Deep Below The Water's Surface

Fog Tropes I & II

The Sinking Of The Titanic
Friday, January 28, 2011

'Deep Below The Water's Surface' began life as part of my 'In The Long Form' series, but the longer I worked with the atmospheric music, the more it transformed into an oceanic soundscape.

The centerpiece of 'Deep Below...' revolves around Ingram Marshall's haunting, 'Fog Tropes.' Marshall, a post-minimalist composer recorded two versions of this evocative piece, the first in 1982 for brass ensemble and electronics, and the second in 2001 for string ensemble and tape. The former was conducted by John Adams while the latter was performed by The Kronos Quartet. Marshall resided in Northern California at the time of the first release and utilized the evocative sound of the San Francisco Bay's many bellowing fog horns to create a soundscore that eerily captured the sensation of being lost at sea, floating adrift on a vast mist-shrouded body of water. Undecided over which of the two recordings suited my objective the best, I ended up using both, sculpting a pair of very different takes on the same theme. To accomplish this, I then turned to one of Gavin Bryar's four (count 'em, four!) recordings of 'The Sinking Of The Titanic.' Of them, I settled on the 1994 Point version, 61 orchestrated minutes recreating the horrifying final moments of the ill-fated luxury liner. This version incorporates the ghostly voices of survivors, distress signals sent in Morse code, re-occurring strains of 'Autumn,' the somber hymn played by the ship's valiant string musicians as the mighty structure slipped silently beneath the waves, as well as the creepy creaking and twisting of iron and steel as the crippled beast settled in its watery grave on the ocean's floor.

The conceptual narrative behind the two soundscapes is a very simple one, one which came to me in a dream. Both begin above the waves. We're on a ship or freighter perhaps that is disabled, off course, lost at sea, and aimlessly adrift on a calm, but empty ocean surface that is thick with fog. Isolated and helpless, the sea opens up to swallow the hulking structure and all who are on-board in one massive gulp that sucks them both (ourselves included), deep below the water's surface to a dark and shadowy undersea resting place. Untold worlds and wondrous mysteries begin to unfold around the spirits of those who perished, taking them even deeper into the uncharted canyons of the ocean's greatest depths. Hallucinatory and incomprehensible sights greet the souls of the newfound dead, exploring a subaqueous universe as infinite and far-reaching as the endless cosmos above. For some it's a glimpse of Hades, while for others a taste of Elysium.

Each soundscape then is brought to an end with a gradual reemergence to the fog-shrouded waves above. Left to roam endlessly beneath the waves, the spirits of the departed are then forever doomed to an eternal afterlife in their perceived experience of heaven or hell, deep below the water's surface.

Other oceanic sounds and musical themes buried within 'Deep Below...' come from ambient musician Paul Frankland a.k.a. Woob, guitarist, John Martyn, and a semi-obscure progressive kraut-rock band named, Pyramid. Additionally, small portions of recordings by The Steve Miller Band ('Song For Our Ancestors'), the late Hungarian composer, György Legeti, and a snippet from Pink Floyd's, 'Echoes' are also featured.

'...Below The Water's Surface' is best heard in a darkened room and without headphones or earbuds. Turn out the lights, open your mind, and adjust the volume accordingly.

Deep Below The Water's Surface, No.#1

1) Fog Tropes/Ingram Marshall
2) Departure/Woob
3) Dawn Defender/Pyramid
4) Small Hours/John Martyn
5) Song For Our Ancestors : Lux Aeterna/
The Steve Miller Band & György Legeti
Running Time: 1:20:00


Deep Below The Water's Surface, No.#2

1) The Sinking Of The Titanic/Gavin Bryars
2) Gate Creek : Echoes/
Woob & Pink Floyd
3) Fog Tropes II/Ingram Marshall
Running Time: 1:18:00

Underwater sculptures were designed and photographed by Jason DeCaires Taylor

From The Ashes Of Electric Elves

Two From Oranger
Friday, January 21, 2011

The San Francisco indie pop band, Oranger called it quits a few years back after roughly nine years of delivering their catchy, hook laden music to audiences throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Although the band claims the breakup is merely a temporary hiatus, that claim was made after the release of their fourth LP, 'New Comes And Goes' in 2005, and we've now entered 2011. Do the math and the prospect for reforming seems unlikely. But while we wait, Oranger remains a favorite of mine despite their absence, providing me with a limited, but jubilant source of pure pop pleasure.

