Jon of the Atom kindly takes time out from his action-filled secret life as a musical superhero and tells us all about the latest great offering from DEAD CANARIES – “Something Else” (FREE to download from your cheap and spookily cheerful QUIXODELIC RECORD STORE above).
The lion’s share of this album was down when I decided to write and record a song a day, hoping that after a couple months, I’d have enough songs to point a stick at. I was in a lull. I had started I Do Not Currently Own A Spaniard against my will, but was glad I had done it, however the comfort of finishing Critical Mass was gone. So I had nothing to write and no comfort in that. Something Else also contains a couple orphan songs that were too good to let go of. Like “Song For #6” may have been the first song. The title came from the fact that there is always something else. This album is no exception to the fact that I have a muse and cannot escape from writing about her; it is in fact something else. Even Critical Mass was done in an effort to not write about her.
- Going For A Ride Today- This song was much longer, but it bugged me. I cut it down after a fall out with the person it was about. It works better and builds up the cycling element. Also, there were 2 other songs that were based around Elvis and Roy Orbison that were cut, leaving “Black Hole” to sound out of place! Go discord!
- My Pump Caught In My Trouser Leg- A part of the original Going from a Ride that sounded better on it’s own, and the segue is a calliope from Yankee Stadium, the last Boston/ New York game in the old stadium. Not an important fact, just that’s where it’s from.
- Something Else- A friend called during recording of one of the clarinets, and the song starts with her message. The faulty bass wiring can be heard through out, but it sounds good. The opening verses lyrics were recorded at Bus Stop Studio in Liverpool NY. The song is little more than it sounds. It’s to the point. I was told that everyone has this moment about someone. Dan came and put down the drums last minute and made the song.
- Shortest Hour of the Day- This was a cover of a song written by Paul Burnout and Smally Wheelies, however, I had the song so long that I for got to note that! I don’t think they’d mind. The lovely Chelsea Hogan put her pipes on this one, thank god. It would be a different song. This was another orphan that needed a proper home.
- Song For #6- The music for this song was written why watching The Prisoner so I named it for #6. My myspace said, “Who is #1” for a while, but that means something else these days (there it was again!). The lyrics were inspired by Smally’s original try at writing lyrics for the song. He ended up having written the first line, then I took over by placing photos in place of paintings and something else took over.
- Kim’s Unfinished Ride Home- A woman from Maine demanded, “Write a song for me!” and I did. I don’t think she ever heard it. It took me awhile to decide it was in fact finished, but the title meant something else too. There’s a Simpsons quote at the end of the song, and that’s a clue as to what the title means.
- Doli Lemon- Rob Levy wrote a song we called Doli Lemon, it was really titled Dilemma, and so I wrote a song that was supposed to be about the Doli Lemon, only I ended up not liking it so much rather quickly. Meghan Geiss recorded the Drums around the time of The New Wave Dirt’s Elephant’s Tap Dance Recital, so I wrote a new song around them. I prefer this one, but time will tell.
- Something- This song was I believe the official first for Something Else. I recorded into a dictation machine from the 70’s and wrote it down later. I didn’t write the last line but Katie (beautiful voice heard on this song) pointed out that it sounded like “Plastic Jesus” so she wrote the last line. This might be the best song I ever written. It is about moving on and being positive.
- Nothing Else- Conversely, this is the regression into old habits. This song was inspired by, but not about, riding passed a friend’s home and ringing my imaginary bicycle bell. I had the music from “My Pump Caught…” and thought I’d write the song over that, but forgot that the music was sad and a bit unpleasant, the improvised lyrics, recorded on my camera while I recorded the main guitar, are unpleasant as well.
- Vindaloo Was Her Name- Vindaloo has become my favorite Indian food and there is a song by the Pussy Willows that they sing, “Vindaloo was her name, she will never dance again”. I had a crazy dream that I would learn to play the oboe well enough to put down a lead part, but luckily gifted saxophonist (Colin Gordon) was right next door one day and he did it for me.
- Never Tinker With The Gear Shifter- was done to put in an apothecary box and when you opened a drawer it played. Charity Burger asked me to create music for her art, it fit in the box pretty well.
- Tim’s Banjo Story- Tim Kotch asked me to work on a song that he said he might not use. I finished it, he didn’t want it. Right before I finished Something Else Tim asked for the song, and it was interweaved in the other songs, so I just made a new version for The Hoborchestra.
- How & When- A Tim Kotch song, one of my favorites, if I had to choose, which I can’t! Katie Saul again sings and Dan finished it up for me.
- Nothing- This song was on my enemies list for most of the production, I’m not sure if I like it even now. I had a dream that I was in a hospital bed and I was waking up and there was a Beatles song playing, not a real Beatles song, but John Lennon was singing. Then George came on and the music dropped out and his voice got really echo-y, like Paul in “Lovely Rita” and George sang “less stuff from the stores, less stuff for your drawers.”
- Who Knew? – Total frustration over wanting and hoping. Longing and pining. I was trying to write a Townshend, but the only the Who-ish about this song is the title.
- Black Hole- I wrote this song in 1996 and the original out version of this album it worked better, but it was the perfect ending and couldn’t be compromised by bullshit. The refrain at the end is “Something Else” with out the vocals, fuzz bass or noise. If I had known…