Like Sun

I think this'll be my last music post for a while, until I get my shit together, as it were. Thought I'd round it off at a nice even 10. And, I thought it fitting to post this super-old song, ('98 or '99), which was my first attempt at "multitrack hard disk recording," with one Sure SM58 mic, some crappy Mac software on an old biege G3, handclaps and a LittleTikes™ toy piano. I used what I had. Way back when, I posted it on sites like the old mp3.com and it got some nice feedback which felt awesome and immediate and kind of weird and new. After a while I got sort of jaded with all the online music site stuff because it was clearly becoming the "So You Think You Can Dance" of the Internet, at the time. Posting stuff recently to music.metafilter has rekindled a lot of that fun, immediate kind of vibe for me, so I thought this was a good way to complete the circle. At the time I called this "a happy song about sad people," which I guess it is. It was written after leaving a shitty job. It sounds kind of corny and twee now, and the recording quality is pretty shite, but it was sincere at the time. Cheers everyone. In preview this seems like way too much information. Oh well.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by chococat (17 comments total)

Thanks alot for all your songs - you are a great songwriter and a great musician and a great singer. MuFi (or whatever is the preferred nomenclature) has been so cool for reasons like this/these song/s.
posted by AgentRocket at 7:03 AM on August 3, 2006

You just get your ass on back here pronto, amigo. Si? Si.

And yay for toy piano!
posted by cortex at 7:41 AM on August 3, 2006

I'm smiling and dancing, not crying -- just make sure to come back, okay? This is beautiful.
posted by melissa may at 9:23 AM on August 3, 2006

More!
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 1:24 PM on August 3, 2006

This is just completely incredible!!!! The handclaps and toy piano are perfect. This proves that one doesn't need fancy tools to craft beautiful things. I too will eagerly await your return.
posted by snsranch at 4:12 PM on August 3, 2006

I'd like to hear more from chococat too!
posted by bim at 6:09 PM on August 4, 2006

Dear Chococat,
I think I have developed a man crush on you. Is that okay?
Love, Munky.

Seriously, you rock my socks with your pop stylings. Come back when you can.
posted by Drunken_munky at 1:42 PM on August 6, 2006

Those of you who like toy instruments should listen to Gizmodgery by Self

I'll miss you chococat.
posted by sciurus at 8:45 AM on August 8, 2006

Another great one. Love that "seductive" dragged out background vocal that repeats... that is sweet sounding. I really hope you will post more stuff in the future.
posted by edlundart at 10:57 PM on August 9, 2006

What everyone said.

Thanks for the great music.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:28 AM on August 12, 2006

Better late than never, I suppose. Please hurry back, chococat - you have fans here.
posted by Iamtherealme at 11:47 PM on August 26, 2006

I'm listening to iTunes on random. Up comes a song I don't recognize. "Bgm? Hmm." I have more than one tune by bgm. The next one's amazing too. I hit the iTunes record store. "Ok, this is driving me crazy. Where did I find these amazing tracks?" Google and bam.

In short, color me impressed.
posted by Gucky at 12:57 PM on September 1, 2006

Come back, Chococat!
posted by AgentRocket at 1:36 PM on October 21, 2006

This song always brings a happy-sad tear to my eye. I <3 chococat.
posted by beniamino at 9:02 AM on October 22, 2006

Dangit, chococat. Come back, come back. I love hand claps.
posted by viachicago at 9:42 PM on November 9, 2006

I miss chococat's songs.
posted by danb at 8:14 AM on January 8, 2007

It was written after leaving a shitty job. It sounds kind of corny and twee now, and the recording quality is pretty shite, but it was sincere at the time.

chococat: When I first heard this song, back in those old days you allude to when MP3.com, Audiogalaxy, and the like seemed like such exciting new avenues for music, back when the internet seemed full of such excitement and potential, I was, ironically, still working a shitty job. I was also going through the process of grieving over the death of my grandfather. And though we've chatted a couple of times since then (and I've thankfully since left my shitty job), I don't think I ever told you how much this song in particular meant to me.

I would cue it up every day as I sat at my desk doing the stupefyingly boring work of editing legal code, and 'Like Sun' never failed to bring a little smile to my face and fill me with a sense of wonder at how much sad beauty there is in the world. This may sound a bit trite, but I mean it sincerely: Thank you.
posted by saulgoodman at 12:58 PM on March 7