david hill

yesterday I sat down with a fairly clear idea of what I was going to do, and then I started recording “my Lord Christ” to save for later (a kind of musical note), and I ended up recording this first take and running with it. The inspiration for this song is from a poem by Hall (below) I will readily admit – I don’t know that I have a voice to carry a Capella, I will also admit I hit some questionable notes…but I figured in the name of a first take we’ll keep it (you can also hear my lyrics fall during the song). I originally had a click track going for tempo and I completely ignored it during the take…dunno why, but I can tell you from a drummers perspective it was hard to do. I ended up adding light pads, but in the end I get the basic song idea there…I hope. I have also added a plate from Bruegel this week – entitled The Descent Into Limbo, and without getting into controversies regarding the Apostles creed and what it means by descending into hell, the possibility of limbo, or figurative and literal hell – I think we can all agree that Christ conquered death and hell with His death on the cross…do I hear an AMEN? In Bruegel’s conception (click to enlarge) Jesus enters hell as the divine and invincible liberator, with Him are 9 angelic musicians…despite his divinity He is still the newly risen, or newly descended one with feet unshod, wearing only a loincloth and cloak, nail holes mark his foot and hands. To stream the song click on my lord Christ if you want to see the lyrics or download go here

I thought I would pluck a leaf from a tree in my front yard and share it with you today. This is an amazing piece of work. it is a single leaf. It is vibrant with life. Surrounding all of us there are millions, and billions of leaves and blades of grass literally pulsating with life…waving, blowing, signaling. Soon we will have a symphony of colors indescribable reaching for us and beckoning. The master artist is at work. Enjoy.

this week we have psalm 65…there are a few rules broken, no repeated chorus – using the same words twice to rhyme – drums almost more like waves than beats on the verse and outro, but I am happy with it. This time of year we have such abundance and provision in the harvest, and just plain bounty – psalm 65 seemed an appropriate celebration to sing. I have a special guest this week on accordion, dave herring he did a great first pass interpretation – and I highly recommend him to any of you, not only as a musician, but he is a regular renaissance man – check out herring studio, pro through and through – have a look at his sites. It is now 11:56 – so I must quite talking – here is psalm 65

this song features some rather aggressive sounds – many effects – and even a so called glitch or two…musically and metaphorically. Some of the thinking behind this tune is from oblique strategies – “abandon normal instruments” – just to see what would happen…and this is what happened. You might want to have a look at the oblique strategy link if you are a creative… and see if some of the concepts would assist you in your creative journey. Eno and co did these concepts originally for a more musical assist if I understand it right, but there are a lot if ideas there to spark the creative process. Anyway – for your listening pleasure just a glitch After the bridge we have a rather ultra low sonic – see how your speakers handle it…there is a vibe solo outro – and some real drums do actually show up later – so don’t you fret ok?

ohhhh ohhh oh – sheets of heat…105 degrees…solar tsunamis…molten beams of liquid dazzle…my friends we have had a series of very hot days, and this is how it sounds to me – wave after enveloping wave, so sit back – relax, and soak the heat in all of it’s glorious splendor, and thank God for His wonderous variety sun waves

sun waves on the sun – photo NASA

back to the wall this week my friends…just putting out the closest biggest fire – management by crisis…about the only thing I will say about this weeks song is; if you can appreciate turning this kick dry into something like this kick crunchy you might enjoy this weeks wallop – frantic, distorted, paper thin, you get the idea – my vox are run through a fine “sound destruction” unit…and you might want to stick around for the clue as to what really was a key contributor to jones demise at the bitter end (of this song, and his life)…poor old jones never did pay much attention… and if he had who knows what might have happened ? fall of jones

be warned oh wayfaring stranger or friend…this weeks piece will not be for the weak of nature. The germ concept for this song is built around the idea that there are those who are fake, divisive, evil and liars…and they make a living on teaching others to be twice the children of hell they are. Spiritually I believe the false teachers and preachers are every bit as odious as the sonics represented in the bridge (nothing personal mr swine). Preach in this context is to “publish or proclaim openly”…and this is not limited to church. Many musicians, for example, preach death in their wanton debauched lyrics. No surprise eh? Highly politicized party people – social engineering dolts, Godless creed screeding teachers, false scientists, pagan spiritualist weirdos, and of course – the hypocrite in church. You get the idea. So – we have some unusual sonics in this little number – including a live piece delivered by a local swine… theramin esque modulated oscillated drums weaving serpentine among a simple melody, an oozing bass line synth, truly a heavy dose of electronic nourishment indeed…fresh and free as it ought to be…the mix is a rumblin – so if you have any decent speakers you should be able to swim in it. stream pigs preach
…download here.

