- Title: Walk Around
- Artist: Trex
- Timespan: 1997
- Theme: i like to walk
- Length: 59:33
- Tracks: 33
- Lyrics: 16
- MP3s: 33 play all locally
- Rating: *** [3] (1 rating) rate this album
Track List
- Had a Friend
- Other Idea
- Other Idea Unveiled
- Even More Mindless
- Sicklick
- Around the World
- Lost Parrot
- Throne
- Thrown
- Pondering
- Worth Repeating
- Dead Honda
- Third Fret
- Got a Buzz
- Practice Reggae
- Practice Rite
- Dullaby
- Suspect
- Ghould
- Woof
- Dog Dreams
- Chasing the Buscuit
- Zippy
- Banging
- Bossanova Practice
- Accelereggae
- Bossanotsonova
- I Want to Buy a Drumset
- 12june1997
- Preparations
- Unleashed
- Can't Go Dirge
- Blame the Deck
Notes
In the Spring of 1997 I got accepted to graduate school. The meant I had to find a way to tell my employers that I would be leaving them. Luckily, I found a graceful exit from my job: "educational leave of absence". This meant I had a job waiting for me when I finished. Nice!
To make the transition from working world to academia even more fun, I decided to leave work a few months early so that I could devote the entire summer to travelling. My plan was to take a biking trip somewhere in Alaska.
I bounced back and forth between my apartment in Alexandria (where I had the acoustic guitar) and my parents' house in Charlottesville (which had the piano). At my apartment, I focused on packing and winding up my projects for work and Tripecac. At my parents' house, I started preparing for my trip (which included loading up my bike). I also bought a video camera, which resulted in a dearth of still pictures from that time; hence the weak cover photos.
This collection of piano and guitar ditties, exercises, and improvs captures those last few weeks in Alexandria. I was very happy to be leaving Northern Virginia (hopefully for good), but was anxious about the upcoming trip and grad school.
The music isn't as profane or abrasive as before, but it sometimes seems distracted and unfocused. I think I was using it theraputically rather than as a means of communicating. Overall, I think it's a decently listenable effort, though none of the songs stand out.
Note: The original tape cover said "March - June 1997", but I have another tape which says "April 1997", so I'm guessing that these songs were recorded in late April at the earliest.
Songs
Had a Friend
- Piano Picks track 5
- Walk Around track 1
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:50
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This is a kinda cute piano and vocal ditty about my family's pets (Woodie, Peta, Daffy). I recorded it while visiting my parents in Charlottesville.
Lyrics to "Had a Friend":
there once was a dog named woodie and he had a friend named peta and she had a friend named daffy and she had a friend named me there once was a dog named woodie and he had a friend named peta and she had a friend named daffy and she had a friend named mom there once was a girl named jessie and she had a friend named rosie and she had a friend named travis and that boy is me ugh
Other Idea
- Walk Around track 2
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 1:07
- Travis Emmitt - piano, talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Kinda dumb piano idea.
Lyrics to "Other Idea":
here's that other idea i was working on
Other Idea Unveiled
- Walk Around track 3
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:49
- Travis Emmitt - piano, talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This explains the chords in "Other Idea". Not that that song needed any more attention.
Lyrics to "Other Idea Unveiled":
here's the chords for that it was simply e minor to c and then i think either this could be either b minor or, or d uh, d augmented and then we go back to e minor c d augmented and then uh and then simply f major 7th and then down to d minor with a uh 7th and 9th and then back to f major 7th and then repeat do something, try to add some tension maybe add a 9th and then you go back to e minor very stupid
Even More Mindless
- Walk Around track 4
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:50
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Trying to play punk/rock on piano. Hmm...
Lyrics to "Even More Mindless":
this one's even more mindless rock rock rock
Sicklick
- Walk Around track 5
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:25
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Sick-sounding cyclic licks. Get it? Short.
Around the World
- Walk Around track 6
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:11
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I guess I was getting psyched about my upcoming travels. Too bad I didn't have enough stamina or creativity to stretch this song out a bit!
