This track originates from at least 12 years ago. Packed with lots of influences and ideas. And what’s more: unlike many of my earlier works, this one stood the test of time. Recently I did some refreshing based on my present views and technical possibilities. And… decided to invite some musicians to take it up the next level:

Elizabeth Auzan – dark lyrics and cool spoken verses
Jim Bryan – brilliant bass
Maarten Gelderman – convincing vocals with great harmonies
Simone Leardini – great rhythm plus lead guitar
Mark Miller – progressive driving drums

These are the Kompoz-musicians which made ‘You’ll like it here’ come alive. Some team…

Pins stuck in wax dolls
Miniature mountain trolls
Upside down crucifix
Crooked on the wall
Alice in WonderHell
Who you gonna call?
Who you gonna call?

Black rabbit in white coat
Dog collar around his throat
Takes Alice by the hand
And speaks but makes no sound
Alice in WonderHell
Much more lost than found

You will like it here
You will like it here
You will like it here, my dear
Happy, happy family
Happy, happy family

You will like it here
You will like it here
We all like it here
Our dysfunctional family
Our dysfunctional family

Mad Hatter flies high
Like a tea-tray in the sky
From the white, padded cells
There is no escape
Alice in WonderHell
All night she lies awake

You will like it here
You will like it here

Alice, Alice
In a world of spite and malice
You will like it here
Alice, Alice
To the dregs you’ll drink the chalice
You will like it here
Alice, Alice
Where are you?
You’ll like it here
You’ll like it here
Alice, Alice
Why did you take so many risks?

You will, you will, like it here
You will like it here

(Lyrics and spoken word by Elizabeth Auzan, vocals Maarten Gelderman)

I don’t know about you, but I can hear loads of musical influences shining through in ‘People pleaser’. The awesome contributions from Elizabeth Auzan, Chris Matthews, Chris Bouchard and Tarjei Skarlund make this one a true gem. Ultimate JustVera. Kompoz rules!

People pleaser, stop choosing not to choose

Say yes, think no
Decide the road you wanna go
Reflecting in the future tense
You sit upon your little fence

You say you’ll win, you think you’ll lose
It’s time to learn you can refuse
Your little fence
Is no defence
Invite yourself t’the present tense

People pleaser

People pleaser, people pleaser, sitting on the fence, stop choosing not to choose

Doobiedo dee
Doobie do do-ooh
Just be you

Doobie do dee
Doobie do da-ah
You’re a star

Doobie do dee
Doobie do do-ooh
You’ll shine through

Doobie do dee
Doobie do da-ah
Goin’ far

Doobie do dee
Doobie do do-ooh
Oh, so true

Doobiedo dee
Doobie do do-ooh
Just be you

(Lyrics by Elizabeth Auzan, vocals Tarjei Skarlund)

Tarjei Skarlund (vocals), JeanLui Toudou (bass), Chris Bouchard (drums), Kelly Miller (guitars), Elizabeth Auzan (lyrics). These people never actually met -each other or me-, but they did take my initial idea to the next level. All thanks to Kompoz.

Tusen takk! ¡Muchos gracias! Thank you so much!/Merci beaucoup! Vielen Dank!

Your point of view
Is what makes you, YOU

Born and screaming alone
Smacked on the behind
I didn’t ask to be born
Nor did the rest of humankind

I was pressured to conform
But I didn’t give in
Learned true values and respect
For kith and kin through thick and thin

All wisdom can be held
In the laughter of a child
Capacity for wonder
Keeps adults from being defiled

See the glass half-full
See it half-empty as you will
Your point of view
Is what makes you, YOU

What have l learned
After this toil and strife?
Life is worth nothing
But nothing’s worth life

(Lyrics by Elizabeth Auzan, vocals Tarjei Skarlund)

Jim Bryan (bass) and Mark Murtha (guitars) reinforced my instrumental framework. Truly great stuff. But the game changed dramatically when Brian Hallstoos stepped in. His lyrics and vocals added the dimension which turned the track into the three-minute-powerpop song I’ve been looking for for so long. Next level JustVera.

Hail to ‘Your Majesty’…

Flood me Majesty
All hail, Your Majesty
Flood me Majesty, flood me

You just do what you want to do
Like a godless queen, you flood me

Problem from another century
Seems to be with us all time
Funny way of showing sympathy
Well, to me it’s just fine, fine, fine

A little boy up in his book now
Mama don’t know what to write
Can’t you see he’s feeling naked today
No, not alright

Standing on the rooftop
Kick dirt looking down
Foggy morning messy little memories
Sticks and stones, back in the ground

Push, shove, look me in the eyes
Tell me just what do you see
Climb on top, cannot stop
Not love hath wrought what sets us free because

You just do what you want to do
Like a godless queen, you flood me
Rain, wind, sorcery, I don’t care what you do to me
Your Majesty

You just do what you want to do
Like a godless queen, you flood me
Rain, wind, sorcery, I don’t care what you do to me
Your Majesty

Turning round, so many faces, but only serving one
Can I get a little space here until you are done

You just do what you want to do
Like a godless queen, you flood me
Rain, wind, sorcery, I don’t care what you do to me
Your Majesty

(Lyrics & Vocals by Brian Hallstoos)

‘Ample’ is one of the few JustVera instrumentals. Quite an unusual track. Something about the structure, choice of instruments, atmosphere? Something I love anyway. Bill McCarthy added his rhythmic touch, Jim Bryan his growling bass groove and recently Dan Rosati dropped his mouthwatering saxy cherries all over the cake. Much obliged, guys!

