Shirley, You Must Be Joking – An Acoustic Demo

April 26, 2018

While I continue work on the “studio” version, I am pleased to present for your listening and viewing delight, an acoustic demo of “Shirley, You Must Be Joking”

I’m not sure if the lyrics will change by the time I get to finishing the proper recording. Let me know what you think!

Lyrics
She says borrowing will make her rich
Her goal is to dig and refill this ditch
Credit cards, lottery tickets, and loans
She’s mortgaged her very bones

She goes deadpan, and plays the straight-man
She’ll make you cry ‘til you laugh
She begs the question and I’m begging for answers
She doesn’t know it’s a gaff

Shirley, you must be joking (x2)

She’d drown that puppy if they say she should
She says it is for the greater good
They tease her with hope just for fun
Owned by all and known by none

She doesn’t hate or discriminate
She’s buying Stalin and Bin Laden cokes
She sounds goonish, and she looks cartoonish
Like a pig shouting “That’s all folks!”

Shirley, you must be joking
Shirley, you must be joking
I’m laughing so much I’m choking
Shirley, you must be joking

If the thieves let you steal from everyone too
They’ll let everyone steal from you
You’re not a car in someone else’s train
A cell in someone else’s brain

Shirley, you must be joking
Shirley, you must be joking
I’m laughing so much I’m choking
Shirley, you must be joking

In the Earbuds: Icky Thump by the White Stripes

Occasionally, I like to listen through an artist’s catalog in chronological order, and I just came back to this 11 year old final album by Jack and Meg. I forgot (or maybe never knew) about the charm of it. The production is crisper, cleaner, and bit more polished than their other albums. Like the hardness of some of the rocking songs (title track, “Little Cream Soda”) the lyrical opacity and goofiness are also dialed up to 11. The folk/Americana elements are strong, too on standout tracks like “300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues”, “Prickly Thorn But Sweetly Worn”, and “Effect and Cause”. Jack’s affinity for child-like schmaltz is evident on the fun, bouncing “Rag and Bone” and the over-the-top Latin pomp of “Conquest”. While some of it gets a little zany for my tastes, I do appreciate a little silliness in my music.

Icky Thump may not be the White Strips’ claim to fame, but it was a good way to go out.

Quotable

It’s safe to say somebody out there’s
Got a problem with
Almost anything you’ll do
Well, next time they stab you
Don’t fight back
Just play the victim,
Instead of playing the fool

-300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues, the White Stripes

Don’t Put the Blame on Me

April 16, 2018

As the heading suggests, this museletter is about high-profile politicians. Kidding, it’s really about the fantastic song by Rag’n’Bone Man, Human. I attempted a finger-picked acoustic cover of it here:

In the Earbuds: Human by Rag’n’Bone Man

With his smooth, deep, and powerful crooning voice, R&B/Soul singer Rag’n’Bone Man sounds like he could be an American southern Black gospel singer – when in reality he is a heavily-tattooed white British man. It seems fitting that his lead single from his album of the same name, “Human,” is a plea for mercy from those who may judge by appearances and hold him to unreasonable expectations: “I’m only human after all, you’re only human after all, don’t put your blame on me.” The music video for the song shows Raggy (a nickname I’ve just given him) morphing into different shades of the huge palette that is humanity – male, female, young, old, and a wide array of ethnicities. Maybe the song is a call for us to stop putting blame on people simply because of how they look or what they believe, since “we’re only human, after all.” It is an earnest call to

Take a look in the mirror
What do you see?
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe?

The song “Human” is only one gem in a treasure chest of songs expressing heart-break, brokenness, longing, and hope in the voice of blues and soul.

In “Skin,” Raggy sings “We came so close and it was almost love…”

In “Grace,” he says “At the death of every darkness there’s a morning, Though we all try
We all try, We’re all one step from grace.”

In “Ego”, he goes on the offensive: “I hate to burst your bubble, but somebody’s got to…Ego – bang, bang, baby, down you fall, ain’t you mister know-it-all”

In a world of pop music where so much time is devoted to songs about partying, altering your consciousness with some substance, and seducing a mate, it’s so refreshing to hear an honest, booming voice facing the brokenness of life head-on with hopeful honesty – not just finding unhealthy distractions to cope with it.

Facebook Live Footage

April 15, 2018

Watch My Facebook Acoustic Concert FREE

A common response when you get an invitation is, “I’m sorry, I just can’t make it.” In a perfect world, I’d make it, but man, this is a fallen world. It’s not possible. I just can’t do it.

Whenever I say “I can’t make it” what I really mean is “Technically, if I overextended myself, neglected responsibilities and relationships, I could make it. But I don’t really want to” – or “I just don’t want to go.” Maybe that’s what you mean, too. Whatever you mean, maybe you said “I can’t make it” when I invited you to my Facebook concert recently.

It’s ok, I understand. We all get busy. But worry not – you can view the whole thing for free:

You’ll have to disregard the offers for free stuff, because that ship has sailed! Stay tuned for the next concert, though. I’ll probably do another one before I die.

In the Earbuds – “Songs of Experience” by U2

This collection of new songs from the nearly 40 year old band is such a breath of fresh air. By the way, is there any other band that has stayed active with their original lineup for this long? I don’t think so.

