This week's song is Nerd Squint, a little instrumental from 2002.
I really like this one because of how much the title nails what it sounds like. Usually I title these after I make them, and the phrase "Nerd Squint" was the only real choice. It SOUNDS like some fat nerdy kid walking down his school hallway and squinting, because his vision is bad, and feeling some weird sense of pride.
Musically, I just like the arrangement...the bass line, the way the beat comes in right when the melody picks up. The "electric guitar" repeated line throughout the whole thing (OK it's fake terrible sounding casio electric guitar.) Everything helps contribute to the title...Nerd Squint.
This week's MP3 is a song I wrote called "April Fools (Was Yesterday)", and sung by the lovely Yoko Kikuchi. It is part of an ongoing project called Sally, where a female vocalist sings my sad or happy love songs. I play guitar and sing back ups ("oh no.") This recording is from 2005.
This song, and all the Sally songs, are fairly direct: It's a break up song. Here are the happy lyrics! My favorite line is "Let me down gently, but it's still gonna kill me." Ouch.
You say you love me But you're breaking up with me (oh no) You look so happy But you're breaking up with me (oh no)
I don't know what to say except that April Fools was yesterday
I made you happy Now you can't even stand me (oh no) Let me down gently But it's still gonna kill me (oh no)
I don't know what to say except that April Fools was yesterday Unless I'm wrong and it's today Let me be wrong, don't go away Let me be wrong And please say that we're OK
Holding you tightly But I'm feeling you squirming (oh no) Missing you nightly God my stomach is hurting (oh no)
I am honestly quite shocked that I haven't put this up yet as an MP3 of the Week.
A few years ago I started a fake soundtrack to an imaginary videogame I made up called "Crime Streets."
The game would be a Double Dragon-type beat-em-up. Nintendo. Or an arcade. Whatever. I've made a small handful of MP3s to cover the first few levels, the start menu, the Big Boss battle, etc. The concept is that as you listen to the music, it makes you REALLY want to play this game. Visualize it in your head. Smile.
Although it may sound quaint and funny, I am so incredibly proud of these pieces of music. They are some of my best arrangements and I've worked as hard on these as anything else I've done. I plan on putting a lot more Crime Streets score on this blog, so keep checking back!
Anyway, enough of the talking. Let's play some CRIME STREETS! Level 1: CRIME IN THE STREETS.
