Sometimes songs get lost in the shuffle. I thought I'd draw attention to a few choice Theme Park Mistress tracks that haven't received the plays that they should have. The internet is a vast, dangerous place full of dark crevices and unexplored sewers. For every Youtube superstar there's a TPM sitting quietly in its hole, waiting for a passerby to come close enough to devour.
Numero Uno: Never Happy
"Never Happy" was my attempt to write a Lou Reed song. The instrumentation is sparse, the song being built off a simple I- IV-V chord progression a la "Sweet Jane." The lyrics are a cynical meditation on the idea that happiness is something one should strive for. Before you grab a knife to slice your wrist, keep in mind that it's all in good fun. We're all built imperfect, striving for things that we'll never achieve. Lou knew this, and I did my best to channel his spirit while putting this song together.
Numero Dos: No Name
"No Name" opens with a chiming little riff reminiscent (in my mind, at least) of something the mid-period Beatles might write. The song then transitions to a moody chord sequence and a wailing vocal not exactly typical of what I usually do. Heart that I knew... fall over you go the lyrics, and I do like the desperate romance evoked. The final piece of the song is a noisy hard rock riff meant to simulate the narrator's head dive off a cliff. Three songs in one, really. The guitar tuning used is DADGBD, which creates a nice drone on the initial lyrical section. One of my few uses of alternate tunings.
Numero Tres: You Need A Fire
"You Need A Fire" is definitely the best rock song I've ever done. The lyrics are pure joyful nonsense about burning shit; the guitar riff is ripped straight from hell. I had to have a dwarf punch me in nuts to hit that falsetto when the solo kicks in. The best part? It's over in two and a half minutes.
Numero Quatro: Come With A Drink
This song was a staple of the live incarnation of Theme Park Mistress. I wrote it in Cincinnati, once again trying to imitate another artist. Does this sound like a Smith's song? I don't think so, but I was going for Johnny Marr's guitar work more than Morrissey's croon. The rollicking piano that takes the place of percussion is my favorite part of the arrangement.
Numero Cinco: Parking Lot
Recorded on my shitty twelve string that I later sold for about fifty bucks in a yard sale, "Parking Lot" is a heavy dose of nostalgia for days that never existed. A character piece about failure. They have better things to do than drink and listen to you. Truer words were never spoken. Rock and roll can never die, but it can't quite keep alive, huffing paint in an underpass, sucking smog in a sequined dress. This piece was originally meant for a mini-album of half-improvised acoustic songs.
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