As you know, life is not always full of fun and games. Sometimes you have to actually get some work done. That’s exactly what Ernie Halter has been doing while tracking drums for the new album. The recording process is very hard work and teaches you very important things — like how “Yes I Am” doubles as a new Halter track as well as the proper response to the question “Are you going to rock this bitch?!”

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We want to thank everyone who participated in the contest, and above all, Ernie Halter (duh). For more information on Ernie Halter, visit erniehalter.com or follow him on Twitter at @erniehalter.

For those of you who entered our (f)awesome Ernie Halter giveaway, we will announce the winner tomorrow, so check back for that.

For more information on Mya-Moe ukuleles, visit myamoeukuleles.com.

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For more information on Ernie Halter, visit erniehalter.com or follow him on Twitter at @erniehalter.

For his previous album, Starting Over, Ernie broadcasted the entire recording process over the Internet via streaming video, quite possibly making him the first recording artist ever to do so. This time around, Ernie is taking a few different approaches, e.g. recording the vocals and guitars before the bass and drum parts as well as letting us give you some awesome prizes to celebrate both his return to the studio and our unconditional love for him and everything he does.

We love you too, Ernie.

Check back for more updates in the near future.

In the meantime you can enter the Ernie Halter Giveaway Contest here.

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For more information on Ernie Halter, visit erniehalter.com or follow him on Twitter at @erniehalter.

Val Emmich is currently in the midst of recording the follow up to 2008′s Little Daggers and has been kind enough to document his process for the people of the Internet. Going into the studio “completely unprepared,” Val is previewing tracks and offering album updates in the form of well-produced webisodes which will document every step of the album’s creation.

“Change of Scenery” seems like a fitting phrase (and it’s also the title of a new Val Emmich track) because you never really get to see what’s behind the scenes in producing a new track. This stuff takes work, it doesn’t just happen over night. The video starts off raw, but midway through Val’s latest update, you get to experience the track with its finishing touches.

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Become friends with Val Emmich!:
twitter.com/valemmich
myspace.com/valemmich
facebook.com/valemmich

Also, keep checking back for more updates from Val on his forthcoming album.

Val Emmich is currently in the midst of recording the follow up to 2008′s Little Daggers and has been kind enough to document his process for the people of the Internet. Going into the studio “completely unprepared,” Val is previewing tracks and offering album updates in the form of well-produced webisodes which will document every step of the album’s creation.

During his second week in the studio at the end of August, Val checked in to offer a preview of the new track “Don’t Let Go.” Watch and listen:

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Become friends with Val Emmich!:
twitter.com/valemmich
myspace.com/valemmich
facebook.com/valemmich

Also, keep checking back for more updates from Val on his forthcoming album.

Val Emmich is currently in the midst of recording the follow up to 2008′s Little Daggers and has been kind enough to document his process for the people of the Internet. Going into the studio “completely unprepared,” Val is previewing tracks and offering album updates in the form of well-produced webisodes which will document every step of the album’s creation.

Beginning with day two at Near Studios in New Jersey, Val offers a recap of day one:

Update one, 08.13.09

Find Val on all of the “stupid websites that we all belong to”:
twitter.com/valemmich
myspace.com/valemmich
facebook.com/valemmich

… and also on his official website:
valemmich.com

Also, keep checking back for more updates from Val on his forthcoming album.

Smile Smile have agreed to let us document the making of their newest album, Truth On Tape.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, the band began recording Truth On Tape in late February of 2009. With Ryan Hamilton on guitar, Jencey Hirunrusme on keys, and both of them sharing vocal duties, the pair have joined producer, David Castell, to record the follow-up to their debut album, Blue Roses.

With the exception of a few things here and there we are DONE with the RECORDING of “Truth on Tape”

Lately we’ve been doing a lot of listening. We’ve been listening to different mixes and versions of the same song. Listening to what the record label thinks. Listening to what our management thinks. Listening to what our family thinks. Listening to the songs in my car, on my computer, with headphones, without headphones, small speakers, big speakers, right side, left side, close, far away, loud, soft. . . listening and listening. This is new for us. We’re used to recording the music exactly the way it was written, putting it on a C.D. and releasing it. It’s both a blessing and a headache to have the support and time a label provides. It’s nice to be able to take our time, try the songs different ways and make sure we have represented the song as well and honestly as we can. At the same time, I can become obsessed and crazy over the smallest changes because I want it to be just right. I guess time is the issue. We’ve never had this much time to record. It’s a strange animal, recording with lots of time.

People speculate a lot about mine and Jencey’s relationship, both past and present. I will shed a little light. When you have been through something as intense and painful as Jencey and I have together, you typically don’t talk to each other ever again. Or, you at least completely resent the other person. Truth is we really do fight ALL the time and can barely stand to be in the same room. So, when we decided to stay together for the sake of the music (as cheesy as it sounds, it’s true) we wanted the new C.D. to be perfect. When I say perfect I don’t mean slick and over produced, that wouldn’t be Smile Smile. I mean we want it to be perfect as far as our vision goes. The feeling, the honesty. . . . . . Yeah, uncomfortable honesty, that’s what I want. We are business partners. We share a love and respect for the music we make together and tolerate each other because of it.

