Brief Break

Greetings everyone,

I can't say how much I appreciate all of your support over the last 10 months of blog posts. It took a lot for me to put this out in the world, and I'm so glad I did. I've learned so much and have received a generous outpouring of kind words from friends and family.

These posts and the conversations that have bubbled up from them have given me a refined look at the craft of songwriting. I feel I'm reaching new heights and that I wouldn't be here without the reflections on the past and present songs.

Last week, I was fortunate to perform as a solo artist not once, but twice! It was quite exhilarating and I'd love to continue doing it. After years and years of playing with bands, changing it all and boiling it all down to just me and my songs was eye-opening. I think I will always love playing in a band, but this was just plain good for my soul and spirit. To receive positive responses to just the songs was a welcome change for me. It's something I'll continue to reflect on over the next few months and weeks.

With that, I have to take a brief break from this blog. The reason is two-fold:

1) The busiest time of the year is coming in a few days at work, and I've been doing a lot extra things to train a new employee. This is my first peak season in my new position and I need to be sure I'm resting, etc when I can.

2) I've run out of space on SoundCloud!!!! To be truthful, this is main reason I've stopped, but peak doesn't help things. But here's the deal, you only get so much space on SoundCloud on the free version and I have maxed it out. I suppose that's a good thing, but I'm not quite sure how to proceed. I may ending putting all these songs on either/or YouTube or Bandcamp to free up space, but we'll see.

Hopefully I'll get my proverbial poop in a group in January and get this going again! Thank you all for your continued support. It truly means the world to me.

Out Here

Out Here
Written 2014
Recorded 2015

This song did not come to be without putting a good fight. "Out Here" is one of many songs written in the wee morning hours. Long ago, I tried writing in the evening hours, but somewhere along the way I realized that I was much more productive when I woke up. I'm not sure why, as a general rule I am definitely not a morning person. Granted, that's more around those pesky people.

Nevertheless, I remember this morning particularly well. I started off noodling around on my guitar, and quickly found the verse progression. But that's where progress stopped. I was completely stuck, so I went over to our keyboard and tried plunking a few things out there. Then I had an idea for a vocal line. The problem was it felt way too simple, yet lyrics started coming. The words, "Out here," came out and I wrote them down in my notebook. Again, progress stopped. I couldn't get beyond that line. Noodled around some more and started coming up with the opening riff you hear now. Then I got the idea for "Breathe in where you've been." So I wrote it down and tried playing the progression and seeing if more words followed naturally. They did not. Up to this point, the tempo was much, much slower. So when I started finding the chords and melody for the chorus, that's when I made the move to quicken the pace. From there, it all kind of came together. I decided that a simple verse was fine as long as I added some harmony and the chorus was the glue to hold everything together.

• For being a glaring feature at first glance, I really enjoy the simplicity of the verse. This is not only in melody, but in message too.
• I was a little on the fence about the call and response style of the chorus, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It just made sense at the time and I needed to trust my gut. I think it felt a little cheesy to me when I looked at in on paper.
• The flow and structure of this song works really well. It's a very positive song as well, and that always helps. 
• Because this song was written at essentially two different tempos, it really took me a long time to start the song with the right one. The 'ole metronome (my mortal enemy in high school) saved my butt there.
• This recording is of Whiskey Doubles on our Nightcap EP. It's probably one of my favorite tunes from that batch.

A Journey

A Journey
Written and Recorded 2010

This is probably one of my simplest, but meaningful pieces that I created while in Baraboo. When I sat down to write this song and started having ideas, I knew I wanted it to be laced with as much emotion I could without bringing in my agenda. As you all know by now, those were some difficult times for me. But when I wrote this song, my original intent was to present it to family as a gift. I never did follow through with that, but I do enjoy the end product.

• Synth pads are one of my favorite tools for this kind of writing. If you find/create the right one, it can have as much weight as the human voice. They can be as delicate or strong as you want them to be.
• I go through the main progression quite a few times before moving on in melodic material. I thought it was so simple and beautiful that I wanted to explore it in a few different textures/ranges. Doing that keeps the song moving forward enough for me where I don't get bored.
• The building that happens on the 2nd progression is really nice for me. Once you get that extra low octave in there, it cues the listener that there is something strong going on. 
• My favorite part is the drop-off after the build. Both parts are beautiful, and one can't be fully experienced without the other. The intensity and the softness are both necessary for the full effect.
• This song is a soothing reminder of the beauty that can come out of painful experiences. As I've frequently come to say in recent years, "It's all about the journey."

Take the Reins

Take the Reins (MMT)
Written and Recorded 2011
Take the Reins (Last version OTN)
Arranged and Recorded 2013

This song underwent some huge changes in its time. For this blog's purposes, I'm only highlighting the beginning and the end to demonstrate the two extremes. At the end of the day, I'm glad I stuck with this song as long as I did.

The lyrics of this song are about an experience I had as a child at my aunt and uncle's old farm. I was probably about 6 years old and we had gone out to their farm to spend New Year's Eve. As you might expect, they had a pretty sweet John Deere 4 Wheeler. My cousins had tied a string of plastic sleds behind the 4 Wheeler and were headed out to have some serious fun on the frozen and snow covered fields...at night. Does this sound dangerous? Yes. Does it also sound amazing? Absolutely. So I went along, hopped up on sugar and the kind of excitement you only get when you know you're doing something fun and dangerous.

When it finally came to my turn, I went stomach-down, face-first on the last sled in the chain. It was crazy. I remember going very fast in almost complete darkness. The white snow helped as the moon was shining that night, but let's be honest, I was still a little afraid of the dark. Next thing I new, we took a really sharp turn and I fell off the sled, I just couldn't hold on. I laid in the snow like Ralphie's brother in "A Christmas Story" when he gets pushed down but can't get up in his ridiculous red snowsuit. I remember just laying there, hearing everyone laugh as they continued on, just looking up at the sky in the cold. I remember thinking, "Will they find me? Will I die out here?." But I also was very calm, no real panic came over me. Looking back, I have no idea how long I was actually out there before they circled back for me. It was probably a minute or so, but that memory is so clearly burned in my mind.

I don't know why the 23/24 year-old version of myself felt the need to write a song with these images, but it happened.

• The first version is one I recorded in Baraboo for what was going to be the Miss Misery Trio. Bass was the primary instrument and everything else was based around it. For a while, it was just bass, keyboard, and a lead vocal line. But as I mentioned in the "Sifting Sands" post, the harmonies of Fleet Foxes really inspired me to add more in. Guitar was one of the last things added for a difference in texture.
• I really play a lot with dynamics with the MMT version. It was easy going from clean guitar/bass and then adding in the overdrive here and there. That was probably the biggest strength of this demo.
• The background vocals are quite sloppy, mixing ooos and ahhhs on different parts at the same time. But I like the effect of waiting to the last line of the song to all sing the lyrics together. 
• This song went through a couple of changes during Of the North's time together, especially in the beginning. We really struggled to find a way to make it work and fit in the set. It was shelved for a while, but one summer night I decided to give it another shot. I developed a new chord progression for the verses and gave it an entirely new feeling.
• In all honesty, this is one of my favorite recordings I made (with the help of Kent and Kristen) during Of the North. It encapsulates the best parts of the band and what my vision ended up being. 
• Fun fact: I misspelled the title of this song as "Take the Reigns" until 2014 when we tried adapting it for Whiskey Doubles. Ellie was kind of enough to let me know and I gave myself a good face-palm. I was so sure! Oh well.
• One of the reasons that this song has been laid to rest and no longer used with Whiskey Doubles is the vocal range. I started to have some big issues trying to sing the chorus of the song. When I rearranged it, I changed the key so that the vocals could be more impactful and pressing. But my voice would start giving out and activating my gag reflex (sorry, I know it's gross), I would have to stop singing mid-song and try to regain my composure. It wasn't good. 
• As a song, it no longer reflects my current songwriting style. It comes close, but I actually see it as a bridge to a new, and simpler style. By changing the main rhythmic part of the verse to a chord progression rather than a riff, it helped move away from the rock and roll and into the folk world a bit more.

Tickle of My Breath

Tickle of My Breath
Written and Recorded 2012

This song has been around long enough for me to admit that I have absolutely no idea how I wrote it. Lightning never strikes twice and this song proves it for me. Nothing before or since has come close to the energy in this tune.

