Sam Newton

Thanks for visiting my page and taking an interest in my project.

This album has been 2 years in the making.
Immediately after the adrenaline from my first EP died down, which was around early 2012, I started seeking out ways that I could get another release together. The only problem back then, as it is now and forever, was money. At the time, I was smack in the middle of studying my double degree in music and education at Uni. In between playing gigs for next to nothing and studying for my degree, there was very little time to make any sort of money that would fund a full album. And the worst thing was that I already had many of the songs ready to go - arrangements and all.

Here's a clipping from a newspaper feature on me at the time:



Self-titled EP (2011)


Here's how the Sydney Morning Herald described my EP:
"Newton’s debut EP carries enough weight to demand more than a courteous glance in his direction."

One day, around mid-2012, I got a facebook message from a PHD candidate named Pat O'Grady. Pat was doing his research on studio-based songwriting and wanted to use me and my music in said research. We were to co-produce an album. I could not believe my luck.

So far, we have brought in countless talented musicians and mixed 90% of all of the tracks. These range from chilled out fingerpicking to all-out energetic murder ballads. Like many debuts, mine can be seen as a collection of my favourite songs that I have written to date which I feel need to be cemented into history with the help through an official release. 
Similar to my EP which demonstrated my love for lush arrangements, this album features songs with violin, cello, pedal steel, dobro, banjo, trumpet, tenor sax, trombone, electric guitar, trichordo bazouki, piano, rhodes, organ, harmonica, upright and electric bass, congas, drum kit, layered harmonies and acoustic guitar. It was only last week that the final session players were brought in - adding some Nashville style telecaster and a brass trio.
After hundreds of hours, the recording process of the album is finished.

Here are some pics taken from the Studio:
 
 
 
  
 For a full gallery of photos from the recording process, check out the page on my website: The Making of My Debut Album


Vinyl Pressing:
While it is true that I could save money at this stage by using offshore pressing plants, I'd rather pay a little bit more and support Australian businesses. So, I've decided to use the Melbourne based company 'Zenith Records'. They are one of the few vinyl pressing plants left in the country and my research on them is all positive.


Music Video and Album Artwork:
After asking around, a friend of mine put me onto a Sydney-based artist and animator by the name of Sarah Eddowes. Sarah is a highly accomplished animator and artist. She studied Painting at UNSW COFA in 2006, went on exchange to Paris in order to study painting and animation for 6 months, received her Masters of Animation at UTS in 2010, and more recently studied Visual Effects at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (2012). Don't just take her studies as an indicator of skill. Check out some of her work below:

  
Ian Cooper 2009 Oil on Canvas                            Alice Gryphon & Mock Turtle

Music video for Sydney band, My Sauce Good. (2013)

Sarah's Showreel (2013)

The track that I have decided to make a music video for is one called 'Bills's Lost Love'. I'll be sure to keep you all updated on the progress of this video.


Verdict:
I am extremely happy with this, my first full-length album. Writing, releasing and performing original music is one of the hardest things to do in the current climate of today's Australian music industry. With very little financial incentive, this is truly a work of musical expression, passion and love, and I hope that will be felt by you - the listeners. If so, please show your support for completely independent musicians and help me get this album out in a way that it deserves. 


Extra stuff...
* I will be posting up some of the unmastered tracks from this album to my SoundCloud as this Pozible campaign stretches out.
* With the help of Sarah, I'll be posting up shorts from the music video as the project progresses
* If I am able to surpass my goal of mastering by more than $1000, I am going to have T-shirts made and sent along with any orders $70 and over.

Thanks for investing your time... and hopefully your money.

-Sam

Here is where the money will go:
* $2500 * Animated Music Video (by Sarah Eddowes - a very talented Sydney artist and animator)
* $500 * Album Artwork (Sarah Eddowes)
* $2500 *  Vinyl + CD Pressing

Secondary Goal accounts for
* $1500 * Vinyl %20 iTunes Mastering
and then...
* $1000 * Merchandising e.g. T-shirts
I am investing countless hours into my own PR and publicity. There are also extra costs that I am accounting for in my own budget - such as touring, merchandising and the percentage that Pozible takes by providing this service.

My biggest fear is not meeting my goal and having to push the album back another 6 months. A delay in this release, means all future releases will suffer and I want my music career to creatively move forward and progress.