Today I had a discussion with Katelan Foisy about doing the artwork for my album. 

http://www.katelanfoisy.com

Everytime I think about the cover of the album I see her art work. 

She drew me as the magician in her Tarot deck.

http://www.katelanfoisy.com/art/tarot/9423157

It will also have this ending image by my father, photographer James Shirey. 

http://jimshirey.smugmug.com/Nature/Landscapes/21359052_CKmpH6#!i=1701416247&k=3ZGPpH5

And it will have this image...actually, I shouldn't give the whole design away should I?

Lost of exciting musical things are happening. I am working hard. 

-Sxip

All the songs, the pretty stuff, the stuff with glass harmonica and resophonic guitar and drums and beat box. Got this stuff finished for my last Joe's Pub gig. Now I am working on compositions for modern dance and this is yielding the more sound oriented stuff and THEN I am doing 4 shows with my JANK band this fall and that will yield the nasty fun stuff. AND THEN..I'll record. I am working, the album will be amazing..oh yeah..and then there is the orchestra I am going to put together for this....

..I am working, it will have been worth the wait!

and there is this....

http://soundcloud.com/sxip-shirey/cant-get-you-out-of-my-head

the photo is from the Ecstatic Music Festival! It's my set up and the set up from some amazing collaborators. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/09/arts/music/ecstatic-music-fest-with-sxip-shirey-and-angelica-negron.html

I am working hard.

Cheers!

Sxip

http://soundcloud.com/sxip-shirey/cant-get-you-out-of-my-head?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fsxip-shirey%2Fcant-get-you-out-of-my-head

I have bought a microphone from Tony Bennett Studios, an AKG c414 EB, I have been thinking about this song and recorded this to test out the mic. Been considering it for the album, with Aimee Curl singing it also or asking Holcome Waller. Enjoy.

If you are in NYC, I have a show at Joe's Pub on Jan 7th at 9:30pm where I will be preview a number of pieces that will be on the album. Cheers!

-Sxip

...this is my glass harmonica player, in the video. He's really a great musician and composer. His name is Jonathan Rodgers. Hurray!

...Also my band Luminescent Orchestrii got #21 on the top #50 bluegrass albums of the year for our collaboration with the Carolina Chocolate Drops for Nonesuch records. REALLY! I finally chart and it's on the bluegrass charts with an album that is not bluegrass....The EP is REALLY REALLY fun, if you find it..you will love it.

 http://www.billboard.com/charts-year-end/top-bluegrass-albums?year=2011&begin=21&order=position#/charts-year-end/top-bluegrass-albums?year=2011&begin=21&order=position

But check this out...it's us recording one of the tracks..hmmm..I had less grey hair then...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu10D9K2KQg

Also, I am one of 50 winners of the United States Artist fellowship, of 50K. my god my taxes are about to really fuck me. 50K is more like 35K...oh boy...BUT a lovely man by the name of Todd Simon who is the president of Omaha STEAKS..but up the money..and he's sending me steaks...I am not kidding..I am going to write him an entrance theme....fantastic..you know I bitch about life allot...like most people..but I live a pretty damn good life. I am working hard..that's how it is to me..I just keep working...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-05/-hoop-dreams-director-composer-named-sxip-get-50-000-usa-artist-grants.html

Oh and one more thing..they are going to FRACK my home town of Athens, OHIO..I can't explain how heart broken I am...fuck..but I wrote this...this explains it...

http://soundcloud.com/sxip-shirey/thisisasadsongaboutthemfrackin

The album, YOUR album will be beautiful, I promise...I am making something beautiful, raw and deep and from dreams...

I am performing a bunch of this music at Joe's Pub on Jan. 7th..so if you are in NYC...

http://www.joespub.com/component/option,com_shows/task,view/Itemid,40/id,5925

I promise you a string quintet!

:)