My second album release is out on Spotify and some 20 other channels on July 28, a compilation of seven new songs. The title is a tribute to my writing partner back in the 1990s in Nashville. It was the title of our demo collection, which we pitched shamelessly to anyone whose hands were not in their pockets.
We got some interest from names you have heard, but eventually sold the collection to a Nashville house band that I’d rather not name. My partner, Jerry, kept the right to perform them, and he did perform into the new century.
Like so many good things in my life, we drifted out of each other’s orbit. I lost track of Jerry 20 years ago. But in our time in Nashville we wrote some fine tunes - Hillbilly Angel of the Rodeo, I Met June in July (But By August She Was Gone), The Wolf’s At the Door, Picasso’s Blues, others. All lost to the breeze that blows through the screen door of time.
Burek had the look - tall, baritone, winsome smile, ladies man. I had the stories, he turned them country. We were an interesting pair, played a few shows together, pitched songs together often. The original Leavin’ and Trains is lost to history.
This new version is something of a tribute to that time. The new songs are more my style than his, but are filtered through that Nashville era. Seven songs, from the heart and soul of primalbeet.
Fallen Angels - This is about as close as I come to country. It’s loosely about another friend of mine, not a musician, who ran into some rough times, lost his family. I love ya, man. Raise em up like Daddy did.
Gone - Another tune loosely based on a real event. Let’s see, what’s a word that rhymes with hunt? Bunt? Did she leg out an infield single? No, something else… Just me and some flies.
Entropy - This one began as free verse that I published here a few months ago. One day I was noodling on the guitar and the phrase she opens the door from the inside fell out. I found the right key and the whole song basically wrote itself. The video is a trip.
Manna - Manna is about a fictional character I wrote into a novella called Saudade. Miranda. Real, not real, who frickin knows. But she definitely is manna for the hungry. I love her curious abstract soul. Almost like she is part of me.
Quicksilver - What would happen if Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell had a kid? This one also started out as free verse - don’t remember if I posted it or not - but the keyboard solved this one. This song is probably my favorite of this set. The video is humble by birth, not up to the song, will be redone.
Cherry Red - Cherry Red was written a few years ago to a specific person. It went nowhere. I invited her to South by Southwest. She couldn’t find the time. Somewhere is a video I took with my phone of me on electric guitar singing this song very badly. But the tune survived that incident and turned into a pretty fine song. I will cover you if you will cover me.
Sadie Hawkins - This started out on guitar as a song sung by a man. In one of the very few instances of incorporating a machine idea, one version made the singer female. I was writing my novel First Light at the time, which works this theme a bit. I said “oh my!”. She showed me the truth and the way.
So here it is. The second album. These are good songs, I’m happy with them. I would love to hear your take on them. Just for fun, here is primalbeet in the 1990s:
