It really is...

I cannot find the words to express my happiness. We got a beautiful taste of Spring this past week, the birds were chirping, the sun was shining, the temperature was rising and you could smell Spring in the air. I walked everyday and the warmth inspired me so. It was a LOOOOOONG winter this year, it was dull, windy, dreary and grey. I don't think anyone will be missing it.

Aside from the first breath of Spring, Steven and I found out we are having a baby girl yesterday...what an amazing gift. I've always said I felt we'd end up with a daughter. I've had so many dreams over the past couple years in which we had a daughter and at the time I felt them to be intuitive dreams. I also had this little angel named for years! (Grace Izabela Murphy) Now we can finally refer to this baby as HER, not IT & even better, Gracie. When I was first pregnant with her, I wrote her a lullaby, an instrumental guitar piece titled "Full of Grace" and I was relieved that my guess of her being a girl was correct so I could keep that title. It just fit so well. I am literally full of Grace.

I never thought being pregnant would be so fabulous. I write and play daily more now than I have in the past 5 years. And I have time to truly pay attention to detail. My new songs are evolving and they have time to do so...I'm not rushing and preparing for shows and what not. I feel more content musically then I have in a long while. Being pregnant has also brought on such inspiration, I'm constantly dabbling in something new whether it be on guitar or piano...I don't know if it's because I have another life inside me or if it's a combination of that new life inside me & taking more time for myself at home but it's truly a gift.

I played at Sellersville theater with Stanley Jordan in March and there will be video coming out soon of songs from my set. I was 4 months pregnant at the time so someday I will be able to show Gracie that footage and let her know she was inside me for that wonderful experience.

I'm going to have the whole summer off!! I haven't had a summer off since high school. While we will be preparing here for the baby and finishing up a kitchen remodel, master bedroom and office remodel, I will have time and hopefully energy to do a few videos of things I've been working on...I'll also be swimming A LOT : ) So far I've had a very active pregnancy...yoga, pilates, walking, light weights and we just bought an eliptical which I used for the first time today and it was AH-MAZING. I will be stoked to add swimming to my list of activities. I want to be in the best shape both physically and mentally for this birth process.

I also want to record a CD of instrumental lullabies for Grace. Good thing I won't be working so I have time to do all these things! I saw her hands on the ultrasound screen yesterday and I couldn't help but think they may be creating beautiful music someday. I would never push or expect BUT I do plan to expose her to the finest art and music so that even if it ends up not being her path or passion in life, she will have great taste, appreciation and knowledge in the arts.

Cooking has been another pass time of mine lately. I've had time to experiment with new recipes and focus on balanced, healthy meals for Steven and I. When we have our new kitchen, I imagine my cooking ventures will be all the more exciting or at the very least, functional. I have been focused on a diet based on blood type & though I haven't been so strict with it yet, I'm already experiencing positive significant changes. It's really more of a lifestyle that thankfully doesn't differ much from my current food habits. I'm A positive (vegetarian based with certain high quality meats allowed such as chicken & turkey) & it's been so interesting to learn about the history of our ancestors and why they ate what the ate, how it evolved and how it ultimately has affected how our bodies process food. It's actually pretty fascinating...to me anyway. I've long been obsessed with eating healthy and living a conscious lifestyle all around. I got my first taste of vegetarianism 13 years ago. I learned a lot about healthy eating habits then but what I'm learning now takes it to a whole new level b/c it's so personalized and I've finally found a balanced way of eating. It has put a lot in perspective for me. I've tried pushing Steve into eating all the foods I like and have found beneficial for a long time. His taste buds are so different from mine. It's been a struggle and now with this new knowledge knowing he may be a different blood type (I have a hunch he is O), it all makes sense now. I can't wait for him to find out his type so I can plan our meals with more efficiency.

So much to be grateful for now and so much to look forward to. I feel so blessed and I think a lot of new music will come from this time in my life. I will always be excited to share it with all those interested. Thanks for reading!!!

For your eyes...

