Townedgers new album and songs to consider

With Stone City's acoustic jam canceled today and Rumor's on hold, it was time for me to get back to revisit and review the songs from the new album.   In typical fashion, 23 songs were recorded, and I had about 15 written down for potential.

When you are a musician, you take your music very seriously. I do that with my recording projects. It means little to the rest of the world since hardly anybody looks forward for new music. But with Stone City not having the jam, I finally got around listening to the two tapes of 23 songs that were recorded. I started out in April working vigorously on it and then came May and June and then laziness occurred

And then this month I added four covers as a reference. I'm not sure if the world needs another six days on the road or another run through of Just To Satisfy You. When You're having writers block, you'll try anything to break it. Perhaps I might have relied too much on covers this time out. So I'm sitting here, listening and taking notes and trying to finalize a track list that will meet my standards.

One of the songs I recorded and forgotten was something called Take A Walk With Me, inspired by a Waylon Jennings song perhaps? Buckingham-Nicks was something that came out of the blue, that is a keeper, the followup Who Are You, not so much, It's From A Motel 6 with different lyrics, same chord progression, stick with the original. My producer thinks we need to write a couple more originals to balance out the album. But I'm trying to keep the Cd around the 35-40 min. mark. Ain't No Grave, was listened to, and critiqued and I might revisit that song for later analysis. Diggy Kat requested Jeannette fifteen (now 45) years later. It actually sounded better this time out, then when I recorded it on June 2 this year. Another song to consider is Rainbow In The Dark, done unplugged. This one goes back to when Dreams Of Arcadia did it unplugged. Certainly Julie sings it better, on my version there's a moody jazzier feeling. On Slippin' Away It sounds like the Status Quo than Jean Shepherd.

When you are recording in analog tape, and using old recording equipment, you hope that it will last a few more years. I grew up with analog recording and when the digital age came around, I never quite adjusted to that.   It sucks to know that you have to search and search for vintage recording equipment, they don't make them anymore, just like Sony Baloney don't make Car discman's any more.   I don't think we sit down and actually work with new software or disc recorders, mine took a shit ten years ago and lost a couple songs, but West Music couldn't fix it.  I make my music via four tracks, they're been the ideal source for the past three decades.

Songs Of Note:

Buckingham Nicks

Who Are You (From a Motel Six chords with different lyrics, pass)

Cheating Songs (Used a capo and turned it around from the original F sharp version I usually play)

Willin' (Finally did a good version of this, it might be one of the highlights of this album)

Tomorrow's Girl (A revision from the Persayors Of The Truth album, one of those songs that we put down for a first take and was happy with results)

Just To Satisfy You-Originally done on the Fitting Finales album, but slowed down from a version that I heard Waylon as a alternative take.

Satin Sheets-This song we did about 7 takes and still wasn't exactly pleased with the results.  Terry Bainbridge says it's not bad but we do have a lot of cover songs.  So this one might not make the cut.

Stupid The Dog-Something thought up on the spot and we played around with it.  Robby Knowles sings it.

9 Pound Hammer-I used the old Yamaha guitar with a capo on the 7th fret.  Geoff played mandolin. This mirrors the Country Gentlemen's version, all a minute twenty five of it.

Take A Walk With Me-The song without a title that I did a quick take and filed away.  Just me and the guitar and somehow that works fairly well.

Knock On The Door-Trying to come up with a more uplifting song and getting Geoff and Robby to contribute something.  I don't hear drums on this.

Lover Man-A jam of sorts and us trying to come up with something intelligent to say.  Which we didn't.

Distant Early Morning Light-Another acoustic number recently discovered.  Hell, I didn't bother to write down the recording date.  I don't hear drums on this either.

If You See Her-A remake of the 1992 cut from Drive In Blues.  This one is electric.

Stepping Razor-A cover of the Peter Tosh number. It sounded good at the time of doing this.

She Belongs To Me-Another Dylan cover, this version owes more to Augie Meyer's version.

Rainbow In The Dark-Inspired by Dreams Of Arcadia and how Julie sings it.  But from a male's point of view and more of a darker overtone.  Jules looks for the uplifting, I look for the dark.

Jeanette Again-For Diggy Kat.  The third update of this song. 45 years after the fact of meeting her. And knowing I never will see her again.

Send Me Someone To Love-That Freddie Neil Fixation once again, Like Willin, I been dinking with this song for three years.

Six Days On The Road-If Dave Dudley hooked up with Social Distortion, it would sound like this.  I'm not certain this will be on the album.  We have a lot of covers...Too many covers to be honest.

Slippin Away-Jean Shepherd's version, but with a Status Quo boogie riff.

Ain't No Grave-A rough run through of a old gospel number.  And I doubt you will hear it.

At The Crossroads-Mott The Hoople, I love their version of the Doug Sahm number.  And  with an out of tune guitar to boot.  Which wasn't the overdubbed electric guitar.

As it stands, we have 13 covers and 10 originals.  And a dilemma, of making adding a couple more originals, to actually sit down and write something credible    I suspect I need to break away from the thrift stores and jams an getting this finished.

For the most part none of the CR musicians are that interested in my music anyway but this is not about them.  I've been doing this for 40 plus years and the only person I need to satisfy is myself.  I think we'll continue to write and perform more songs for a week and then lay the drum tracks down and finalize a song list.  As it stands, this record would be a first to have more covers than originals.  And I'm not sure I want that.