It seems like we always come back to the question of genre with our music. It’s unfortunate that promotions rely on super specific categories, but that’s just the way it is. The music world is like a giant data base in that way. Folks want to be able to put each band and release into a box so that they can stack it up with other boxes into neat little tables (data base “tables,” not dining room “tables”). I can understand the need to organize information like that, but with something like music it isn’t always so simple. Sure, some bands are totally fine making a career out of one style of music writing, song after song, album after album, but we aren’t. Since 1999, Ryan and I have shifted musical styles drastically, and since 1991, Ryan has made some pretty dramatic evolutions in his sound.

I’m thinking today about the fact that our last album, Windblown Kiss, is listed as “Jazz.” While that is a very cool genre and all, it really doesn’t successfully describe our CD. Nor does “Electronica” really represent the myriad styles of LSD’s retrospective collection, Temporal. Our upcoming album could be listed under either of those genres, and either way it would be missing the whole rock element also inherent in the songs. Not only are the songs each of different genre varieties, but many of the songs themselves are a mix of genres. So how the heck are we going to categorize this one? And how is our band itself being classified?

Now is the official launch of the band’s Cafe Press Store which is just filled to the brim with cool merchandise for both Lovespirals and Love Spirals Downwards, including t-shirts, stickers, and buttons. Everything is priced very, very low for your shopping enjoyment, so get it while it’s hot at cafepress.com/lovespirals!

Finally the storm has broken here in Southern California, to be replaced by a wonderfully warm Santa Ana wind. Mmm… Actually went to the beach yesterday and laid out, enjoying my new iPod. I hope this weather lasts long enough for us to sneak in a band photo shoot. It’s about time we got some current portraits taken. I’m also starting to seriously think about album art for the new CD cover. We’ll probably go with colorful nature shots again, but maybe a bit less abstract this time. I’m not sure that folks even realize that the Windblown Kiss artwork is photos of reflections in water or not?

Ryan and I have come to the realization that 128kbps mp3s are way too old school. Like, so 1998!

I’ve been re-encoding my digital music library into 320kbps AAC files, which sound much better — much better even that 320kbps mp3 files. For special albums, I’m using Apple Lossless, which sounds basically like an AIFF or WAV file (which is what CDs are generally made from), but is only about half the size. I mean, I have a huge hard drive, so why not enjoy my music in hi-res quality?

I love the concept of the iTunes store, and selling our music there, but what I don’t love is the sound quality. We make these gorgeous 24bit start-to-finish albums (more music geek talk, I know!), only to have it all squashed down into measly 128k mp3 files. It’s murder! We really need to figure out a way to sell our fans nice, high quality files worthy of critical listening.

It’s so sad how the music industry is completely melting down under the pressure of new technology. Kids today don’t even think they should have to buy CDs anymore! They are perfectly content with crappy mp3s files traded on the Internet.

It seems that a whole new model for music is necessary now, one that somehow combines professional quality sound with affordable prices so that we artists can get our music out to fans in a format that is not only convenient, but great sounding, doesn’t cost too much, and yet allows us to cover all the costs of creating and distributing the music.

Any bright ideas, anyone?

Just thought I’d send a holiday greeting out to everyone on this sunny So Ca Christmas day. Hope everyone is having a good time wherever they may be!

I always wanted to get one, but there was always something more important that I seemed to need. Well thank god for Christmas to fix little situations like that. It’s actually our band Ipod and it’s one with a 40 gig drive. A Mini may have been better for its portability but its 4 gig drive limits it a little. Particularly since I’m taking advantage of having the big drive in our Ipod. This week I’ve changed the way i view digital music listening. No more crappy 128 mp3’s which I’ve always hated listening to. Now I’m encoding my music library as 320 aac’s, which sound way better, and for music that I absolutely love I’m using the Apple Lossless Encoder, which doesn’t alter the sound of the original music but just cuts the file size in half. Now listening to music on a computer or the Ipod is actually enjoyable.

Just remembered that there is a free download of Ryan’s 1994 cover of a Dr. Seuss holiday classic from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas available on the Projekt Records website. Interpreted in a very dream pop, shoegazery way, the tune cleverly plays upon the vocal style of Suzanne, who often sang in nonsense words for Love Spirals Downwards (prior band incarnation, in case you didn’t know). Perfect choice for the band! So check it out — “Welcome Christmas”

Just got Katamari Damacy last night – omg! It was supposed to be a Christmas present from Ryan, but I guessed what it was anyway so he just let me have it. We played it for hours and I was dreaming about it all night long. That game is so crazy, Peter Max, Yellow Submarine, and pure Japanese fun all rolled up (pun intended) into one big fun nonsensical package. I want to go play it again right now.