I have a band, called "Smaller Animals". No, wait, I am a band called "Smaller Animals"* - it's just me... except when I get other people to help, and even then it's still mostly me, but with guests. We/I do mostly what people call "experimental" guitar stuff - that is, it's the kind of stuff guitar players do when they're not working with anyone else, and so there's nobody there to tell them to quit fucking around. I doubt it's interesting to anyone else, but whenever I finish an album I send it around to select friends, just so I can say it's 'out there'. I don't even play these songs for Mrs Cleek, because I know she won't like them.
Happily, I just finished another album's worth of stuff. I've already sent out all the CDs I'm going to send out, and I've decided I'm going to put this one on the web, too. But first, a little explanation of what it is, and isn't...
It's me playing various guitars, recorded to my now-retired Tascam cassette 4-track (next album will be recorded on my cool new digital 8-track). The sound quality varies from weak to ass: between the tape hiss and distortions, my lack of patience with sensible recording practices and simple laziness, the sound is sub-lo-fi; if the name "Portastatic" wasn't already taken, I'd have claimed it for myself. There aren't any vocals: I've done vocals in the past and have finally decided it's best if I just don't do that anymore. The songs typically don't follow conventional structures, and standard musical theory only gets a couple of chances to speak: these are like radio jingles for a world where Sonic Youth is a hot wedding band. The playing and arrangements and mixes are sloppy: close is close enough. I'm not a flashy player: there are no flashy solos or Hott Lixx. Half of these songs are probably impossible to duplicate - it's nearly all improvised, I don't keep track of the tunings or chords I use, and happy accidents during recording and performance are the rule. But, at least they're all really short!
So, in a nutshell: this stuff isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, and it's not meant to be.
OK, have I sufficiently lowered your expectations? I hope so.
Here it is. A 96Kb/s copy of: Smaller Animals, Decisions. (Warning: 27MB ZIP)
Maybe I'll post the CD artwork later.
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* It's a non-coincidence that a software company I am associated with is called "Smaller Animals Software, Inc."; but the band and the software company aren't related in any, umm, legal, financial or material way. If you happen to work for the IRS, or the NC Dept of Revenue, or NC Secretary of State, please consider that an un-official disclaimer.
Nice, dude- congrats. I will download and dig. I tend to like music that’s done like this. It’s a vicarious thrill- I’m too formal and too schooled to let my fingers fall where they may anymore. More’s the shame.
Did you get one of those sweet little Tascam 8’s? I use the first one they made, the 788. What a tasty little machine.
>I’m too formal and too schooled to let my fingers fall where they may anymore
heh. it really is the flip-side of what you described in your writing-a-song series. craft? heh. my stuff is mere sketches. not that i wouldn’t do it your way, if i knew how, and had the temperament.
your stuff… all those instruments, parts… changes? it’s like magic, to me.
>Did you get one of those sweet little Tascam 8’s?
i was thinking about it. even went to the store intending to buy it. but then i heard a lot of horror stories about dead hard drives in the Tascam digital multi-tracks. so i did a little digging and decided on a Boss BR600. it uses Compact Flash cards – no moving parts, easy to swap in/out, etc.. plus, the thing is sooo small and light. and can run on batteries. and has built-in stereo mics. so, it has a certain discrete capability.
it kicks my ol’ Tascam 424’s ass.
swee-hee-heet. Buddy of mine has one. Flippin’ EVERYTHING on board. Pitch, FX, a drum machine, mics. He records six-part acappellas on the road. In his car.
Hey, nice- this is cool. Listening… The titles are dopeass…
“Galapagos” sounds pretty realized. Cinematic. Also “even the simplest things”…………..
kind words appreciated :)