Hey friends, welcome to Week 7! Today I'm presenting my own version of "A Year Plus One Month" by Makeout Party.

Much like last week, I don't know how many people were aware of this band. They were from Philly, and seemed to only exist from about 2007 to 2010, when members of the band went on to become Young Statues. The only reason I ever stumbled upon them, is because they played my first show with Let Me Run, back in the spring of 2010 (LMR, MP, and Look Mexico at The Court Tavern), before I officially joined the band. I enjoyed their set, and struck up a conversation with one of the members who gave me this EP, and I really enjoyed it. I don't know, it just struck a chord with me.

Over the years, I would continue to listen to this collection of songs, especially in more emotional times. I'll be really honest with you; these songs were a part of some of the most challenging times for me, for no other reason than I felt like someone else understood what I was feeling. When Let Me Run went to record our full length, I was in one of the worst times of my life, trying desperately to make a record I was proud of, while watching my relationship fall apart, and for some reason these songs just resonated. They didn't match up to the details of my relationship, and I didn't share these songs with that person, but for some reason I felt seen, and heard. They would do this a number of times since then. I don't know if I can thank this band enough.

On the EP, that I received, there were two versions of this song. One was acoustic guitar, a little ambience and vocal, and the other was a "full band" bonus version. For the first time in this project, I had a real clear idea of how I would want to make the song my own, and adjust it to fit the vibe I always kind of heard in my head. I changed the drums to be more present and move more. I added additional synth twinkles and bass to fill out the soundscape, used standard and open tunings, and sang it somewhere in between how I'd normally approach a song, and what I loved from the original. Automation was definitely my friend on this one, making it possible for the guitars to pop through at the end, and for the vocals to stay present regardless of the building wall of sound. This was one of the first songs I tracked after re-heading my Tama snare, and the tone came out really pleasant.

I also just want to give a quick shoutout to Caroline Guitar Co. and Walrus Audio, because they make such great stuff, and for some reason, work together so well on so many different things I do. Their pedals are all over these songs.

Thank you guys for checking this out. As a reminder, this month we're raising money for The Trevor Project, who provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Please consider throwing in a dollar or two to provide these important services for these kids. Also, if you dig this song, Makeout Party and Young Statues are on all the normal platforms, so please check out their stuff.

See you all next week. Cheers!