pigs preach

its bad when they speak
they feed on the weak

pigs preach

in sin they delight
their lies we must fight

pigs preach

tyrant sin obeyed
they all soon shall fade
watch out here they come again

(pig speaks)

its bad when they speak
they prey on the weak

pigs preach

be warned and be wise
and Christ will be with you

Translation of Latin caption ; July, August, and also June make summer. Summer, image of youth. Hot Summer brings fertile crops to the field. Click the image for larger view.

obviously this is another case of the (inevitable?) swing of the muse…last week we had “wake up” and this week “to bed”. I am pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that I wanted something short and easy this week. To Bed was written years ago when I worked in a factory doing a rotating 3 day shift that was a killer. Basically I would work 3 shifts 7am-3pm, 2 days off…then 3 shifts 3pm -11pm, 2 days off…then 3 night shifts 11pm – 7 am. This schedule ran straight through the year and I did it for about 16 months. The good news about the work was that it was fairly straightforward, cleaning, so I could write songs and practice lyrics and composition in my head to the sound of steam, running water and scrubbing floors. One night, exhausted, with plodding feet at about 4:30 am “To Bed” presented itself. The melody repeats during the whole song, 3 times, I have added strings, bassoon, harp, a Capella voice slathered in reverb, vibraphone, light drums…ya know…some synth pad stuff…just enough to get the point across… I also played with some quite slow tempos and feels etc I have actually wanted to record this song for a while but it always ends up on the back burner. I am happy to see we are coming close to the 30’s for the song tally. 30 is a big number when songs and weeks are being considered…for me at least. I once read an article by a well known song writer and she said the first 100 songs are always junk…I have never added up all of my works – pretty sure it is well over 100…but that would not be completed ideas…might be fun to count some day, but not today. Here you go then to bed , as always you can download it here

to bed

to bed to bed
I need to rest my head
I need to get some sleep
no eat no drink
no ointment for my feet
I need to get some sleep
no time to chat with you
no time to read
no time to solve the clues
I really need to get some sleep

to bed to bed
I need to rest my head
I need to get some sleep
no touch no feel
I need some time to heal
I need to get some sleep
no time to think right now
no time to receive
no time but to sink right now
into my bed and waiting sleep

to bed to bed
please listen to what I’ve said
I really need to sleep
no ifs no buts
I’ve really had enough
I’m dreaming on my feet
I’ll sink lost dead in sleep
dream clouds in play
I’ll swim sweet oceans deep
I really must go right away

welcome back my friends – and I hope you have your seatbelts on for this weeks wallop. We have southern fried, chicken scratching, drum thwacking, bubbly synthesizer throbbing, chorus hootin, wah cranking song called “wake up”…I was reading in Ephesians 5:14 where Paul quotes an old spiritual (apparently); wake up oh sleeper and rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you…and…well that was the germ for this song. I might have gotten carried away with the drums – especially the end solo bit – but hey – it was fun. Hmmmm…now that I think about it, I may have gotten carried away with the guitar feedback too – but that is the joy of this project – no time for worries now – gotta publish! Hope it puts the smile of hope and joy on your face in this hot season. wake up , as always you can download it here.

wake up

when fortune smiles I smile to think
how quickly she will frown
it won’t matter how high we climb
we’ll always be coming down

there comes a time and a place and a day
when you realize it is true
wake up oh sinner and rise from the dead
and Christ will shine on you

ahhhhhhh

well I’ve been north and south and east and west
and it’s the same
I see folks trying to make their own peace
picking at their shame

and so my friends it’s a simple thing
I’ll tell you what to do
wake up oh sleeper and rise from the dead
and Christ will shine on you

ahhhhhhh (out)