Blurain by Blurain
Ponies and Powerchords was my titanic achievement at the time, and 9 days later I released a new song. I then started looking back at Ponies and Powerchords with a more refined ear, and found that there were several quirks about the album's mixing that just didn't sit right with me. The cymbals were too loud, the guitars had too much bass, the mixes felt too chaotic. I wanted to fix this, so I began recording a brand new album and started experimenting with mixing and mastering.
Besides mixing and mastering, another road I wanted to polish were my lyrics. Invite more storytelling and personality through them. I feel like songs like The Tale of Nightmare Moon, Bones Of Ancient Evil, Let's See You Try To Be Me, and Like Mother Not Like Son emphasize this well.
Around this time, I had acquired an old, beat up guitar from a relatively unknown brand called "First Act." Apparently, they make beginner guitars. I got mine for free and sent it off to be refurbished and restrung. I was then told that the guitar's neck was bent and unsalvageable, until I got it back a few days later. This was Shadow Note, and I specifically asked for him to be tuned to Drop C. He was. Shadow Note became one of the most important guitars for my guitar collection. Her Destiny, Overthrown (Continuation), and Dear Luna were all forged from the strings of Shadow Note.
This was the first album where I asked for a bit of help from other bronies, not just my lifelong online friends and my school buddies. I was honestly shaking nervous when Thrack joined the stream where I was forging Go Out There And Make Some Friends, and I was even more nervous when immediately after the stream, asking if he wanted to record the drums for the song. Skullbuster mentioned his "Collab Arc" in a VC one time when I was there, and I don't remember the details, but I believe I made a collab joke, and it ended up with him writing the verse lyrics to Tale Of An Honorary Yak and recording them.
A while back ago, me and my best friend from school were hanging out in Pony Town, and a random pony walked up to us and said they wanted to draw us. This was OrionStarShine, and this was the first time we met. We found his YouTube and Twitter, and started talking. Orion is so cool! His art style is unique and absolutely spectacular, and I even asked him if he could do the cover art for the original Breaking The Day, the redux of Best Pony (Checking In), and even Empty Smiles off this record. One day, they drew my Pony Town character playing a little guitar. Of course, I thought it was amazing, and asked if I could use it for maybe an album cover down the line. That drawing then went on to be used for my self titled album, and I still love it! Thank you so much, Orion! :D
Self Titled then took the throne as my personal best album. Even today, I listen back to this thing on the iPod (iPony), and marvel at how I was able to achieve these sounds, these stories, this album. However, there was a problem: The bass is midi. It's all I had, A New Era and Ponies and Powerchords used midi bass because I didn't have a bass guitar to play or record (YET), but I digress. For today, my Self Titled Pony Album stands tall as my crowning achievement. I still believe that some of my best material lives on this self titled record, from the riffs in Her Destiny and Bones Of Ancient Evil, to the stories of The Tale Of Nightmare Moon and Overthrown (Continuation), to the laments of Like Mother Not Like Son and Dear Luna.
Tracklist
Credits
Skullbuster: Lyrics and Vocals on Track 10
Thrack: Drums and Vocal on Track 12
OrionStarShine: Artwork and Extra Lyrics on Track 5