The starting point of ‘Stranger’ was a song I created some 4 years ago: ‘Lost your halo’ (https://justvera.com/2017/09/23/lost-your-halo/). Just love the sound of these programmed drums. I played around with a new direction, Tez Katajala came up with the lyrics, but no singer seemed interested to turn those into a vocal performance. So I decided to have a go myself… The result was fair, thanks to many hours of meticulous tuning/synching/editing. Still I felt the song deserved a lead singer. I invited Buck, who sang on previous JustVera tracks and fortunately he accepted the challenge. Long story short: I mixed all bits and pieces into the present version with his lead and my backing vocals. And all instruments and production by me/Reason. Three minutes of perky powerpop. So me.

I
Have a primal wound
Just trying to survive
By not getting too deep
Into other peoples lives

I’m
Trying to survive
Just trying all the time
I have a primal fear
An anxious depression
Of losing someone near
Of losing someone near

Stranger
When will you feel
When will you heal

Stranger
You’re a stranger
to yourself

My
Compulsive behavior
Compulsive behavior
When will I heal

When will I feel
When will I heal
And be loved

(Lyrics by Tez Katajala, vocals BuckM.&me)

.

It was back in 2014 when the first JustVera (mini)album got released: ‘What took us so long?!’. Four years later there was ‘Raw and Reckless’ and now there is ‘More than anything’.

35 NEW JustVera tracks, which I composed and produced with the help of dozens of musicians from all over the world. (Full list below.)
Be prepared for some amazing new and original stuff… Mastered by Insub and Tommy Hellsten. And Tommy offered to remaster the first two albums as well. So I decided to include these remastered tracks on ‘More than anything’ as a bonus.

All official JustVera tracks collected on one album. Enjoy.

00:00

These are the artists who contributed to JustVera. For the sake of Music. It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with you. More than anything.

Alan Abernethy
Alex Zulaika
Alexander K.
Alice Minguez
Amanda Moubarak
Amy B.
Andrea Spaziale
Andrew Boucher
Bill McCarthy
Bryan Shoemaker
Buck M.
Caleb Anderson
Cali Beach
Chris Bouchard
Christine Linge
Dan Rosati
Daniel Swain
David Koehler
Elizabeth Auzan
Ellen Kussy
Esther Bredius
Frederic Osuch
G TeePee
Gabro Jazz
Gustavo Abreu
Heidar Sigurdsson
Ian T.
InSub
Jan van de Garde
Jannik Gade
Jarek Adamowski
Jean Lui Toudou
Jeff Bragg
Jeff Dalton
Jen Carie
Jim Bryan
Joel Sattler
Joey Six
John Heavern
Jon Garcia 
Jordi Ribas
Kari DeNeal
Kris Pride
Lisa Dewey
Lloyd Plueschow
Loek van der Knaap
Louis Marchena
Marc Brouwer
Mark Adams
Mark Alan Dooley
Mark Bowen
Mark Miller
Martin Nilsson
Maurizio Marini
Michel Pilotte
Mike Patterson
Monroe De La Vega
Nicola Offidani
Nigel Robinson
NunoW.
Olivia Brame
Olivier Demaine
Oppy
Parmia Vaala
Patricia Kigilcim
Pepino Lorenzo
Peter Bomhof
Peter Hendriks
Ray Kaliss
Rick Farrell
Rob Glass
Robert Saint Denis
Sean DeCataldo
Serenn
Steve Rice
Sven-Martin Keil
Tarjei Skarlund
Tez Katajala
Thomas Hjorth
Todd Vierra
Todd W.
Tom H.
Tommy Hellsten
Tracy Hayden
Tracy Hutchison

‘Go ahead and cry’ features Olivia Brame singing a mix of lyrics by Mike Mantecon and Tez Katajala. A beautiful song about accepting life as it is.

