Today is the official release day for “Light,” the 2nd chapter in my Atlas EP series! Hooray!

DOWNLOAD “LIGHT” ON iTUNES NOW!

iTunes, AmazonMP3, GooglePlay … or anywhere that sells digital music!

…. OR click here to subscribe to all of “Atlas” and receive 28+ songs throughout 2013, incl. exclusive art for each song, early downloads and more!

“LIGHT” RELEASE NOTES:

With the previous EP, “Darkness,” I recommended listening to it for the first time with the lights off and your eyes closed, which is how I spent most of my time writing it. During the writing of “Light“, I was fortunate enough to spend time soaking up inspiration in Hawaii, the brightest place I know. So this time ’round, I recommend listening to “Light” on the sunniest day you can find. Whether that means through headphones on your AM jog, or in your car with the windows rolled down, or laying on the grass in your favorite park, or in the sand on your favorite beach, or even indoors with the windows open and birds singing along. Find brightness anywhere, and that’s where this EP should be heard.

I wrote “Darkness” and “Light” as two sides of the same record. Although released separately, they make up side-A and side-B of one full-length album. “Darkness” finishes with the song “Uneven Odds,” a rather sad story, written from the perspective of someone who becomes the legal guardian of a very young boy who recently lost his parents. I wanted to write a song that tackles the incredibly difficult task of explaining the heaviness and purpose of darkness to an innocent child. The “Light” EP begins with the title track, which was written as the second half of that same story. The song is written from the perspective of the little boy from “Uneven Odds,” who is now an adult and becoming a parent himself. He has been given the gift of being the first to introduce the brightness and beauty of light to his newborn.

This EP tackles as many interpretations of “light” as I could imagine: heaven, weightlessness, exposure, hope, new life, fireworks and even stories projected onto screens. I had an incredible time exploring the theme of light within these songs and am so privileged to finally share with you the results.

TRACKLIST:

1. Light
2. You Are Enough
3. Heirloom
4. The Projectionist
5. In The Embers

GUESTS:

ROSS CHRISTOPHER (played Violins and Cellos on “You Are Enough” and “The Projectionist”) – Ross is pal of mine who came out with me on tour last fall. He’s such a talented musician and as I was writing the strings for these two songs, I knew he’d be the guy to bring them to life! Couldn’t be more pleased with how it all turned out! Ross is a wonderful songwriter and artist – listen to and support his lovely work here!

DAVID HODGES (played Piano on “Heirloom”) – As this song was coming together, I kept hearing a particular kind of piano, played in a particular kind of way in my head, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, when suddenly I realized, it was David playing on his upright piano that I was imagining. Truly one of the most gifted people I know and one of my very favorite humans on earth too! So thrilled with his gorgeous contribution to this song! Listen to and love David’s latest music here!

SETH RICHARDSON (played Upright Bass on “Heirloom”) – I’ve been wanting to have Seth as a guest for a while and finally the right song came along! Seth’s been a friend for a couple years now and I’ve admired his talent for a while – so thankful he was kind enough to lend me his gifts for this toe-tappin’ track! Listen to Seth’s amazing band, Moonsville Collective here!

KERA-LYNNE NEWMAN (played Fiddles on “Heirloom”) – This song was nearly finished when I decided “This song needs one more thing… fiddle.” I called up Kera, (who also joined me last fall on tour!) and she kindly obliged and shortly after sent me back the most lovely fiddle tracks I’ve ever heard! I’ve never featured this style of violin in my songs, and Kera was such a perfect fit! Fiddle was truly the missing piece of this song. Listen to Kera’s bands, Black Bonnet Ballyhoo & The Eskimo Girls.

DAN PERDUE (played Bass on “You Are Enough”) – As always, when a song comes along that warrants more than just a simple bass line, I call up my best pal, Dan, literally my favorite bassist of all time. As usual, he killed it. Very few people I know are masters of their instrument, and Dan is certainly one of the finest on the earth.

Thank you SO much for listening and for being a part of Atlas! I hope you enjoy this collection of songs!! I’m already hard at work on the next Atlas EP! (I’ll be announcing all of the remaining themes SOON… Can’t wait to share!)

