up the magic.

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  5. I am thrilled to have this to look forward to in 2010. I hope your songs help to ease my own inner and outer tumult, as well!!

    Glad you're back on the blog, too. We'll take all the SP we can get- album, singles, tweets and blog posts all!

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  6. Well that is just excellent news I think.

    Now, about this Lady Godiva thing...

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  7. Really looking forward to the album! Look me up for album art I would love to do it!
    www.getrandy.net

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  8. You're gonna need to - well, I'm not sure I really want to talk about how hair is going to play out in the Godiva thing..... I think I'll just focus on the upcoming album before I weird myself out.

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  9. Wow I thought I read you were going to ride in on Lady GaGa. Not such a stretch given the power-pop and gay disco build up.

    I love getting text messages out of the blue from Steven Page! I can't complain about this blog however and am glad to hear the news.

    Looking forward to your appearance at Koerner Hall and now a new album in 2010. Fabulous!

    @Skeptique

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  10. Hi Steven just wanted to tell you that I am a huge fan of yours! I am so glad that you have a new album coming out, I can't wait to buy it! I have all the BNL albums and I do have Vanity Fair, I love all the albums, I always loved your voice. When I first heard the news that you were leaving BNL, I wanted to cry, it was like the end of an era, I felt like Mickey Mouse was leaving Disney World, it took me awhile to get used to the sex change, LOL You know "Steven Page is no longer a Barenaked Lady" so to speak. I think that the saddest part of all this was when I saw an interview, when you said that you would never again sing your part live in the song "If I had a million Dollars" It sounded too final, it brought tears to my eyes. So the new album will cheer me up, your fan Nancy Paonessa from Niagara falls NY

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  11. Hooray! Can't wait to hear it.

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  12. Phfff, like everyone else here, I can't wait! :D AND A TOUR, TOO, ohhh maaaan. C: If you don't come to Vancouver, I will cry. I will.

    No, really.

    You are and always will be my favourite singer. <3

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  13. Gosh... You may not be aware of it, but through this blog, you've so lifted up my expectation on this new album!
    Wow, great collaborations, i'm impressed. Pop Steve eh? :D
    Can't wait to hear it!
    Hope you won't give up your writing talents though...

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  14. can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!

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  15. Is the Lady Godiva comment just a commitment to ride a horse nekkid, or is it also intended as a Queen "Don't Stop Me Now" reference?

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  16. Fantastic news! I can't wait to hear more from you. And it excites me to hear how well you seem to be enjoying the solo process.

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  17. We have a Lady Godiva's here in Woodstock. Check out their website:

    http://www.ladygodivas.ca/

    :D

    --Ethan

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  18. I pine to hear your voice in concert again. It's amazing, as are your songs. Pop is fine. :)

    SF Bay Area is a requirement for the tour!

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  19. Yeah!! I was aimlessly flipping through CDs looking for something to excite me yesterday and thought DANG I wish Steven had a new album.

    Don't forget to add the City that rhymes with fun to your tour!

    Lady Godiva? I just zeroed in on Godiva and thought mmmmm chocolate!

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