“Trimpers”
“New Beginnings”
“Blue”
“Dead”
“House of Satan”
“Michael in the War”
“Automobile” (NWA / Parliament)
“Until I Die (Rum Blues)”
“Afraid of the Ghost”
“Cute Little Echo”

Though used to our full on assault you may be, we’re meddling in acoustic music at the moment.  Primarily, this is in preparation for Le Carnival Des Autres, as we will be giving some kind of stripped down performance at the event.  We actually played an Easter  “show” we didn’t advertise.  We used the same arrangement as on this session.  The amplification of acoustic music felt unnatural.

This session was recorded without any electric amplification (aside from the built in speaker on the omnichord), and that is also how we intend to perform at Le Carnival Des Autres.

So we have Samuel Williams back with us on the banjo.  Doing an excellent job, as this is the first time he had played many of these songs.  I’m not going to break down each song as I usually do because – what can I say?  It’s acoustic music.  Period.  I would, however, like to point out “Until I Die (Rum Blues).”  The girl singing is Michelle Sanders (aka Lulu Skidoo) and these are her lyrics.  Myself and Megan Driscoll worked out the music with her.  This was the first session that it was introduced to everyone else.  We hammered it out over and over again,  but I think this is the most solid recorded version.

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

Yay!  The band has a video!

This song and the video were recorded on 12.1.10 at a session that only included myself, Katie Collins and Megan Driscoll.  It’s cover of the NWA song, “Automobile,” (as they reformed from the original by Parliament) from their highly misogynistic, but wonderfully produced Niggaz4Life .  It’s different than the version we did in the last session.  That one was rockin’.  This one is more chilled out and electro.

Lots of offensive language on this.  Again, I’m no fan of standard camp.  But this isn’t camp…these are gangstas!  They mean it!

And as always, if you’d like to download the MP3, here you go:

“Automobile” – Never Sorry

an increase of distance

“Ocean Rain” – Echo & The Bunnymen
“Time to Move On” – Tom Petty
“Happy Trails”  -  Jim O’Rourke
“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” – Van Morrison
“So Long, Marianne” – Leonard Cohen
“Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” – Beck’s Record Club
“Let Me Be” – Parliament
“Avant de Mourir Nuhs” – Serge Gainsbourg
“Goodbye (live)” – Nellie McKay
“The Farewell Bend” – Frank Black & The Catholics
“God Only Knows” – Cornelius
“Gone for Good” – Morphine

This mix was submitted for The Tapeworms February theme: “Goodbye.”  It also proved to be quite cathartic as I made it while going through the breakup of a four year relationship.  I post it now as I have no choice but to say goodbye to someone else just a month later.