Have you ever heard a song before it was recorded, and then been disappointed by the recorded version? Whether it’s a song by someone you’ve heard develop over time, or a song that you’ve only heard performed live or acoustically, that then gets “produced” into something completely lifeless in the studio?

Daphne Eckman just released her first studio album, Where You Left Me, and I’ve been looking forward to it, but also dreading it. I’ve heard these beautiful, personal songs many times over the last few years — mostly performed solo by Daphne on an acoustic guitar, but occasionally with other support. These are delicate, soul-wrenching songs that could easily be ruined by the wrong production choices. When the album was finally released recently, I was blown away.