New York is a busy, noisy, ridiculous place...

... and I've been enjoying every minute of it, for the most part.  The only real problem I've adjusting to the city is the subway.  I mean, it's not difficult to navigate, especially in Prospect Heights and lower Manhattan, which is generally where I spend my time.  But it's so LOUD.  I've almost given up using my iPod for subway trips, because the squeals, rattles, etc. are enough to drown out most anything that's not, like, at a constant and high volume level all the time.  Pretty much, anything that's not Hip Hop or Pop. Which is shitty because I've actually been listening to a lot of somewhat subtler, dynamic-heavy stuff recently, like Nadia Sirota's new album for solo viola (yes, someone actually made an album for solo viola), first things first.  It was recorded on New Amsterdam Records, the record label I've been working for.  I got to do a podcast to promote its release, which was sick because I got to hang out/get drunk with Nadia, Judd Greenstein, and Nico Muhly, three of my musical idols.  Nico especially is doing big things.  He just got the grant to write the next Metropolitan Opera. And he's like, 28.  Fuck.  Plus he runs a sweet blog.  Funny thing, the three of them know each other really well from a while back, so the interview was super fun and easy to do.  You can hear it here, if you go to the top right corner of the page and click "podcasts."  (There's also a note talking about it on the front page.)

Anyway, things are going well in Gets the Girl-ville.  Met with Allen the other day to talk over some GtG plans for the Summer.  Looks like we're doing two short 3-4 day tours in August (the 14-17 and the 21-24).  Then we played some basketball at the NYU gym.  Funny, I kept getting smoked by this short, muscular black dude, which was frustrating the hell out of me until I found out he played point guard at Stanford.  I felt a lot less bad after that.  

Oh, and I played "So Well" for the dudes at NewAm today and they liked a lot.  Sweet!  Approval from one of New York's hottest/trendiest/most intellectual labels is definitely a good thing.  Right now we're trying to decide if "So Well" should be our single off the new album or not... I think we're actually leaning toward "Half a Heart."  I'll leave you with lyrics:

Half a Heart

She doesn't wear her glasses much

Likes to keep the world an arm's length away

Says she can focus when she wants to

Doesn't bother to keep in touch

Gets caught up in the day-by-day

Says she can unwind if she has to

She's got half a heart to give

I got half a mind to say

"hold on a little longer, I think we're better off that way"

She keeps me catching up when I thought I was ahead

Got an arrow through my heart

But she was shooting for my head.

She's alright with crazy, 

says its just how she gets by

Says she can fake it when she wants to

She fades out like a movie

I hang on but she just slips away

Makes it sound like she has to

Chorus

Luv

L