She cast a spell

This version has been mastered by RCD Audio. Love it’s clarity and rich sound whilst maintaining the sensitivity.

James Whiteman - I Must Accept It's Love (RCD MASTER).wav

Trying to fingerpick.  Just vocals and guitar, nothing else.  Hope you enjoy.

New Years Decree

This is kinda dark.

Lyrics;
The empty eyes
Had seen the future
A silent heart
Had found the past

Off into the distance
An engine roars
The sound is fading
Very fast

Dead end alley
End of the road
Dead end 
is all you need to know

Yellow light darkly shines
And dimly reaches ground
Dumpsters tethered to the walls
Where treasures for lost souls are found

Moon is new
Stars beam through the dim light glare
A cool breeze
Stirs the dirty air

Dead end alley
End of the road
Dead end

The empty eyes
Had seen the future
A silent heart
Had found the past

Dead end alley
End of the road
Dead end 
is all you need to know

Dead End Alley

Chocolate Rabbits

A while ago I started writing songs about Barney Gumble from The Simpsons, the aim being to release an album all about him.  
Like most things, life caught up and I never finished the project.
This is the first song from this project.  Hope you enjoy. 👍

Barney's Hangover

Gray

Simple but mysterious,  A mood piece with a good deal of reverb guitar. A rainy day song.  Maybe he becomes that guy, Who knows. 

Lyrics;
Drawn in black and white
A charcoal pencil start of day
And where the two should meet
A blended shade of gray

The sky has softly fallen
Mist covers the town
A clouded muted world
With barely any sound

I open up the curtains
Sallow light filters in
I stare into the emptiness
And wonder if it ends

The cover slowly thinning
The sky is shading blue
Yet the world I find inside my world
So empty without you

The morning haze is breaking
Still foggy is my mind
The coffee black the cup is white
Though gray is all I find

Heavy sigh through heavy air
Time's the only cure
Time can last forever
How long it takes no one is sure

Drawn in black and white
A charcoal pencil end of day
And where the two should meet
A blended shade of gray

Gray

Pluto's Retort

Here is Pluto's Retort. This is actually the second time I've written it. The first one was a bit longer. but got lost.  The story just seemed to fit the music so well. 

Lyrics;
Pluto here, the planet
And I'm gonna fix the spin
That's buzzing round the galaxy
And buzzes back around again

I heard ol Neil talk about me
I heard Neil put me down
Well, Neil degrasse Tyson,
Don't think I need you 'round

I'm the planet you call Pluto
Rocking groupies are on my path, that's true
They just wannt to see the show
Don't let that bother you

It takes a little while for me
to orbit around the sun
Your Earth goes round 248 times
Before I can go around one

But I'm the rock star of the Kuiper
Finding loving groupies on my way
And I'm pushing right on through
So what you got to say

Who needs a sub planet anyway

Yeah! Pluto here, the planet
I'm here to fix the spin
Neil, you gotta tell 'em
That I'm planet nine again!

Yeah, I'm the planet you call Pluto
It's been a rocky road, that's true
But Ice and rock don't bother me
Don't let it bother you

Pluto's Retort

A song about doubt, fears and holding on. 

It has been mastered by Ryan at RCD Audio. 

Lyrics:

This washed out, mid week Morning

This morning you said you loved me
Where the hell did that come from?
I’ve been waiting months for some affection 
Now this just trips off your tongue!
On this washed out, midweek morning, 
There’s hope again! 

My routine has been disrupted 
As I’m thinking about your words
For weeks I thought that it was over
But now it seems a future’s there for us  
on this washed out, midweek morning, 
Confusion grows

And doubts intrude where trusting thoughts reside
I know I can sense it
I’m sure there’s a reason
For you to have this change of mind  
On this washed out, midweek morning 
I Feel so unsure 

And I could dig a little deeper
Yeah I could really shake that tree 
But i don’t want confirmation 
Now you’ve said you love me!
On this washed out, midweek morning 
Let’s move on! 