I've never been all that into Valentine's Day, it's so cheesy. I guess I'm spilling over with love this year b/c I'm actually excited to celebrate V-day. Steve & I are expecting! I'm due in August and we're very excited...and a little scared but what new parent wouldn't be? I thought juggling my music and a baby would be tricky. I'm sure I won't truly know until the baby is here but so far so good. I'm opening for Stanley Jordan at Sellersville theater March 19th, doing an interview with a music magazine sometime before then and I just got contacted about writing some music for projects including tv, commercials and video games. Get paid to create and record awesome instrumental music from home, hell yeah. I've been working on a few new things, a couple guitar pieces and some piano instrumentals. I'm going to try out two new tunes on the 19th. My focus has been progressive melody, percussive beats, tapping & finger style. I've been trying to stay in one tuning so I don't have to re tune and switch guitars so much, it proves to be challenging but it's nice to be able to play three songs without tuning! I haven't played with my band since before I got pregnant and I miss that a lot, there's so much going on right now, it's difficult to find time. Hoping to get some jam time in before baby comes. Just wanted to give a quick update, new youtube vids coming soon! PROMISE : ) 

MOLLY BEDELL GIVES INTERVIEW & PLAYS BREEDLOVE ARTISTS...

On Monday, February 4, 2013, Molly Bedell from Breedlove Guitar Company will be interviewed on Real Sisters Talk radio & will be featuring Breedlove's artists music as well. The show will air at 4:30pm (EST), 1:30pm (Pacific) & 3:30pm (Central). 

If you are interested in tuning in (click the LIVE tab in this link): http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sister-talk

Happy listening : )

I think I'm officially the worst blogger ever for one main reason, I only blog when I remember that I haven't in three months and then another three months go by and the cycle continues. I've been trying to think of ways I could make blogging more enjoyable for myself and I'm trying one out this morning. It's 10:00 AM on Sunday morning and I'm blogging from my porch which is one of my favorite spots on earth! I figured if I took my laptop to a place I really love, I might be inspired to write a blog. Blogging is so different from writing songs. One might think songs are very personal ways to express one's self and this is true in many cases. In my case (often but not always), I tend to hide behind my lyrics, I write in riddles & metaphors so that what I write can mean one thing for me but many things for others. And sometimes, I don't what my listener to know exactly what I'm singing about so I can sing without fear of judgment and just let go. You can't do that in a blog! Songs also take on different meanings after time, not all but some. Blogs don't do that either. I'm in the literal world right now but it's very comfy here on my big porch, in my big comfy chair with a warm cup of my favorite roasted brown rice green tea, birds chirping, the thick sound of cicadas and crickets all around me...I could get used to this! 

I can't believe I haven't blogged in 6 months! Shame on me! I have good reason though, the band has been in the studio since January making our 2012 album, 'Feel'. We finished up the recording last month and the mixing and mastering was finished this month. It's been quite a journey. So much has changed/evolved. We have a new band name...Eye to Eye...and along with the new band name comes an album that has a new sound for us, not SO new that you wouldn't recognize us but different enough, musical growth as one may refer to it. 

I have to admit I've been a little behind on my blog! I've been enjoying some time off, can you blame me? I have been writing some new songs and working on arrangements with my band & now I'm really itching to get in the studio and finally start recording the new album. I may get the guys to do a video blog of a new song with me this Friday, we'll see! I'm excited about the new music!!! I'm playing more electric guitar these days but not putting the acoustic down, it will be a nice balance. There's also a handful of songs written on piano and this time I am not going to arrange them for guitar, I'm sticking with the keys! We chose a song ("EVERYTHING") I wrote earlier this year but have only performed live once (recently at the Virago show) for our first official music video, cannot wait to plan this video with our buddy Brad Allen who has shot us live a handful of times. Here are the lyrics to the song (if you have any video ideas, feel free to email them to me!)

"Everything"

Written by Krista Parrish 2011

I watched the seedling turn to green

I watched the waves across the sea

I watched the sunrise in my mind

I realized there’s no such thing as time

I realized that everything was mine

I climbed a mountain in my heart

I watched the fear fall apart

I saw a mirror in my mind

I found all that there is here to find

I realized that everything was mine

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

I felt the rhythm in my soul

I felt the love I was meant to know

I saw the vision over and over again

Until it became my only friend

Until I could stop asking “When”.

