- Title: Aminals
- Artist: Tripecac
- Timespan: 2005
- Theme: cute little fluffies
- Length: 77:52
- Tracks: 15
- Lyrics: 15
- MP3s: 15 play all locally
- Rating: ****½ [4.63] (2 ratings) rate this album
Track List
# | title | lyrics | time | download | listen | started | recorded | rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Egg | lyrics | 4:04 | download | listen locally | 2005-08-12 | 2005-08-13 | ****½ (2) |
2 | Chick | lyrics | 4:10 | download | listen locally | 2005-08-15 | 2005-08-16 | ***** (2) |
3 | Pup | lyrics | 5:08 | download | listen locally | 2005-08-19 | 2005-08-20 | ***½ (2) |
4 | Kitty | lyrics | 4:38 | download | listen locally | 2005-08-24 | 2005-08-25 | ***** (2) |
5 | Snaky | lyrics | 4:01 | download | listen locally | 2005-08-29 | 2005-08-30 | **** (2) |
6 | Mouse | lyrics | 7:14 | download | listen locally | 2005-09-06 | 2005-09-12 | **** (2) |
7 | Pig | lyrics | 3:44 | download | listen locally | 2005-09-14 | 2005-09-15 | **** (2) |
8 | Heron | lyrics | 6:01 | download | listen locally | 2005-09-20 | 2005-09-22 | **** (2) |
9 | Sloth | lyrics | 5:19 | download | listen locally | 2005-09-28 | 2005-10-01 | **** (2) |
10 | Snail | lyrics | 5:23 | download | listen locally | 2005-10-10 | 2005-10-11 | ***½ (2) |
11 | Bear | lyrics | 5:51 | download | listen locally | 2005-10-18 | 2005-10-20 | **** (2) |
12 | Deer | lyrics | 4:33 | download | listen locally | 2005-10-25 | 2005-10-27 | **** (2) |
13 | Owl | lyrics | 8:00 | download | listen locally | 2005-11-01 | 2005-11-02 | ****½ (2) |
14 | Seal | lyrics | 3:26 | download | listen locally | 2005-11-06 | 2005-11-08 | **** (2) |
15 | Corpse | lyrics | 6:20 | download | listen locally | 2005-11-11 | 2005-11-12 | ***** (2) |
Total | 77:52 | play all locally | album rating: | ****½ (2) |
Notes
Vocals have always driven my music forward. Not that I'm a great singer or anything (ha!)... but when I add words to my music, the songs seem to gain focus and memorability.
Same with adding humor to my writing. If every sentence were formal and polished, this would be a boring read. But my informal conversationality (or conversational informality) makes this block of text more "human" and easier to connect with. So, like, that last sentence had horrible grammar, but hey, this isn't a textbook or a legal document. And my music isn't on the radio, stage, or anyone's CD player other than mine, my girlfriend's, and three family members'. That makes us an audience of five. So I can afford to be casual.
The vocals have the same attitude. They're defiantly casual. And funny. At least they try to be. Hey, are you laughing? Are you even reading? Hellllllloooo??? Okay, time to skip the Treadmill. Back to the story.
Padden Drift was my first set of "all new" songs in three years. I played it pretty safe, sticking mostly to familiar-sounding jazz/funk/reggae instrumentals. Consequently, it's hard to remember the names of the songs on that album; right now I can't think of any. And that's kinda depressing, knowing that I worked for a month or two on material that I don't even remember!
Gorilla Love was my deliberate effort to create a more memorable collection of songs. I did that by adding vocals. My "rule" for Gorilla Love was that every other song had to have vocals. But you already know all this, right? You read those liner notes too. Right???
Anyway, after I finished Gorilla Love, I decided to try to make a 100% vocal album. I was excited about it, but worried that I wouldn't have enough to say. I also wanted to have an outlet for any long instrumental jams and other non-vocal ditties that I might generate. Therefore, I opted to work on two albums at once: Aminals (all vocals songs) and Vegibles (all instrumentals).
Since these albums are a conceptual pair, and since I'm running out of space, I'll continue these notes on Vegibles. See you there!
Songs
Egg
- Aminals track 1
- started: 2005-08-12
- recorded: 2005-08-13
- length: 4:04
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I wanted to start the album with something very simple. This is just some drums mixed with instruments and vocals (aren't all songs?). I purposefully tried to keep things sparse and raw, so that you could hear the individual components. The bass line is a rising chromatic scale, which is very basic and represents growth.
