All of these songs are based on my life - they are usually my way of sorting through what's really eating me that I can't quite understand until I get my thoughts on paper. Writing songs has always been therapy for me. I know exactly when I need to sit with my guitar and get out all of the pent up thoughts I can't verbalize with out it. For the production on this record, we took all of my earthy-rock influences (Indigo Girls, Patti Griffin, Shawn Colvin) and melded it with some of my favorite textures and production styles (Imogen Heap, Fiona Apple, Erin McCarley). What came out is a passionate, human sounding rock record with lush, emotional textures and some electronic flavors. Carl Thiel is a badass - he always listens so intently to the songs and filters through all of my crazy ideas to find the focus we need to make a cohesive record. He did this so well on my recent EP. I was blessed to have AMAZING players that made this album incredible: Jeff Botta - Drums JJ Johnson - Drums Dave Grissom - Electric Guitar in 2008, I moved to Nashville which has greatly improved my lyric writing. Telling a clear story and invoking emotion with lyrics alone has been a recent development in my writing goals. I feel like, lyrically and musically this EP is the best stuff I've every put out thanks to the challenging Nashville environment and my own growth as a player, singer and writer. Here are some details about my three favorite songs on the EP: Mean to Me - this song is about a really unhealthy relationship that continued much longer than it should've. I call it my "anti-victim" song because it was my process in realizing the violence in someone changing history to always come out clean. When someone does this, all the blame goes on me and I end up feeling like an abused victim and not know why. Once I wrote this song and figured out why, I quite writing songs about this particular relationship. Stay - this song is about fighting for a relationship instead of throwing up my hands and leaving - my natural inclination :) 'Love Me' Contest - this song is about the thoughts that run through my head when I'm dealing with being an artist in a competitive city and scene. It can be a desperate and lonely thing, trying to get heard over the rest. I wrote it when I was frustrated with myself and seeing the whole thing as a little ridiculous. To talk to me more about my songs, co-writers and band members, come and see me on facebook/myspace/twitter. You know the drill! :) Rachel