So, it's been FOREVER and so much has happened!---To Recap

Hello Friends of Music and Sound!

Since the summer when I last blogged, I have been back in Evanston, Illinois at Northwestern University for my Junior Year. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Norshore region, we are about 30 minutes North of downtown Chicago.)

The reasons for my failure to blog can be summed up by about four words:

Music and Sound Design.

For the first--I just released my second studio EP, entitled Lake Michigan's Chill on my bandcamp page! Since the summer, I have actually recorded and released two EP's! Lake Michigan's Chill is my 3-song tribute to winter, living in one of the coldest, windiest climates EVER! It was recorded while I was on winter break back in New Jersey at Soundwaves Academy in Union, NJ. The first was entitled Time Grasp as an homage to the first ever song I wrote in High School. Although the title song is absent from the album, most of the songs preserve the poppy element of some of my earlier songs.

Both albums can be heard at www.karaalimusic.bandcamp.com and will shortly be on iTunes! Yay digital releases!

Also, check out my new website here

In other news: SOUND DESIGN

I am currently sound designing Sit & Spin's production of A Streetcar Named Desire at Northwestern University. We go up in roughly 2 weeks. STELLLLLAAAAA! The director, the lovely Ms. Allie Gallerani has been one of the most helpful directors ever to work with, offering so much insight into the piece and willing to take a really interesting new spin on Williams' classic piece. I watched a run last night and couldn't have been more thrilled. I mean, rope nets and harnesses are involved...come on!

Additionally, (I guess I should have mentioned this) I am currently interning at Studiomedia, a Recording Studio in Evanston. The studio has been around for 30+ years and walking into their main engineering room is like walking into a time capsule. With the vintage English Trident board from the '70s and a rare combination of analogue and digital technology, it is apparent to me how unique this place is. Being the music and audio nerd that I am, I am chomping at the bit wanting to jiggle every knob and test out every piece of outboard equipment in the room. But I know better--I will be a good observer for now and soak up all I can while I make the occasional pot of coffee and set up mics, stands, and windscreens for the next voiceover session.

Along with my sound design classes, work on Streetcar and my own music, it's shaping up to be an incredibly productive quarter. As I sit in Starbucks and listen to "The Shepherd's Dog", I couldn't be more juiced about Iron and Wine's release of "Kiss Each Other Clean" tomorrow. First album impressions and my own review to come!

I'm back folks, and I plan on sticking around for a while this time. What else will get me through all the snow?

Peace.Love.Music.

Kara Ali