Consider this metaphor: the drums are the shell (since they support the rest of the song), the vocals are the yolk (the focal point of your attention), and the other instruments are the white (the goo that holds stuff together). Or maybe the instruments are the yolk and the vocals are the white. Oh, I don't know! Make something up!
The lyrics are improvised. They're really dumb. But hey, to me words aren't as important as the sounds that the voice makes; otherwise I'd be a writer instead of a musician! And as you know from these notes, I definitely am no writer! No sirrree!
Lyrics to "Egg":
it's an egg, it's an egg it's an egg, it's an egg... what is that coming out of your hair? what is that coming out of your ear? what is that up in that nest? what is the thing that i like the best? what is that under there the hen? what is that around the bend? what is the name of this song you say? when should i stop singing this way? what is the name of this song you say? when should i be quiet? what is the name of this song you say? when should i be quiet? right now [repeat] what is hard on the outside and chewy in the middle? what is hard on the outside and give you a big middle? what is a rock on the outside and living in the middle? what is a rock on the outside and living in the middle? [repeat]
Chick
- Mix 2 (triton vocal) track 6
- Aminals track 2
- started: 2005-08-15
- recorded: 2005-08-16
- remixed: 2005-08-17
- length: 4:10
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
After an egg comes a chick. After a chick come drooling guys. That was the original idea behind this song.
But then it turned into a barnyard horror story. It's ambiguous whether the song's about eating animals or lusting after girls, or, um, lusting after animals. Whatever piques your interest, you know? The lyrics were improvised, and are very dumb. So's the music.
Okay, this song made me hungry. I have to eat now.
Lyrics to "Chick":
INTRO: peep peep peep peep... VERSE 1: i see the chickies in the yard i see them pecking so hard CHORUS 1: do the chickies notice me? 'cause i see them and they are so cute do the chickies notice me? are they afraid of me? VERSE 2: i see the rooster in the yard he's a very scary looking fellow CHORUS 2: does the rooster notice me? does he see me? go away rooster, stop looking at me i'm gonna rip your head off hey VERSE 3: [organ solo] cock-a-doodle-doo goes the rooster peep peep peep go the little baby chickies cock-a-doodle-doo goes the rooster cock-a-doodle-doo goes the rooster CHORUS 3: all the aminals having so much musical fun how i wish i could join them but when i go there they run VERSE 4: [guitar solo] all the aminals seem to be afraid of me CHORUS 4: why are all the aminals running away from me? i try so hard not to be scary come here beautiful VERSE 5: i see the farmer in the yard with one hand around his sheep what's in that other hand? CHORUS 5: does the farmer notice me? does he see me? on your knees, boy uh-oh i think he saw he me and he's coming this way i better get away from him VERSE 6: i'm running away so very hard and the chickies are following close behind CHORUS 6: speaking of behinds here comes the farmer with a hungry look in his eyes i can hear him drooling and panting i bet he's estimating my size CODA: estimating estimating estimating... double meaning, double meaning... hey cutie, you're a baby hey sexy, little chicky how i like you and your feathers you're so yummy, you're so fluffy little chicky, how i love you will you come into my home tonight? little chicky, you're so sexy i want to eat you up those barnyard beauties yum yum yum...
Pup
- Aminals track 3
- started: 2005-08-19
- recorded: 2005-08-20
- length: 5:08
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This song is about the relentless annoyance of youth. Whether you interpret that as "youth is annoying" or "youths are annoying" is up to you. And the pup.
Lyrics to "Pup":
INTRO: woof woof, woof woof... CHORUS: hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, barking every morn hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, buggin' every morn hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, barking every morn hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, buggin' puppy norm VERSE: woof woof, woof woof... sit sit sit sit lay lay lay lay stay stay stay stay obey obey ok go away CHORUS: hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, barking every morn hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, barking puppy norm VERSE: oh it's a puppy, a pokey puppy oh it's a puppy, a yappy puppy oh it's a puppy, a poopy puppy oh it's a puppy, a crappy puppy CHORUS: see the puppy down the street, chasing his own tail see the puppy down the street, barking at a snail see the puppy down the street, chasing his own tail see the puppy down the street, hear that puppy wail VERSE: can you hear that puppy wail? can you hear that puppy wail? can you hear that puppy wail? can you hear that puppy wail? oh it's a puppy, a pokey puppy oh it's a puppy, a yappy puppy oh it's a puppy, a poopy puppy oh it's a puppy, a crappy puppy sit sit sit sit lay lay lay lay stay stay stay stay obey obey ok now go away obey ok i'll go away obey ok i'll go away obey ok i'll go away obey ok i'll go away CHORUS: see the puppy down the street, chasing his own tail see the puppy down the street, barking at a snail see the puppy down the street, chasing his own tail see the puppy down the street, hear that puppy wail VERSE: sit sit sit sit lay lay lay lay stay stay stay stay obey obey ok now go away CHORUS: hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, barking every morn hear the puppy down the street, barking up a storm hear the puppy down the street, buggin' puppy norm see the puppy down the street, chasing his own tail see the puppy down the street, barking at a snail see the puppy down the street, chasing his own tail see the puppy down the street, hear that puppy wail END: hear that puppy wail now go away
Kitty
- Mix 2 (triton vocal) track 7
- Aminals track 4
- started: 2005-08-24
- recorded: 2005-08-25
- remixed: 2005-08-26
- length: 4:38
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, Ibanez StageStar, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
The title is a pun on kitty (as in poker) and kitten. This music is a slow guitar/keyboard jam. It has a couple organ solos, but most of it is geared around the vocals.
