Click on the thumbnail to view a printable cd sleeve.- Title: Sun Strike
- Artist: Trex
- Timespan: 2005
- Theme: piano jams during cbc strike
- Length: 51:54
- Tracks: 17
- Lyrics: 15
- MP3s: 17 play all locally
- Rating: ***½ [3.5] (1 rating) rate this album
Track List
Notes
Giovanna was in Sicily. CBC Radio 2 was striking, so I couldn't listen to my favorite shows. The sun was blazing outside, making me feel sick every time I went out. When I retreated to the piano practice room, I found it was too loud, so I had to wear earplugs.
Despite the chronic discomfort, I managed to pound out some tunes without complaining too much.
Songs
Earplug Intro
- Sun Strike track 1
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 0:41
- Travis Emmitt - talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
My right ear was getting distorted, so I had to play with earplugs in.
What?
Lyrics to "Earplug Intro":
20th august 19, no, 2005 i'm gonna try to fill up this side of the tape with an improv right now i'm getting out my earplug putting my earplug in oops i just opened the wrong ziploc i opened the ziploc with the pencils well, i suppose a pencil would suffice but let's try to get a proper earplug let's see here... one earplug coming up all right, earplugs in what? [laugh] i just jogged about 3 and a half hours i am exhausted and i did not feel like coming here to recording today so if the music seems kind of tired and/or impatient... but i'm always tired and/or impatient, aren't i? so it should be typical it's pure improv; i'm not even gonna stop the tape
(c) 2005 Trex
August Rays
- Sun Strike track 2
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 1:07
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This is a short, repetitive instrumental, basically a series of arpeggios. It sounds kinda mysterious.
The title refers to the fact that it was sunny and hot on the day I recorded it.
Recovery
- Sun Strike track 3
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- other names: Recovery 1
- length: 3:25
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I made a mistake in the previous song ("August Rays", which I faded out), and then tried to "recover" the trancy mood in this song. I added the very faint vocals as an afterthought.
Lyrics to "Recovery":
and this is recovery number 1 have you seen the sun today ??? is ??? ok have you felt the sun today
(c) 2005 Trex
Boulevard Sun
- Piano Picks track 18
- Sun Strike track 4
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 7:33
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I like these lyrics! They make fun of the sun-loving "amateur day" crowd at Boulevard Park.
The music is also pretty solid, at least until the violent "sunstroke" part near the end. I'm glad I had my earplugs in at that point!
Lyrics to "Boulevard Sun":
this is how it feels to be in the summer sun it seems so pretty at first but then you realize there's a bad note in it people say "oh how beautiful the sun, let's all go outside to boulevard park and sit on our blankets throw frisbees talk really loud wear skimpy outfits so that when people look at us we glare at them the only one who doesn't look at us is that geek who's jogging by with his book what a dork why doesn't he look at us why doesn't he look at us we are the queens and kings of boulevard park we love the sun it's beautiful just like this chord can you feel those rays coming down feel them falling down from god manna, vitamin e good for you, good for me everyone loves the sun everyone loves the sun if you don't love the sun you must be sick you must be disfunctional like that guy who's running by with his book he's disfunctional he's not a team player well, are we ready to go home 'cause i'm a bit beat do i look like i got a tan i feel like i got a tan ah, what a lovely day but i'm ready to go home now i'm getting a bit hot can we go home now i don't have any more layers to take off hey, i'm gonna go sit in the shade for a while, all right? i'll just be over there all right, hey, you guys, let's go, let's go home i'm gonna take a shower what do you mean you want to still stay here and play frisbee come on, i'm hot and tired; i want to go home no, i'd walk but it's too far, you know, at least 5 blocks i'm not gonna walk 5 blocks come on now take me home no, i'm tired of being out here the sun is just like, i don't know, i just feel sick how i wonder if that guy with his book got home already is he in the shade is he perhaps sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand enjoying the nice cool ??? of his clean, sparse apartment how i wonder if he enjoyed the wind brushing against his sweaty face as he jogged instead of just sitting here on a blanket collecting those rays, those rays, those rays by the way, i have to visit my mom who's in the hospital with skin cancer but i love the sun we love the sun everybody he asked do you love the sun i love the sun we love the sun everbody asked him have fun in the sun fun in the sun, fun in the sun fun in the sun, fun in the sun [...] he's got fun in the sun, fun in the sun fun in the sun, fun in the sun [...] i'm about ready to go home now i've had enough of the sun it's starting to give me a headache and then the sunstroke kicks in the heat exhaustion fries the brain the sun is no fun anymore
(c) 2005 Trex
The Earplug
- Piano Picks track 19
- Sun Strike track 5
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 1:59
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Funny lyrics! Unfortunately, the music's kinda cheesy.
