Secrets

Part Two: ATS -- tokihanashite

[March 19, 2010]

The atmosphere of the studio was tense as Mike started the playback, everyone with their notepads and pens, waiting to hear what Mike had put together for today. Deadlines were nearing, and they didn't have a final track list, and still hadn't agreed on the first single. They didn't have artwork. There were no promo pictures. Mike was the definition of overworked and stressed out. With the music industry changing, and the way people purchased music causing a rapid decline in the purchase of physical copies of albums, too much was riding on this release for it to not go well.

Behind the console, Mike was adjusting volumes and clicking links, concentrating on arranging everything in the order he wanted it to play while everyone else fidgeted. Behind him he heard Rob tapping both hands on his thighs, the ever present rhythms in his head manifesting aloud. In front of him Joe paced back and forth in the space between the console and the glass wall of the vocal booth, occasionally looking at Brad, who had his head bent over his notepad already, meticulously writing track numbers in the left margin, skipping five lines between each. On the sofa across from the console Dave was absently stroking his goatee, staring off into space, and Chester had pulled a chair up close to Mike to watch the progress. Mike could smell his cologne as he clicked his mouse, everyone waiting for the speakers to come to life.

"This is... sort of the order I'm thinking right now," Mike said, looking around the group. "It's obviously not set in stone or anything, but I think there's a nice flow to it this way."

Chester settled back in his seat and crossed his ankle over his knee, resting his notepad on his lap, and without being consciously aware that he did it, Mike copied Chester's exact position as the playback started.

The sound of the first completed track started off subtly, and Brad was already furiously scratching notes onto his pad. What the fuck does he already have to say about this? We've barely even gotten started. Mike glanced around the circle. Everyone else was listening, and Joe was already smiling, nodding along with the track.

I'm actually nervous about this, Mike thought, right as his eyes met Chester's. The warm smile from his best friend comforted him slightly, and he took a deep breath, feeling himself relax slightly as the music continued. By the time the ending track had played- a song he was certain Brad would like, since he was playing acoustic guitar on it- Mike was smiling and ready for the feedback. This was always a productive part of creating an album, the time when there was enough done to really hear the direction of things and they could dig in to making the small changes that would take a song from good to great.

There was silence for a few moments at the end, and Mike waited for everyone to put their pens down before he cleared his throat. "So... let's do this the way we always do? One track at a time?"

Brad held up a hand and stopped Mike before anyone could agree. "You're... viewing this as a concept album, is that what I'm getting here?"

An expression of confusion washed over Mike's face. "Well... I... I don't know. I mean, we talked about it some," he gestured around at the other band members, "but we never really settled. I just sort of lined up what we had in an order that made sense to me."

There was another pause before Brad said, "if you're wanting a concept album, you know it really needs to feel like one long track. It should be the kind of thing you listen to start to finish, in the order we intend, not on shuffle or some shit. So there's got to be more... interludes... bridges, or something, between songs."

A heaviness settled in the group as Brad's words were contemplated. It was Chester who finally added to the conversation. "Okay. We can talk about that. But what about the lyrics? You've been on our asses about the lyrics for months, let's talk about those first."