albums
Underway
2006 Wonday
Compilations
1993 Songs to Sleep By
1997 Songs to Sleep By 2
2002 Sunday Sampler
2002 Dad's Picks
1999 Mix 1 (sy55)
2010 Mix 2 (triton vocal)
2010 Mix 3 (triton instr.)
SY55
1991 Archives
1992 College Collection
1993 College Collage
1994 The Hermit
1997 Where's My Muse
1999 South or Southeast
Triton
2001 In the Margins
2002 Renewal
2002 Re-treat
2002 Convenience
2002 Back Up
2003 So So
2003 So On
2003 So Long
2003 Baby Steps
2003 Baby Talk
2004 Schmocial
2004 Brroom
2004 Chuckadee
2004 Disco Hike
2004 Extra Extra
2005 Coma Pill
2005 Ourboretum
2005 Jaminy
2005 Padden Drift
2005 Gorilla Love
2005 Aminals
2005 Vegibles
2006 Fruitine
2006 Dignored
2006 Miner
2006 Mouseculine
2006 Yata
2007 Zipit
2007 Sixawon
2007 Halfdosin
2007 Whatcom Home
2008 What Roses
2008 Pho Kit
2008 Composed Pile
2009 Decomposed Pie
2009 Swaddlicious
2010 Lost Train
Soft Synths
2011 Out the Margins
2011 Redebut
2011 Reprogression
2012 Working Progress
2013 Tripico
2014 Aerosol Concrete
2015 Reduced to Clear
2016 Motions
2017 The Walking Dad
2018 Mockolate
2019 Still Testing
2020 Slow Wins Teddy
2024 Battle of the E-Bands
  • Title: Aerosol Concrete
  • Artist: Tripecac
  • Timespan: 2014
  • Theme: finishing old song ideas
  • Length: 74:37
  • Tracks: 13
  • Lyrics: 10
  • MP3s: 13 play all locally
  • Rating: (none) rate this album

Track List

# title lyrics time download listen started recorded rating
1 Snail Space - 2:17 download listen locally 2014-02-13 2014-04-07 (none)
2 Drumidea - 6:24 download listen locally 2014-04-14 2014-05-11 (none)
3 Tripacat lyrics 7:15 download listen locally 2014-05-17 2014-06-04 (none)
4 Same Old Trip lyrics 4:31 download listen locally 2014-09-01 2014-09-10 (none)
5 Big Bad lyrics 5:44 download listen locally 2014-09-11 2014-09-16 (none)
6 Repeatish lyrics 4:50 download listen locally 2014-09-17 2014-09-24 (none)
7 Happiless lyrics 6:55 download listen locally 2014-09-30 2014-10-06 (none)
8 Bad Sector lyrics 6:09 download listen locally 2014-10-09 2014-10-22 (none)
9 Reggaer lyrics 6:15 download listen locally 2014-10-23 2014-10-31 (none)
10 What I Call lyrics 5:58 download listen locally 2014-11-04 2014-11-17 (none)
11 In This Song lyrics 5:52 download listen locally 2014-11-18 2014-11-27 (none)
12 My Hair lyrics 7:10 download listen locally 2014-12-01 2014-12-08 (none)
13 Aerocrete - 5:17 download listen locally 2014-12-11 2014-12-15 (none)
Total 74:37 play all locally album rating: (none)

Notes

This album is a collection of songs based on ideas that I had originally recorded on my digitial camera, starting in 2010. When I was working on it, I really enjoyed having those "seeds" of ideas to play with; there are few things as daunting (creatively) as a completely blank slate, at least to me. Also, since most of the song ideas had lyrics, this album gave me an excuse to record more vocals than I have in years. This equalled more fun for me, though maybe not for you. Oh well, that's why this is a hobby and not a job!

The album title, as usual, has multiple meanings. The first is a reference to a phrase that my parents misheard when I was a kid. I was playing a wargame called Air Assault on Crete and my parents thought I was saying "aerosol concrete". They thought it (or me) strange. (Did you know there's actually such a thing as aerosol concrete? I didn't, until after I started this album.) Anyway, the notion of "mishearing" references the task of listening to those camera ideas and then trying to reconstruct them for Tripecac. I was frequently wondering: Am I hearing them right? Am I capturing the coolest bits, or the lamest bits? Am I butchering or neutering them? Of course, no one really cares, except me. Well, actually, including me.