• Despite it's high energy and cheerful sound, the lyrics of this song can be one of two things. 1) Questioning authority/faith or 2) Spooky houses. I'm not going to lie to you, the first verse was originally written about being in a haunted house, feeling the cold presence of a ghost. Over time, I've sung this song with different intentions for different performances. 
• I really feel like I got luck with verse 3 being able to work in an echo/round style. It sounds a lot better on the Whiskey Doubles recording of this with Kristen singing it rather than me, but it's a cool effect that breaks up the usual song structures.
• Though one of the older songs in the current catalog for Whiskey Doubles, this song has been a great addition to almost every setlist for the last 3 years. It not only changes up the energy, but also the texture. One guitar and then percussion for everyone else. It can be a stark contrast to something as full as guitar/clarinet/flute/cello.
• Fun fact: this song has most often been described as "cute." Not a word I typically would use for any of my music, but still, people seem to enjoy it.

Sifting Sands

Sifting Sands (MMT)
Written and Recorded 2011
Sifting Sands Revised
Arranged and Recorded 2012

 This one takes was written at the tail end of our time in Baraboo when I was getting ready to start up the Miss Misery Trio. The first version is a mishmash of influences. It still has massive focus on the bass part but is starting to incorporate Fleet Foxes-esque harmonies. This one helped us realize that this style was not going to work out. One thing I've really latched onto over the years is how important it is to realize what doesn't work and acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses therein.

• This song's lyrics are based off a book called "Soon I Will Be Invincible." I can't remember a lot of the details, but it's basically a novel about superheroes and villains. One of the perspectives it is told from is supervillain. I thought it'd be interesting to write from the perspective of the bad guy. Feels unnatural to me, which is probably a good thing.
• The vocal harmonies are too much on version 1. They overpower the overall simplicity of the song. They work much better when I changed it to lyrics instead of "ooos". It's definitely more in line with the more bluegrass style of version 2.
• It took a long time to figure out how to adapt this song from versions 1 to 2. Because the chords are so simple, it almost left me with too much room to explore. Sometimes I feel my options are limited because of chord progressions or melodies. Restrictions tend to spurn creativity for me, so no restrictions made this one difficult.
• The structure and key on these are identical, but the stylistic change is so important. A word I think of when I hear version 1 is "sleepy." It's very lethargic, but there is power that comes in at the end when I hit the overdrive on the bass. That dynamic change comes way too late.
• Changing to a bluegrass style for this song was band-aid. I was able to add quite a bit more contrast in different sections, but I was never convinced that this song was that good. Definitely not a terrible song, but it misses the mark in many ways.
• The second version has some issues coming out of the solo. I miscounted and didn't bother to fix it. I believe it caused some problems when rehearsing and subsequently performing this song a few times. In the last year, I've made a real effort to make my demos as accurate as possible.

Eagle Trees

Eagle Trees
Written and Recorded 2003

I shall always love the rock band Clutch, this much I know. Did I used to really, really, really love Clutch? I believe this song serves as proof of that. One of the first dozen songs I ever wrote, this demonstrates more imitation, not only in terms of the style but lyrics as well. For those unfamiliar with the work of Clutch, much of their music is riff-based and you can rest assured it rocks pretty hard. The vocals are gruff and powerful, but usually still melodic. It'd be hard to say that the melodies of Clutch are memorable, it's more about the delivery of the lines and the guitar work. They also usually have some pretty groovin' beats. This song was never performed...in any context.

• The lyrics of this song are part Clutch/part Magic cards. Starting to play Magic at a young age, the illustrations helped form my imagination. When writing lyrics for this song, I remember visualizing a Green card with a monstrous looking tree that also had wings, talons, and a beak. Then, being the cause-hungry teen I was, decided to make it about deforestation as well. Deforestation of fictional trees. 
• How do these lyrics fit in to the Clutch influence? Aggressive is another word to describe their music, and the Eagle Trees story brought that out a bit in me. They also can have some tongue-in-cheek lyrics, too. You may hear a line in this song that starts "Those lions and tigers and bears, oh my." So there's that.
• I'm not sure where the idea for two different tempo/feels came from, but the chorus riff and the vocal line is the same, and pretty weak. I clearly worked a lot hard on the intro/interlude and the verses.
• For the longest time I thought creating melodies over riffs was the hardest thing ever. I couldn't understand how a guy like Chris Cornell could come up with such memorable melodies over single note guitar lines. It wasn't until college music theory and Youtube where I started making the connection. Youtube helped me find "stripped down" versions of songs where Cornell would strum an acoustic guitar and sing the song. It was definitely a revelation seeing that there are chord progressions outlined with those riffs and they sometimes even spell out the chord. 
• Guitar solo...A for effort, D for playing notes in the scale. In 2003 Nathan's defense, he didn't understand what scales were or why they are important. Oh well.

Poor Man

Poor Man
Written 2011
Version 1- Recorded 2011
Version 2-  Whiskey Doubles, Recorded 2014

No matter where my musical future takes me, this will be a song that I can always come back to and be proud of. It's a fairly simple and straight-forward song, but has enough intricacies to keep the listener engaged. I always tell folks, "This was the first song I wrote on banjo," and I think you can hear a little of that excitement and exploration in the original recording. After Of the North decided on the folk direction, this song was written and became our most accessible tune. It has stuck with me throughout the tenure of OTN, and now into Whiskey Doubles.

• The first version was recorded with no microphones, just the wonderful on-board mic of the MacBook. Before I bought my Zoom recorder, I would record all of my ideas straight into Garageband and build on them right away. The more I think on it, that's probably a contributing factor as to why I started adding instruments right away and didn't focus on the song itself. It was right there and I liked how the song sounded, so I just went ahead. Nowadays, when I record on to my Zoom, I record multiple versions of the same guitar accompaniment until it is right. Then I typically try to sing with the recording and craft some lyrics. Adding instruments has almost been removed from the equation. 
• Version 1 is almost more of a sketch than anything else, but I'm pretty sure I gave this to the band as a completed song. From there were worked out some structural things. Though the banjo part has nearly stayed the same the entire time.
• In Version 2, aside from more instruments and better quality, you'll also hear more dynamics and an alteration to the verse's chords. Rather than stay on C, the second phrase shifts to an Am. After 3 years of playing this song, I began to feel it needed something more. So I started exploring the chord progression, adding more chords and things like that. But in the end that little tweak is enough to keep it alive.
• When I started this blog, I didn't want to use any recordings from Whiskey Doubles CDs, but I cannot find any other versions other than these two. I'm kind of glad, though, because this really demonstrates the beginning and end of the song's evolution (so far)
• The banjo/vocal melody line on the verse is where everything stems from. At the time, I had no idea that I was writing in mixed meter, and admittedly have never taken the time to figure it out. It's a funny thing, because I don't think audience members hear it either.

Too Early (Climbed to the Top)

Too Early (Climbed to the Top)
Written and Recorded 2010

This is essentially a sketch, not a complete song. I had the music for a while before trying to put vocals to it, but it just never went anywhere. I love the soundscape that I created, but there was some sort of roadblock in the way that never let me finish. The first part of the title, "Too Early," refers to the fact that I thought it was too early in the morning when I started this song. Pretty deep stuff.

• I remember starting with the drums on this. The MIDI drums in Logic aren't too bad and I really loved the groove. Then I added in the static noises as well, not sure why, but I like it.
• If memory serves, I had the melody line and was doing my typical game of singing the line with whatever syllables feel right. It's funny how I often I find myself ending phrases with the "ooo" sound, and this sketch actually helped me discover that.
• Being early on in the Baraboo days, I was still working on finding my voice. While this song does extend to some of my higher range, I sing with a lack of authority and confidence, especially on the "This mountain's coming down" line. Singing it now, it is still up there, but I sound much different. Again, I have to attribute a lot of that to the community choir director we had there. 
• I'm not sure what happened at the end. I think I started a new loop too early and never bothered to fix it.
• I still wish there was more of this, but even now there is a block there. I'll keep this sketch and maybe it will surface again in the future.

Drift and Stray

Drift and Stray
Written and Recorded 2007

I have to say, this song is a little difficult for me listen to. I keep yelling at myself, "Nathan!!! This song isn't in your range!!! Change the freaking key!!!" So it's taken me a while to get past that part of this and share it with you. "Drift and Stray" is another one that was recorded in the Spring Break session of recording at my friend Zach's apartment. I wrote the song a month or so before and specifically waited to record a full version until then. It was supposed to be a pseudo romantic song, but it definitely comes off as creepy... really listening to the lyrics, this may be a song about murder. OH WELL!

