Song No. 13 - Call Ripley's

Song number 13.....lucky 13...took long enough

Well for anyone that's actually following this blog...I'm running behind. Life is changing, my schedule is changing and so are my priorities. I found that when I did make time for myself to write, I couldn't find the inspiration and confidence to write good songs. I know they all can't be good, but I do have to hold myself to certain standards. I just couldn't find the inspiration. And that contributed to a period of writer's block.

BUT. Here we go. Picking up the slack. Gonna have to work overtime.

This is a simple song. A soul song, about my parents.

Its called:

Call Ripley's

Let me know what you think.

Song No. 12 - I'm Taking It Down

This song came out in a very straight-on, train of thought fashion. I came home picked up the guitar and recorded the sound and music that came out of it. I tried to treat the rest of the song in much the same way.

I also played it in an odd key and for the life of me couldn't find the right harmonica to use. Damn. I love the harmonica. My xylophone just didn't have the right notes either. Damn. I love the xylophone....So in lieu of other instruments to play, I used my voice as an instrument to some interesting results. And listening back on the finished song...I think I'm glad.

Musically you can probably thank Spoon and that Cadence Weapon guy.

Geez.

Gonna try and get the songs back up on Sunday nights. That means another song in 3 days.

Yes!

This Week's Song is Called:

I'm Taking It Down

Song No. 11 - Lets Talk

Yes...lets talk. This song is very late.

Inspiration was hard to find inside myself this week (and a half). And energy.
So after letting the song slip for two extra days I forced myself to make finishing it I priority...and had I actually given myself more time to hang out with the idea and explore it more, this song would be great. Really time constraints hinder my performance most of all, because I don't get comfortable with the song. I don't own it, I just get it done. The next thing that gets hurt is arrangement. Maybe I'll revisit this song when I have some spare time and a fuller, well rehearsed version will pop up on myspace.

Not too much more to say. Just that its done and I can continue moving forward.
One song a week for a year. Every week. Back on track.

This week's song is called:

Lets Talk

Let me know what you think.

Song No. 10 - Nite Nite

I was stuck this week.
Playing around with a number of different ideas, none of them really led me anywhere. Originally I had wanted to write another 50s inspired song. Randy Bachman's program on CBC Radio this week was about nonsensical lyrics in pop songs. I dug it, and tried doing one of my own....not so much.

Eventually I had to force the creative process by putting myself in an unfamiliar situation. Experimenting with different sounds, and creating an instrumental track. Its interesting...There are a parts of it I like and will return to in the future.

Let me know if it worked.

This week's song is called:

Nite Nite

Song No. 9 - Pumpkin Pie

Maybe it was all the tryptophan in the turkey from last night's dinner...but I felt really uninspired to write a song today. Its true. I had nothing ready, and I didn't really want to do it. There was some trashy Lindsay Lohan movie on TV I was half watching, and I had to do laundry, and I just wanted to eat nachos, and there was cleaning to do blah blah blah. So I plopped myself down in front of the computer intent on rehashing some old chords I had kicking around into some sort of instrumental number. Cheating...I KNOW!

But I started jamming out some chords just to see if I could come up with anything. After about 5 minutes I had the verses of the song down. Again, I decided to not to stress, and just keep it simple stupid.

Now...what to write about. Well how about being hung over the day after your birthday? Yeah? Yeah! Honest. So the words came very easily...the event still being very fresh in my mind (ie. Saturday morning). Whenever I was stuck for words I just thought "Well...what happened next on Saturday?"

Upon listen back to the song with just vocals, harmonica, and acoustic guitar I decided to add one more minor guitar track. You'll hear it in your right speaker. Just a simple one chord strum. It emphasizes the important notes, and the transitions. Short of having a band at my disposal it finishes off this simple recording of this song very nicely. Another production note - the new (birthday) harmonica...obviously had a positive influence on the sound of the song. And the new (birthday) guitar sounds fantastic. Just wonderful instruments to record and write with and I'm grateful to have them.

This week's song is called:

Pumpkin Pie

Let me know what you think.

New Song On Monday Night

Due to turkey related activities keeping me out of the studio (and out of Toronto) the new song will be posted tomorrow night.

And I have new harmonicas...that are actually in tune. Just imagine what that's gonna sound like. So tune-in tomorrow night ya hear!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Song No. 8 - Just Don't Leave Me OK?

Well that turned out alright!

I was feeling like last week's song got really bloated. Too much thought, too much time, too serious. Ugh. Confused, and complicated and it sounded that way.

This week's goal was - simple, don't think too much and have fun with it. I began the writing process with the most fun instrument I can think of...the Ukelele. Actually I had some of the lyrics and a concept in my head before I even picked up the Uke. I wanted it to have a classic, 50s sort of vibe. Kind of like The Platters.

So I started plucking away at these fun sort of chords on the Uke...and then something very interesting happened. I found a really dark nasty chord progression too. I didn't quite have all the correct notes down the first time I played through them, but it sparked an idea in my head that became the real exciting interesting element in the song. The song changed from a simple love song to a quirky, desperate look at love and insecurity.

