Hello Maui

I dream at night of days with you
In Lahaina Town being chased by the moon


"Lahaina Luna" 

I fucking love it here.

Well, I could go on a rant about the much anticipated, well performed, but ill attended gig at El's Kitchen, or I could just pretend it never happened. I shall choose the latter as I sip tropical drinks in Maui. I guess what I'm saying, for this week anyways, is fuck the world.

Shelley Miller - White Moon Music Video

My friend Shelley Miller made a video for the song "White Moon" off her new album "February" Check it out! It's dark and noisy and all kinds of awesome.


I

I have to admit to being a Shelley Miller fan.
There, I said it! Guilty as charged!

Upcoming Gig Alert - El's Kitchen, Friday April 20th

And though you shot a glance like I was doing okay
I am never on my way


"Ghosting" - Freelance Whales

So, good news for all both of you readers: Based on some word of mouth/networking from last week's FAWM showcase, I now have an actual, bona-fide, real life, prime time, Friday night gig coming up! (Insert squeals of delight here)
I'll be playing at El's Kitchen and Bar (1450 W. Webster Ave, Chicago) on Friday April 20th at 10pm-11pm.

I will be opening for the very lovely and talented Leigh Evin McCullough , and my hourlong set will be filled with my patented brand of sad-bastardness, so don't miss out on your opportunity to come out, enjoy some good food, drink, and music. (Or enjoy pelting me with rotten fruit, if that is your preference) I'm very excited about this show, and hopefully I can get enough of my Chicago peeps out to see it, because as we all know, it's pretty hard to get that first prime gig, and it's even harder to get the second.
Speaking of repeat gigs, I will also be playing the Acoustic Explosion at Silvie's Lounge on April 16th (8:35-9:05), and May 21st (10:20-10:55). I'm not gonna lie, however, I'm not nearly as excited about those dates.

First five of today's Shuffle Mode:

"Adena" - Smoking Popes
"Sonny Feeling" - Wilco
"Black Lipstick" - Pluto
"Generator ^ First Floor" - Freelance Whales
"Goner" - Dead Confederate

FAWM Showcase Recap

Standing on the back porch

Waiting for the fireflies

Chasing part of her 

Before that part of her dies

Yeah she's waiting

Waiting for the fireflies

"Fireflies" 

So, last night was the FAWM showcase, and I was pretty nervous about it for a couple of reasons, the main one being I had been sick for the previous week with a hellacious cold, and hadn't been able to practice at all without fucking my (already fucked up) voice up. Secondly, I knew I was going to be playing with some very talented individuals and had to bring my "A" game to hold my own on the same stage as them. Fortunately, I had a really good night performance-wise, and ended up having a great night of music and fellowship with my FAWM partners in crime. To make an awesome night even awesome-er, I had several friends show up unexpectedly to show their support. It was a most excellent surprise indeed. I was second on the bill, after the very talented Shelley Miller (Always a tough act to follow), so after she was done schooling everybody, I got up and played:

Fireflies

Farther to Fall

So Much to Lose

and Lahaina Luna

All were well received, and afterwards I got to enjoy the biggest perk of being early on the bill, namely, being able to kick back, have some beers, and enjoy some damn fine music. Here are some photos from the evening:

Shelley Miller, kicking ass as usual

Me

David Kav

Dawn Xiana Moon

Improvising a song called "Ducks are Cool"

Jeff Brown

Kyle Greer

Simeon Peebler (The mastermind and host behind this showcase)

All in all, despite a few challenges (an AWOL at the worst times soundman and competing volume from the reggae band downstairs) it was a great night, and several of us hung out afterwards at a local taco stand, commiserating and discussing ways to continue/expand this songwriting circle into more performances, house concerts, and more, which I'm totally stoked to get onboard with. Hopefully will have much more to report about that in the near future.

The first five of Shuffle Mode today:

"I Might Be Wrong" - Radiohead

"Another Place to Fall" - KT Tunstall

"Anna Begins" - Counting Crows

"Wild Heart" - Stevie Nicks

"Nothing Ever Goes As Planned" - Styx

FAWM Showcase - Sunday April 1st

Lay low

Don't make a scene

And oh, beware

Of low flying dreams

I'll be showcasing the new tunes I wrote in February at the FAWM Showcase this coming Sunday at 9pm, Chicago's famous Elbo Room.

