Demo Mirror

 “I find that you can’t hide with an acoustic guitar. If the song’s there, it’s there. If it’s not there, it is very obvious that it’s not there.” - Sara Quin on songwriting (via Stereogum)

Yestereday, Tegan & Sara released The Con Demos, an album featuring the demo recordings from their 2007 album The Con.

I had a similar conversation about this take on songwriting the other day.  I believe that if you can’t sit down and perform a song with just a voice + 1 instrument (like an acoustic guitar, or a piano/keyboard, or a rhythm) then the song is not very good.  In other words, when you strip a piece of music down, and you can’t move someone the same way you can when it’s a fully-produced record or ensemble performance, then it’s not a good song!  I think there are plenty of songs that are “OK” that don’t meet this criteria, but nothing “great.”  What do you think of it?  Any examples?

Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter.

Matt
Demo Mirror

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I am happy to be writing about the release of two amazing albums by Shakes (project of my dear friend Andy Szymcik) called FUCKING HILARIOUS & It Won’t Start, the latter coupled with a third album of outtakes, titled It Won’t End.  I interviewed Andy last year for Demo Mirror about his prolific songwriting and less-than-prolific sharing of the outcome.  I asked him why we hadn’t heard the material when he hinted at the existence of these albums and more like them.  It seems he’s always been in a state of trying to perfect the songs, in limbo with a band/without a band, never quite able to record them properly or do them justice due a multitude of circumstances.  And so they’ve sat on a hard drive somewhere, hidden from the world, occasionally making an appearance on his MySpace page.

Now, finally, we get to hear what’s been going on all these years in the land of Shakes – and it sounds fucking great!  Yes, the albums’ songs are admittedly unfinished, “riding the line of finished and demo recording” as Andy himself indicates.  But I love this stuff.  I’ve heard these recordings sporadically over the years, a few I haven’t heard at all, and certainly never as a complete entity.  It is so great to see them in proper context, in a running order.  I don’t care that they’ve been a long time coming, that they’re rough around the edges – I’m just glad they’re here.  These are truly special songs. 

FUCKING HILARIOUS contains songs that are personal favorites of mine, spanning from 2003 to 2005 – Somebody Hates Me Up There, To Australia, In A Hot Flash, Talks With Strangers, (Meanwhile) – just to name a few; great songs that 7 years after I first heard them still play in my head… everyday… without fail.  Pretty crazy.  I’m glad we all finally have them to listen to forever. 
 
The songs from It Won’t Start span from 2005-2008.  They are generally of a higher quality recording-wise, and of the highest quality songwriting-wise. Wow. Ranger Is My Middle Name, Talker Texas Ranger, Watered Down, S-T-O-P, What’s Your Story? Holy fucking hell!  I might as well just mention the entire track listing.  I’m not even sure what to say about this one, it’s that good.  Andy knows how to write a song and make you feel it.  I dare you not to get goosebumps.

To boot, he’s included a 3rd album of outtakes from the It Won’t Start era, called It Won’t End.  This contains some fantastic material, which has remained elusive until now.  Some of the best quality recordings can be heard here, like Jump Out the Building & Cancelled Plans (UK Surf).  A lot of meditative songs are featured on this one and a rare live track Care Barely’s (Rare Bears) sounds great.  What do you say when even the outtakes are this brilliant?

The best part?  All the albums are $5 each!  You can listen to all the songs and choose your price over at Shakes’ Bandcamp page.  While there is a $5 suggested price, I highly recommend you just give him all your money.  Really, just fork it over.  All of it.  I’m not sure he’s in it for the money, but it’s the least we can do to thank him. 

Right now, I’m getting a little emotional listening to the FUCKING HILARIOUS bonus track Get Ahead (Then We’ll Talk), recalling the (only) time Andy played this recording for me in his room years ago.  I was so moved.  It’s so intense, I can’t help but get misty.  I’m pleasantly surprised to hear it included here. 

I hope everyone checks these albums out and appreciates not only the charm of the recordings, but the moments of greatness that lie in between the tape hiss.  Shakes, even in it’s rawest form here is potent, powerful, and nothing short of inspirational.

Enjoy,

http://faketheshakes.bandcamp.com/album/fucking-hilarious
http://faketheshakes.bandcamp.com/album/it-wont-start
http://faketheshakes.bandcamp.com/album/it-wont-end

Matt J
Demo Mirror

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A few weeks ago, Tony Vecchi sat down with me, my old band Lights, and our friend Charles Murphy to talk about our posthumous release Something in the Sky, a collection of material (33 songs) that we never recorded/released when we were a band from 2003-2007.

We basically discuss our entire history in this interview - from the early days and recording our first EP, to recording Get Lit, to recording this huge Something in the Sky thing after we broke up… and all the good, bad, funny, unfunny stuff in between. 

