The Age of Rockets - Adults (2013)

7/8/13 6:18PM

I got it as a download today given I pledged $25 or more to the Kickstarter. CDs will be coming later to the $100 Kickstarters and I guess even later (like 2014?) for the standard version.

But here's the breakdown. I sort of understand why he shared the Tracklist so long ago (2012?) . In a way, it's like what Archive or Biffy Clyro have done (among many others) where they release demos and other songs/other version of songs. The new Ours album I guess very well could be including more version like this.

But, this was intentional. What I'm struggling a bit with is how I want to listen to this. Initially I'll probably just play the 3 "versions" as they are, and then maybe highlight specific versions of each track and try and then combine them on a CDR. I say that, as I am a little challenged compared to most people, including who The Age of Rockets intended this album's experiment to be for, as in FOR AN MP3 PLAYER/PLAYLIST to be played either at random between all 3 versions, or just a mixing and matching AMONG ALL 30 OF THE TRACKS AMONGST ALL 3 VERSIONS.

But unless I use a 3-cd changer and hit random, which I don't foresee unless I'm at my girlfriend's who has 1 or in her car, I am likely going to have to CUSTOM MAKE my own versions/order of the tracks.

Which I guess is sort of 1-of if not the whole point of this experiment.

Now, the music itself or course needs to hold up and justify it, and I think it may, but it's funny how this is a format or listening to music that in some ways, actually DOES REQUIRE you to listen carefully.

But that should be at least part of the fun of it.



1.1 Darling Street (Version 1) 3:21
1.2 Alas That Such Evil Days Should Be Mine (Version 1) 4:26
1.3 March/April/May (Version 1) 7:54
1.4 Cold Season (Version 1) 2:36
1.5 Connecticut (Version 1) 3:16
1.6 What Was for Us (Version 1) 3:11
1.7 Chapter 7 (Version 1) 3:46
1.8 Flights (Version 1) 4:17
1.9 When the Moon Began to Drift (Version 1) 3:41
1.10 Can't Tell Me Nothing (Version 1) 4:39

41:07

2.1 Darling Street (Version 2) 3:29
2.2 Alas That Such Evil Days Should Be Mine (Version 2) 5:15
2.3 March/April/May (Version 2) 4:28
2.4 Cold Season (Version 2) 3:17
2.5 Connecticut (Version 2) 3:03
2.6 What Was for Us (Version 2) 3:12
2.7 Chapter 7 (Version 2) 3:51
2.8 Flights (Version 2) 3:41
2.9 When the Moon Began to Drift (Version 2) 3:17
2.10 Can't Tell Me Nothing (Version 2) 6:58

40:31

3.1 Darling Street (Version 3) 2:52
3.2 Alas That Such Evil Days Should Be Mine (Version 3) 3:28
3.3 March/April/May (Version 3) 5:13
3.4 Cold Season (Version 3) 2:26
3.5 Connecticut (Version 3) 5:00
3.6 What Was for Us (Version 3) 3:14
3.7 Chapter 7 (Version 3) 10:04
3.8 Flights (Version 3) 3:32
3.9 When the Moon Began to Drift (Version 3) 3:03
3.10 Can't Tell Me Nothing (Version 3) 2:30

41:22

123 minutes or 2 Hours and 3 minutes.


7/4/13 11:32AM
https://www.facebook.com/theageofrockets/posts/10152978431245573

The Record is done. It will be out September 1st (my birthday) Kickstarter kickers will get it this week.

sadly we won't ever play again and this is the last record. We managed to do 3 records and never have a release party!

Good News and Bad, but not surprising news.

It took nearly 4 years, but this sucker is finally coming out. Bittersweet I suppose.

If I have 1 regret, I was looking at my Kickstarter contribution, I gave $25.

A digital download of the entire 30 track album as soon as it's finished. You will be one of the first people to receive the album. Probably about a month before it goes up on itunes! Also the name and link on our website!

