cluthe/lee songlist

  • presently falling, setting sun, open, here we are, the wrong time, sundown, circle, hopefully hoping, midnight, the color burns, count down, predicament, man of the mountain, a harmless song, silver lining, sneaking suspicion, pulse race, faster than you know, we will remain, brace yourself, unanswered, roll my tongue, all i see, let the music play, run alone, pieces apart, echo, betting man, black horse, dear dad, new to me, oh my darling, reels fly by, blue, go home, stay, insideout, open ended, a cold enveloping, deeper, grown, best half, in a corner, drift on, misconception, not listening, life can go, defrost mode, april day, tick tock, sideways, suspended in motion, swifter change, fade, abbreviated, simple, hands now clean, hoping for a miracle, on a wire, hands, stagnant in park, say say, hold, exact sense, beautiful, coming through, his voice, drop of rain, elevator music, brings me warmth, walking dead, london dream, red lights, never tell, it's time, walk on stilts, out the door, exact sense, breakout, i'll crawl, said and done, your shore, state of flux, hold me down, hard to swallow, once more, time to rest, familiar walls, it spins, gaze up, life anew, done, eyes open, shaky situation, black burned truth, special, everything/anything, fault line, chaos ensues, birds, dear woman, phone call, one day, crying shame, she, fragile ones, unfolding, in my time, crooked building, red clouds, the ghost, give yourself away, first light, snapshot, take flight, open heart beating

12.22.2012

Looking back on the mastering process of 'Where It Began'


It's been about 2 months now since I was in Centro Cellar Studios with Wil Reeves. I've had some time to both recover from and reflect on the nearly 9 months spent mastering Cluthe/Lee's latest effort 'Where It Began.'

I remember it was about this time last year that I called Matt and suggested that we explore the possibility of having someone else work on our music - specifically, the songs we had gathered up for third album. Up until that point it was only Matt and I doing EVERYTHING and the idea of having someone else involved was a little scary. I remember thinking at the time though that bringing someone in with studio experience could open up new possibilities for these songs we had.

In January 2012 I began calling and e-mailing the small number of studios here in Columbia, Missouri to set up a meeting. Wil was the only person that bothered to call back believe it or not, and so a meeting was set. Matt and I had specific things we wanted and didn't want. Taking those thoughts into meet Wil was exciting and a bit nerve wrecking for me. I was basically representing two people - one of which couldn't be there in person.

Out of an hour long discussion with Wil, there are bits that still stick out - most notably his sense for what Matt and I were doing. He laughed a few times in appreciation that Matt and I don't tinker much with our songs - and that we have done all of our writing apart from one another. Never recording a song once in the same room. Sitting in the studio and having him show me the massive console set up, there was an excitement in way that felt like we had 'arrived' as much as two guys doing what we do, could. I played Wil some of the songs we wanted to work on - and he agreed that Cluthe/Lee was a project he wanted to take on.

The sessions were set up over my lunch break - one hour each session to do as much work on a song as possible. So, in early February 2012 work began at Centro with 'It Spins' - a song that had a solid sound and one that Wil said he wanted to work on first after his initial preview of the tracks. He was particularly enamored with this guitar effect Matt used on the song called 'Dreamy Texture.' Sitting down with Wil that first session, I was blown away at how big our songs sounded coming through pre-amps, and proper studio monitors. In all the work with Matt, I'd never heard us like that before. My excitement was immediate and my phone call to Matt after the session was rambling and giddy if I recall!

'It Spins' was a litmus test to see if there was enough of a difference in the finished product to continue working on songs. The central question was 'can someone else make these songs sound better than what Matt and I could do?' I recall sending Matt that first master of 'It Spins' and getting a phone call  confirming that this was the right thing to do. Naturally the next question was how to pay for it all. We went through a few ideas before settling on simply asking those that had supported us through the last few years to donate towards the project. The response from people was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. Within a few short weeks we had enough money to start on the second song.

