Writing for this album began in January 2006 with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson working in Toronto, Canada, and Neil Peart residing in California. The band recorded it in November 2006 through January 2007 at Allaire Studios, Shokan, New York and a small Toronto studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz. Available both as a digipack and regular jewel.
The Most beautiful destination recording studio in the world. Welcome to Allaire!
Allaire is located two hours north of New York City and is accessible by car, bus or train. The studios are the creation of photographer/musician Randall Wallace and are situated at Glen Tonche, a stunning mountaintop estate built in the mid-1920’s by Raymond Pitcairn.
There are three studios at Allaire: the Great Hall, with its sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains, will house an eighty input navy blue SSL 9000J console; the Neve Room, which overlooks New York’s Ashokan Reservoir and the Pro Tools-equipped Project Studio.
![Studio Studio](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/6e/59/ed/6e59ed867852c964ab4d9654271ff87a--dream-studio-studio-art.jpg)
Since opening, Allaire has hosted artists such as David Bowie, Norah Jones, Tim McGraw, Dar Williams, the Gipsy Kings, My Morning Jacket, Donald Fagen, Jason Mraz, Audra McDonald, Staind and many others.
Allaire represents a different approach to record production, combining studios, first class accommodations and dining as well as a staggering array of instruments and recording gear under one roof.
Allaire is a residential studio offering finest equipment (new and vintage), great sounding rooms and full-time technical support.The comfortable and tastefully furnished accommodations include tennis, heated pool, jacuzzi, archery, hiking and a game room with over twenty pinball and arcade games! The on site chef can prepare delicious meals tailored to suit the specific taste of each client.
Veteran engineer/studio manager Mark Mckenna and his superb staff look after some very special artists who have recorded/mixed there -- Norah Jones, David Bowie, just to drop a few names! Craig Street with engineer Husky Hoskulds had just finished mixing the Gipsey Kings and were thrilled with the sound of the SSL 9K. The production team used the Great Hall itself as a live reverb chamber, making use of the room's nearly 90,000 cubic foot volume for natural reverb. A smaller space, the nearby men's room, was also used as a chamber; watch out - even the bathrooms can be mic'd up at Allaire! Craig and Husky dug the Augspurger monitors, and the dinners at sunset weren't bad either.
Tim and Neil Finn (of Split Enz and Crowded House fame) brought their band (and families) all the way from New Zealand to Allaire for a month's work with famed producer/arranger/engineer Tony Visconti and engineer/Pro Tools operator Mario McNulty. Tim, Neil & Co. made use of the Neve Room for tracking before moving to the Great Hall to complete overdubs. The artists and producer made use of Allaire's extensive instrument collection to enhance the recording; Banjo, mandolin, cello, upright bass, electric and acoustic guitars by Fender, Gretsch, Gibson and Martin, dulcimer, harmonium, mellotron, Vox Continental organ etc all made their way onto the tracks.