With an official release set for BandCamp on 2-21 and iTunes 3-20 – I’ve patched together 30 seconds from each track of ‘The Thawing‘ as reward for pre-ordering:
An immediate download NOW, the first single on January 17th, a Valentines Gift (xo) followed by all 5 tracks and lyric art on 2-21-12 all in your inbox.
I’m in my new home in downtown Brooklyn, the beloved Schermerhorn. It’s late 2011, early in my 28th year.
As a musician between projects however, these facts are meaningless as the next record encapsulates my existence, one known by no one.
It’s like running a marathon in the dark, blindly approaching the finish line (but it’s still nowhere in sight) with no idea one last push could help you leer into the light.
Having been composing and recording ‘The Thawing‘ for over a year and performing it live the last 6 months, I’m now in the final steps of the musical process and am experiencing birthing pains…
Mixing my own work turns the artist into a critic: After carefully crafting these creations, lovingly parsing ingredients and highlighting their beauty, I now seek to find their faults and imperfections, putting aside all aesthetic pride and performing a sort of paternal infanticide.
The only solution is to take a smooth arrival for granted: The unveiling is scrupulously analyzed, a date carefully chosen, anticipating my current efforts fruition while urging it’s culmination I plan for when the math turns into music by shooting a video, creating album art: I remember what ‘The Thawing‘ meant to me when it started and forget who I’ve become in the process of production as I return to the innocent core of creation, of baring oneself in a transparent mirror of flesh.
With a new record being mixed, my live shows are scarce but intense. I’m focused on creation but need to get out of the studio to perform and revive my passions, remembering how the math turns into music.
But each show needs to be different, special, in order to merit averting my attention from ‘The Thawing’. Friday’s show at Rock Bar in NYC was just that: Not just was this my 2nd show at a gay bar but it more importantly was an example of my efforts to reach out to other artists, to build a community of gay ROCKers.
So I emailed an artist whom many mutual friends and fans appreciate and admire, Derek Nicoletto. With neither of us being typical ‘gay’ musicians we tend to be shut out of the standard gay venues and media so took it upon ourselves to create our own scene and Rock Bar gave us the freedom to do it.
Now I have a new friend, a new spot and a great show behind me with some of the most responsive and enthusiastic listeners I’m yet to have the pleasure to perform in front of.
NEW MUSIC? Not just yet, however, with ‘The Thawing‘ on the horizon, I’m offering the current, and final single from ‘The Dissonance‘ FREE:
Even better than having the funds to complete ‘The Thawing‘ is knowing there are ears and hearts awaiting it’s arrival.
Thank you for your support: I’m moved, motivated and as always, inspired.
Spent my birthday, playing a grand piano, lamenting my ‘Calculated‘ nature:
Ready to Rock another free show? This Friday, October 7th I’m sharing the stage at RockBar in the West Village of NYC at 9 p.m. with one of my new favorite people & incredible artist, Derek Nicoletto whose stellar debut album, ‘Kind Ghosts‘ just released last month.
Preparing to move on to this next era of music, I first plan to pay homage to ‘The Dissonance‘ by devoting the first phase of my new online store exclusively to ‘The Dissonance‘ themed articles. We’ve thought of everything you could possibly want and we accept personal requests: How can I re-package myself for you?
Until then, you can find the MP3′s at itunes, the CD at CDBaby, and the full quality downloads at BandCamp.
But WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL SEPT 14th to finish funding ‘The Thawing‘ !! Almost 2/3 of the way there…http://kck.st/rjlnXp and almost doesn’t count…
Please consider a donation to help master the tracks, make the video and finish finish the art! These are pics from my shoot the other day with my great graphic designer and dear friend, Mark Rangel. Can’t wait to see what he does with ‘The Thawing‘. There’s even acoustic guitar and strings…
Laying bare the neediness that is my humanity, I humbly ask for your help with my latest project: ‘The Thawing‘.
These already recorded and mixed songs follow the narrator as he emerges from self imposed isolation to embrace the world he’s rejected only to find cruel indifference:
‘The Thawing‘ is about learning to feel again but it needs to be MASTERED.
The first single, ‘Destruction‘ will also have a video. If you were part of my last kickstarter campaign for ‘Futile & Fooled‘ you know I can make a lot with a little:
The VIDEO has been conceived, the director and location are lined up….
And of course, as is the case with the cutting imagery of my first release, ‘The Thawing‘ will have accompanying ART, photography and lyrics in the form of a ‘digi-pack’ for online display and personal download. Am psyched to have the same artist on board.
MUSIC / VIDEO / ART for only $1,500 ?!
YES: Because I am a true indie artist, damnit.
YES: Because I played every single instrument, recorded every sound and mixed every single song myself.
