My Steinway Grand and Kari DeNeal. And brilliant lyrics by Tez Katajala. That’s all it takes. Sometimes miracles just happen. Pure Magic. Sheer Beauty. I rest my case.
I can’t help who I am I am a descendant I can’t show who I am I’m lost in the dissonance
I’d like to rise above the noise But I’m stuck in the present I’d like to fly away But I’ve been grounded
I need you to help me To keep from drowning I’m lost in all the noise Will I be found
Will I be found Will I be found Will I be found
To rise above the noise I need to be persistent I am a descendant
Lost in the dissonance Stuck in the present Trying to keep from drowning To keep from drowning
This is a typical 3-minute poppy tune JustVera-style. Todd W. came up with lyrics/vocals and Dan Rosati added some brilliant saxophone. ‘No need to be scared’: a wolf in hamsters clothes.
Just because you dream it, it doesn’t mean it’s there, and just because you feel it, it doesn’t mean they’ll care. They only stop and stare, so just beware.
So once you know you’ll need it, but you can’t figure where, and then the place you seek it, it’s gone into thin air if only it were there.
What you sow you’ll reap it, so you’re the rightful heir and what you catch you’ll keep it there’s no need to be scared: the answer to your prayers.
What you sow you’ll reap it, so you’re the rightful heir and what you catch you’ll keep it there’s no need to be scared: the answer to your prayers.
Not everybody fits the mold. But: ‘without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible’ (Frank Zappa).
When I heard Christine Linge’s performance of Mike Mantecon’s lyrics I stopped breathing for a moment. Sheer beauty. So I put her voice in the center and just added some arrangements to create some extra tension. And then I discovered Jannik Gade’s acoustic guitar. Just amazing…
So many will tell you That it isn’t worth the time To chase after fantasy When you only have one life So many will tell you That the dream was never real That they know the way That you should think and feel
Maybe you don’t fit the mold Or piece together right Maybe you don’t conform To their wrong and right Maybe you don’t fit the mold But it’s alright It’s alright
Many will sell you On a dream that isn’t yours And after all they tell you You may feel unsure Many will sell you What is wrong and what is right But none of them speak louder Than the voice down inside
Maybe you don’t fit the mold Or piece together right Maybe you don’t conform To the wrong and right Maybe you just don’t fit the mold But it’s alright It’s alright
Maybe you don’t fit the mold Or piece together right Maybe you don’t conform To the wrong and right Maybe you don’t fit the mold But it’s alright It’s alright It’s alright Yeah it’s alright It’s alright
Steve Winwood did it once. Oasis wasn’t bad. But ‘Roll with it’ by JustVera is something else…
Ray Kaliss at his best. Both lyrically -parental advisory- and vocally. With the help of Joeysix (guitar) and Bil McCarthy (drums) of course. Three minutes of powerpop with a wink. Just love it.
Walking down Hollywood and Vine Just trying to score a good time Had nothing particular on my mind When a hot girl drove up beside me She opened the car door, and she said
Roll with it, Go with it, Roll with it, Go with it
She said, why don’t we go to my place It’s a real safe space When we’re there I’ll sit on your face And I said ‘Oh my goodness What are we gonna do about this?’ Well I guess I’ll just aaa…
Roll with it, Go with it, Roll with it, Go with it
Said her name was Jack That nearly gave me a heart attack Said ‘Why don’t you drive me on back’ I opened the door, I got out And I said ‘Listen lady, you just gotta live with it… sooo…’
Roll with it, Go with it, Roll with it
Go with it, Roll with it, Go with it, Roll with it
(Troubles with SoundCloud? Try the player at the bottom of this post:-).
‘Drops of Rain’ is the heartbreaking story of the tragic loss of John Heavern’s little sister. Words that cut, recited by himself. The singing part is convincingly performed by Louis Marchena. JustVera with a bleeding heart.
Eyes of flaming embers seek fuel, as others wonder the cause of crystal stares I place their faces under.
A stepping stone too far for most to blindly reach must somehow come ajar, move outward, and beseech a helping hand, still unknown by others, and myself. My heart and soul softly moan, as dreams cry out for help.
Time marches to my door and feeds upon my doubts. The answers I’ve ignored must cast the shadows out.
Life can traumatize, when life delivers dread and when all faith inside leaves a heart misled.
I shiver, shout, cry and plead, as a piece of my heart is pierced and bleeds.
Caught within a tragic dream, cast among the dust and haze. A zombie’s eyes look longingly, emotions black and thoughts of grey. Consoling souls give words of hope, their pity falls like drops of rain, it soothes the flesh to some degree, but doesn’t seem to ease the pain.
Please help me to awake from this, into a world I knew before, where ignorance was silent bliss and death sailed towards a distant shore.