And doubts intrude where trusting thoughts reside 
I know I can sense it
I’m sure there’s a reason 
For you to have this change of mind
On this washed out, midweek morning, 
I’ll ignore to love 

James Whiteman Copyright May 2023

This washed out, midweek morning (RCD MASTER)

Many thanks to Jeff for the encouragement (AOTS)

Keep on running from the claw (Jeff Roberts on drums)

indie bossa-nova: light on your feet, heavy on your heart

more info: http://www.jh0st.com/aerochute/
music video: https://youtu.be/xZASRIKmpNo
---
AEROCHUTE 

faster than faster her, 
flyer than higher, you can shake down an airplane fly girl... 
when you move i don’t even have eyes just to know i see you. 

harder and further her, 
no parachute can prove it 
take a leap of faith love. 
all i know, it's you who's brave enough to be afraid now. 

will catch you when you fall after all 
mended wings bring your heart to mine. 
(faster, higher, further faster) 

lighter than arrows her, 
shall we keep flying over faces and places we know? 
or strip bare unclothe those words that sting even when not spoken. 

falling forever friend, 
The clouds’ll catch us 
not a broken bone will scratch us! 
cheating death for now hold hands while i take the fall when we land. 

will catch you when you fly suicide 
mended wings bring your heart to mine. 

-- 
album artwork: jin-suk.com

Buy on Bandcamp

aerochute [video in description]

Dan X2 is Dan Blackard (Reno, Nevada & Susanville, California) and Dan Lockhart (Carmel, Indiana & Edwardsville, Illinois).  We met here on SoundCloud.  We like making music together.  We have written and published over 300 songs together.  More songs written together than Lennon and McCartney.

You can find Dan Blackard's music here:
https://soundcloud.com/daniel-blackard

You can find Dan Lockhart's (aka ProgRockDan) music here:
https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart
https://soundcloud.com/user-276716031
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan-instrumentals

The ProgRockDan1 site was taken down by SoundCloud. It was located here:
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan1

We play the music that comes to us.  Much of our music has a basis in blues and rock.  Although we venture into other musical territory.  You will find hints of jazz, country, bluegrass, soul, classical, and other music in our songs.  We have a number of songs that change time signatures and pace.

When we first started recording we called ourselves Dan and Dan. 
 You can find our music under that moniker here:
https://soundcloud.com/user-590884876

We stopped using the name Dan and Dan's because there were to many other Dan's using that name.  If you google Dan and Dan we would not show up.  We believe that Dan X2 to be a moniker that we could own.   If you google Dan X2 we are right at the top,

You can find more Dan X2 music on ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/dananddan5

The first Dan X2 album is now available on iTunes.  Songs on the album are not available on SoundCloud.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/4114/1439066447?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

You can also find the Dan X2 album on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3hEejRAQYPj9q130D5lZ8f

You can also find the second Dan X2 album:  "Playing the Odds" on Amazon Music:
https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Odds-Dan-X2/dp/B08C4VNX3R

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6oI3XsqPph3v6Xkg2BjVDG

and other on-line music sites.

We have a music making process that fits our unique skills.  We each do the parts that best fit our skills and interests.  Dan Lockhart does the initial song development.  Dan Blackard writes the lyrics, perform the vocals, and adds lead guitar.  Dan Lockhart then takes the track and do all final production (mixing and mastering).

Dan Lockhart writes all of the chords, timing, changes, and develops the track.  I then send two tracks to Dan Blackard.  One track has Dan L. describing the song.  Tell him the key, the timing, and any oddities about the song (changing keys or time signature...).  In the track Dan L tell Dan B verbally where is the verse, chorus, bridge and any other important information.

Dan Lockhart then send a second track that does not have this verbal dialogue.  This is called the instrumental track.  This is a track to which Dan B. can sing and add his parts.  Dan Blackard then returns  four pieces to Dan L:  a complete version of the song, a solo track of his vocals, a solo track of his guitar parts, and the artwork to accompany the song.

Dan Lockhart add his information into the original file.  Dan L. listen to it and make changes to the song to enhance the meaning of the lyrics. He sometimes adds instruments or takes away some instruments.  As Dan L. play many instruments (guitar, keyboards, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel, violin, viola...), he can make a lot of adjustments.    On rare occasions he move pieces about.  Dan Lockhart then masters it and prepare it for final production.

You can find press releases about us in the Lassen News here:
http://www.lassennews.com/former-resident-creates-album-with-near-stranger/

and in Current in Carmel  here:
http://www.youarecurrent.com/2018/12/20/carmel-resident-partner-create-album-through-internet/

You can find Dan X2 videos Here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7p2YTgLdrMAJjSBBwrgRew

Out albums are also on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCicvC6l-R73MzdLHLdcFuZQ

We hope you enjoy our music.