Southerly Song-a-Week
Portland band Southerly is releasing a new series of songs -- weekly through February 19th -- which you can download here at opbmusic. Except where noted, all the songs are written and performed by Krist Krueger.
These are the songs released so far, along with Krueger's notes about each one:
"Picture Perfect" - 12/11/08
Notes: I've lately been getting more interested in utilizing and experimenting with various vocal effects as well as wanting to write more songs directly rock related. The adage that frequently has imposed itself on my thoughts while writing as of late is "keep it simple stupid." I've always used various tools such as doubling in addition to using harmonies to build melody lines within a song but with this title I've used effects over a single take to infuse the vocals with the instrumentation.
Download "Picture Perfect" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"She Doesn't Know" - 12/11/08
Notes: "She Doesn't Know" is an experiment with varying layers of background noise and effects, not only to fill in the "empty space" between phrases but also to accent and bridge those gaps. Again working with various vocal effects as with "Picture Perfect" but also utilizing a similar effect on the drums to meld those tracks and create a further separation from the other instrumentation.
Download "She Doesn't Know" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Fall Song" - 12/18/08
"Fall Song" is just that, a song written for the season that is Autumn. Electronic bird and wind sounds with only backing harmonies layered in for vocals. Like sitting on your porch with a hot cup of coffee on a brisk morning wearing your favorite Cosby sweater.
Download "Fall Song" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"A Temporary Fix" - 12/25/08
"A Temporary Fix" is about how life and being alive is continuously fleeting whether we realize or stop to think about it. From the moment we are born we're fighting a clock with an indefinite but absolute end. Just as the actor who played Richard Dreyfuss' son in "What About Bob?" told Bill Murray's character just prior to the pillow fight, "we are going to die."
Download "A Temporary Fix" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Where Sterling is Gold" - 1/1/09
" 'Where Sterling is Gold' was written for my maternal Grandmother and first performed as an offering at her funeral. Sterling is a reference to the town where she was born and raised - Sterling, Kansas. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease. For a period she resorted back to her earlier memory thinking that she was a teenager prior to even having married my Grandfather. One question and curiosity I had concerned a symptom that in some cases Alzheimer's patients will, near their end, regain memory even if only for a moment. One night when she was in hospice she awoke, looking healthy and energetic and said 'I remember.' To which my Mother asked 'What do you remember?' My Grandmother looked at her and said 'Everything.' After that she declined again and was no longer able to respond verbally. She was a grand woman and this is my tribute to her."
Download "Where Sterling is Gold" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Denial as Defense" - 1/8/09
"Sometimes I just want straightforward rock music that's a little on the dark side."
Download "Denial as Defense" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"When You Wrote" - 1/16/09
"This may be my first try at scoring music for spaghetti westerns."
Download
Download "When You Wrote" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Central Coast" - 1/25/09
"I woke up today singing 'Who Wrote the Book of Love' by the Monotones and throughout the day it translated into this doowop ballad."
Download "Central Coast" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Some Days" - 1/30/09
(Written by Krist Krueger / recorded by Krist Krueger and Todd Berry)
" 'Some Days' was inspired by a near 'normal' Portland winter day which kind of happened on Wednesday and one of those Q&A blog posts people partake in at times that seemed to focus on a recurring negative theme. This is a response to both."
Download "Some Days" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Miles (and Tina Turners Saxophone Player Circa The Lost Boys)" - 2/9/09
Notes from Krueger: "I listened to Bitches Brew over the weekend and at some point saw a plug for the television show. Whenever I see Kiefer Sutherland I think of The Lost Boys which of course brings us directly to the beach party scene where Tina Turner's saxophone player goes muscle for muscle with his eighties hair and purple spandex."
Download "Miles". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Need" - 2/13/09
Notes about the song: "I finally have my studio put back together and in working order after about a month or so of being without! I've been wanting to do another louder rock or rock-esque song so here it is. Perhaps a subconscious homage of sorts to Braid, yes Braid!"