Born from the ashes of two equally impressive museums of pop history, Overwhelming Colorfast and Stick Figures, Mike Drake, Matt Harris, Bob Reed, Patrick Main, and John Hofer who make up Oranger released only four full length recordings during their lifetime, as well as contributing to several compilations. 1998 brought their impressive debut, 'Doorway To Norway,' followed by the sublime, 'Quiet Vibrationland' at the dawn of the millennium. Their next release came nearly 3 years later, the double set that bundled 'Shutdown The Sun' with a 34 track collection of outtakes, live versions, and rarities called, 'From The Ashes Of Electric Elves.' And what can you expect of them? Well, if you're a fan of Jellyfish, The Zombies, XTC, The Left Banke, Smiley Smile era Beach Boys, or all things Paisley Pop, you'll find a kindred spirit in Oranger.

'From The Ashes Of Electric Elves' showcases two of the above releases by the band --- 'The Quiet Vibrationland' and an altered version of 'Shutdown The Sun.' '...Vibrationland' is heard in its entirety, while 'Shutdown The Sun' is actually a customized mix in its presentation here, ironically drawing largely from its companion piece, '...Electric Elves.' Confused? Don't trouble yourself. Just give each one a listen and I'm sure you'll find them both to be more than a satisfying experience.

The Quiet Vibrationland

1) Sorry Paul
2) Suddenly Upsidedown
3) A View Of The City From An Airplane
4) Quiet Vibrationland Theme VIII
5) Falling Stars
6) Texas Snow
7) Springtime
8) The Mother Of All My Pain
9) Stoney Curtis In Reverse
10) The Quiet Vibrationland Theme II
11) Green Gold Rolling Skull
12) Straight Love
13) ...
14) Butterfly Magician


Shutdown The Sun
(From The Ashes Of Electric Elves)



1) Up Over The Summer Fields
2) Siamese Fingers
3) Friend To You
4) Lay Down Your Head, Child
5) Gorilla In A Rucksack
6) Shutdown The Sun
7) Circle Gets The Square
8) Outside It's Coming Down
9) Pleshette Gun
10) Intermission
11) April Skies
12) Winter Gardener
13) Sugarpop '66
14) The Writer (H.F.)
15) And It's Alright

The Women In My Life, Pt.3

Like A Fool, I See
My Infatuation With Shelby Lynne
Friday, January, 14, 2011

I was somewhat impartial to Shelby Lynne's music for a long time, but I was captured by the release of 'Just A Little Lovin',' her Dusty Springfield tribute released back in 2008. The Springfield influence was always present in Lynne's work, but her loving homage to the singer really hit the spot with a fresh take on old standards by the British chanteuse. Lynne's early recordings on the other hand never touched me at all --- pure formula --- following the carb-free recipe that constitutes Modern Country. Apparently she didn't care much for them either and broke from her contract with the label that insisted on marketing her to the belt buckle, boots and Dodge Ram audience that eats that crap up. After doing so, she moved to the more progressive, Island Records where she was then given the freedom to create music in the way that she herself heard it. Nice move, Shelby. But even then she unfortunately come off sounding something akin to the unspeakable, Sheryl Crow, only with a Southern accent, and I certainly didn't need the likes of another vacuous 'Leaving Las Vegas' fighting for space within my subconscious. So it was two steps forward and one step back for Lynne, but at least she was now slightly ahead. And to her credit, she took a stab at independence and won a little ground, if only just a little.

With her newfound freedom, the Alabama raised Lynne continued to grow with each subsequent recording, changing labels multiple times and tweaking her sound with each release until she finally found a voice that was truly her own, and from there she became a star. O.K., not a big star by any stretch, but she did at least sell records, several of which I purchased as a matter of fact. Never entirely abandoning her, I continued to give her a chance and slowly came to understand where she was coming from musically. And you know what? I actually began to dig it. In all honesty though, I do have to admit that I always did kinda' have a thing for faux-trailer trash blonds with dark roots and small breasts who spoke with a Southern drawl. So image played a factor in my interest. I'm talking about that sort of 'tough, cigarette smoking dishwater blond, wearing white cotton blouses with the sleeves rolled up and shirt tails tied at the waist, draped over low slung jeans and dusty Hobnail boots' kind of a thing. A hot pistol. This particular fetish no doubt grew out of my watching the voluptuous, Donna Douglas romp around the set of 'The Beverly Hillbillies' as the curvaceous tomboy, Elly Mae Clampett when I was a young teenager with raging hormones and unbridled imagination. I can only surmise where I'd be today if I had watched 'I Dream Of Jeannie' instead. Too much information for you? Maybe so, but it did create a dilemma for me. One which led me to repeatedly ask myself --- did I really appreciated her music, or did I simply long to jump her bones?

