Psychedelically rocking your mind out, here is the newest Glaze of Cathexis release. I think we cranked up the amps a little more than usual, and while I wouldn't be one to dispense with the groovy 60's vibes, there's more of a mid-80's Husker Du/Sonic Youth buzz hanging around on the tracks. I think it's the best one we've cooked up yet, but I suppose I wouldn't be so keen on releasing it if I felt differently.Scott was is charge of the surreal visions of the words and imagery. We've snuck a photo essay along for this ride, with each track pairing with a cosmic photo taken during his travels in Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and beyond.
I've always tried to keep the music free, but the Bandcamp download this time carries a $5 charge. It's getting to the point where I can't really keep up the music without some kind of an income stream, so if you dive in you'll be supporting both this blog and Glaze of Cathexis. We're far from rich, put in quite a bit of work on it, and I think we need to stand by the quality of our work to advance our lives and future music. If I can't make something sustainable out of it by the end of the year, I may very well have to hang it up. We've tried to add some bang for the buck on the new one with the photo essay and a couple of photographic slide show videos included with the download.
Hmm.. I used to give you track notes here. Could be fun, but spoilers abound if you don't want to know just what I'm ripping off:
1. An Acrobat of Worlds - I was going for that slightly goth 80's vibe, with the poppy Cure and all. Maybe I ended up kind of ripping of David Bowie's "Heroes" instead, especially with the keyboard part. I didn't record any keyboard on this track, but something sure sounds like one. There's no doubt that the guitar solo at the end is putting Eric Clapton's Gibson 'woman tone' clear in the sights.
2. Primordial Epiphany - Is it acceptable to let the Big Bopper in as an influence nowadays? Because that's one I'm doing with the vocals. If that bugs you, dig the full-tilt, out-of-control rock n' roll informing this track. I don't have to worry anymore if the track's psychedelic or not, because Scott's lyrics keep the proceedings visionary.
3. Path of the Starry Vortex - It's a Goldilocks track. The first pass at it was too screwed up, the second was too fast, and the third was just right. Wait... no it wasn't. I just added bongos to the fast version. In other news, I finally figured out how much fun you can have with the tone knobs on a good guitar.
4. Koans of the Paradox - This is a top 40 hit in my mind. I borrowed a super-cheap pawn shop Strat and decided to try and be Hendrix. Then I realized that the strings tended to scrap in strange ways and ended up warping the thing through vibrations of Cream all the way to Sonic Youth on the lead guitar track.
5. Archway Complexities - This was a straight down funk track called "Shartymobile." You can still hear a touch of it at the end (although not with the ridiculous lead guitar and funk growling). Now it's a mystical showcase for Scott, but I'll give you "Shartymobile" if you beg me for it.
6. Vales of Fire and Light - Should I say it? Should I say it? What the hell. I played drums along with "The Wind Cries Mary" on my ipod and just recorded a new song on top of it. The Santana leads, Moody Blues organ, and Roger Daltrey-before-his-balls-dropped-in-1969-vocals are just there to throw you off the path.
7. The Windcharmer - I read an interview with Kevin Shields about a year ago where he talked about his recording technique, and the fact that most Bloody Valentine tracks don't feature 6,000 guitars, but rather two or three really loud ones. That's what I try to do these days.
8. Cryptic Hullabaloo - My wife doesn't like this one because she thinks I'm trying to sing like a pirate. I'm glad she didn't hear the first pass at the vocals. Otherwise, I was just trying to see how much blues howl I could get out of an Epiphone Casino and it was always going to be the title track.
9. Cycles of History - The first tune I recorded for this album. It has goofier percussion than usual and crossfades the Madchester scene with Yo La Tengo. I think you can dance to this more than you can with most Glaze tracks.
10. Droplets on a Lily - This is what the Dead's "Dark Star" would have sounded like if the Buffalo Springfield had recorded it on a tape reel that had been in the sun too long. It was called "Thracian Intro" for months, but the next tune just needs a musical partner, not a conceptual one.
11. Thracian Moonlight - I don't think I really used much actual distortion on this album, just lots of tube overdrive. That bass has a dang Big Muff on it though, because that's always a good idea. Otherwise we're sort of doing Dylan leading an amphetamine-addled Byrds (I suppose that actually did happen a few times). Artificial energy, indeed (not for me, just my metaphor).
12. Twilight in the Cloud Forest - And then I wanted to do Buddy Holly on that cheap Strat before I returned it. I might of bungled it up with that Sterling Morrison sort of lead guitar, though.
13. Holes in the Vastness - I might have gotten a touch lazy. This is the forward version of the backward section from "Cycles of History," but with Scott intoning over it. But if the Stone Roses could get away with that, maybe I can too?
14. Rivers of Life - I didn't click with Husker Du as a teenage. But then I spent nine months in 2003-2004 drinking scotch, playing San Francisco Rush 2049 on the Sega Dreamcast, and blasting a vinyl copy of "Zen Arcade" at uncomfortable volumes.
15. Bonus track - What could it be? What could it be? Recorded at the behest of the ex-Glaze of Cathexis drummer for his daughter's first birthday. Apparently, it's her favorite song.
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