Download "Need". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"The Life You Choose" - 2/18/09
Notes from Krist Krueger: "A fairly somber number. This song is about a woman whose abusive ex-husband is stalking her and eventually makes his way to her apartment and commits suicide while she's at work over the weekend. There are lyrical segments where she is being questioned by the police and trying not to admit that she knows who the man is. Perhaps his appearance has actually changed through his apparent vulnerability and she's grappling with this new demeanor. I've never been one to write out and describe my songs or offer written lyrics and I have to admit it feels a bit strange. Perhaps it's feeling vulnerable myself by exposing such things. I think it's important that the listener have their own interpretation of what may or may not be happening in any given piece. That's part of the art in songwriting and music overall. It's not just the writer who is painting the picture. The meaning and effect can arouse a hundred different viewpoints in a hundred different people and mean something completely different to each individual. So now that I've psychoanalyzed myself publicly courtesy of opbmusic, here's 'The One You Choose.' "
Download "The Life You Choose". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"You Can't Take It With You" - 2/26/09
Krueger's notes: "Hallelujah for straightforward rock songs! Perhaps representative of an internal marriage between early David Bowie and Weezer?"
Download "You Can't Take It With You". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Letting Go" - 3/10/09
Krist's notes: "I caught about fifty pieces of snow/sleet on my tongue this afternoon walking directly into the wind. It was very exciting though more than one person looked at me awkwardly as I strolled along with my head looking up and my tongue out. It added to my already good mood and thusly turned into a positive little number."
download "Letting Go". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"These Men are Not Objectivists" - 3/16/09
Krist writes: "Yes, I know there are a couple of 'Radiohead notes' or perhaps 'Radiohead phrases' towards the end there. But you know, it's just what I wanted for Christmas."
Download "These Men are Not Objectivists" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Fall to Pieces" - 3/23/09
Krist's notes: "I just recorded three new versions of songs from the last album for exclusive videos (filmed by Ryer Banta) for three German magazines (Motor, Visions and Intro). Thought I would do a similar stripped down, acoustic guitar based song for this week."
Download "Fall to Pieces" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Make it Famous First" - 3/26/09
Krist says: "I've revisited an idea recently - or rather perhaps the idea presented itself once again - regarding the "make it famous first" adage. Based on a concept of public knowledge or opinion that it doesn't matter who first created a "sound" or "style", what's important is who made it palatable (if necessary) and delivered it to the masses. I know it's a chicken or the egg scenario and likely a very useless thought but it's entertaining me for the moment. So many unsung heroes who ate baked potatoes all their lives because they didn't look good enough in glitter spandex, zubaz or weren't creative enough with a cucumber."
Download "Make It Famous First" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"First Light" - 4/2/09
Download "First Light" (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Salvation" - 4/15/09
Krist writes: So, I think most people who make art in one form or another would like to say that they're not effected by reviews. For better or worse it's difficult to avoid reading what people think of your work. I've only EVER contacted one reviewer in response to something written and published about SOUTHERLY. It was a review of the first album where unnamed person stated that it was a complete verse-by-verse and thematic rip-off of another bands album that came out five months after mine. I politely thanked him for the press (no press is bad press right?) and listed the official release dates of both albums, to which I received no response. Try and look at critiques like...say...manatee's! They're cute and probably pretty fun to hang out with, eating and sunning all day, but I probably wouldn't want to have one in my house.
Download "Salvation". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Breaking In" and "A Coarse Design" - 4/24/09
Says Krist: Since we're nearing the end of the series I thought I would include a special track this week. It's an acoustic version of the song "A Coarse Design" from the Storyteller And The Gossip Columnist album.
Download "Breaking In" and "A Coarse Design (Acoustic)". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
"Forgetful You" and "How to Be a Dreamer (Acoustic)" - 5/2/09
Download "Forgetful You" and "How to Be a Dreamer (Acoustic)". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
Krist writes: Kind of like watching Mr. Rogers with an Allman Brothers cameo in the land of make-believe. Included another bonus track this week as well. An acoustic version of "How To Be A Dreamer" from Storyteller and the Gossip Columnist.
"(Portland) Summer Days" and "Dreams that Make Men Free" - 5/7/09
download "(Portland) Summer Days" and "Dreams that Make Men Free (Acoustic)". (Right-click and choose "Save As" to save on your computer)
Krist says: For the twenty-first and final installment I wanted to make a fun song in the spirit of the forthcoming summer season. This is a PDX summer fun song about riding bikes, cookouts, Beavers games at PGE Park and all things summer. I would like to thank the crew at opbmusic.org for hosting this series. It has been a really fun project and I've enjoyed writing and recording these songs immensely.
Thanks, Krist!