The event Facebook page is HERE in case you're interested in coming out to support me and my fellow FAWMers.

Shelley Miller - February

I've got a love that's bigger than darkness

I've got a love that's bigger than you

I've got a love that's bigger than anything you'll ever do

"Bigger Than Darkness" - Shelley Miller

My friend Shelley Miller has just released her fourth album "February".

Shelley Miller - February

It's a lovely slab of folk/dream-pop/Americana, and well worth the $10, you cheap bastard, so buy it. (It is available on CDBaby and iTunes)
Here is my flowery, wish-I-was-a-music-journalist review:

For her follow up to “When It’s All Gone, You Come Back” Shelley Miller has crafted a textured, atmospheric, piece of folk/dream-pop/Americana. Telling stories of intimate encounters, lonely meditations, and the meeting of urban landscapes with the innocence and visceral beauty of nature, Shelley Miller is a songwriters songwriter, who presents her latest work with a fine supporting cast. “February” is a journey through one Chicago winter, told with a wry wit and a keen eye for the little details that most of us take for granted. The hauntingly beautiful “November” and “Kitchen” are intimate and lovely (Probably my favorite tracks on the album) while “Riptide” is an upbeat romp through dive-bar heaven.  The brooding, defiant “Bigger Than Darkness” has been a mainstay of her live set over the last year, and here she captures it’s essence beautifully. There are many surprises on this record, from the banjo laden  “White Flag” to the otherworldly saw on “Lion (Afraid)” to the feedback washes on “White Moon”, she refuses to paint herself into a corner. This record is much like Shelley herself: A Chicago treasure that everyone should hear.  

The review might be pretentious, but I can assure you, the album is not.

The first five of Shuffle Mode today:

"The Knew" - Jason Falkner
"Little Hell" - City and Colour
"And We Danced" - The Hooters
"Lost" - Face to Face
"Lighting Blue Eyes" - Secret Machines

FAWM 2012 Songs 14 and 15 - "Tostada" and "Fireflies"

Download "Tostada" Here

Lyrics:

t’s the last day of FAWM
And I’m tryin’ to write a song
But I can’t come up with nothing 
At all

And I’m staring at a page
And I’m shaking with rage
But it won’t help me to write 
At all

Don’t wanna mail it in
And disappoint my friends
And I don’t wanna disappoint 
Myself

So here’s my song
And it’s not too long
Its just a little tune about 
Tostadas

Tostadas!
Tostadas!
(Chips and salsa)
(Tacos tacos tacos tacos!)
Tostadas!
Etc.

Download "Fireflies" Here 

Lyrics:

My baby loves the winter
Loves stompin’ in the snow
In her favorite boots I love to
Watch her go
She loves the autumn
When the colors show
She’s alright with springtime
Watching flowers grow
But she hates the summer
Can’t stand the heat
When the mercury rises 
She drags her feet

The only thing that gets her through
Til cooler days arrive

Is standing
On the back porch waiting for the fireflies
Chasing
That part of her before that part of her dies
Yeah she’s waiting.
Waiting for the fireflies

She hears the thunder
Then it starts to pour
This is what she wanted
But still she wanted more
She’s got the house and car
Just like she planned
But there’s part of her that even 
She don’t understand

When the only thing that makes her smile
Is hiding in the night

So she’s standing
On the back porch waiting for the fireflies
Chasing
That part of her before that part of her dies
Yeah she’s waiting
Waiting for the fireflies

She puts out her smoke
With just a little cough
Looks like her happy pills are
Finally wearing off
She’ll kill off the rest of
That bottle of wine
And she’ll feel better but she
Won’t feel fine

Until the little lights arrive
And tell her she’s alright

She’s standing
On the back porch waiting for the fireflies
Chasing
That part of her before that part of her dies
She’s waiting
On the back porch. 
Waitin’ for the fireflies
Waiting for something else 
Before the rest of her dies
Yeah she’s waiting
Waiting for the fireflies

Thanks to Trevor Breter for the photos.

