Album Notes

“Woke up early the day I died” is a collection of songs Jim Vallet recorded under the name Track a Tiger. The project began in August in 2003 after sifting through some old 4-track tapes and a notebook with a few song ideas. A 16-track digital recorder and a few microphones were bought and recording began in his Chicago apartment (listen close for a cat, squeaky wood floors and occasional late night drunken lover’s quarrel on the street below).

The songs started with acoustic guitar and then were slowly worked over a two-year period. Keyboards, guitars, banjo, cello, female harmonies and other assorted blips and bleeps were added. Jim Viner, an old friend back from their days in the Iowa City band Head Candy (Link/Elektra), added drums to seven tracks.

Deciding the project needed an ending point, time was booked in June 2005 at Paul Oldham’s Rove Studio in rural Shelbyville, Kentucky. Although happy with the mixes, it was decided some of the songs weren’t quite done. A few more lyrics were written, additional harmonies added, and the result was mixed and mastered by Pat Stolley at futureappletree Studio 1 in Rock Island, Illinois.

The sound? Moody. Lots of male-female harmonies. A little rock, but mostly slow, sad, sleepy late nights. Maybe Richard and Linda Thompson and the Sea and Cake having drinks in the living room while Low and Sonic Youth make dinner in the kitchen. Fleetwood Mac is out getting more ice.