so i recorded all these tracks over a period of 3 weeks (maybe less...i don't recall)...either way, from just after my 33rd (jan 16) to feb 6, 2011, i put down my 6th album...

i was going for more rhythm, faster tempo, and as much heart as i could squeeze into it...

covered 2 of my favorite bright eyes songs...used a ukulele on 'trees get wheeled away'...

the 2 improv songs were exactly that:  1 take a piece...straight outta my mind, hence didn't write the words down...

did some 'choppin' of songs too, with the following:

- the se-me-tarry song
- have your fun (little girl)
- the reconstructionofthoughts

they came out a bit choppy, but that's why i liked 'em....

as for the rest, all songs (that were written down) were written in pembroke or halifax, massachusetts....probably while i should have been working...

C u t e

this, being my 3rd complete album, was unique in the sense that half of the recorded songs were songs that i worked on a lot; the other half were songs i merely sang one time (and one time only) and just happened to press the 'record' button when i sang them...

funny how that works with music...and capturing moments in time...

i started writing 'half the time' and 'gonna listen' in asheville and finished writing them in pembroke...

i was most proud of my instrumental pieces of this album, especially the piano tracks...

and with 'trying maybe' i had a cast on my right hand when i recorded it...pinky surgery really kinda sucks altogether...

ultimately, i started recording this one in march of '09 and finished it in july...

Half a heart (instrumental)

my 4th album, recorded in 3 short months (from early september to early december '010)...the title says it all (really)...or doesn't say enough...

the music and words (literally) flowed through me, and came almost effortlessly...lyrically, i think this is my "best" album...

strangely enough, i wrote 'i'll be back from far away (soon)' in asheville in 2007 (i think) and even stranger (still) that song was one of the first songs i recorded on garageband...but that was before i knew how to turn the metronome option off and i had scrapped the song completely...

as for the others, upon moving to halifax, massachusetts, and discovering how beautiful the lake was near my new place...i did a majority of my composing and writing while sitting on a picnic table 30 yards from the water...

i also kept the order of the tracks in-line with when i recorded each one so...that was new for me too...

and thank god for open c tuning...

Sunday catholic

Tax song

Zoning out (and in)

the subway musician

Brain drain

Flat falling reasons

I'll be back from far away (soon)

my 5th album (the 3rd one of 2010)...was completely unexpected, very rough and un-polished, and came out of now/here (really)...

i recorded all 11 tracks in my parent's living room in harper woods, michigan...all one take; all completed in just under an hour...

3 guitar instrumentals (loosely thrown-together), 4 completely improvised songs, and 4 i'd been practicing for a while (and had not yet captured the way i'd wanted to previously that year)...

i wrote the following tracks while living in pembroke in '09:

- NotCrazy
- Dream Song Sings
- Why Try
- Hope=ThoughtDreamWord

I'm All Right

been recording since 19...all of these songs were recorded between 2008 - 2010 (i think)...i'm trying to work my way up to playing on the streets (again)...music transcends everything...but it helps if you give it half-a-chance, half-an-ear, half-an-effort....even if you only listen to half the song(s); at least that's half of something...

Patrick Mahon