I haven’t been really taken with much of their material in the past 15 years, but this album is rejuvenating. It reminds me of 2000’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” Great hooks, a sort of raw, understated production, the Edge’s trademark delay guitar leads, and some classic Bono poetry:

“Dinosaur wonders why it still walks the earth; meteor promises it’s not gonna hurt”
“Blessed are the liars, for the truth can be awkward.”
“I have everything but I feel like nothing at all; there’s no risky thing for a man who’s determined to fall”
“Love is bigger than anything in its way”
“There’s a level of shallow that you just can’t fake”

Born out of political upheaval in the West and Bono’s own personal crisis, the songs are woven together by the ideal of Love – as much of U2’s music is. Although, this love is experienced in the real, broken world:

“You’re the best thing about me;
lovely things are easy to destroy
If you’re the best thing about me
Why am I walking away?”

Bono’s commentary on the songs is a bonus in the lyrics booklet; an eloquent elaboration on the meaning behind the songs. It should save you a Google with the terms “lyrics meaning.”

An outstanding comeback from the pop / rock titans.

I Cover a U2 Song

Speaking of U2, check out this acoustic slide version of their new song, Lights of Home:

I’m no Robert Johnson, but hey, who is? Besides Robert Johnson?

Suspicious Skin Color (New video!)

August 10, 2017

Send In The Tanks – OFFICIAL Music Video

Proudly presenting, the official video for my new single, Send In The Tanks!

I had the idea to record this song in such a way as to entwine audio and visual. In addition, I get tired of spending a lot of time in the editing process for song mixes, tweaking and splicing takes to make the best parts shine through. To these two ends, here is what I did for Send In The Tanks:

I used my camcorder to video-record each audio take for each instrument track (that’s what you’re seeing in the official video)
Each music track in the final mix is a single, uncut performance. I did no splices or “punching-in/out” for each take. (Sadly, there are a few times where a note or two is off and it could have benefited from a little redo. But I stuck to my guns and kept it in there.)

I thought I could save on editing time by doing only uncut takes. This was achieved. However, because I’m not the best performer, I ended up having to do a boatload of single takes to get one that was workable. Backfire!

I suppose now is as a good a time as any to tell you about…

A collection of new songs!

I have a collection songs incubating of which “Send In The Tanks” is the first. I thought this whole video/audio single take thing would be a cool theme for all the songs. However, it ended up being pretty time-consuming, and I don’t think I’ll continue it for all the songs. The songs are in varying trimesters of gestation, and the one that is closest the term is “Enlighten Me.” Expect to see a demo on that one soon! Another song you should expect to see soon is “Shirley, You Must Be Joking.”

All these songs have a common thread of anti-authority, anti-politics, anti-establishment, etc. – those themes are not often sung about in in rock n’ roll, so someone has to! And I know every singer who has ever sung says this, but I’m really excited about these new songs!

I’m not sure yet how I will release this collection. I may try crowdfunding. Who knows!

In The Earbuds: Drones by Muse

The symphonic-glam-experimental-art-synth-arena-hard rock band Muse has done it again with Drones. Continuing their railing against the global power structures, this appropriately-titled album has a common theme of, well, drones. The word “drone” probably elicits the idea of an unmanned aircraft used in the Middle East wars. Some songs address that definition (Reapers), but the album takes different meanings of the word drone and applies them to the situation of the West’s foreign interventions and intervention domestically.

Musically, the album is heavy on the rock riffs (Reapers, The Handler, Defector, Psycho). This is a welcome characteristic. Expect to get your skull pounded by an amalgam of Radiohead and Black Sabbath. On the other hand, Drones still tests the limits enough to remind you it’s a Muse album – the 10 minute prog song “Globalist”, the Prince-esque pop of “Dead Inside”, and the acapella choir sounds of the title track.

These are the strongest tunes from Muse in a while, well worth your attention.

Coming attractions

Twitter contest
Enlighten Me acoustic demo
Surprise cover song!

One Nation Under Mammon

May 24, 2017

Economic Stimulus Blues – Fun Facts!

Then it comes to learning, watching a movie is so much better than reading a book. There tend to be more pictures and less words. You don’t have to move your head while reading over sentences – you can keep it stationary as the images assault your optic nerves. That’s why I am pleased to present a long running project I’ve finally completed, a “fun facts” video for my song Economic Stimulus Blues. Please share and subscribe!

In the Earbuds: Ray Davies, Americana

The Kinks are, I think, in the US a largely unknown treasure of music. They are a treasure in no small part due to the rich, thoughtful, witty, and personal songwriting of their front-man, the recently knighted Ray Davies. In Americana, Ray joins the legend and ideals of the America he heard about from across the pond in England as a boy with the real America he visited while touring with the Kinks as an adult. The songs are strong for the most part, with a rootsy blend of primal blues (Mystery Room, Change for Change), country (Americana), and rock (the Great Highway). While the Kinks waxed nostalgic about England in the 60s (Village Green Preservation), here Ray waxes nostalgic over an American era not much earlier than the 60s. But it’s not just about yesteryear for Ray, it’s about an attitude going forward: “Americana is not so much about the country or even about the style of music [even though it is those things – MB]. It represents hope for a better future as the dream continues along the great highway.” From the song, “The Great Highway:”

At a juke box in a smoky bar
A girl stands looking at the stars
Dressed in denim wearing shades
And outside is the The Great Highway
(I had this dream, America)
She sips a coke, walks away
It’s just a second in a day
But all her culture’s on display
She might be a dreamer
But maybe I’m a dreamer, too

An idealized romanticization of American values and culture from a bygone era, Americana is a real treat to hear. If we don’t knight people here in the US, maybe we can find some room for Sir Ray on Mt. Rushmore.

Coming soon…

Send in the Tanks, the single! Complete and waiting for upload to the world
Send in the Tanks, the video! Half-complete