Witnessing a Birth

Well, that's what it felt like at noon when I received a very interesting e-mail from a Grant Hart fan.

People, we have a release date for "The Argument." I think I will be counting the minutes to July 22nd!

Not only do we have a release date, we have a publicity page.

And if you scroll down past the charming publicity photo and very well written article, you will find Soundcloud links to two (non-downloadable) preview tracks: Is the Sky the Limit, and Letting Me Out.

The latter track rips along at a fantastic pace, sounding a lot like Buddy Holly, but listen to the wry humor in the lyrics. This is the part where Satan is bargaining with Sin and Death to let him out of hell to wreak havoc upon the earth, and thus begin sending along lots of unfortunate souls to keep the two evil ones' appetites satisfied. Heavy subject matter, but a really danceable tune. Whoa!

This brings me to Is the Sky the Limit. Oh. My. God. I listened to it for the first time, via headphones and iPhone, while attempting to eat my lunch in the cafeteria at work. I ended up trying not to weep over my sandwich. I have loved the song since I first started hearing Grant play it live, just himself and his guitar. But this -- the full band arrangement -- finally hearing what Grant intended, completely -- words fail.

I know how hard he has worked. I know how many challenges and roadblocks he had while trying to bring the project to completion. To use a childbirth metaphor, it was probably the longest transition stage on record. Want to push...need to push...but it's not time yet.

Finally, he DID get to push, and hearing Is the Sky the Limit for the first time was like watching a newborn burst forth into the world. Grant did not simply work on a project. No. He grew it, he shaped it, and now, triumphantly, he has BIRTHED it.

Now, to have the patience to wait for the release so I can hear every single bit of it! That's not going to be easy...