I do hobby recording of acoustic guitar and vocals. Every so often I manage to produce a CD for family and friends. I did one in 2010 called Paul St. Crossing, and am putting finishing touches on another one this year called Insider’s Smile. Taking pre-orders now, in case you were wondering. (By way of explanation: If you live in St. Paul in February the best path to a smile is to be inside.)
As is often the case, this project took on a life of its own. It began as a happy CD. At first, if I couldn’t smile while singing the song, then it wasn’t a candidate for recording. The first track is If I Had A Boat written by Lyle Lovett and that one always makes me smile. Wall of Death has the same effect once I remember that the Wall of Death by Richard Thompson isn’t about the Grim Reaper, but apparently about a nifty ride at the amusement park. However, I recently wrote a song called What Do I Win If I Win? And that song tells the tale of a fellow that is trying to figure a way back into good graces with his beloved, but asks the natural question about the consequences of success. Will it be worth it? And so, before I knew it, the project had morphed into a folk opera. Happy songs followed by love, loss, negotiation, whimsy, acceptance of loss, fond farewell, and then an anti-war song as a coda.
Oddly, I am very very happy with it. Every song has plenty of flaws. It was recorded with a single microphone capturing guitar and voice using GarageBand. It isn’t fancy. And yet, it’s the closest I have come to being able to say: “If you were in the kitchen, and I was watching the Diamondbacks (muted of course) while playing some songs on the couch, this is what it would sound like.”
Operators are standing by!
