Thursday, September 22, 2011

Music: Creating New, Revisiting the Past. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Whenever I start to wrap my brain around the idea of recording a new album, I'm always amazed at how a collection of seemingly unrelated songs and ideas somehow find a common thread.

As I gather whole songs, parts of songs, and ideas of songs together for a new album, I am interested to find out what story these songs want to tell. What shape will each give to the body of the album? Will these songs join hands and try to be born all at once, or will each one take it's time teasing me with a melody here, a lyric there? What themes and ideas are worth exploring further? How will this album support the others?

A lot of people have asked me which of my own albums is my favorite. This isn't an easy question for me to answer. I look at them all now in hindsight with 20/20 vision. "Oh. That's why I had to write this song; It was to get to this other song." Each album at the time of recording and assembling represented something different and important to me at that point of my life.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. If you have listened to my albums (Inside, Braver Days, Merry White Tree in the Night, and The Elm Tree) and have an opinion about which one you relate to the most, I'd love to hear it. Also, which one did you put away for a season and have recently revisited? Why does it fit in your life at this moment?

Here are links to each of my album pages:
Inside
Braver Days
The Elm Tree
Merry White Tree in the Night

I'm excited to hear what you think.

It's interesting how you can discover new things when you revisit important music from your past. My son and I have been in a Killers phase lately. I am revisiting and my son is just being introduced to the emotional honesty of Brandon Flowers. We are having a great time exploring what songs and albums speak to us.

I hope you'll have a great time too.

Kirby

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5 Comments:

Blogger Megan said...

I love all of your CDs for so many different reasons! There are songs on each cd that can reflect or improve my mood instantly. Songs like "Mistakes and Stowaways" or "Home" pop in my head when I'm stressed or sad and help me to relax. Your music has gotten me through finals week, moving far away from family and friends, and so many other difficult situations. It had also been a part of many happy memories with friends and family as well. I listen to your Christmas album year round, as well as all of your other CDs (in fact, "Chances" is playing on my iPod right now!). Everything you do is wonderful and I can't wait for your next cd!

September 23, 2011 at 12:01 PM  
Blogger Gracia said...

I cannot count the number of times over the years that I've known you that your music has helped, inspired, comforted, and lifted me; seen me through hard days, helped me celebrate good days, given a voice to my thoughts, and helped me make sense of what's going on around me. I used to think you could see right into my soul and that you were singing about what you saw. (Not really, but it felt that way.)

It is difficult for me to say which of your albums is my favorite. I'm like Megan, I like different songs/albums for different reasons at different times.

You never cease to amaze me in every way. Just when I think I've heard the best you have, you top it with something new. I am always so excited to hear everything new you write and even more excited when I get to hear you perform it live for the very first time. When someone emails and wants to buy a Marvelous Stuff! song written and performed by you, I am overwhelmed with anticipation!

I love exploring new music with you. You are so insightful and sensitive to everything going on in a piece of music, it leaves me dumbfounded and wiser after listening to your thoughts about it.

So, as far as which album is my favorite…. I can't pick one. I pick them all.

September 24, 2011 at 10:41 PM  
Anonymous Emily Sheffield said...

I LOVE B-FLOW! haha as we nicknamed him around here... But back to your question, I have grown on Elm Tree but always love Braver Days and Inside! All of your songs are so meaningful that I think no matter what you choose, people will be instantly connected. You could always write an album about Ogden! :) Anyways, good luck writing/recording and I will be the first to buy the new album!

September 25, 2011 at 9:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Kirby, have you seen this? Loved it! You should do one of these. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4PF0h7oqUEQ

October 17, 2011 at 9:29 AM  
Anonymous Shelly said...

I think picking a favorite album from the Kirby Heyborne catalog is like picking a favorite child.lol Can't do it. Can't even pick a favorite song. Each albim has a song or 2 that I may frequently skip, but then on other days, I may only listen to that one (or 2) song(s). I think Elm Tree is the album that stirs the most emotional response in me, but that's also one of the reasons I listen to it less than the other albums. I lately like to sing along with Night Begins and get over emphatic at the end. (when noone is home, of course) Gracia put it very well on how wonderfully talented a songwriter, singer, and performer Kirby is. Words can't really describe the music and its execution. Magnificent.
As far as others, I've been on a Vic Mignogna kick. His music can be soothing, emotional, poignant or very funny.
I also like to revisit Alistair Griffin's first album, "Bring it On" It has nice energy.
I also like to listen to the songs the tell a story on Robin Gibb's solo albums from the 80s. I like watching the old videos too.
In general, I like music that tells a story, or can make me smile/laugh. I appreciate music I can share with my grandkids and there's nothing better than listening quietly to great music while soaking in the beauty of the world. (especially sunsets)

April 12, 2012 at 1:28 PM  

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