A friend of mine gave me a TASCAM Porta 02 mkII Ministudio 4-Track Cassette Recorder... so, I made something with it! Here is the final mixdown.

Watch mixdown session:
https://youtu.be/xbbFY8qQDaw

I make some additional commentary on Facebook:
4-Track Memories: Introduction: https://fb.watch/fE1PsniOmj/
4-Track Memories: Reflection https://fb.watch/fE1R0wXCIl/

Don't Drop The Mic

Recording Session Video:
https://youtu.be/B6hBhc0TvAc

Non-Album Tracks

Sucker For Logic

Morning Prayer

Tom Houston: Guitar/Bass/Sounds
Steve Houston: Drums

I recently discovered a Pro Tools session sitting on a hard drive that I recorded with my brother Steve (Drums) in 2008. The recording contained 4 tracks (Guitar, kick drum, snare and drum overhead). All the music, rhythm guitar and drums, was completely improvised and recorded on the spot in one take. No edits. I loaded up the tracks and decided to add some extra guitar/bass tracks to one of the selections. What you are hearing is the final mix. I think it came out sounding pretty good. I always love any opportunity to play music with Steve. Disclaimer: The footage of the old cassette and reel-to-reel machines was used because they look cool. None of the music was tracked on this equipment. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/I1AladMkF_Q

On a side note, the lead guitar heavily uses Boss' Tera Echo TE-2 pedal. A friend challenged me to use this effect in an interesting way... so here it is.

Non-album Tracks

Snip

Tom Houston - Guitars/Bass
Steve Houston - Drums

Snap

This track was created as part of JHS Pedals's #jamwithjhs campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic where many of us had "stay-at-home" orders from our government officials.

On a side note, this is the first time I've been able to play guitar normally since January 2020 when I broke my wrist while ice skating (and trying to be a cool uncle for my nieces). I had to have a corrective plate affixed to my wrist bone...Please keep the metal detector jokes coming.

You can watch the video here:
https://youtu.be/m-OQ_yL-8-c

Shelter In Place

Shelter In Place #jamwithjhs

This is another one of my attempts at making a fingerstyle guitar tune, with some overdubs. I started recording it in 2015, then put it aside for a few years. It’s always a good feeling to complete something, even if it did not turn out exactly the way you envisioned it. I call this song “Legacy” because it reminds me of all the challenges and obstacles that the Lord has seen me through time and time again. "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6

Legacy

I love this song, but I don't know what the artist or title is. It's a Post-Rock instrumental style indie song that I recorded from WPRB 103.3 FM (Princeton, New Jersey USA) in the mid-90s. I have tried several song identifier services (Shazam, ACRCloud and YouTube) but none produce any results.

WPRB - What is the name of this mid 90s Post-Rock track?

Ambient guitar swells from "Morning Prayer" using "real" reel-to-reel tape delay.

Morning Prayer (Ambient)

I wanted to test out the guitar amp modeling capabilities of my recently purchased Eleven Rack, so I created this song, “Smart Rock”.

Mix window video: https://youtu.be/q_zrdhszWZU

Smart Rock

Tuesday February 28th (2006)... This is a tune I wrote and recorded exactly 15 years ago. It features heavily sustained guitars backed by a Casio keyboard drumbeat and synths. 

The squeaky sound that you hear during the breakdown comes from one of those 4-color motorized lights that were used to illuminate aluminum Christmas trees. We had one in our basement for mood-lighting while jamming out.

Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to that beloved color wheel light, so I recreated one in Photoshop and After Effects for this video.

Video: https://youtu.be/LXBoBchC6Uc

Tuesday February 28th

Life Of The Mind's latest album, "Waking Up To Alarms" (2011) is composed of music written over a period of 8 years. After coming to know Christ in 2007, more than a few of the songs that I had planned on including on this album were purged because I felt like the lyrical content did not coincide with the person I am now. Removing the songs was not an easy process. After much careful thought, I believe that the 10 songs contained on "Waking Up To Alarms" properly illustrate the path I have taken throughout the past 8 years. I will most likely never reveal the exact context of what these songs were written about because I feel that would destroy the opportunity for you to relate to them in your own personal way. - Tom

Life Of The Mind

Popular tracks