29 Hour Music People is a New York-based collective of musicians dedicated to the concept that albums can and should[1] be written and recorded in a single weekend.

Our BRAND NEW[2] third album, “VOLUME III: TRANSPORTATION,” is the product of one such weekend in June 2013[3]. As the title implies, we decided to write songs about various modes of getting around, which ended up including bicycles, rickshaws, Amtrak, brooms and crystal spirals. As always, lyrics were brainstormed on Friday night, music written and recorded[4]on Saturday, and vocals and tambourines[5] added on Sunday.

“Our unique writing process,” says bandleader Rob Christiansen, “can yield anything from complete nonsense to raw, fearless beauty.”[6]

We tried, as we always do, to improve on our past work, which means “VOLUME III: TRANSPORTATION” is better than “VOLUME I: SOFT ENO BLESSING” and “VOLUME II: SUMMER MUSIC,” which both came out in 2013, but not as good as “VOLUME IV: MANTRAS,” which is coming soon.

Christiansen, a musician and producer whose bands have included Eggs, Grenadine and Here Come the Warm Jets LIVE, made “VOLUME III” with Alan Black, Alan Blattberg, Jessica Bruder, Kate Edmundson, Kim Howie, Matty Karas, Cheri Leone, Chris McBurney, Dave Satkowski, Meave Shelton and Pam Weis, all of whom play, or have played, in bands you may or may not have heard of.

All 29 Hour Music People albums are available as pay-what-you-want downloads on Bandcamp (29hourmusicpeople.bandcamp.com). All proceeds go to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which pays the medical bills of working musicians.

FOOTNOTES:

  1. Actually, you should do whatever works best for you. This is what works for us.
  2. Release date: Dec. 4, 2015. This is the reason we’re sending you this bio, in case that isn’t clear.
  3. Wait, why didn’t we release it until December 2015? You’d be amazed how long it takes a dozen adults to sequence an 11-song album.
  4. Live, with everybody in one room.
  5. Only if necessary, like games 5, 6 and 7 of the World Series.
  6. It can also, if we’re being completely honest, yield regrets.