• I have to say it again, CHANGE THE KEY!!! As you can tell in the first few lines, this song is well out of my range in the lower register. Maybe I wrote it in the morning? Who knows. But I still hadn't discovered the magic of changing keys to better fit my voice. The chorus fits nicely, but those verses...that's rough. Sorry folks.
• I enjoy the chord progressions on this song. They are simple and leave a lot of room for some interesting things with the melody. Did I do those interesting things? No, I did not.
• For the most part, the melody is just outlining the triads of the chords. This could work for some parts, but it happens for the verse AND the chorus...in the same rhythm. This was written at a time when I was learning a lot of music theory and started analyzing songs that I liked. I remember particularly seeing a pattern in a lot of Muse songs, where solos and melody parts would simply be outlining the notes in the chords. I thought I had unlocked the musical key to catchy lines. I am proud to say I was incorrect, but it was an interesting observation and I learned from it.
• The first guitar solo was my attempt at a Pink Floyd solo. Zach did the second one. It is not the worst part of the song.
• I tried to make the verses interesting with backing vocals that would start a line and hold a note/word. It's a cool effect that I haven't used since and would consider trying again. 
• Like I said, this is a rough one, but it happened. And as you can see, it taught me quite a lot. In this case, I learned what NOT to do.
• Side note: Hooray for drum loops!

Edge of the World

Edge of the World

Written and Recorded 2013

This song has seen a lot of stage time over the years and has undergone some instrumentation changes as well. Written in the second half of Of the North's time, "Edge of the World" was one of my more catchy songs at the time. I remember sending this demo off and getting a reply from Kent that was something along the lines of "Thanks for getting this stuck in my head all day." I felt it had great energy  and broke up our setlist nicely. We still play this song in Whiskey Doubles and recorded it on our first EP, Honey Creek. Nowadays, I use it as a positive song to insert into a setlist. I see a lot of smiles from first-time listeners on this one.

• The song is pretty simple, using just four chords. I wanted it to be a straight forward folk tune that anyone could play. It captures the feel pretty well at this tempo.
• The extended, solo intro that you hear has since been axed. It made the already long song, much longer. Truth be told, I didn't practice it that much so I tended to biff the opening in some way. Cutting that section helps the song move along significantly better.
• There are two instrumental sections. The first was intended to be a drastic change of dynamic after the first big chorus. I don't know if we've every fully captured that effect, but I do enjoy the extra section there. The second instrumental section was intended to be (if you'll forgive the expression) balls to the walls. It's hard to go from fortissimo to fortissississimo and have it be any sorts of effective. Perhaps some revisions are in order after analyzing this!
• I thought the multiple instrumentals would also give it more of an old timey folk feel to it. Kent does a nice cello line in there that is complimented by flute (formerly trumpet.) I think it does the job, mimicking a fiddle interlude you'd find on an old Irish tune.
• Lyrically, I would describe this as "pleasant." It's a very positive message about moving through life and that hard times make us stronger. I have similar messages in many of my songs, but this song's narrator is a bit happier than others.
• I've always like the line in the second half of the second verse. It is a complete play on "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and while nobody has ever mentioned to me that they recognize the connection, I think internally people hear those words rearranged and know it's something familiar. It's a bit cheesy, but I though it was clever!
• If you'd like to hear the current version, see us live and buy one of the last copies of the Honey Creek EP or buy it on iTunes.

BONUS ROUND: Someday

Someday (Strokes Cover)
Arranged and Recorded 2013

Covers are usually an extremely important part of an original band's repertoire. They showcase a band's influences and give an audience something familiar. Let me be clear by saying I do not believe this is vital to a band's live show. It can be cool if a band takes a song and makes it their own, but it also runs the risk of being "schtick." I also feel that depending on the popularity of the cover, it can overshadow the original work that an artist is trying to put out into the world.

Covering songs in the Folk/Americana genres is especially dangerous ground. For instance, if you want to cover a classic song like "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver, you pretty much have to do an exact replica of that song in terms of tempo, feel, and harmonies or go completely the opposite...almost making it unrecognizable. But why make it unrecognizable if it's a cover? And who can really do justice to that kind of legendary song? Not many bands. Then if you do a song that isn't necessarily popular, but is important to your songwriting or band's approach to music, it's just another song that people won't recognize. It's a tough game to play.

During the reign of Of the North, I tried a different approach. Instead of focusing on the live show, I took songs that I loved (or were requested in some cases) that weren't really in our style, and made them our style. BUT I only recorded them and released them for free on Bandcamp. There is only one song that made it to the regular live show, but thats another story. I found it to be a very useful exercise in arranging and creativity, and it gave fans a different sense of connection. It was a lot of fun!

"Someday" is one of my favorite songs by The Strokes. Their first three albums have been extremely influential to me. I had always felt that songs off their first record, Is This It, would lend themselves nicely to the folk genre. They are built around simple chord progressions and can be catchy as hell. There's an inherent energy in that album that transfers nicely to other arrangements. Here's my attempt at "Someday," complete with terrible trumpet playing by yours truly. All in all, I enjoy this one a lot.

Shine Clown

Shine Clown
Written and recorded 2010

Oh the joys of naming songs. While I wrote the riff for this song, I couldn't stop visualizing one of those bouncy balls with the big red star, then stripes of blue and yellow...which reminds me of a clown. But the way the synth sounded, it reminded me of an old school NES or Gameboy game...not sure why that equals the shine part of the title. But there you have that little gem.

• I count the riff as one progression despite having three different sounding sections to it. There's the minor riff, major riff, then the turnaround. They flow into each other and one isn't meant to be there without the other.
• This is an incomplete sketch, but it's one of my favorite nuggets that came from this time. I always wanted it to grow to something more.
• Even in this minute and half I wanted it to build. Truth be told, I looped the badass synth and drums. I think I could only play the whole riff once without messing up, so I cheated. Whoops.
• I took one or two passes at a guitar part/solo, so this is how far I got. There's definitely potential there, but I peak too early I think. 
• This is just so busy, I could never figure out anything else to go over it or follow it. Perhaps it would have been a good NES soundtrack that endlessly repeats until you beat the level. The game Wizards and Warriors had that. It was both fantastic and terrible at the same time.

Recollection

Recollection
Written and Recorded 2004

Now presenting Nathan Honoré as BUSH!!! Yeah, I went through grunge phase (about 10 years too late.) This song was one of the two that I had written for my high school rock band. I mostly just played bass and did backing vocals with them. We were together for about 3 years and probably played a handful of gigs, but it was incredibly helpful in my development. My bass playing moved up by leaps and bounds, and I also learned how to play in a band, how my part fit, etc.

It's fun to look back now and see how badly I wanted to be Gavin Rossdale. And this song is pretty fun too, teen angst running rampant, calling people "fake." It should be noted that this recording is actually of that band, then known as Plow. We recorded in some guy's pseudo-studio in Port Washington in my senior year of high school. We felt pretty damn cool "heading to the studio."

• The opening riff is probably a blatant ripoff of something on "Sixteen Stone," and my performance of it is pretty messy. Even Zach's lead guitar part sounds like Bush.
• "Life ain't no gravy train." This line came about because of a book a idioms I found while working my summer job as a janitor at St. Matthias. Just another thing I was doing other than actually working.
• As a whole, this song flows pretty well. The structure is solid and keeps moving. Even the bridge builds into the final chorus in a powerful way.
• Many of the backing vocal parts were done at the suggestion of the "Engineer." He was really into the echo thing. But the double tracking on the lead vocals does add some weight to those lines. Though I was trying to emulate a metalcore band called Poison the Well. Here's a link to the specific song that has some nice vocal around 38 seconds...beware, the rest of this song is not for the weak of heart.
• Needless to say that I was trying really hard to be a lot different things. A great time for experimentation!

After One Night

After One Night
Written and Recorded 2012

Written in the same batch of songs as "Say," this song is one of the few that feature the mandolin. At this time in Of the North I was still trying to play as many instruments as possible. With that in mind, I created the interlude riff and then kept the part very simple while the verses were being sung. I thought that riff was super catchy at the time, but being only one measure long, it gets a bit old.

We really tried getting this song to work a few times. When Kent came in, he added more depth to it by doubling the riff on cello. Here's a video of the "core" members of Of the North performing the song at a great place in Riverwest called Art Bar. This was probably the best it ever went, but it never quite clicked for me, especially live.