Download Lights’ entire discography for free: http://www.somethinginthesky.net/

Please feel free to leave feedback below, as this is the only forum we have right now. Leave comments or we’ll respond to any questions. Thanks, enjoy!

(To download this as a podcast/mp3, follow the iTunes link below, or search for “Demo Mirror” at the iTunes Store)

Matt
Demo Mirror

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A few weeks ago, Tony Vecchi sat down with me, my old band Lights, and our friend Charles Murphy to talk about New Song from our forthcoming album Something in the Sky, a collection of material that we never recorded/released when we were a band from 2003-2007. 

A few weeks after we played our last show in Fall 2007, we decided to get together to record this large batch songs.  The bulk of the tracking was done live by Charles in a weekend at Andy’s grandparents’ house in Gardner, MA.  After a couple of years of additional work, mixed feelings and premature announcements, we finally have Something in the Sky.

It was fun to get together and do this interview, we had a lot of laughs.  I must apologize – my mic on this one is low in the mix and it sounds like I’m in an adjacent bathroom, which (to me at least) somehow adds to the humor of it all… I tried to fix it a bit, but my suggestion if you have trouble with the levels on this one: turn it up.  Otherwise, the interview went really well.  We discuss this song, our songwriting in general, the recording process, all that fun stuff.

There will be a second, more in-depth interview conducted by Tony available when we officially release all 33 tracks of Something in the Sky in two weeks (March 24th).  Everything will be available for free download at http://www.somethinginthesky.net/

Please feel free to leave feedback below, as this is the only forum we have right now.  Leave comments or we’ll respond to any questions.  Thanks, enjoy!

(To download this as a podcast/mp3, follow the iTunes link below, or search for “Demo Mirror” at the iTunes Store)

Matt
Demo Mirror

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I made a phone call to Eric this past Christmas Eve to talk about Song 2.  We got into how the song was written, the refreshing honesty of it’s lyrics, some of Eric’s influences (from the Beach Boys to That Dog), and how his work as a recording engineer at Honeyland, in his current hometown of Brooklyn, NY factors into his personal writing and recording.

For more from Eric, check out
http://www.myspace.com/turnofthecenturycannons
http://www.myspace.com/honeyland

Matt
Demo Mirror

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Shawn Massak is the vocalist for a band called Coalmine Canary (pictured above are members Justin Demers, left, and Shawn, right).  I sat down with Shawn in his room just the other morning to discuss this Coalmine Canary demo called Entitlement.  We talked about the circumstances in which this and other Coalmine songs have come into existence, influences both musical and otherwise, and the future of the acoustic guitar-based band with the recent addition of some new members, including a drummer.  The finished version of this song can be heard on the band’s EP, The Company We Keep.

For more from Shawn, check out

http://www.myspace.com/coalminecanarymusic

Matt
Demo Mirror

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I went to Tim & Kate’s apartment to talk about a song they gave me, which for the purposes of this episode is called Untitled Jam, and is, in fact, an untitled jam!  They created it at practice with their band Necktie Party (which has recently regrouped with a few new members as Mombi).  We discuss exactly how this song came about, it’s possible future, how their relationship factors into their music writing/band, and we share thoughts on the difficulties of naming bands.

For more from Tim & Kate, check out

http://www.myspace.com/mombimusic
http://www.myspace.com/necktiefiesta

Matt
Demo Mirror

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Andy is the father of two wonderful cats named Sushi and Nori.  He is also the father of a song called So What (I Want Your Body (of Work)).  Andy and I sat down recently to discuss this song, it’s long road into existence, his massive library of unreleased material for band/solo project Shakes, and some thoughts on the perfect album.  It is a sporadic treat to hear a new Shakes recording (not to mention with commentary), so please enjoy!

For more from Andy, check out

http://www.myspace.com/shakestheblank
http://tapedhisstory.blogspot.com/

Matt
Demo Mirror

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Tony Vecchi recently sat down with Jesse and Ross, (his roommates, also known as Thunder Asunder) to talk about a song called The Wedge.  In one of the funniest Demo Mirror episodes yet, we hear them discuss their outlook on their music/band/live shows, their history (including putting a former member on trial… in a courtroom… in the woods…), and we are even treated to an impromptu writing session for a new song Paul Cop w/ guest vocals by Tony.

For more from Jesse and Ross, check out

http://www.myspace.com/thunderasunder

By the way, Ross says ’sup.

Demo Mirror

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Jim Brennan and Mike Champ (drummer of The Bynars) invited me over to their apartment to discuss this song, which is either titled Leo Was Born To Bowl or Born to Bowl (Leo Was) – we’re not sure, as there is still some debate.  Mike & Jim have been friends for years; they now live in Boston together, but this song was created in the small town of Pomfret, Connecticut when Mike was a senior in high school and Jim had just started college.  In the interview we discuss the “happy accident” that became Leo, some of the sources for inspiration, and we also giggle a lot.

Matt
Demo Mirror