Less to show for FAWM than I hoped this week, but I do have three ideas in progress that I’m going to revisit. Two of them felt like pulling teeth, but the third idea’s first cut came down cleanly. Seems like I need to have a piano keyboard in front of me to write effectively. Riptide was demoed on piano before being arranged. Being reminded where my fluency lies isn’t a bad thing.

I have been listening to some classic albums, old favorites of mine, that I haven’t listened to in years.

Relationship of Command – At the Drive-in

I miss being in a rock band and having access to a rehearsal room. I watched the Rick Beato’s What Makes This Song Great for One Armed Scissor. The key thing is vibe. It’s just the band rocking out in the studio. And it’s great! It doesn’t matter that the guitars are out of tune. The performance is just fantastic.

Their performance on Later… with Jools Holland is immensely chaotic. By the end of the song, Omar’s thrown his guitar away. And then they’re followed by by Robbie Williams. The video seems to have been purged from the web, but you can see a screen grab of Robbie’s face here.

The Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails

The Needle Drop did a classic album review of it recently. So I went back for a relisten. It is so detailed and textured, there are so many different sounds. I just marvel at the ability to I create that with 1994 gear. As Anthony points out, that Closer got club play is a feat of balancing the weirdness with production slick.

When the Pawn… – Fiona Apple

I can’t remember the last time I listened to this. Nice to reminded recently. A lot more laid back than the other two. The lyrics touch on some dark topics, but with a personable vulnerable tone. The albums also has the longest full title of any I know:

When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He’ll Win the Whole Thing ‘fore He Enters the Ring There’s No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won’t Matter, Cuz You’ll Know That You’re Right