A Short Back Story

Lynne, whose full name is Sheryl Lynne Moorer was born in 1968 to a musical family in Quintico, Virginia. Her sister, Allison is a successful artist in her own right, married to Steve Earle and mining perhaps a more rootsy brand of Alternative Country than her elder sibling. The two of them however recently toured together as a highly compatible duo and I happened to catch a date from that tour when I returned to San Francisco last October just in time to attend 'Hardly Strictly Bluegrass,' a three day music festival held every autumn in the groves of Golden Gate Park. It goes without saying that my interest in the event was not so much Bluegrass as it was the acts who were Hardly Strictly, meaning that in addition to Lynne and Moorer, I also caught Richard Thompson, Randy Newman, Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women, Rosanne Cash, and Elvis Costello. Additionally, I stuck around for some of Patti Smith's inspiring set too, but I was forced to leave midway through because I started getting freaked out by all the old farts around me who resembled David Crosby. As much as I love Patti, I just couldn't stay any longer. Most of these guys were roughly a little older than myself, while others were obviously younger, yet they all possessed either the paunch and balding grey hair of Crosby, or appeared to be runner-ups in some Jerry Garcia lookalike contest with bulky frames, massive whiskers, wire rimmed eyeglasses, and salt & pepper manes. It was disturbing. Fascinating yet frightening at the same time. I couldn't stop wondering, "Is that my fate too?" It made me really depressed and so I headed for the medical trauma tent like an acidhead on a bad trip. If there had been a bar on the festival grounds, I would have gone there instead 'cause what I really needed was a stiff drink. But wait a minute. Weren't we discussing Shelby Lynne? I just glanced at the picture to the right and was brought back to the subject at hand. Plus it goes without saying that she's a far more pleasant image to ponder than dumpy old men.

A Maybe Not So Short Back Story Continued

Shelby Lynne is a strong willed and determined woman who has fought hard for acceptance in the popular music field. The Sheryl Crow connection I mentioned earlier stems solely from the fact that her first Island record was produced by Bill Bottrell, the same man who oversaw Crow's debut. As is frequently the case, a producer like Bottrell tends to shape the sound those he works with in the image of himself, so you're forgiven Shelby. But since then she's aligned herself with a variety of producers from Glen Ballard to Phil Ramone (who handled the Springfield tribute), before finally deciding to handle those duties herself, often the only way to create the sound that truly reflects what's in your own head. In the process she also created her own label, Everso, to further assure complete creative control (and how's that for an alliteration?). As for the results of this maturation? Well, now she sounds a bit more like... her kid sister. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, mind you. Nor is it entirely fair, or even accurate for that matter. In fact, I don't even know why I said it. Shelby's her own person with her own sound. Maybe that sound is just something a little more slick than what I'd normally find myself gravitating toward. Yet inexplicably, I like it. That's a good sign, right? Why am I so confused? It seems apparently my dilemma remains unresolved.

Like all of us, our upbringing says something about who and what we are today, and Lynne's past speaks volumes. Her drunken and abusive father shot and killed her mother before turning the gun on himself in the presence of his daughter back in 1986 when Shelby was 17 years of age and her sister only 14. One might think that the younger sibling would become the more traumatized by the event, but Lynne was deeply affected, the loss creating much confusion, and a sizable void in her life despite his abusive behavior. The aftermath of that tragedy was her quest for independence and self expression, penning honest, confessional songs that serve to illuminate both her vulnerability and her inner strength. And the results are often compelling. Building on the Southern Soul tradition, she mixes a bit of Muscle Shoals with a sprinkling of Stax/Volt, a measure of Nashville yesteryear, and a heapin' helpin' of 'Dusty In Memphis,' all wrapped up in a late 20th Century package.