More lunch breaks were scheduled, odd times that were convenient for Wil and I to get together and work. That spring and summer was a bit of a blur - but my memory recalls feeling so excited as each song was worked on, hitting on all cylinders. There were plenty of misses along the way though - a product of not being able to have Matt sitting close by - which I know was very difficult for him as well! Times where things didn't come out sounding quite right, or partially finished songs mistaken for completed songs. Hearing songs like 'Recollection' and 'Dear Woman' come to a balanced state, with all elements as sharp as they could be, were moments that I won't ever forget.

I learned a lot about recording processes/techniques on the side watching Wil work on songs - he was a great teacher and a very, very patient guy to work with. He always explained what he was using and why for each song, and how I could replicate it at home using Garageband. There were times where we'd be focused on the same ten second section of a song for up to twenty minutes. That often resulted in what I call 'temporary song psychosis' - where that particular part would stay in my head for the next day or so - creating strange dreams like being physically tied to a song (don't ask, weird dream).

As summer turned to fall - I had warned Wil that the final 2-3 songs would be the most difficult to master. Those were 'Chaos Ensues,' 'London Dream,' and 'Coming Through.' Lunch time breaks in the studio soon morphed into early evenings, weekends and just about any time we could coordinate our schedules. It was during this time that I found out my wife and I were pregnant. Everything took on this immediate new meaning - which included getting the album finished. Eight months from when I first met Wil, we sat in the studio scratching our heads at the last song to be finished, 'Chaos Ensues' -a crazy layered song like none Matt had written before in Cluthe/Lee. There were particular sections of that song that needed to be approached carefully and I remember a few times Wil and I looking at each other and saying 'let's walk away from this for a bit.' Hahaha! I recall one of the final sessions was working on just the vocals for 'Chaos Ensues' and listening to the breakdown for about thirty minutes without stopping!

The ten months spent working on and listening to 'Where It Began' in all it's various stages of completion was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences for me as a musician. Sitting here typing this - I definitely feel a huge sense of accomplishment, and closure listening to the final product. Some of the songs on the record are over two years old which blows my mind - that's quite a journey for five minutes of sound and two guys who love creating together!






11.15.2012

Album Notes & Update


The album is done. Wil is going to put the final touches on the mastering this week. That means that we'll be submitting the full album for manufacturing in the next week or so. The cd's should 
arrive in about 2-3 weeks. As soon as they arrive, they'll be in the mail.
We can't say thanks enough. We took a big step forward with Where It Began &
we're excited to see where the next step will take us. 

I've just listened to the final master of the album two times in a row while taking final mastering notes. 
I want to make sure that we document everything about this album, so this blog will serve as a place to show the contributions to Where It Began. It might be fun to re-visit this once you're holding the album in your hands. I wanted to make sure that I wrote it all down before I forgot it all.

again, we can't thank you enough.
Matt & Chris

WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee


-COMING THROUGH-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass
Lee: rhythm guitar, lead guitar, drums

-THE GHOST-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
Lee: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums

-LONDON DREAM-
M. Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
Lee: rhythm guitar, lead guitar, drums, shaker
L. Cluthe: vocals

-STATE OF FLUX-
Cluthe (words): vocals, lead guitar
Lee (music): rhythm guitar, bass, drums

-HOLD ME DOWN-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
Lee: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums

-RECOLLECTION-
Cluthe (words): vocals
Lee (music): rhythm guitar, lead guitar, drums, bass, shaker, tambourine

-LIFE ANEW-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass
Lee: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums

-CHAOS ENSUES-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
Lee: rhythm guitar, lead guitar, drums

-DEAR WOMAN- 
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar
Lee: lead guitar, bass, drums

-FAULT LINE-
Cluthe (words): vocals
Lee (music): rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass, drums

-CROOKED BUILDING-
Cluthe (words): vocals, lead guitar
Lee (music): rhythm guitar, bass, drums

-IT SPINS-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
Lee: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums

-UNFOLDING-
Cluthe (words/music): vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass
Lee: rhythm guitar, drums, shaker

__________________

all songs written/recorded & mixed by cluthe/lee ©2012
album art by maura cluthe ©2012
album mastered by wil reeves

11.05.2012

Open Heart Beating + Album Update



hey everyone....

we just posted a song called "Open Heart Beating" on our page. you can hear it by going to www.cluthelee.com right now! Chris wrote the music for this one & we've been so busy prepping the new album that it was placed on the backburner. he did a great job mixing it down & we're happy to finally share it with you! here's the song info for ya...