Lyrics to "The Earplug":
this next song is called the earplug i've got an earplug in what? i said i've got an earplug in what? i know you can hear me so don't pretend to be deaf what? hmm? i've got an earplug in w h a t i've got an earplug in h m m m i know you can hear me
(c) 2005 Trex
Admit It
- Sun Strike track 6
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 0:40
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Sloppy and cheesy. Boring. Pointless.
Lyrics to "Admit It":
that was pretty bad even i will admit it and the name of this next song is admit it 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 as if i'm gonna play at this tempo i must admit it i cannot sustain this tempo very long we all gotta admit it that this cannot be sustained
(c) 2005 Trex
One Chord Pony
- Sun Strike track 7
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 1:20
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This makes fun of my tiny left hand repertoire. The music and lyrics are both kinda cheesy.
The title refer to the phrase "one trick pony". Do I really need to point that out?
Lyrics to "One Chord Pony":
travis knows only 1 pattern in the left hand and that is this this is all i can sustain you know can't play any other, any notes, hmm this is all i can play you know i don't know how to play anything else at all i'm a one chord pony and even then i can barely handle my simple chord like a kid who can barely handle a simple chore like a drunk who cannot find a single door
(c) 2005 Trex
Up to Luck
- Sun Strike track 8
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 0:15
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This expresses my creative design philosophy.
Lyrics to "Up to Luck":
whether or not this next song is something that will be put on the hard disk and then on the cd is not up to me it's completely up to luck
(c) 2005 Trex
Pick a Key
- Sun Strike track 9
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 0:38
- Travis Emmitt - piano, percussion, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
The jangling is my keys. Get it? I tried to make it funky. But I couldn't sustain the jangling and playing at the same time.
Lyrics to "Pick a Key":
i got to pick a key get it? a key
(c) 2005 Trex
I Liked Something
- Sun Strike track 10
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 4:52
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
The lyrics are about my day and the jog to the piano practice room where I recorded these songs. I guess I was trying to prove to myself that I could be happy on outings by myself.
The music is a simple practice pattern. At the end, it segues into a second idea, which broke down quickly, so I faded it out.
Lyrics to "I Liked Something":
i like taking a walk i liked seeing the boats in the bay i liked seeing the herons ??? i liked to see them i liked the cloud in the sky i liked something i liked knowing i jogged a lot i liked the beef jerky that i bought and i got adaptors at radio shack i might try them out when i get back i liked jogging to see the hill i liked something i liked the movie i watched last night it was called sin city and ??? before that i watched a dvd of the fall; it was cool to see them on tv i liked what i ate for dinner i liked something i liked something
(c) 2005 Trex
Used To
- Sun Strike track 11
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- location: Bellingham
- length: 2:36
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I can't understand the vocals. The music is predictable. Snore.
Lyrics to "Used To":
and here we go with the last song it's nothing special here we go with the last song on the tape i'm at the last song on this bide, this bide you can tell i'm really tired 'cause i'm making lots of mistakes you can tell i ??? i ??? and if i am fried by the sun today and if i am fried 'cause i can't play just ??? is it ??? too much too sing and play at the same time i used to be able to do it i used to be able to do it i used to be able to do it i used to be able to do sing and play i used to be able to do it i used to be able to do it i used to be able to do it i used to make lots of tapes this way i'm ok i think i'm ok to play i am ok i don't think i am ??? ??? distractions ??? that i've lived in ??? another mistake and i blew it but i'm persistant in my stupid way ??? returns ??? and if you think that ??? if you see the ??? crack a smile ??? the other people it doesn't matter ??? the other people it doesn't matter ??? just a waste of tape
(c) 2005 Trex
Completely Fresh
- Sun Strike track 12
- recorded: 2005-08-28
- location: Bellingham
- length: 0:15
- Travis Emmitt - talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This introduces the second side of the tape, which was recorded a few days later than the previous songs.
