WEEK 91: Bouncy TV Theme

Hi guys!

This week's MP3 is one of my favorite instrumentals. It's actually a remake of an old instrumental called "Banjordian," which I made with a banjo. But while this one lacks banjo, it sounds a lot better.

This was made as a possible TV Theme for a real tv show, though I pretty much knew as I was making it that this didn't fit the tone of the show at all. So I ended up really just making it for myself. 

This instrumental features a fake accordion, and also a real accordion. WOW!

Download it by right-clicking here

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Thanks for stopping by!

-Jordan

WEEK 87: Sexy Low Self Esteem Song (live)

Hello! 

I know this blog hasn't been "weekly" at all, but at least I'm managing to put something up this month!

This is another MP3 from my last solo show at Gizzi's Cafe where I debuted a ton of new songs. This song doesn't have a title yet, so I can only refer to it by it's content -- The Sexy Low Self Esteem Song.

That's what it's about. Me playing a kind of funky ("kind of" because this isn't my typical guitar style and I AIN'T-A SO GOOD AT IT) riff while singing painfully honest lyrics about how much I disgust and hate myself. It's meant to be funny.

Ha...ha?

I'm not even sure I want to type up the lyrics, actually. Also, the song is sung veeeery low, I may need to either belt it out or change the key. Hmmm.

One cool thing this song does, is after the bridge it is lowered a key. I did this because normally songs that change keys go HIGHER, to give a feeling of triumph and power, but I thought subconsciously going down one step would give a feeling of defeat and sadness.

At the end of the MP3 you can hear an astonishing two people clapping, and I say "thanks, no one!", which may give you a hint of why I haven't played a solo show in a long time.

What a low self esteem post! Perfect for this song. Besides all that, I actually do love this song, I think it's one of my best new ones. I really hope to have a version with a band (or simulation of one) soon, because this would really really work with a full band.

Please enjoy!


Download it by clicking here!



Or merely preview it!





See you soon!


-Jordan

WEEK 86: Party Guy (Live)

Hey everyone!

PARTY TIME! This is a new, somewhat unfinished song called "Party Time" that I debuted at my last solo show in December 2011, at Gizzi's Cafe.

This song is kind of simple, but I think it has potential. I imagine a big party production with thumping drums and techno sounds and lots of rocking. 

I don't need to explain what it's about, but it's based on...every single time I have ever gone to a party. Especially parties in suburban areas, which is why I used the "fictional" (even though hundreds of them exist) town of "Woodlawn", which is as subarbany sounding as it gets.

Here are the lyrics!

Everybody's at the party, come along
Everybody's dancing and going strong
You're gonna come out to Woodlawn and have a good time

You're gonna come out to Woodlawn and have a good time

You're a party guy

Party guy

Park your car into the drive

Bring some snacks and then say "hi"

You're gonna say hi to that guy by the TV over there

Gonna kiss the cheek of that girl by the stairs

You're a party guy

Party guy

Everyone can tell you're not having fun

Why did you even bother to come at all?

You're gonna leave sad and angry and hating yourself

Gonna leave sad and angry and hating yourself

You're a party guy

Party guy

You're a party guy

Party guy

---

Download the song by right clicking here!


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Thanks!


-Jordan

WEEK 83: Hell It Stays In Hell

Hey everybody! 

Here is another one of the 7 new songs I performed at my latest solo show!

I don't quite have a title for this one, though "Hell It Stays In Hell" may end up being the de facto winner. 

The chorus for this song came to me in a dream. I woke up singing it and recorded it on my tape recorder. I based the rest of the lyrics around it. 

Musically, I felt the song was a bit standard, so I implemented a cool trick where it goes back and forth between major and minor (changing in the middle of each chorus.) So the 2nd verse is all minor chords, then back to major, etc. Fun?

Here are the lyrics.

Grab my sleeve and lead me down
In the boat we'll go
Pick people up along the way
Drop them off and so

All the fools go up the river
All the Hell it stays in Hell

Lovely ladies, angel men
Never done nothing wrong
Not one drop of fun in their whole life
Now they're where they belong

(chorus)

Dump my body out and leave it
Naked, bruised and waiting
I'll be dragged in smiling 
While they shake their heads with pity
But I don't need their pity


Download the song by right-clicking here!


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-Jordan

WEEK 82: Big Delay (live)

Hey everybody!

