So, since on all my album posts I've had either song title changes, or introduced new songs, I've decided to make a list as a reference for all the songs I've written, recorded, finished, or canceled. This is a mammoth list so grab a cold one and enjoy finding about all the progress on the songs on my album!
FYI, I have them in a rough list that is no doubt subject to change. I'll post up top when this was last updated as well.
---ALBUM BACKGROUND - I spent the first half of 2008 making a re-recording of the beatle's "White Album". I had also done some experimental work before that. Starting in September of 08, I decided to do an album of all original work.
When I first started writing music for this project, I wrote full/partial/and basic ideas for over 30 songs. Plus, I wrote older songs much earlier than that which I revived, so that actually made the total more than 40!
I originally wanted the album to be an album which started back in the 50's style music and gradually went to modern day music. However, I decided against this as a lot of songs have many different genres in them, so I dropped that idea.
Not before long, I've gradually decreased the huge list of 40 + songs/ideas to just over 20, and I plan to work around those to make this into two albums that will be released a few months apart from each other. The themes I cover are modern day conflicts, relationships, love, politics, and of course, just having a good time. When this is done, I hope to make this a fantastic masterpiece of music.
Songs in (parenthesis) are working titles and might change. The song order will probably change too
So read and enjoy. Oh...and comment... you know you want to!
------------------- TRACKLISTING --------------------------
1. JUST ONE MORE DAY - I wrote this in my freshman year at SCSU. It's a rock ballad that I hope to record, and make better. Besides "I sold out", it's one of the 2 songs I recorded for the demo tape before the sessions started. I feel this song is one of the most personal and at the same time fantastic songs I've ever written
- status - done!
2. DRIVING ROUND - This is a song about looking back on your life and what lies ahead. The bass line in this song is one I wrote some years ago, but the rest is all new.
- status - done
3. I SOLD OUT - One of the first songs started and after lots of hard work, completed. It's a ska song, and Cisco is the co-author, (who sings backing vocals as well!). It's a fun song that backlashes at pop culture. Long live rock and roll!
- status - done!
4. MYSTERY GIRL - The first song I started for this project back in September. It's a 60's garage rock song with a few modern twists, and it has changed a lot from the original ideas I had in mind for it.
- status- Done!
5. JAIL & BAIL - This is a hard rock song that deals with someone who's life is a true mess and asking for help. The person who he asks for help is never mentioned. It could be his wife, his friends, god, or even himself! A very metaphorical song, yet it's still a very solid rocker with many punchy moments.
- status - Finished!
6. MY AUTHORITY - Previously called "I don't wanna go", this song is based on a riff I wrote years ago. It has become a more authoritative garage/punk rock song that completely changes it from the troubled relationship idea I gave it months ago. I kept it so it has a fun and garage rock feel to it though, and I think that's another plus point for the song.
-status- complete!
7. WHEREVER YOU ARE - This song was originally rejected simply because I didn't know what direction I was going for in it. Now that I've been taking my time working the song out, I've decided to put it back up. The genesis of this song comes from a part of my mini-rock opera that never made the album, and since I loved the way that melody sounded, I thought I'd incorporate it into the lyrics I wrote for this song.
status - I have some string parts and a basic beat (the latter will be deleted when this is done)
8. - DASHBOARD DAN - A reggae/ska song that deals with a troublemaker who wants to be a radio star, so he steals a cop car, and while being pursued, broadcasts his debut radio show on the cop radio as "Dashboard Dan".
- status - Done!
9. ALL OVER- A song that I thought of the music for more than 10 years ago! The song gradually goes from a dark acoustic song to a powerhouse of "metal guitars meets electronic rock". The lyrics however, are from the point of view of someone looking back to the in 8 dark years of bush's "leadership". The way I sung the middle of the song is proof that I can do loud and screaming vocals in tune and powerful.
status - done
10. (THE END OF THE) COMMON MAN - This song is based on a piece I partially wrote back in my garage band days. It is a fast paced rocker that deals with the speedy and dangerous life of a criminal. I have many hooks and surprises in this song and it is a fast pace piece as well
status - done!
11. GROW - This is a song I wrote the music to when I was in my garage band. Originally written with lyrics only by Sean, I wrote mostly new lyrics, while still keeping some of the original lines. I also give credit Josh (who was our lead guitar player), for the opening/closing guitar riff, which he improvised one jam session and I wrote the song off of that.
- status - complete!
12. FIRE & SPICE - I wrote this song with Cisco, and it deals with a girl who looks like perfection on the outside but on the inside she's nasty. The song title comes from another song I started (track 14), but I thought it fit this song much better. It is a garage rock/bluesy song that features lots of hooks and some of the best, yet simple lyrics me and Cisco have written.
- status - done!
13. GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE - A prog/psychedelic rock organ fronted song I started early on in the sessions. When I finished it in mid July, it was literally halfway done and had no bass. I finished the song in one day and now it is finally finished. It is a song that can't be described, you have to listen for yourself to hear how amazing and complex it is.
