Yes, I’m in the process of putting an album together – it promises to be bolder and better than anything I’ve done before. Unfortunately a project like this takes time to complete – not to mention money. And I don’t want to cut too many corners with this one. As much as anything it’s a learning curve – a lesson in how to get it right. And as I don’t have a label behind me (fools!) to pay for it all up front so I can just crack on and DO it, there are bound to be delays … hmph! Of course I AM the most patient & casual person you’ll ever meet, so this is no problem for me at all!!!!!!
Currently I am working with my good friend, super-talented guitarist, arranger & producer Sally Wyatt and with the guys at Audio Shelter in Bristol. The basics of the main tracks have been put down. I’ve layered vocals & arranged some harmonies for everything so far. I have the instrumentation in place for the first track – barring the drums – and am currently working on the instrumentation for the second track. It’s quite a bitty process because the tracks produce themselves to some extent, and the things I thought would work & which sounded good in my head suddenly sometimes don’t work out in practise, or my attempts at communicating this to the good folks I’m working with are flawed! As things stand at the moment I don’t normally play with a backing band so for me it’s not as simple as just taking the band into the studio and getting everybody’s part down. My hope is that once the work is done on the album, I will find myself with a set of musicians who I can continue to work with in a live setting as well as in the studio, for all my future projects … Because in case you didn’t notice, I’m in this for the long haul!
I started the album off in the studio in February, worked with Sally on arrangements through March and now April’s here – I intend to get back in the studio fairly soon to polish off one or two tracks. Obviously the studio can’t wait around for me to be ready so I’ll need to book in between their other engagements – this is frustrating as the natural flow of the recording process gets interrupted, but patience is a virtue … Money of course is key and I’m hoping the good people at the bank will lend me a quid or two SOON 
… I’m good for it …
So in answer to your question 
it’s still early days, but it will be worth the wait! Rome wasn’t built in a day y’know … xx
April 5th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Great reply Benita, maybe you could keep this sort of log going as it would be brilliant to be in on the making and eventual birth of your first album. Would make it even more special when it arrives to read back on the notes you have made on it.
Cheers Superstar.
April 6th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Hey Benita,
What’s the inspirantion behind your songs on this album? Can’t wait to see you play “live” again!
April 6th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Hey Jess, thanks for the comment – wow what a big question!
Firstly, I apologise you’ve had to wait so long between live shows. I hope that this will get better over the coming months … stay with me
Inspiration behind the songs eh? Well, as it stands the songs on the album are a mixture of songs you’ve heard before that I’ve revamped for the purposes of this recording (and because I always meant to), and some songs which no-one has heard before. A couple of the brand new songs date back several years and belong to a moment in time I never expected to want to revisit. But I can’t say there’s really a theme here – not one I’m conscious of anyhow. There are a lot of songs representing a cross-section of my moods, styles, influences so it’s quite a varied bunch! I’d say, in a nutshell (as if I ever do that!) that every song tells a story and there is always at least a grain of truth in everything you hear. As with all stories, it may be a fantasy in an attempt to understand a real situation. It may be a record of exact events. It may be, like a painting, a dynamic expression of real – or perceived – thoughts and feelings. Some of my songs can be taken absolutely literally, others not so much. I will never tell you which ones! Sorry, but I think that takes some of the enjoyment away from you… and I wouldn’t want to do that. . .