The second meaning is a reference to the way I worked on these songs. Ideas shot out quickly (like a spray) from the camera, onto the virtual "canvas" of my audio projects, but the editing of those ideas took a long time, usually several days. Waiting for a song to become "good enough" to declare finished (by Tripecac standards) was like waiting for concrete to dry. And a lot of times, I felt like I was waiting, playing a minor role in the decision making. But it was still relaxing, and, at times, fun.

Just like a parachute drop onto Crete!

Songs

Snail Space

This starts the album with the oldest song idea that I had recorded on my camera, back on 2010-08-24. I included the actual "tick tock" audio from that recording at the beginning of the song, and then used AudioSnap to quantize it so that I could added other instruments to it. Thus is introduced the "looking back" theme of the album.

As for the instruments, I was testing out the new synths in Komplete 9: Battery 4, The Giant, Monark, and Session Strings. My verdict? Cool, meh, meh, and meh.

The song title refers to the fact that my musical ability is progressing at a snail's pace. A confused snail, that often back-tracks. Pretty soon I'll be banging on tupperware again and singing songs about flat cats.

Ultimately, this is an uninspired mish-mash of quarter-baked cliches which clash with each other and grate on the ear drums. Aside from that, it's great!

Drumidea

This started with the drums, which was based on an idea from 2010-10-26. On top of that I layers a simple bass track, and then a clav riff from an idea started on 2010-12-02. The funkiness came from the present, baby, the present!

Speaking of presents, I decided to finish this on Mother's Day, as a gift. Well, of sorts. It's not like my creations are worth that much these days. Especially not the ones that sound like half-baked rehashes of the same old same old thing I've done for decades.

But it's the thought that counts, right?

Right?

On a positive note, I like the EQ I applied to the kick and bass; they give the low-end a decent presence in some parts. But not in others, for some reasno; at around the 5 minute mark the beat kinds dissolves. But then it cames back in again. EQ is my friend.

Tripacat

I recorded the rough idea for this on my camera back on 2010-12-08. Shortly afterwards, I thought of renaming Tripecac to "Tripacat". I even bought the domain name (tripacat.com). But then over time the idea lost its appeal. Too much work, really; it's not like the new name was particuarly awesome or anything.

Well, years later, at least I finally get to use the name "Tripacat", if only for a song. A long song, though. Too long, perhaps. Like a cat's tail.

If you're looking for profound meaning in lyrics you should really go elsewhere. You can pretend that these are about the escalation of drug use or animal cruelty leading into violence against people. But really it's just babble.

I was fiddling with the EQ for the kick drum and ended up compressing it pretty heavily, giving it a really low-level thumping effect. It's a bit extreme, at least when I look at the waveform visually (maxed-out peaks with each kick), but it doesn't sound too bad, at least on my current headphones. If it sounds horrible on other headphones or speakers, I'll tone down it down a bit. Thump, thump, thump!

Lyrics to "Tripacat":

if you trip a cat 
  if you trip a cat 
there's no going back    
  there's no going back    
if you trip a dog
  if you trip a dog
next you've got to trip a hog
  yes you've got to trip a hog

and then you trip a cow
  and then you trip a cow
but that's not enough for you now
  no not enough for you now

so then you trip a horse
  so then you trip a horse
a little bit difficult of course
  of course

and then you trip a baby
  and then you trip a baby
and then you trip a little lady
  and then you trip a little lady

and you trip a big man
  and then you trip a big man

and run as fast as you can
  run run run run run run
  
you're trippin' too much
  you're trippin' too much you're trippin' too much
yes you're trippin' too much
  you're trippin' too much you're trippin' too much

it started with a cat
  meow
and escalated from that
  yes it
  
tripacat tripacat tripacat...
   
  

Same Old Trip

I recorded the vocal idea on my camera on 2011-01-13. It's pretty simple, both musically and thematically. The same old same old, really.

Lyrics to "Same Old Trip":

oh it's the same old trip
  oh it's the same old trip
no no i beg to diff
  no no i beg to diff

  [repeat]

it's the same old trip 

  [repeat]

it's the same old tripecac
  

Big Bad

The vocal idea came from something I recorded on my camera on 2011-02-17. It's a coincidence that I started working on it on the 13th anniversary of a "big bad" day.

