“Spelunking” is my latest single, released in July 2023. Titles typically come last when I’ve finished a new piece of music. When I listened back, it sounded like cave exploration. The repeated guitar harmonics set a meditative tone. The ominous double basses play low harmony as we venture deeper and deeper. Electric piano hints at stalagmites and water. Finally, double basses play major chords as we head back into daylight.

Spelunking

This barnstorming instrumental recalls the the work of Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse. The angular melody is doubled and tripled at times by acoustic guitar and acoustic or electric bass. It was the lone unreleased track from my May 2023 album “Whistling Past The Graveyard”.

Liquid, Fragile, or Potentially Hazardous

Ambient but not dull, “A Real Gullywasher (Reprise)” is a remixed version of one of my most popular singles. Lush synth pads with jazz harmonies (unusual in the ambient genre) kick off the piece against a driving rainstorm, captured off of my front porch. The piano
enters and the rain subsides a bit, followed by a double bass trio. The piano returns to restate the theme before fading away. This was one of two new tracks from my May 2023 album “ Whistling Past the Graveyard”.

A Real Gullywasher (Reprise)

“Gibbous Moon” is a Latin-flavored, acoustic guitar driven instrumental in 7/4. Written in the middle of winter, icy synth pads complement throughout. The double basses play important harmony parts and double the melody at certain points.

Gibbous Moon

Who says you can’t have bowed double bass in a heavy rock tune? Not me! This Zappa/Mr. Bungle inspired instrumental was named after a criticism that a playlist curator gave one of my songs. Actually, it sounded like a criticism at the time, but now I take it as a compliment. To paraphrase Sting, if a song doesn’t catch my interest in the first 10 seconds, I’ll move on!

Too Much Disharmonic

This is a (short) extension of a performance video I posted on social media. It features an ambient introduction and percussion performed on the acoustic guitar. The guitar and double bass “converse” along with an organ. Like most of my pieces, it doesn’t really fit neatly into one genre.

Flaky Pastry

Vista Nonpareil (feat. Ever Onward) can best be described as a post rock instrumental that leans further into jazz fusion territory than the post rock genre typically does. Post-rock composer Ever Onward shows his drumming skills as a special guest on the project. Double tracked fretless bass performs the main melody, and there is a double bass solo along with a traditional guitar solo.

Vista Nonpareil (feat. Ever Onward)

I am an acoustic and electric bassist and educator. The bass is the feature in my compositions- it frequently performs the melodies, harmonies and of course, the bass lines. My music is stylistically diverse- I never stay in one genre for too long. Come and take a listen- I do think my music is reasonably original (doesn’t every artist think that?!). Visit www.mikegoodspeedmusic.com for more.

Mike Goodspeed

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