Lyrically, it's about, um, poker, I guess. Or maybe it's about investments in relationships. Like when you keep giving and giving and you want something in return. Or perhaps it's about a girl who's tired of watching her sibling's children and wants kids of her own.
Or maybe it's an expression of my disgust towards the idea of (unearned) entitlement. An Ayn Randian criticism of welfare, perhaps. Or whatever. Not that any of this has any autobiographical relevance. It just sounded melodic and witty!
Lyrics to "Kitty":
VERSE: i keep on antein' i keep on antein' but i get nothing i keep on antein' i keep on antein' but i get nothing CHORUS: gimme the kitty i want the kitty gimme the kitty it's my turn for the kitty VERSE: [same sound, different spelling] i keep on auntie-n' i keep on auntie-n' but i get nothing i keep on auntie-n' i keep on auntie-n' but i get nothing CHORUS: i want the kiddie it's my turn for the kiddie gimme the kiddie i want the kiddie VERSE: meow i want it now meow we want it now CHORUS: gimme the kitty gimme the kitty i want the kitty it's time to have that kitty BRIDGE: meow meow meow hi little puss how are you doing today? beware the racoonies the racoonies will eat you up they will bite you and break your neck and then chew you up into little bits and use their little miniscule hands to paw through your innards they will digest you slowly and when they burp they will have kitten innards on their breath beware the racoonies beware the racoonies! VERSE/CHORUS: [combination of previous VERSES and CHORUSES]
Snaky
- Aminals track 5
- started: 2005-08-29
- recorded: 2005-08-30
- length: 4:01
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I'm lucky to live in a place without any poisonous snakes. The only snakes we have are small and cute. They're also quite numerous in long grasses during the summer. To admit, it's a little startling to hear them, but I'm not afraid of them once I can see them.
This song is about how people like to pick on snakes. Some people think fear of snakes is instinctive; others say it's learned. Whatever. Okay, yeah, it's pretty shallow, but I like the groove. So zip your criticism or I'll bite you!
Lyrics to "Snaky":
VERSE: you're walking through the woods one day with a really big smile on your face you don't think anything could go wrong but then you happen to remember this song CHORUS: about the snake, about the snake... the song about the snake, the song about the snake about the snake, about the snake... it's a song about a snake, it's a song about a snake VERSE: and you're walking in the forest one day looking at the pretty birdies in the trees but then everything goes quiet and you think you hear a rustling in the leaves CHORUS: it's a snake, it's a snake... beware of the slithering things it's a snake, it's a snake... slither slither slither, adam and eve bane VERSE: i don't understand what you mean about the adam and even bane is it a joke? 'cause i don't get it can you please explain? CHORUS: about the snake, about the snake... well, it's in the bible that you need to read about the snake, about the snake... it used to terrorize adam and eve SOLOS: here comes the snake... watch out! beware the snake... CHORUS: it's a snake, it's a snake... it's a sin, it's an evil snake it's a snake, it's a snake... i wonder if it was god's mistake hire a hunter to kill the snake maybe he will make snake steak it's a snake, it's a snake... the only good snake is a chopped up snake it's a snake, it's a snake... i want to take a chainsaw to a snake it's a snake, it's a snake... you're so mean, you know i'm just kidding (yeah right) it's a snake, it's a snake... it's just a cutie, little sweetie snake END: don't hurt the snaky listen; leave the snaky alone stop swinging it around your head as if it were a lasso it's not a lasso; it's a snake it's a living thing put the snake down no, get away from it with that rotatiller no, don't even think... oh my god! poor thing come on snaky, come on snaky fight back snaky, you can do it, fight back come on snaky, please come on snaky come on snaky, bite his hand, just bite him! you can do it snaky, you can do it! kill him snaky, kill him! bite his head off snaky! case my vote for the snake mine too
Mouse
- Aminals track 6
- started: 2005-09-06
- recorded: 2005-09-12
- length: 7:14
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I wanted to contrast a city mouse and a country mouse. There are two musical patterns: a dense and tense city dirge and a light country ditty. Can you tell which one is which (without listening to the vocals)? Can you tell where my bias lies?
