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04.07.04
We caught up with Saba to discuss the release of Painting
Ceilings, a live recording from a recent benefit
show. Read on to learn how to win autographed copies
of Letters To Doe and Painting Ceilings!
 Tell
us about the new album.
The new album is a live recording of a show on March
6, 2004, at Lestats Coffeehouse in San Diego. It was
a show I put together that served as both a CD Recording
Party and a Benefit Show (the ticket sales from the
show were donated to the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation
in San Diego). With the support of everyone that came
out we managed to raise hundreds of dollars for the
foundation!
The CD is called Painting Ceilings and the title
comes from the lyrics to the song "In Your Place."
The song itself is about wanting to be anyone other
than who you are. The title of the CD is about taking
the limitations that you see for yourself (a.k.a. a
ceiling) and looking at them in a different way, or
reinterpreting/redefining them so that you can get closer
to where it is you want to be, instead of being in a
place that you feel stuck or trapped.
 What
makes it different from your last?
The new CD is entirely different than Letters To
Doe in that it’s live and you can hear a lot of
the interaction with the audience. The recording is
obviously more raw than the first, which was very produced,
but I thought it’d be a nice departure from what we
had already released. I wanted something simple and
representative of what I sound like live, which is sometimes
very different than the way an artist sounds on a recorded
and fully produced CD. It’s just a very honest recording.
That’s cool that you experimented with your own
sound. What are most of the songs about and do you
feel your songwriting has evolved? Anything new going
on soundwise on the new album?
Most of the songs are still about relationships, not
entirely about the relationship with a significant other,
but relationships with friends, family, and yourself.
I think my songwriting has evolved, at least I hope
so. I’m taking more chances lyrically, being more straightforward
and succinct rather than using a lot of metaphor or
vague lyrics. Some of the songs, especially "Victim"
and "Fuel" are more on the aggressive side. Those are
good songs for me to play to get out my frustrations…very
therapeutic.
Anyone special that worked on the CD with you?
 Adrianne,
another artist on your roster, drove down from Los Angeles
to open the show. I also got the chance to have three
incredible musicians join me on a few of the songs.
Andy Jensen on bass (part of a local San Diego band
called Cheeky), Marco on cajon, and Pete Thurston who
is a great San Diego-based singer/songwriter & guitar
god (he’s also worked a lot with Jason Mraz.).
Cool. So what are you hoping to do with the release
of your album?
With the release of this album I was just trying to
offer something different than what was already available.
I know that some of my favorite recordings are live
sets because you really get to hear what that person
sounds like, all their quirks and flaws (both in the
music and banter). I love hearing live shows, a lot
of which people are trading on the web. To me, they’re
just more interesting to listen to.
Any plans for more touring?
I definitely plan on hitting the road in the near future.
With a full time day job it’s a little harder to manage,
but I’m working on changing the circumstances so that
touring would be possible. Right now we’re working
on heading out to Boston and Northern California sometime
around May.
 Who
are you currently listening to?
Recently I’ve been listening to Damien Rice, Ani DiFranco,
and Maroon 5. Those are probably the most well known
people that I’ve been listening to. I definitely go
through phases, but I don’t listen to all that much
mainstream music. Mostly locals and underground CDs.
People that haven’t quite broken out quite yet…actually,
a lot of the artists on your roster.
Hey we dig that! Who would you tour with if you
could?
Oh, that’s a hard one… I’d love to go on tour period,
but there are so many people I would love to tour with.
To name a few artists: Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Ani
DiFranco, Ari Hest, Howie Day, I could probably name
about half a dozen more. There’s just so much talent
out there!
Yes there is! Including yourself! Thanks for taking
a few to chat with us – best of luck to you!
For more, visit www.sabamusic.com.
Purchase music from Saba here!
Interviewed by Kristen
Fischer
DiscoveringArtists.com
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