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

I am the love that I possess

I feel the freedom in my chest

My heart forever beats in time

I realized that everything was mine

I realized that everything was mine

I can't believe it's August! I haven't blogged or updated much this summer and I do apologize for that. It has been a transitional period for us, our music and our careers in general. I didn't book many shows this summer b/c I wanted to focus on writing, recording, a music video and some music related opportunities that are presenting themselves. I've been stepping lightly for long enough. I'm ready to get to work, get out of the planning process and dive into a new adventure. I left Cinderella Records and we are unsigned again which is actually GREAT b/c now we can focus on the best road to take and who to let in the car with us. We're working with a new manager who is really helping us with connections in the music industry, music licensing & publishing and overall direction. Breedlove offered me a sponsorship earlier this summer and though the process has been a little slow, it's official! A few guitars were shipped to me just last week and I chose the guitar that I will endorse-I really love it. This alone has been a huge stepping stone and it's amazing to have them behind me as an artist. I have a photo shoot on Monday with the guitar and a promo photo along with a bio will be added to their website under their artist link, how cool?!! We are working on a few things that it's a little too soon to talk about (really exciting stuff!!) so, check in time to time on the website & I’ll be keeping everyone updated through our newsletter, facebook page and  official site. We will be headlining an amazing benefit event at World Café Live (downstairs) Sunday September 11^th…if you’re in the Philly area, stop by, it’s a rockin’ lineup and all proceeds go to the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, a wonderful place in the city that helps homeless vets. You can read full details in the TOUR link ;) Peace.

I had a blast playing with Trevor Gordon Hall last night. We were special guests for the Stretched Strings Concert Series with Tim Farrell. I finally got to do a show solo, all instrumentals with tap, finger style and percussion except one song (Skywatching). I also got to unveil two songs I've been working on which were received very well. I'm thrilled with the way they turned out & the crowds response. This was also my first time seeing Trevor play and it was INCREDIBLE!!! He plays with a kalimba which was crafted just for him with the help of some people over at Martin Guitars and attached to his guitar, this boy has major coordination skills. It was a great music match so we plan on booking something soon, stay tuned for those of you who missed last nights event :)

I'm planning on doing a video blog, maybe tonight if I can get up the energy. I want to update you on "Never Say Goodbye", the song I planned a snippet of in my first video blog. I played it last night and I'm psyched about it! I also want to do a video of "When Corey Comes Around". I did a video 3 years ago when I first wrote it but it has evolved a lot since then so I want to share it with you. Of course I will include it in my set May 14 in Bethlehem so if you're not busy, come out and see it live!

RECORDING UPDATE: We are making plans to get in the studio to record a new EP and a few singles for other artists consideration. I'm ready to get these songs out there and into your ears! This EP will include PRETTY FEELING, HEAR ME OUT, THIS IS HOW I FEEL & more...

peace

This past weekend was quite the adventure. We submitted months ago to showcase and attend this music conference in Cape May called "Singer Songwriter Weekend" & we got in! Not only did they accept us to perform but they also chose one of our songs (Skywatching) for their exclusive sampler that all the industry and conference goers take home with them. we also got to interview and get airplay that entire week in Cape May on 101.5 with Phil Broder, cool guy!! Our set went really well and Steve and Mike sand backup for the first time on Pretty Feeling. There's some bootleg footage of that but not sure it will make it out or not haha. We made a video blog of an acoustic version of the song in the hotel room the day of our showcase so I will edit that and put it up soon. Here are some random phone uploads : )

ON THE BEACH

IN THE STUDIO DOING MY INTERVIEW WITH WCFA 101.5

CHECKING OUT THE BOILER ROOM (where we performed) PHIL BRODER SHARED WITH ME THAT THE BOILER ROOM IS KNOWN TO HAVE CELEBRITIES ESPECIALLY CAST MEMBERS FROM SNL ; )