Anyway, we don’t have a set release date yet, but we’re close, really close to being done. I appreciate the patience of everyone who’s been waiting on this record to be finished. Believe me, as much as we have invested in this record we want it to be finished too.

-Ryan

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Visit Smile Smile on MySpace at myspace.com/smilesmilemusic.

Smile Smile have agreed to let us document the making of their newest album, Truth On Tape.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, the band began recording Truth On Tape in late February of 2009. With Ryan Hamilton on guitar, Jencey Hirunrusme on keys, and both of them sharing vocal duties, the pair have joined producer, David Castell, to record the follow-up to their debut album, Blue Roses.

He Said – Ryan’s Blog

So, what happens when you combine Jencey, myself, Toadies drummer Mark Reznicek, producer great David Castell and Miller Light?

MAGIC, PURE MAGIC

The unlikely pairing of Smile Smile and the Toadies ended up being a wonderful surprise. I’ve been a big fan of the Toadies for years and to have their drummer come in and play on our new CD was a great honor. Mark came in and did a GREAT job and the songs turned out so, so good.

Here’s some video:

The new CD is coming along quite nicely. I am SO READY to finish and for everyone to hear the new stuff. As much as Jencey and I argue and disagree I’m always surprised by how great the finished product ends up sounding. It’s a struggle and quite frequently we want to kill each other but I love the music we make.

Until next time,
Ryan

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Visit Smile Smile on MySpace at myspace.com/smilesmilemusic.

Smile Smile have agreed to let us document the making of their newest album, Truth On Tape.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, the band began recording Truth On Tape in late February of 2009. With Ryan Hamilton on guitar, Jencey Hirunrusme on keys, and both of them sharing vocal duties, the pair have joined producer, David Castell, to record the follow-up to their debut album, Blue Roses.

She Said – Jencey’s Blog

Well we’ve started a process I never thought would happen, preparing ourselves to release songs that are extremely personal and almost painful sometimes to listen to. These are songs for the broken hearted and the lovelorn, the album serves as an anthem for loneliness, heartache and helplessness. When we stared working on these songs I didn’t fully understand the scope of emotion they represented, as Ryan and I’s relationship slowly died. I can listen to these songs objectively now and realize that they are honest, hurtful but can hopefully serve as a comfort to anyone having a hard time with their relationship. That being said…let’s meet the cast.

Smile Smile. We’ve been playing music together for almost 3 years. People can’t really classify our music so we’ve settled on different conglomerations of folk, pop, indie, progressive and acoustic. We’ve been compared to Mazzy Star, Ben Kweller
and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Quite an odd mix. I play piano and sing. Ryan plays guitar and sings.

Right now we are in the studio with Dave Castell and his sidekick Bronson, the wonderdog. We are currently working on a song called The Attic which is one of our only tracks that doesn’t necessarily address “her” personally. This song is about looking through someone’s things, your old things, etc. and finding out things that you never wanted to know. And wishing that you had never looked in the first place. It’s also about starting over and realizing that you need to let things go and that you can’t hold on to things forever.

Everyone who has seen us live knows that I play a Fender Rhodes Mark 1 live but typically our albums have a lot of grand piano on them. Working with Dave Castell has really expanded our arsenal of sounds, voicings and has helped begin to grow each song into its full potential. People are NOT kidding when they say he is a pro, knowing exactly which piano sounds will sound interesting and really weaving different instrument textures together while still keeping our songs intimate and raw.

So who’s the whistling man?

Highlight of the night was this discussion.

Ryan : “Are you guys happy with the way I sang that first line?”

Jencey and Dave: ” Why? You didn’t like it?”

(We listen to it and hear Ryan whistling through his teeth like an 80 year old man during “clothessss” and saying “ole” and “ole”!)

Maybe you would have to be there to get it, but there’s nothing more hilarious than Ryan singing like he has dentures!!!

Well, until next time. We are Smile Smile.

Jencey

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Visit Smile Smile on MySpace at myspace.com/smilesmilemusic.

Smile Smile have agreed to let us document the making of their newest album, Truth On Tape.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, the band began recording Truth On Tape in late February of 2009. With Ryan Hamilton on guitar, Jencey Hirunrusme on keys, and both of them sharing vocal duties, the pair have joined producer, David Castell, to record the follow-up to their debut album, Blue Roses.

From Ryan:

So, we played our last scheduled show with country legend Loretta Lynn, which was amazing!

Now it’s all about the studio and the new CD. We’ve been chipping away at the new record and now it’s time to FINISH IT!! We are working with very talented Producer, David Castell (Blue October, Deep Blue Something, Toadies, Burden Brothers. . . to name a few). The new songs are extremely personal and honest. So much so that it sometimes make me uncomfortable to sing them. Don’t get me wrong, I would never change, they’re just THAT honest. It’s no secret that Jencey and I have been through a lot together and I sometimes wonder how we survived so much personal drama and continue to make music together. Regardless, here we are and I can’t wait to finish the new CD and for everyone to hear it.

-Ryan

Visit Smile Smile on MySpace at myspace.com/smilesmilemusic.