Virtual LP

The Sea Is Awash with Roses

by

There’s this lovely poem by Kenneth Patchen that I sent out a while back on my lil poem-of-the-day mailing list (aka “The Richard Brautigan poem of the day”).

I sent it out and, you know, sometimes someone writes back, and this time a good pal wrote me to say “you should make that a song,” which I thought was a great idea.

Herewith, the first new “Virtual LP” track in a while. Lyric (c) Kenneth Patchen, who it turns out recorded this poem, somewhere along the line, in case you wanted to hear the rhythm he heard in his head.

Press Play to play.

Time: 1:27 seconds; Specs: 2.9M

Virtual LP: Wallabees Are Back

by

A crazy long time ago, one of my brothers gave me lyrics to a song about Clark-brand Wallabees. Wallabees were the preferred shoe-wear of Vortices in the ’70s. Their return to the scene had upset him. I set those words to music and got a vocal assist by so-called Shonny Vortex. Herewith, the results, recorded in 2010 and finally seeing the light of blog.

time: 1:04 seconds; specs: 1.5M
Press Play to play.

Virtual LP: Tin and Crumbs

by

Here’s a new addition to the Virtual LP, written and recorded this morning. It’s a true story, almost. “No incantations will bring back the pie” indeed.
I should probably be clear that I’m not really that upset about the missing piece of pumpkin pie. I mean, I like pumpkin pie. But mostly I just wanted to see if I could write the world’s angriest song about a missing slice. Sort of like, what would happen if you took the last piece of pumpkin pie from Dick Cheney, and he started to sing about it….
Eat hearty,
-Cecil
time: :49 seconds; specs: 1.1M
Press Play to play.

Virtual LP: Time After Time

by

I’ve fallen back in love with the piano. In particular, I can’t stop playing one of my very favorite songs — “Time After Time” by the unbeatable Cahn and Styne. Holy cow could those fellows write a tune. There are incredible versions of this out there by the likes of Sinatra and Chet Baker. A personal favorite is by Alex Chilton, off Cliches (highly recommended).
I took a crack at recording a cover of this beautiful song this evening. As with pretty much all the tracks on the Virtual LP, this is a relatively short number — a smidge over 60 seconds. Just piano and vocals. I even resisted my usual urge to overtreat the voice. A fun Sunday night project. The house was warm, the way houses get when it’s snowing outside. Only, no snow…. Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for listening,
-Cecil
time: 1:06 seconds; specs: 1.6M
Press Play to play.

Virtual LP: Lullaby

by

Here’s a sleepy little tune-let to add to the Virtual LP. I’ve been messing around with these changes for a few days now and wanted to see tonight whether I could get a few takes recorded around the margins of a work eve.
One program note: following Shonny Vortex’s recent vocal debut, Lullaby marks the Virtual LP premiere for Power Vortex, here on backup vocals. He did in two takes. Quite the pro, that Power.
Thanks for listening and nighty night,
-Cecil
update: new version uploaded Saturday with a vocal fix, guitar, and a rousing coda.
time: 1:29 seconds; specs: 1.3M
Press Play to play.

Virtual LP: Mind Was Wandering

by

Here’s the latest in the ongoing project the cognoscenti likes to call the Virtual LP. I love the cognoscenti. I just can’t let myself get too attached. You know how they are.
This tune marks the “World Wide Web” debut of Shonny Vortex, who turns in a, I’ll say it, stellar performance on backup vocals. The song’s about a true fact — 7 coats I had, 7 coats I lost. I’ve literally had and lost around 7 coats over the last stretch while My Mind Was Wandering. A maddening thought, one I could only quiet by, you know, setting it to music. Thanks for listening. May all your coats come home.
-Cecil
time: 1:01 seconds; specs: 950K
Press Play to play.

Jack

by

When I first put my real name up here on the site about three weeks ago, I thought to myself (largely in the second person) “Not to worry, So-Called ‘Cecil.’ It’ll be years before you feel the urge to post something that in substance or by way of word choice might leave you later thinking, ‘Perhaps this isn’t the sort thing I’d necessarily want associated with my name for the rest of my life.'”
Turns out I was off by roughly X, where X = [years minus three weeks].
Here’s the latest addition to the Virtual LP. You’ve been warned. Therefore you can’t say, really, that I didn’t warn you.
time: 1:08 seconds; specs: 1.6 MB
Press Play to play.