I don’t always write concept albums, but when I do…
There was a time when I exclusively wrote concept albums. Not that it mattered since they were all instrumental anyway. Plus it’s obvious looking back that while the records had a theme they weren’t concept albums.
The new record is much closer to a concept album than anything I’ve written before. Ghosts of the Living is about people who are alive and well who I do or have had relationships with at some point. There are songs about lovers, friends, family, and even strangers. Let me give you a rundown of what to expect out of this batch of songs:
1. Seance - song for a long lost love
This one is a song about one of my very first relationships as a young man. I’m married now and have no desire to go back to that time but the feeling of that time can come to me in these palpable waves of nostalgia, especially as I approach closer to 40 with each passing year. The song is about how I did not get over that relationship for a very long time and used other girls to fill the voice left behind by the first girl. I held metaphorical seances. I’d find similar looking girls, do the things I once did with the original girl, but no matter what I did none either wanted to or could be suitable replacements. It was really sad on my part. The song is written in 3/4 time as we used to dance the Waltz sometimes.
2. I wanna know
This is about a close family member who I will never know. This person has a history of abusing everyone who gets close to them. In short, I want to know who they really are but I never will and it’s about coming to terms with not only never knowing the people who raised you but creating your own family with them cut out of your life.
3. The New Rush
This is a rather short song meant to convey the very brief but impactful summer romance I had with someone who I now feel guilty for not being clear enough about my intentions. I thought we were in the same page but weren’t. In the meantime we had one hell of a summer that I will never forget. My favorite lines are “i took it casually/But you did not agree/I said I had to leave town/You said that you’d kill yourself/I said I’m leaving anyway”. That perfectly encapsulates the infatuation, the desire, and the dynamic of that pre-college relationship.
4. Should have listened
This one is a working title. I had a good friend who gave me some very wise, sage advice that I did not take. The song is about how I focused on issues that were skin deep and didn’t listen to the excellent advice my friend had given me.
Additional songs
I have more in the works. One is about a childhood friend I didn’t lose until adulthood. Another is about my wife. There’s some written about myself and the things that have happened to me within living memory, sort of like a medley or introspective song.
I have two and a half songs to complete before the entire record is done.
I’m looking forward to finally releasing music with vocals and melody. I may not have a good voice but the point is that I finally express an idea clearly rather than just hope someone asks me what my instrumental vibes mean.
Now that my birthday has passed and the weather is cooling down it will get quieter in the studio and it’ll be easier to record without having to fight the sound of the air conditioner. After a full year in the new studio I think that summer is the time for writing and late summer/fall is best for recording. Of course that’s not a rule set in stone since I get most of my writing done in summer but I know turning off the AC is going to make it a lot easier to record in a quiet room that isn’t too hot.
And my point in writing this is just to let anyone interested know more about my process and to know I’m still working on music.
The Darph is still going to release music as well but I want to put out a more grounded record that incorporates vocals and melodies as Midori Moss too.