Photos on the wall
You run and hide
For a brighter, better day
While the summertime seems to fade, so far away

Thinking about days gone by
Is it my turn to cry?
Contemplation, consideration
Thoughts lead back to you

At the bright of day
When shadows still seem so real
And you never learn
The only constant is change
You don’t have to be perfect
But you cannot live like that
When nothing’s really worth it
And the hurt is on the attack

So let go of what’s holding you down
Spread your wings to fly
You don’t have to be perfect
But you can’t let this life pass on by

Never fear what’s ahead, what’s behind, what they said
Never fear what they think, what is real, what it seems
You don’t have to be perfect

Let go of what’s holding you down
And spread your wings to fly
Don’t ask why
Go ahead and cry

(Lyrics: Mike Mantecon/Tez Katajala, vocals: Olivia Brame)

Powerful vibrations: ‘The 5th dimension’. David Koehler&Buck M. as the lyrical/vocal team, JeanLui Toudou&Sotiris Petridis as the ultimate rhythm tandem. Great collab, cool JustVera track!

I met you once so long ago
In a place so far away
As we talked vibrations flowed
It filled me with the light of day

It was just a short time
You said you could not stay
Before I knew it you were gone
Though there was more I wanted to say

Eversince I knew
There was a connection to be sure
I’m desperate to go back and feel
That energy so pure
We live in separate worlds
Locked on separate tracks
We lost something beautiful
With no way to get back
No way to get back

I need to break the rules
I’ll travel place to place
Transform the timeline
Alter my life’s pace

It is my intention
Defying all convention
To seek the fifth dimension
And leave barriers of time and space behind

What’s it gonna take
To make my dream come true
To stop the clocks from ticking
So I can return to you
They say it can’t be done
That it’s a mad delusion
It’s mathematical impossible
But I won’t accept that sad conclusion
There’s got to be a way
To go back to that day
To keep you in my sight
To always feel that light

Show me how to pass
These universal laws
Through machinery
Or magic chance
To get a shot at sweet romance

Through time and space I’ll slide
To return to your side

It is my intention
Defying all convention
To seek the fifth dimension
To leave barriers of time and space behind

I’ll seek the fifth dimension
I’ll leave barriers of time and space behind

It is my intention
Defying all convention
To seek the fifth dimension
To leave barriers of time and space behind

I’ll leave it all behind

(Lyrics: David Koehler, vocals: Buck M.)

Some 15 years ago I composed an instrumental canvas called ‘The ballad of Errol Warwick’. Recently I added an original love story, based on personal experience and transformed it into ‘Steel mills and apple pie’. Thank you G Tee Pee, Bill McCarthy, Caleb Anderson and Amy B. for helping me to create an epic piece, bringing back happy memories…

Nothing ever changes around this town
Nothing ever moves, it’s in the ground

Fifteen, high school, looking past the school room
She sat two rows in front of me
The one I wanted instantly
It’s raw when you’re a teen

Hung at the club where you played guitar
I listened it broke my heart
the drunks in the bar
drinking hard

It’s better than this, that I know

Mid life, now I’m twenty five
It’s a clown show, full flow
Played out and passed out on the bar floor
Saw your mother still serving slow

Malt to the flies and the guys from the yard
Hard men, working men
That’s all we are

Small town girls look for a car
A ride away to a dance in the bar
Nothing changed, nothing does,
Nothing will, the way things are
Nothing ever changes around this town
Nothing ever moves it’s in the ground
Of steel mills and crunching sounds

Thought I’d look up to you again
thought I’d think that’s what mother said
I met him at high school, the captain of the team
There was something about him, that stood out to me
He treated me good, he treated me right
It ended up leaving in the same night

Nothing ever changes, nothing ever moves
We’re all stuck in the ground
With nothing to lose

Been around the world
Had many nights
Some full of pain
Others of delight
Other wild times
So high on life

I’ve had many lovers of all kinds
I’ve rolled from bed to bed
from nameless faceless, hopeless covers
Missing you so much that
I can’t take it, I can’t take it

Nothing fills the hole of you
Nothing feels the same as you
Nothing works, work work harder
Run away you run further

So I find I’m here again
(Nothing ever changes around this town)
Back here again, sober, straight, saved
(Nothing ever changes)
Ghost of a town, ghosts are all around
(Nothing ever moves, it’s in the ground)
There’s no more draw than you
No more pull than your eyes
You keep me true
(Hypnotized by the local sound)
This is the life I found
(Steel mills and the crunch of apple pies)

Excuse me miss, do you know the way to the…? Well I’ll be, it’s you! Umm, how have you been? It’s been ages you look wonderful, striking actually.

It has been some time hasn’t it, I’ve been well. I’ve been traveling a lot with a man that I met. There are some days that I wish for a quiet moment without the motion of life swirling around me, but those times of trial have made me much stronger.

Sounds like quite the journey. Are you you doing anything right now? If you have time I know a beautifully little cafe right by the beach where we could catch up. I’d love to hear about your all of your plights and victories.

You know what, I think I might have an hour or two that I could spare.
Come on, let’s go.

Nothing ever changes around this town
Nothing ever moves, it’s in the ground
Hypnotized by the local sound
of steel mills and the crunch of apple pies

(Lyrics: G. Tee Pee, vocals: Caleb Anderson and Amy B.)