Happy 2023!

As I started the new year, I was reflecting on how I want to spend my time, what I want to create, and how I want to feel. The more I thought, the more I realized that I’m living a very good life.

I want to spend my time making music that inspires me. Check. I’ve got my plate full of projects that I feel overjoyed to be working on.

I want to be cooking good food at home with my partner. Check. We made the best Bahn Mi I’ve ever eaten last night. Oh my god it was so good.

I want to be spending time outdoors, and feel healthy and active in my body. We’ve got some work to do here, but we’ll get there. I’m starting to climb again, and I’m planning on getting back in the pool next week for the first time in years.

I feel extremely fortunate.

But the reason I didn’t send this out a couple weeks ago when I planned, is that I had a challenging holiday. It was wonderful getting to see family and take a moment to slow down, but I learned some things that really unsettled me. I have half siblings that I don’t know as well as I’d like, and they’re not in a good place right now. So I’ll add something to that list of desires from above:

I want to be present, available, and supportive of my family even though they live across an ocean.

Here’s something I wrote since we last talked. I’m working on a full version to release later this year, but it felt timely to share a demo.

The Last Day Of December

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l2zm6sduexamz4l/Last%20Day%20Of%20December%20-%20Demo%201.mp3?dl=0

Verse 1:

It’s the last day of December and it’s time to say goodbye

To the moment we gather round

Laughing in the kitchen, slipping on the ice

And staying up till sleep takes us down

Chorus 1:

Another come, another gone

I wonder where I belong

As my plane lifts off and banks west

As I feel this tightening in my chest

As my family shrinks away on the ground

I just wish I could stay around

Verse 2:

It’s the last day of December but before I said goodbye

I hugged you one last time

I told you that I love you, you said I love you more

But I left before the tears filled my eyes

Chorus 2:

Another come, another gone

I wonder where I belong

All the planes and trains and moving trucks

I can’t help but think this kind of sucks

I’m never there to tell you I’m proud

I just wish I could stay around

Verse 3:

It’s the last day of December, and I’m up above the clouds

Coming down to home

Thinking “every good decision still comes with a price”

I never meant to leave you alone

Chorus 3:

Another come, another gone

I wonder where I belong

All the hardship that you’ve been through

I’d do anything to undo

I just hope you’re safe and sound

Like the midnight after high noon

I promise I’ll be back soon

I just wish that I could stay around

New Release - Said

Last year I spent some time getting to know and work with a Swedish singer-songwriter-producer who goes by The Hollow Men. He brought me a song he was working on, and over the course of a few months I worked with him to hammer out lyrics that really told a story. If you couldn’t tell from the song above, that is one of my favorite things to do with a song.

I think it came together beautifully, and it was just released yesterday. It’s called “Said” and it might be the single project I spent the most time on last year. I had so much fun exploring cello textures and sounds. Every word has intention, Dennis writes the most incredible melodies, and we got to work with a phenomenal musician named Taylor Rigg in New York to round out the production and mix.

Give this a listen, and I would love to hear what you think. The strings really kick in as it progresses. I did a little breakdown on Instagram as well if that’s something that interests you!

Full Song on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/671tojOpqxFkj7fdfLUL9a?si=0dab4af45ef84671

Full Song on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCV_NjlDBkw

Breakdown on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CnfE5b9ticq/

Something Inspiring

I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Gabriel Kahane. He’s an incredible songwriter, composer, and storyteller. This song has some of the most compelling storytelling, arrangement, and the video I linked is one of the wildest performances I’ve ever seen. You’ll see what I mean by the second shot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_QaK0dE0is

I hope that your 2023 is off to a wonderful start, and that you had the holidays that you needed. If you’re working on any music that excites or inspires you I’d love to hear about it.

Talk soon,

Harley

P.S. My bow exploded yesterday and it's just sitting on my desk waiting for me to take it to the luthier. Luckily I think it just needs a rehair (which is normal) but it wasn't what I expected when I sat down to record. Now it's just sitting here while I write this email waiting for me to take it to the luthier.