-OPEN HEART BEATING-
Cluthe (words): vocals, lead guitar
Lee (music): rhythm guitar, lead guitar, drums, bass

with the album winding down, we're starting to record a lot of demos. we know that it's been awhile since we put out new music, but we've been focused on finishing Where It Began.

speaking of Where It Began, the album is SOLD OUT. wow. thanks for your love & support....and for your patience. we hoped to have the album in your hands by now, but the mastering process has taken a bit longer than we anticipated. we're taking our time with it because we want it to sound as good as possible. and it sounds amazing...Wil has done an awesome job mastering it! Chris has scheduled two more appointments with Wil. the first will tighten up the last 2 songs and the final meeting will be to wrap up the project. we can't wait to release it. as soon as it's 100% done, we will let you know!

until then, we hope this update finds you all well. more new tunes are coming soon & before you know it, you'll be listening to Where It Began.

Cheers,
Matt

10.10.2012

Where It Began: Order Update


here's the timetable for you all...

-Only 2 songs left to be mastered (one is almost done, the other will be in progress next week)
-Full album master to follow the last song.
-Once the mastering is complete, then we place the order for production/manufacturing. 
-Soon after the album has been submitted, it will be available digitally (iTunes, Amazon & 30 other online retailers)
-By our estimate, we should have the physical cd's in hand by mid-November
-CD's will ship immediately once we receive them!!

thanks, everyone! only a few copies left, so grab one while you still can! 


Cheers-----
Matt & Chris

9.17.2012

Pre-Order has started!

BIG thanks to Maura Cluthe for designing the artwork again. She did an 
awesome job! Can't wait for you all to see the rest of the album artwork!
Quantities are VERY LIMITED. Pre-Order today!

9.12.2012

WHERE IT BEGAN PRE-ORDER INFO!




Hi everyone!

We're so excited to finally share this album with you! A lot of time & energy have gone into every aspect of this record. Before I go into the ordering details, we'd like to thank a few people.......

Maura Cluthe: It's an honor to once again have my sister on board doing the artwork. Simply put, it looks AMAZING! As you all know she also designed the artwork for our first two albums & she hit it out of the park again with Where It Began. Thanks a ton, Maura!!! (info on her art here: http://www.frag-ment-ed.com/)

Wil Reeves: Thanks to donations from all of you, we were able to bring in Wil to master the album. He's done an awesome job & really helped us to shape the final versions of these songs while staying true to our original vision & mixes. Believe me, you'll hear the difference! Thanks, Wil! (more info on his studio can be found here: http://centrocellarstudio.com/)

Laurel & Ali: We'd be crazy if we didn't thank our wives! They're the ones that hear these songs take shape, offer support & encouragement when we keep screwing up & are our biggest cheerleaders. Without them, this album may not even exist. BIG thanks to both of you!!

(Also, be sure to check our twitter, facebook & websites for the album cover reveal on 9/17/12!)

PRE-ORDER INSTRUCTIONS:
The process will be much like the pre-orders for our first two albums. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask. This is a LIMITED PRESSING, so order a copy while you can!!

1. Each cd is $13.00. The shipping costs (both international & domestic) are included in the price.
2. Send the $13 by using PayPal. (www.paypal.com) Our paypal address is this email address (presentlyfalling@gmail.com). If you don't already have a PayPal account, they are easy to set up. If you'd rather mail a check, that's ok as well but you need to email us and let us know ASAP so we can reserve a copy for you.
3. Please send the $13 as US Currency. Also, please select the "gift" tab to avoid any fees.
4. In the "notes" tab, please type your name & mailing address.
5. That's it!

