Hey All,
I'm so excited to let you know that the last stage is finished. I am sending the CD artwork out tomorrow and should get physical CD's back very soon.

Almost all the gifts I promised as ready and waiting to be shipped out with the exception of the podcast, which we are still working on.

I'm in the home stretch and it feels just amazing.

I'm glad to be moving on to a clean slate and being able to focus on the next cd,
Giving up the Ghosts....

Thank you again! We could not have done it without you!
~
Odessa

So the space between these updates has been as wide as the streets of Tucson (where I used to live) and I'm sorry for that. The strange thing about being a musician with a day job is that the day job actually demands that you show up!

Luckily we have managed some progress, though it's been slower than i would have liked.

The great news is.......(drum roll please) The CD is mastered, done, finished, finito!!!!

After remixing one song due to it's rather lame arrangement, the song stepped up to the level of the others and I was able to leave any nagging feelings of inadequacy behind me. :)

All that's left is to come up with the perfect artwork and ship it off to the pressing plant.
---------------------------------

This allows me to bring my focus back to my Kickstarter gifts!!! Whooo!
----------------------------------

T- Shirts for you!

For those of you who won T-SHIRTS we have some options to choose from.
Please email me with your picks
PLEASE PICK A FIRST CHOICE AND A SECOND CHOICE IF YOUR FIRST PICK IS SOLD OUT.
Please also include your address! Email me at odessa@odessachen.com

Option 1: There are very few One Room Palace white T's with black wing designs left,
(2 Men's Small and one each Women's fitted Small and Med.)

Option 2 : There are some Ballad of Paper Ships shirts left (Only Men's Small (could be unisex) and fitted and tanks for women left) You can see the Ballad of Paper Ships T-shirt design here:
http://odessachen.com/music_merch.php

Option 3: The new T-shirt as to be determined. These can be ordered in any size you want. We may have a male version and then a fitted version for women so please specify.

Option 4: T-shirts are silly and unnecessary. I prefer to commune with nature and go nude.

--------------------------------------------------
Photos!!!

If you won a photo here are your options.

Option 1. Pick from one of the 2 photos at this link and receive a 8x10 in the mail.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97983433@N00/

Option 2. Photos of musicians are ridiculous. I'd rather see you in person.

Email me at odessa@odessachen.com with your selection and your ADDRESS!
~
Thanks for being there for me everyone, you ARE THE BEST!

Hey supporters, friends and family!

On August 9th we will return to the studio to finish mixing The Archives and then be able to move on to the Mastering and Artwork stages. We still have a ways to go, but I'm excited to be putting more than 4 years of work behind me and starting fresh!
~
We have a great performance of the Archives coming up this Saturday which I hope you will attend if you are in the area, or let your friends know about if your not.

For the past 6 months we've been planning a special night of music that brings together
incredible custom paintings, soundscapes, the songs from the Archives performed live, and animation all within an enchanting art installation (the Illuminated Forrest). See the painting for the song Cinders below!

http://www.projectsoundwave.com/2010/july24/
~
In August I will also be retreating to the wilderness in Tahoe to hopefully write some new material,
getting more Kickstarter thank you gifts out and shopping the new cd to record labels.
~
Wish me luck!
Thank you for all your support!

Friends!

We holed up in Tiny Telephone for 5 whole 12hr days to mix! We were hoping to finish all 10 songs, but they turned out to be a lot larger and more complex than we thought. We finished 6 and they sound better than I had hoped thanks to mix master Jay Pellicci. Suffering from an allergic reaction to cherries, Jay rallied and turned his amazing talents our way.
His brother Ian helped out filling in the first day and lending perspective throughout.

My thoughts were that the songs weren't as similar as I had thought at first. Their individual characters are coming through in the mixing process. Their differences are accentuated.

This is definitely a concept record that takes some listening to get a handle on, but it's balanced by the next record Giving up the Ghosts which will be the most straightforward, simple and traditional one to date.

The studio is literally booked solid and the only time we can get back in is August 9-11th or 12th.

That's okay though...it will give us time to finish the artwork that I recently started and send the mixes we do have around to some labels to see if they might be interested in releasing it on a bigger level than what I can do myself.

As always I'm amazed by your support and think about you all every day that I work on this music!
I was recently laid off, so without you this wouldn't be happening!
~
Odessa (and Rich and Roger and Devin)

Friends and Family!

It's hard to express in words the way this process has changed me.
We did it! We raised the money to finish the Archives and start Giving up the Ghosts and I'm so humbled by the faith you've shown in this music and in me.

I've been really energized and inspired by you and have spent the past month
refining and adding the finishing touches to the CD in my home studio.

Next month I'm bringing in some great session musicians, hosting a listening
party for the band and engineer to hear their final suggestions, and
I've set a mixing date for the last week of May.
~
We're so many steps closer and it's
thanks to you!
~
Odessa

Hey Everyone,

What can I say? I am so extremely and deeply touched by everyone who has pledged their faith in this music so far.

As someone who has always done everything herself, from funding, to artwork, to producing, arranging and writing and who in many ways defines herself by her "do it yourself spirit", this has really taken me outside of my comfort zone in a good way.

To bring you all on this journey, to ask for your help and to receive it, is a truly affirming experience.
It makes me feel more connected to my community, and I now realize just how much people do care...so thank you!

3 days to go!

Friends!

We are more than halfway funded! We doubled our donations in just 2 weeks...going from around 2,000 to $5,500...but we still have to double them again to make the goal.

We only have 11 days and things have gone quiet....
~
I'm going to keep reaching out and posting things online at Facebook and to the mailing list.
Please do pass this site onto anyone who might be interested...if it feels right to do so!
~
Meanwhile, I have set a mixing date to complete the recording process...for May 24-28th.
Then just mastering and pressing to go!
~
Thank you to ALL for your generous heartfelt pledges...I don't take your faith in this lightly.
~

Odessa

So many thanks to all of you who have pledged! Your encouragement means more than you could ever know! We still have a long ways to go in a short time, so if you know of any people who have disposable income who would make a donation feel free to let them know. I have info on Facebook if you'd like to link to it.
~
THANK YOU!

Hellooooo and deep thanks to the wonderful backers who have so far donated to our cause!
We are really touched that you have placed your faith in us and in this music.
It means so much.
~
The next month will find us traveling to New York to meet some more East Coast music lovers.
Should be cold but rewarding.
I also hope to spread the word even further about this project in the hopes of reaching our goal.
~
Wish me luck!
odessa