Lyrically, it's pretty dumb. Musically too. But it was fun to work on it. And it took less time than the last song. So that earns it some big bad brownie points in my big bad book.

Lyrics to "Big Bad":

you got a big bad vocal inside your ear
you got a big bad note inside your ear
  [repeat]

  big bad note

  inside your other ear

  

Repeatish

The lyrics came from 2011-02-22. The music is all new. It's got a faintly afrobeat flavor, which I like.

I didn't use any effects on the vocals. Not even reverb. At times they sound cool like this, but at other times they sound a bit too amateurish. Oh well, it's not like "amateurish" is anything new to my listeners!

Lyrics to "Repeatish":

do you like the bass?
  yes i like the bass    
do you like the drums?
  yes i like the drums    

you gonna change the chords?
  no, not gonna change the chords
so you just gonna play the same old thing again and again and again?  
  
  
you gonna change the bass?
  no, i'm not gonna change the bass
you gonna vary the drums?
  no i like the drums

you gonna alter the chords?
  not planning to alter the chords
so you like it this way?
  yes i like it this way now get out of my face
  

Happiless

The lyrical idea is from 2011-11-23. The music is completely different from the original vibe, this time with a krautrocky feel.

Lyrics to "Happiless":

the things that made us happy don't make us happy no more
the things that made us glad don't make us glad no more

like playing with blocks
like banging on plates
like sleeping outside
like staying up late

the things that made us happy don't make us happy no more
the things that made us hyper don't make us hyper no more

like drinking milk
like eating cake
like sipping soda
through a straw like a snake

the things that made us happy don't make us happy no more
the things that made us funny don't make us funny no more

like watching movies
with friends from school
like drinking schnaps
and peeing on a stool

like tripping a dog
like tripping a cat
like tripping a baby
i remember that

the things that made us happy don't make us happy no more
the things that made us funny don't make us funny no more

the things that made us happy don't make us happy no more
and the things that made us sad
  well they still make us sad, don't they

  

Bad Sector

The bass, drums, and horn idea came from a camera recording on 2012-03-17. The lyrics came from 2012-09-23. They refer to an error message we used to receive on computers long ago (back when we used floppy drives).

Funky. Silly. Messy. Best as background. Tripical.

Lyrics to "Bad Sector":

we got a bdos err on a bad sector
a bdos err on a bad sector
a bdos err on a bad sector
what we gonna do?

we got a bdos err on a bad sector
a bdos err on a bad sector
a bdos err on a bad sector
what we gonna do?  boo hoo      
  

Reggaer

The initial drum pattern is from 2013-01-24. The first verse of the lyrics is from 2013-05-23, when I was in the middle of working on my "reggae" album (Tripico). I don't remember why I didn't finish the song back then; it seems like it would be appropriate. Anyway, the rest of the music and lyrics I made up when it was time to finish the song.

It's all a bit silly, and messy. Hey, for the last album, it would fit right in. And for this one too. And just about every Tripecac album. They're all about the same, aren't they? :)

Lyrics to "Reggaer":

those 5 songs don't sound like reggae
those 5 songs don't sound like reggae
this song is reggaer than those songs
this song is reggaer than your song

i know my voice doesn't sound jamaican
and neither does the music that i'm makin'
but this song is reggaer than those songs
this song is reggaer than your song
  it is
  
so what if i don't sound like bob marley
well at least i do not sound like i drive a harley
i know that rhyme was a little rough
but making reggae music is really tough
  for a white guy at least

oh man here we go again
it's time for more pathetic musical posturin'

oh this is not what i call reggae
it might have the structure but it lacks the soul
the beat is the same thing over and over
and the fake accents are getting old

they're getting so old old old old
they're getting old like mold mold mold mold
and this getting old so old old old   
and outside it's really cold cold cold cold
  not like in jamaica

what are you doin'
oh man
better stick to the jazzy newage musak trav
that's your domain dot com
  

What I Call

I recorded the basic idea on my camera on 2013-03-29. The rest is new. But not so good. I really don't like the drum kit, which feels very canned. The delay is too agressive, and it didn't have any cymbals, which made things hard for me. Also, the drums breaks sound horrible. Yuck, yuck, yuck. To my ears at least. My precious ears.

