i'm thrilled to announce the release of my new album, 'heart broken open!' please click on the 'samples' link at left to hear some of the songs, and if you'd like to buy, click the 'purchase' link to find out which online stores are currently carrying it. clicking the album cover at right will open up a flash slideshow with the album's full artwork, photos, credits and lyrics.

making this album has been a journey that began when i first started writing these songs about 10 years ago, during a time when i was going through a crisis of belief and a test of mental mettle. but what really set things in motion was my move away from my home, friends and family in the new york city area to the relative seclusion of the berkshires in western massachusetts, followed by the break-up of my marriage, a relationship that had spanned nearly a decade of my life.

the tracking for the record began in the winter of 2005 in an old red barn in a fairly remote part of the berkshire hills, where i lived alone and worked. from those humble beginnings of raw acoustic guitar, piano and vocal tracks, the production grew into a major undertaking, drawing upon the talents of more than 20 musicians, engineers and producers hailing from new jersey, new york, connecticut, massachusetts and pennsylvania. working closely with long-time friend and co-producer thom soriano, i was taken on a journey of discovery, as the songs showed us where they needed to go, how they wanted to sound. during this long and winding process, there were many, many twists in the road, many moments of surprise and revelation and plenty of deconstruction and painstaking rebuilds. this one has certainly taken its own time to come through, but the finished piece is something that, i feel, reflects all the care, love and life that was put into it.

i think of this album as an internal travelogue. it's a record of the thoughts and feelings i've experienced as i've gone through a period of intense challenge and change in my life. through all of it, this record has been my constant companion and my motivation to keep my head and heart above water and my feet moving forward. during the years i've spent writing and producing it, this record has meant the world to me. and now that it's out, i sincerely hope it comes to mean something to you, as well.

thanks for listening.

robert