For the last year or so I've been writing a lot of songs. All kinds. From quirky Jerry O rock songs and acoustic based indie rock and americana tunes to some avant-garde instrumental stuff to the country/blues style stuff we do in Spider Poets and a little bit of electronica influenced stuff too. I just can't keep my hands out of the paints if you know what I mean. Anyway, these songwriting spurts eventually shake down and fall into little groups of songs intended for certain projects. It seems that certain groups of songs will sort of fit together and call for a certain type of feel or vibe. A story is being told or a picture is coming into focus and perhaps a subject is being explored. When these songs come together you start to decide how you are going to frame them and present them to your audience.
In music recording this framing is the production. First I always try to make sure the songs are good by themselves played alone on guitar or another instrument and then I try not to wreck them when they go into production. The production can make or break a great record. I love the wild and crazy sounds in rock and roll and the great producers like Sam Phillips, George Martin, Jerry Wexler, Glynn Johns, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Don Was, T-Bone Burnett, Dangermouse and countless others through the years, but the great ones know when to let
loose with reckless abandon and 
when to use a hand of restraint. 
A good example of musical framing is Bob Dylan's three albums recorded in Nashville in the 60's. All three are very distinct. The songs could have been done many different ways, and have over the years, but the way they were recorded framed them forever. First there was Blonde On Blonde. 
Bob came in and presented these seasoned countrypolitan veterans with songs they had never heard the likes of before and the unlikely collaboration produced one the greatest and first psychedelic albums of the rock era. Framed by the spontaneous nature of the writing and playing, it was a unique method in Nashville. His next Nashville album, John Wesley Harding, was framed completely different with a small acoustic ensemble playing a mystical country, folk rock that perfectly framed the biblical imagery and dreamlike feel of the album. The album spawned the song All Along The Watchtower that was framed in a whole other light by Jimi Hendrix a few months later. Bob loved Jimi's version. On his 1969 album Nashville Skyline Bob went totally country, even changing his voice and duetting with Johnny Cash on a new version of his song Girl from The North country.
Over the years Bob has had other musical peaks when he's framed the albums just right like with 1975's Blood On The Tracks and the Daniel Lanois produced Time Out Of Mind in 1997. Blood On The Tracks was recorded both in Minneapolis and New York and some fans prefer the framing of the original New York versions, others the Minneapolis versions that ended up on the album. The Time Out Of Mind sessions have an atmosphere that only Daniel Lanois could bring and it was perfect framing for that particular bunch of dramatic and somewhat dark Dylan songs.
Now days, even with so many artists being made at home and discovered on the internet, like Fleet Foxes, Owl City and Bon Iver, it is still very important how you produce or "frame" your songs in order for them to stand out and show their true essence that sets them apart from the rest.
The above artists are three very unique and original examples whose song quality and creative production make them stand out. Since everybody is recording at home on their computers these days it's really easy to fall into traps like using the same programs and guidelines and products and rules that everybody else is using too. So remember it's so much more about the song itself, the rhythm, the melody and harmonies and the arrangement...and then there is the sound. Usually the sound of a cohesive collection of songs that belong together. It's a magic thing, these batches of songs. It's important to do the right thing when it comes to producing and putting them out. Each batch of songs seems to have it's place and it's purpose. Some are meant to reach a wider audience, some are meant for a smaller focused group of fans. Dylan, Robert Pollard and Radiohead and some of my other favorite artists have certain projects that some people just don't get. That's fine with me! I'm happy and proud to be among the ones who do "get" it.
So I'm at a place where I've got about 30 songs in various stages of being written and/or recorded. A few are Spider Poets songs for sure, and there are some instrumentals, but about eight of the songs are coming into focus as a batch of finished Jerry O solo songs. Now is time to start thinking about framing them and putting them out. I've got an offer from an independent label that includes some marketing and promotion. I would need to go to Oklahoma to record it. But the recording budget is the biggest I've ever had. I'm just not sure if the label is right for my music when it comes right down to it. I've got some major checking out and research to do. I'd rather just get to the writing, painting and framing of these songs.
