el deth

Archive for the ‘MP3’ Category

Click to download the tracks:

“Power’s Out”
“Michael in the War”
“Springtime of the Dregs”
“Really Horrible Shit is Popular”
“Watery Grave”
“Local Flavor”
“Those Guys”
“Reggae Sunsplash”
“Lesbian But For Penis”

This was recorded to my exgirlfriend’s Olympus digital recorder on a stormy evening.  I wanted to work on something more involved and deliberate, but the weather ended up putting out the electricity (hence the session title).  And so it was settled.  As with the Pianospout sessions, I would record an improvisational set with just my voice and a single, acoustic instrument.  In this case, I used a guitar.

One song, “Really Horrible Shit is Popular,” was already written prior to the recording.  Everything else was made up on the spot.  This includes “Michael in the War,” which was later transcribed and performed on numerous occasions with Never Sorry.  To date, it’s the only song I have ever written in the moment that, when later fleshed out, kept every single lyric and chord change in tact.

Also unchanged is the order the songs were created / performed.  This is is the same path I took that evening as I strung all this shit together.  The session ended when the power was restored.

Click to download the track.

“Volare” – Dean Martin vs. Arrison Kirby

This is not a dance remix.  It’s ambient and soft.  Reverb and bells.  I put this together specifically for a show at the now defunct Patrick Sullivan’s in Knoxville, TN.  It was right around the time when Part 3 was released and I was experimenting with some sort of live performance / DJ set hybrid.  Holly Denman live painted on the stage.  The Andy Show and The Weekends also performed.

Anyway.  I was going for something that, if played loudly to a room full of people, might give the effect of being in a bubble or a tunnel or something.  Something drifty.  I don’t know how well it went over at the show, but I think it stands alone just fine.

These are possibly the best versions of “Laundry” and “Michael in the War” recorded so far.  We used beats on both of them, allowing Dane to jump on the bass.  I’m particularly fond of the break down in “Michael.”

“Moon Rest Over Trees” was our opening jam, but I felt it better positioned where it is in the line up.  The other improvisational piece is “Succumb When it Counts” and it features me on drums, Dane on guitar and Katie on the drums.  These are also the same play positions used for the session closure, a slowed down cover of Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon.”  This cover was Dane’s idea.  He lead us through it and also sang.  I like it a million billion times better than the original.

Katie Collins – omnichord, bass
Megan Driscoll –  flute, tambourine, vocals
Dane Hill – drums, bass, guitar, vocals
Rachel Jae – auxillary percussion, vocals
Arrison Kirby – guitar, beats, drums, vocals

Click to download the track:

“Devoured by Lions and Fish”

photo by Nathan Tipton

Sometimes stress builds beyond our borders and so comes a time to release it with a good ol’ fashioned beat session.  This one was recorded live one night when myself and Modifi were both in a fantastic, “fuck a buncha bullshit” mode.  We set up, played out, then broke down.  This is a continuous set.  No extra special post edits or attention to detail beyond bpm and maybe tonality.

However, I did think I had an issue with the mastering on it.  It sounded great in my car and in the studio, but in my office, some of the beats were lost in the mix.  I couldn’t figure out why.  I adjusted volume levels and remastered and reburned the disc at least six times.  It was the same problem every time and it was killing me.  Then I finally realized that I had my receiver set on a mono speaker output., hence causing some of the beats to phase each other out.  So all I had to do was hit a single button all along.  Totally lame.

In any case, the mystery has been solved and now you can listen for yourself.  I also have a bunch of unnecessary test burns of this session now, as well.  Some mastered better than others, but if you want one, email me or something.  I don’t know why you would want a CD, though, if you can just download it here.   The offer still stands.

DJ Modifi – beats, samples
Arrison Kirby –  beats, samples

Click to download the track.

“The B” – Obadiah

To prepare for this show with How I Became the Bomb, Obadiah recorded four sessions over a course of three nights. This song was one that arose from between the cracks of our set in progress. It was born of improvisation, as a response to the song that proceeded it.

