You can keep sharing sepia-toned photos of your tacos with hundreds of your closest Facebook followers if you want to. But Concord musician Rachel Vogelzang is waiting for the moment she gets to share the culmination of years of hard work.
Vogelzang’s first studio CD, Blocks, is set for a Nov. 1 release, with a Sept. 30 digital prelease to people who have pledged through her PledgeMusic campaign (more on that later). How long it has taken to produce the album isn’t precisely clear – the oldest song is five years old, the itch to record an album is about three, and the real push has come in the last eight or nine months – but the rush that will come with creating a tangible product has never really been in doubt.
“I’ll probably get really excited and post about it on social media a bunch,” Vogelzang said.
Of course, faithful supporters of Vogelzang would expect nothing less. She utilized the PledgeMusic platform, social media and her own website to share much of the album-making experience, with video updates and other information along the way. Those who have pledged have also received a handful of sweet exclusive benefits and will be first to hear the album with the aforementioned Sept. 30 drop.
“With the pledge drive, I’ve been able to share the whole process, and it wouldn’t have happened without so many people,” Vogelzang said. “The support from everyone keeps pushing me to play. It’s great to be able to produce an album with fans able to be along for the ride. Getting feedback, it’s all collaborative. It makes it easy to keep going.”
Where she’s been going is Rocking Horse Studio in Pittsfield, the same place other local luminaries like Pat and the Hats and Dusty Gray have recorded albums. She said the last nine months or so have been the busiest, with “crunch time” making up much of the last three months. But the studio recording was set to wrap up last weekend, she’s started selecting cover art and has a company on board ready to produce and ship the discs back to her.
“To put something like this together takes so much work and time and effort, and collaboration,” Vogelzang said. “And to complete that is a huge endeavor. It’s been a goal of mine for a long time.”
The sharing isn’t only on social media, either. Vogelzang will have a CD release party at True Brew Barista on Nov. 1 beginning at 7:30 p.m. She’ll play songs from the album, several of her musical friends will perform, and the $5 cover charge gets you in and also gets you a copy of the CD, which will sell for $10 otherwise.
It’s also not too late to contribute to the pledge campaign. Visit rachelvogelzang.com for all the details (and also to check out some of her tracks).
Blocks will feature eight original songs, seven of which are about “boys and relationships,” Vogelzang joked. But there’s also a tune, “21 Days,” about getting clean and sober, and Vogelzang said she’s starting to lean in the direction of more perse topics.
“I’m feeling a push as I get older to head in that direction,” she said. “To connect people and bring them together. (Music) gives you a platform to talk about things that are meaningful.”
And to listen to funky instruments, which there’s no shortage of on Blocks. The album features four songs with a “traditional full band,” Vogelzang said, but there’s also some accordian, English horn, cello, bass clarinet, upright bass and even an appearance by the mellotron.
In case you haven’t noticed, the music world has changed a lot in recent years. Justin Bieber is a thing, for instance. And one of the larger trends has been the shift from physical CDs to digital tracks, and Vogelzang wasn’t about to miss that train. Blocks is slated to be released on iTunes and Amazon, as well as some streaming options like Spotify and potentially others.
Not that some tried and true grassroots merchandising strategies don’t still work.
“I often hand out stuff for free to teenagers, because they’re the best marketers,” Vogelzang said.
She’s not done yet – she already has nearly enough songs for a second album, she said. Not that she’s rushing into the recording studio again just yet. Vogelzang is ready to enjoy the release of Blocks and the adrenaline rush that will come with seeing years of blood, sweat and tears come to fruition.
Especially with all the support she’s received, both from fellow local musicians and artists and people who reached out through the pledge campaign.
“I was able to make this album as well as it deserves to be made (because of the help),” she said. “I wanted to give them the best product I can give them, and as close to what I envisioned.”