It took me several days to find a good enough time and mood to record the vocals. When I finally tackled them, I was impatient to finish the song. I sang the pre-written lyrics twice as fast, so had to improvise the rest. I couldn't think fast enough to be subtle, so my adlib became cartoonishly polarized against city "rats". Hence the death and destruction references, which are a weak attempt at non-PC humor. Ha ha. Laugh now. You laughing? Ha ha? Why aren't you laughing? Hmm...
The lyrics are about city life being "bad" (hectic, aggressive, and full of superficiality) compared to "country" life. Of course, it's not like I know what true country life is like, since I've always lived on the edge of cities. It's also not like I performed any real objective comparison; I just griped about the city and painted the countryside all rosy and happy. Given more time, I might've put more intelligence into the words, but like I said, I wanted to finish the song quickly.
The term "city rats" refers not to city dwellers themselves, but to the elements of city life that turn me off. Do I want all city people to explode into little bits? No! Just the bad guys, right? So who are the bad guys? People who wear high-heels? Make-up? Ummm... Am I into anarchy? No way! I'm into nature, and minding my own business. Well, am I minding my own business? Uh, not really! So I'm a hypocrite.
Yeah, the lyrics are pretty dumb. I mixed them low so that you can't hear all the really tactless bits. I also censored the lyrics on this page; I don't want google attracting weirdos to my site! Sorry if the words aren't as peppy and polished as the music! They're just babbling, making sounds to flesh out the song so that I can move onto the next one. Oh well! At least the instrumental version will be cool!
Lyrics to "Mouse":
INTRO it's a mouse it's a mouse it's a mouse it's a mouse feed the mouse speed the mouse weed the mouse impede the mouse feed the mouse speed the mouse weed the mouse impede the mouse CITY here comes the city mouse terror of my city house beware the city rat disease, hate, exterminate here comes the city mouse terror of my city house beware the city rat disease, hate, exterminate COUNTRY leagues away, leagues away, leagues away amidst grasses and twigs lives a fluff ball field mouse squeaking and hopping merrily along never bothering anyone the hero of this song CITY not so the city rat he'll even attack the city cat he lurks in sewers, and sleeps in scat gorging on trash makes him fat spreads death via plague and rabies chases pets, and gnaws on babies thinks he's the top of the food chain but he ends up rotting in a dark drain city city city city rat city city city city rat city city city city rat are you a city rat? city city city city rat city city city city rat city city city city rat are you a city rat? COUNTRY hop hop hop goes the country mouse through the mazy bouquet of nature bouncing from leaf to leaf, nestling in the flowers surrounded by freshness and vitality sniffing at petals, nibbling seeds napping in the afternoon sun cleaning his tiny paws ready for the next dainty adventure we love the country mouse we love his country house we love his innocence and cuteness CITY but not the city rat but not the city rat but not the city rat are you a city rat? don't like the city no, no the city rat we hate the city rat are you a city rat? COUNTRY 'cause i hate the city rats [...] i hate the city rats i hate the city rats [...] i hate the city rats i hate them city rats i wish they would all just explode into little bits CITY but on the other hand i guess the world needs the city rats to keep everyone protected from the city cats or is that the other way around? i forget do i really care? no, i don't think i do nice improv, travis COUNTRY [...] a plague upon the city rats [...] a swampy swampy life for the city rats i hate the city rats i hate the city rats i hate the city rats [...] meanwhile, among butterflies and clear skies the field mouse hops along humming to himself not worldly, not cosmo just naive and happy not bothering anyone not biting anyone not killing anyone not eating anyone not beheading anyone not looting anyone not drowning anyone not raping anyone not burglarizing anyone not stealing from anyone not pirating anyone not copying anyone not copying anyone not copying anyone not copying anyone not copying anyone not wearing stupid bell-bottoms not wearing stupid punk hairdos not wearing stupid nose rings not wearing stupid orange and blue not wearing stupid dreadlocks not wearing stupid baggy pants not wearing stupid high heels not wearing stupid make-up CODA which mouse are you? which mouse are you? which mouse are you? which mouse are you? 'cause we are alllll... pigs
Pig
- Aminals track 7
- started: 2005-09-14
- recorded: 2005-09-15
- length: 3:44
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Simple, cheesy music. Really dumb, 100% improvised vocals. Oink oink! (Laziest song notes ever).