Well, at least I squeezed a goofy vocal improv in there. Gotta love those. It was inspired by recent conversations. And my general disdain for hemp huggers.

Lyrics to "What I Call":

that is what i call multitasking
well i don't need your help 
and no thanks for asking 

that is what i call multitasking
well i don't need your help 
  no way
and no thanks for asking 
  go 'way
    
that is what i call 
that is what i call 
that is what i call multitasking

  [repeat]
  
i am dribbling a ball and juggling with my hand
and riding a unicycle and braiding my hippie hair
my hippie-dippy hair
and smoking a reefer all at the same time

'cause that is what i call multitasking yes
and at the same time i'm thinking about philosophy and veganism
and how evil the western world is
multitasking uh-huh

that is what i call 
that is what i call 
yes that is what i call multitasking

  [repeat]

multi
multi 
multi
tasking

multi vitamin  
multi personality
multi philosphy
multi tasking tasking
  

In This Song

The musical idea was from 2013-05-29 and the vocals were from 2013-07-11; both were recorded on my camera.

The new material is repetitive, mellow, simple, repetitive, gentle, and repetitive. There's not much else to say about it. Other than it finally pushed us over the 60 minute mark for the album, finally. Yes, finally!

Hooray for Quantity! Quantity 1, Quality 0! Hooray! Hooray hooray hooray! Finally!

Repetitive.

Lyrics to "In This Song":

there are vocals in this song
there are vocals in this song
it has been so long
since i had vocals in a song

  [repeat]
    
so long          (yeah)
so long          (yeah)
so long          (yeah)
so long          (yeah)

  [repeat]

there are strings in this song
there are strings in this song
it has been so long
since i put strings in a song

there are strings in this song
and many things in this song
it has been so long
since i put strings in a song

so long          (yeah)
so long          (yeah)
so long          (yeah)
so long          (yeah)

too long         (yeah)
too long         (yeah)
song's too long  (yeah)
too long         (yeah)

and there are chords in this song    (yeah)
actual chords in this song           (yeah)
it has been so long                  (yeah)
since i had strings in a song        (yeah)

yes there are chords in this song    (yeah)
lots of chords in this son           (yeah)
it has been so long                  (yeah)
since i put strings in a song        (yeah)

so long            (yeah)
so long            (yeah)
so long            (yeah)
the song's so long (yeah)

too long           (yeah)
too long           (yeah)
it's just too long (yeah)
too long           (yeah)

and there are measures in this song
yes lots of measures in this song
that's why the song's so long
it's all the measures in the song

yes many measures in this song
too many of measures in this song
that's why the song's so long
too many measures in the song  
  

My Hair

I recorded the main vocal idea on my camera on 2013-07-23. The rest is new.

I like the krautrocky feel, but the mix doesn't feel right. The thresholds on different drum sounds in the kit (particularly the hat and cymbals) were a bit finicky, so different hits ended up sounding too loud/crisp or too soft/muted. I couldn't get it sounding balanced without spending a ton of time on it. And a ton of time I don't have, since we're nearing the end of the year and I want to get this album finished by Christmas. As a result, the mix is a bit rough, but the overall groove I like. Well, sorta. After all, it is Tripecac we're talking about. Or I am. Yep.

Lyrics to "My Hair":

my hair is growin' long    
my hair is growin' long    
my roots are pretty strong
my roots are pretty strong

  go roots

battle battle battle battle le bum bum

ouch itch ouch itch

head lice head lice head lice head lice 

  

Aerocrete

I sang the first piano idea into my camera on 2013-09-06. The rest of the stuff is new. And a lot funkier than the original idea! Who could imagine that a waltz could have so much (sloppy) oomph???

Since there were no lyrics in the original idea, and since I didn't want to take 5 minutes to make up new ones, I avoided adding them. It's not like they're needed anyway.

This song's title is a hasty cramming together of the album name. The music, similarly, is a hasty cramming together of different styles. It was fun to make, which is hopefully audible in the energetic solos, but the mix was horribly rushed (in order to finish the album quickly) and the song could definitely use more editing. Yep, it definitely could stand to be about 5 minutes shorter. :)

But at least it's done. And so's the album, more or less. Just a couple more days editing and designing the cover, and off it goes! Time to celebrate by breaking out the Christmas cookies... and the vaccuum cleaner!