NEW STUDIO BUILDOUT

Nineteen months ago, my dad and I began construction of my new studio, designed by acoustician Martin Pilchner at Pilchner Schoustal. Our goal is to have completed the space by summer of 2025.

The design concept is an oversized control room with lots of natural light, large enough to track an entire band, and connectivity for multiple production rigs to be running simultaneously, along with a separate tracking room and an amp locker, accessible from both the control room, and live room. I took my favorite elements from every studio I ever worked in, and brought them together here, for the way I like to work, which is very fast, and all at once.

Here’s an update of construction progress over the past year and a half.

GHOST ANNOUNCE NEW EP PRODUCED BY RICH COSTEY

Swedish metal band GHOST have announced a new five-song covers EP titled PHANTOMIME. Produced by Rich Costey. With my friend Matt Chamberlain on drums. I played synths, tapes, hammond B3 organ, mellotron, and marxophone. Out May 18th on Loma Vista Recordings. Track listing below.

  1. See No Evil

  2. Jesus He Knows Me

  3. Hanging Around

  4. Phantom Of The Opera

  5. We Don’t Need Another Hero

KESHA ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM PRODUCED BY RICK RUBIN

Kesha announces new album.

GAG ORDER out May 19 via Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. Produced by Rick Rubin.

I contributed the following:

Hate Me Harder - Felt piano, tapes, bass synths, mellotron, drum programming, samples and engineering.

Something To Believe In - Fuzz mustang bass, electric bass, Hammond B3 pedals, and prepared acoustic guitar.

Engineering on Something To Believe In, Hate Me Harder, Only Love Can Save Us Now, Peace & Quiet, and Drama.

I’d just finished moving the studio and all our belongings from Nashville to Vermont. Had flown back to Nashville, was picking up my wife and daughter. Empty house, empty fridge. I’m stuck in traffic on Gallatin Road, picking up burritos from Red Headed Stranger. The phone rings. “Can you zoom with Rick in 5 minutes?”

72 hours later, and I’m on a plane flying halfway around the world, with six checked flight cases, overstuffed with gear.

Discovered what it means to be pushed to new limits. No exaggeration, one of the most powerful experiences of my life (so far). Very proud to have been a part of this record.

Congrats Kesha. Can’t wait for the world to hear this beautiful album you made.

GUSTER SESSIONS WITH RON ANIELLO

Just back from working with Springsteen’s producer Ron Aniello in New Jersey last week, been recording new Guster songs. These shots are from tracking sessions last summer with Ron and Rich Costey at Guilford Sound in Southern Vermont. The sessions last week were my favorite Guster sessions I’ve been on in the 13 years since I joined the band.

REGINA SPEKTOR ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM

Super glad to have been a part of this one.

Regina Spektor’s new album Home, Before and After is out June 24th on Warner. Produced by Regina Spektor and John Congleton.

With Regina on vocals, piano, and keyboards, Joey Waronker on drums, Congleton as multi-instrumentalist, and orchestral arrangements by Jherek Bischoff. I played mustang bass, electric guitar, nylon string guitar, tapes, keyboards, mellotron and processing.

Very powerful and adventurous songwriting, can’t wait for the world to hear.

Thanks to Congleton for bringing me in.

Wishing this album all the best.

TRACKLISTING

01 Becoming All Alone
02 Up the Mountain
03 One Man’s Prayer
04 Raindrops
05 SugarMan
06 What Might Have Been
07 Spacetime Fairytale
08 Coin
09 Loveology
10 Through a Door

NEW PUBLISHING DEAL

Happy to announce I’ve signed a publishing deal with John Congleton and Domino Publishing.

Congleton and I first met during the Look Alive Guster recording sessions, and over the past three and a half years have developed a close working relationship and friendship.

I spent most of the pandemic at home working on songs in the studio, day in day out. Music was my lifeline that got me thru.

I believe my best work is still out in front of me. Here’s to the next chapter.

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BRISTON MARONEY ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM

Briston Maroney announces new album out April 9th, 2021 on Atlantic Records. Produced by John Congleton. I played electric guitar, bass, synths, celeste, mellotron and tapes. With two of my favorite musicians out there, Zach Dawes on bass and Joey Waronker on drums. Wishing Briston and this album all the best.

  1. Bottle Rocket

  2. It’s Still Cool If You Don’t

  3. Freeway

  4. Deep Sea Diver

  5. Why

  6. Rollercoaster

  7. Cinnimon

  8. The Kids

  9. Say My Name

  10. Sinkin’

Official music video for Briston Maroney's single 'It's Still Cool If You Don't' off of his forthcoming debut album 'Sunflower' which is due April 9.


NEW ALBUM OUT TODAY

My new album Vanishing Places Vol. 2 Glaciers In Iceland is out today.

It was recorded in Nashville last fall, with additional field recording in Iceland.

Mixed by Brad Bivens, mastered by John Baldwin. With additional contributions from glaciologist Oddur Sigurosson, arranger Stephen Lamb, Sam Smith and Dr. Kieran Baxter.