The simplicity of the song gave me more freedom to be creative in arranging the rest of the elements of the song. Imagine that. SIMPLE. It's good. So I had all sorts of freedom to add extra instruments, harmony vocals, practice all my parts (I can't see how that would have had a positive impact on the song.....). Overall, I was much more confident in the song. I knew it. I understood what to say and how.

That was the real achievement for me. The song that came to be was very close to the one in my head.

Dig It!

The song is called:

Just Don't Leave Me OK?


Let me know what you think.

Song No. 7 - The Demon

Songwriting is a process of communicating an idea. And that idea. during the process of trying to communicate can sometimes get very lost. I think that's what happened to this week's song. Somewhere from my brain to the chords, lyrics and melody it got very lost. I might have been overthinking the idea - I feel like the best song so far has been Two Weeks and I want to write another one that good or better. SO I over analyze how to play the chords, try to follow a similar structure but try to take the idea further and just confuse one idea with an old one.

Before I added the lyrics I was sure it would be a master piece. But as I really started to hammer out the lead melody and lyrics I began to get more and more bogged down by the fact...it just wasn't working. I spent hours just sitting with my guitar in my lap, notebook on the desk and pen in hand staring at mostly blank paper. Flipping through old journals for inspiration. It got the process started and planted the idea....but I just couldn't find the right words to carry it through.

Then I got hung up on song structure.....but I won't get into that because I think the point is clear.

Even though I've had discussion with friends about "at the end of this year I'll probably have 10...maybe 12 good songs"...each week I want the new song to be the best. But it won't always be. So in all fairness to anyone interested, its not the best yet. Its not a terrible song...just a confused one.

This weeks song is:
The Demon

On another note the 52 Song Marathon is the feature site at Alcatraz Red. Check it out. A cool directory for indie rock websites and the like.

Cheers.

Song No. 6 - Man Down

The lateness of this song is very fitting actually.

This song is about partying to much last summer in Peterborough. And of course inevitably after parting too much on a work night you wake up late for work. There's a whole frantic panic, put my socks on backwards, good thing I slept in my jeans cause I got no time to change run down the street with coffee in hand aftermath. Musically it comes through in the song.

Inspired by The Old Crow Medicine Show and M.I.A.. I don't think anyone but myself can hear MIA's influence on the music and it can't be explained in a linear way. But she helped ignite the spark.

This week's song is called Man Down

Joe. Isaac. Markus. Scott. You know what I'm talking about...

New Song Post-poned till Monday Night

Yes its true.
I know. I know. One song a week blah blah blah.
Its done - written, rehearsed...its pretty good even.

Due to some important events today that I had not previously forseen, there was no time to record this weeks song today.

So...wait..with bated breath...this weeks song is what you've all been pining for...

oh yes.

the party song.

Song No. 5 - Two Weeks

I love how this song has turned out.

It surprised me.

I wanted to write a love song this week. On my drive to work I've been listening to the latest Hawksely Workman record and its been stirring up the hopeless romantic in my soul. Crafting the beginnings of the song in my head, focusing on the lyrics first, I was on track until Friday night. Friday I played around with some melancholy chords, and tried singing some of these words over top of them. That was it. In that instant the whole concept of the song had completely changed direction. Rather than being slightly meandering, and generalizing about love I knew exactly what to say and where to go. Honest words and a true story.

After finishing documenting what I thought was a completed song I played it for my love and partner Cole. She's also one of my toughest critics. Sometimes I get my back up about it. But 9 times out of 10 she tends to be right. Damn it. Tonight after playing her my latest song she asked if she could sing harmonies on it.

It has a life of its own now. The song lives and breathes and when I listened back to the words and melody after Cole had lent her voice to it...it didn't even sound like my song anymore. The story was complete.

The song is called:

Two Weeks

It is my favourite.

Song No. 4 - Don't Believe

This week I had really intended to spend a significant amount of time writing lyrics. Maybe coming up with a concept and preliminary lyrics early on in the week and fleshing out the full idea before the weekend. Then spending the weekend working on the music to support the lyrics. This didn't happen however. This song happened in a day. I came up with the concept on Thursday and then did all of the work ealier on this afternoon. I don't think it is lyrically as strong as it could be, but musically it didn't turn out so bad. I think it could be fleshed out with a full band, and turn into a pretty good song.

In this busy world, I have to make time throughout the week to write these songs, or else I don't think they will advance to the level I want them to. Just writing a song every week is definatly advancing my skills as a song writer and musician, but there's a part of me that wants each of these songs to be perfect. Maybe that's not possible. But I can't find out unless I dedicate more time throughout the week to exploring each idea.

Anyways its late. I have to work tomorrow.
Let me know what you think.

Don't Believe

Cheers.

On a food related note again - Cole made me a delicious Strawberry scone cake, with cream icing. Talk about inspiration!

