we will grow

This is a pretty stripped-down new song in kind of a singer-songwriter style. I'd be very curious to hear your thoughts.

Lately I've had a bit of a split personality when it comes to my music. I either want to record stuff in a much simpler, straight-forward way, with a semi-live, semi-acoustic feel -- or I want to make ethereal, layered, complex stuff. This song is an attempt at the former. The vocal is less polished than usual, and I think there is more of a sense of live performance. The rhythm guitar was one take, the bass is super simple, and the lap steel stuff was recorded fairly quickly as well.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by edlundart (9 comments total)

i can hear that old minuet
and see the alarmed pirouette
redrawing the circle with your pointed toe
that says beyond this line you better not go

spin fast enough and you erect a wall
out of almost nothing at all
well taking a rest might let somebody through
but i'll leave the building to you

it's not a race to death for control
it's knowing the room in your role
i want to break you and i want to sow
and in the cracks we will grow

it's not my way
or the highway
we can take your country road
your way
will be okay
i know i've been bestowed
yes i know that i'm not owed
posted by edlundart at 8:25 PM on September 12

Wow, that xylophone + lapsteel is really pretty and lush.

When I think of "singer-songwriter," I imagine something a lot more stripped-down than this -- you say it's less "ethereal" and "layered" but it sounds like both of those things to me (to the benefit of the song, in my opinion). Maybe it's a good road; it sounds like a good balance to me.

The relaxed vocal style really suits you, as well.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 2:39 AM on September 13

Very chill. I agree that this sounds somewhere in between "stripped-down" and "layered" (to the benefit of the song). The xylophone and lapsteel give this some rad, low-key atmosphere.
posted by cobwebberies at 3:13 PM on September 13

Great song and what subtle production. It's full of small details that don't stand out (until the third listen) but they sustain the song nicely. I, too, was surprised (for the better) the first time with the xylophone after reading the description, but I don't think it takes any of the, say, rawness to the song. It does feel more straightforward than some of your other stuff, but it is very nicely produced, as your stuff always is.

Now, as for the straightforward "vs." ethereal + complex aspect. You have a very well defined style, and I don't what you normally do falls within one genre, and what would be the name of the genre, but your stuff is so well defined that it can be grouped together. You are a great representative of that "genre" and I wouldn't have expected to hear something like this song from you, but it also sounds very good. If you make a handful of other songs like this and you put them together in a CD with stuff like "gone", "casanova ruins" or "the end", I don't think these songs would break the "continuity" and I think the group of songs would benefit from it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you have a very good touch with both approaches. Don't choose one over the other.

(PS, the vocal delivery in the "it's not myyyyy way" break is fantastic. Really, really nice).
posted by micayetoca at 3:01 PM on September 14

This is delicious. Your voice is amazing, the lyrics are great and the whole thing feels totally natural. This fits you like a glove.

I wouldn't suggest picking one way or the other either, but this really feels like a "signature" piece to me. Really great stuff man!!!
posted by snsranch at 5:42 PM on September 14

Mmmmmmmmm..... this is LUSH, friend!

Commendable vibraphone and lap steel, as mentioned by pretty much everyone above.

My only possible suggestion: for a bass track, I could really hear a double bass... if you're at all inclined to send a bass-less track my way, I will very happily add a double bass track (or anything else you might fancy!). I think the song has marvelous potential.

High fives all around.
posted by CarrotAdventure at 5:56 PM on September 14

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the comments! CarrotAdventure, when I have a moment I'll happily send you a bassless track if you want to play around with it.
posted by edlundart at 10:19 PM on September 14

solid and radical
posted by CarrotAdventure at 2:36 PM on September 15

This is a really great song, edlundart! When I think of your music, this fits perfectly for a song that is a stripped down edlundart song. I do have to disagree with people about the xylophone, but that is my own dislike of the glockenspiel kinda sound. But that lap steel is totally perfect. And the melody is just very nice.
posted by Corduroy at 9:10 AM on September 16