***PLEASE NOTE***
The funds that we receive during the pre-order will be used to fund the manufacturing & production of the cd's. Once we've reached the amount needed, we will place the order. The cd's take 5-7 business days to reach us. Once they do, we will start mailing them out immediately. The mailers will already be addressed & they should arrive at your door within 4-6 business days (US) or 8-14 business days (International) after we ship them. We will notify you when your order has shipped.


We can't thank you all enough for your constant love & support! Again, if you have any questions...please email us!

Cheers,
Matt

8.29.2012

Where It Began: Track #13


UNFOLDING

In all of the years that I've been writing music, no other song has been stuck in my head more than Unfolding. There is just something about it that I can't shake.
I immediately thought that it would be a great way to close out Where it Began.
The album title comes from the lyrics in this song, after all. 
To me, it's about letting go of past regret & finally coming to the realization that the possibilities are endless. The future is right in front of you. It's unfolding.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW
8. CHAOS ENSUES
9. DEAR WOMAN
10. FAULT LINE
11. CROOKED BUILDING
12. IT SPINS
13. UNFOLDING


Well, there you have it! It's been a lot of fun writing these blogs over the last 2 weeks! 
The PRE-ORDER for Where It Began starts on Monday, September 17th. We'll be sure
to give you all more info on how the pre-order will work in the next week or so.

Thanks, everyone.....
Matt

8.28.2012

Where It Began: Track #12


IT SPINS

I found myself flipping through the channels one day. I started watching a documentary on about human suffering in the history of the United States.
It really shook me how some men decided to "play God" by forcing people to leave their native lands. I started thinking about what I'd learned in school as a kid....
and soon realized that it was only a small portion of what I knew today as an adult.
I didn't know the whole truth because the books only taught so much.

The pen moved easily across the page for this song and I could clearly hear the music in my head. I wanted there to be two distinct parts...
one peaceful & one aggressive. 
What we think we know vs. What we should know.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
_____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW
8. CHAOS ENSUES
9. DEAR WOMAN
10. FAULT LINE
11. CROOKED BUILDING
12. IT SPINS
13. 

8.27.2012

Where It Began: Track #11


CROOKED BUILDING

Much like The Ghost, this song was a late addition to the album. It just seemed to fit the tone of the record in so many ways. It has this sense of uncertainty & menace to it.
The person in the song is drifting...looking for a foothold. Something (or someone) to grab onto to help show them the way. When everything looks familiar & you don't know who or where you are...

Time spins, time falls.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
_____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW
8. CHAOS ENSUES
9. DEAR WOMAN
10. FALUT LINE
11. CROOKED BUILDING
12.
13.


8.25.2012

Where It Began: Track #10


FAULT LINE

This is another tune that Chris wrote. As soon as I heard it, I knew that I only needed to add vocals. Much like Recollection, it was done. I'm not sure if it's an old riff of his or not, 
but it really thumps. It's one of the heaviest songs he's ever sent me, that's for sure.
When I heard it, I was really excited. 
It had an attitude to it & a sense of immediacy. 
I listened to it a few times while developing some lyric & phrasing ideas. 
The stops & starts of the bridge were challenging, but so much fun.
I'm constantly reminded of how lucky I am to be writing with this guy.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
_____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW
8. CHAOS ENSUES
9. DEAR WOMAN
10. FAULT LINE
11.
12.
13.

8.24.2012

Where It Began: Track #9


DEAR WOMAN

I'm a big fan of the blues. 
I'm also a big fan of spontaneous, simple & fun tunes.
I was recording another demo on my strat & really loved the dirty tone I was hearing.
So, I plugged in the mic so both the strat & mic had the same tone.
I started strumming a simple chord progression, then hit record.
I recorded the rhythm guitar & vocals at the same time.
No pre-written lyrics or ideas...I simply went with it.
I sent it to Chris & said "have fun."
What he sent back floored me.
Drums, bass & lead guitar...that's all him.
When tracking this album, this song just felt like a no-brainer to both of us.
It had to be on the album.
It sounds like we're in the same room just having a blast.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
______________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW
8. CHAOS ENSUES
9. DEAR WOMAN
10.
11.
12.
13.

