National Song Writing Month: DAY 0

Starting tomorrow, I will attempt to write one song each day for the month of November. This is inspired by National Novel Writing Month. Except instead of writing a 150-page shitty novel, I will be writing 30 shitty songs. I expect to: a) write 1 song each day, b) compile the lyrics and music in an ongoing file, along with notes and reflections about the song and the writing process, and c) gain some insight into songs, songwriting, and myself.

I started today, on October 30, just to give it a trial run. After all, it's been at least a year since I wrote something that didn't disappear from memory when the clock struck midnight. I came home from work and put some pencil to paper for about 20 minutes. I came out with a song that is more personal than most songs I've written in the past. It's title, for today, is "Send Me a Sign." I realized while I was writing it that a lot of the lyric is in the form of questions. I've been listening to a lot of Lucinda Williams lately. I believe "Are You Alright?" seeped into my brain this morning while I was prepping my classroom, and might explain the question/statement patterning in the verses I wrote.

My old friend and comedian CJ Hunt writes that every character and every sketch should reveal a universal truth. I would like to think of my songs like that. But that takes a lot of foresight. I found I started writing this song today and then, when I got to the chorus, it started to occur to me what the song was about. Not surprisingly, looking back at the song, it's not clear exactly what is supposed to be revealed. It's like I am covering up a lack of attention to detail with vague, meandering imagery. This song means something, because... it could mean ANYTHING! Something to fix up if I ever return to this one.

Well, how bout you just listen to this Lucinda track and feel all nice inside.

The Jungle S/T

I've been listening to this song a lot these past 24 hours. Just came across this video and now I'm hooked on these super cool dudes. Shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Whole album sounds tight. Check it!

Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band

Hearing Brian Blade play the drums makes my day automatically, significantly better. Watching him play doubles the effect. I post this excellent video here in the hope that some day, a year from now, I stumble upon it again. It just seems like one of those YouTube gems that will pass out of my consciousness just as soon as it entered. Here's to correcting that. What a musician. What a spirit!

Love for The Both

Went to see Aimee Mann and Ted Leo's new project, The Both, last night at Metro here in Chicago. Wow. I have been a sometime fan of both artists for the past ten years, and have always admired their craft, their focused and clear songs, their easy hooks, and, perhaps most strikingly, their voices. I went to this show knowing exactly one of their new songs, co-written for the self-titled album released a few weeks ago. I left feeling like I knew every one, able to recall at least a lyrical phrase, a snippet of melody, or a guitar line. That's a good sign, I think, of two artists' ability to fill an album with memorable, singable songs.

I also wondered: as good as this new project is, will anyone be listening to The Both five years from now? It seems like the shallow bombast of an Arcade Fire or Coldplay has given way to cool minimalism and synergy between pop and hip-hop (think Rick Ross on Lorde's "Royals" or Juicy J collabing with Katy Perry). I actually dig those tracks a ton. But it doesn't seem like there's too much of an opening for a straightforward power pop group these days. Maybe it seems obvious that The Both should not be mentioned in the same breath as these artists. But I kind of wish they were. I just don't want to see this album collecting dust in the used bin in a few years.

Who Loves Logan Square?

Very amped to provide music tonight at this awesome fundraiser. I'll be getting tunes going early so people are ready for the main event of the night, the entertaining live auction that totally kills it every year. Stick around after the auction to keep the dance party going. See you there!

It Was You

The song, the vocal performance, the horn arrangements... just perfect. This was our wedding song and it will always be one of my favorites.

"Control" / "Exhibit C"

It's just past midnight. I should be waking up in a little under six hours. But I can't sleep. New school year starting, not to mention our wedding taking place in two weeks, so my head is going around with lots of fleeting thoughts. To-do's, itineraries, schedules, packing lists. Etc. Thought I'd sit out here and put up some tracks I've been listening to the last few days.

The first is "Control" and needs very little introduction, except that some smart dude came up with a flowchart to help you decide whether you should follow the multitudes and create a response to Kendrick's verse. Fuck it, just skip to around 3:00 and listen to Lamar's verse on repeat. It's crazy.

Second is Jay Electronica's "Exhibit C"... Not sure how I missed this when it dropped. A beautiful, hypnotic beat by Just Blaze and a song-length verse by Jay that's chock full of crazy rhyme schemes that just sound plain badass. Love the tight, clipped lines and the question-and-answer go-around on lines like "You either build or destroy/Where you come from?/The Magnolia Projects in the Third Ward slum / Hum." That double rhyme at the end recalls the primest DOOM. And, yes, Jay Electronica does have a lot of that classic Nas flow.