Composed by Michael Laster, performed by Craig Ketter.

1) Moderato Agitato is built out of three descending notes, with different passages alternating between jagged dissonances and neo-romantic lyricism. This dense, multi-layered movement uses sonata form to contain these polarities.
2) Andante Teneramente is a slow, melancholy meditation largely in 5/4, with a stormy, syncopated middle section.
3) Alla Marcia serves as the scherzo of the work, consisting a galloping march made of the left hand echoing the right hand, with a tuneful, extended middle section.
4) Valse Sinistre, or "Sinister Waltz," is a dark, off-kilter dance, pitting a numerous psychological states against one another - at times macabre, at times sarcastic, and at other times bombastic, with some moments of tender sentimentality. Like the first movement, it is framed by sonata form.

Video can be found: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVGBNREZPZTE68VPVP85IU0rTOUahqggm

Piano Sonata No. 2 (2020)

Composed by Michael Laster
Performed by Robert Frankenberry
Mixed and Mastered by Taylor Bradshaw

Piano Sonata No. 1 (2017)

Denture Adventure - Soundtrack

Children's March/Russian March (sketch)

Prelude (unfinished sketch)

Unraveling (unfinished sketch)

Music, lyrics and Arrangement by Michael Laster
Mixed and produced by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw.
Recorded by Taylor Bradshaw at the Sonic Arts Center, New York, NY. 

Lead Vocals performed by Kolson Pickard
Backing vocals and all instruments performed by Michael Laster

A lot of time and effort went into mixing the track, so listen with good headphones if possible!

Intro

Verse 1:

Looking at my watch
Looking at my watch I can see, I can see
That the time is right my friend
-
Looking at the clock
Looking at the clock I can see, we can see
That the hands are right my friend
-
It’s hard to know what’s been projected
Everything’s just so connected now
...But how do you do?
-
The thoughts that keep you up at night
Something’s wrong but it’s alright now
Oh, how do you do?

Chorus:

We’ll never know what is to blame
Deep down we see it’s just a game
A game that’s taken on this physical dream

Drifting downstream and
Wasting our time
Breaking our mind in two
How do you do?

Verse 2:

Looking at the wall
Looking at the wall I can see I can see
That the bricks are right my friend
-
Looking through the night
Looking through the night I can see I can see
That the streets are right my friend
-
Unicorns and rusty nails
Butterflies and garbage pales
Oh what do you say?
-
Lock the door without a key
Close your eyes and look at me
Oh, what do you say?

*Chorus*

Solo

Interlude

Verse 3:

Searching for the truth
Searching for the truth I can know I can know
That your heart is right my friend
-
Listening to your song
Listening to your song I can hear I can hear
That the notes are right my friend
-
Do away with archetypes
Be with what is in plain sight now
Oh, what do you say?
-
What doesn’t kill you makes you strong
Giving birth to abstract songs
Oh, how do you do?

*Chorus*

Outro

Physical Dream (feat. Kolson Pickard)

Departure from the usual alt. rock and classical. Enjoy.

Music and lyrics by James Harris III, Terry Lewis, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson
Arrangement by Michael Laster
Guitars, bass, percussion, and lead vocals performed by Michael Laster
Harmony and backing vocals performed by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw.
Mixed and produced by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw.
Recorded by Taylor Bradshaw at the Sonic Arts Center, New York, NY. 

(Verse 1)

Tired of injustice
Tired of the schemes
The lies are disgusting
So what does it mean
Kicking me down
I got to get up
As jacked as it sounds
The whole system sucks

Peek in the shadow
Come into the light
You tell me I'm wrong
Then you better prove you're right
You're sellin' out souls but
I care about mine
I've got to get stronger
And I won't give up the fight

(Pre-chorus)

With such confusions don't it make you wanna scream
Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme
You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize
Somebody please have mercy
'Cause I just can't take it

(Chorus)

Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream
Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream

(Verse 2)

Tired of you tellin' the story your way
It's causin' confusion
You think it's okay

You Keep changin' the rules
While I keep playin' the game
I can't take it much longer
I think I might go insane

(Pre-chorus)

With such confusion don't it make you wanna scream
Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme
You find your pleasure scandalizin' every lie
Oh father, please have mercy 'cause I just can't take it

(Chorus)

Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream
Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream

(Pre-chorus)

With such collusions don't it make you wanna scream
Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme
You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize
Oh brother please have mercy 'Cause I just can't take it

(chorus)

Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream
Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream
Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream
Stop pressurin' me
stop pressurin' me
Stop pressurin' me
Makes me wanna scream

Scream (Michael Jackson Cover)

Written and arranged for the band Blue Spruce by Michael Laster, 
Produced by Miles Blue Spruce and Michael Laster

