Author: jaymathes

I’ve never been excited about recording vocals for an album before. This is changing.

For the past two months, I’ve been training – quite rigorously – using a vocal program called Speech Level Singing, developed by Seth Riggs. I’m not using the *actual* SLS program, because I think it’s like over $100, but I am using a book called “Singing for the Stars”. You can check it out on Amazon.com. All I can say is that it’s freakin’ fantastic.

Like anything worth anything in life, vocal training takes time; and for the first time ever, I can say that I feel like I’m gaining legitimate confidence in how I sing. (When I was in high school, I was overly-confident in an untrained, ignorant sort of way.)

And although I don’t have a “vocal coach” or instructor to walk me through some of this stuff, step-by-step, I do feel like I have a pretty good ear for matching tone quality, and a sense of whether or not something “feels right” as I’m singing it…

All of this to say that I’m actually looking forward to recording lead vocals tomorrow.

Are you a fan of Mute Math, Jars of Clay, Snow Patrol, Pedro the Lion, Death Cab for Cutie? Well if you are, then I know a band that you need to know: Mosquito Fleet.

Just went to their CD release show at Wheaton College. Bought the record, too. Impressive on all fronts. About the album, All Those Who Wander Are Not Lost:

Most memorable track on first listen: God’s Not Listening
Most interesting rhythms: Bright Sadness
Best Lyrics: Times Are Changing

One wouldn’t think it possible, but Mosquito Fleet sounds almost *identical* in concert as on the record. What exactly does that mean? It means they’re polished, they’re lead singer (Joel Yoshonis) is actually *a musician* and doesn’t need his vocals tweaked [excessively] by auto-tune. It means they’re guitarist (Alex Mrakovich) knows his gear and knows how to get exactly the tones that he wants – every time. It means the group plays as a band.

Aspects of the live show need some tweaking, but for a group that has been together for less than two years, they show an uncommon maturity – one that is hard to find in 10-year-0ld bands who have played all of the big venues. I expect that, if Mosquito Fleet wants it enough, they can get there, too. Everything good takes time, dedication, sacrifice. I look forward to years of music ahead as the group continues to hone their pop-alt-rock anthem sound.

I like these guys so much, in fact, that I’m going to try to book a few shows with them. If I had to pick a young band to co-tour with right now, these would be the guys.

Learn more about the band and buy their new record at: http://www.wearemosquitofleet.com