Album Timeline

Hi everyone, this is just a quick update to let you know about where
things are at with my health and the timetable for the album.

So, I am starting to get a bit stronger now and this week I have
been able to make definite plans about dates for finishing the
final stages of the album.  As I mentioned before, the majority of
the recording work is done- I just have a few vocals, the mix and
mastering process. I have decided to give myself a little extra time
to finish these final stages and the new deadline is 31st August.
I hope that's ok with you all.

The vocals will be done over the next 6 weeks as that'll give me
time to build strength back up in my voice. I had my first lesson last
week since I got ill and luckily my voice hasn't disappeared!

The mix will be done in the week 13th- 17th August. This gives me
time to do the last vocals, aswell as some extra time to improve
in terms of my recovery- as the mix process will be full time days
for a week and require some stamina!

I find the mix is one of the parts of the album I've been most excited about
so I really hope I can attend the mix sessions! If I'm not well enough
a trusted a musician friend of mine has agreed to sit in for me, and
in addition, the engineer/ producer I've been working with is the person
who will be doing the mix and he's someone who's musical sense
I definitely trust- so that's all good!

The mastering will be done following the mix in time for the new release
date of 31st August- we have arranged that with the mastering engineer
in advance aswell.

The exclusives: I am starting to feel well enough to complete these
and I will do my best to have the majority done by the
1st August as agreed. However, I would like to give an absolute
deadline a bit later than this, so that I can take a bit longer to
finish artwork and also because the physical release of the album may
take a few weeks longer to process. So, the majority of exclusives by
1st August- any remaining will have a deadline of 15th October.

The date has also been pushed forward because I am emigrating to
the US in September, so there will be lots going on to prepare for the
move in the weeks before, so an October deadline gives me the chance
to work on stuff once I've arrived over there.

Ok, that's all the info for the timeline, will send further updates on other stuff
soon!

Roxyx

P.S. video attached is with a song from my back catalogue exclusive to pledgers, made by the brilliant Will Harwood click here: http://youtu.be/2ahpkhchrl4

An update

Hey all, it's been a while since I've written. Over the last few months, I've been quite unwell, my doc diagnosed me with chronic fatigue/ adrenal exhaustion. I think the working full time as well as working on the album took it's toll, so I've taken a complete break from both over the last few weeks.

In Feb, we recorded some more tracks and will be following that up soon. We can't decide however, whether to include these in the album- we may make them into a whole other album or EP which will follow the release of the album.

In addition, over the last few months, my pledge campaign reached 100% which was amazing!! I was soo happy:) That means the mixing and mastering are covered. However, because I've not been able to work the last while, it means I haven't been earning funds to save up for the final takes of the vocals I still need to do. If you know anyone who might be interested to pledge, please pass on the link- there are a couple of weeks left, so I'm hoping that might be enough time to increase the percentage enough for me to afford to finish off the vocals!

Anyhoow..thought I'd share a few links of things I liked while listening/ reading over the past while:

"The kingdom of plants can easily be thought of as the nearest neighbour of the kingdom of death. Perhaps the mysteries of transformation and the enigmas of life which so torment us are concentrated in the green of the earth, among the trees in graveyards and the flowering shoots springing from their beds. Mary Magdalene, not at once recognising Jesus risen from the grave, took Him for the gardener." Pasternak

“When the first chakra is disconnected from the feminine Earth, we can feel orphaned and motherless. The masculine principle predominates, and we look for security from material things. Individuality prevails over relationship, and selfish... drives triumph over family, social and global responsibility. The more separated we become from the Earth, the more hostile we become to the feminine. We disown our passion, our creativity, and our sexuality. Eventually the Earth itself becomes a baneful place. I remember being told by a medicine woman in the Amazon, "Do you know why they are really cutting down the rain forest? Because it is wet and dark and tangled and feminine.”
― Alberto Villoldo

'When we are deadlocked in pain or ecstasy, when we are “surprised by joy;” this does not lead on to the notion that religions will be proved right after all, and in a few hundred million years’ time God will be revealed. It does though lead me to doubt the absolute authority of reason.' Melvyn Bragg

(http://port-magazine.com/2011/10/the-dawkins-delusion/)

Listening to:

http://williamnein.bandcamp.com/album/no-hearts-a-wasteland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCq9k0_O96I (radio head, worrywort)

http://www.suzannevega.com/store/ Suzanna Vega (new acoustic songs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i6O-WelWgE&feature=related Suzanne Vega, the queen and the soldier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q10t3g3vZM&feature=fvwrel Nattura, Bjork

http://www.annanightingale.com/index.html

http://drouillardfineart.blogspot.co.uk/

Mon 2nd Jan- nooonsense!

So the 2nd day of Jan and I've made a little nonsense poem for u now-

there was a young lady from hitchin

who was always so bored of bitchin'

so spent all her time doing other good things

like licking the spoons in her kitchen!

Ok, soo, well a new year starts- I wish you all a very good year!

One of main activities the last few days has included starting on a puzzle. I got two great puzzles for christmas- not too large and with good pictures of paintings...I always thought puzzles are past- time things for when you get older, but I have decided to make some changes this year. I've decided the best things are things that appear to have no rational point or end result- just for the sake of enjoying them for surely that is a good thing!:)

Right so mission for this year- is to keep on the mission of this album and just GET IT DONE!!

