Wedding Season by Sweet Niece

This is “Wedding Season” - a collection of songs bound together through the theme of being inspired by the life events we experienced, or were witness to, within our circle of friends and family during that one year while we were engaged to be wed. It also felt appropriate to release this album on December 1st, which is the date of our Wedding anniversary.

Now, despite what all that fluff may invoke, we are determined that this is NOT an album about love. Love is far too wise and too stupid; too dangerous, and too essential for us to dare claim to have encapsulated it within an album.

This is an album about signing The Contract.

It wouldn’t be right to call this group of songs a fully conceptual “story,” because it is only the beginning chapters of one couple’s
story, about an agreement which countless other wiser and braver hearts have made across time immemorial before we. To bind oneself in covenant with another soul. To sign the contract. To sacrifice and care, through sickness or health, until the binding breaks and the dust jacket tears and the paper returns to the dirt. When “joy” may be an act of resistance. When the tales of fairyland become more real than our hometown. When we are brave enough to write “and they lived happily ever after” on the first page, instead of the last, knowing it will not always be true.

If those hearts could wake up each day and sign the contract all over again, so can we. If we can do it, then so can you.

We believe in True Love.
We believe in us.
We believe in you.
Now… Let’s try again.

Jesica Lyn & Thomas Blake

Tracklist

1.	Let's Try Again	1:12

2.	Over The Wall	3:52

3.	Danica	3:30

4.	A Matter Of Time	5:01

5.	Making The Eyes	2:39

6.	A Contract, Signed	3:58

7.	Drums! Entr'acte!	1:58

8.	The Archer, The Arrow	4:36

9.	Gravedancer	4:18

10.	Either Way	3:23

11.	Chastity	3:37

12.	The Grand Finally	2:08

Credits

released December 1, 2023

All songs written and arranged by Blake & Jesica Russell.

Produced by Sweet Niece and Alex Strahle.

Recorded by Free Hallas and Blake Russell.

Engineered, mixed, & mastered by Blake Russell and Free Hallas

Album cover is a collage using figures from classical paintings set within a landscape painting by current and active artist Mimi Bilderwelt, used with permission. Collage created by Jesica Russell.

Lyric book design by Jesica Russell. All art used is within public domain.

In addition to several of our homes, much of this record was recorded on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood.

~~ Special Thanks ~~

We would like to thank our parents, Joel & Rebecca Russell and Jody & Gary Hargrove. You are beacons of support and encouragement, as well as tireless sounding boards and babysitters.

A very special thank you to Free Hallas, Shaun Valentine, and Alex Strahle, for sharing this journey with us. We are truly blessed in friendship.

Thanks to those who helped in ways big and small: Jordan, Mallory, Madison, Abigail, Jenifer, Jeremy, Susanna, & Ben. Brandon Petersen, Charlotte Valentine, Kate Lucitt, Ivy Skifstad, Dan & Shari Hallas, the
Hodgsons, Jack Strahle, Tamra Glaser, Tom & Beth Strahle, Dave & Carrie Valentine, Karen & Jim Covell, Jeff Bell & Trish Blessing, Dan & Anne Baumgartner, Joel & Elisha Larson, Brooke & Barnaby Coxon, Brendan Steere, Bill & Rebecca Beach, the Ritters, Susan Kanim, Mimi Bilderwelt & Andreas Bernhaut, and our beloved family members: Russells, Ternyiks, Rickerts, Sivertsons, Sazamas, & Hargroves for always listening, encouraging, and believing in fairy tales.

Above all, we give thanks to our Creator, for giving us life, breath, and song.

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