8.23.2012

Where It Began: Track #8


CHAOS ENSUES

This song is a trip. When I started writing it, I decided to really let loose & experiment.
Multiple layers, voices, textures...all swirling together.
A controlled chaos, if you will. 
I remember telling Chris that I was experimenting with layers & loops. He was pretty excited.
I was really excited to see what he'd add to the song. He took it far beyond the next level.
It just builds & builds & builds....
The silence at the end is the beginning of the chaos.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
_____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW
8. CHAOS ENSUES
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

8.22.2012

Where It Began: Track #7


LIFE ANEW

Life Anew was one of the last songs to make the final track listing for Where It Began
I started writing it late one night while taking a study break. It was raining & I 
had tried going to sleep, but had no luck. 
By the next morning, the storms had passed & I finished writing the song.
After I wrote it, I rarely found myself playing it. Now I strum it on my acoustic quite a bit.
Songs are funny like that.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
__________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7. LIFE ANEW

8.21.2012

Where It Began: Track #6


RECOLLECTION

Chris wrote the music for this song. When he sent it to me, it was clear to me that all I
had to do was sing on this one. I was floored by it. The music is beautiful.
My Mom is a retired nurse. She worked with critical care patients most of her life.
As I got older, I wondered what the patients were thinking.
Dear time, 
I need more time.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
___________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6. RECOLLECTION
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

8.20.2012

Where It Began: Track #5



HOLD ME DOWN

This song came together very quickly. 
I was recording some lead lines for a different song in an alternate tuning. 
Once I finished recording my parts, I dirtied up the guitar sound a bit & had some fun. It was recorded & written at the end of a long day.
I think some of my exhaustion spilled over into the lyrics while thinking about work.
This is probably the first song that I wrote while using a slide for the whole song.
Chris has some amazing leads on this song with great tones.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
_____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5. HOLD ME DOWN
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.


8.19.2012

Where It Began: Track #4


STATE OF FLUX

Chris wrote the music to this one & I was immediately hooked. For having such catchy music, it really opened the door for me to write the lyrics in a different way. 
The music seems light-hearted, but the lyrics are the opposite.
To me, it represents just how naive we all are to the world around us.
We turn away from reality more often than we should.

Take a seat on city bus.
Close your eyes you've seen enough.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
_____________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4. STATE OF FLUX
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

8.18.2012

Where It Began: Track #3


LONDON DREAM

London Dream is one of my favorite songs that I've written, but it's also one that 
I wish I'd never had to write. Life is funny like that. I had forgotten my Dad's voice...
I couldn't retrieve it in my mind. This scared & saddened me a great deal.
I remember talking to my wife about it & she calmed me down...
by telling me that his voice would return.
She was right.
I had the most vivid dream. 
When I woke up the next day, I quickly jotted down the lyrics & didn't 
leave anything out from the dream.
This song is a gift from my Dad. 
I hear his voice loud & clear every single time I play it.
Laurel adds some truly amazing vocals on this track.
Chris' drums are fantastic.

Thanks for the gift, Dad.


WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
______________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3. LONDON DREAM
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

8.17.2012

Where It Began: Track #2


THE GHOST

Chris: The Ghost is the second song on Where It Began. It was an 11th hour addition to the track list and one that Matt wrote earlier this year. 
Huge chorus in this song - and one you may find yourself easily swept up in.  

Matt: Like Chris said, this one was added at the last minute. It just seemed to really fit the tone of the record. 
The lyrics date back to 2003. 
I found them in an old notebook & re-worked the chord structure. 
The "ghost" is within all of us.




WHERE IT BEGAN
cluthe/lee
________________________

1. COMING THROUGH
2. THE GHOST
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

8.16.2012

Where It Began: Track #1


COMING THROUGH

Where It Began starts off with a song that almost made it onto our last album, Life Can Go. It was finished shortly after we'd tracked that album, so we decided to save it for the next album. We also knew that it should open the album from the get-go.
Lyrically, it serves as a warning of sorts. 
When people count you out, this is the reminder that you're
still here...still viable...still beating & ready to break through any walls that have held you back.

