This work is a culmination of effort to get back into music after a long hiatus. The songs presented are the pick of the litter for over 5 years of effort. 

When putting this album together, it was planned out to be grouped in 3 parts and I believe that considering the groups of songs as such makes more sense rather than just absorbing the content from top to bottom:

Phase 3: Conclusion
Tracks 1 - 5

Phase 2: Conviction
Tracks 6 - 14

Phase 1: Conception
Tracks 15 - 25

Portside Perception

This was the first song I wrote after moving to Pittsburgh.  I feel like its one of the best songs I've ever written, and the most challenging to perform. 

I wrote this song in the span of 3 days, jumping between Garageband session and the tunnel at Highland Park, where the air was cooler than in my room in the heat of summer, and where I could find solitude away from room mates as I worked out the lyrics and vocal melody.

I recorded guitar and vocals together so its basically a live recording, except for a couple punch-ins, and the shaker was overdubbed. 

Happy/Lonely

I decided to record cleaner version of this song, originally intending it to have the same instrumentation as the first demo, but then I couldn't find my shaker! 

First Demo: https://soundcloud.com/cassandrareneewilcox/happylonely-first-demo

So, I used the magic of Garageband to generate a simple, quiet beat with the shaker and off-beat emphasis I wanted. That lead to generating other, more dramatic, drum parts for different sections of the song. And then I wanted to fill out the lower end with some bass, which... kinda sucks but adds a sense of driving steadiness through disorientation, which is pretty on theme for the song. And then I finally figured out how to use my keyboard as a midi controller so I threw some weird keys in there. 🤷‍♀️ Why not??? 

This time I recorded guitar and vocals separately. The guitar is doubled and panned L&R and I kept the vocal singular. I also learned how to EQ and compress the vocals for this one so they sound better, but I think there are still some peaking issues I couldn't figure out how to resolve. 

It was really fun putting this together by myself, and now I dream of playing this with a band after originally assuming it would be mainly an acoustic song. 

Happy/Lonely 2

This was meant to be a throwaway songwriting exercise. I opened my songwriting notebook to the first page and found some words I had written 2 years ago and decided to put it to music. While recording it grew on me, and so I put a little more effort into than I initially thought I would. 

Bunker

So far this song is just some ideas I jammed together and recorded so I wouldn't forget.  It only has one verse that repeats, a wonky guitar solo in between, and a pleading outro. I have since written more lyrics and reworked the arrangement a bit, but here's what I have bounced at this time. :)

I was trying to write song that begs, which I realized is a challenge for me. I'm usually a tough girl. Typically, If I can't get what I just decide I don't want it anymore. I put myself above it. 

But this time I didn't want to do that. I wanted to admit that I got dumped but someone really important to me, and as humiliating as it is, I wanted to beg them to stay. Ugh... Songs like this one really suck my soul out of me so I can only work on it a little at a time before I need take a break and lighten my mood.

Please Stay (Unfinished)

Proud of You (Unfinished)

Carolina

This Isn't It

I seem to have lost my direction
Running on nothing but faith
I seem to have lost my direction
High time for a new revolution
Running on nothing but faith
Put me in High Resolution
My worth is my contribution
Running on nothing but faith
Fill me up with your holy water
Sell it in plastic containers
Running on nothing but faith

Faith

Morgan Soltes

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