Lyrics to "Around the World":
aruond the world in a day aruond the world in a day
Lost Parrot
- Acoustic Picks track 6
- Walk Around track 7
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Alexandria
- length: 2:54
- Travis Emmitt - acoustic guitar, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I was back in Alexandria, and back on guitar. Singing about something that I have long since forgotten.
Lyrics to "Lost Parrot":
[scat] what can't we play guitar ??? i wanna string? i wanna make a gun? ha ha ha i'm living in the snow i know where to go ??? living in the snow we're out in the snow we're out in the snow trying to sound like syd barrett but all i sound is just a parrot
Throne
- Walk Around track 8
- recorded: 1997-05-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:05
- Travis Emmitt - talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
My "throne" was the piano bench.
Lyrics to "Throne":
travis seats himself on his throne
Thrown
- Walk Around track 9
- recorded: 1997-05-1?
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 3:08
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I was back down in Charlottesville, flailing away on piano again. There's a couple nice solo attempts in here, but lots of sloppiness. I had more enthusiasm than skill, which usually happens when I return to an instrument for the first time in months.
Pondering
- Walk Around track 10
- recorded: 1997-05-1?
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 2:03
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
The semi-interesting trills in the beginning segue into a boring piano dirge. Zzzzzz...
Worth Repeating
- Walk Around track 11
- recorded: 1997-05-1?
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 2:42
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Silly song whose words of advice I have never been able to heed. The music is kinda decent. The lyrics are funny.
Lyrics to "Worth Repeating":
oooooh not everything is worth recording not everything is worth putting on tape not everything is worth repeating got blank media and i'm afraid to set an example but the world not everything is worth repeating not everything is worth putting lyrics to not everything is worth repeating not everything is worth committing especially this not everything is worth repeating not everything is worth repeating not everything is worth repeating not everything is worth repeating not everything is worth putting sustain to not everything is worth submitting someone to pain for not everything is worth rep-
Dead Honda
- Walk Around track 12
- recorded: 1997-05-1?
- location: Virginia
- length: 0:10
- Travis Emmitt - talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
My car's timing belt died when I was driving back home to Alexandria from visiting my parents in Charlottesville. The "funny" thing is that my dad had just been telling me that weekend that I should get the timing belt checked. What an annoying coincidence!
This "song" is my "live" commentary on what happened. It's "interesting". "Right"?
I have a video of the broken-down car. I haven't reviewed it yet, but I'm pretty sure the date was mid-May. Hopefully when I review it I will get an exact date. I'm guessing that the piano songs recorded right before came from that same week.
Lyrics to "Dead Honda":
i'm out in the middle of nowhere on 20 and the car's dead it's 11:20 the battery's still there it's just motor won't go rpms are 0, it can't start it strange
Third Fret
- Walk Around track 13
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Alexandria
- length: 0:30
- Travis Emmitt - acoustic guitar, talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Simple guitar riff with an explanation. Short. This was the last bit of music I recorded I Alexandria. Sniff.
Lyrics to "Third Fret":
this is just um 2nd and 3rd strings hit the 3rd fret
Got a Buzz
- Walk Around track 14
- recorded: 1997-0?-??
- location: Alexandria
- length: 0:06
- Travis Emmitt - vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I was remarking on my low alcohol tolerance. In the background is "Demian", from Tripecac's College Collection.
Lyrics to "Got a Buzz":
gotta buzz after one and a half ha ha ha oh ain't that a laugh?
Practice Reggae
- Walk Around track 15
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 1:04
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Back in Charlottesville. Back to boring riffs on piano. This one is supposed to be reggae, but I got bored so ruined it.
I'm guessing that this and the next several piano songs were recorded in June, after I had moved out of my Alexandria apartment and into my parents' house while preparing for my first Alaska trip.
Practice Rite
- Walk Around track 16
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 2:03
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This reminded me of Julian Cope's "Rite" projects. It's okay.
Dullaby
- Walk Around track 17
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 1:37
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I thought this sounded like a dull lullaby. Snore. Actually, it's kinda pretty at times. In a "snore" sort of way.
Suspect
- Walk Around track 18
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 3:02
- Travis Emmitt - piano | wrote: music
- Stiff Little Fingers | wrote: music
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I was trying to play "Suspect Device" by the Stiff Little Fingers, but, well... Now you know why I don't play cover songs.