• The video has a slightly altered structure, taking out an extra interlude section before the final verse and adding a few measures at the end of the verse. These things definitely helped and made the song tighter, but it didn't fix the problem I was having.
• I don't mind the verses. In fact I think the concept is really strong and evokes vivid images. But as they say in the Food Network world, the execution is just not there. The last line in particular, "can take the place of one," falls flat and doesn't punctuate those previous lines as it should.
• The "ahhs" over the main riff/interlude are also lackluster. But the part that I really dislike is the bridge. I was definitely trying to go a little too Mumford on it and it just doesn't work. It's really long, and really boring.
• All in all, I think there could still be hope for this song down the line. I think if I extended the main mandolin riff into more of a real fiddle tune/line, and made a few other cuts/changes, it could make another appearance in the future.

Striking Back

Striking Back
Written and Recorded 2010

This is another hidden gem that I thoroughly enjoy listening to. It's done in the same style as "Ticking Away," but it doesn't fit into the time theme. I remember recording some of these parts, especially the rhythm guitar that is nearly always doing a very high energy strumming pattern, and just losing myself in the music. It's super high energy and though the recording isn't perfect, it's a pretty joyful piece.

• The start of each verse/A section is a big question mark, the listener has no idea when the progression will actually change and the melody develop.  It goes on longer than our ears want it to, which I find really engaging. 
• I recorded these songs all in one complete take on each instrument. So whatever instrument goes first is the structural template for the entire song. When I did lay it down, whether it be the keyboard or the guitar usually, I usually had the different parts kind figured out in terms of progressions, but I would almost improvise the form. The number of verses/choruses, time between progressions, breaks in the song, etc were all done on the spot and never really planned out. I would go by instinct.
• There's a lot of power in the first chorus/B section. There are a few instruments that change their role in terms of rhythm, but the 8th notes continue throughout in one way or another. This gives the brief silence before the second chorus/B section even more weight, then doubling it before proceeding the very conclusive Post-chorus/C section progression. 
• The title of "Striking Back"is definitely me trying to take a little control in my life. At that time in Baraboo, I felt like I had no command over what my job would be. There's a lot of pent up energy in this piece that I find refreshing.

Voice Memo Delux w/ Bacon

Voice Memo
Written and Recorded 2007
Voice Memo Delux
Arranged and Recorded 2008
Voice Memo Delux w/ Bacon (King's Gentlemen)
Arranged and Recorded 2008

During the winter and spring breaks of my sophomore year of college, I went back home to 'Stallis and recorded a bunch of music with a former bandmate of mine named Zach Rieboldt. He is my brother's age and had his own apartment at the time. Zach was pretty excited because he just bought a nice studio interface and wanted to test it out. So we started with a cover and then just wrote a bunch of music. I would bring in a song and record most of the parts while he essentially produced and engineered, then we would switch and I would do the same for him. It was an extremely challenging, fun, and productive time. It spawned many songs that would later be reworked again in college.

The original Voice Memo was recorded at Zach's apartment and would go on to be reworked and reworked again for King's Gentlemen. It's pretty cool to listen to all three versions. This is a pretty clear illustration of what my process was like at the time. I'd write a song and record a full demo of it, then go back and do it again until I was happy. Part of me feels doing full demos was a waste of time, but the changes in instruments and settings definitely influenced the structure and feel of the song. I would rarely go back and change things like lyrics, chord progressions, or key signature.

• The title comes from the fact that the chord progression that you hear on the verses was originally recorded on the Voice Memo function of my old, orange, and doughnut shaped phone so I wouldn't forget it.
• The lyrics of this song were originally targeted towards my previously mentioned ex-girlfriend (then girlfriend.) I just didn't get it, we did not really click. Though it was written 4 or 5 months before we broke up, the chorus is basically saying, "Let's break up, I'm clearly not what you want, no hard feelings." 
• Yes, there is a reference to Duke Nukem in the second verse.
• By the time that King's Gentlemen was going to record this song for our EP, I had established new meaning for myself in the song. I was entering my final year at Whitewater and knew it was time to move on. Instead of being a pseudo-sappy break up song, it turned into a positive journey song.
• In the second/third versions, the final chord of the bridge/pre-chorus is extended and builds towards the final chorus. That makes a massive difference in getting to that final moment, otherwise it's very plain jane, but this gives it more weight.
• Again, drummer Trevor Saint really helped this track come alive. That drum fill in the beginning (complete with the "ah fuck") became a highlight for me. He was incredibly easy to play music with.
• It's funny how in the original recording the main guitar is clean on the intro/verses and it almost sounds a bit western in nature. But by the time you get to the KG version, it has lost all of that connection and just becomes a rock chord progression. Part of that is adding the connecting riff in there.
• I always enjoyed playing this song more than listening, but lining up these three versions is really fun. 

Unexpected

Unexpected

Written and Recorded 2014

This one was a challenge. For some reason I really wanted to write a song for a friend's wedding and this is what I came up with. I tried to bring in a few things from their story, but I didn't pull it off and we didn't perform it. In the end the groom felt the word "Unexpected" conveyed more of a Dexter "I'm going to put you on my table" vibe than a "surprise you're in love!" vibe. Whoops!

• Love songs have never been my strong suit, so I'm not quite sure why I felt like I could here. I guess I'm more of a journey/story guy. It is really important to acknowledge one's strengths and weaknesses.
• Sparse instrumentation is something I really enjoy experimenting with. That's probably my favorite part of this song, what I'm able to accomplish with a 6-string guitar, a simple mandolin part, and a single voice. It is straight forward and clean. 
• Maybe this song would work for someone else, but it doesn't work for me. I think I tried a little too hard on this one.

Gunslinger

Gunslinger
Written and Recorded 2011

This one was written in the first few weeks of being back in the Milwaukee area after 4 years in Whitewater and 2 years in Baraboo. Why I wrote a tune that sounds like I'm in Arizona? I don't know. But I have always loved that signature, western twang that a guitar can deliver. I tried to keep with my same "Crantson" rules, by having two guitars, bass, two midi keyboard instruments, but I decided to add in a wee bit of harmonica and maraca.

• This isn't my best song, but it's one of my sleeper favorites. There's something about the B section that keeps me engaged. 
• It's a simple A B form, but I tried to play with building and layers. That's a tool that I have always appreciated and love working with. I could have done more though.
• The image that I see in the beginning is the lone gunslinger, dressed entirely in black, entering a dusty old town, ready to go!...I'm a sucker for the Old West...
• The harmonica and maraca are really there for texture. I really felt that they added that little bit of organic, real instrument to give some authenticity to the track.
• It's no coincidence that this was one of the last of these instrumental tracks that I've created and that it broke my rules. At the same time that this track was created, I was starting to discover how much I craved real instruments. When recording in Baraboo, I basically rejected anything acoustic and worked with a lot of MIDI, effects, and keyboards. Acoustic instruments were missing in my life and I've come back to them in a big way. But I wouldn't have appreciated it without that time to explore. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Poison Ivy's Kiss

Poison Ivy's Kiss
Written and Recorded 2004

I often forget about this song, though I played it in two bands over the years. It was written in high school  and performed by The Manacles and then revived in college for The King's Gentlemen. It's not a bad song overall, just a rock tune. At the time I was really, really into Queens of the Stone Age. Most of the people in my circle of friends worshipped them, so I did too. This song is me trying to do my best version of QOTSA/ Eagles of Death Metal. Eagles of Death Metal are a side project for essentially the same people as QOTSA but more simple and definitely not death metal.

• This is probably my only song that uses a glass slide, and only for one chord at that. I never could quite get the technique of those things.
• I try way too hard with these vocals to be a rocker and the lyrics are pure fluff, no substance to them at all.
• MORE COWBELL
• The opening progression is your simple four chord progression of   Em  G  C   B7. Then for some reason I use an augmented F chord as a pivot to the chorus in Bbm...I didn't have any grasp of music theory at the time and I'm sure I just wanted it to sound cool, but it sure is weird. It works pretty well to break up the song.
• It's funny to think about those progressions working in the same song. Nowadays, I would never dream of doing that sort of key change mid song. But I think that's the price you pay for knowing the rules of harmony. Back in high school, I didn't know I was breaking rules, I just did things. Since I learned all that music theory, I still break rules, build up expectations and break them, but not like this. 
• This is probably my finest drum set performance (the cowbell is overdubbed...I wasn't good enough!)
• "La da da da da do dee day day." *face palm* These lyrics loosely translate to, "I can't think of another rhyme and this sounds good enough." The lowest of the lows...

