2x: 1. Even After All This Time

This is the first track on the album, so let me describe how I see this playing out. Each track gets its own post, which starts with a link to a downloadable .wma of the track and a link to Thom's journal for the song. The recordings are unmastered, so you might need to ride the volume knob. And you might have to play with the eq on your system to tame the bass or treble. You can just listen to the song and leave it at that. Or if you're interested in obscure minutiae, you can read further for a description of what went into the arrangement and recording of the track.

Oh, and comments are open, so have at it!

Track 1: Even After All This Time
Thom's songwriting journal entry for Even After All This Time

Virtual Ensemble

• A.V. -- acoustic guitar, lead vocal
• B.B. -- bass, background vocal
• K.B. -- organ, background vocal
• D.P. -- drums, background vocal

Actual Ensemble

• Thom Barker -- acoustic guitar, lead vocal
• Ken Barker -- fretted bass (DEADGC), organ, drum programming, background vocals

Notes

I wanted to start the album with just Thom on acoustic and vocal (ok, there's hats in there too). The "band" comes in after the first verse.

I didn't plan on putting so much organ on the album, but I couldn't help myself.

I also didn't plan on using a delayed accent in the chorus of so many songs, but it just happened. And I think the syncopated chorus turns out to be a bit of a unifying theme on the album (though not really obvious, I guess). Here, the chorus is already unusual: 8 bars grouped 3+3+2. The big accents are delayed by the drums to beat three of the first bar of each group. They start with a toms fill around beat two of the preceding bar. The toms fill completely ignores beat one of the first bar of the chorus group, playing through beats one and two to land the accent (cymbals) on beat three.

And yes, the "blue" C-natural (flat 7) on the bass at 2:45 and 2:53 is intentional; how can you not like it? It's sour.

Next: 2x: 2. We Cherish Our Scars