Much Love,
Ryan – Sleeping At Last

I am SO thrilled to announce that my brand new 5-song EP, “Light” is available right NOW to all Atlas Passport holders!

If you’re a Passport holder, check your email – Your download is ready! If you’re not sure what I’m talking about and want to get each of my upcoming EPs (28+ songs in 2013!) earlier than the rest of the world, and get exclusive art by Geoff Benzing and more, visit here to learn more about my Atlas EP project and becoming a Passport holder! (All the cool kids are doing it)

OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE:

For those of you iTunes purists, the official release date for “Light” is June 11th! On that day it will be available everywhere digital music is sold! The iTunes Pre-Order should be up before the weekend! Keep an eye out!

CALIFORNIA SHOWS:

California pals – I’m playing your lovely Los Angeles region twice THIS WEEK!! (I’ll have a full band, including a string trio with me!) – Hope to see you!!

May 31st (fri) – The Hotel Cafe

June 1st (sat) – Make Music Pasadena Festival

Click on the dates above for details!

That’s it for today, friends! SO SO SO excited for you to hear “Light” – I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it!!

Much Love, Ryan – Sleeping At Last

p.s. here’s a list of things i love right now…

1. Dots (the most addicting iphone game i’ve played in a long, long while. many precious hours, gone.)
2. By The Way (jeff garlin’s new podcast series where he just has conversations with cool people, ie. jj abrams, jeff tweedy, etc. absolutely love it.)
3. Ben & Jerry’s “Phish Food” Ice Cream (it not only proves God exists, but it proves that God loves us. yum.
4. New Arrested Development NOW (i was worried it wouldn’t be great, but i totally love this new season. totally)

quick announcement!

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE – TONIGHT!

Just got word that the solo piano version of my song “Clockwork” will be a part of tonight’s Season Premiere of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE on FOX! So excited to be a part of this lovely show again! Tune in tonight in just a few minutes (7pm CST!)

NEW VERSION OF “CLOCKWORK” AVAILABLE NOW!

The version they’re using is titled “Clockwork (Piano Version)” which is a solo piano/vocal version that was only released for a limited time a year ago. Pleased to announce that this version is NOW available on iTunes!!

Download it on iTunes now!

Thanks for reading, guys! In “Atlas” related news, the mixing phase has officially begun, which means the “Light” EP will be released very soon!

Much Love, Ryan
Sleeping At Last

It’s only been a week and there’s already bunch of stuff I’m excited to tell you about!

I’M GONNA BE (500 Miles) – COVER!

Chances are that these lyrics will ring a bell for most of you: “I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more.” Place the melody? It’s an incredibly popular song from the late eighties by The Proclaimers. Why am I talking to you about The Proclaimer’s song? Well, because I covered it and its available on iTunes right now! Hope you enjoy it.

Download my version of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) now!

GREY’S ANATOMY – AGAIN!

My aforementioned cover of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” will be featured on tonight’s (5/9) Grey’s Anatomy!!! SO thrilled to be a part of the show again, just one week after they featured my song “Uneven Odds“! Honored to say the least. Tune in tonight (thurs) 9/8c on ABC!

ATLAS CD BOX SETS NOW SHIPPING!

So excited to announce that the CD version of Atlas: Darkness (along with the fancy Atlas: Year One Box!) is now shipping! Become a “Passport Plus” Member now and receive 6 CDs (28+ new songs!), mailed to you periodically throughout 2013! It’s like the fruit-of-the-month-club, for Sleeping At Last music.

They turned out beautifully!! Check ‘em out here!

Click here to purchase your Passport Plus CD Set now!

Psst… If you’re already a digital subscriber (Passport holder), check your inbox (spam folder too!) – We are sending out a special discount, if you’d like to upgrade your Passport!

That’s it for now! The “Light” EP is coming together – can’t wait to show you SOON!