The Smoke

The Smoke
Written and Recorded 2012

I remember writing this song very vividly. I was in the early stages of working at Melk and had a few late shifts every week. One morning I woke up and felt like garbage/super groggy, but not really sick. So I stayed awake in bed for an extra hour or so. It took a while, but I got my butt out of bed and grabbed my guitar...then went back to the bed. I started noodling around and quickly came up with the opening chord progression. My voice all gravely and low, I began humming along a melody. The chord progression continued to develop and I started forming words. It's a pretty long chord progression/verse and I liked the way it sounded so much that I decided it didn't need a chorus or any other parts, just repeating the same thing over and over again, but growing with intensity. I recorded a quick demo and went off to work.

• I'm not totally sure where the lyrics come from or what "the smoke" actually refers too. I suppose it's a song about feeling guilty about letting things happen. It's a slow realization that feels worse and worse.
• When the harmonies clicked, this song sounded really great. But overall this was a hard song to pull together as a band. Of the North tried performing this one many times in varied instrumentation, but I don't think the song ever felt totally right.
• The tempo change was a huge problem, especially on the demo. The problem I ran into when I put down the acoustic guitar track is that I'm finger picking in the first half, then would switch to a real pick on the tempo change. I just never got it right (read: didn't practice) and decided to move on...a costly mistake.
• I still think I could come back to this one some day and freshen it up. I like a lot of things about it, but there are a lot of things that need fixing and adjustment. 

Kick in the Pants

Kick in the Pants
Written and Recorded 2009

Back to Baraboo! This song is the predecessor of many more instrumental tracks written during this time period. I think a large part of me wished that I had written this while still in school, then it could have been adapted and performed. My compositional style at the time was still very cinematic in nature. It's kind of a long piece, but I tried to keep it as interesting as possible. The title comes from the simple fact that I was trying to give myself a kick in the pants to get creative and write something.

• The chord progression in the A section is simply Dm, F, Am, outlining the notes of the Dm triad...I thought I was pretty damn clever for that one.
• The B section is almost like a chorus. It's got a more solid melodic line going on that breaks up the atmospheric and building A section. It also has a little call and response action going on.
• I like that I made each B section different in terms of instrumentation and dynamic level. You don't get to a full instrumentation till the end, which gives it a bit more weight.
• Some of the A sections go on too long, but I was trying not to be too restricted by "pop" sensibilities, i.e. 4 bars of each progression.
• The rumbling alien noise is weird. I'm not sure why I really put it in there. 
• I have always loved the sound of the lower notes on a piano when played really freaking hard. There is great power that my MIDI piano replicates pretty well. I use it the octave, bass register hits extensively in the A section.
• I wish I could have come up with another melodic idea to make push it beyond the simple ABABAB. I think it could have elevated the piece a little bit.

Letting It All Out

Letting It All Out
Written and Recorded 2005

I don't know if I've made this clear or not, but I used to want to be a rocker. And by that I mean I really,  really wanted to be a rocker. I tried so hard to write songs that would blow people away with how much it rocked and how original it was. This is a song that is a prime example of that mentality as senior in high school/freshman in college. The original title is lost, but I think it had something to do with "Debtor's somethingorother." This song was actually performed once or twice with a "band," that I nearly always forget about, called Accelematrix. The band itself was just me and the drummer from my other high school bands, occasionally joined by another friend of ours. Being only 17/18 at the time, there wasn't much in the way of shows available to play, so we only played at our friend's house. One might call this band a skidmark on the underpants of my band history.

• The intro and verses aren't that bad in terms of music. I like the rhythm that the guitars keep, giving it a little space which accentuates the rhythm even more.
• The chorus has about a million chords. Having the first part of the progression on D major, then the second part going to D minor right away is a uninformed mistake. I think I knew it was weird at the time, but that's kind of what I was going for. It's also a bit strange to have that D major chord played open when the rest of the song is power chords.
• Lyrically, it is pretty simple: a proud little rebel boy wants to be better than he is (teen angst.) Props for the use of the word "Grumble." 
• The structure of this song is pretty sound. With that opening riff/interlude it breaks things up nicely. I remember the bridge coming much later in the song's composition. It's comprised of two progressions, which are simple in comparison to the rest of the song. In that respect it does a nice job of moving the song forward.
• You can really hear on the chorus how bad I want my voice to rock, but it just doesn't have that edge. I tried to get there by going to the higher parts of my range at the time, but that just made me strain. 
• Not a bad song, but like some of my other earlier attempts it is overly complicated for the sake of complication. (ROCK)
• Side note: this is the first recording I experimented with compression. So it sounds a bit odd at times. Also I put a ton of effects on the keyboard drums to make them sound more real...but it doesn't.

No Angels

No Angels
Written and Recorded 2013

 "No Angels" is one of my most cohesive and memorable songs, definitely in the top 5 best songs that I've written. This was the last original song that we learned in Of the North, and the last song we played together. What a song to end on!

I definitely have to cite our friends in Pay the Devil as an influence for this song. They have so much energy, playing traditional and original music that makes you smile, tap your foot, sing along, drink a beer, etc. As I've said in previous posts, during Of the North's tenure I realized that I needed to write songs that I could walk in to. I needed to be able to step in that mindset and put more of myself in it. Pay the Devil seems to do this so effortlessly. I tried and tried before, but this is a song that really broke through and captured that spirit.

Quite simply, this is a song about a vigilante in the Old West. The narrator has been betrayed and now is dishing out his own good justice. He captures the "victim", sentences him to hell, and makes him dig his own grave. I love it.

• There's more changes in this chord progression than your traditional bluegrass song, but I kept the structure as close as possible. The result is what I consider to be a great mashup of old and new.
• Banjo Ivan from Pay the Devil had another part to play in this songs development. I had originally recorded it a half-step lower (in Db) and sent the demo to Kent. From what I remember, Kent told me he'd played it for Ivan at work and Ivan asked what key it was in. Kent told him Db and Ivan replied with some comment on how no Bluegrass song is EVER in Db and if I brought this to a bluegrass jam, I'd be hanged/hung. SOOO I raised it up to D and everyone was happier for it.
• The lyrics for this song just flowed out of me. I remember starting with "Don't look now" and knew that every verse would start with it. This story unfolded so naturally that I started to wonder if I had stolen it. To my knowledge, this is completely original.
• I've never been a great improviser, so these (not so great) solos were very planned out. Even now when I play this song with Whiskey Doubles I generally use the same solos with a few small changes. 
• I love the stacked "No"s that go on in the chorus. I think it's a really cool effect and always wanted to use it. It adds a little something special to the 3-part harmony.
• Whiskey Doubles recorded this on our first EP, so if you want hear an updated version of the song, check it out on iTunes or Spotify. (Here's a video we did a few weeks ago too)
• Fun fact: At that last performance with Of the North, we played this song with Pay the Devil, Kent's dad on snare, and Ellie on banjolele. It was the final song of our set at Kent's wedding, 12 people celebrating and playing music together, and the guests watching and having a good time. This is a memory I will always hold on to. 

Dancing and Crying

Dancing and Crying
Written and Recorded 2010

How this song has made it through the years, I'll never know. When it was written, I had just assumed that would be the end of it. It isn't a particularly accessible or catchy song. It doesn't tell a particularly stirring story. Not that I don't enjoy the song, I don't mean to say that at all. It's just of all the songs I've written, how has this song made it through 5 years of changes and continues to be rearranged today? I don't have the answer, but the fact of the matter is that I wrote this song back in Baraboo and it has since been performed in Of the North and now again in Whiskey Doubles.

This song is another instance of a clear image in my head, using some real life people and events as the characters and inspiration, and crafting a fictional story around it. In this case, the narrator is at a wedding, observing a good friend dealing with a tough situation. Though her pain is obvious to him, nobody else can see what's going on.

