itunes!

my old computer died recently, and today i was finally able to get my whole itunes library back! i've been missing these songs forever, and wanting so badly to listen to them (especially since i've been so tired of listening to my own music ALL DAY LONG). thanks to ted for retrieving it for me.

maybe later

it's the name of my record. plus it's a song lyric - i was kind of dead set on naming on a song lyric rather than a song title. kyle and i came up with it on the ride to nyc, and since then it has FINALLY been confirmed. HELL yeah.

i've been really stressed that the record's not going to be done when we planned for it to, and we're starting to talk about alternative pressing ideas just to get a presale EP out for the west coast mini tour. we really do need to have something to sell - and i think doing a "limited addition" presale would be a great alternative to having the actual record pressed, but i'm worried that my parents (who are fronting me the shitload of money for recording) are going to be angry and/or disappointed. i suppose it's important to get across to them that this project is the most important in my life thus far, and it would be a shame to half-ass it.

we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. right now, i'm just happy we finally named the record.

the bitter end

the nyc trip was a huge success. i played the bitter end (which is one of the coolest little divey rock clubs EVER), and so many wonderful old friends came to surprise me at the show! my best friend maya took the train all the way from new haven, ct just to see me play. kyle and i had a great time, and i can't wait to play there again. we even got to walk around central park and visit the john lennon "imagine" memorial.

i got a myspace message the next day from a guy who was at the show, recommending that i play the bitter end's songwriter night. hopefully that'll happen, i just have to get in touch with the girl that hosts it.

for now, back to the recording grind! we only have until august 30th (when ted leaves for nashville) to finish all our recording!

photo shoot #1

pictures for vancouver press.

paradise : at the show

so i just had an amazing show at harper's ferry. not surprisingly, the reason why is because my wonderful friends from the paradise really came through for me. i love all you people.

harper's ferry is an interesting place... it's about the same square footage as the middle east downstairs, but it's booked like a small club. even if you get 50 people to come out to your show, the place looks practically deserted. last night however, my crowd was so supportive that their cheering made up for the almost empty dance floor. i'm so grateful for my incredible friends.

my favorite part of the show was playing with my wonderful band. ian was on fire with witty remarks as well and kick ass bass playing (even if he was playing through the peavey and not the cool new ampeg yet). james was bringin' it on every song, and kyle and i shared some awesome guitar moments. i felt like (although there were a few little slip-ups), things were really starting to come together.

i have a great life.

harpers ferry tuesday august 8

right now we're recording guitars on stranger. i get to listen right now, because kyle is ripping it up. later the band has rehearsal at jamspot for our show tomorrow @ harper's ferry. i'm excited because it's a pretty big club in allston, and i've been trying to get booked there for awhile. hopefully they won't be pissed at me for not dropping off posters today. i spent most of today and yesterday trying to get the posters printed and finished. copy cop on boylston (where i usally go to get things printed), all of a sudden up and closed, so i was forced to go to staples. staples is expensive, and takes longer than it should. i'm never going back there.

tomorrow, james zaner will be sitting in on drums because cam is out of town until after labor day. i miss cam. james rocks though. also, tomorrow the band is just a four piece, which is something i've never done before. i feel like i have to be better because i'll have less people covering up my mistakes. but it will be the first time i play a live show with my new les paul junior! i feel like a rock star whenever i put it on. it's small like me, but it kicks so much ass.

one thing i need to remember to do is make time to do earrings. i have orders already from a few of my mom's friends, and i really should get them done this week so i can send them out. plus, i'm really scraping the bottom of the bucket for cash. i need to make some money.

progress!

wednesday evening we brought matt pynn in to play some stuff. we ended up spending all night long recording and having way too much fun... we put some great lap steel and guitar on "i won't make a sound", a song i wrote for our good friend frank.

also, i met with garrett kramer, who will be designing my album art. he has some super awesome ideas and i'm totally psyched to work with him. he recommended a really cool photographer (http://www.halfasian.us).

things are starting to really move!

record credits

just to keep track.

unsettled : l. maestro/r. collins
larissa : vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Rhodes
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric guitars, Glockenspiel
adam ollendorff : pedal steel
andrea whaley : vocals
ted pennington : synthesizers
adam popick : bass
cam brousseau : drums


time : l. maestro/m. burtt
larissa : vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
matt pynn: electric guitar, solo
andrea whaley : vocals
charlie worsham : banjo
ted pennington : mandolin
ethan mentzer : bass
kyle ryan hurlbut : drums


i won't make a sound : l. maestro
larissa : vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, bass
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric guitars, solo
matt pynn : electric guitar, lap steel, vocals
charlie worsham : banjo
cam brousseau : drums


what did she say : l. maestro/r. collins
larissa : vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric guitars, piano
adam ollendorff : lap steel
adam popick : bass
cam brousseau : drums


invisible girl : l. maestro
larissa : vocals, piano, cello
kyle ryan hurlbut : piano, ambient noises


stranger : l. maestro
larissa : vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, high strung guitar, Rhodes
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric guitar, acoustic guitar
andrea whaley : vocals
adam ollendorff : lap steel
adam popick : bass
cam brousseau : drums


could you love me better : l. maestro/a. maestro-scherer/k. hurlbut
larissa : vocals, acoustic guitar
kyle ryan hurlbut : acoustic guitar
matt pynn: electric guitar

sink me : l. maestro/a. maestro-scherer/e. dillon
larissa : vocals, piano, cello
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric and acoustic guitars, accordion, vocals
adam ollendorff : dobro
ian kagey : bass
cam brousseau : drums


you better lie : l. maestro/e. mentzer
larissa : vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Rhodes
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric guitar, acoustic guitar
adam popick : bass
cam brousseau : drums


just as crazy : l. maestro/k. hurlbut
larissa : vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Rhodes
kyle ryan hurlbut : electric guitar, acoustic guitar
adam popick : bass
cam brousseau : drums


so young : l. maestro
larissa : vocals, acoustic guitar
kyle ryan hurlbut : bass, backwards guitar, vocals
adam popick : Rhodes, vocals

executive producers : ted pennington, cliff scherer, jane maestro-scherer
producers : kyle ryan hurlbut, ted pennington, larissa maestro
engineered by : ted pennington, james zaner, adam popick @ blue jay studios in carlisle, ma, wellspring sound in acton, ma, fox run studio in sudbury, ma & fruit fly studio in boston, ma
mixed and mastered by : rich mendelson, james zaner
booking : booking@larissamaestro.com
art direction : garrett kramer
photography : benjamin sloat, garrett kramer, amanda maestro-scherer
makeup and hair : andrea whaley

thank you : my crazy family (my wonderful parents and beautiful sister, and all the rest of you all over the world), mayapple, ruth collins, jesse terry, andrea whaley, ethan mentzer, james zaner, megan burtt, charlie worsham, adam popick, ed dillon, neale eckstein; everyone at the paradise rock club and lounge, matt pynn -- i never knew how hard i could rock until i met you, frank turner, beth ann chichetto, garrett; my band -- cam, ian, adamdorffer, you all are the most talented people i've ever known; robert rich, eliot rich, edson cabalfin, kevin lowe; my amazing teachers -- jennifer haywood, christine lowe-diemecke & everyone at ithaca talent education, joanne whitaker, pat pattison; teddingon -- you kick so much ass, and you've saved mine so many times, i couldn't have come close to getting this together without you! and kyle -- you continue to constantly amaze me. thank you for being a part of my life, and the life of this project.