But it appears in order to have received the physical CD(s), I would have to have contributed $100, lol. Now I remember why I didn't.

I guess if in some way, this album is released in physical form to the public, I may have to purchase a copy for an affordable rate ($30 or $40 perhaps?). I asked them on Facebook about the format, so hopefully that'll be more clear soon.

3/27/12 3:33AM

I was holding off posting this until more of the final details went public, but I suppose it doesn't make much difference at this point. Here's the cover art that is now public. And the track list for the 1st CD is below. Hopefully more details will come soon, namely a release date (or a Kickstarter pledge email download/mail-out date)

I do know, in all likelihood, this album will be the last The Age of Rockets record, for many years if ever. But regardless, if this album is amazing, it will hopefully be worth it.



CD 1
01 - Darling Street
02 - Alas That Such Evil Days Should Be Mine
03 - March / April / May
04 - Cold Season
05 - Connecticut
06 - What Waits For Us
07 - Chapter Seven
08 - Flights
09 - When The Moon Began To Drift
10 - Can't Tell Me Nothin'

10/16/11 11:33AM


facebook announcement

As I think I posted in earlier entries, this 30-track, 3-cd concept record is coming, and for those who pledged to their kickstarter for this album and perhaps the pre-order, they should be receiving an email download link sometime around X-Mas.

In the mean time, I would definitely recommend hearing some of the clips Andrew Furtal has shared on their tumblr page which have totally intrigued me, maybe even more than their previous records.

The only thing to be a little down about is what Andrew posted on facebook the other day

Losing my mind working on the new record. I will be very surprised if I have another Age of Rockets record in me after this.

which I honestly don't blame him and the large amount of time and work that he has had to put into this album/project I would think once its done, he and the band will want to take a long break from recording. But then again, time can recharge/replenish and change your mindset.

The Age of Rockets - Adults Update

I know this is directed toward those who pledged to their Kickstarter campaign, but I think there's enough info about this project, it's worth sharing.

It sounds like this album will be coming out around February-ish. The point he makes about it pretty much being mostly him, I guess I'm at a wait and see. I do like the work the other The Age of Rockets members have done, but based on what he says there and their older music, The Age of Rockets in-effect is like a Andrew Futral solo project anyway.



Hey there lil' ladies and dudes. Here is a good ol' fashioned update for you. I said I would know more about the album by the end of November and we are pretty much there. Disc 1 is mostly done. I need to spend a day doing more guitars and a few extra floor tom tracks but I am happy with it and fight the urge to release it by itself every day. I arranged most of the tracks for disc 2 and am very excited about how that is coming along. My guess is by January I will only need to make 1 more disc. Which means the project is a bit delayed but at this point you are all so stupidly patient that i feel like an extra month or so is only a mild bummer. Due to unforeseen circumstances I will be making most of the 3 discs by myself. While this is a bummer for me it shouldn't be for you because both released Age of Rockets records are mostly me as well.

I can also tell you that the title of the album is Adults

the track listing (so far) is:

01 - Darling Street

02 - Alas That Such Evil Days Should Be Mine

03 - March / April / May

04 - Cold Season

05 - Connecticut

06 - (Still untitled #1)

07 - Chapter Seven

08 - Flights

09 - When The Moon Began To Drift

10 - (Still Untitled #2).

A couple of months back there was a grumpy dude (and no one before or since) who was unhappy with me asking for more money for this project. He seemed to think that i said 8000 dollars is what it would cost to make this project and me asking for more was messed up. I have not heard that from anyone else. That is probably because I never once said 8000 is what i would need. In fact, if you read the project description you might have noticed I wrote "Unfortunately, in addition to being really fun, this idea is overflowing with expenses! The mixing of the album will probably cost at least $6,000, mastering around $2,000, and then with packaging and paying string, horn, woodwind players... YIKES" I guess I should have been a little more clear about the exact costs i would need but at the time I didn't fully know. At any rate I think anyone reading that would add $6000 and $2000 and come up with $8000. Packaging I think will be around 2000 dollars, paying players has been about $1000 and there are some gear requirements that were well over $1000. I will also need to pay for art and stuff and of the $8800 (after failed credit cards and kickstarter fees) i got from kickstarter at least $1,500 will need to go to making and sending out kickstarter prizes.

