I’m in the final stretch. Really. All I need to do is finish lyrics. The music is almost all done. Once the words are finished, I can sing the actual parts and then mix and be done with it. This CD has been very very different for me. It’s taken a long time. It’s been the most creative period I’ve ever experienced writing wise as well as how the songs are sounding. There are a lot of different types of instrumentation on this one. Which has changed the direction of a lot of the songs. Which is cool. I was working on one the other day which, since I have no words, is inventively called “New CGD”. Guess what the chords are? Anyway, it’s been kicking around for a while and had always been acoustic, bass, harmonica and a clean electric sound. But it wasn’t going anywhere. Just for fun I started playing around with some organ/piano sounds. It’s like a whole new song now. Which is really good. Now though, I’m stuck on the original melody, because I don’t think it works anymore. This has happened a few times. Another song, ‘Everything’. had stayed the same for over 9 months. A cool melody that was choppy and unusual, electric guitar, a piano and bass. Very sparse and simple. I really really liked it. I fell asleep and dreamed about that song about 2 weeks ago. I heard all these harmonies, and a horn part on it. When I woke up, I couldn’t really remember the dream, but the song was going through my head all day. Got home, played around with it and just like that, I have a NEW melody, harmony vocals, horns and it is really better than what I had before.
One of the hardest things sometimes for me as a songwriter is letting go of the initial version or idea of what a song should be. For whatever reason, it’s been necessary this time to change arrangements. melodies, instruments as I’ve gone along. I don’t think it’s because what I came up with at first was not good, it’s just that after living in the songs for a while, new parts have revealed themselves to me and have consistently made the songs better. It’s a weird idea to try to explain: ’listening’ to the song tell you what it should be when it only exists because I made it up. But then the song kind of takes over and shows you what it is. Yes, I know, I’m in control of it because I’m creating it. But it doesn’t feel that way. It’s more like hearing another song. One I already know. Even though I don’t because I’m making it up….
Last night I began work on a new song. All I had was an acoustic part. I hadn’t even tried to think up any melody, additional chord changes, or even what the overall feel or sound would be. Honestly, I started working on it because I was avoiding working on other songs. I thought it would be a good distraction. Sang with the acoustic. Quickly added another acoustic. Listened to it. Kinda nice. Added a bass. Some strings. An electric. WOW it kicks my ass. It’s really really pretty, majestic, soaring. I have found my album closer! Also, it’s very different from anything else on the CD. Remember that song from sesame street? the ‘which one of these things is not like the other…” I feel like that describes what’s going on with these songs. They are all very distinct. I’m sure someone from the outside would be able to show me a common thread, but outside of maybe 3-4 of them, I can’t believe they all came from me. Or maybe even belong together in a group. Yet they DO. I don’t know. I hate trying to define a ’sound’. I get asked this a lot-”What do you sound like”. Now in the music ‘business’ there is always conflicting advice: Tell people other groups you sound like, so it they’re fans of those groups, they will like you, and, never pigeonhole your self like that because you will alienate anyone who doesn’t like your influences/who you say you sound like. Another one is ‘tell people who you are NOT like and gleefully exclude them from your fan base.’ Gotta love how helpful those all are… : )
Forget that though, because I can’t really even tell you what my ’sound’ is. I have real rock songs, poppy songs, folk songs. country-ish songs, alternative songs, island-y songs, some latin songs, world music like songs, arty noise rock songs, songs with great hooks, some songs without choruses, songs that are less than a minute long, some that are over 6. Songs that are very much direct personal experience, some observational songs. Songs about the world, songs about mountains. Some are acoustic. Some have vocals run through a distortion pedal. Some have guitar solos. Most do not. What do I call it? beats me. It’s rock. It’s folk. It’s rootsy. It’s alternative. It’s singer-songwriter stuff. It’s band music. Hopefully it’s more good than bad.
But it is me. And it’s what I do. And I love it. I hope you do to.
So, I’m going to hide away for a couple weeks and finish up these songs so I can give them to you. Then you can decide what the sound is. Or you can come re read some of these entries about the process of the CD and maybe they’ll make more sense. Or less. Or none at all. Who knows? I do know that these songs really move me in lots of different ways. Some with power, some with the feel of the music, some with beauty, some because they make me do stupid dances. It’s been a weird long year, and I can’t wait to get this out and hear the finished disc for the first time.
peace