STEVO & MIKE @ THE BOILER ROOM

STEVE @ CONGRESS HALL WHERE THE CONFERENCE & SOME SHOWCASES WERE HELD

CINDERELLA RECORDS GETTING READY TO RELEASE

Playing With Pendulums

The last two months have been a rollercoaster for me. There have been SO many ups and downs. I was unfortunate enough to have two car accidents about three and half wks. apart from one another. Both accidents were caused by deer. The first accident totalled my green VW Beetle, the first car I ever bought on my own 7 years ago, me and the bug have a lot of good memories. Luckily I was unharmed in the first run in with a deer and I was grateful for that. I've heard so many horror stories. Infact, the same night I hit that first deer, someone hit a deer up near lake galena, it went through their windshied and landed in their front seat dead. That person was very shook up and thankfully the deer did not kill them. I got a new car one week to the day after my accident and it's great! It's the perfect gig car (honda fit sport). On my way to a lesson on a Weds evening, I was driving on County Line Rd. and a truck was coming the opposite direction, a deer ran frantically across the street, the truck hit the deer with such force with the corner of it's front bumper, the deer flew through the air and landed right infront of my car (this one was big and had antlers). $3000 dollars worth of damage to my brand new car, two weeks in the shop & this time a shoulder injury for me...needless to say, ever since, driving has been the root of horrible anxiety for me. My mother in law blessed my car with holy water when we got it back and I bought some deer wistles to be on the safe side. So far so good! My shoulder healed up nicely and after a string of bad luck, things are really starting to turn around. We've been on a radio promo expedition all over the US and we're getting played in all these other states, I've never experiences album sales like this. We'll get played in a city and the next few days, all these orders for the new album come in from those cities through various online distributers, it's SO cool!! We are also playing live on various college radio stations and interviewing which is a lot of fun! I'm right where I want to be & ultra excited to get started on recording some new songs!!! We are also getting ready to get into a music video project for Easier Said Than Done. We'll be headed to New York for some shows in December & January which we're totally stoked about! We'll be doing some touring this summer which will include at least one Philly date, we're still working out the details but everything will be listed in the schedule as we confirm bookings. Some film and television licensing is on the horizon as well as some big fundraising benefit shows that we are proud to be apart of. 2010 was a big year for us, we released our first album as a trio, went to #1 on the rock americana indie music charts in two categories the week we released, opened for national touring acts including Acoustic Alchemy and played some really cool music festivals. I think 2011 is going to be even more amazing! Cheers to never giving up, cheers to following dreams and cheers to all of the people who have bought my album!!

Check out this video used to sponsor Doylestown Hospital and the Hear Her Heart Campaign, educating women about their heart health. Krista's song "Mexico" was used in it.

Video courtesy of

Montage Show Productions:

 www.montageshow.com

I feel so honored that my new album is in so many cd players, ipods & mp3 players!! In all my musical endeavors, I have never had Cd sales like this. It's amazing and heartwarming!! I never wanted to live a life on the road. My goal has always been to tour lightly but make a living at being a recording artist. To finally have a substantial income from making music is a dream I've chased a long time and it's coming true thanks to every single person who has supported me through buying my new album. Cheers to you! I look forward to making music for years to come and wouldn't be able to do it without you. Thank you so much :)

I cannot go without blogging about our show last night at Sellersville Theater. It was by far one of the best times I've had in a while. Our friend Brad videotaped the show so that will be coming to youtube soon : ) Another friend took photos so we have the whole event documented!! Thank you to all the people last night who dug our vibe, chatted with us, bought our CD and signed the mailing list!! The coolest thing was the audience wanting an encore!! We couldn't give the audience another song since we were only openers & the theater is on a tight schedule but standing on stage hearing "ONE MORE!!!" "ONE MORE" was thrill enough : ) We are psyched to have a growing fanbase and it's great to meet new people and talk music!! ...and of course thank you to everyone at Sellersville theater who made us feel like rockstars last night XOXO

Looking forward to a weekend of festivals, beginning in Lansdale on Saturday at Enchanted Fall Fest & Sunday in Jim Thorpe for their Fall Foliage Festival. I get to play solo Saturday which is something I haven't done in more than a year!! It's kind of crazy reading that sentence back considering that's all I did for at least 5 years : / I'm diggin' out some hardcore stuff so I'm psyched to break out things I haven't had much of a chance to perform live. There are some instrumentals I wrote at the time of writing songs for Playing With Pendulums that did not make it to the record and have been on the back burner. I also can't wait to dig my heels into some older material and revamp it a little. I love putting a new twist on an old tune. Mike might come out and play some percussion so that will be fun!! My dad may also sit in on a tune or two...we'll see what the day brings...Sunday should be tons of fun, we get to rock Jim Thorpe and since the time frame is wide, there will definitely be some sick improv happening. Good times!!