Annnnnnyway. It's looking like this is the way it will be released. Kickstarter backers will get their hand-made version of the album and then i will sell 100-200 less intensive versions of the record online and then that will be it for physical copies. It will go online about 2 months after you get your digital copies.

I'll send along another update around the start of the new year and hopefully the second disc will be done by then and it will leave only disc 3 which is the easiest.

Hope y'allz are well and if you have any concerns about this project or want more info or even if you are mad at me for some reason please feel free to message me personally and I will gladly work it out with you.

facebook.com/andrewfutral

RADICOOL (cool +radical).

- Andrew

Radical Face - The Family Tree: The Roots (2011)

1 Names 1:15
2 A Pound of Flesh 3:34
3 Family Portrait 4:40
4 Black Eyes 4:44
5 Severus and Stone 4:28
6 The Moon Is Down 3:18
7 Ghost Towns 3:53
8 Kin 4:04
9 The Dead Waltz 5:23
10 Always Gold 5:55
11 Mountains 4:51

Amazon.com link with samples

I've heard this a few times already, and it's pretty sublime. Drop date was on September 14th (although rateyourmusic has it as October 4th, same day as MuteMath, Bruce Peninsula and Feist, if that had been the case, in some ways, it would have been a bigger release date than September 13th to me).

I'm not going to go too in-depth, but as short as I have time for: this band have a good knack for using acoustic songwriting with piano, vocal harmonies and what not. At least on this record. This album is the 1st of a 3-part The Family Tree series of releases, the other two The Branches and The Relatives are expected in 2012.

Kind of forward-thinking in a way. I do know this group from a couple of years back, and they fall under the category of a band I checked out upon suggestion or stumble-upon, and liked, but sort of forgot about sadly. What I don't recall at this point was how different their last record Ghost, which I believe I previously had heard, differs from this.

More to the point, this album is almost purely acoustic (although that element of it, hardly fully describes it), and with a series titled "The Family Tree" and "The Roots" it suggests music of that approach.

So, in describing Radical Face, I suppose to call them sort of melodic, layered acoustic/chamber rock/pop/folk might be somewhat accurate. Of course hearing the music itself is best, but as a necessary evil, the artists I might compare them to being Punch Brothers, The Age of Rockets and even The River Empires, to name a few.

This album should be given more time from me, even with the heaping pile of 4th quarter records I need to still and will soon have to digest. But certainly this is one of those "coming out of nowhere" or "holy shit, I had no idea this was coming out" albums for 2011. In a lot of ways, the kind I prefer due to absolutely no expectations or anticipation. Its happened literally dozens of times to me over the last 5 years at least, and this is another example of when it happens, I often enjoy it more.

edit: in just reading a little more about it, Radical Face is actually one-man project I guess, from this musician from Florida named Ben Cooper. I suppose why on the homepage, the other bands he's played with are linked. I also find it interesting how Radical Face is playing live with Walking Sleep, a band who I like, although can't say my interest is what I hoped it might be. Perhaps Radical Face's music will inspire them and thus get me more interested in their music again.

Radical Face Homepage
Radical Face on Facebook

song "Welcome Home" from their last album Ghost

The Age of Rockets Album Update

8/15/11 12:32AM

This was sent directly to those who are part of the successful Kickstarter campaign. The samples I've heard since the last update still sound awfully promising, and the progress, certainly reasonable. I am looking forward to getting to hear it around X-Mas or early in 2012. I just hope Andrew doesn't have to bend over backwards after facing the changes in recording time crunch (along with that 1 backer who apparently *backed out*).