Song No. 3 - Its Breaking Over

Lyrics. Lyrics. Lyrics...that is mostly why I'm doing this every week. To write lyrics. I don't think writing chord changes and melodies has ever really been an issue for me. But without words to glue the pieces of a song together, it disappears. Mostly inspired by an arrangement idea, some interesting musical ideas came together in a way - I'm fairy happy with on this song. Usually when I have an idea inspired by a specific sound I want to use or an idea (I want to use a synthesizer in the chorus and to create a "spacey" effect...ooOooOh) I try the idea by writing a 30 second song. I write mediocre chord changes, laughable lyrics and try out "the sound". My song dies and the idea usually gets applied to an artist I'm producing...who has a well fleshed out song that needs some interesting arrangements!

As I started working on this one and trying out my idea in 30 second song form...boy did I add far too many sounds and effects to it. Strings in the chorus, spacey synth in the verse, distorted guitar overdubs, drum machine, a choir of overdubbed vocals belting the words out at the top of my lungs. wow....it was crap.

Then I had a discussion at a loud rock show with a musician and another producer on Thursday night. In talking about working with musicians and making records I said something along the lines of "people forget that cooking is like food...too many spices and flavors confuse the taste buds, and then you confuse the senses, you don't know what taste to focus on". It was a great point. I felt pretty smart. Then I thought back to the song I was working on and felt pretty dumb.

So I stripped it down...and worked on the core of the song. Less crap, better chord changes, and a better melody to carry the chorus...rather than all the strings and harmony vocals and blah blah blah that I was trying to do before....and lyrics. But they still escape me. They don't seem entirely right yet. The chorus is exactly what I want to say. The rest of the song could use...well...different words. More time spent on telling the story. Less rushing.

This coming week, I'm not going to be spending most of my time working on the music, and then writing the lyrics the day the song needs to be done. This week lyrics will come first.

You can hold me to that.

Here's the song.

Music Breaking

Dig it.


Also...on another food realted note...I has an amazing salmon shepard's pie for dinner, with a tasty cake for dessert. Mmmmmmmm.

Song No. 02 - Lose My Shirt

Its my own fault that I wasn't able to further flesh out or rehearse this idea. I slept in and didn't make the same time available to write, rehearse and get comfortable with the idea.

I dig the core of the idea. There's something in it...
However the reason I have uploaded it is so that I don't make the mistake in the coming weeks and months of songwriting.

I said I would. A song a week. No matter what.

Lose My Shirt

Song No. 01 - Young and Far Away

So it's late...I know.
My clock reads 1:14am.

But the first song of the 52 song marathon is done...which is exciting.

I started writing this one on Tuesday morning before work. I went down to the beach, sat on one of the rocks piers and just played the Ukelele. That's right the Ukelele. Broke a string on my guitar the other day, so I had nothing else to write with. The funny thing is I tried playing these chords on the guitar after it was written...and something about them just doesn't sound right.

Its called "Young and Far Away".


Recorded it this evening after wrapping up a Session with Love & Chaos while I was in Peterborough.



Didn't turn out too bad. Let me know what you think...really.

One down...fifty-one more to go.

By the way...

I have a myspace.... I KNOW...I know...myspace is not cool anymore. But its new to me...
myspace.com/speckssongs

The song that is on there right now (Business Hat) is a demo I recorded in about an hour last year. It is out of tune at times and the performance could use some serious work but it holds a special place for me. One idea just inspired another idea, and as if I plucked it out of thin air...there it was.

As soon as I finish the first song there will be a 52 Song Marathon myspace, which I have some fun ideas for.

alright.

Can't Wait Any Longer

I'm going to write 52 songs this year. I've written songs in the past. Some of them were even pretty good. Most of them however went unfinished. Uninspired, unmotivated...lazy...and afraid, ideas were lost. In order be true to those ideas, those first moments of pure bliss, excitement and passion...I have to start finshing my songs! A musican a an open mic said that he once wrote a song a week for an entire year. He was an amazing musican. Played the piano so fast his hands were invsible. That all got me pretty excited....and I wanted to start the next day...but didn't. As weeks passed it became aparent that I would need something or someone to hold me accountable to completing a song every week.

So here are the Rules I've set for myself.

1. One new song in a weeks time.
2. That song must be completed and uploaded to this blog by Sunday @ 12am
3. mp3s are fine, and sound quality is not a factor (as long as the chords, melody and words - if there are any - can be heard)
4. The song does not have any min time requirements, so long as it is a finished idea
5. The song does not need words, BUT must be intended as an instrumental and must have a lead melody line
6. The song does not have to come from scratch (could be some chords you've had for a while) but can't be a song that has been previously finished.
7. The song does not have any arrangement or instrument requirements (I imagine most will be acoustic guitar, and vocals though)
8. The song can have a co-writer(s) - but it can't be someone else's song

....and this is the begining of the 52 Song Marathon.

See you all on Sunday night.