slow but sweet

So it's been a while since I blogged on here about the progress of my record. Well that's mostly because things have come to a bit of a hault. As I mentioned before we're in the process of recording the drum tracks, which means my little turtle of a husband is in charge of the pace of the recording these days. Godbless him, he prefers a lot of prep time and practise time, because he likes to be able to play his best (I'm NOT complaining obviously - we all want our musicians to play their very best). So that's where we are at the moment. He's been in the studio twice, and recorded 4 drum tracks of the 9 he's playing on. They sound fantastic and I'm really excited to see what else he has in store. He's in Vancouver at the moment playing with Shane Yellowbird at the Winter Olympics. His usually hectic gig schedule has been on a bit of a hiatus lately so he has been playing some more local shows with singer/songwriters from around town.

In January we both backed up a good friend of mine - Chanda Cooper - Jered on drums, and myself on back up vocals. We had a blast. Next up are a few gigs with Jesse Peters of Paramedic, and then a few shows with Erica Viegas. All this new material is another reason for the slow but sweet progress on my record, Jered is busy learning other folks tunes.
I've calmed down a bit from my initial intensity on the progress of this record, but in the back of mind I'm still dying to get moving. Hopefully Jered will finish the drum tracks sometime in March and then we'll be able to move forward. I'm looking forward to it!

prairie belles podcast

Hey blogger friends! I just wanted to let you all know that my friend Daneel and I have started our very own podcast called the Prairie Belles Podcast. Please check it out at http://prairiebellespodcast.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

resolutions...

So I've gotten a good start on two of my new year's resolutions. I started my 5K running clinic with the running room last week. Had some weird issues with my knee, but I'm getting through it. This is part of my new year's resolution to get more into running, by taking a 5K clinic and then in turn doing a 5K run (St. Patrick's Day run). The second half of that resolution is enrolling in a 10K *dramatic gulp* clinic in March and doing the 10K women's run in June. I just started running in March of 2009, so my physically not so active self feels like these are lofty goals. Just the idea of a 10K overwhelms me. Anyhow, the other resolution is to record an album which I started in November... and with which progress continues at a slow and steady pace. Jered should hopefully be finished the preliminary drum tracks this month... if I continue to light a fire under his perfectionist's ass that is. ;)
The other resolutions I have are to travel again... at the moment I'm thinking Tuscany, Italy but a mere month ago I was sure I was going to Australia. I have until the fall to decide.

I'm on my way at the very least!

PS - I am featured on Junior's Cave web magazine as their artist of the month - check out my interview. www.juniorscave.com/Lisa-Nicole-Grace.html

average girl...

I don't usually post other artists' lyrics on my blog. I guess maybe that's a little selfish, but this is MY little corner of the interwebs and I want to use it for my lyrics, and my "art" if you call it that. Anyways over the past few days and especially after giving into the temptations of christmas sweets this song by India Arie (one of my favorite acoustic soul artists) is playing over and over in my head. I dig.

Video

Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don't
Sometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won't
Depend on how the wind blows I might even paint my toes
It really just depends on whatever feels good in my soul

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be (me)

When I look in the mirror and the only one there is me
Every freckle on my face is where it's supposed to be
And I know our creator didn't make no mistakes on me
My feet, my thighs, my lips, my eyes; I'm lovin' what I see

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be (me)

Am I less of a lady if I don't wear pantyhose?
My mama said a lady ain't what she wears but, what she knows
But, I've drawn a conclusion, it's all an illusion, confusion's the name of the game
A misconception, a vast deception
Something's gotta change but
Don't be offended this is all my opinion ain't nothing that I'm sayin law
This is a true confession of a life learned lesson I was sent here to share with y'all
So get in where you fit in go on and shine
Clear your mind, now's the time
Put your salt on the shelf, go on and love yourself
'Cuz everything's gonna be all right

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I Learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be (me)

Keep your fancy drinks and your expensive minks
I don't need that to have a good time
Keep your expensive car and your caviar
All I need is my guitar
Keep your Kristal and your pistol
I'd rather have a pretty piece of crystal
Don't need your silicone I prefer my own
What God gave me is just fine

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be (me)

what do you hear?

I lost my voice after singing so loudly and enthusiastically over Christmas holidays with my family. I'm lucky to have a family who loves to play audience for me & my husband & brother... we played for hours and hours for days while we celebrated Christmas. Tonight I tried to write a song, but couldn't sing enough to hum out a melody.. so I decided to abandon the "song" part and just write - for the first time in a long time. Here is a poem... just words I whispered alone to myself in a bubble bath.

what do you hear?

when you're alone

and there's no one around

when you drown out the noise

and you don't make a sound

what do you hear?

do you hear the quiet release of your breath

or the echo of your heart beat deep in your chest

what do you hear?

i hear a promise

i hear a prayer

when you're alone

and there's only just you

when you let go of everything

you frantically hold onto

what do you hear?

do you hear the whisper of a familiar friend

or have you fought it so long that you no longer can

what do you hear?

i hear affirmations

i hear truths

when you're alone

and there's no one around

when you drown out the noise

and you don't make a sound

what do you hear?

seeds

I was at the spa yesterday with my best girl Annelise for her birthday celebration, and after our four hour appointment the owner had us pull "fortunes/soul reflections" that were written on pretty sand dollars & stones. My soul reflection read "your thoughts are seeds. your words water them, what are you growing today?" which was definitely coincidental because I started writing this song about seeds the very night before. Here's what I have so far.

a little seed

verse
I feel something rising up in me
Something good and something sweet
Something no one else can see

I'm a little afraid to let it go
To give it room and let it grow
It's only just a little seed

chorus
But it's taking root in me
It's growing fast and turning green
I don't even know what it might be
But it's just a little seed
Just a little seed

daddy's little girl

*wrote this song with my lovely friend daneel irons - www.daneel.ca

verse
i remember the wind in my hair shouting
"daddy don't let go"
the day you took those training wheels off
and led me down that old back road

do you remember the days when i,
was just a twinkle in your eye
cause that was so many years ago, when i was

chorus
daddy's little girl
curled up by your side
and there was nothing in the world
to make me run and hide,
as daddy's little girl

verse
these days i'm a hundred miles away
making it on my own
but i love how we keep counting down the days
til i come home

big city, big dreams
it's all right here in front of me
but at the end of the day i'll always be

chorus
daddy's little girl
curled up by your side
and there is nothing in the world
to make me run and hide
as daddy's little girl

bridge
this distance feels a little bit further
your arms wrap a little bit tighter
our goodbyes last a little bit longer
but my love for you
just keeps getting stronger, cause i am

chorus
daddy's little girl
curled up by your side
and there is nothing in the world
to make me run and hide
as daddy's little girl
as daddy's little girl

Copyright 2009 Lisa Evangelos & Daneel Irons