Cheers!

Photo by Bunny Barnes

It's been a busy summer but autumn (my favorite time of year) is looking even busier. We played Stir Fry Music Revival on Saturday (pics coming soon), we have our show and cd signing at Best Buy tomorrow (Weds 9/8) and then we rock Virago Friday 9/10 :) We've been thinking of renaming the band though we can never really agree on anything. The trio is about the three parts that come together to make a whole and using my name for the band name sometimes misrepresents us in a way. It's not all about ME! People will come out and take photos and most of them will be of me leaving us with none of the full band, interviewers will call me for the interview, sometimes press leaves out the word trio altogether! So, we are brainstorming. I like Art of Being & Steve seemed to like it too but we haven't revealed it to Mike yet. Nothing is in stone but I like this name for our band b/c our music is personal, spiritual (not in a religious way) & all about connecting to something powerful within ourselves which connects us to one another. In this day and age, it isn't easy to just BE. Take away the computers, cel phones, bills, taxes, jobs, drama, redundant patterns etc etc and there lying beneath the pile of meaningless stuff is you. None of the things I just listed represent you or your true inner self. These things bury us if we allow them to. I dont believe we were designed to do many of the things we find ourselves tied down to doing. When I look into the large open sky and completely free my mind of all else but listening to the wind, the insects, birds, the water nearby or just the simple silence, that is when I feel free. I have to remind myself everyday of what is truly important in life. For me, it is the relationships I build with people, how I contribute to this place we inhabit, how I can influence people in a positive way, how I treat people, my energy and my happiness...every action has a consequence and every action affects someone. I want the people around me to feel good, content and in tune, connected and experiencing the calm that can be. We all get caught up in everyday things that sometimes puts our true selves and purposes in the back seat. Being aware of this is the first step and making yourself a real priority is the second. Sometimes when I find myself in a large sea of people, I watch and I think wow, I'm connected to every single one of these people & it's overwhelming. So, the Art of Being would hopefully remind people to simply BE and put all those other unimportant things aside to allow themselves to shine and be shone upon. I know I need that reminder! And it feels good when I focus on that, it makes a difference in how I behave and what I strive for in this life, learning to simply be...

"To be or not to be, that is the question."

William Shakespeare

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action. - Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

Artist: Preston Reed

Album: Handwritten Notes

http://www.prestonreed.com

my favorite song: Tractor Pull

amazing, intriguing and inspiring...

This made me laugh so hard that I could not resist blogging about it. My friend who will remain anonymous sent me an email this week telling me that he had this great date with a girl, which happens rarely, and after they parted ways for the evening were left with a blissful feeling they both did not want to end. So they text back and forth and finally decide to meet up in the wee hours of the morning. One thing leads to another and they end up in my friends car (use your imagination)! He puts the radio on and there I am singing sweetly into their ears. This freaked out my friend so much, (he explained how awkward hearing my voice was during this intimate experience since i'm like his little sister in...

Often people ask what tunings I use and I usually don't try to explain or share them when I think someone will not understand what I'm talking about, it can get pretty boring pretty fast when you don't understand music theory. So, I've decided to unveil the tunings I use on my new album right here in my blog! A very common thing to do is tune the 6th string down to a D, this is called drop D tuning. Everything else stays the same except for your 6th string. I do this on Skywatching & End To Beginning. It just allows you to have a deeper tone for your bass lines that lie within your guitar parts and works really nicely when you're playing solo and don't have the rich sound of a bass guitar...

I received an email yesterday from a friend whose boyfriend heard "Mexico" on his way home from the airport on WXPN. Very cool! Mike, Steve nor myself have actually heard us on the radio yet but we are so happy that our music is being played on WXPN and regularly no less! It's very inspiring & exciting.

We have a slew of shows coming up starting with Kennett Flash this Saturday 7/10. I am particularly excited to play this show b/c we've never played this venue before, we get to share the stage with an awesome act, Nini & Ben and the town is lovely and inviting. Steve and I took a day trip up to Kennett Square last weekend to put up posters and flyers, help promote the show. The store owners could not have been more receptive and helpful to...

