How does one wake up from sleeping feeling melancholy? It’s just sleep. That’s all it is. It was even a dreamless sleep. Profoundly confounding.
I tried a bunch of stuff this morning. I even got out my accordion after a million years of not playing it. I recorded several different things, but The Melancholy didn’t want anything. So I did this in three tracks, largely improvisational. Reverb. Lots of reverb makes things better sometimes, too.
The Melancholy (Study in Three Voices)
PEARL AND THE BEARD “40K” VIDEO RELEASE TODAY
Pearl and the Beard released a zombie video today. It is premiering on WNYC’s Soundcheck. We’re very excited, and we hope you like it. You can watch it here. You know what eats away melancholy? A zombie.
And to top it all off – we are completing the last two days of our amazing tour with the stunning Ani DiFranco today and tomorrow. She’s leaving the road for a while, so if you’ve ever wanted to see her, now is your chance. If you’re in or have friends in the New York City area, there are still tickets available for tomorrow night’s (11/17) Town Hall show in Manhattan. Ticket link here. (Tickets for tonight’s show (11/16) at Music Hall of Williamsburgh are sold out!)
Pearl and the Beard is going to the UK! We couldn’t be more excited.
In honor of our first trip across the pond, we teamed up with Britain’s very own ukulele songstress Sophie Madeleine to record a cover of Katy Perry’s “Firework”. We did a video and everything – and we drank “real” British tea with Oreos and Pringles. Best. Combo. Ever.
And here are our tour dates… so if you’ve got somebody over there who can come, we’d love to see them!
11.03 Barfly w/Jukebox the Ghost (London, UK) [TIX]
Technology. Technology is allowing me to type this on my stupid cell phone in the middle of a show! AMAZING!
Today’s song is so special, it’s crazy. Tonight, we are in Asheville, NC. We drove here after a two-day stint in Greensboro helping out our friend Harvey Robinson. I mentioned him and his production company, Monkeywhale, in an earlier post. Well, last night during our Greensboro show, I busted my C string, the cello’s thickest string, right in the middle if the set. Today, as I was putting on a new string, Harvey came up and said, “Have you done your song of the day yet?” “No”, I said. “I want to film the song today!” “I haven’t started it yet,” I replied. “Just improvise it…”
Well, I did. And he filmed me doing it. Harvey has been awake for nearly 3 days now with only a few naps because of the 48 Hour Film Project – and he is still in a great mood! Thank you, Harvey for capturing a 365 song in such a beautiful way.
So, my 365 project turned into more of a song project. I keep telling people, “I’m going to finish it! I will!” Well, the words slipped out of my mouth and into the air, and after a while I didn’t believe it anymore. Months and months would pass, and I always find an excuse.
No more. I’m sitting here at this computer dreading even logging into my wordpress account, feeling my own damning inner disappointment. I talked to Brian Speaker, the friend who inspired the 365 Project through his own (totally completed) 365 Project called Spiral Notebook. His advice? “The 365 Project is what you want it to be. If you’re done at day 200, you’re done. You set the rules, and no one can say any different.”
I started the 365 with an All-Or-Nothing mentality. I did just fine, with only a few missed days, until 214. I remind myself that that number is huge, and I’m not a disappointment even though I didn’t finish by January 4. I remember when that day came and went. I was rushing to finish the movie score I had picked up months earlier, and now, I have 214 songs and an entire soundtrack behind me. Not so bad, and now I’m telling myself: finish. I miss the 365. And really, even though I’m not sure exactly how many are listening out there - I miss you.
Between Two Trees – Lady Lamb the Beekeeper Cover
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper has been heard at least twice here at the 365. Her voice is unmistakable and unforgettable. I recently saw her open for Beruit in a magical-only-Aly-Spaltro-could-command-that-big-of-an-audience-all-by-herself kind of performance. She played this song that night, and I recalled when I first heard it. Pearl and the Beard was in Maine doing a show in Portland on a mini-tour. The evening consisted of Dylan Metrano from Tiger Saw and Lady Lamb the Beekeeper.