Caught within a tragic dream, deep emptiness in misery. No isolation too extreme in traumatized reality. Lonely chasm fate’s created walling in a pool of pain. Reality has separated, calling out in drops of rain.
Miss you, Little Sister, my simple words just can’t explain… voices heard in drops of rain pour… out… your… name…..
Free afflictions from within! the mold is bonded strong. Catch a glimpse beyond this skin, towards worlds where bliss belongs. See a sage as no one has, seek passage past a mind. Wash away this captious world, leave drops of rain behind.
(Lyrics/voice John Heavern, vocals Louis Marchena)
Desperately passionate…
Ian T.’s vocal interpretation of my lyrics. Amplified by his own rhytm guitars, Chris Bouchard’s drums and Jean Lui Toudou’s slapping bass. A song I wrote and recorded five years ago, but was reborn today.
I search and don’t find I’m gasping for breath I’m willfully blind I’m hearing deaf
I whisper and yell I fight and I flee Just craving your smell Please come to me
Tear out my heart Razor fingers cover my chest Tear out my heart Execute my cardiac arrest
I’m losing the pace So wordless and slow Just silence and space Please come to me
Tear out my heart Razor fingers cover my chest Tear out my heart Execute my cardiac arrest
The original idea for this song originates from years ago. After a first impulse by Suzann Baldwin -only the title is what’s left of her lyrics- and fresh guitars by Olivier Demaine, this track started to gather dust again. Until Steve Rice came along and added his lyrics and convincing vocal performance. Doubt, anger and hurt as being part of love…
This is now my heart, In a world that’s torn apart I keep searching for a spark I keep searching
What you left for me Is but a hollowed memory Filled with love’s debris I keep searching
What is this pain I seem to hold My angry bear it took control Those lonely nights my heart it froze I got nowhere that I can go
Could you take me back again Or dust me off and just be friends How does this lovers quarrel end Is this where I leave? You leave me
Will you leave me? Will you?
A painted storm inside my head My favorite color, always red The loop it plays those words I said I think I’ll put my bear to bed
Could you take me back again Or dust me off and just be friends How does this lovers quarrel end Is this where you leave me?
…there was this guy Justus who composed an instrumental piece he called ‘Every dog has its day’. Many years after that he got involved in online musical collaborations. As ‘Every dog has its day’ had been his favourite ever since, he decided to revive his tune. So he sent out several requests to songwriters and singers for lyrics and vocals. For years the project was gathering dust. Nobody seemed interest but then, out of the blue, Steve Rice came up with lyrics and a vocal track. (And later on Dan Rosati put his tasty sax on the cake.)
A new chapter was written. But singer Steve -hardrocker by nature- challenged me to try a rockier arrangement as well. So I went back to the drawing board. Killed some of my darlings -plus Dan’s saxual contributions…- and created this new rocking version of ‘the old dog’:
But since all good things come in threes, I decided to explore the other side of the spectrum as well. Just for fun. Getting out of my comfort zone. I built an entire new soft, jazzier version with the help of talented musicians in the online community. Subsequently I swapped most of my original midi/Reason instruments for the real stuff. Next to the vocals by Steve and Dan’s saxes, there are acoustic drums by Bill McCarthy, the Fender Rhodes by Gabro Jazz and a real upright bass by Jeff Dalton. Them jazzcats rule…
I should have known you’ld never let it be. You always twist it up in front of me. You laugh and say it doesn’t mean a thing. We both know that bird can’t help but sing.
Tie me, I’ve been flailing, won’t you tie me down again. Short pause between my banter, I can’t help but try to win. Can’t help but drool, I’m like a fool foaming at the mouth. You turn away, I shout and say that I can’t live without.
Every dog has its day, some dogs can’t help but bark some just run away. Every dog has its day, some dogs, their tail tells the tale they just want to play. They just want to play, they just want to play, they just want to play.
Every dog has its day, some dogs can’t help but bark some just run away. Every dog has its day, some dogs, their tail tells the tale they just want to play. They just want to play, they just want to play, they just want to play.
Now here’s a special one. Haunting vocals by Cali Beach trying to make the angels weep. Catchy riff and exciting sounds. Wandering spirits of John and George. A powerful layered lofi magical mystery tour if you ask me. Just love it.
After all that conspired we run on under fire will you drive away have you something more to say don’t you make a sound we’ve gone back underground and gone
You, you never change so I’ll, I’ll try to re-arrange a life of renegotiations and on to seize our time
With a minimum of lyrics and a maximum of magic: Unleash the hounds. Featuring Steve Rice (vocals) and of course the one and only Sven-Martin Keil on saxes. Sheer class…
Into the dark I struggled Flailing towards the sound No light was there to help me Footsteps all around This would be my only chance To get back above the ground I could hear the barking orders To unleash the hounds
