I started this project a long time ago. Since then I moved twice, got married, bought a house, had two children and started two new jobs. Only one of these songs was written during that time; the scratch tracks for the others were captured on an iPad and later re-recorded in my “studio” before it became a nursery. I often thought about scrapping everything and starting over. But in keeping with the story I wanted to tell, I decided to make the best of what I had. The result is Half Glass Full, a belabored mix of learned optimism: one part sanity, two parts absurdity; sometimes spilling over, never fully empty. Perfect for the new year.

Half Glass Full

As bits and pieces of songs often evolve side by side, it’s easy to borrow or steal your own lyrics. Sometimes it oddly feels like you have to give yourself permission. But even when retaining the same melody, lyrics can serve a different purpose with new context. And that can make all the difference. In this song, in two places you’ll hear, “I wanted to make you believe in me.”  With these simple words I reluctantly sacrificed a chorus in one song for a bridge in another. But it was the bridge I needed, quite literally, and somewhat ironically, to replace lyrics that now live silently in the background. I only later realized that in the story I was trying to tell, what I really needed was to believe in myself.

Walk Around Me (Radio Edit)

I once played this song at an open mic and someone approached me afterwards saying, “sounds a lot like Tom Petty.” While I wouldn’t officially refer to him as an influence, I took it as a compliment to be polite. To some extent I still find these comparisons annoying, but appreciate that it helps listeners connect with your sound. What I will never appreciate is being asked to make these comparisons myself. Yes there is almost always some influence that might answer the question, “what does your music sound like?” But this song, more than any song I’ve ever written, is simply me. Acoustic, melodic, introspective, ironic, transparent. Originally called “Day by Day’” when it was conceived almost twenty years ago, the story and title have been updated to reference an album I am indebted to, without fear of comparison. It’s a story I won’t (and cant) tell here, because it’s a story I never intended to tell.

Dizzy

Sometimes doing the same thing repeatedly, and expecting a different result, makes more sense than giving up. As far as dating goes, there is always risk involved; chances are you’re going to get hurt more than a few times. But as long as you’re alive there’s always a chance to be happy. You move on, hoping you don’t make the same mistakes twice.
But in the present world of online dating, the rules of the game have changed. Newly single, not-yet-thirty and living in a major city, I easily fell for the idea of instant happy hour plans four nights a week. But after the first month or so you start to realize it’s nothing short of insanity. At what point do you hedge your bets and stop going on other dates to pursue one person? The logical answer: when you think they’re going to do the same. But even when the odds are in your favor, you’re still paying a monthly subscription fee; having invested too much in a perfectly crafted profile, you keep your account active, just in case.
I repeatedly played this game for far too long. I wasted a lot of time and even more money. In the middle of this I met a girl at work who patiently waited for me to cash in, and now we are married.

Love Games

There is more than one reason why romantic relationships are the primary subject matter of most popular music.  For me, as a songwriter, the reason is this: these stories seem to write themselves. On more than one occasion I’ve written a series of songs about a single breakup, each time from a slightly different perspective, roughly following the stages of grieving. And while the other songs in the present collection loosely follow such a pattern, this track stands on its own. It is the only song I’ve ever written for someone rather than about someone; the only one about the beginning of a relationship rather than the end. It’s a story both driven and sustained by passion as it continues to grow. It was originally recorded and shared on the occasion of my first wedding anniversary, just as true today as it was then.

Fruitful Vine

Walk Around Me

I started playing guitar when grunge bands and boy bands were battling for top 40 spots, so you might say my sound is somewhere (awkwardly) in the middle. After being kicked out of several bands in high school and college, despite being a founding member, I was warmly accepted into the open mic community as another artist recovering from years of playing covers. Several  songwriters I admire have said that a song needs to sound good on an acoustic guitar before adding in the full band; I echo this by keeping my Taylor front and center. Streaming platforms might label this “singer/songwriter,” but I prefer “songwriter/singer” to reflect the priority I place on the creative process, rather than the performance.

Jeff Ossinger

Pinned to spotlight

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