- status - done
14. 3018 RHAPSODY - Opening side 3 with a big wall of sound is this space-age song that would be very prog-rock, with even my own styles mixed in. It would be a fast paced song that would immediately catch the listener's attention and keep them interested for what more would come. Plus, this song has some very impressive guitar work in it. Of course, you'll have to wait to hear that yourself...
- status - done!
15. - G.O.M.D - I got this idea from a song I improvised in my french class on guitar (called "Emilie"). It is a 3 part acoustic guitar/vocal song, that is similar to 60's folk style with many of my own twists. Since I finished it, I can easily say it's my best vocal performance I have ever done. It even amazes me!
- status - Done!
16. TILL WE ALL FALL IN PLACE - A song that I've revamped overtime to be a song that starts out quiet and mysterious and after much suspense, explodes into a furious rocker. It'll open the second album, and will be full of hooks
- status - I just need to record some brass parts and the vocals then I'm done
17. THE WAVES OF BLUE- A surf rock instrumental that I wrote when we were in my garage rock band in high school. I recorded it in 4 days, and it was the first song finished for the album. A piece of cake to record, a full tidal wave of sound to listen to. Surf's up!
- status - completed.
18. SCHOOLDESKS AND FERRIS WHEELS - A prog rock ballad based on the dark drama play, Home Free. A very atmospheric song that I am surely proud of.
- status - done.
------------ Deleted/Rejected songs ----------------------
UNNAMED SKA SONG- one of the first songs I worked on for the project, and most of it was recycled for "i sold out's" riff
"lethal" - A hard rock song I was working on for the album. I never ended up using it, and I actually dropped this from the album very early. I feel "all over" and "self-destruct" do the genre justice.
MAKE NOISE- a reggae song that, unlike it's title, criticized people who blast speakers. I abandoned it, since, I didn't like the direction of the song.
TROUBLE IN THE GUNYARD- a punk rock song, that's anti-war. I feel I mentioned this better in "all over", and I feel that I cover punk rock better in some other songs on here. So I dropped this song. Plus, I think it didn't sound original enough. However, if McCain won the election (and thank god he didn't!), then I'd probably still have this song on here.
(Funk rock song) - I wanted to do a funk rock song in the second side, but I have bumped it off the roster since both the blues song and GROW have been moved to the second side, and I have written more straightforward rock songs for the first side. Since this song was the only song I had no idea on a direction, I felt the need to get rid of it.
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT - This song went from being a woodstock type song, to a bob dylan folk song to a reggae song. I eventually lost my interest in it, and have decided to get rid of it. I thought it would end up as filler and I think it's for the best.
*****GONE AWAY FOR GOOD - Now this song is a different story. I have all the instruments done for this song, but the more I listen to it, the more I'm not pleased with it. It sounds too generic and filler-ish to me. I might bring it back, record vocals and give it a polish up down the road, but this is looking like it might be the first time I have a near completed song that is put in the can. Who knows...
- World Peace - This song, which I was originally going to have be a hidden track isn't strong enough for the album.
- Gotta Have it - A swing song that I wrote, but never recorded. I guess I've lost interest in recording it, and since I've been writing other songs, I had to let this one go.
***** "unnamed rock opera" - I decided that this huge piece of music doesn't really belong on the album. But it's not a bad collection of songs, and I hope to save what I recorded and finish it up once this project is complete.
*****SELF-DESTRUCT - No scrapped song comes close to the amount of work gone into this one though. This song was completed, mixed and everything. As you might know, it was a grungy/metalish song that lashed back at plastic pop stars. However, overtime this song became my least favorite bit of work I've done, and I thought it didn't suit me well. So when I cut back the album track listing from 24 songs to 18, this one was first place to go, besides the songs that were never started which were-
- turn back the years - This is the album's title as of mid August, but even earlier than that is when I decided to cut the song. I might revive it down the road, but for this project, I didn't have any room or time for it.
- psychedelic pop song - A late addition to the album that I worked on for one day in late July. Again, it was a great melody, but I ran out of time.
- Intermission - Just like "Turn Back...", this song was never started and I wasn't able to find room for it. Had the album been two parts like it originally was, this song would've been the halfway marker, hence the title. I might revive it down the road.
- (jazz number), often called "pork chops" by me since it was an improvised trumpet showcasing number, I decided that this jazzy song didn't fit on the album. However, I have the melody written down, so maybe down the road I'll revive it. I feel though it needs real drums, and it's not meant to be done by just one person, unlike the rest of the songs I've done.
- farewell dear friends - Same as "intermission" and "turn back", it was never started, although unlike those tracks, I never really got into this song, and I probably won't finish it up.
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THE END - now comment ;D
peace- Rob
Saturday, May 2, 2009
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ROB!! These songa are amazing!! They're awesome. And I love how it's a variety of diffeent sounds, like the one or two that sounded like the Beach Boys. Keep at it, Rob, these are incredible.
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