Lyrics to "Completely Fresh":
all right 8 days later i think sunday august 28 2005 it's another improv i played maybe 3 notes since i got in here so this is completely fresh and i'm just gonna keep playing and there's no rehearsal whatsoever so here we go
(c) 2005 Trex
Rabbit Club
- Sun Strike track 13
- recorded: 2005-08-28
- location: Bellingham
- length: 8:18
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This was another complete improv, with no preparation. It starts off monotonous but gets interesting when the dark melody starts. It soon gets sloppy, but some very faint vocals keep things semi-interesting.
Lyrics to "Rabbit Club":
i bet you're wondering when ??? i bet you're wondering when ??? i bet you're wondering when ??? i bet you're wondering why is the tape so long well maybe i'm wondering that too i bet you're wondering when ??? when will i play ??? i'm wondering that too maybe it's just practice i need maybe i just need some better piano playing jams ??? i get better ??? maybe ??? that ??? better piano playing jams maybe he will charge me an arm and a leg he'll take my heart and ??? better piano playing jams ??? i'm not talking about bell bottoms i'm not talking about acid washed jeans i'm talking about the little things inside each and every one of us ??? our bodies will be at ??? at times my piano playing i ??? much ??? worse than downie if a little 6 year old little mozart can play really well it's a matter of practice 'cause we can tell you know right now i'm pathetic in the past i've been little bit better but never good ??? always really pathetic ??? i want some better piano playing jams not talking about pants i need better piano playing jams if there was liposuction for talent i would consider it but travis can you be thankful that you're hip that your wit and humor are intact they aren't so bad you're actually pretty funny right now well i say: i don't know about that my fingers ??? feel fat they feel like the mississipians ??? no, kentuckians have the highest obesity in the country right now and the leanest state is colorado 'cause they get plenty of exercise i don't like colorado i like the mountains but the air is just too dry that was irrelevant, wasn't it and that was really clumbsy and this is just called beating the dead chickadee, chickadee beating the dead chickadee with a rabbit club with a rabbit club
(c) 2005 Trex
True Music
- Sun Strike track 14
- recorded: 2005-08-28
- location: Bellingham
- length: 5:26
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This was my response to someone's claim that live music was "better" than studio music. It's most talking with simple background chords. Towards the ends I tried to sing a bit, but couldn't sustain it.
Lyrics to "True Music":
i need to change the key and i need a slower pattern 'cause my left hand's getting really tired this is the closest i ever get to live performance and some people say that live music is the only true music that everything done in the studio is just an imitation, a substitute that live performance is really where the true soul of music lies well in that case i must be in love with something other than true music i must be in love with the facsimiles 'cause i really don't enjoy going and listening to people perform although i do enjoy watching some videos of live performances and i enjoy listening to it i think i actually prefer studio albums there's a certain amount of, i don't know, it's polish i guess there's also forgivingness i'm you are just screwing around in a live setting there's a risk because people can hear it, you know but if you are not in a live setting and you're just sitting at your computer or in your studio and you're just banging away and playing ??? random phrases there's a chance that no one will ever hear it and that's ok 'cause you can take different risks and if you enjoy the music itself not necessarily the audience's perception of the music itself but if you enjoy listening to those sounds if your ears enjoy what's coming out of your fingers or your feet if you're a drummer or your ??? player or your mouth if you're a vocalist or woodwind or brass player if you enjoy just the sounds of music then the way to get that purest shot of music into your system is to put on some headphones, shut the rest of the world out don't listen to an audience they just cover up your precious music some people say well the audience provides the energy and i need an audience to get really excited about the music well i say then you're just a showman, an attention whore you just need that attention from the audience to be able to appreciate your efforts whereas some guy in his room with headphones on listening to himself getting all excited he actually is listening to the pure music he is getting excited about the sounds not the appearance there's no apparel involved ??? so to those people who insist that live music is the true music eh, i think they're full of crap well the audience is my tape recorder and i guess that means i'm playing live i guess that means this isn't pure so i cannot possibly thrive this is my thrive chord i cannot thrive, i cannot thrive i can just barely keep this groove alive i cannot thrive, i cannot thrive i can't even barely keep this groove alive keep the groove alive keep the groove alive keep the groove alive
(c) 2005 Trex
Piza Poo Poo
- Sun Strike track 15
- recorded: 2005-08-28
- location: Bellingham
- length: 4:18
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
If you are looking for mature lyrics, look elsewhere. The music is cheesy, but kinda catchy in the chorus. Sorry if this gets crude words stuck in your head.