I am posting a video of my cover of this song as shot by incredible photographer Josh Maready in a subway tunnel in New York City. It was almost 2 am by the time we finished. Trains were about 5-10 minutes apart and the song is somewhere in between there in length, so we had a hard time finding a quiet spell. This take was the only one not interrupted by an arriving subway train, until, serendipitously, one arrived right at the end of it like a period on a sentence, taking the sound away and out. I suspect Rick Gribenas might be a little pleased, wherever he is. It worked great, but it was the only take where I forgot lyrics…sacrifice for the greater good I suppose.
Decided to do something different for the 365 project today. Instead of a song, why not a Valentine’s Day movie? I’m the throes of several projects before I leave on a 5 week tour with Pearl and the Beard, one of which involves the ever musical Guy Capecelatro (who is absolutely out-writing me for sure). So, instead of writing just a song, Jonathan, as a kind of Valentine’s Day present to me, suggested we do a a movie for Valentine’s Day. It might not sound like much to the average Valentine’s Day recipient, but we really have fun doing it – NERD ALERT. We have previously done a small scene from Star Wars with PUPPETS (which I may post later), but for V-Day we decided on, what else, The Notebook starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. Here’s what the scene from the movie looks like:
If you haven’t seen it – this is what you’ve been missing. If you have seen it, you’ll know exactly where this falls in the movie, and if you don’t remember, well – then you obviously didn’t need to rewind it over and over again, memorizing every slur and pout that came out of Ryan Gosling’s mouth.
The music from the first half of the scene is from a piece I wrote called Odiorne and the Sea and put on a collaboration for Burst and Bloom Records called Seasonal Disorder – Winter. It’s a gathering of several artists who have all submitted tracks about Winter. The outtakes half of the scene is a a brand new piece you’ll hear later in an undisclosed location…hmm…
Well, here they are, as promised! Kelly, Rob and Aviv from The Sleepover Shows have captured set of three beautifully shot performances of Black Hole of Calcutta, Headache for a Heartache, and Gloria. I absolutely love them, and I really hope you love them, too.
Well, I’ve been absent a bit from the 365 but not gone! I have a wonderful surprise for you, and it’s been in the works for a few weeks, and it will be a bit more waiting until you see the whole thing, but, until then, here’s the teaser trailer for the fancy schmancy-caught-on-video-live performances of :
Sleepover Shows are three song sets of acoustic or stripped down versions performed by bands that we love as they make their way through Boston. Though it started as something we did when bands needed a place to crash on the night of their shows, we now mostly film the sessions before a show and let the bands find their own ways home (though the offer still stands).
Basically, we try and use our spaces as creatively as we can. We’ve filmed in the back seats of cars, on top of playground equipment, in doorways and alleys, in bathtubs and stairwells. We try our best to get the bands to take their music outside of the confines of the studio and have some fun.
And that’s the point: to capture some great music that maybe isn’t always as polished, but shows these artists having a good time doing what they love. We’re doing what we love too, and hope you enjoy the videos!
______________________
Kelly, Rob and Aviv: you are three of the coolest people I know!
My full set of songs will be coming soon, until then, check out some of my favorites:
[Commercial interruption: EHP has an early Mercury Lounge show, Monday, March 1 at 7 pm! With Dan Torres. She starts at 7 pm and is doing some 365's with special guest Abbie Gardner from day 36! Get more info here.]
Back from Miami after a de-planing and three turn around’s on the tarmac. Oh well. I’m home and leaving for Portsmouth, New Hampshire this weekend with Pearl and the Beard for another show a Hog Farm (but with the band…yessss!)
I have been working on a song about my friend’s grandparents. I was hoping to have it finished in time to post it for today’s no. 53, but I didn’t want to rush it, so I arranged and recorded this instead. (Am I stealing this melody from someone? I hope not… but there is a big brain-file of music up here…you never know.) You can read about this song’s history and its author’s here on trusty Wikipedia.
Why did I choose it? Well, I was making eggs and was adding pepper to them and started singing it, and there was a hat on the bedpost so I wore it, and Lacey jumped on the bed, so she’s in it. (I think she makes it better anyway.)