Lyrics to "Pig":
oink oink oink oink ... you're a pig a bit fat pig and you don't do anything for anybody but yourself you're a pig a big ugly pig p.i.g. is your name you think you're big but you're a pig swallowing the mud every day and there's the phone why can't they just leave me alone? i know who it is it's an old man and he's wondering if he can talk to his grandson he's a pig a big old pig he's a pig oh he's a pig and he drinks his life and respect away oh he's a pig a big old pig i know i'm talking out of my butt cheeks but it's okay 'cause i am not such a piggy as you even with the fake accent i'm kinda cute i'm not such a piggy as you i've got something i call self respect you're a pig yes, you're a pig you're a pig a cute little pig and i think i want to tweak your tail i think i want to rub you in the mud and sprinkle water on you and look at you eat so messily 'cause you're a pig little pig little pig i think i like you even though you are a piggy piggy pig little pig i think the music got eaten by a big fat pig [you ate my song 'cause you're a pig] it's a pig i'm a pig yes i'm a pig i know you think i'm clever but inside i am a pretty selfish pig yes i'm a pig when it comes to my own stuff i'm a big fat pig i'm a pig oh i'm a pig when it comes to my ideas i'm a pig, pig, pig i'm a pig yes i'm a pig and you know i cannot sing with a sausage in the pan and you know i cannot sing with a sausage in the pan this song needed a little bit more bakin'
Heron
- Aminals track 8
- started: 2005-09-20
- recorded: 2005-09-22
- length: 6:01
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I have no idea why I picked the word "Heron" to represent the music. I knew it had to be a vocal song (for Aminals), but didn't design the song around vocals. Instead, it's a long trace. How do you fit vocals to a long trance? No clue.
So I wung it (ha ha). I made up some puns on the word "heron" and improvised the rest. The squeaking you hear is my exercise bike. It kinda sounds like the honking of a bird. Pure coincidence.
Lyrics to "Heron":
INTRO: from post to post goes the birdie the big birdie and there's the squeaking, the squeaking we'll just pretend it's a heron did you hear the little squeakin'? no, no, 'cause i'm hard of hearin' did you hear the squeakin'? no, no, 'cause i'm hard of hearin' CHORUS: i'm hard of hearin' i'm a heart of heron [repeats after every 2 lines:] VERSE: you've got the hair on your chest you've got the hair on your chest you've got the hair on your head you've got the hair on your head hey waiter, there's a hair in my soup hey waiter, there's a hair on my plate do you like the pickled herring? yes i like the pickled heron hey al, hey scott, hey jim, hey ron that's right, hey ron, hey ron i can't think of any puns on a word that's a biggie-biggie bird i like the way he flies through the sky when we walk by the bay it really makes my day CHORUS: oh i love the heron oh i love the heron VERSE: do you hear my bike? it is squeakin' do you hear my squeakin' bike? CHORUS: no, i'm hard of hearin' i'm hard of hearin' VERSE: ok, that's enough song i've held the joke too long CHORUS: i'm hard of hearin' where'd the music go? it's not a bird that's my bike it needs oil where'd the music go? [jabbering] VERSE: isn't it a delight to walk by the bay? look at the bird soaring above the blue waves isn't it a delight? does it make your day? to see them soar to see them sway? END: oh the might heron how i love the heron see the solitary heron i wonder does he have a harem of herons? see the mighty heron see the harem of heron see the mighty heron hear the mighty heron my bike is squeakin' it keeps repeating and the song's repeating and it keeps repeating and it keeps repeating and i keep repeating and my feet are on cycling and i keep on pedalling and i keep on thinking about the mighty heron does he keep repeating? does he tire of beating? does he tire of feeding? oh the mighty heron does he tire of his harem oh the mighty heron does he tire of being him oh the mighty heron see the mightly heron does he seem like cryin'? i cannot tell; he's flying there goes the heron where goes the heron? fade out on heron oh the mighty heron it's just a bird that squeaks all the time
Sloth
- Aminals track 9
- started: 2005-09-28
- recorded: 2005-10-01
- length: 5:19
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
I'd been feeling very low-energy for the past couple days. So I decided to write a song about a very slow, dazed creature. Hence the rhinocerous. Oops, I mean the sloth. Ha ha ha. I'm so funny.
