Pickin' Pear Records an Album

Hello GoFundMe Donors! It's been a while since our last update and we're sorry about that... but we have good news! We recorded an album!

We went to Memphis in January 2018 and recorded for 2 days at Royal Studios. We stayed at The Memphis Music Mansion and we had an absolutely amazing Memphis experience. We tried some new stuff out in the studio and ultimately we just feel like we might have rushed things by trying to record 10 songs in 2 days. When we listened to the recordings after the excitement wore off we just didn't love the way they sounded. We didn't want something we didn't love to be the first thing we put out into the world. It's our baby. Our little art project! We don't have any regrets about trying to record in Memphis. It was an amazing (although expensive) learning experience. 

In our minds, the only option at that point was to try again! However, we spent all the money we raised on GoFundMe and didn't feel right asking for more. So, we put our heads down, wheels on the road, and we went to work. We played exactly 200 shows in 16 states in 2018. We also put our music on pause for 2 months and went to work on a political campaign encouraging people to vote in Akron Ohio. After all that we were finally ready to hit record again. 

In late December 2018 we recorded 2 songs in Cincinnati OH at The Cathedral with drums (Robert Jennings) and bass (Matt Wolff). In January 2019 Tia, Matt and I returned to Lane Gibson Studios in Vermont. Tia and I had recorded there once before in 2015 with Canyon Collected. We knew this was our last chance to get something we loved so we wanted to recreate that comfortable and satisfying studio experience. We recorded for 3 days and mixed for 2 more. We feel so lucky to have Matt Wolff from Dissonance & Dissent join us on the five string electric bass. Matt and Leon were in a high school pop-punk band together. The opportunity to play music together again was years in the making. Matt labored over our songs for weeks leading up to the recording and it really shows on the album. Recording with Lane was such an enjoyable experience as well. He seemed to get into the songs and he really stepped up into a producer role by helping us add some great backing vocals in addition to his amazing engineering talents. 

This week Lane sent us our final round of mixes and we couldn't be happier with how this album is turning out. We will release the first single to you, our GoFundMe supporters, before anyone else. You deserve it! You've been so patient waiting for us to release this album. It's been almost 2 years in the making. You can look forward to hearing that by the beginning of April.

The next step is mastering which should be done by next week. The rest of the album artwork should also be finished within a week or so... At that point we'll be ready to release a single to the world. We are hoping to release the full album on Spotify, iTunes, and CD at the beginning of May.

Tia and I believe this album captures us at our best. This is the sound we wish we could create every night on stage. Having Matt on bass is a dream come true. Having Rob on drums adds so much flavor and fun that we simply can't recreate as a duo. We hope to continue to grow into this sound over the years. We believe it's going to take some time before we can afford to bring a band on the road with us full time. Until then we're going to keep playing shows across the country and recording our songs for you when we can. Our music dictates our lifestyle and our lifestyle dictates our music. Everywhere we go we are welcomed with smiling faces and open arms. We find ourselves saying it all the time so it seemed best that the name of the album should be Feels Like Home.

This journey is a long one and we can't say thanks enough for supporting us along the way. Thank you thank you thank you! Thank you a million times! 

We'll update you again soon. Stay tuned!

Leon & Tia

Pickin' Pear 
Feels Like Home (2019)

01 - Fresh Start (4:23)
02 - Let It All Go (5:29)
03 - 21st Century Blues (3:49)
04 - What Have You Done? (3:08)
05 - Paradise Valley (4:37)
06 - Whiskey Brain (8:00)
07 - Farther Than The Moon (3:44)
08 - She’s The Queen (4:32)
09 - Crazy Ray's Outrageous Gravy Parade (3:29)
10 - Burnt Toast (3:13)

Artwork by Lizzy Farley

$5000 is a Lot of Money
Since August 2017 we have lived in our minivan on the road with the goal of getting our music in the ears of as many people in as many places as possible.  The road generally pays for itself but it doesn't set us up to spend thousands of dollars on recording, mixing, mastering, and releasing a record. 

We need your help! 

By pre-ordering your copy of the album today you allow us to stress less about the ugly money side of the music business and focus 100% on the beautiful creative  side of it all. 

Pre-Order Today!

$10 - Digital Copy

$25 - CD + Digital Copy

$50 - CD + Digital Copy + Winter Hat (Limited)

$100 - CD + Digital Copy + Memphis Music                       Mansion House Concert (Limited)

$500 - House Concert  (USA)

http://www.gofundme.com/pickin-pear-at-royal-studios

We are so excited to keep barreling forward in this fast paced life of music together.  Please join us!

Lotsa Love,

Leon & Tia