I feel good that I met (and exceeded) my goal of 14 songs in 29 days. I feel even better that many of the songs I wrote were actually pretty good (At this point my favorites are "Farther to Fall", "So Much to Lose", "Scraps of the Night" and "Light Source (Low Light Low") and I relied very little on old, unfinished ideas to get it done. Thank you for listening (If you listened). I am going to celebrate by giving myself a break from the studio for a few days before diving into the process of refining/finishing these songs and recordings. I mean, I'd like to bitch about how hard it was (Because it was) but there are a bunch of people who tackled this task while juggling parenthood and jobs and whatnot, and I just don't know how they did it, so my hat is off to them.
"Tostada" was really going to be my last song (Based on a suggestion/dare from Brandon) but since it was pretty jokey, and I didn't want to end on that kind of note, I banged out "Fireflies", a lyric that I have  been working on forever, but could never figure music out for. With my deadline looming, I was able to sketch out the bones of the song, which will be subject to a great deal of re-working (Indeed, it has already been updated since initial post) This will probably the first FAWM thing I go back and re-record right and proper.

If you would like an overview of my FAWM progress, and have all of the songs in one place for streaming or download, you can visit my FAWM Page. You don't have to be a member to listen or to download music. I also recommend checking out the work of my fellow FAWMers, as there were some really good contributions from everyone. The "Jukebox" will bring up all kinds of random stuff to check out. I will probably post some recommendations soon, as it is now time for me to delve into other's work and offer insight/commentary/encouragement/constructive criticism as warranted (One of the perks of being involved in this community effort) 

If you are a songwriter, I highly recommend taking on this challenge next year. You will be a better songwriter for it.

Speaking of FAWM, Looks like I may be in on a FAWM Showcase with some of my fellow Chicago FAWMers on April 1st. I will post details once the event is confirmed.

PS: You might notice that there are 16 songs on my page. That is because I included "Shorthand" in my FAWMing, despite the fact that it was finished a couple days before FAWM started. I felt that since it was really part and parcel with this output (and I didn't want to sandbag and pretend I wrote it in Feb, tempting though it was) it was appropriate to include it. I didn't count it against my official total though, because that would have been a pussy move.

Song #13 for FAWM 2012 - Some People Have Real Problems (White Bread Blues)

I actually wrote and recorded this yesterday morning, but didn't get around to posting it here because I got sidetracked by Jagermeister and Tabasco sauce (Don't ask) So, anyways, here it is - "Some People Have Real Problems".  I'm not particularly fond of this, mostly because I hate the blues, and playing the blues sarcastically is still playing the blues, and seriously, fuck that.
You can monitor my FAWM progress on my FAWM page (You don't have to be a member to listen and download, but you do have to sign up to comment) You can also use their jukebox to check out the work of my fellow FAWMers, which I highly recommend.

Lyrics:

Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got none

I had a bad day yesterday
I had to throw my favorite shirt away
It was old, didn't fit me no more (I've gotten fat, you see)
It was hard to admit I'd outgrown it for sure
It was so cool with Beavis and Butthead on the front
And now I've got some ugly feelings to confront, but

Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got ‘em

I ordered some chicken wings at the bar yesterday
They said "Sorry, we aint got no chicken wings today!"
I said "aw man, really? You just had em the day before"
They said "Hey man I'm sorry, we don't serve chicken wings no more"
But

Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got ‘em

I turned on my television
To watch a new episode of Portlandia
But what I saw brought a wave of melancholia
Just an episode back from season one
Aw yeah, Friday night and I'm stuck with reruns
But
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got none

My girl ran off with my best friend today
Took all my money and my dog by the way
I've got an empty house no chicken wings and no shirt
Man its days like these leave me feeling like dirt but

Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got none

I was detained at the airport today
Apparently I'm on some watch list, they kindly explained
So as I get patted down, shoeless, by a professional minum wage TSA humiliator
Some poor kid in Afghanistan lives in a bomb crater
See?

Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got ‘em
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
Some People Have Real Problems
One look at mine tells me I aint got none

Songs 11 and 12 of 14 for FAWM 2012

Artwork courtesy of Bruce Gerlach

I spent 13 hours in the studio today working on the next two songs for FAWM 2012. I still have two more songs to finish in the next four days. Who knows? I could crap out, or I could finish tomorrow. At this point I'm feeling so burned out that I can't even tell if what I recorded today sucks or not. But hey, FAWM is about cranking things out, not perfecting our precious little snowflakes (That comes later)
Speaking of precious little snowflakes, here are mine:

Pictures on My Phone - #11

Light Source (Low Light Low)  - #12