So what then of my dilemma? Like a fool, do I see (and hear more specifically) only what I want to see and hear? That is to say, do I truly admire Lynne's music, or do I merely wish to appreciate it because she shakes my lemon tree? I think the answer is probably a little of both. Infatuation can be that way. It clouds your mind a bit and leaves you open to persuasion until you either realize your folly, or rejoice over having found a new love. With that in mind, I've come to recognize that the more I listen to Lynne, the less I believe myself to be that fool. I've simply developed a fresh relationship unlike any I've had before. She may not carry the bare wire emotionalism of Lucinda Williams, or the complex melodrama of Joni Mitchell, but Lynne has managed to win a place in my selective listening habits for whatever the reasons that may sway me, and as a result of reading this and hearing her for yourself, my hope is that she might find her way into yours as well.

About The Mix

'Like A Fool, I See' is a career retrospective beginning with Lynne's emancipation from the current Nashville blueprint that began with 1999's, 'I Am Shelby Lynne.' Selections from each of her successive releases are also included right up to her most recent, 'Tears, Lies, & Alibis.' 'Just A Little Lovin,' the 2008 Springfield salute that finally sold me on Lynne is also nearly included in its entirety within Part 2, that's how much I like it. Neither set runs in chronological order, but are instead constructed for a satisfying flow.

Like A Fool, I See, Pt.1

1) Your Lies
2) Thought It Would Be Easier
3) Go With It
4) Killin' Kind
5) Why Didn't You Call Me
6) Life Is Bad
7) I Don't Think So
8) I'm Alive
9) I Cry Everyday
10) Buttons And Beaus
11) Trust Me
12) If I Were Smart
13) Lonesome
14) Ain't It The Truth
15) Home Sweet Home
16) One With The Sun
17) Break Me Open
18) Telephone
19) Baby
20) Wall In Your Heart
21) Leavin'
22) Gotta' Get Back


Like A Fool, I See, Pt.2

1) Just A Little Lovin'
2) Anyone Who Had A Heart
3) You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
4) I Only Want To Be With You
5) The Look Of Love
6) Breakfast In Bed
7) Willie And Laura Mae Jones
8) I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore
9) Pretend
10) Lookin' Up
11) Dreamsome
12) Bend
13) Close To You
14) Old Times Sake
15) Rainy Night In Georgia
16) Alibi
17) Like A Fool
18) Loser, Dreamer
19) Tarpoleon Napoleon


Source material for 'Like A Fool, I See, Pts.1 & 2' come from the following:
I Am Shelby Lynne (1999)/Love, Shelby (2001)
Identity Crisis (2003)/Suit Yourself (2005)
Just A Little Lovin' (2008)/Tears, Lies, & Alibis (2010)

Masterworks Reimagined

Masterworks From

Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention
Through A Glass, Darkly
No.#9 in a series
Friday, January 07, 2011

The subtitle of 'Masterworks Reimagined' is 'The Apostolic/Mayfair Sessions.' For those who are only casual fans of Zappa and the Mothers, this refers to the two primary recording studios that were employed by Frank and the band during their most productive period --- 1967 through 1969 --- the New York years. It was in these two locations that they produced, 'We're Only In It For The Money,' 'Cruising With Ruben & The Jets,' 'Uncle Meat,' 'Burnt Weeny Sandwich,' and 'Weasels Ripped My Flesh.' Another masterwork from that same period is Zappa's 'Lumpy Gravy' which found its genesis at the Capitol studios in Los Angeles, but was later reshaped and pieced together at Apostolic.

'Masterworks Reimagined' takes the nuts and bolts of 'Lumpy Gravy' and 'We're Only In It For The Money' and mixes them together with elements from the other above mentioned recordings (sans 'Cruising...') to create an entirely 'new' Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention recording. Wowie Zowie!

Although it begins like the tried and true version of 'Lumpy Gravy' that you've come to know and love, it then makes a left turn to become something altogether different from what you'd otherwise anticipate. Perhaps something similar to a dream in which you recognize familiar faces and landmarks, but they're all within a landscape that's totally foreign and unexpected. The centerpiece of 'Masterworks...' is 'It's His Voice On The Radio (a.k.a. Lonely Little Girl),' a song that was released in advance of 'We're Only In It For The Money.' In its 45rpm incarnation, the nifty little song was actually a construct, or a sound collage, and indeed it was a very strange choice for a single. But then that was Zappa. The 'Masterworks...' mix returns to it several times and I'd like to have you believe that this was completely intentional and packed with all sorts of profound meaning. But the truth is that it just kinda' happened by accident. No messages, no mystery, no manure. And oh, did I mention that '...Reimagined' is nearly 90% instrumental?