NEW SONGS! A few weeks ago I performed 7 new (as in: never before played live...some of these are very old) songs at a show at Gizzi's Cafe, and I will be putting a bunch of them up in the coming weeks.

This first one is called Big Delay. I actually wrote the bulk of it in around 2006/2007, but only recently finished it.  It's about a very very troubled relationship I was in, that was fraught with fighting and dying to be put out of its misery.  

These lyrics are VERY personal and autobiographical, more so than usual. My favorite line is "hating every word you heard," because it's a funny roundabout way of saying how bad or cold the words coming out of my mouth were throughout the relationship, but from her point of view.

The line "miles of walking nowhere" is actually in reference to a very specific event, not just a simple metaphor for the relationship. In fact every line is referencing a very specific memory. Like I said, extremely personal.

I also love the melody, the chord progression, the feel of the song...everything. I've been dying to play this live for years and I'm glad I finally did. 

Here are the lyrics.

I left you crying with a fake hug
Swept my feelings under the rug
After all the arguments
We can both agree this once

This man and woman failed
They're in each other's way
Miles of walking nowhere
One big delay

All along I tiptoed by you
Hating every word you heard
And on that day in that strange city
Holding hands seemed too absurd

With tired eyes and anger
Kicked you out of my bed
Tried to show how bad I was for you and you for me and we for us and well...

I'll be full without ever eating
Spend my days in waiting rooms
Anything to keep me strong
Anything to last us long


Download the song by right clicking here!


Or:   Preview it here!






-Jordan

WEEK 80: Gudsnuk

I bought 2 new instruments!


A melodica and a glockenspiel. Both very cheap but they sound great.


Here is a little MP3 I made in about 5 minutes, just to celebrate. Named after the great gal who informed me about the instruments being on sale at Amazon.


Download Gudsnuk here!




Preview it here:







Jordan

WEEK 77: The Usual Way (live with drummer)

Hey everyone!

This week's MP3 is a live version of one of my favorite songs, The Usual Way.

Instead of going into the whole background of the song, I'll mainly talk about this live mp3. Took place on May 13th of this year, at Goodbye Blue Monday in Brooklyn.

That's Will Kastner on drums, from my band Sally. This is officially a Trouble's Afoot performance. Will was a superhuman drum man for this show, learning around 15 Trouble's Afoot songs in like 2 days. This was a new song for Trouble's Afoot, but will probably stick around. Also of note is that we had no bass player for this show.

Also of note is that yes, people are talking about french fries at the start of the MP3. That's the nature of a live recording, folks.

Briefly, the song is about feeling like a disappointment in a relationship, and thus in your relationship with yourself. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

So what if I write a message down?

Not like I can say it outloud

I express myself in the usual way

So what if I wait a day or two?

Not like I'm in charge of when I get to see you

I express myself in the usual way

I'm running out.

I'm running out.

So what if I'm feeling sorry?

Not like you can get it out of me.

I express myself in the usual way.

I distress myself in the usual way.

Download it here!

or:

Sample it!

-Jordan

WEEK 69: Sally: Have You Met Someone (live)

WELCOME TO WEEK 69!

This week's MP3 is ultra awesome super cool. I had a show last week at Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn, and my vocally gifted friend Meghan O'Neill joined me on stage for a mini-Sally set! (Sally is my band with all love songs and female lead vocals.)

My often-bass-player Dave Fox played drums along (after only hearing the song about 2 hours earlier before the show), and I played electric guitar, trying to do the best Johnny Marr impression I can possibly fake. I love how it all came out.

The quality of this recording isn't so great, mainly because there were a lot of people talking at the bar, and we were struggling to be louder than them. Still, I loved playing these songs live, and there will be more MP3s from this show and future Sally recordings soon!

Here are the lyrics. The song is pretty self explanatory:

I don’t regret the time we spent

In fact I think it’s splendid

The more I guess at your progress

The more it seems we’ve ended

I haven’t been with many people

Not after what happened with us

I don’t know why I feel like I must be faithful

But…have you met someone?

A guy at work is a big flirt

He asked me out for supper

My red cheeks glowed but I said no

It just doesn’t seem proper

Chorus

Is she pretty?

Is she happy?

How does she kiss

Does she exist?

My kitchens cold and all alone

I miss you at the table

I eat and go to sleep I don’t

Know if this mood is fatal

HAVE YOU MET SOMEONE?!?



Download the song by right clicking here and saving!


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Jordan