Andy Miller quit after making it just past half way to his goal, but he has 28 new songs to show for it.<\/p>\n
Miller, a Juneau musician, set out to write 49 songs in one year about the 49th state and officially gave up the persuit in mid September. But he’s released “Alaska<\/a> in 28 Songs,” for free on Bandcamp<\/a> and is considering what comes next.<\/p>\n “It’s kind of weird, I’d rather not write music right now, but it’s such a routine,” Miller said. “I have an idea for a project, but I’d rather not say. It might not happen, and it might be silly.”<\/p>\n But more Alaska-themed music can be safely ruled out.<\/p>\n “I don’t think I’ll have any more Alaska-themed projects — at least for a long time,” Miller said.<\/p>\n Grant goals<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n Miller’s expansive project began as an attempt to secure a Rasmuson Foundation Grant, which would be used to purchase better recording gear.<\/p>\n “Last year, I did an album, and I thought maybe I could get a grant for some equipment,” Miller said.<\/p>\n So he started recording songs in January of this year and made a proposal.<\/p>\n “I didn’t get it,” Miller said. “I didn’t have a resume, but I proceeded with doing it, because I thought it could build that resume.”<\/p>\n The songs came along quickly in winter and early spring, Miller said, and he was on pace for 49 in April.<\/p>\n “At some point, I started having many going at one time, which I think helped a lot,” Miller said.<\/p>\n But progress slowed this summer, and Miller decided to pull the plug on the effort and release the dozens of songs he had completed.<\/p>\n The spice of life<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n “Alaska in 28 Songs” was inspired by similarly sizable albums by the Magnetic Fields, works tied to a sense of place such as “Illinois” and “Michigan” by Sufjan Stevens and the lo-fi eclecticism of Guided By Voices.<\/p>\n Miller said he wanted to make sure there was variety in the album’s songs and the locales that inspired songs.<\/p>\n He said it wasn’t difficult to pick places to write and sing about.<\/p>\n “A lot of them just chose themselves,” Miller said.<\/p>\n But in some cases, additional online research was required.<\/p>\n Varying the Bandcamp album’s sound took some work, too.<\/p>\n Miller recorded the album himself playing keyboard and guitar using inexpensive equipment and software. Some drum tracks were recorded, but they didn’t make the cut.<\/p>\n “If I had better equipment, I might have tried weirder stuff,” Miller said.<\/p>\n To change things up, Miller would sometimes distort the sound of his guitar, add piano to a track or write in a different key.<\/p>\n “I was definitely changing the key,” Miller said. “That can change tone a little bit.”<\/p>\n Where to start listening<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n Miller said he knows the majority of listeners won’t sit down and listen to 28 songs, and he had a suggestion about where not to start.<\/p>\n Many locals may be tempted to dive in with “The Sensitive Men of Juneau,” but Miller advised against it.<\/p>\n Last year, Miller released 15 songs about <\/a>Juneau<\/a>, and he included a track about his hometown on the new album out of a sense of obligation.<\/p>\n “The Juneau song might actually be the weakest,” Miller said.<\/p>\n Instead, Miller said he hopes people will listen to things in order.<\/p>\n “Chronology is kind of the intent,” he said. “Start at the beginning.”<\/p>\n
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