Things remaining to do: last vocal tracks, two more new songs to record end Jan- via amazing offer from RED BULL'S STUDIO for freeee, mixing and mastering after pledge campaign has finished, artwork and piccys and then hunt for a groovy label:)! There are a couple of slightly leftfield ones I've got my beady eye on, but still doing some research. If you have any ideas feel free to email me here: hiroxyrawson@gmail.com

Re my interests/ inspirations of late- I've been listening to Eric Francis' astrological readings- which mix psychological aspects with the symbolism of what is happening in the stars- I'm not sure if I believe that the stars write our fate at all, but I am drawn time and again to anything that has strong symbolism created by humans, because of the subconscious truth is feels it contains. I love mythology and archetypes/ fairy tales and all sorts of religious writings and stories, for the symbolism and messages they contain about human nature....there's lots to learn...

Eric Francis' pod cast for virgo got me thinking about consumerism and how that hijacks our own wishes without realizing- I don't mean just subliminal messages to buy things- but the whole work/ job pressure thing- which is particularly difficult to not buy into and tough to be a musician/ artist or any other vocation that's unconventional..I finally got round to watching the Adam Curtis series 'century of the self' on how Freud's nephew used the ideas about desires supposedly uncovered by psychoanalysis, to construct PR and dupe the masses. I watched two episodes at once and it quite freaked me out!

Eric Francis also made a little astrological reading around the middle of his podcast for 2011 on his website: planet waves

Also musicians I've been listening to have been real christmassy- Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra

Nina Simone (particularly fell for this track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p70tMgHdSP0&feature=related"> black is the colour of my true love's hair. I've also continued to be crazy about Bjork's new album and Tune Yard's new album- here's a track from her new album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ1LI-NTa2s&g t;bizness"> bizness. Also a suuuper little gig "http://www.npr.org/event/music/142861581/tune-yards-tiny-desk-concert"tune yards tiny desk concert"> here .

That's it for now!x

Album progress....

So, unfortunately I've been knocked out by some dreaded lurgy the last few weeks, so album recordings have been somewhat on hold, but I've been listening to arrangements of things (particularly liking Joanna Newsom's album 'have one on me' and the weird cyclical structures)- so have some ideas swirling round...am thinking about which songs to pick..most of the albums I like have varied styles within the same album, but have some overarching theme tying them together...

am working with a friend on some diff arrangements than I've got so far and hope over time the right songs to pick will just start to slot into place...we're probably half way through now, so not bad going..

other updates are that I'll be launching the pledge campaign very soon, my friend Lydie the pixie (wwww.onlinepixies.com) is starting a company and going to be working with me to do the promo!

Cool, catch u ltr...x

Another silly song about a eunuch in a watering can

Once again a song for Rob Da Bank's Sun thing #songinsevenhours Watering can life by rawsonroxanna

Another silly song about a train, in the rain for Rob De Bank's competition

Why is it that every time I go to record something, with all the best will in the world it doesn't work just straight away Aaagh! Computers driiive me crazy would prefer to roam on the hills look at the big sky than stare at a stupid few inch screen all day I'd sooner throw you out the window sodding computer except mmm wait. I need you to record music

Train on the Rain by rawsonroxanna

Some reviews...

A huge hanks to all those who have supported Roxy's new single 'Fingers' so far. Below are some snippets from what people are saying...

RR HQ xx

'Brilliant' Tom Robinson BBC Radio 6

'Phenomenal' God is in the TV

'I could, with ease, see this played on the summer-festivals, to thousands of people cheering upon hearing the opening notes' Criticism Fridge

'Roxy Rawson' is surely a name destined for showbiz. It is just as well then that her delicate, engaging music easily lives up to her name. Smothered in heart-wrenching emotion and unusual arrangements, Roxy Rawson proves that there's still space for a talented British female singer.' The 405

'Exciting things are sure to prevail for this promising singer.' More Than The Music

'...an artist headed for greatness.' Music News

'...a breath of fresh air. Devoid of competition in the current British climate, it draws some influence from Regina Spektor, but only in the sense that her sound is otherwise incomparable.' Drunkenwerewolf

'Roxy Rawson is a classically-trained Londoner armed with a violin, a delightfully quirky way with melody and an effervescent voice that darts and flits with happy, eccentric abandon. Her 2009 debut Changing Things was oh-so-Regina-Spektor-ish, a promising if precious first step that sparkled and fizzed with prodigious, scattered invention. Now a more mature Rawson prepares for the September launch of her debut full-length Quenching the Kill and lead single "Fingers" offers a heady preview of what's to come. The voice is fuller and softer around the edges, the production both spacious and nicely busy, strings pluckily plucked and caressed, the beats and fingersnaps propelling the song forward with more purpose and less abandon. Rhythm is still paramount, particularly with her vocal phrasing (something she picked up while singing with an African choir), but now the effect is supportive, pushing and prodding the melody forward rather than overwhelming it.' Direct Current

'This is great' Rob da Bank