Here's track 10, "Octopus Zoo".. the title track of the album. This is a reworking of a song I recorded as StrawBerry Yoga back in 1993. I think I gave out maybe two copies of that album ("Garbage") on tape. It was some lo-fi noise freak-folk kind of something or other. It's a strange song, seeming to meander a bit at the beginning, until it takes off into a danceable pop bit and destroys itself in a climax of noise and confusion. The bonus song is a different mix of "Octopus Zoo" that is just even noisier and stranger.
"Honey Lamb" is sort of bit of a hopping groovy song of sorts until the halfway mark it jets off into a rising barrage of descending chords and percussion.
The b-side is a lo-fi sounding alternate mix in an attempt to emulate the sound of an old cassette tape copy of a vinyl record.
"Eyelids Blossom Tulips" is sort of a trippy song mostly based on my love of a cup of tea, and other ideas sort of thrown in. I like the music in this one a lot.
The b-side is a song from the scrapped "hype!" ep project. It's an instrumental song that I feel is kin to Eyelids.
Song 5 is here. Thumping bass and some simple and somewhat silly lyrics, with toy keyboard leads, and some latin percussion because I can. The b-side is just some toyful playing around with the same setup.
Track 4 is now available. It's a noisy synthesizer freakout laid atop of frantic distorted piano and some driving drums, with a short break in the middle for a nervous interlude. Pick it up!
The b-side is just a little extra noise to get you through the day.
Here's the music I did for the short film The River's Edge.
The movie we did as part of the 48 Hour Film Project, as part of the Digital Media Program at AB Tech. Basically, people form groups, and on Friday night are assigned a prop, a character,a genre and a line of dialogue. They then have 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and score a short film. I post the movie here, and all the music I wrote for it. If you want just the stuff that's in the movie, then get River Scene and Driving Ditty. I'm doing this music under the name of Clara Kirkbride.. maybe I should go with Robert, or Douglas or something.
Did work on more songs last night, and things are coming along nicely. I did a few things to "Lovely Day", and "Sunlight Shines" that I wanted to do. Unfortunately, in the process I ended up increasing the volume of the main snare drum a bit too much, so I need to return and bring that back to a more rational level. I believe the drums over all are a bit high, but it's the snare that's doing real damage. For "Sunlight Shines", it's pretty much done.. I just wanted to simplify the first chorus so that it wasn't at the same intensity as the next two choruses.
For "Vegetable Scream", there were a few small changes I wanted to make to the ending, and I did that. Mainly I wanted to take the last piano note out, and I did that.. as well as created some odd effects with other instruments in place of that note.
And also, in "Honey Lamb", I increased the overall volume and gave a bit more power to the track. It's still kind of weak in comparison to the others, but it's almost there. I don't want to do too much mastering work on it until the vocals are done though.
I'm glad I'm working on this again. It's going to be a busy summer semester, but I think I'll get this album done. Finally.
Hooray! Four months since the last time I worked on any of the Vacant Sky Parlor stuff, I have finally got around to putting some finishing touches on one of the Octopus Zoo songs. Circles is a slow song with some vocoder that probably won't be the most popular song, but one that I think has some interesting moments. At the end it has a neat sound that I got by banging on one of those toy "microphones" that has a spring inside.. it creates a terrible echo sound when used properly, but makes some cool spring noises when jostled and beaten.
Anyway, I'll get this song up on thy myspace page, and here.. soon.
I like the box.net widget that rich is using over at the Vinyl Lounge Hut so maybe I'll get one of those for over here. I'll figure out some decent way to share these songs that doesn't require people go to myspace.
It's amazing complete most of the songs are. 9 out of 13 of them, actually. And then the 4 that are lacking vocals stick out and annoy me due to their lack of being done.
'Honey Lamb' is a simple song that I should be able to just record the vocals and toss them in happily. It'll take a 3 hours of work, probably, to get that done.
'Not a Drop to Drink' will take a bit more time, because I changed the way I am approaching the vocals from the way I had been practicing for months. So, it'll be tough to do them the new way. It's also a longer song, and more complex. Where 'Honey Lamb' is short and in one key.. 'Not a Drop to Drink' is about 3 times as long and goes through 4 keys, the one is only used for a few vocalless bars that make up the bridge.
'Octopus Zoo in the Sky' is only one key, and shouldn't take long at all. It's a musically strange song, I think.. even though it's 4/4 and one key the whole way. It's also a song I wrote when I was about 14, and this re-write is an exciting one. I love it.
The real beast will be 'Anchor Light', which is almost 12 minutes long. It involves one key change (though there's a disguised mass of modulations during that bridge) It starts in 4/4, has a 3/4 section, and comes back into 4/4. There are large instrumental sections, so that's good.. but some of the lyrics aren't even fully written yet. I've got pages and pages of notes and outlines for it though. In some ways, the song intimidates me.
That's the status report. I'll post an mp3 of 'Gone Fishing' in a few days.
May or may not make the Feb 12 date, I'm trying.. but I start back at school on Monday. Regardless a few of the songs have changed positions on the track list.
Vacant Sky Parlor : Octopus Zoo tentative track list as of January 10, 2008 anticipated release : February 12, 2008
1. Lovely day 2. Sunlight Shines 3. Gone Fishing 4. Vegetable Scream 5. Halls and Walls 6. Not A Drop To Drink 7. Eyelids Blossom Tulips 8. Honey Lamb 9. Circles 10. Octopus Zoo in the Sky 11. Anchor Light 12. Tonight To Sea 13. Airborne Dreams of the Angler Fish
Well I am trying to get a college group at the uni where I work and promo the cause in 5 towns. So I am mustering all the resources I can. I will promo the blog and add to it as well as my own stuff.
WIDGETIZE