• I love the synths used on this recording. The opening chords are simple, yet powerful. It creates a nice contrast when the more subdued verses start.
• The right and left hands of the main keyboard were recorded separately. I really wanted to be able to do both, but my skills were not where they needed to be. Practicing those sorts of things wasn't really an option at this time. Songs came quickly and I had to employ whatever means necessary to get the ideas out.
• This song has 2.5 verses, which is a bit odd. I think it was another one of those songs where I felt I'd said all I needed to say, any more would have been overkill. Looking back, I think I painted a clear enough picture. Lyrically there is nothing I would add.
• These songs were largely keyboard and synth based, so having a guitar solo was a bit odd for me. I saturate it with a ton of delay so it blends better, but I think this is a nice bridge for the song. It's nice and simple.
• I don't have a nice recording of an Of the North version, but there is a video here. This was a night where Kent arranged a few songs to add string quartet. Our band was at it's largest and we were sharing the bill with the quartet anyways, so Kent extended the bridge and added the them in to this song. It was a great and unique experience. If you want to hear what it sounds like now with only guitar, cello, clarinet and flute, you'll have to see us live this summer :)

Sights on the Sun

Sights on the Sun
Written and Recorded 2003

One of the only songs that I've written in an alternate tuning (dropped D,) this song is another remnant of my high school days. I don't remember a ton about the writing process on this song, but I know that I really wanted to write a "rocking" tune. Armed with my bass effects pedal, I dropped the tuning to make it sound more metal, and palm muted it. I'd go on to perform this song with the more pop/rock band in high school called The Manacles. The guys in the other band didn't think it rocked quite as hard as I did.

• "Standing at the gates of hell"...what a way to start a song. Not my strongest lyrics in the world, but I was really able to get behind them at the time. Overall it's quite melodramatic, but hey, I was in high school.
• Structurally I think this song works really well. The opening chord/riff, which doubles as the verse progression, is a pretty good way to start things off. Then there is a simple break between verses 1 and 2 that doesn't come back at all. I'm not one for prechoruses anymore, but this one does a nice job of setting up the chorus. Predetermined, melodic solos have always been a favorite of mine. At just over 4 minutes, it's a pretty tight and balanced song in that regard.
• Another recording featuring my drumming. It was great having band rehearsals at our house if not only because the drums stayed there, giving me the chance to try and play another instrument. I've always enjoyed drums, but never advanced much past what you hear here.
• There are a few songs, including this one, that I can't recall the real title. I call this one "Sights on Sun" because that's the main lyric and I think the original was something along those lines. This is yet another reason I'd like to get these songs out there. I'm forgetting some of those details and would like to document as much as I can.
• If it weren't for the lyrics, I'd probably enjoy this song a little bit more. Musically, I'm quite proud of my early high school self. 

Steps

Steps
Written and Recorded 2015

"Steps" is the second song I wrote in the new year, but I need to share the songwriting struggle that preceded. I was having particularly difficult time coming up with new material. At that point, I wasn't quite sure if the song I'd written a week earlier was actually good or not. Usually that's a bad sign, but it turned out to be one of my better ones (it's about a fox!)

Prior to this, I hadn't written a new song in over 4 months. This is extremely long time for me to go without ANYTHING. Honestly, I became a little worried that the well dried up. I became acutely aware of my lack of production as the next Whiskey Doubles recording approached. I kept telling myself that I hadn't written anything because I didn't want to cloud the preparation for the recording, I didn't want to distract myself or others. But that wasn't true at all.

After the recording weekend passed, my worry escalated to near panic. "What if I'm done?" That thought continued running through my head. Every time I picked up a guitar I hoped something would happen. I hoped the floodgates would open and 10 new songs would come out so quickly that I'd barely be able to record them all in time. That didn't happen.

Instead, one song was created but quickly scratched. I was so excited by it at the time that I forced out a terrible chorus, couldn't come up with lyrics, and two days later I shelved it. Again, more worry set in. The next weekend, the fox song was born. Like I mentioned, I was unsure about it and still wasn't convinced that my time was not over. Another week went by and after recording some Irish tunes for St. Patty's, I stayed up in the studio with my guitar and noodled around with some chord progressions. Suddenly I had the verse progression of "Steps." I knew that if I could write this song and see it through, that I'd be ok. So I let the inspiration flow and crafted the song in about an hour, showered, and went to a work party feeling pretty damn good.

• The lyrics are about a young man who left his home with high ambitions, but ends up losing himself and wanders aimlessly. During the song, memories are triggered by his surroundings and actions. Instead of ignoring them, he uses them to move forward.
• This is another bare bones demo (complete with some flubs) that I gave to the Doublers to fill in their own parts. I knew the harmonies on the chorus would be important to the song, so I laid those down too.
• The lead guitar that you hear was recorded as a guide for the cello part I hoped would come. I don't usually get in Kent's way, but I had some incredibly clear melodic material that I couldn't shake. I thought he'd really enjoy the triplet build up to the bridge.
• Since starting the blog, I've really become aware of some songwriting techniques that I use. The one that keeps coming back to me is the lack of lyrics over the bridge section. Though I'm not sure that I fully realize it while writing the actual song, I always make sure that a bridge or solo has a purpose. In this case, it breaks the song structure up, advances some melodic material, and builds towards the last verse. Being a particularly strong section, I brought it back to end the song with.
• While messing with key and structure, I was tempted to put that bridge at the start of the song too. But I like how we get right into the song and wait for the reveal till after the 2nd verse and chorus. 

Breathe Easy

Breathe Easy
Written and Recorded 2010

"Breathe Easy" is another one of my Songettes made in Baraboo.  Despite the unhappiness I felt with my work and a bit of self pitty thrown in there, I'm always surprised to hear some of the music I made in those times. This is one of many that is (to me at least) very relaxing and calming. I'd like to think this was an outpouring of my subconscious trying to guide me a long. Even now it brings me a little peace.

• 70-80% of the Songettes were recorded as straight MIDI instruments, which I would do through "Musical Typing" in either Garageband or Logic. Musical Typing is when you are able to use the QWERTY keyboard as a mini piano keyboard. It takes some time to get used to, but I just ended up just playing a lot of single note lines.
• I like this one in particular because of the amount of building that goes on in just over a minute. Having an intro and outro helps frame the main section a bit. Also the higher piano unifies the piece with the single note off beats and then doing some uneven arpeggios (Musical Typing is a beast!)

Moons and Stars

Moons and Stars
Written and recorded 2008

Of all the songs that I wrote and recorded throughout high school and college, this is one of the better ones as a whole. "Moons and Stars" originally came about after hearing the Blue Man Group's record The Complex. If you put aside the hilarious antics of the Blue Man Group, it's just good rock music. There is great production and the instrumental tracks keep the listener engaged. It was very inspiring at the time.

I wish I had the original demo, but it is long gone. So we are left with another nice recording by the King's Gentlemen, my college band. Whatever I had on the original demo, Trevor (the drummer) took this song to a whole new level. This recording has probably reached more people than any other. It was done as part of project my senior year. I put a TON of time into this and was extremely proud of it. Still happy with the result all these years later.

• This song was written long before I started thinking about the key I should actually be singing in. I would pick up a guitar and if I liked how to chord progression sounded, I'd stay in that key. Not many songs in Bb minor...
• Lyrically I tried to create extremely vivid pictures. "Tears fall like snow," was a favorite line. I'm not positive where these come from or what I was trying to say. If I had to guess, I don't think I was trying to say anything in particular. But I think that's what makes this one still work to me. It's 100% open to interpretation and the listener can take as much or as little from them as they want.
• This has to be one of the first songs I wrote without a clear cut chorus. Though there are two different chord progressions in what I would call a verse. It just kind of keeps going, gaining a little more momentum as the melody gets higher. In this prog rock-like setting, it works really well.
• The riff between verses is a nice break. Kristen has told me that the octave jumping part of it reminds her of "Salt Peanuts," by Dizzy Gillespie...which I had never heard.
• I had always wanted to learn how to tap a guitar solo. So what did I do? I wrote one into a song that I had no choice but to sit down and learn how. My old roommate can probably attest to how I worked on this solo for hours.
• This is one of those songs that came pretty naturally. I have to give a lot of credit to my bandmates at the time though, they really helped make this one something special. I've often thought of adapting it for Whiskey Doubles, but I kind of like it is.
• The soaring guitar lines at the end of the song were done as a last minute idea in the studio to give the song some extra power at the end. I wasn't sure if it was too cheesy at the time, but I'm really glad I kept them. They help keep the momentum up after the solo into the final section.

