Today Asleep.Asleep. opens it's newborn kitten eyes and takes in the world for the first time. We have spent the better part of two years tracking this album and then waiting, and then tracking and then waiting, and then mixing, and then waiting, and then mastering, and then waiting, and then paying to make the actual albums, and then......waiting. And just when all the work was done and we thought it was time to let go of this baby, we had to wait again..........until today, June 8th. It was truly feeling like some absurd VH1 storytellers being directed by Franz Kafka (with no producers to reel him in). However, unlike the Castle, this story did not finish mid-sentence. NO no no. This story punctuated all of its groups of words and wrapped them in plastic and sent them out to the world.Many of our friends helped us in the tracking of this album and we would like to thank them here, since we left no room on the little booklet that comes with the album to do so.
Eamonn Aiken has been the biggest help for many years now and he did a fantastic job recording and
engineering Asleep.Asleep.. We spent several weeks tracking @ the Mansion, in Potomac, both in the ping-pong room by the pool and in the apartment over the garage. Many of you familiar with the mansion know of what I speak. Even with all the cables and cords that had to constantly be run to-and-fro, Eamonn still had time to play on several of the songs AND drink the very absurdly long pitchers/mugs(with the triple x's even) of beer that kept being refilled. We finished at the Bastille, set in Inner Ear Studios in Arlington....or Shirlington, I am not entirely sure of the difference where Eamonn brough in Nick Anderson to help with the mastering. They both had many great ideas brought up during the mixing process that hadn't been thought of before that time.
Susan and Emily Hsu once again helped us out tremendously adding vocals and violins all over this album. They have been contributing to our recordings for.....ever, and always have to re-track their parts like, seven times. They ask for payment by the hour, I believe this is a scam. If this were craigslist I would boot their ad. They also did the world a service by singing the entirety of one of our new tracks, Last Quarter of the 20th Century Blues, and letting a ragged singer take a much needed break. This track, and their performance are one of the finer points of the album, if you were to ask me. That is to say, if you were to ask me, that is what I would tell you. The Hsu's have a new project that they are working on, and it's my pleasure to give a double Happy Birthday wish to their release, also born today==========>Sounds of Domestic Living. This is a side project of the girls and I would suggest taking a listen. The child is named Gold To Refine, and I believe it is what is labeled a RE-MIX. Not sure how that speaks to the father, but.....perhaps we can get them to the Warehouse for a show and all will be explained.Joining Susan and Emily in our make shift string section was Elizabeth Olson. Elizabeth plays with Meredith
Bragg and the Terminals and was able to just sit in with the girls and learn the songs, for the most part, on the spot. She also added a great cello melody in Seven-Eight, which was, again, made up on the spot. Now she is busy answering mail for a famous political entity in DC. but I can't mention which. But it isn't Nancy Pelosi. And not Aaron Burr, if he is still running around the hill.
Bragg and the Terminals and was able to just sit in with the girls and learn the songs, for the most part, on the spot. She also added a great cello melody in Seven-Eight, which was, again, made up on the spot. Now she is busy answering mail for a famous political entity in DC. but I can't mention which. But it isn't Nancy Pelosi. And not Aaron Burr, if he is still running around the hill. 
Next on the thank you list are former tour mates, Dan Scheuerman and Fatty Dowling from Deleted Scenes. Even after what happened to me and Tom and Dan in Brooklyn, or allllllllmost happened, Dan agreed to sing a song on our album. He sings on We Can Build You and I think everyone can tell by how the singing stays in tune and is prominent. Again, these are talented musicians. Dan learned the lyrics and the song while eating pizza with me before the recording session. Fatty was enough of a sport to also come into the studio and play some horn parts with another guy we will mention soon. I expect most people who may read this blog to have been to, or at least heard Deleted Scenes music. If not, I again have a recommendation I think you will not regret. They are easily one of the best groups playing in DC and I don't know why they aren't opening up for whoever won American Idol this past season.
Brad Johnson has also been helping us out for some time now. He has played many live shows with us despite his time being required in another great DC band, Cobra Collective. Brad has fit on tiny stages with us and we were very happy that he was able to make it on our album. I wish I had a funny story to add here, but Brad doesn't make many mistakes so it was kind of luck...Fuck You Brad. With your smug looks and perfect pitch. You belong in NOVA!!!!!!
May Tabol was the least tenured sometime-member of the Floyd.......um, the Flur. And this is not to take anything away from Dan, but May was learning the lyrics and melodies just a syllable ahead of the beat. Again, a no mistaker. But she has had lots of practice in her current band, Pree, and former band, Le Loup.(and I'm fairly certain you pronounce the "p", this isn't France). I would also curse May's talent, but I don't know her well enough to feel like i could really let loose. damn you May. I almost forgot, May sings the song Activate Your Cancelled Check, and let me also add that my dad has a little cameo on this song as well. I think the difference between their voices is somewhat apparent, but just so you know...
Andy Wass. Andy Wass. Andy Wass. I don't even know what to write here. I have known this girl forever and ever, back to Freshman year of the very first class ever held at the University of Maryland. I believe it was an English Class dedicated to the then-current Proust. Andy told me that years from now(then) she wanted to sing on an album with Bellflur. And Bellflur wasn't ready quite yet. So she relegated herself to sending out telegrams informing local townships of upcoming concerts, carving woodblocks to make posters for fashion shows and whatever young ladies of the time did to busy their hands so as not to fall prey to the mischief in men's eyes. But as of today, her wish has come true. On both counts. You can hear this songstress more clearly in her own band, Honeyboat. Besides being another up and coming band from DC/Baltimore, Honeyboat holds the distinction of being the very first band ever of all time to play the Warehouse. Huzzah!Everyone in Bellflur would again like to thank all of these individuals for helping to create this album and we hope that somehow it makes us all rich and we can all retire to our own separate islands and meet up once a year for Christmas, on a rotating-island schedule (giving everyone an equal opportunity to show everyone else what they have done with their places). If this takes longer than I imagine, then I hope that everyone involved at least had fun doing it and we can somehow repay their kindness in the future.
Thank you all.
-Carlos/Bellflur
