I’m kind of pleased with this one. I wrote it with The Nutrients in mind, which meant that it had to follow some new rules I’ve created — constraints, really.
Play or Download “Damn Beatitude (original song)” on SoundCloud >>
The Nutrients, well, we don’t really practice that often, so the song had to be easy to learn, and easy to remember over the long gaps between practices. I wanted this one to sound like it belonged to The Nutrients, but without so many of the quirks that make some of my songs hard to learn and remember.
I designed the song around the strengths, abilities, and comfort zones of the band members: Paul’s vocal range, Ron’s riffability, etc.
In this there are traces of older songs that I’ve written for The Nutrients. A little “Dumb Animal,” a little “The Continents are Moving.” I’d like to think this is a move in the direction of a more consistent stylistic niche.
I also hear in this one the influence that African Pop has had on me over the years. It’s subtle, I think. The drums, keyboard, and bass lay down a pattern for the verse, and it repeats over and over. The guitar and vocals (hopefully) mask the repetition.
And then there’s the subject matter. It’s a grown-up Nutrient’s song. It’s not a song a 16-year-old could have written. It’s a song an adult wrote about a 16-year-old.
Photo Credit: Elvert Barnes (CC BY 2.0)