BONUS ROUND: Love You Madly

Love You Madly (Cake Cover)
Arranged and Recorded 2014

Because I jumped the gun and posted the blog on "Burn" this past Saturday, I thought it only right to throw in a bonus post. When I started this blog I was really hesitant to put in any covers. But there are quite a few that I've arranged and recorded over the years that are pretty cool.

This cover came into being for a wedding of Whiskey Doublers, Kent and Ellie. Of the North was still around and were booked for the reception. We came up with a few covers, but this one is the coolest. After all, what do you do when there is a trumpet in the band? Cover Cake. (Trumpet on this demo was done by me)

It's always a nice challenge to cover a song with drums...when you have no drums. So I basically changed it to the "Bo Diddley"rhythm, which really keeps it moving forward. I think this one turned out pretty nice! Enjoy this bonus track:

Burn

Burn
Written and Recorded 2014

I think every songwriter has certain insecurities about the work that he or she puts out into the world. Not only wondering if a song is good enough or if people will like it, but often asking, "Do I even like this song?" I can say that all of these thoughts have gone and continue to go through my head, especially the last. For a non-artist, it may seem like a silly thought. How could you not like a song that you just created? And I always thought that I should like everything I make and perform it if possible. After all, nobody is telling me what to write, or when to do it. It is all in my control. As I develop and continue to learn and grow in songwriting, I've made my peace with all of this.

It was a lot harder in Of the North to cut certain songs loose once I was sick of them. With so many people in the band, it took a lot of time to learn a song and play it together. It felt like if I was to cut something out, it would have been a colossal waste of everyone's time. Since Of the North's inception, I've not had much of problem having enough material. But as time goes on, I'm more picky about which songs I present to Whiskey Doubles, take more time with them, and make sure that it is something I'm going to want to play, sing, and share for a good, long while.

"Burn" is the last song that I wrote with members of Of the North in mind. Written about a month before the end, I wanted to create a song that was positive, upbeat, and had some real heart to it. I hadn't quite made the decision to end things yet, and knew that if we were to continue, I had to write songs that were more. I needed to write not only smarter, but also with more emotion. I've talked in the past on how good songs transcend the instrumentation that they were originally written for. For me, this is one of those and one that started a new way of thinking about writing songs. This demo that I've uploaded is one that has Of the North instrumentation (including terrible trumpet playing by yours truly.) If you'd like to hear the updated and far more orchestral version of the song as performed by Whiskey Doubles, check it out on iTunes or Spotify.

• The intro's chords and rhythm came very naturally to me. This progression is very versatile. It can be very tender and introspective (as shown in the opening, solo guitar), but can pack a punch too (full band)
• As if by some happy accident, the lyrics were written very quickly and naturally as well. This song in general is an outpouring of emotions. It has been one of the easiest songs to memorize because it is very real, autobiographical, and deeply personal. I see it as an acknowledgement of the past and hope for the future, which can be difficult.
• I've always loved choruses that have an echo, especially in folk music. I definitely put extra effort into that part of the song. This was a first for me, to have two phrases that work in conjunction, the first with a half cadence and the second ending on tonic. I love the participatory feeling that it gives the song.
• In the Whiskey Doubles version, I tightened up the structure a bit. Now we do what has been dubbed, "The Honoré Two-Step." Essentially, I made the last chord of the chorus the first chord of the interlude. I think it is seamless for the listener, but can be a bit jarring for the musician.
• I'm not sure if has been a conscious decision or not, but I don't often have bridges with lyrics. I say all that I need to say in the verse and chorus portions and leave the instruments to tell the rest of the story or bring out further emotion. This bridge is one of my favorites, despite a very simple chord progression. 

Our Opening Hymn

Our Opening Hymn
Written and Recorded 2010

My mom and dad have this rather Moog-esque synthesizer called a Six-Trak. I know nothing about it other than I can make some cool sounds with it. There were a few weeks in Baraboo where I decided I was going to really lean on this thing to make some music. I had also started a project with one of my brother's friends in D.C. named Aaron DeNu. He is an extremely gifted guy who has some great photography skills. I saw his photographs online and approached him about the possibility of me putting some music to them, also in the Songette style that I had been using. Some of the photos that I put music to were landscapes, architecture, etc. This Songette was written for a picture of an old, old church. I wish I could find the picture to share with you.

• Melodically I tried to make this as much like an older style hymn as possible. I feel like I achieved that through a slow, simple line that a congregation would be able to follow and a basic accompaniment that an organist in northern Wisconsin could handle.
• I dressed it up a bit with the moving Moogish lines and few other things. It gives it a more modern and quirky vibe.
• A lot of inspiration for this comes not only from the photo, but from a childhood surrounded by church music. I learned a lot throughout those years. This is just one small example of that.

That Was Me

That Was Me
Written and Recorded 2006

I have very clear memories of writing this song. "That Was Me" is one of the few songs I wrote following a break-up, this one after my freshman year of college. But unlike most break-up songs, this has nothing to do with pining for a lost love, but was a reflective piece on how I acted during that relationship.

However, the chord progression started as an effort to write a song for a ska band...that's right, a ska band in 2006 called Odd End Out. I had classes with some of the members and was admittedly a little envious of other people having a functional band in college. I was asked to sub for them on guitar on a gig, but it ended up being cancelled. When I got home that summer, I wanted to write a song for them to play. I guess it was going to be my way of living vicariously through them. Because of the lyrics that I wrote for the song, I never presented it to them and it stayed in my computer. Try to picture the rhythm guitar playing quick off-beats and a faster tempo for the ska version that was never to be.

• This is one of my stronger "pop" tunes. It's straight forward enough and the content is accessible. It would have fit great in my non-hard rock band in high school.
• Again, I tend to take pride in my bass lines, this one particularly on the chorus. It's sort of a Paul McCartney-ish "trick" I use by just going up the arpeggio. I also do a quick riff every once in a while in the verses.
• The chorus is repeated each time, but changes from the tonic (I) to the submediant (vi) on the first chord of the phrase the second time around. It' a pretty simple way of extending the chorus and giving the second time through a little more weight emotionally with that minor chord. I'm sure I learned that in a Beatles song somewhere along the way.
• I did try and get a band together to perform this and a few other songs at the start of my sophomore year. We were going to be the Skeleton Blues, but with only one other member and not enough motivation, it quickly fizzled out. We did practice this song with prerecorded bass, drums, and organ on my keyboard while I played guitar and he played trombone. The trombone part was in place of the guitar interlude line. It worked surprisingly well.
• The melody of the verse moves along nicely. Each line has a separate set of notes that build on each other and resolve before the chorus. I wouldn't say it's catchy, but it functions in a way that sets up the hook of the chorus.
• I shared this song with my parents that summer. The one thing I remember my mom saying is, "I wish I had you as a cantor at church!" I took it as a huge compliment (my parents are both church musicians), but this recording is pretty pitchy on the verses. Still had quite a bit of learning to do there.

Fire or Pearl

Fire or Pearl
Written and Recorded 2012

Written almost exactly 3 years ago, "Fire or Pearl" was one of my more ambitious songs. Of the North would go on to play this song for the duration of the band. At the time, I had picked up a book of old Wisconsin folk tunes and was inspired to write one of my own. This song comes from the original Wisconsin Badgers. In the early 1800s, the lead miners who settled here would also dig out tunnels to live in during the harsh winter months. So I made up a little story of my own about a man hoping for a better future for his son, then heading off to the mines. The chorus continues with how the miners embraced the dangerous nature of their job. This is an early demo I gave to my bandmates.

• The song has two different tempos and time signatures. I can't say what originally inspired this, but I felt that the first part of the story should be more exposed and delicate. It is a neat effect when done correctly, but it also makes for 5 minute song.
• The "Ooos" that follow the chorus are the highlight of this song for me. The harmonies are really nice over one of my favorite chord progessions. I always remember audiences looking up and smiling a bit more when we hit that part of the song.
• Overall, I think the song is a bit too long. That comes from the slower intro, a long chorus, a post-chorus section, solo, AND recap of the first verse AND a double chorus at the end. When Kent came on board, he did a lot more with solo section on cello that helped keep it interesting.
• Because I had a clear vision of what the song should be (i.e. Wisconsin folk tune about miners) I probably forced some of the lyrics to work. The chorus is a nice idea to jam those words in, but it's almost too much. Though it was easier to walk into the setting of the song because of the story I was telling. That's always been key for me, especially in terms of remember lyrics!
• This is one of my favorite bass lines. It keeps moving on the chorus and drives the song along. I know it's pretty simple, but it works quite well with the progression.
• The song just didn't come out cleanly. I usually work well within parameters or instrumentation restrictions, but as I've said before, lyrics don't work so well when I box myself in. I think it was a good effort at something new, but still a bit forced. 
• Fun fact: In the early days of Of the North I would play banjo on this song. It was always ridiculously difficult to sing and play, but that was another nice element.