Wow, 2010 is really turning out to be AWESOME! We have some great shows ahead of us, playing Tri County Performing Arts Center, Sellersville Theater, a great music festival (Stir Fry Music Revival), headed to NY And DC to play in August...I'm SO excited! We've been focusing on a couple new songs I'm really psyched to share in the upcoming weeks at our live shows. I've been experimenting with some new rhythmical ideas on guitar while singing especially on this one new song (YOUR FIRST TIME IS MY LAST), it's really coming together and the bass line and drums kick it up a notch...we've got Mike kickin' it with this tribal earthy beat and Steve and I are keeping it progressive, lyrics are sexy and haunting yet it's upbeat in an indie rock kind of way that makes you wanna move...it's my new fav!

Steven and I are also working on a cool duet that features Steve tapping on bass and myself on guitar...it's an instrumental, it's really sweet so we'll probably unveil it sometime this summer.

This might just be the coolest thing that is happening right now though...for you youtube fanatics, you probably have heard of Erik Mongrain, inventor of air tap guitar playing, youtube sensation. Well, I missed an opportunity to open for him at Sellersville Theater but his team is now keeping in touch with my team and I may get the opportunity to tour with him in the near future and open a few shows! He's amazing so this would be a dream come true!! FANS, keep your fingers crossed! I actually had a few dreams this week about it haha!!

Cheers to the 4th of July!

My enthusiasm for music and life is at an all time high right now. The sun is shining, the scent of fresh cut grass is in the air and we're gearing up to play First Friday Doylestown tomorrow! We cannot wait to unleash a new song we've been working on. (Thank goodness the forecast is clear for tomorrow night!) I wrote a new tune titled, "This Is How" in March (24th to be exact). It's not a fancy song, the chord transitions are interesting & progressive but it is simple picking and strumming under very intense vocals. The bassline is so pleasing to my ear. Go Steve! The drums further intensify the emotion of the song. Though I would not classify the song as an "upbeat" one, the tempo is not slow and we definitely rock it out....

This was a fun show! Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the sound on my first two songs of the day: (Happy Guitar & The Ground We Lay On). We were unaware of this b/c it was super loud in the monitors on stage. The audience cheered anyway! We sported some awesome T-shirts with inspiring prints by Anonymous Grafix. I'm sure there will be pictures coming soon!!! I love playing festivals, gazing into the infinite sky, puffy white clouds, sunshine & patches of aqua blue…so inspiring & comforting! It also looks like this park will be welcoming us back for larger festival events so I will keep everyone updated!!!

...and there was funnel cake! Ya don't get that at every gig...

I am told to blog about our CD Release Event. So here it goes. Great night. Didn't reach my pillow til' 3am-you know it was a good night when you get home in the wee hours of the morning. It was great to play  all the songs on the album with the band. I enjoyed myself as did the guys and I think the audience was pleased : ) The weather was PERFECT unlike today, rainy, cold and miserable. Ew! I'm working on a ton of new stuff, my brain is being pulled in many different directions right now. I've started at least three or four new songs but have finished nothing. I've begun writing some words to a few things but feeling empty lyrically. I've already begun thinking about my next album...I know, psycho right? Can't help it! I really want a harp...

Our CD release is finally right around the corner! We could not be more pleased to have a #1 on the indie music charts in two categories, a sold out CD release show and an album we truly believe in! Can't wait for Saturday! : )

Easier Said Than Done is currently #1 on an indie folk chart topping 2, 550 songs!! You can hear it here on the website in the listen section : )

