Slap & Tickle (Squeeze cover) 1/2/2010
This was actually recorded at the tail-end of 2009, for a Squeeze tribute album. Once I got the green light to do the track, I excitedly banged this sucker out in a few days. Really happy with it, and always loved this tune. Squeeze are world-class songwriters.
Distant Warning 2/3/2010
I have little memory of recording this, but the music may have been sleepily sketched out in the computer one morning while I waited for maintenance men to finish fixing my sink or something.
Sally Dream In Living Color 2/4/2010
This song is about a misfit child who gets picked on by her classmates by day, and dreams of wreaking vengeance upon her tormentors by night.
1978 (Toy Love cover) 4/19/2010
The same folks who are producing the Squeeze tribute (and the Jellyfish one from a few years ago, for that matter) asked me to contribute to their Toy Love tribute record too. I hadn't heard of the band but, after checking out some of the New Zealanders' punky late 70s tunes, "1978" jumped out as a fine candidate for me to put my stamp on. I blew this out in a couple days. Had to make up the lyrics for the third verse, as there is no record of the originals to be found!
Hot Noise 6/2/2010
And now, for some warm weather songwriting! I got the idea to do an e.p. of early summer Black Sugar Transmission and give it away on this here website. "Hot Noise" was the first track I wrote for it and it's definitely one of my favorites of the year. It's sunny and fun and sarcastic and the lyrics came easily (which is rare).
Stupidity Filter 6/3/2010
I was freshly inspired by Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments' stellar CD when I wrote this. It's a simple song but in the end, the little details are what made it come to life. Also released as part of the Hot Noise ep.
All On You Now 6/3/2010
I'm not sure where the music came from, but the BP oil spill definitely sparked the lyrics. I like the slow-burning quality of the track, and how each chorus is a bit different from the last. Third song from Hot Noise.
Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac cover) 6/4/2010
An old friend emailed me and said that I should cover this, and he was right. So I did. Always adored the late 70s-early 80s Fleetwood Mac stuff. Those of you with clever ears might hear that I quoted a melody from one of my own tunes in this. Anyway, "Everywhere" was track four from the free Hot Noise ep.
I Fell Behind 6/21/2010
On summer nights when my top-floor apartment is insufferably hot, I go up on the roof with my cat for relief. I wrote this up there one such night. The title even came with the riff, which was nice. The other lyrics followed: "and then I fell behind / it didn't happen all at one time / just couldn't see the colors, only the lines".
Sweet Mortality 6/21/2010
Another favorite for me, both aggressive and pretty. It started simply, with a stabby synth riff and some arpeggiations. By this time in June, my creative wheels were greased up and turning easily.
Violent Summer 6/21/2010
I had programmed the main riff of this song in the computer and wrote the lyrics on the stoop around the block from my apartment (where many of these lyrics were written). I liked the idea of writing about summertime itself in these songs -- and how it can be ugly and oppressive and bring out the worst in people.
Get It Done, Son 7/1/2010
I had just acquired some new freebie synth VSTs online around this time, and some of the new sounds were inspiring these tunes, like the stereo-panning arpeggiator you hear in this one.
Kick & Tambourine 7/7/2010
The music for this was finished and my first pass at the vocals was really lame. I started again from scratch and ended up with much much better results. Another fave of Twenny-ten!
Shimmer and Discover 7/28/2010
Melty midsummer was not able to wilt my creativity. I am really pleased with this track, mainly because it *sounds* like the putrid heat and delirium of those brutal dog days, but has a certain calm and sweetness to it as well.
Dream Dream Sugar 7/29/2010
The main idea of this came to me on the beach. I fleshed it out later, with so-so results.
Ain't Yr Block No More 8/2/2010
I would also file this one under "meh".
Cavity 8/13/2010
I like the pathos in this one. Songs inspired by real people and events tend to bring a little more immediacy.
Game Needs To Be Played 8/25/2010
A sort of King's X-ish guitar figure started me off on this one and it led somewhere nice. It's a goodie."
Shoot the Sun 9/1/2010
A decent chord progression but it wasn't enough to push me toward anything stellar, singing- or lyric-wise.
Dropped the Ball Again9/3/2010
This is a kinda nutty, bouncy little ditty that has its own vibe. I remember being inspired by M.I.A's new album.
Liquid Lightning 10/22/2010
Another old friend requested that I re-record this song (originally from '05, I think? it's on this site somewhere in its initial 4-track incarnation). So I did. It's a catchy little power poppy tune that was fun to revisit.
When U R Alone 10/23/2010
See above. I re-tracked this "properly" at a friend's request, and here we are. An unashamedly Prince-y jam from '04. It was fun, I must say, to re-orchestrate all the bits I'd initially tracked with guitars (on the 4-track version) with gorgeous synthesizer VSTs here.
In the East Is Raining 11/3/2010
This is tense and dark....and has some other merits....but otherwise I'm not that bowled over.
Someone's Listening (Once Upon a Naive Time)
Picked up the guitar and wrote the basics of this song the old-fashioned way. It came out great. Took me awhile to get the first verse vocals to my satisfaction, but eventually nailed it all down.
Get Plugged In 11/5/2010
I wrote this as a vehicle for a duet with a friend, but ended up finishing it myself (impatiently, as always). I do still want to re-do it as a duet, but this is pretty yummy.
Not Fooled Again 11/9/2010
I usually don't go for this kind of "bluesy" vocal phrasing (there are plenty of others who do it way better than me) but it suited this song. I don't mind it at all, but it's also not setting my britches on fire. I do, however, like this: "now time for the middle eight / but we all so broke / gonna leave it at four this time / and say that's all we wrote".
As Long As I Can Stay 11/12/2010
Yes. I like this. It rushes forward with a certain graceful momentum. The bells and whistles are cool too. One of my stronger tunes of the year.
Tangled In It 11/15/2010
This is it for me -- I want to write songs like this every day. Wrote the lyrics out on "the stoop", about someone I know. The melting guitar solo works well, too. A high water mark all the way around.
Don't You Fall Apart Now 11/18/2010
So mournful. But I'm pleased with it.
To A Muse (Patti Rothberg cover) 11/26/2010
One time I went to see Patti perform and her (then) guitarist/producer Freddie dedicated this song to me because it struck him as the kind of song I might write. Thing is, it really does sound like something I'd write, and it's probably my favorite Patti song...so does that make me some kind of insane narcissist? Anyway, it was inevitable that I would eventually cover "To A Muse", and here it is.
Catalano 11/30/2010
A very simple synth riff and the joys of mass-marketed "rebellion". This song is packed with ear candy and sarcasm.
Bullets and Bombs 12/4/2010
This is actually a re-write of a song from 2002; I had listened to it and thought it was worth overhauling. I dunno, was it?
I Walk Under Awnings 12/6/2010
And as the holidays draw near, I tend write solstitial tunes as well. This song began as an instrumental that I re-purposed as a proper vocal track. The chords are stimulating to me. Oh and dig that fake sitar solo! Ooh-ah, ooh-ah, sha-sha-sha-sha.
Bridge Jumpers at Dawn 12/6/2010
Very pretty track with very little happening vocally. Bridge jumpers at dawn, indeed.
Call Them and They Will Come 12/16/2010
Was enjoying some new sounds I'd programmed into one of my pedals and recorded this. This song won't win any Grammies but it's reasonably fun to listen to. Guitar solo is fairly mental, too.
Everything Yer Not 12/21/2010
As I write these blurbs, this tune is just a few hours old and I'm officially putting a bow on 2010: The Year In Songwriting. At press time, I really enjoy this song, and I hope it still sounds good to me a year from now. Thanks for listening.