PJ Max

PJ Max
Written and Recorded 2010

Being lost can have unexpected results. There were times while we were in Baraboo where I would force myself to be creative, go to the computer and make something. I remember sifting through hundreds of MIDI sounds through Logic and making these kind of grooves. I don't really know where this music fits, but I enjoy this song immensely.

• The title refers to the fact that I was wearing my pajamas when I made it. 
• There is more percussion here than anything else. I loved layering those parts to create an organic kind of soundscape for the listener. Being so synth heavy, I think it adds a nice contrast.
• I highly recommend listening on speakers with a sub or headphones. The bass synth that I use is pretty sweet and rumbly. I tried to make this as interesting to listen to as possible. Bass lines have always had a little more weight in my music, but this one especially works as both a bass line and a countermelody.
• Aside from the bass synth, there are really only two other melodic instrument tracks at work. There is the arpeggiating keyboard and the melody piano. The mix between these instrument creates a surprisingly full sound.
• Structure is still loosely based on pop/rock. Being that the track is only 2:26, only one verse is added, but we're still starting with an intro, into the A/chorus section, B/verse, section, break, then some final A/chorus sections with the outro. I think the song would be harder to listen to if the B/verse section came back again. The track isn't that infectious to get away with making it another minute longer. This kind of music doesn't really call for that kind of repetition. I think it was more important to have some variety in there, but the A section is really what we're here for.
• Funny enough, the B section is the same chord progression as the A.
• The break is almost uncomfortably long (4 measures!!!) I believe my thought process at the time was to build the song so that you think you know exactly what's coming next. That extra time breaks the expectation.
• I find it hilarious that all of these things were done for a non-existent audience. I think I only shared this one with Kristen and maybe a friend in Baraboo. Oh well! I hope you all enjoy this little departure.

Ricochet

Ricochet
Written and Recorded 2007

I don't think I have ever shared this song. It's definitely one of my more interesting ones, but it does have its moments. This was written on one of the first nights I'd spent in my first apartment after my sophomore year of college. I remember it all happening very quickly and excitedly, laying down track after track. The original files of this are lost, but I'm guessing there are well over 12 tracks on here. There was never any band in mind while this song was written. I see it now as more of a creative exercise...and I had nothing better to do.

• I thought I was pretty slick by having the piano play the lowest notes and the bass harmonizing it. It's hardly amazing, but I do enjoy the punchiness of the bass register of the piano in conjunction with the higher notes of the electric bass.
• This is one of the only songs from this time period that doesn't have a guitar. Because of the music theory, aural training, and piano classes I'd taken, I was far more comfortable on piano than ever before. There are a few clunkers in there, but I enjoy the various levels of keyboard on this track.
• "Ricochet" is one of two songs that I've written that feature what I call "Mike Patton Vocals." Patton was (is?) the lead singer of a band called Faith No More, along with numerous other projects. He is a ridiculously talented singer who has been called a man of 1000 voices. One of them being the kind of speaking in a lower register that I use on the verses. This is my least favorite part of the song. 
• The melody on the chorus would swim in my head for days after writing it. Even now it is one of my favorite choruses. This also is one of the first songs to have non-verbal chorus (ooos and ahhs)...more to come.
• Because of the weird pivot chord that I use between the chorus and verse, when the verse comes back to the chorus it always feels like I'm making a massive key change, each time going higher and higher. I think this is due to the extreme change in vocal register and the nature of the different progressions. Regardless, I love the effect.
• I was extremely focused on production at the time. The song needed to build, so I would add something new nearly every time a part of the song rolled around. Enter a countermelody here, an extra layer there...this thing is MASSIVE by the time you get to the end.

Broken Flowers

Broken Flowers
Written 2011, Arranged and Recorded 2014

"Broken Flowers" was a song written in the early stages of Of the North, though this recording wasn't made until the last few months of the band. I originally wrote this song for my friend and then bandmate Tim to sing. This is probably my most successful attempt at writing "with a purpose" or with someone in mind. Typically when I try to write a song about something or someone, it turns out terrible. If I let it the process happen naturally, without an agenda, I'm much more successful. It took a long time for this song to actually take shape. The melody and lyrics have never changed, but the accompaniment always seemed to be moving somewhere else. I think this recording was my inadvertent send-off to this song, putting it to rest along with the band a few months later.

• I know there is a Bill Murray movie out there with same title, but I've never seen it or know anything about it. A flower with a broken stem that continues to grow is a clear picture and that's how the song started.
• The lyrics of this song are straight out of my childhood. There are a few lyrical images that are vivid and a somewhat bittersweet to remember. I can't go into too many details without revealing what the song is about to me. I'd rather everyone take from it what they will.
• I wanted to keep this song very simple in terms of chords and structure. The verses used to just be tonic (G) and dominant (D) chords, but for this recording I changed it for a bit more movement. The chord progression was originally only used on the end chorus as a tag.
• The original didn't have as much of a solo section as this, but it does feel more complete with it after having only two verses. However, the decision to only have two verses was intentional. I felt like I said all I needed to say.
• While this song will always have a special place in my heart, I'm happy to put it to bed and leave it as it is now. 

Leave Slowly

Leave Slowly (Both Versions)
Written, Recorded, and Arranged in 2011

These songs are an awesome example of how much my music changed within an extremely short period of time. The first "Leave Slowly" you hear is a song I wrote for a band that I wanted to start with my good friend Tim. Though Kristen and I were still in Baraboo, we knew we were headed down to the good land soon. Originally, the band was just a duo of bass and keyboards. But I quickly realized that my keyboard skills were nowhere close to where they needed to be and that I wanted more to work with in terms of a sound palette. So I added some guitar parts, recruited my old neighbor Kevin, and the Miss Misery Trio was born. The name comes from one of my favorite Elliott Smith songs, who I consider a big inspiration. There really is a mishmash of influences going on at this time.

Once we moved back to Milwaukee, Miss Misery Trio practices started up pretty quick. This was another band situation where I essentially wanted people to come with their parts memorized. There was not a lot of room for collaboration and I ran the group pretty poorly. Hindsight is 20/20. So we all did our best to replicate the recordings, but it just didn't come together. I also had problems playing parts I had written. So this first version was never played live.

After we all realized that the demos I made for Miss Misery Trio just weren't going to work, songs started to change and develop into what became Of the North. We took more of a folk approach, adjusted the instrumentation, and I went to work making new demos. This second version of "Leave Slowly" is a simple demo I made in Garageband to fit our "new direction."

• Bass was the first fretted instrument that I learned and am probably the most proficient at. After I saw the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, I was greatly inspired to bust my bass out. Throughout the movie, there are a bunch of songs where the bass is heavily distorted and somewhat of a lead instrument. I tried to emulate that a bit with these demos.
• Another huge influence throughout my life is Jack White. At this time, I remember reading some articles on how he was recording on old analog recorders as opposed to digital. A big point was that artists are getting lazy and letting ProTools fix their mistakes. He talked a lot about there being more energy in the performance because you only get one take at it, more pressure and accountability. Without access to those machines, I did my best to replicate that spirit and use only single takes. If I messed up, I did the whole thing over.
• Lyrically, this song has no real base. These are almost random sentences strung together to make a verse. And I have absolutely no idea if there is any real meaning behind the chorus. What does it mean to leave slowly? I have no clue. I think I just liked the sound of it.
• Fun fact: The line involving "the seventh seal" is a nod to a song by an amazing singer named Scott Walker (not to be confused with the political Scott Walker.) His work is bizarre and fantastic.
• Like my earlier work, the structure of the first version of the song is muddled with random interludes and variations. I believe it to be a lack of songwriting confidence, wanting to make the song as aurally interesting as possible.
• The second version is one of my first attempts at the modern folk genre. I got rid of a lot of the extra parts of the Miss Misery Trio version and stripped it down. 
• It definitely has a different energy about it. Though it was always hard to really get into the song because it has next to no meaning. About this time, I started to realize that I needed to focus a bit more on my lyrics. I knew I needed to be able to walk into the mindset of a song, and for one like this, it just didn't happen.