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Album Eleven
My eleventh album. I explore the darker, more pessimistic side of life. I never thought I would make an album like this. How could a completely pessimistic song contribute to creating a more beautiful world? I don't know, but these are the songs I needed to write. It helped me get out of a funk, and I hope it helps you too. This album is best enjoyed on youtube.
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How Did I Get Here?
Every time I record an album it feels like the album is exactly what I was supposed to make. Every time, it feels like all my other musical projects have led up to this moment. This feeling is especially strong for this album. All my previous albums have given me the skills to write and record this album, which feels like I'm finally and truly being myself (even though I suspect I might feel the same way next time I record an album). With "How Did I Get Here?" I believe I've found a new level of honesty and humility in my songwriting. I'm writing from my own experience in a way that seems to connect with others. Some of these songs have made people cry when I play them live, and that's one of the highest compliments I can receive. I could not have written these songs without all of the people who have inspired my personal growth in the past few years.
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But Now I See
I recorded But Now I See in 2017, and it's an attempt to write songs about spirituality. It was written at a time when spirituality was very new to me. I spent many years as a strong atheist. Part of me is still drawn to the straightforwardness of atheist arguments. But, I have experienced things that fall outside the atheist worldview, mainly within the context of indigenous culture and ceremony, and I started to try writing songs about this. I found this pretty challenging. In general I feel much less confident about my lyrics than I do about my melodies, chords, and production. It was a challenge to record an album with simple melodies, chords, and (especially) production, because that puts more weight on my lyrics.
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In Service Of Other Beings And In Service Of The Earth
A long title for a long piece of music! I created this in 2016, and it describes a change in worldview I had as a result of my own life experience and listening to lectures by Charles Eisenstein. If you want a detailed description of this new worldview, check out Charles Eisenstein's work. Musically, I was inspired by R. Murray Schafer's Apocalypsis. I was inspired by Schafer to use music, and sound more broadly, to tell a story without necessarily making it sound pleasing to the ear. This is meant to be listened to as if you're watching a movie. I wouldn't recommend putting it on as background music!
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As We Must
As We Must was recorded mostly in 2015. It's my most popular album, and I guess you could say it's in the genre of alternative pop. It was my first attempt at writing and releasing songs with lyrics. I was also in the process of letting go of some insecurities about music. I was very talented at guitar and knew some very complex music theory (this was right after I had graduated from Humber College with a degree in music). In the past I had felt that I had to make my music complex in some way, at least a little bit, in order for it to be "good". I was letting go of this and getting used to the idea that I could make simple music and that can be okay. I didn't have to show off.
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Instruments
From 2011 to 2013 I made a lot of instrumental recordings with both electronic and acoustic instruments. I released three albums during this time, but I think Instruments is the best one. The process for this album was fun. For every song except for "Backyard" I started out by recording an improvisation. I then added more instruments to the improvisation to turn it into a full piece. It was an interesting balance between improvisation and painstakingly detailed production. The last song, "instruments" was totally improvised. I recorded myself improvising on piano, then I recorded myself improvising on top of that using other instruments.
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