This is pretty silly stuff for to be the first “official” Obadiah song released in years.  If you come check us out at the Pilot Light, you’ll see it’s barely even a scratch on the surface for the current barrage of Obadiah soundscapes.

Kenny Gilbert – guitar, bass
Josh Russell –  drums
Nathan Brown – keys, electronics
Aaron Shugart-Brown – guitar, vocals
Arrison Kirby – keys, electronics, beats

Click to download the tracks:

“Afraid of the Ghost”
“Michael in the War”
“Dead”
“Teamworking”
“Until I Die (Rum Blues)”

Instead of tuning up the piano, Samuel tuned his banjo to match the piano.  The result is this macabre and winding session of standards.  It’s another really minimal session, as well.

Lulu Skidoo (aka Michelle Sanders) joins us again for “Until I Die.”  This is the first version we had tried on any keys at all, let alone an actual piano.

“Teamworking” is the only new song here and is most likely incomplete, but still worth sharing, I guess.  It’s about a person getting involved in someone else’s new relationship.

Arrison Kirby –piano, vocals
Samuel Williams – banjo, vocals
Michelle Sanders – vocals

Click to download the tracks:

Trimper Rides, Ocean City, Maryland

“President Elect”
“Trimpers (Beach)”
“Dead”
“House of Satan”
“Until I Die (Rum Blues)”
“Laundry”
“Fuck City”
“Michael in the War”
“Trimpers (Ocean)”

This was the first session we had with this many people since Le Carnival des Autres.  In other words, this was our first slide back into our beloved full on electro rockin’ sound.  Samuel didn’t make it to this one, but Michelle Sanders joined us for an amped up version of “Until I Die (Rum Blues)”.

There are a couple of jams, “President Elect” and “Fuck City.”  The latter being the looser and more amusing.  There are also a couple different versions of “Trimpers” here.  Both incorporating synth bass, but two very different styles.  Also, note the new song, “Laundry.”  I began writing that one about [some chick] but wasn’t able to finish it until it became applicable to [a different chick].  I think it has a Talking Heads feel to it.

Katie Collins – omnichord, ukulele
Megan Driscoll –  flute, tambourine, vocals
Dane Hill – drums, bass, vocals
Rachel Jae – auxillary percussion, vocals
Arrison Kirby – guitar, keys, beats, vocals
Michelle Sanders – vocals

Click to download the tracks:

“Trimpers”
“Afraid of the Ghost”
“House of Satan”
“Dead”
“Cute Little Echo”
“Dicks and Tits”

This was our first acoustic session in preparation for Le Carnival des Autres.  Though Samuel Williams had joined us on stage at the Pilot Light not a few weeks later, he was unable to attend this one.  I’m not going to lay out each song and what’s up with it because, obviously, there isn’t anything that has been posted before (except “Dicks and Tits” but we’ll get to that).  Suffice it to say that these are all very stripped down versions of some old standards.  Gypsy versions.

And then there’s “Dicks and Tits.”  It’s all over the place and possibly unbearable at time, but that’s why I put it last.  This was actually the first of three improvisational group spiels in a row.  The other two were titled “Rachel N” and “Negro Gingé.”  It’s doubtful those two will ever be shared on this site.  There are several reasons for that but isn’t “Dicks and Tits” enough anyway?

Katie Collins – omnichord, ukulele, vocals
Megan Driscoll –  flute, harmonica, tambourine, vocals
Dane Hill – guitar, vocals
Rachel Jae – auxillary percussion, vocals
Arrison Kirby – guitar, vocals

Senryu
Half Wild
2011

“A Change of Heart”
“Great. Expectations.”
“The Last to Let Go”
“Thunder Shook the House”
“(finally found my)”
“Halfwild Boys”
“Take Yourself Apart”
“Hyperventilator”
“Memory Zero”
“Before it Happens”

Senryu is Zac Fallon, Andres & Dan McCormack, Steven Rodgers, Jeff McClain & William Wright

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Eric Nowinski

Artwork by Jenna Hancock.

Executive producer: Arrison Kirby

Click here to purchase on iTunes

Click here to purchase on CD Baby