If you get a kick out of 'Masterworks Reimagined,' then you might also want to check out some of the other similar project/objects that I lovingly assembled during 2009's, 'The Summer of Zappa.' Like this one, they were all were constructed with the greatest of respect and admiration for Frank and the Mothers, and I'm very proud of them.* They also happen to be pretty fun to hear. So what are you waiting for?

*Just consider the sheer number of edits required to assemble 61 song fragments into a unified whole. Not to mention all the hidden edits that aren't intended to be heard, or the ones I didn't even bother to demarcate. That's what I'd call love and devotion.

Hey Boys and Girls!
Check Out the Brand New LP
by the Mothers of Invention
Featuring Their Spiffy New Single!

Masterworks Reimagined
'The Apostolic/Mayfair Sessions'

1) "The Way I See It, Barry"
2) Theme From 'Lumpy Gravy' (a.k.a. Duodenum)
3) The Idiot Bastard Son (Unused Intro)
4) How Did That Get In Here?, Pt.1: Main Section A
5) Lumpy Gravy: Unit 3A
6) How Did That Get In Here?, Pt.2: Main Section B
7) "Hello Teenage America"
8) It's His Voice On The Radio (a.k.a. Lonely Little Girl): First Section
9) John Cage
10) Who Needs The Peace Corps?, Pt.1
11) Lonely Little Girl (Original Composition), Pt.1
12) Lumpy Gravy: Unit 2
13) "It's My Job"
14) Lonely Little Girl (Original Composition), Pt.2
15) Lumpy Gravy: 'Oh No' Variation
16) Who Needs The Peace Corp?, Pt.2: The Big Finish
17) Nasal Retentive Calliope Music
18) Mother People, Pt.1: Rousing Intro & Body
19) The World's Greatest Sinner (Excerpt)
20) Mother People, Pt.2: Equally Rousing Close
21) Mom & Dad, Pt.1
22) What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? (Unused Excerpt)
23) Mom & Dad, Pt.2
24) What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? (Same Unused Excerpt As #22)
25) Mom & Dad, Pt.3
26) Supplimental V/Blorch Booster Injection
27) Lumpy Gravy: Section
28) (Not So) Absolutely Free (Severely Restricted)
29) How Did That Get In Here?, Pt.3: The Exciting Far-Out Jazz Section
30) Lumpy Gravy: Unit 9
31) N. Double A, A.A.
32) It's His Voice On The Radio (a.k.a. Lonely Little Girl) [Again]
33) Theme From 'Burnt Weeny Sandwich'
34) "Freak Me Out, Frank! Freak Me Out"
35) What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? (Unused Excerpt) [Previously Used]
36) Flower Punk (UMRK Remix)
37) Hot Poop
38) Holiday In Berlin, Full Blown
39) Aybe Sea
40) The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny
41) The Air
42) "I'm Advocating Dark Clothes"
43) Uncle Meat Variations: 'The Munchkin March'
44) Another Hit
45) Uncle Meat Variations: 'The Munster Mash'
46) Random Psychosis
47) Uncle Meat Variations: 'The Chromium Barrio Bash:'
Fuzzy Dice, Bongos & Dramatic Conclusion
48) "Hey Kids! Let's Have A Hootenanny"
49) Foamy Soaky ('King Kong' and 'Oh No' Variation)
50) Sink Trap: Do We Have To Hear This Yet Again? ('Oh No' Variation)
51) Intelligent Design & Dense Slight
52) Project X: First Section
53) Telephone Conversation
54) The Idiot Bastard Son
55) Absolutely Free, Pt.3 & Very Cool Ending
56) The (Compleat) Legend Of The Golden Arches
57) "The First Thing That Attracted Me"
58) Weasels (Partly) Ripped My Flesh
59) It's His Voice On The Radio (a.k.a. Lonely Little Girl):
Big Psychedelic Freak Out Conclusion
60) You Can Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance (The Underwear)
61) Cheesy Outro (from the 45rpm single 'Lonely Little Girl')


Source material for 'Masterworks Reimagined' comes from the following:
Lumpy Gravy (1967)/We're Only In It For The Money (1968)
Uncle Meat (1969)/Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970)
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970)/Lumpy Money (2009)
plus a few other bits & pieces from various FZ odds & ends both legit & bootlegged