A departure from the typical tracks recorded for this project, using electric bass, no guitar, and vocal effects. I was inspired by the close-miked, quiet, hyper-intimate vocals of some Xiu Xiu and Swans songs. 

It ended up more like if Nick Cave covered the song rather than Johnny Cash, but that's fitting. I wondered beforehand if switching the vocals from a woman to a man would change the song from something raw, lustful and powerful into a creepy, domineering dirge. I haven't decided but I like the tension nonetheless. Comments?

This Is Love (PJ Harvey cover)

Farewell Transmission (Songs: Ohia cover)

A song for Lou Reed, RIP. Written, recorded, and mixed within half a day.

Song For Lou

This is a fully-developed cover song that I recorded for my dad's 76th birthday. I grew up listening to him playing Gordon Lightfoot records, and he's still a fan, so this was my gift for him this year.

It was fun to figure out the arrangement and realize the subtle layers that were included in the original, as well as trying to replicate the guitar solo as close as I could. I also learned a few new recording tricks along the way! (using my compressor as a noise gate, multi-band compression for final mastering.)

Sundown (Gordon Lightfoot cover)

Original song for the short film 'Thanksgiving Dinner' directed by Brian W. Seibert.

Written by J. Whitefoot.
Performed by J. Whitefoot and L. Gage.

Fall (original for film)

A cover of Joy Division's classic "Atmosphere", using a single guitar and voice.

Atmosphere (Joy Division cover)

A clip of my grandmother singing the blues on her 80th birthday.

"St Louis Blues" (excerpt) -- Marie Whitehead

a classic song of love and death -- something Johnny Cash would've loved.

Holland, 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)

this is maybe the most different cover I've tried to do, but I think it translates well. The war-torn lyrics of desperation and futility fit well with this project.

Pink Flag (Wire cover)

This isn't the exact guitar part that Nick plays, but it was taught to me by my former guitar teacher. He cleverly added the piano solo into the guitar line and it can be played in drop D tuning.

Pink Moon (Nick Drake cover)

A mix of originals and cover songs in the style of J.R. Cash. Original rules, later frequently broken: (1) no overdubs or multitracking (2) straight through (3) no effects (4) preferably use the first take.

Influences: Nick Cave, Jamie Stewart's vocals, the song "John Lennon" by Hamell on Trial, Morphine's 2-string slide bass, whiskey, Cuban cigarillos smuggled in from France, X, the Cramps, pain and suffering. And, of course, J.R. Cash.

J Gardner

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