15. track 50
Liner Notes
#indie #oddtimesignature #endings
The final song for FAWM '25, and the final track for the Short Stories trilogy I started releasing last year for 50/90. Exhausted, excited, and relieved to put all of these songs together and get 'em on Bandcamp!
As for the song itself, I am in love with loops and callbacks (My FAWM album last year kind of ended up becoming one), so this track is built off of all of the stuff I stumbled on in "track 1" last year, down to the last lines of this song leading into the first lines of the other one.
The structure is an #oddtimesignature , which is strange because I didn't really do any wonky time signatures for this FAWM (I think the nature of tributes and sad songs makes me less interested in "showing off" musically), but this one makes up for it. The verse progression is three bars of 7/4, then a bar of 9/4, then three of 7/4, then a bar of 10/4. The middle bit is 3/4, and the final bit is 5/4, which, once again, leads into track 1.
This particular progression has followed me for...let me check my voice memos.....2023! I've had a recording of me drumming the verses out on a steering wheel for ages and never knew how to make a song out of it. Well now here we are.
I wanted the track to be quieter and end with the same fuzzy vinyl scratching it started with, so not only does the trilogy loop, but each individual album loops back into itself. Snakes upon snakes eating a deluge of tails. Very indulgent, I know.
Anyways, thanks for listening if you've heard any of these. I appreciate the feedback and kind words. I'm tapped out and due to Life Stuff coming up, I think I'm taking a break from music. I have ideas for next FAWM, but if it doesn't happen, that's fine! I'm really happy with 4 WHOLE ALBUMS within a year. After a long writers block, I'm grateful for everything FAWM has given me.
The Sister Song, and one that it leads directly back into, is right here: https://soundcloud.com/brandon-brooks-746737217/track-1
Lyrics
I've been taught well, Time and time again, To keep my distance.
The door will close, But somewhere out there Another opens.
Whatever it seems to be, This moment is just a piece Of a longer story,
So it may hurt to hear, But I don't know you, And you don't know me.
I often hide between The liner notes and poetry Where no one can find me.
So, as the curtain calls, If you can see this, Thank you kindly.
We're a minute or two away From the end of everything, These Short Stories,
So I'll confess, I don't want this to end. I wish you could know me.
The moral of the story. The sum of all the parts. The pieces of the whole Are waiting in the dark.
Put it altogether It feels like it belongs, But you know it's not the same, And you know it never was.
All I see Are empty streets. I'll tell you what I Believe....
Comments
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Very atmospheric. I love the line "I often hide behind the liner notes and the poetry where no-one can find me". Think we might have found you now! I enjoyed it but the vocals got very quiet towards the end and difficult to hear everything. Absolutely love the crackle at the end. #tit4tat
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Reading the liner notes I wasn't sure how it would fit together, but it does...and brilliantly.
The vocal delivery reminds of Peter Gabriel. The lyrics are brilliant and the instrumentation is fantastic.
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Congratulations on putting such a big project together!
The beat and droning are hypnotic, and the record static is a cool way to make an end/bookend.
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I reeally enjoyed listening to this, and the lyrics too. Odd and mysterious. #tit4tat if you're doing that.
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Very interesting rhythm and piano meloy at the intro. Love how it fades in, that allows me to 'learn' the rhythm. Don't know the count, but the low-fi drums (interesting choice) really work making the whole thing followable. Interestinly, I don't really even notice that it changes. It feels like a constant rhythm.
Love from 1.00 onwards, how the sliding-note synths and the heavy-breathing vocals have totally the same kinda floating-around-things vibe. They support each other really well. The backing vocals from 1.30 really sound like ghosts in the night. I like the contrast with all the floaty flowy sounds and those drums supporting the whole thing.
The section at 2.40 is just awesome and eerie and dark and mysterious, as if some huge unknown alien-looking thing is slowly rising out of the ground. The kinda exhausted singing adds to this. And then the noisy ending just leaves us wondering what happened after... which is a perfect fit.
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Haunting. I love your sound! This is innovative and unique. Enjoyed every aspect of this song. #Tit4Tat
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The beat is really hypnotic. You don't even realize it's an odd time signature, that's a cool trick. I really like all the little production touches. Very nice
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Really enjoyed the playing with time signatures. Great vocals too, and meditative lyrics. Well done.
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Beautiful way to end it. Feels like resolution to a saga or montage. Nice ending credits song. End of the war. Comfort in the way things are and the way they will be. "The moral of the story. The sum of all the parts." Nice drum machine type groove, gentle but keeping it moving.
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extremely impressed at how the odd times signatures lend themselves so readily to a deep and unobtrusive flow - i think your floating vocals help hold things together.
glad to hear you've had such a creative year and can finish FAWM on such a high. love the abrupt and crackled ending!!
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hiding between the liner notes and poetry. i guess thats about the truth of it. it has been good getting to know those aspects of you that are hiding in those crevices. your songs are wonderful and i thank you for bringing them into the world.