The bad news is that I don’t have a ton of Trick news to report. I’ve played some shows and worked on some new songs. I’m still planning to make an EP out of those before the year’s out.

The good news is that my band Physics for Poets has been fairly busy. We’re still writing new songs, planning some recordings, and also doing some shows. This week, for example, you can catch us with Minus World and Tupperware Remix Party on the following nights:

• Friday, July 8. Fredericton, NB. The Capital.
• Saturday, July 9. Saint John, NB. Pepper’s Pub.

In the last month, I’ve been inspired to begin work on some new material for The Trick, which is also coming along at a pleasantly swift pace. I’m working with some new hardware and placing some artificial limitations on my work process, both of which are keeping me focused on the songs at hand. I’m pretty excited about what’s come out of it so far.

To give you an idea, here’s a little demo I whipped up last week called “Never Late.” This is a rough recording of a work-in-progress, so by the time you hear it live it will probably sound different again, but at least you can get an idea of what I’m after. This particular song has already been rearranged with an added bridge, changed lyrics, and a few other differences.

Of the the other two demos I’ve been working on recently, one is a bit contemplative and unabashedly pretty, much like this song, while the other is a harsher bass-heavy bit of electronic bloopiness. I’m in the brainstorming phase right now, so I’m not really saying “no” to anything. Either way, I can’t wait to show you this stuff in the new year.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your year and that you have an even better one in 2011.

There’s no cover charge, although the station will be accepting donations from the audience. I will also be armed with copies of my new album, Krautrock, if you’d like to help out.

Big thanks to Tim, Nathalie, Sarah, and Michel for their work on this. More news coming soon.

On a completely different note, the next round of shows kicks off tomorrow with the CD launch at Gallery Connexion in Fredericton (York St., in the Chestnut complex). Cover will be $5 to get in, or $13 if you also want a CD. That’s a $2 savings from the normal price! I’ll be joined by Saint John’s synth pop maestro, Gary Flanagan. Doors at 7pm, music kicks off at 8. And remember, this is open to all ages!

And finally, I’ve recently done a couple of interviews you can check out online:

• Here Magazine: This just came out today. The online version is a little screwy-looking, unfortunately, but you get the idea. Click here.
• CHSR: I was interviewed a couple weeks ago for CHSR’s Lunchbox program. You can hear a recorded version in mp3 format online by clicking here.

There you have it… The album “Krautrock” by The Trick really exists as a thing you can buy now. It may take a little time for it to makes its way out into the world, but when it does, I hope it ends up in your living room, kitchen, mp3 player, or wherever it is you listen to music.

The physical disc comes in a slick digipak with a kitty on the cover and some other shenanigans on the inside (i.e., some music). You can buy it from me directly at shows, but if you’re geographically challenged, you can also order a copy online and have it sent right to your house! Tell the mailman I said hello.

Buy “Krautrock” Online

There are also going to be other options down the road, including digital purchases, so I’ll be sure to let everyone know when those become a reality.

Update (Jun. 28/10): You can now grab a copy of the album at Backstreet Records in downtown Fredericton.

As with most things I do, the CD was a solo project from beginning to end. What you’ll hear is a labour of love that I wrote, guitared, sang, keyboarded, sequenced, recorded, and mixed by myself over the last couple of years. I hope you like it. Here’s a song from it:

The Trick – Four (mp3)

I’ve been absent from the live scene, but I’ve been busy regardless. For one, the CD is progressing well. I still won’t commit to anything more than “it’ll be done when it’s done,” but for what it’s worth, I’d say I’m at about the 90% mark now and feel more confident than ever that this thing will actually happen.

There are 8 songs — some old, some new. All of them sound better than they have before, I think. I know what order they’re going to appear in and I know what the cover is going to look like. From here, it’s just a little more polish and then the paperwork involved with getting it out the door.

On the side, I’ve also been working on an entirely unrelated music project. It’s too early for details, but myself and two friends have been making some pretty funky rock songs. It’s a more organic project than The Trick, since it features live bass and guitar, but the drums are likely to remain in the electronic realm. Hopefully we’ll get to share it with you sooner or later. But first we have to write some more songs.