But to expect it as part of the 2011 Index probably pretty unlikely now. So be it, here we may have the early leader for 2012 for that reason.

The Age of Rockets
Monday Aug 15, 12:06am EDT

Here is a long update on album progress. It's difficult for me to properly explain some things, so I hope you will not be offended at some of the vagueness. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the album ended up falling 100% into my lap. Saul, Bess and Adam will be a part the record, but not nearly as much as originally planned. This bummed me out for a while, but it is what it is, you know? I took a small break from recording while I produced the most recent mc chris record, but that is done and I am hoping to finish up the basic recording of the record by the end of November. The first disc is just missing vocals, one track of cello and a few electric guitars. Not including vocals, it will be done by mid-September and then the rest should be far easier and quicker.

Disc one is the "over the top orchestra record", and while it's one out of three discs, it was 50% of the total time and work the album needed. I am hesitant to give an exact release date because some final lyrics are not done and I am just beginning to work out artwork & things like that, but I would like to think that you Kickstarter backers will have the full three-disc album by Christmas. The goal is for you to be sick of it by the time it's actually released.

Not really.

Certainly if it's not completely done by Christmas it will be done soon after that, and by mid-Autumn you will surely have another big update on the progress.

While it pains me greatly to acknowledge the haters, I must address what Kickstarter backer Mike Finkel angrily said on the comments section today. I will gladly give him his money back and have his name appear nowhere on this project because he addressed his concerns in a totally inappropriate way, but he is right about there needing to be more updates. You all deserve that.

As always, you can hear some clips of the new record on theageofrockets.com and see how things are coming along on my blog. You can always message me on Facebook if you have any specific questions or concerns. I love talking to you guys and I hope you know that you can always reach out to me.

I really, really appreciate all the people who took to the comments section of the Kickstarter project and defended me and this record. It warms my heart to know how patient you all are and that you have my back against mean-spirited people. While I am sure this won't be the last Age of Rockets record, I am wary of doing anything else after it because I don't know how to top it. I am truly excited about this album and I can't wait for you all to hear it.

Additionally, I am going to record disc three alone in a cabin in the woods in the late Fall for a week. I think I am going to document it because it will probably be spooky and there is no interent there, so I will need a camera to talk to/go insane The Shining-style at. If that sounds at all interesting I'll send you guys the results.

Thank you again for everything you've all done for me. Knowing that people truly believe in something I care about so much is all I could ever hope for.

Much love,
Andrew Futral

4/21/11 8:31AM
a couple of bits:

4/20/11 Facebook post
sneak peek clip of a new song
still missing vox and cello
http://soundcloud.com/theageofrockets/sneak-peek


SNEAK PEEK by theageofrockets

sounds a bit like Kiss Kiss, which is a good thing.

Holy shit. Disc 1 is going to be hard to beat. Nothing like a 16 piece string section to make an album feel like the end of the world!


all violins for disc 1 are done. Disc 1 might actually be done this month.


Good to read about progress. Whether it'll be done and available in 2011 is still up in the air tho.