Ghould
- Walk Around track 19
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 2:24
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I think the title is a combination of ghoul and Gould. I was reading some science writing by Stephen Jay Gould. I don't know how the "ghoul" fits in. Maybe I thought the music sounded haunting? It doesn't. It's just repetitive and semi-trancy.
Woof
- Walk Around track 20
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 4:59
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
One of the dogs started barking towards the end, probably because someone was coming home. That's what gives the song its title.
What gives the song its annoying cheesiness? My brain, that's what!
Dog Dreams
- Walk Around track 21
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 6:50
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I guess I had just seen one of the dogs' legs moving in his/her sleep. Time to write a song about it!
It's a decent mid-tempo improv, pretty at times, sloppy and/or boring at [most] other times. You can hear one of the dogs shaking its collar in the background.
Chasing the Buscuit
- Walk Around track 22
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 6:33
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Chasing the bus / chasing the biscuit. Get it? I was getting read to take my first Alaska trip. My plan was to take a bus from Charlottesville to Bellingham, where I would catch the ferry to Alaska.
The music is repetitive and driving. Hmm. Driving. Get it???
Zippy
- Walk Around track 23
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:41
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This song was named after the neighbors' little white dog, who was a real brat. It's very fast, blurry, and kinda annoying, just like Zippy.
Banging
- Walk Around track 24
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 3:08
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This isn't as bad as the title. It actually has a nice melody to it. Relatively speaking. I doubt I could whip up something this tuneful today. I'm too old and boring now.
Bossanova Practice
- Walk Around track 25
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:26
- Travis Emmitt - vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This was my attempt at a bossanova pattern. Did I work? Don't know and don't care. Thankfully, the recording fades as quickly as my interest.
I'm pretty sure it was recorded on a different day than "Banging".
Accelereggae
- Walk Around track 26
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:57
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This mindless reggae pattern accellerates. Wow, how neat! Not.
This was recorded on the same day as "Bossanotsonova".
Bossanotsonova
- Walk Around track 27
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 1:42
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Another not-so-new sounding bossanova practice. Blech.
This was recorded on the same day as "Bossanotsonova".
I Want to Buy a Drumset
- Walk Around track 28
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 1:43
- Travis Emmitt - piano, talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I was getting bored of the piano and my keyboard's fake drums, and was thinking about buying drums. Of course, I never did, because drums are incredibly loud, and most of the time I lived in apartments.
This song is okay. Par. In other words: pretty horrible. Its gets better towards the end, though.
I have a note that says this song was recorded before 1997-06-12.
Lyrics to "I Want to Buy a Drumset":
this is called "i want to buy a drumset"
12june1997
- Walk Around track 29
- recorded: 1997-06-12
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:06
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I'm not sure what other songs (if any) were recorded on this date.
Lyrics to "12june1997":
all right those are miscellaneous things 1997 today is the 12th of june 1997 and everything preceded that date
Preparations
- Walk Around track 30
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:59
- Travis Emmitt - piano
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This songs seems like mostly intro (preparation). As soon as the main theme gets started, the song quickly ends. The title refers to preparing for my first Alaska trip.
Unleashed
- Walk Around track 31
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 2:55
- Travis Emmitt - piano, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This song starts off slow and constrained but about 1/3 of the way speeds up and then turns into an improv. It felt like it was a dog that was "unleashed" and running wild.
Lyrics to "Unleashed":
1 2 3 4 hit it hit it uh uh uh uh
Can't Go Dirge
- Piano Picks track 6
- Walk Around track 32
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 2:32
- Travis Emmitt - piano, talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I guess I was worried that something would prevent me from going to Alaska. I don't remember what the threat was. Must not have been that serious.
The music is okay. The beginning is similar to "Peta and Woodie", which was recorded a few minutes, hours, or days later.
Lyrics to "Can't Go Dirge":
this is called my what if i can't go to alaska dirge
Blame the Deck
- Walk Around track 33
- recorded: 1997-06-??
- location: Charlottesville
- length: 0:02
- Travis Emmitt - talking
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Final words. Blame the equipment!
Lyrics to "Blame the Deck":
i think this tape recorder's broken