Much Love, Ryan
Sleeping At Last

p.s. here’s a list of things i love right now:

1. blockbuster season (iron man 3, into darkness, man of steel, monsters university, gatsby, pacific rim and so many more. goodbye, money)
2. the giving keys (such a beautiful concept and product! learn more and support ‘em here!)
3. c.s. lewis (i don’t read neary as much as i’d like, but every time i crack open one of lewis’ books, i’m reminded of how much i adore the ideas and worlds he paints)
4. brene brown (maybe you’ve already seen one of her TED talks.. if not, do it right now. seriously…now.)

For those of you unaware, a “Passport Plus” is a 6-CD (28+ songs!) subscription to my new project, Atlas. 6 CD’s will be mailed to you periodically throughout 2013, as each EP releases. Each EP will feature exclusive art prints by Geoff Benzing of each song in the project (28+ in total! Also featuring lyrics on the back of each card), along with high-quality CD jacket, full-color printed CD and a special linen-wrapped, gold-foil printed box to store each of the releases safely in!

Order here!

 Order here!

Excited to tell you about a few things!

GREY’S ANATOMY TONIGHT!

So pumped to announce that tonight’s (thurs) episode of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy will feature my song “Uneven Odds” from my recent Atlas EP “Darkness“! So so honored to be a part of the show again!! Hope you’ll tune in! Tonight, 8PM CST on ABC!

FREE SONG DOWNLOAD & PERFORMANCE!

Immediately following tonight’s Grey’s episode, the wonderful folks at ABC are giving away a FREE download of my song “Uneven Odds” for a limited time! AND while you’re there, check out the recent performance I did for ABC and Disney! Such a fun (and nerve-racking) experience!

Click here to check it out!

2 CALI SHOWS ANNOUNCED!

So thrilled to announce 2 Southern California shows coming up!!

May 31st - at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood
June 1st - “Make Music Pasadena” Festival in Pasadena

California is truly one of my favorite places in the world and I just cannot wait to play and I hope to see you there! I’ll have a band with me, including a string trio! Hooray! Click here for more info!

More news coming your way soon! Thanks so much for reading!

Much love,
Ryan – Sleeping At Last

PS here’s a list of things i love right now… (tv edition!)

1. New Season of Arrested Development (seriously may 26th cannot come soon enough! “hey, brother…”)
2. Mad Men (new season is great so far. been a fav show for a while now)
3. Parks & Rec (my goodness, what a lovely show. took a little while to get on board, but has since become an all time fav)
4. America in Primetime (4-part documentary about television that is incredible. watch. it.)

• Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – songs: “Uneven Odds” from Atlas: Darkness, Cover of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” from I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – Single, ”Tethered” from Yearbook & “Quicksand” from Keep No Score

• Fun Size (Paramount/Nickelodeon) – song: “Masquerade” from Masquerade – Single

• So You Think You Can Dance (FOX) – song: “Turning Page” from the Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, “Clockwork (Piano Version)” from Clockwork (Piano Version) – Single.

• Bones (FOX) – song: “From The Ground Up” from Yearbook

• Private Practice (ABC) – songs: “Emphasis,” “Wires,” “Watermark” & “Homesick” from Yearbook

• The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 (Summit/Lions Gate) – songs: “Turning Page” & “Turning Page (Instrumental)” from the Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 OST

• Kid President – “Pep Talk” (Soulpancake) – song: “Households” from Yearbook

NEW LIMITED EDITION SHIRT: “DARKNESS”

For each of this year’s Atlas EPs (6 total!), we are making a limited edition merch item!! Behold the brand-new, ultra limited edition shirt for the EP “Darkness,” which features full-color artwork from this latest Atlas EP! Hope you like it!

(Pssst… If you’re a Passport Plus member, you’ll get an exclusive discount for each of these limited edition Atlas items! Hooray! Speaking of, keep an eye on your email – You’ll find a 20% off coupon as a Passport Plus Perk super soon!)

Check out/Order the shirt here!!

KID PRESIDENT + PRES. OBAMA + SLEEPING AT LAST!