Guitars/bass - Michael Laster
Lead vocals/Drums - Miles Blue Spruce

Music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvFjrL6BRJY

Lyrics:

Tell me, if the music stopped playing would you keep on dancing in the silence
and tell me, if the lights went out, would you still be afraid of casting shadow

Never claim that you were robbed of what you thought was yours
Nothing is safe from the hands of time, it doesn't matter if you lock your doors

Oh, it's all a loan, so cherish what you've got
Yeah, you know that nothings owned
Though it seems like we've forgot
Yes it seems like we've forgot

Tell me, if people stopped caring would you keep on sharing your creations
And tell me, if you knew you were dreaming would you keep on screaming at the monsters

You can try to sweep the scattered sand from the hourglass you shattered
You can try to melt every clock in sight as if you get a say in the matter

Oh, it's all a loan, so cherish what you've got
Yeah, you know that nothings owned
Though it seems like we've forgot
Yes it seems like we've forgot

Well you can stuff your face with collagen injections
You can search for blunders just to make corrections
But it's frivolous to raise your objections, time spares nothing
and we are no exception

No we're not

Oh, it's all a loan, so cherish what you've got
Yeah, you know that nothings owned
Though it seems like we've forgot
Yes it seems like we've forgot
Oh, it seems like we've forgot
Yes it seems like we've forgot

All A Loan (2020)

Snerg Dergus lived a vile and wretched life
And every Wednesday at three, he'd take his wife and dog for tea
Last Thursday I was talking to a rake
It was honest mistake, it looked like my friend Jake

If all meaning fades away, 
the absurd is what will stay
When the shelter fails to keep out all the rain
Got to build a little hammock in the eye of the hurricane

Your soul is like a crusty, bloated whale
Like a foot in the mail, who cares who wins or fails
Try to find beauty in this small blue moldy world
Together we can make it better for every boy and girl
Together we can make it better for every boy and girl,
for every boy and girl

Composed, arranged, and performed by Michael Laster
Recorded and mixed by Taylor Bradshaw at CCNY Sonic Arts Center
Lead vocals, guitars, bass, piano, and percussion by Michael Laster
Chorus vocals by Kolson Pickard
Drums performed by Miles Blue Spruce

Snerg Dergus (w/ lyrics)

This was performed and recorded at the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival by the very talented Aurelius String Quartet on August 2nd, 2016.

Graffiti for Idealists

Composed by Michael Laster
Performed by Robert Frankenberry
Mixed and Mastered by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw

The fourth movement opens with material from the first three movements, slowly building to the presentation of a new theme. It is followed by 3 variations, each based on the previous movements. These are followed by a fugato, culminating to the final variation and coda.

4. Fantasy Variations

Composed by Michael Laster
Performed by Robert Frankenberry
Mixed and Mastered by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw

Breaking dramatically in character from the previous movement, third movement is an upbeat scherzo featuring a tarantella rhythm. It unfolds using sonata form.

3. Scherzo

Composed by Michael Laster
Performed by Robert Frankenberry
Mixed and Mastered by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw

The second movement was inspired by Stephen Gammell's illustrations from the "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" trilogy, a favorite from my childhood. The series caused much controversy due to the intensity of the nightmarish illustrations. It was banned in many libraries, and some of the original illustrations have been replaced by less frightening images  in newer versions. The movement is in ternary form.

2. In The Dark

Composed by Michael Laster
Performed by Robert Frankenberry
Mixed and Mastered by Michael Laster and Taylor Bradshaw

The sonata opens with a rondo, featuring a somber melody played over a single repeated note the bass. The movement drifts in and out of episodes of contrasting character, each still maintaining remnants of the original theme.

1. Rondo

4) Valse Sinistre, or "Sinister Waltz," is a dark, off-kilter dance, pitting a numerous psychological states against one another - at times macabre, at times sarcastic, and at other times bombastic, with some moments of tender sentimentality. Like the first movement, it is framed by sonata form.

Composed by Michael Laster, performed by Craig Ketter

Valse Sinistre (4/4)

3) Alla Marcia serves as the scherzo of the work, consisting a galloping march made of the left hand echoing the right hand, with a tuneful, extended middle section.

Composed by Michael Laster, performed by Craig Ketter

Alla Marcia (3/4)

Composed by Michael Laster, performed by Craig Ketter

Andante Teneramente (2/4)

Composed by Michael Laster, performed by Craig Ketter.

1) Moderato Agitato is an exploration of three descending notes, with different passages alternating between jagged dissonances and neo-romantic lyricism. This dense, multi-layered movement uses sonata form to contain these polarities.

Moderato Agitato (1/4)

Classical composer/alt rock songwriter, arranger, and private guitar and piano teacher living in NYC. Click the tracks for lyrics, descriptions, and performers. More at michaellaster.com.

Michael Laster

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