We just wrapped up a round of tracking and mixing with Mattison (Kate Mattison: keyboards & lead vocals, Jay Steinhauer: bass, and Angel: drums & vocals). Pete engineered with Terry assisting. The music was great and the band was a real pleasure to work & hang with. I always prefer analog/tape-based projects and this one offers a number of reasons why.
The project is anchored on a foundation of soulful compositions and solid performances, no edits or “comps”. Basic tracks went down smoothly as the band was well rehearsed. In fact, I think every song was recorded in the first or second take. The sparse, organic instrumentation and rich vocals matched up well with our tape based all analog signal path. Mattison came in with a clear idea of what they wanted, got the job done, and we all had a blast in the process! The band focused on their music and let us worry about the rest, a concept I have really come to appreciate over the years. Since everything from basics to mixing was done in house, we were able to maintain a real sense of continuity and preserve the original goal of recording an album with a classic vibe and feel, but also reflecting today’s production standards. From this series of recordings, Mattison is releasing a Christmas single and B-side just in time for the holidays. You can also look forward to the much-anticipated full length LP (all analog, from 2” to the ½” mix to vinyl!) in the New Year.
Download : http://www.myspace.com/mattison
Mattison (Jay, Kate, and Angel) pictured with Pete at MetroSonic Recording Studio NYC