There you have it.
Look for posts about the next 12 songs from Where It Began over the next 2 weeks.
Can't wait to share this album with you all.

Thanks for the love & support,
Matt



8.12.2012

Forthcoming album and more!





Hi everyone!

It's been nearly a month since we last blogged and there is much to update you on!

First is new album news! We are currently 5 songs from being finished with the mastering process for Where It Began, which resumes this week I'm excited to report. The finished songs sound simply amazing - I find I have to pinch myself while I listen "Is this really us"?! We project that the album will be ready for manufacturing by mid-September and a few weeks later physical shipment in hand. We're looking at CDs and of course, digital download on most major sites (iTunes, Amazon, and many more). You all have been very patient with our loose deadlines - for which we apologize. We have all been wrapped up in lots of life change and music had to take a back seat for awhile. Can promise that the finished product will be well worth the wait! Also want to say that our new band website is coming along beautifully thanks to Jake, who is hard at work on a new site to experience what Matt & I do musically! We are aiming for the site to be live the day the album is finished. We will be keeping you posted a bit more often than normal as we near closer to the end of these new adventures!

Second, the thank you gifts we promised to all of you who donated to the mastering process are coming. The first of which are the b-sides and live track starting today! The DVD gifts are in production as I type and I'll be getting in touch with all of you that qualified for the DVD to confirm addresses and such. Again, look for those tracks today. Huge thanks once more to all who donated to our fundraiser - Matt & I are both excited to share these gifts with you!

Third,  Matt & I are sitting on a ton of unfinished music (nothing new right?) that we will be posting on our Reverbnation page and eventually the new Cluthe/Lee website. There are some really amazing songs that are still in their infancy that we both can't wait to jump back in and work on. I counted up something over 20 + songs in various stages that we're not finished with yet. Plenty to share - always seems that way!

Lastly, Matt will be a guest performer playing live on our new friends Jenny and Sean's Portland based podcast "In One Day Radio" sometime in September 2012. Please go over to http://www.inonedayradio.com/ and check them out, 'like' them on Facebook, twitter them (did I say that right?), and jump into all things beer, movies, music, food, and entertainment. Thanks to both of them for featuring our latest song "Take Flight" on episode #19 - which you can listen to at the link above.

Matt & I are so thankful for all the support from all of you out there - this band continues to evolve and grow in exciting and unexpected ways and don't take any of it or your support for granted!

Much love to you all -

Cluthe/Lee

7.12.2012

Take Flight



Hi everyone....

(Matt) This song has been done for a few weeks, but life has been a little hectic lately....so it took me awhile to finally have the time to mix it. It's called "Take Flight" & it's one that has really had me thinking lately about all of the upcoming changes in my life. My wife & I are leaving Texas for cooler climates later this month. It's a move we've been daydreaming about for years & are excited that it has become a reality. It seems appropriate to post this today, on our anniversary...as we prepare to leave on our big adventure.

It came together really fast. We were up late one night packing & I started strumming the main chord progression & quickly wrote down the lyrics to the chorus as they came to me. I recorded it on my iPhone & called it a night. The version that you hear is the first take that I recorded the next day.

(Chris) Take Flight is what I would call a 'classic Matt composition.' Signature strumming pattern, acoustic slide guitar and gentle, flowing, introspective lyrics. I love adding textures to these songs - the additions come so naturally to me, a testament to how well we write music together in my opinion! I had just changed all the drum heads on the kit when this one came to me via e-mail. I love the punch of the new snare in this - and I think you all will notice that when you listen. Hope you enjoy this latest work by Matt and I....until the next one, thanks for listening!