Friday night was my official last session where all the finishing touches were achieved and now the album is in Glenn Barratt's hands to be mixed and mastered. Words can not express the excitement and feeling of satisfaction that is within me right now. For starters, we could not have chose a better engineer/producer to work with us on this project. We are so blessed to have all the stars aligned. My mom was a huge support in this process and we could not have done this without her. Of course, Corey was with us every note of the way, guiding and inspiring every move we made. He is such a big part of my music and who I am as a person and artist. It just makes sense to release his double disc album, "Soundtrack To My Life" the same evening we release "Playing With Pendulums". Though Corey is no longer with us and unable to physically perform his songs that evening, the album will be available and donations will be accepted on Corey's behalf which will go to "Angel In Queens" a charity which helps feed the homeless. Jorge Munoz serves hot dinners 7 nights a week to immigrant day laborers who are homeless in Queens and has not missed a night since he started this mission three years ago. His crusade is self financed and his food is self cooked. He has been named one of the top 10 CNN heroes. Corey was very accepting of people from all different walks of life. He was a giving person, always bringing someone home who needed a place to stay & food to eat. I cannot tell you how many times we found someone in our basement haha. So, setting up donations in Corey's name for this small organization was a no brainer. If you're planning on attending our CD Release Party, you will also be able to get a copy of Corey's double disc album with a minimum donation of $10. You will be helping feed a hungry belly, donating to a great cause while supporting Corey's music. We ended up covering Corey's song "Eye To Eye" on our album so you will get to hear one of his songs live that night and we will also have his album playing as people arrive. I can't believe it's only a little over a month away!! We can't wait to rock your world.

We are literally two tracks away from completing our 2010 album. I'm giddy! It's been quite a journey and we were lucky enough to have some of it video documented which we will release on youtube and our official website when all is finished. When I first began to record this album, I wasn't totally sure if I was in the right place, working with the right people or even if my heart was sure of which tracks to use and not use. I had a deep connection to about 20+ songs that I felt belonged together and I did not want to separate them. Over time, with much patience, things became clearer and the answers stood before me like a bright light. That light lead me to morning star studios in Spring City, it shined on the 12 songs that truly as a whole made the statement I wanted to convey, it shined on my band and our commitment to the music and to each other as a musical unit and it comforted me to know that all the people involved were trustworthy, passionate and hard working. The record is balanced with 5 vocal tracks and 5 instrumentals. There is passion, pain, love, curiosity, honesty, comfort and happiness in these tracks. This album has helped me move past some of the hardest things I've had to endure during the past two years. I don't know where I would be without these songs & though I am still working through a lot of pain and disappointment, this music has given me great strength to follow through and grow as a person & as a musician. I hope that those who have lost someone irreplaceable in their lives will also find strength and comfort through this album. I felt guided to cover one of Corey's songs on this album as a tribute to him both as a musician, composer and brother. It will be the last track of the CD.

On a lighter note, I had the most fun photoshoot with my dear friend and amazing photographer, Colleen Stepanian. We have chosen the photo for the album cover and I've never been so pleased. She did a wonderful job in capturing the emotion of this album through the shot we chose. I'm excited to see it when it's all finished & even more excited to share it with everyone! Three months to go until the release ; ] 

I think 2010 is going to be a great year! We're off to a good start so far. We have two more sessions in the studio with our producer and then it's in his hands, the mixing and mastering...while myself, the band and my team plan the CD release event, choose pictures for posters and CD cover, do interviews, spread the word and gear up for our summer shows etc. It's so exciting and slightly exhausting but I'm ready!! I did a shoot last week with a fabulous photographer, Colleen Stepanian, that went very well (you can see some photos in the "look" link-more to come soon!). Some people have commented, "where's your smile?". This album is edgy & I wanted the pictures to portray the mood of the record. So far, my two favorite songs...

Here in sunny California for new years eve...couldn't ask for anything more. I am soaking up the sun and enjoying the beautiful scenery but most of all relaxing before 2010 takes off. 2009 was a year of writing and recording. 2010 will be a year of sharing and performing. This paradise inspires me and will hopefully linger with me back to the east coast to hold me over until PA warms up. I'm so thankful to have devoted fans who believe in my music but more so find pieces of themselves in it. We are looking forward to touring this spring/summer and especially coming back to this paradise to play shows and lay lazily on the beach. So here is to 2010, Cheers! Love, Krista

As many of you know already know, we have taken Corey's music to a producer, James Stapleford (he recorded my last EP and live at Chaplin’s) who has cleaned up the home recordings, mixed and mastered them, along with adding some texture and some of my harmony vocals and other vocals etc. Well, it's done!! I'm freaking out, I haven't felt this happy in a long time. No one deserved this more than Corey. We have two albums worth so we may decide to release one at a time or do a two disc album. The one CD has Corey's earlier music and the second album is where his music matured to and was headed before he passed. We will be releasing around his birthday, January 20th & we are still figuring out the details for...

