Songs written in the the spring and summer of 2024. Most began as truly random instrumental grooves as I experimented with new features in the latest version of my primary DAW, Apple Logic. I would then listen to the instrumentals in the car or on the tractor, and hummed words as they came into my head. When I got back to my studio, I would write down the lyrics and work on the vocal arrangements. This is a similar process to the one I used for my last album, “It’s on with the Show“, and feels like it will be my MO for the forseeable future.
The songs are generally shorter and the arrangements simpler than most of my prior work. “She Left Me For a Yogi” was inspired by a comment a friend of mine made about a spontaneous trip West his wife took with his son. It is not a true story – I just liked the phrase. “random grooves” is another ode to the joys of getting old, and uses some old JibJab videos I did for our 50th birthday party video back in the day. “It’s Hot” is something that came together quickly on a day when the heat index was pushing 110 and I was on the tractor. “Florida Dog Admits to Love Affair With Dolphin” was inspired by playing the game “Florida Man” with family at a brewery in Georgia this spring. The original news story was about a man who fell in love with a dolphin, but Debbie thought that was weird and said I should change it to a dog…which actually works much better. “Funky Friar” was inspired by all the religious leaders I’ve known through the years who have such an abundant joy for life. “I’ll Drink Every Beer Man” was of course based on the old Johnny Cash song “I’ve Been Everywhere”, and was written during the weeks I was a judge for the Fredericksburg Craft Beer Festival. I wish I was able to sing all the beer types without pausing similiar to how Johnny sings the place names in his song, but I just don’t have the breath control for it, and I would have felt guilty splicing it together. The last song “So Close to the Edge” feels out of place, because it’s a more serious song about madness that was inspired by an exhibit of Vincent Van Gough’s work I saw at the Met a few years ago. I was so struck about how late in his life he committed himself to an asylum so he could concentrate on his art.
One last note about this set: It took 12 albums, but I finally decided it was time to put a photograph of me on the album cover.
Enjoy!
Music available on all the major streaming platforms.