Actually, that joke was pretty lazy. In terms of effort, it was a 2. Very low-energy. Very slothlike. Ha ha ha, I did it again; I made a funny! Funny how my funnies are very funny anymore. Hmm, something about that last sentence doesn't seem right; it seems a little off... It seems a little... umm.. "funny"... Ha ha ha ha. Man, I'm a riot tonight. Hey, are you there? Are you awake? Or are you sleeping? Man, you sleep a lot! You sleep more than a slo..t...h... :)
As for the lyrics, well, they're very lazy too. I didn't have the energy to decide what to sing about (or how to make this sentence grammatically correct), so I improvised about whatever was on my mind at the moment, which was the the making of the song. Minimal effort, minimal return. Unless I get lucky. It's like my long bombs in basketball.
Lyrics to "Sloth":
VERSE: here comes the sloth, brain of a moth here comes the sloth, his will is soft here comes the sloth, his skin's like cloth here comes the sloth, his mind is soft here comes the sloth, his brain is soft here comes the sloth, will of a moth here comes the sloth, his mind is cloth here comes the sloth, will of a moth CHORUS: gotta an hour and a half to work on the sloth gotta an hour and a half to work on the sloth gotta an hour and a half to work on the sloth gotta an hour and a half to work on the sloth gotta an hour and a half to finish the sloth gotta an hour and a half to finish the sloth gotta an hour and a half to finish the sloth gotta an hour and a half to finish the sloth BRIDGE 1: climb the tree, sloth get the veggies, sloth go up into the leaves and lift your eyelids assuming you have the energy you are a lazy bugger sorry if that's profane i'm too lazy to fix the lyrics today or any day BRIDGE 2: one hour and a half tick tock tick tock time's racing seconds going by life going by what am i doing? what am i doing? am i finishing the song or am i just sitting on the couch watching tv and eating three tubs of ice cream three tubs of ice cream VERSE: here comes the sloth, brain of a moth here comes the sloth, his will is soft here comes the sloth, his skin's like cloth here comes the sloth, his mind is soft here comes the sloth, his brain is soft here comes the sloth, will of a moth here comes the sloth, his mind is cloth here comes the sloth, will of a moth gotta an hour and a half to work on the sloth gotta an hour and a half to finish the sloth gotta an hour and a half to record the sloth gotta an hour and a half to capture the sloth gotta an hour and a half to follow the sloth gotta an hour and a half to capture the sloth
Snail
- Aminals track 10
- started: 2005-10-10
- recorded: 2005-10-11
- length: 5:23
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
This continues the encounter between the puppy and the snail (in "Pup"). The lyrics don't have any deep meaning. That's okay.
Hmmm....
Okay, while the song records I might as well type up something intelligent. Ummm...
Originally, the lyrics were gonna address real estate, from the perspective of a snail and a dog. They kinda touch on that in the beginning, but I got bored with the topic, so I made the lyrics more about, well, ummm...
Hmmm... Think fast, Trav... What can I say to make the lyrics seem clever???
Ummm... There's a bit of the old tortoise-and-the-hare theme in here. And a bit of "Treadmill". And "Keep On". And some other stuff, too, I guess. Hmm. It's really messy and shallow. And the bridge is jarring. But I like the energy of the solos and the groove. Is that validation enough? Okay, the mix is done. Time to upload!
Lyrics to "Snail":
VERSE/CHORUS: i got my home on my back cut me some home buying slack you think i only have a knack for following my own track back you think you're hot on the trail but you're just chasing your tail you think you're moving so fast but you keep treading the same grass and now you're barking at me are you afraid or angry? you think i'm moving so slow? well, at least i'm able to go and when you tire and sleep i resume my persistent creep and when you awake i am gone and you're where you were the last dawn BRIDGE: so said the snail to the puppy chasing his tail so spoke the snail to the alpha male [repeat the above lyrics] AD LIB: alpha, i said alpha, you're the alpha where are you going mister alpha papa? where are you going so fast in a flurry? i see that your paths are furry you are going around in circles i'm sliming my way somewhere which one of us is going further? is it slow and steady or is it the mania? the mania, the mania, the mania, the mania... the mania, the mania, the mania, the mania... the mania, the mania, the mania, the mania... the mania, the mania, the mania, the mania... where does the mania get you? does it get you anywhere quickly where does the mania get you? you little fluffy whirlwind where does the mania get you? why aren't you going anywhere? i saw you standing there yesterday have you not gotten anywhere? you keep on circling, circling i keep on sliming slowly i keep on getting somewhere you keep on getting nowhere i keep on sliming somewhere you keep on circling nowhere i keep on sliming somewhere you keep on slowing somewhere i keep on, i keep on i win, i win
Bear
- Aminals track 11
- started: 2005-10-18
- recorded: 2005-10-20
- length: 5:51
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Woah, like psychedelic! I started this song a day after my first dental fillings. I was still feeling (or should I say "filling") a bit woozy. I had trouble keeping time with the vocals. Also, I couldn't maintain focus on the music, so it seems a bit schitzo, alternating between too dense/busy and sparse/boring.