Available on my site or here.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ENDURANCE INSTALLATION

Two Hundred Fifty Glaciers, is the first piece from my new album, Vanishing Places Vol. 2 Glaciers In Iceland, one of the three commissioned pieces I made for CHANGE, a permanent art exhibit dedicated to examining and expressing response to vulnerable polar geographies.


The album’s worth of music that I made for the installation, incorporates field recordings I made in Iceland, data sonification, pedal steel, electric guitar and tapes.

This piece contains the same number of notes as the number of remaining glaciers in Iceland (two hundred fifty). I limited the harmonic content of the piece to thirteen pitches, each pitch representing one of the thirteen largest glaciers in Iceland. Simple and mutually compatible clusters of notes were recorded to four loops, then played back at different speeds.  The thirteen pitches re-combine throughout the piece to form new clusters of notes in an evolving soundscape.


I began by making field recordings in Iceland, then asked for help from glaciologist Oddur Sigurðsson to establish some parameters for the piece. My goals leading up to this project were to expand on some concepts from Vanishing Places Vol. 1 Bears Ears, and to attempt to tie certain aspects of the recording and composition process to the geography of Iceland.

I’ll share more details soon, but this is a project I am very excited to be a part of. Installation on the Endurance will take place in February, 2020 and is scheduled to depart April 2, 2020 out of Svalbard, Norway.

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MUSIC FOR PERMANENT ART INSTALLATION ABOARD NAT GEO ENDURANCE

Excited to announce my seventh studio album, Vanishing Places Vol. 2 Glaciers In Iceland.

Music commissioned for CHANGE, the first ever, permanent art exhibit presented aboard the National Geographic Endurance, by a wide range of artists, dedicated to examining and expressing response to vulnerable polar geographies.

The album’s worth of music that I made for the installation, incorporates field recordings I made in Iceland, data sonification, pedal steel, guitar and tapes. My goals leading up to this project were to expand on some concepts I’d been experimenting with on recording sessions and to attempt to tie certain aspects of the recording and composition process to the geography of Iceland.

More details coming in the New Year, but this is a project I am very excited to be a part of. Installation on the Endurance will take place in February, 2020 and is scheduled to depart April 2, 2020 out of Svalbard, Norway.

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NEW ALBUM OUT TODAY

I’m excited to announce that my new record, Vanishing Places Vol. 1 Bears Ears, is available today - one year to the day since I first began this project.

Listen to the album in it’s entirety here.

This album was written and recorded based on a series of field recordings I made in Bears Ears National Monument Utah after it was announced that the Trump Administration would reduce the National Monument by 85% in size — over 1 million acres, opening new mineral and oil and gas leasing opportunities, easing drilling regulations, and rolling back habitat protections for endangered species. The idea behind the project was to travel into wild places currently at risk, record the soundscape, then turn those field recordings into fully realized compositions back in the studio.

I wanted to record the soundscape in Bears Ears before it was changed, so after a few months of planning I packed up my field recorders and flew out to the desert. I first captured the soundscape, then synthesized those field recordings in different ways back in the studio. Those recordings became the foundation for this record, even if they’re now unrecognizable. With James Gadson on drums, and Lars Horntveth on horns and keyboards. The cover artwork is by Larry Bell.

You can make a direct contribution to my project by clicking here.

Luke Reynolds Vanishing Places Cover

VANISHING PLACES VOL. 1 BEARS EARS

I finished my new album, Vanishing Places Vol. 1 Bears Ears. It was written and recorded based on a series of field recordings I made in Bears Ears National Monument earlier this year.  The idea behind the project was to travel into wild places currently at risk, record the soundscape, then turn those field recordings into fully realized compositions back in the studio. James Gadson played drums and Lars Horntveth contributed horns, woodwinds, and keyboards.  The cover artwork is by Larry Bell. Produced by Luke Reynolds. Mixed by Brad Bivens. Mastered by John Baldwin.

CUBE #32 by Larry Bell courtesy Larry Bell Inc
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RECORDING JAMES GADSON

Yesterday we cut drums on two new songs of mine, with one of my favorite musicians of all time, James Gadson. Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen, especially my best friend Max Hart, Dave Cerminara for engineering, Jonathan Wilson for letting us into his studio, and Noah for helping line it all up. Most of all, thank you Gadson.

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Photos Max Hart

Photos Max Hart

RICHARD SWIFT

It fills me with sadness and frustration that our friend and collaborator Richard Swift has died.   My thoughts and condolences are with his family, especially his wife and three daughters whom he left behind. 

Richard was someone whom I deeply admired and meant so much to me.  

The last time I saw him in person, was at Electric Lady Studios in NYC after The Arcs played.  I'd brought with me a wild turkey feather and a chunk of quartz from the ground near the cabin to give to him.  I told him it was for good luck and to put it in his studio when he got back to Oregon.  He put it in the side pocket of his black trench coat, gave me a big hug and then I left to catch a subway home.  

To his family, I'm so deeply sorry for your loss.  

I don't even know what to say.  I hope you know peace.  I love you so much Swift.    

Love, Luke