And so it is yet another October gone (my favorite month of the year). No time for a melancholy attitude, too busy with our new album! We posted some stuff (video of Hola Nino Hermosa, audio from The Ground We Lay On & Happy Guitar) from our session last Saturday which in my opinion went very well, was fun, exciting and productive. I cannot wait to get back in the studio! I got my boys singing behind me now on a new song that we are working on (not recorded yet) and it's so nice to have that deep full male range as a gentle foundation to the tone of my vocals, I really dig it! We will get to experiment with a lot of the new and old KP material & new Tapestry material at our show on the 4th up at ...

I LOVE Andrew Bird. I'm so inspired! I just cannot get enough of his amazing music. I think he might actually be my favorite artist right now and usually I do not have a FAVORITE b/c there are so many that I like, I can't keep them straight half the time. Everything he does just strikes a chord within me, his melodies, his violin playing adds so much intensity to his songs, he is unique and his lyrics are really interesting. I can't say enough good things about andrew bird. check him out:

http://www.andrewbird.net/

Fleet Foxes, "white winter hymnal" & "he doesn't know why" some of the most beautiful harmonies i've heard in a long time.

Imogen Heap, "first train home" she just keeps getting better and better.

Phoenix, "lisztomania" fun & i like the ending.

Yo La Tengo, "today is the day" dreamy.

Jeff Buckley, "lover you should have come over" oldie but classic and always hits me the same wonderful way I first heard it several years ago.

Andrew Bird, "Anonanimal" f**king genius! he never ceases to amaze, move and inspire me with his intensity.

Andrew Bird, "Oh No" in love with this song & the lyrics are interesting.

Mice Parade, "Focus On The Rollercoaster" simply amazing

Mice Parade, "Tales of Las Negras" yeah!! i just get this euphoric feeling when i listen to this song, i want to cry and laugh simultaneously.

Mice Parade, "Nights Wave" & "Mystery Brethren" always take me to Corey

The Mercury Program, "Sultans Of El Sur" yes yes give me more !

Aloha, "I Don't Know What Else" hits me where it hurts so good

 ...as good as oxygen...

2009 might have been the fastest year of my life. I feel as though it just begun but here we are at the end of September with only 3 more months to go. It's CRAZY! This year brought a lot of growth and change on the music front for me as well as 2008. I'm having a great time playing with my new trio, Tapestry. There is something really organic and special happening between the three us and I cannot wait to debut this on Playing With Pendulums. There has been quite a lot of back and forth on which songs to choose for the album. It started out as a letter to my brother (before my new band came together), Corey, an album I had planned to dedicate to him as all the songs came...

So, where is Spring anyway? It's been too cold and too wet to appreciate the end of winter. We have some exciting things happening on the music front  to keep us distracted from the cruddy weather! We are recording a new album and I will also be recording an album of my solo guitar stuff with 1/2 the tracks with vocals. I've been laying down some tracks here at my studio for fun but we will be going into a professional studio with a producer soon. We are in the planning process and it's very exciting! We are also getting Corey's music mastered for his album that we plan to release when all is said and done. I will be performing at WCL next Thursday night and plan to unleash some new songs. But not only will I be...

I want to thank everyone who has been so compassionate during this difficult time in my families life. It's definitely going to be and has been a very tough year but I'm positive that my brother is living on and his spirit protects me. Though it has been an overwhelming time in my life, I have found comfort in writing music and playing. I decided to take a break from performing for the summer for a couple of reasons. A. My husband and I just bought a house and will be in the midst of moving and settling into a new area. B. I need to heal and I need time to put things in perspective, do a little soul searching which I think will most definitely bring some art out of me and into your...

I was overwhelmed by the volume of response I got from my mailer this week asking my fans for a little help! I so appreciate each and every one of you for your loyal support and belief in my music! The emails are still pouring in. I'm such a lucky gal :)

Tuned In is a segment that airs every Sunday during the ABC's action news in which a band or solo artist is featured. This is a very special program where you can find new, upcoming, local, interesting musicians and music.Check it out!