How I’m Restructuring My Releases (and Why It Matters)

Over the past few months, I’ve been writing steadily, following stories from archaeology, natural history, space science, ecology, and whatever else crosses my desk and sparks something musical. I’ve noticed a pattern taking shape. A lot of these songs aren’t tied to place the way my “Songs for the Land” pieces are. They’re tied to curiosity — the kind that comes from reading an article, pausing for a moment, and thinking, “There’s music in this.”

That’s how the new compilation, Songs About Science and Natural History, came to life. It wasn’t planned. It grew naturally as the songs kept stacking up. Each one starts the same way: I read something that catches my attention, I start sketching chords, I talk with one of the ensembles about what might fit their sound, and before long I’m mixing down another track that belongs in this growing collection of science-inspired work.

Part of the reason I’m organizing these compilations more deliberately now is simple practicality. My catalog has grown quickly, and it needs clearer shelves. Bandcamp is where I sell the music, and it’s important to make it easy for people to find groups of related songs without digging through a long list. Putting these pieces into compilations helps listeners understand where each project belongs — and it helps me stay organized as the writing pace continues.

This shift also reflects the way I’m approaching the label as a whole. I’ve simplified things: everything uploads to one Bandcamp page, all streaming previews go to a single SoundCloud account, ensembles keep their identity in the performances, and Sweet Songs remains the publishing voice. It keeps the tradition of what I’ve always done — write, teach, perform, compose — but presents it in a way that’s clearer and easier to maintain.

Additionally, I've created a Songs Archive site here, that will allow me to archive singles over the years in one place, sorted by date of creation.  It's a work in progress.  I only have some November releases up, and a few others, but it will fill up over time.

So “Songs About Science and Natural History” is really just the next step in that process. A collection for the pieces that aren’t tied to land or region, but still rooted in something real, something learned, something discovered. I’m looking forward to adding more to it as new stories come along.

If you’ve been following the music, thank you. These projects keep me inspired, and each release helps support the work that goes into writing, recording, rehearsing, and mixing. More songs are on the way.