6.15.2012

Album Update for Where It Began




Update on our 3rd album, Where It Began

-Chris is meeting with our sound engineer today. Wil will start mastering the 4th song today!
-I talked to my sister, Maura yesterday. The artwork is coming along nicely & she expects to have some roughs prepared for us by mid-July. She's designing 3 separate roughs & Chris & I will pick one for the album art.
-We will be including lyrics again for this release.
-We're easily on schedule for a Fall release. We'll be starting the pre-order shortly after the artwork is finalized. The pre-paid pre-order will be just like the first two albums. We've yet to determine the price, but it'll be at or around the same price as our last album ($12).
-The album will also be available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc just like the previous albums.
-The website's debut will coincide with the album release. For now, the address will re-direct you to our reverbnation page where you can hear a ton of our songs.
-You can follow us on twitter: @clutheleemusic or @mattcluthe & find us on Facebook here for the latest info: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ClutheLee-Music/167379719963329
-You can email us here (presentlyfalling@gmail.com) with any questions or to join our mailing list.
-One more thing....NEW SONGS (Take Flight/Open Heart Beating) will be posted soon!

Ok...I think that's it! Have a great weekend!

Matt

5.20.2012

Quick Update...

LP #3 is really taking shape.....


Hello all...just a quick album update for you.

-3 of the 13 album tracks have been mastered. track #4 will start soon.
-the tracklisting is set!
-we may have decided on an album title
-Maura has started the artwork/layout!

Lots going on these days! Plus, we have some new tunes in the works! We had a great time seeing Chris & his family yesterday! Really wish we lived closer to one another.

That's it for now. Hope this finds you all well & thanks for your support!

Matt

5.14.2012

Snapshot/First Light


Hi everyone.....


It feels good to finally post these songs so you can hear them. Chris & I have been a little busy lately & we really took our time to make sure that they sounded as good as possible. They're both pretty & melodic, but not to worry....the songs that we're working on now are loud, quirky & a lot of fun. Thanks again for your support during our mastering fundraiser! 3 songs have been mastered & we have 10 to go.....we're so excited to release the album in the Fall! Here's some brief info on our new songs & we hope this message finds you all well.


Matt & Chris


[SNAPSHOT]


(Cluthe) Big thanks to John (my father-in-law) for letting me borrow his mandolin! I've been wanting to learn the basics on the mandolin for awhile & this is the first full song that I wrote using the instrument. I kept working on it for about 2 weeks to make sure that it was nice & tight. Once it was where I wanted it to be, I recorded it. It's always a treat when I can get my wife to sing on a song & Laurel's vocals really add another layer to this song.




(Lee) The mandolin is a such a quiet little ‘hurricane’ of sound. Matt’s playing on it is amazing. Great harmonies between he and Laurel on this one. I played drums – which was fun to just have that one part to do. A total Matt composition through and through.

M. Cluthe (words/music): vocals, mandolin, bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Lee: drums
L. Cluthe: backing vocals




[FIRST LIGHT]

(Lee) Messing around with different tunings and a capo again on this one. The original demo was edgy and had electric guitar on it – but after hearing Matt had a mandolin we decided to keep it as mellow as possible. Matt plays lead on mandolin and sings on this one.

(Cluthe) Chris wrote the music for this one & it immediately grabbed me. It's a loose song that could have gone in a million different directions, but Chris trusted me to try the mandolin on this track.

Cluthe (words): vocals, mandolin
Lee (music): guitar, drums, bass



5.02.2012

Thank You!!!

Hey everyone...

Chris & I are constantly blown away by the love, support & encouragement that we've received since we started writing & recording music together 3 years ago, and today is no different.

Thanks to your donations & support, we have reached our goal & our 3rd album (still untitled) is now ready to be mastered! Two songs have already been mastered by our sound engineer, Will Reeves and they sound fantastic. We now have the funds to have the 11 remaining songs mastered thanks to you. These songs will be mastered over the next few months while Maura works on the artwork to prepare for a Fall release! (More details on that in the coming months)

We're still plugging away & working on new songs & should have 2 new ones (Snapshot/First Light) up in the next week for you all to listen to.

Thank you all for supporting independent music. Our collaboration/band started in the most honest & organic way and we're having a blast. We realize that this wouldn't all be possible without your love and support....so, THANK YOU!!! It means a lot to both of us & we can't wait to share the album with you!

Cheers,

Matt