YES: Because I match the funds with my own hard earned money and couldn’t imagine asking you to help if I didn’t.
Please enjoy a live version of the title track while imagining the journey from ‘Destruction’ to CREATION and considering a donation to fully birth the nearly spawned work of art the is my new EP, ‘The Thawing’: http://youtu.be/aIDzKU8znj4
At long last it has arrived, a very special show for many reasons:
First, it is at a gay venue. Yes, I am one of those and so are many of my fans so this is a treat.
Second, it is my first show with my dear friend Jana Fisher in which we will be trading back up vocals. I’m in love with so many of her new songs and am excited to add some low end growl to them. She recently came out so I’d like to think this is a special show for her too…Did I mention she’s kinda my best friend? Love this:
Third: This will be the first show presented by BGM Productions. What is this? Oh, it’s just the umbrella company under which I create, produce, release, promote music/videos and now, apparently: Throw Queer Rock Parties! This time with the help and support of one of my favorite alternative gay bars in the East Village of NYC ‘Phoenix‘.
Fourthy, (yes, fourthly!) my new friend Frightened Cellar will also be playing with us on an all piano based evening of all OUT artists. Pretty exciting, no? Check out the gorgeousness of the first single from the upcoming album ‘Destroy the Fear that Forms You’ and enjoy the free download:
And if that’s not reason enough, here’s a recent live version of ‘Idealize the Dead‘:
Are you or do you know anyone in NYC? Well this July 21st, Thursday from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., you know where the place to be is…447 E 13th St at Ave A, ‘Phoenix’.
I was fortunate enough to play a benefit for a great cause on May 15th: RAINN is the national network for rape, sexual abuse and incest victims and is a cause I firmly believe in. However, this show was extra special for two more reasons: Aside from being the last weekend of concerts at the NYC indie landmark, Crash Mansion, it also served as the unveiling of the title track to my next EP, ‘The Thawing‘ (mid-2012), a follow up and complement to, ‘The Dissonance‘. The title track below is about learning to feel again after a tragic incident and is dedicated to all rape and sexual abuse victims, please read lyrics below. Enjoy!
I will break the rules and then I’ll go and make my own.
Follow endless question marks do they lead back to home.
I felt a fall the world was small and not quite what it seemed.
Nobody knows nor have they chosen, are we really free?
I will follow tangents until their logical end.
Nothing is forbidden there is no such thing as sin.
A different world per pair of eyes with nothing that’s certain,
be led by change yet keep your name forget your restrictions.
I will shed the thinking that has let me come to this.
Recreate sensations one should never come to miss.
Untangle knots you tied yourself release them from your grasp,
refresh the strands genetic brand and face the thwarted flesh.
Free from the name.
Free from the game.
Free from the rain,
and the frozen,
Freed from the pain:
And the poison.
Refresh the page,
Resurrect your fate,
Break from the chains.
look at your face:
And accept the stains.
Freed from restraints,
freed from the gaze,
his dictatory ways,
we’re finally free,
to exist naturally,
however mess that could be:
Ever feel in control of your life only to have chaos and consequence tear your plans asunder? You’ve been, ‘Futile & Fooled’: This futuristic fusion of rock, electronica and jazz combines industrial guitars, Rhodes keyboards and a piano pounding pop chorus with a video as diverse, disorienting and dreamy. From an abandoned power plant on the Hudson river to a live performance featuring vampiric dancers, a cross-dressing pianist and an ominously bloody ending; prepare yourself for the video that ‘After Elton’ calls: ‘Mesmerizing, jarring and TOTALLY cool’
And the Re-debut you ask? Well, after barely getting my indie wings last year I was stricken with tendinitis. Do you know it can practically paralyze you? You can wake one morning with a limb a lifeless thing only to worry a week waiting for the other arm to follow suit.
So now, 11 months later I’ve re-emerged with new songs, a new video, and more electronic accompaniment. Thanks to Chris Becker for documenting April 9th at Fontana’s NYC and the ever so lovely Jana Fisher for singing her heart out with me.
Two shoots spread over 4 months have left director William Murray and I with hours of footage to tell the erratic tale of ‘Futile & Fooled‘ with. From our trip to the abandoned power plant shoot up the Hudson River to the countless rehearsals, handmade costumes and bloody makeup in a crisp performance space in downtown Brooklyn; the raw materials for a great video are here: An exciting day of stunts in an industrial prison, a live performance complete with sexy, gothic back up dancers, some beautiful androgyny and even some movement from the man in charge. Be sure to share the FREE MP3 and enjoy the pics below, plenty more on facebook!
Listen and share this pretty player: Futile & Fooled by brettgleason
Here’s a teaser from the first half of the video shoot:
But WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL SEPT 14th to finish funding ‘