I recorded two vocal takes. They were 100% improvised. I then cut and pasted bits of those tracks on top of each other. The result is a mess. Kinda like the mess a bear makes when he rummages through a campsite.
Lyrics to "Bear":
TRACK 1: with a huff we hit the trail we hiked 5000 miles that day it felt oh my god with a huff we hit the trail we hiked 5000 miles that day or so it seemed your voice is a bear, travis it's a bear oh no, i don't want to go over there with a huff we hit the trail my mouth feels numb it feels numb TRACK 2: with a huff we hit the trail we searched everywhere for a safe way down we could not find one with a huff we hit the trail calling to each other worrying that we would find a ... with a b and an e and an a and an r the songs spells bear i feel barely there barely there [repeat shreds of the above]
Deer
- Aminals track 12
- started: 2005-10-25
- recorded: 2005-10-27
- length: 4:33
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Speed is key. But so is care. Speed and care. It's every artist's challenge to find that balance.
For Tripecac, the sweet spot is around 5 hours. If I take much longer with a song, I get bored, and the energy gets polished away; Renewal suffers from over-tweaking. If I try to rush and cram everything into an hour or two, though, I make so many mistakes that the songs end up shallow and messy. I'm not good enough at either writing or performing to crank out a solid tune super-quickly.
Anyway, there was a lot of pressure to make this a nice song. "Bear" was consciously atonal (vocally), so this time I wanted more melody. But there's that time issue; I really didn't have more than a couple hours to record the vocals and mix. So what to do? How can I crank out a listenable song in a couple hours?
I knew I had a time crunch, so I had to really concentrate. I didn't have time to write the lyrics, so I improvised them. But then I wrote them down so that I could sing harmony along to them. That was the "secret" of this song: writing down improvs so that I could repeat them and make them sound intentional. If it worked, great. Otherwise, well, doh!
Lyrics to "Deer":
i got a deer in the yard today i got a deer in the yard today i sent out the doggies to play get along, little doggies and the deer he looked at me and he thinks he is sexy let's try this again i got a deer in the yard today i got a deer in the yard today i sent out the doggies to play get along, little doggies and the deer he looked at me and he thinks he is sexy i've got a dear dear song and i'm trying not to do it wrong i've got a dear dear song and i'm trying not to do it wrong so i pick up the mic and i improvise what is my track record? well, i pick up the mic and i do my best how is my track record? it's a dear dear song and i hope i don't do it wrong this is a dear dear song and i hope i don't do it wrong how is my track record? how is my track record? how is my track record? how is my track record? it's a dear dear song and i hope i don't do it wrong this is dear dear song and i hope i don't do it wrong well that was not so bad i think i preserved my track record well that was not so bad i think i did okay this time it is a dear, dear song and i don't think i made it bad it is a dear, dear song and i made it to the end without screwing it up it is a dear, dear song and i think i did it justice it is a dear, dear song and i'm glad i didn't rush it
Owl
- Mix 2 (triton vocal) track 8
- Aminals track 13
- started: 2005-11-01
- recorded: 2005-11-02
- length: 8:00
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Funkorama. I wanted to make this dark and ominous. Is it? It's inspired by a video we saw about a proposed development project.
Lyrics to "Owl":
owls live in a deep wood and the deep wood's gonna die today if we plow the owls' deep wood all the owls will fly away developers kill the deep wood hear the owls howl today developers plow the deep wood plow the owls' howls away deep wood to desert... developers drain the wetlands drain the wetlands drain the wetlands into desert developers drain the wetlands kill the wetlands turn the wetlands into desert vote no vote no vote no vote... the animals have no vote no vote no vote no vote no the animals have no vote no vote no vote no vote no the owls have no vote that was a stinky! what are you doing, travis? this is a serious issue shake your fist at the developers and that will make you get your way uh-huh uh-huh... [repeat bits of the above]
Seal
- Aminals track 14
- started: 2005-11-06
- recorded: 2005-11-08
- length: 3:26
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
The name was inspired by a bunch of harbor seals we saw the day before I started this. The lyrics were inspired by... ummm... Okay, they weren't inspired at all! They're just improvised. So much for quality control! So much for end-of-the-album tightening! So much for three minutes and twenty-six seconds of your life!