This morning, the incredible (and now a household name) Kid President posted a new video from his time visiting the Obama family at the White House! So fun! President Obama (aka Adult President) gives KP a tour around the Oval Office. It just so happens you might hear some familiar music on this lovely video too! Check it out and keep your ears peeled for my song “Next To Me“! (I think only eyes can be “peeled” but you get the idea…) 17+ Million plays later, it’s so exciting to see how far Kid President‘s wonderful and sweet message has traveled since his epic “Pep Talk” a couple months ago… So privileged to be a part of his adventure!

“LIGHT” EP PROGRESS REPORT

Since the release of the 1st Atlas EP, “Darkness,” I’ve been working away on the next chapter, “Light.” It’s coming together real nice so far! I wrote a blog post detailing the progress… Check it out here, if you’re interested in following along!

Thanks for reading, folks!

Much love, Ryan – Sleeping At Last

ps here’s another list of things i love lately:

1. Cry Baby Candy (these little doozies are my childhood in the form of sour candy)
2. GoPro “Hero3″ Camera (my amazing mom got me one as a gift recently… i love it. makes me want to adventure more)
3. Mophie “Helium” Juice Pack (a battery-case for iphone 5. it’s a life saver, in a 1st-world-problem kind of way…)
4. “Finding Dory” (just announced that pixar’s making a sequel to finding nemo! can. not. wait. “just keep swimming”)

Just a SUPER quick note to wish you and yours an absolutely beautiful and restful Easter Weekend!

I also wanted to let you know that we’re having a 24-hour Easter Sale in the Sleeping At Last store! 20% off ALL CLOTHING! Shirts, Onesies, you name it.

Browse the store here, and enter in the code EASTEREGG when you check out!

(Sale ends at 12:01 CST AM on April 1st!)

I’m working away on the next Atlas EP, “Light” – lots of news and info coming soon! Happy Easter, guys!

Much love, Ryan – Sleeping At Last

p.s. here’s a list of things i love right now:

1. orange tic tacs (i don’t like any other tic tac flavor… but orange is something else. i treat ‘em as if they are candy rather than mints. so. what.)
2. justin timberlake on SNL (some celebrities are just masters of their craft. jt is an all around master entertainer… his latest snl appearance is no exception. so. funny.)
3. gesundheit! (such a fun and beautifully drawn/designed puzzle game on iOS)
4. arrested development (seen it probably 3 times through. rewatched a few episodes recently to prep for the new season, and goodness.. i think it’s my favorite tv comedy show of all time. it’s flawless.)

I’m taking a moment away from writing songs for my upcoming EP “Light” to let you know about some cool stuff I’m making available with the rad folks at BandPage!

Using BandPage’s brand new “Experiences” storefront, I am offering a few rare and never-before available Sleeping At Last items for sale!

1. CUSTOM LYRIC ART made just for you by me! Partnering up with the wonderful folks at InstaThis, I’m offering a handful of custom-made pieces of art based around your favorite Sleeping At Last lyric. You choose and email us the lyric of your choosing, and using photography and typography, I’ll create a 1 of a kind piece of art just for you, printed with perfection onto 16″ x 16″ wood. (See examples here!) Details.

2. SKYPE HANGOUT for Charity! I’m offering a couple 1 hour Skype Hangouts where I can play you a few songs of your choosing, we can chat about songwriting or I can even teach you how to play some Sleeping At Last songs if you’d like! Let’s hang out! Proceeds go to help First Response Team of America, who devote their lives to helping people effected by natural disaster. Details.

3. VINYL TEST PRESSINGS of both “Storyboards” and “Keep No Score.” Very rare. Only 2 of each album will be made available! Details.

Excited to make these things available! Thanks for reading and for taking a look! Well, I better get back to working on the next Atlas EP, “Light” which will be coming your way very soon!

Tons of love to you!!

Love, Ryan – Sleeping At Last

here’s a list of things i love right now…

1. the west wing (yeah, i’m crazy late to this party, but i sure do love this show!)
2. brand-new mickey mouse cartoons! (mickey’s back and these shorts look SO good!)
3. hawaii (having just returned from an incredible inspiration trip there for the upcoming eps, i can confirm that hawaii is still my favorite place in the universe)
4. InstaThis (make beautiful wall art from of your instagram photos!)