Plaid Dog Recording Project: Behind the Songs

Lake George

“Lake George” is about my returning to a place as an adult that I developed a deep connection with as a kid. Raised in northern New Jersey, I spent countless weekends in Lake George with my family and family friends, hanging out on the lake, camping, swimming, cliff jumping, tubing, water skiing, laughing uncontrollably, learning to love the outdoors and believing anything is possible. Then I “grew up.” The song is a reflection on how I felt as a kid, how I felt at the time of writing the song (April 2023), and how I felt about some of the ways my life unfolded in the interim. In part, the song is a reminder to myself that it’s never too late to change course, pursue a passion and follow a dream.

New Friends

“New Friends” is about the excitement and thrill of making new friends. The song is meant to celebrate new friends and their positive impact on your life.

Over the past couple of years I’ve made a bunch of new friends both in Cambridge, Massachusetts and while traveling in the United States and abroad. I love the feeling of connecting with people, learning about their stories and paths, and laughing a bunch as we get to know each other and begin spending more time together.

I wrote “New Friends” after two made new friends instances occurred. I met Eric after I performed a living room show in a house he lived in in Cambridge. We quickly started climbing, surfing, eating tacos and going out together a lot. I met Mike & Hope on a plane about to take off from Boston Logan to the Azores in Portugal. We connected quickly and then hung out together during our trip!

Shout out to all of the new friends I’ve made over the past few years. You all have lightened my mood and lifted me up in ways you probably aren’t even aware of.

Note: To state the obvious, I love all of my friends. This song is just particular to the feeling of making new friends :)

October

“October” is about my experience meeting and falling for someone while traveling abroad and then navigating feelings over time once I arrived back home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Having spent a short and wonderful three days together, we’ve continued to keep in touch for the past 10 months and counting.

At the end of August 2023, I was rehearsing in the band’s rehearsal room in Arlington, Massachusetts. After taking a break to catch up with her on the phone I grabbed the guitar to keep rehearsing my set. Instead this song started coming out and I spent the next hour writing it.