There’s something alive in the basement
Something alive but I don’t know what it is
I don’t know what it is
But I think it’s alive
In the basement
Something
When the best—
When the best thing that can happen isn’t so good
Answered all their questions
Made a fashion from a rhyme
A sonnet from a line
About shopping alone at night
I go shopping
I go shopping
When the worst—
When the worst thing that can happen isn’t so bad
The dreams you used to have
Are replaced by life instead
I remember what you said:
At least you dreamed it
That’s more than me
Down here there is something that I’m looking for
Something that I’m searching for
Something that I’m waiting for
Where’d I put it?
Hid away
Locked chest that I’m trying to open
There’s something alive in the basement
Something alive but I don’t know what it is
I don’t know what it is
But I think it’s alive
Up there there is something that I’m hiding from
Something make my stomach churn
What’s my problem?
Aim to win
Or at least I aim not to lose
Something’s alive
There’s something alive in the basement
There’s a ball pit inside
Why does Oscar live in the trashcan?
There’s a meeting at nine
Gotta wake up
Gotta wake up
When the best thing that can happen isn’t so good
Gotta open that locked chest

Something Alive In The Basement

This album is one-half of a music-text experience. The music is here; the text is at www.mikemonsoon.com. Collectively, they form a psychedelic, horror-tinged, time-traveling musical puzzle that tells the story of a man facing a reality-shattering question: If you could go back and change things, would you…or did you? The more you listen, the more you read, the more you discover. Come and explore the joy–and occasional horror–of creativity.
 
Reviews:
 
“In a cultural moment when attention spans are among the scarcest of natural resources, Mike Monsoon's Song Journal doesn't just demand your focus — it earns it … However it is that you're drawn into this storytelling matrix, the Song Journal keeps you hooked as you jump from chapter to song, year to year, clue to clue. It's an ingenious package of narrative elements ...” --Neil Janowitz, Editor, Vulture.com
 
“Captivates with sly winks and homages to classic rock operas. The songs vacillate between straight-ahead, 3-minute verse/chorus/bridge pop and more adventurous compositions that use imaginative arrangements in service of longer and more complex narratives … shades of Queen, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, The Clash, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Who, Phish, and The Flaming Lips ... rife with intriguing layers … the fun is putting the pieces together." -- Lorne Berman, Rolling Stone
 
“An oasis of great songwriting and unique production work woven into a concept record that is truly unforgettable.” -- Mike White, founder, MPG Music Production School