Private Island

Wrote this a few years ago. An introspective song about a place to be introspective.

Since I recently restarted writing and recording music I’ve written several new songs. However, there are a handful of older ones that I think deserve to be re-recorded, updated, and posted. (There are also many that need to be forgotten.) This song was written in the fall of 2001. I always imagine that everyone has a place, somewhere in their mind, where they can go to be alone. Sort of a private island where they can meditate. That’s what this song is about.

Special thanks to Chris who recorded the bass for this track way back in 2001 - and his bass line still rocks!

Private Island by Sugar Fix

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by hillelc (5 comments total)

Very nice. You have strong songwriting chops, I'm glad to hear that you have the same earnest sound in the less jocular songs.

Random: the piano and bass part at the beginning/between verses sounds very much like "Train in the Distance" by Paul Simon.
posted by danb at 7:48 AM on July 14, 2008

Impressive production and arrangement! The various keybaords and backing vocals give this quite a bit of sonic depth.
posted by arcanecrowbar at 12:00 PM on July 14, 2008

This was cool, really happy sound and I love those keys. I gotta say tho that the drummer was throwing me off, sounded a little too much at times and it was taking a little away from the song. That's always uncomfortable to tell a talented drummer to tone it down but than you don't want to turn him into a drum machine cause that's no fun either.
posted by BrnP84 at 7:36 PM on July 14, 2008

Lush!
(the production, not you. Maybe you, I don't know you IRL)
posted by COBRA! at 7:58 AM on July 15, 2008

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Much appreciated.

@BrnP84: I wish I could blame it on a talented drummer, but unfortunately no such option exists. The drums on this track are loops and I picked every one of them. I'll admit a fascination with Stewart Copeland and using cymbals (and the hi-hat in particular) as a sort of textural element. I admit I could have been more restrained. ;)

@danb: Good call on the Paul Simon track. The chord progression for that snippet sounds identical. I haven't listened to that album in almost 20 years. Maybe something stayed in the recesses of my brain. ;)
posted by hillelc at 9:26 AM on July 15, 2008