friends, i am mailing and dropping off vinyls the next couple of days.  and as a capstone, i thought i might share some thoughts on why consuming longform art is important.  a bit long winded on this one, maybe in homage or protest, but it seems timely. a lot of you might already know this, but yesterday i learned that Pitchfork sold to GQ magazine, … Continue reading 1.31.24 pitchfork/bandcamp/consumelongform

friends, we are hosting a responsorial listening party Saturday, November 18th, 6pm, at Necessity Coffee in Encinitas, CA. we will collectively listen through the test pressing of the record and share some coffee+tea. there is a one drink minimum for purchase, however the event itself is free. here are the details:-11.18.23 6pm-Necessity Coffee, 102 2nd st, Encinitas CA-free to attend, 1 drink purchase minimum (+a … Continue reading 11.4.23 san diego listening party

friends, unfortunately I am having to push back the release of the responsorial. the new release date is, tentatively, 11.30.23. the initial pressing of the vinyl had significant factory wear and tear, and while the errors are primarily cosmetic, there are audio quality issues as well, and I do not feel comfortable releasing this version of the album as is. I have been in touch … Continue reading 10.25.23 vinyl release update

friends, THE RESPONSORIAL is set to release (globally) November 1, 2023. that is All Saints Day, which i think fits the aesthetic of the record rather nicely, a nuanced and fitting suggestion from my partner. the vinyls are being manufactured in Nashville by United Record Pressings following an extensive vinyl mastering process completed by Wes Garland. they should arrive early October, and i’ll be shipping … Continue reading 9.10.23 vinyl release date and accommodating the stylus

Friends, pre-orders for The Responsorial are live at davidliestman.bandcamp.com in vinyl, vinyl bundle, and digital download editions. The accompanying zine is also available for immediate order. I am beyond excited and overwhelmed. The album should drop in late August, officially, as in, officially. Our first listening party happened this past Sunday in OKC at The Big Friendly for a group of 20 people, all friends … Continue reading 6.27.23 pre-orders are LIVE

Friends, The Responsorial reels are officially at United Record Pressing in Nashville, being prepped for vinyl production on the SAME equipment that cut Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited and White Stripes masters.  All things go, URP engineers will create the lacquer masters and test pressings within the next two weeks, Steve and I will review the test press and make sure all things sound good and … Continue reading 5.19.23 reels in Nashville!

Jonathan Pickett, who directed a tinydesk performance for me, spent a day with Steve and I in the studio this past weekend filming some of the analog recording of the responsorial. Jonathan is cinematically brilliant, and I am very excited to once again collaborate with him. Not sure when we will air that project, but here are some long overdue videos that Jonathan shot on … Continue reading 5.3.22 performance videos and mini recording doc

Recording is ongoing, however taking much longer than expected due to COVID concerns, holidays, funerals, weddings, mental health, new jobs, finances, technical difficulties, and a variety of other very-human factors.  We are about 60% finished in the studio, and I was just quoted that vinyl orders are 9 months backlogged at the moment due to supply chain issues.  That to say, I do not foresee album … Continue reading 1.4.22 updates and thanks

a couple of days ago, my friends Stephen and Adrienne helped me to record an art song (music set to poetry) I had written in college using 3 stanzas from Ray Bradbury’s poem, “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” it’s a perfect performance caught entirely on analog tape, with surprisingly low noise floor, and surprisingly hi-fidelity for the format. earlier this month, we recorded 2 more, … Continue reading 10.31.21 Person, Place, Time (and what’s happening with the responsorial anyway?)

The right of passage has been carved out for me by hundreds of artists from whom I have drawn inspiration and whose art I have borrowed and stolen. I would like to name some of the musicians, and their respective albums, that I have drawn from. Like this: -D’Angelo, Voodoo:  D’Angelo is leading the analogue revolution (or what I hope becomes a revolution).  In the … Continue reading 9.6.21 works cited #1