Lacey and I did two other truncated version of this song because I forgot the lyrics. And did I really say “Posidividy?” This is the only one where we got all the way through, and Lacey was finished half way, obviously. Her leaving did allow for a “woo”, which I appreciated (given my requirement for “woo’s”). The hat? Not again. I feel like it made me a little douchy…weird… I’ll leave it to Jonathan to wear it.
This is a cover. Here are the lyrics I chose to use from the original. The mp3 is different from the video. Enjoy!
Spice Up Your Life (by The Spice Girls)
When you’re feeling sad and low
We will take you where you gotta go
Smiling, dancing, everything is free
All you need is positivity
Colours of the world
Spice up your life
Every boy and every girl
Spice up your life
People of the world
Spice up your life
Yellow man in Timbuktu
Colour for both me and you
Kung Fu Fighting, Dancing Queen
Tribal Spaceman and all that’s in between
Colours of the world
Spice up your life
Every boy and every girl
Spice up your life
People of the world
Spice up your life
Slam it to the left
If you’re having a good time
Shake it to the right
If you know that you feel fine
Chicas to the front
Uh Uh Hai Sí Ja Hold Tight
Colours of the world
Spice up your life
Every boy and every girl
Spice up your life
People of the world
Spice up your life
You can hear the original here in this totally sweet music video:
I hate to say I warned you, Jon Barker. But you give lyrics to a member of Pearl and the Beard, there is a high percentage they will try to rap them.
Some interesting developments have occurred. The 365 Project has recently been the subject of a few people’s attention. I have been contacted by a some people who have sent me either lyrics or music requesting that I work on it and use it for the 356. So cool!
Here is the first example that came to me a few days ago. Jon Barker is a very devout Pearl and the Beard fan from England. We met him in person at our New Jersey show while on tour with Ugly Purple Sweater. He has sent me lyrics with which to set music. I read through them and realized: I am totally reading a RAP! (Sorry if this isn’t quite what you hand in mind, Jon…but do know that these lyrics are cool! Nicely done!) I sent the lyrics to Jeremy, who, in turn, came up with a sweet beatboxing groove which we looped with my loop pedal (we only used it because his guitar/beatboxing multitasking skillzzz were a little rusty.) Joc came in with some sweet, sweet vocals for the chorus.
We recorded it 3 times and took the second version. I love Jeremy and Jocelyn!
And yes, this is me. Rapping. I wanted to try it at least once in the 365 days. This project is forcing me to be brave. BE BRAVE. (But you will probably never hear me rap again… and that’s totally okay. phew…)
Well, Mr. Barker. It’s probably not what you had in mind, but now you can tell all your friends that Pearl and the Beard rapped your lyrics! Thanks for being cool!
“God Bless Your Weary Soul, Jon Barker”
Jon, hope it’s okay, but I included your entire original email. It was an awesome time! Thank you for contributing!
Hi, this is actually something I wrote several years ago hoping to have a female vocalist – my singing voice isn’t strong enough. I don’t tend to write full songs anymore. I get verses down, and they tend to be faster tempo/hiphop, but at the time, this felt better sung than anything else. I hope you like it, and if you have any ideas I look forward to seeing how that goes.
Jon
—
incomplete, so discrete, sitting silent every week
mind a mess, added stress, and i find that i’m depressed
will i ever now be free from my insecurities
or will pressure bring me down?
’cause i don’t have a life when you’re gone
i stopped living, i can’t bear it anymore
stopped giving, gave my all – it left me raw
don’t have much more to lose, or things to do
without you here, i’m missing you
segregate, separate, why this pain will devastate
all alone, come back home, i no longer operate
fever breaks as i collapse, and all my worst words i retract
please don’t leave me here alone
’cause i’m anxious, alive nevermore
i stopped living, i can’t bear it anymore
stopped giving, gave my all it left me raw
don’t have much more to lose or things to do
without you here… i’m missing you
obsolete from my peak, as i fall from being weak
dead and void, your exploit, will i ever be employed
by your love and trust with you
as a loving pair may do, as a husband and his wife are two
or one, where have you gone? i don’t know
i stopped living, i can’t bear it anymore
stopped giving, gave my all it left me raw
don’t have much more to lose or things to do
without you here… i’m missing you
Thanks to Jeremy’s roommate Mike for steppin’ in as the FLYBOY… nice…
Good day to you, my friend. I hope this day finds you well, and, should the weather permit, may you attempt a Slurpy run sometime around noon. (I knew a girl who added vanilla ice cream in the middle of hers. It was surprisingly tasty.)
