New Music

Getting better at the home production process allows me to finish songs a little faster. I use a $50 software workstation called FL Studio that makes me thankful to live in this day and age.

I Can’t Go On Pretending lyricsmp3

Every so often a song seems to write itself, and this song is one of a pair that I hold above all others. It’s mostly a list of the questions I had as a child, outgrew, and then grew back into. I will write more, but this is what I’ve always wanted to say.

The One I Remember lyrics

Another bad girl song, this one with an alt country vibe. The keyboard sound is a free Wurlitzer 200a emulation from GSi.

Riding a Wave lyricsmp3

My wife-to-be bought me a Harmony lap steel guitar in Phoenix. I believe it was $75, and I’ve always loved it. It’s featured on this song about an anti-hero.

I Want Your Bodylyricsmp3

About the swirl of passion. I’ll probably add guitars to this later, but the jazzy piano chords kept getting buried.

I’m Gonna Rise lyricsmp3

About a romance with a girl who might be bad news. The line “you hang like a pocket watch” grew from an awe-inspiring frame of Death Comes to Dillinger.

Goons lyricsmp3

Feb 2011. Americana, lots of my new Epiphone Casino

California & The Starry Night lyrics

So Look at This Night lyricsmp3

The Frankenstein song from a project called Monsters. Dec 2010.

Supernova lyricsmp3

I worked on this tune on-and-off for years. Remixed in Feb 2011.

How Many Times Can Sorry Mean Something mp3

An R&B feel on this one.

I Stole This Song lyricsmp3

Everybody should have a song that starts off with a George Washington quotation.

Genevieve lyricsmp3

The chorus has a free mellotron emulation called Tape Worm

Tangerine lyricsmp3

I was a little surprised by the strong reaction to this song about a passionate relationship.

Nothing But Timelyrics

About a mythical woman with a bit of angel and devil in her. It might have the highest word count of anything I’ve ever written.

More songs

This Light is Beautful lyrics

I wrote this, I believe, on the same day I wrote On Travel. That almost never happens

On Travel lyrics

A simple but melodic song that was a lot of fun to play with a full band.

The Love of May lyrics

When asked for examples of my lyrics, this was the song I thought of until I wrote I Can’t Go On Pretending.

Slowmp3

AJ Piga added peddle steel to this old recording from college. I wish I could retake the vocals.

Album Tracks

Wasted Time lyrics

I often introduce this one as being about my two great loves. Dave Cates adds some really nice touches to the chorus on the album.

Prettylyrics

I wrote this song with a partial capo that a roommate filed down for me, allowing the two most treble strings to ring. I prefer it to the most frequently sold version, which frets either an Esus or A chord shape. I think the sound of Sarah McLachlan’s “Building a Mystery” was what I was looking for.

Getaway Car lyricsmp3

I have to resist the temptation to put Fade Into You on every mix I ever make. Thank Kevin Roberts for the amazing production on this one.

Scenery lyrics

There was an infinite sameness to the girls in the clubs I first started playing at. A girl with interesting opinions seems like an angel there.

Please lyrics

I’d love to hear an R&B cover of this one.

Wide Awake lyrics

I wrote two of these a week when I fell in love with my wife to be. This one stayed around.

Gone lyrics

One of many songs about leaving, a constant theme.

“Heartbreaking songs about love...a welcome musical present” - College Times