Lyrics to "Piza Poo Poo":
this next piece is entitled piece of poo poo piece of poo poo, piece of poo poo in my soup piece of poo poo, piece of poo poo in my soup travis not that is not very mature of music i say piece of piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of -- travis why are you laughing at your infantile humor because i must have some sort of brain infection due to the poo poisoning i received when i found a piece of poo poo in my soup i found a piece of poo poo in my soup i found a piece of poo poo in my soup i found a piece of poo poo in my soup i say to the waiter can you please take this back and he said why do you want me to take it back there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup what kind of poo poo is it he asked me i do not know, i do not know but is it brown or is it orange i said it looks a little green is it big or is it small oh i cannot tell that at all why can't you tell me its size well because it is covered in slide the poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup i said waiter, waiter please take this back he said no thank you, you have to eat it for a snack i said but waiter i cannot eat this poo poo he said you better or my name isn't giovanni doo doo there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup i do not want to eat it but the waiter said you've got to eat it sir this is a 5 star restaurante i said man you call this 5 stars but i don't see the ebert thumb up there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup there's a piece of poo poo in my soup and what is going to be i'm beginning to droop you call this a 5 star restaurant i call this is disgusting little hole in the hall he said well that's what we serve here sir if you don't like it you can go back to ameriker
(c) 2005 Trex
Gimme Rock
- Piano Picks track 20
- Sun Strike track 16
- recorded: 2005-08-28
- location: Bellingham
- length: 7:52
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
CBC was striking. So the regular shows were cancelled. I was going through withdrawl.
The music starts off schitzo, a disjointed mix of "classical" and "rock". Then it turns into full-fledged rock.
Lyrics to "Gimme Rock":
so we took a walk that night it was after a fight he said i would like a bite so i bit you, i bit you on the ear i said ha ha ha ha ha oh boy ??? only about 10 minutes left of this tape and then we took another stroll ooh and i said: my eyes are beginning to roll and you said: rock and roll here's the rock and rollie i like the rock and rollie i like the rock and roll gimme the rock and roll gimme the rock and roll ??? my rock and roll ??? my rock and roll i can't ??? unless i rock and roll gimme the rock and roll take away the classical come on cbc stop striking all the time i want my shows back ??? gotta have my rock and roll i want my rock and roll take away the classical bring back jazz and rock and roll i get tired of listening to same old bach and chopin and beethoven i wish they'd put on something a little bit more modern gimme the rock and roll and the jazz and anything other than [scat] i'm tired of the same of classical classical it's not even good classical 'cause it's bad classical too and example of bad classical is the song i heard yesterday when i was in the car this is a song which i've played too many times i cannot stand it at all no i'm not talking about what i'm playing on the piano right now i'm talking about what i heard in the car yesterday when i say the name of this song some of you will groan too you will know exactly what i'm talking about the name of that song which gives me shivers to think about which they were playing on the radio instead of my favorite cbc shows the name of that stupid song which i never thought i'm actually hear on the radio the stupid stupid song stupid stupid song i'll tell you the name just try to find a rhythm for it before i can say the name it's hard to find the rhyme just have stumble upon one by chance the name of the song is pomp and circumstance gimme my rock and roll i need my rock and roll take away the classical and gimme my rock and roll stop striking cbc oh how you're hurting me i want my radio but gimme the rock and roll i miss tom allen in the morning i miss jazz at night i miss the rock and roll on saturday night see i cannot sing anymore because i'm going through withdrawl i need my music again i cannot stand classical gimme my rock and roll i want my rock and roll gimme my rock and roll take away the classical see i can barely solo because i'm going through withdrawl see what you've done to me cbc you're inundating me with classical and since when does classical have solos it's just the same thing each time not spontaneity and i am i'm losing it because i'm going through withdrawl from my ??? fix of really nice music and i'm starting to converge on the music i dislike the most which is this stuff
(c) 2005 Trex
Disliked Stuff
- Sun Strike track 17
- recorded: 2005-08-28
- location: Bellingham
- length: 0:39
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This is supposed to be an example of the boring classical music they played on CBC during the strike.