Lecture on Nothing - Processing

Featuring my brother Brad, who helped co-write lyrics, on screaming vocals.
Also featuring my new Diezel VH4.

---

There is a chemical present in the air.
I see it wavering in the space between our frozen faces.
How can I hold this in?
I'm an animal.
I am nothing like a man.
Incoherent.

That is not the way you would see things.

This is an impulse. It is just the natural progression.
Just two creature hiding from the cold.
Oh but then feelings come and it's time to go..

The animal inside of me can smell the fear you think you're hiding
It's in our nature. There's no such thing as privacy.
The state brought on by piss and your adrenaline gives you up.
It puts me in the mood to kill again.

But what's this other thing that reaches out?
When I am at my breaking point, it's only starting to awaken.
If we're just animals, then what are all these dreams? 
What are all these things that keep me pressing on?
And in the place I'm at, nothing's certain.
If you wander when I'm coming back, I have no answers for you.
I am still discovering what kind of animal will paint the sky or learn to sing.
This is the key to things, I'm sure.

So I sit here with these questions.
All their answers, my obsessions.

That would say it all, wouldn't it?
I always want the answers I can't get.
I'll be straight with you my friend,
Though I'm looking again, I see no light.
So what is right?
I can't feel it inside.

My mind wanders where my legs take me.
Your assumptions.
I feel numbness.
Write me off.
I'll bear witness.
I'm done trying.
God forgive me.

Animal

This weekend I was thinking about artists that I used to enjoy listening to in highschool. Toad the Wet Sprocket came to mind, and I thought it would be fun to cover one of their songs. I've always liked "Pray Your Gods" - even though the chorus is a bit too happy sounding for me - because of the haunting ending. (As an aside, I learned that the phrase being repeated, "dona nobis pacem", means "grant us peace".)

Anyway... my goal wasn't to reproduce the song, but to remake it into something darker and moodier. I'm really happy with what I've gotten so far but I still need to work on the ending. I'm looking for some kids to sing the latin bit, either along with (or instead of me). I'd also like to build up the strings a bit more than they currently do.

Music/vocals by Brian Vaughn.
Special thanks to Jessica Landry, Jaymie Inouye, Julia Inouye, Stanley Inouye, and Trevor Inouye for choral vocals at the song's closing.

Lyrics:
I will give the secrets you request,
And you will be the one to sacrifice.
So lay your olive arms across my breast,
And sing the poems, free the butterflies.

Pray your gods who ask you for your blood,
For they are strong and angry jealous ones,
Or lay upon my altar now your love.
I fear my time is short.
There are armies moving close.
Be quick, my love..

I feel my body weakened by the years,
As people turn to gods of cruel design.
Is it that they fear the pain of death?
Or could it be they fear the joy of life?

Pray your gods who rule you by your fear,
For they are quick and ruthless punishers.
Or lay upon my altar now your love.
I fear my time is short.
There are armies moving on.
Be quick, my love.

Dona nobis pacem. (Grant us peace.)

Pray Your Gods

Conversation dies when you walk into the room.
Thought I'd changed my mind, then I look at you.
There's not a word that I can say to make you realize what you do to me.
Is it intentional?
Are you leading me somewhere?

One step and I'm further down.
Two minutes too few to think about.
Three ways I sever ties.
Just go away.
Separate me from my friends.
Never speak of compromise.
Ears shut to the outside world.
It will go away.

Time is an anchor while we try to float.
I don't know this place and I don't know you anymore.
Everything is shifting.
How do you feel this time, on your own?
I've just got to know.
This is leading me somewhere.

Somewhere

Words and music by Brian Vaughn
Photo by Alexander Popov (https://unsplash.com/photos/r-f_bQwO7rk)
--------------------

I have your number on the telephone.
Maybe I'll call you to say-

I think I'll try again.
I'll try to move on again.
I'm trying to be happy.
I think I'd be happier if I didn't know you.

Maybe I'll get better soon.
Maybe I'll get out of this place.

I guess I'll try again.
I'll try to move on again.
I'm trying to be happy.
I think I'd be happier if I didn't know you.

Be Happy Again

i did some tweaks on the old one and here ya go, didn't want to change to much of the song

Accelerate remix ( pinwurm) finsished :D

This is the world premiere of Snapshot Variations (2013), performed by the UMass Trombone Choir. Great job, guys! :)

For 12-part trombone choir (10 Tenor, 2 Bass).

As always, sheet music is available.