Lady Lamb and the Beekeeper! You are the reason jealously is running through my veins this evening… the voice, the hair, the menacing guitar, the screaming! (Insert any obligatory “Woo“, “Hey” or “Yeah” here.)
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (Aly Spaltro). Photo courtesy of G. Capecelatro III
This song was written in approximately 15 minutes in the larger Portsmouth, New Hampshire cemetery beneath a lovely, lonely tree. Aly and her lovely traveling companion Maisie, drove an hour to Portsmouth just to write this song with me for the 365. (I’m so grateful!) Guy Capecelatro came to our aid yet again by, not only choosing the location to write this song (genius), but also carefully and skillfully tied my stereo mic up in the tree above us and has a thumb piano solo! If the wind hadn’t been blowing so fiercely, I do believe the sound quality would not have frustrated me as much in the editing moments of this posting. Not only was the wind a bit of a trial, but, for some reason, the video recorder on my mac decided to jump here and there which made matching up the garageband recording of the live performance impossible. Why did we shoot a movie for this song, you’re asking yourself? Well, I’ve been to Portsmouth, NH a few times now and each time I go I realized why I want to go back. It’s just beautiful there, and I thought, for a little change of pace, I’d actually get video of the song today. Everything seemed to fall into place, and I love it. I hope you do, too. (Again, sorry for the quality all around. These things do happen, but I wanted you to see it anyway…) Anyone interested in matching it up, let me know: have at it! I’ve resolved to post everything as it is and say: Love to you! (Oh, and who is the genius who got rid of the old iMovie and created this waste of space new version?! Who?! There is a reason I don’t put movies up anymore, and that program is it!)
EHP and Lady Lamb the Beekeeper in Portsmouth, NH. Photo G. Capecelatro III
As I mentioned earlier, I met Lady Lamb, also known as Aly Spaltro, when I was on tour with Anna Vogelzang a few years ago. She caught my attention then and still manages to pull me in, years later. I am enthrawled with her performance and writing style, and I will admit to you here that I had a hard time while recording and writing this with not feeling envious of her voice: so unique and beautiful.
Collaborations do a lot of wonderful things, but they can also bring up that little voice in the back of my mind that’s always critiquing, envying, and, even, punishing. I don’t know a musician who doesn’t struggle with this aspect of the craft. It’s a game we play with our own self-consciousness and awareness: Who am I, and how I can assure myself that I’m here and have something to offer as well. Grass is always greener, no? But I’m working on it.
Aly came up with her lyrics very quickly. A few weeks ago, I had heard on the news of the death of a young South Korean supermodel who was once quoted as saying, “The more I gain, the more lonely it is…I know I’m like a ghost.” I thought, though so sad, it was beautifully poetic and wrote it in my lyric book. This became the Ghost in My Teeth. (Something of interest: Guy only suggested right before we left for the cemetery that we go there to write the song as well, not just to film. I had already planned on using that line with Aly before we even started writing.)
Aly (Lady Lamb) and EHP in Portsmouth, NH. Photo G. Capecelatro III
As far as the actual collaboration, she and I talked a little about ideas while driving to the cemetery, but decided in the end to just let stuff come as it wanted. We only performed this song once, so what you’re hearing is the result of the 15 minutes we took to write it in the freezing cold. (Motivation!) We went to the Friendly Toast for dinner (go there!), and we all had this song swimming in our minds. The exciting thing about collaborating is the opportunity to revisit songs at a later date, fill them out, complete them if necessary, and make them even more awesome. I hope Aly and I will get this opportunity soon. Love you, girl.
Ghosts in My Teeth
instrumentation: guitar, cello, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
What a sight you are for a night at the sea side
How the wasp watches you turn and toss
With the waves as cold as ghosts in your teeth
Where will you go? Will you wait for…
Where will you wait, where will you wait for…
Where will you wait, where will you wait for me?
