Pre-production notes for "A Moveable Feast"
7 August 2006 by The Sharp ThingsNote: the following was sent via e-mail by Perry Serpa on August 7, 2006, to various persons involved in the making of our third LP, which presently bears the working title: “A Moveable Feast.” The NYSAE is the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, of which our violinist Andrea Dovalle is a member. Everything subject to change!
Here’s some idea of the songs we’ll be recording. i hope i’m not being too self-indulgent in the descriptions. i just thought i’d put it out there for you to ruminate on…
1 – THE JUMPERS – this is mainly based around a theme to be played by string quartet (actually, one extra violin and one extra viola) with some extras- tubular bell (we could use a keyboard for this), timpani, an operatic vocal line, street noises and a clock. the song is based on nick hornby’s novel “a long way down” about 4 people of disparate backgrounds meeting on the roof of a building in london on new year’s eve with the intention of throwing themselves off. the lyric kinda leaves you hanging… heh heh. but it’s a short, odd song and it will, of course, kick off the record.
2 – EVERYTHING BREAKS – this is rock band + string quartet w/euphonium and some weirdo synth noizes
it’s an anxious little song about… well… being anxious and overtaxed and unable to cope with your relationships, let alone the difficult task of putting on your pants in the morning.
3 – THROUGH WITH LOVE – this will be TST + the NYSAE. the whole thing must sound like one horrendous and unyielding clock ticking and ticking and scratching the itches on the inside of your cranium, with violins, guitar, woodblocks, triangles and other things behaving in an impetuous syncopated manner whilst the horn, the cellos, the bass and vocals run around the room trying to anchor them down. it’s my version of “what do you get when you fall in love” meets “that’s amore.” vocals- very scott walker. dean martin? frank? heh heh
4 – STORM KING – TST – no strings. lots and lots of vocals. imagine “tusk” era fleetwood mac meets the left banke. or otis redding colliding with the mamas and the papas. it’s about the tornadoes that come without warning and fuck up your life. we can all relate. [listen to a demo]
5 – DON’T HOLD OUT HOPE – TST – no strings (well, maybe a bit of cello and some ARP string pad stuff), but this should really feel like it could slip right in on carole king’s “tapestry” without anyone noticing. the title basically says it all. let go, cuz you can’t take it with you.
6 – BUREAU DE CHANGE – TST – very sparse production, i’m thinkin. should sound like a party – think “give peace a chance” or “along comes mary.” lotsa claps and chatter and bangin on things along with some drums, some bass, acoustic gtr and wurly. lots of voices. about being stuck in london with no money and no girl and a band too big to take along with you. simple and dopey. fun.
7 – THE DEVIL IN YOU SINGS – TST – this is a rock song that would either make marc bolan proud or turn in his grave. john lennon, too. likely, the latter. this will moreover involve the core band. guitar, drums, bass, piano, vocals, but with some extras- some sax maybe, big bells. again, lotsa vocals.
8 – AN OCEAN PART 2 – TST w/NYSAE – another rock song. bowie style, kinda. i really dunno what it sounds like, but essentially it’s a midtempo rock songs that falls into a sweeping and ominous string break and back again.
9 – SHE’S DISAPPEARED INTO PARIS – TST w/NYSAE – think jacques brel, scott walker, the divine comedy – big and fuckin euro style with musette, timpani, piano, pizzicato strings, etc… i will sing some pretentious french words in it, like “arrondisement” and “seine” and “saint germain” etc… and it will sound completely over the top on purpose.
10 – WHAT’S THE NEW GIRL WONDER? – TST w/NYSAE – this is an upbeat pop tune ala paul weller as he steps from the jam into the style council, complete with silly words about stalking and “my everchanging moods” arrangement—cool horns, extra percussion n’ shit, but with a big, big bacharach middle eight (which is where the orchestra comes in).
11 – DON’T U LEAVE ME THIS WAY – speaking of bacharach, if done right, this one should remind people of “this girl’s in love with you” meets “one less bell to answer.” flugelhorn, euphonium (or french horn), strings (which TST could probably hack with some double tracking), lots and lots of lovely vocals.
12 – REY – TST w/NYSAE – this song is swing out sister making sweet love to steely dan while bobby darin takes pictures. heh heh (sorry-best i can do). anyway- yeah- it’s an uptempo swinger with big, big “get happy” horn hits and a middle eight that needs to feel like the next train to vegas. it’s actually about a confused and oppressed young soul who needs to leave long island right now lest she face her demise at the hand of intrusive relatives, stupid friends and dr phil.
13 – DRIVING IN MANHATTAN IN MY CAR – oh, think BIG. totally utilizing the NYSAE and all of TST. it’s gershwin, sinatra, cole porter. huge and epic. fun as shit. simply about coming home to a broken city and realizing that, for better or for worse, it will always be home.
14 – NOW THAT I’M BACK – TST with some extra horns – for this one, think randy newman, maybe leon russell, old tom waits (circa “closing time”) – fairly simple arrangement. mostly me on vocals. this one’s fer the missus.
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