12/1/10 1:28AM

UPDATE!
By The Age of Rockets For Backers Only

Hey guys and gals,

some of you recently and kindly have asked for an update on this album. I will totally give you one. I have been working with all of my free-time to get this sucker done. I decided to tackle this album 1 disc at a time. So far I am extremely happy with the progress. Currently there is about 2-3 more days of guitar tracking for the 1st disc and then all of the strings and horns and then i will move on to disc 3 (disc 2 will be recorded last) . As some of you may or may not know Hannah was made mostly by myself. Saul, Adam and Bess did vocals but only helped on The End of Faith and Actors/Ghosts. I am thrilled with how that record came out but I really want the whole band to be part of this record and so that means it will take a little longer (as they are all doing their own musical things all over the place). The end product will also be a little better. The concepts behind the discs are: Disc 1 is the over the top disc, meaning that it will be huge and loud and have giant orchestras everywhere. Disc 2 will be the subtle album. It will be full band as well but will be made with a "less is more" attitude. Disc 3 will be the weird album. It will kind of be like If I made "The Drive Home" now. The concept behind disc 3 is that songs will be recorded for the sake of a weird idea more than for the sake of the song. For example one idea is that there is a song that I am going to learn how to play backwards, record backwards, then reverse and record some additional stuff on top of it so that the whole thing sounds like a reversed track but also sounds 100% correct. Something like that totally excites me as a person but I would never have the balls to actually release it if it were just 1 disc. Disc 1 so far has been pretty much arranged by just me and Adam. Disc 2 will be much more collaborative and I am hoping disc 3 will have tons of friends on it.

If you want to hear any clips from songs you should follow the official age of rockets webpage / blog at www.theageofrockets.com/ i have been posting lots of recording things there. The album is going to (hopefully) be done by the late spring and around that time I am going to start to deal with kickstarter prizes. A lot of the prizes are musical things and I would really like it if all my creative energy was spent on 1 thing at a time.

I am really excited for everyone to hear this new record / new direction.

thanks so much for all of your patience.

A lot of what makes Age of Rockets special to me is that I make sure I am always "earning it". In that I have tons of other projects going on all of the time so that this record is the thing that I am working FOR. I think it makes for a better product. It keeps me passionate but also makes things take a hair longer. I am sorry I work like this BUT there will be new Field Mouse music soonish, a Lauren Zettler EP that I am producing and a bunch of other fun things.

Some of you may have seen the Favorite Day music video for Bess Rogers. I edited that footage and also helped direct it. I am about 24 hours away from launching a second kickstarter to get a camera so that I can help make music videos for age of rockets, field mouse, jenny owen youngs, weiss, and Rogers. Probably more people as well. Making videos is something that it is hard to do cheaply and so I am trying to make it be something that requires less doing. I want to make sure you all don't feel weird about me launching a second kickstarter. This will in no way slow down kickstarter 1 or album 3 progress and will only add to the amount of fun things I am able to do.

COOL!

I care about you all.
also if we are not currently facebook friends we should be
facebook.com/andrewfutral

DOUBLE COOL!

- Andrew

Okay, so reading about this, obviously the best news is it's coming along and let's hope it actually is released next Spring or Summer ("late Spring" unless it's a digital download, probably means Summer with printing, promotion, etc) sometime. On the surface, the 3 cds on this "super-pretentious choose-your-own-adventure-style concept record"

-the 1st CD is the meat for me. That's The Age of Rockets I would assume that will resemble the work to a point from 2008's Hannah.

-The 2nd more subtle, "less is more" sounds to be good as a blending. Perhaps in the whole mixing of songs off each record together, etc..maybe a little like The River Empires: Epilogue, the last dredg album, or of course The Dear Hunter Act III in some ways. Who knows.

-And the 3rd disc it sounds like is out of left-field a bit. That one may make or break just how unique this record really is. That's the "avant-garde" or actual "experimental" side to this thing. Sort of the maudlin of the Well, Deerhoof approach in some ways.

So now thinking about this, I can say I'm probably as, if not more intrigued. But the proof will be in the pudding. It could end up disappointing, but I'd rather that happen than it never happen at all of course.

edit: of course it's mentioned in that update about sound clips being up. http://theageofrockets.tumblr.com/.

um, wow. This stuff sounds potentially awesome! the most recent clip marching piece "Darling Street (Unmixed Clip)" namely...Fuck, I wish I had known about these clips months ago when they were shared, lol. Better now than later of course.

Now Andrew has also launched a NEW kickstarter campaign for making videos I decided to put $10 towards it, in the hope/belief that it will lead to some cool things and more long-term work for him, Field Mouse (who I also donated to), and The Age of Rockets of course as well. I guess we'll see.