Lyrics to "Seal":
chorus: it's a seal... verse 1: hey what's that? what's that swimming? what's that jumping? what's that smiling? chorus: it's a seal it's a harbor seal verse 2: what's that flying what's that eating? what's that laughing? what's that pointing? chorus: it's a seal it's a harbor seal verse 3: see the seal eat see the seal swim see the seal dive see the seal splash chorus: it's a seal bridge: where did he go this time? when is he gonna come up? where did he go this time? where is he gonna come up? where did he go this time? when is he gonna come up? where did he go this time? [stupid phone!] why doesn't he ever tire? [repeat bits]
Corpse
- Aminals track 15
- started: 2005-11-11
- recorded: 2005-11-12
- remixed: 2005-11-14
- length: 6:20
- Travis Emmitt - Korg Triton, vocals
- mp3: download listen locally (flash player)(HTML5 player)
Fitting that I started this on Rememberence Day. Also fitting that I started this with a big ole' glass of wine. I'm talking huge! Not like a little bitty wine glass, but like a humongous water-gulping carafe. Yeehaw!
Well, I wanted to end the album on a bang. I didn't want it to whimper its way into the soil. So I made this music really aggressive. I had no idea what the lyrics were gonna be when I started this. I just knew they had to be about death (to bring closure to the album).
Speaking of death, there's a couple of Julian Cope references here. The music in the beginning sounds a bit like Cope's non-album track called "Torch" (I think). Also, the lyrics are similar to Cope's death theme on Citizen Cain'd, although they refer more to people who waste their days (and lives) than actual death. The rest of the music is pretty non-Copish.
The vocals are a bit of a mess. The music actually sounds much better without any words. But hey, rules are rules.
Lyrics to "Corpse":
we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead no wanna we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead no wanna don't wanna feed the walking dead don't wanna feed the walking dead don't wanna feed the walking dead don't wanna don't wanna feed the walking dead don't wanna feed the walking dead don't wanna feed the walking dead don't wanna i don't wanna watch the walking dead don't wanna watch the walking dead don't wanna watch the walking dead don't wanna i don't wanna watch the walking dead don't wanna watch the walking dead don't wanna watch the walking dead don't wanna we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead no wanna we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead we no want no walking dead no wanna i don't wanna see the walking dead don't wanna see the walking dead don't wanna see the walking dead don't wanna i don't wanna know the walking dead don't wanna know the walking dead don't wanna know the walking dead don't wanna i don't wanna see the walking dead don't wanna hear the walking dead don't wanna know the walking dead don't wanna i don't care about the walking dead i wish that they would rot in peace i do not wanna know the walking dead i do not wanna know the walking dead i do not wanna know the walking dead i do not wanna get inside their head i do not wanna get inside their bed i do not wanna get to be their friend i do not care about their stupid life i do not care what they might be like i do not care about the walking dead the lazy bums they should just rot in hell the lazy bums they should just rot in hell the lazy bums they should just rot in hell the lazy bums they should just rot in hell i hate the lazy, stupid rotten dead i hate the lazy, stupid rotten dead i hate the lazy, stupid rottin' dead i hate the lazy, stupid rottin' dead i hate the lazy, stupid walking dead i hate the walking dead i hate the walking dead i hate the walking dead i hate the walking dead i hate the walking dead i hate the walking and they're walking and they're walking and they're swarming my house i can't escape the walking dead they surround me every single day i can't escape the walking dead i can't escape the monkey dead i can't escape the monkey dead i can't escape the monkey dead i can't escape the monkey dead and they're banging down my door i can't escape the monkeys and they're banging down my door i can't escape the monkeys and they're begging me for more they're always asking me for more they're always asking me for more i can't escape the city rats i can't escape the lazy sloths i can't escape the messy pigs and the snarling puppies i can't escape the hungry bears i can't escape the horny farmers i can't escape the aminals that are haunting me i can't escape the city rats i can't escape the lazy sloths i can't escape the messy pigs and the hissing kitties i can't escape the hungry bears i can't escape the horny farmers i can't escape the aminals that are haunting me haunting me... they're haunting me i can't escape the city rats i can't escape the lazy sloths i can't escape the messy pigs and the selfish children