February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

Jharms

progress: 18

winner!
joined: January 2009
location: Minnesota, USA
website: www.myspace.com/jharms
influences: Sufjan Stevens, Bowerbirds, The Beatles, My Brightest Diamond, Half-Handed Cloud, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jim Jones, Ray Lamontagne, Bobby McFerrin, Derren Raser, Beirut, God, Global Warming, Segregation of our nation, Urban Educational system, Bach, Chopin, Dowland, Purcell, Gesualdo, Schwantner, Joseph Campbell, the Bad Plus, David Bazan, Half-Handed Cloud, Final Fantasy (the band), Welcome Wagon, Bifrost Arts, the Bible, Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Stanley Kubrick, Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit, Wilco, Maurice Sendak, Bon Iver, Gershwin, Whitacre (begrudgingly), Ben Folds

Bio

Hi, I'm a music education student at St. Olaf College, originally from Kansas City, Kansas. I play a few instruments, and I'm trying to both hone my writing system as well as expand on my music style.

This is my second year fawming, and I couldn't be more excited about it! Last year, I wrote about 10 songs, with three demos. This year, I hope to at least write 14 sets of lyrics, and put demos out for at least five of them. I'm also hoping that a few of them will be more orchestrated than my past attempts. However, this semester may prove to be too tough for that. But something's better than nothing, right?

By the way, yup, my hair's longer.

EDIT: Note: If there's a lock by a track, it means I'm hoping to make a demo for it, and release it's zong status then.

Second Note: If you want to hear the tracks I'm especially proud of, check out:
4. Battery Life
7. Guessing Game
9. I've Always Loved You So
14. Angry Love Songs.

2010 Songs

1	I once loved a lady	10 comments // 1 month ago
2	Stay Away (From a Man Who Plays the Blues)	2 comments // 1 month ago
3	Do I Need You (Or Do I Just Want Somebody)	3 comments // 1 month ago
4	Battery Life	12 comments // 1 month ago
5	Lullabye	9 comments // 1 month ago
6	Birthing Pains (new demo!) (with avr)	5 comments // 1 month ago
7	Guessing Game (new demo!) (with cashmoney)	7 comments // 1 month ago
8	Diabetes Nutella Pound Cake (with cashmoney)	4 comments // 3 weeks ago
9	I've Always Loved You So (new demo!)	6 comments // 3 weeks ago
10	Dream Sequence, pt. 2	zong // 3 weeks ago
11	I Went Over the Sea (with fromwales)	zong // 2 weeks ago
12	(I Can't Get No) Satisfation	2 comments // 2 weeks ago
13	Podadnjikajickarsky	3 comments // 2 weeks ago
14	Angry Love Songs	3 comments // 2 weeks ago
15	Under My Folds (La Bandera)	2 comments // 2 weeks ago
16	The Best Pancakes I've Ever Had	zong // 2 weeks ago
17	Snakes	zong // 2 weeks ago
18	Interview With Jharms (with Echo Hall Studios)	4 comments // 2 weeks ago

Soundboard

Leave a message. Log in to FAWM or sign up first!

rashbre 1 week ago

oops double post
rashbre 1 week ago

Answering your question - I'd be delighted if you took a look at that song over at my place.
heavyhedonist 1 week ago

Waiting with great anticipation for "pancakes." The best i've ever had were called heavenly hots, almost all sour cream with just enough flour to hold 'em together, oh my. i'll take it as writ the song has more content...
and see, i was fluffing around with Gardener of Goth, and now you've gone and made me take it seriously-- might have to put some thought into it now-- thanks.
astroboy 2 weeks ago

Hey there. You are a very unique and interesting composer. By far, some of the most interesting stuff I've heard on FAWM. You have a future in composition for sure! Keep going!
heavyhedonist 2 weeks ago

thanks for the comments--- yeah, i mixed alot of things into Gardener of Goth-- have to strain it sometime.
fromwales 2 weeks ago

hey, I posted a song! check check check it out.

p.s. 13 songs? not thereeeee uyeteteere!
mojo 2 weeks ago

rrrweow *purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*
Cody Statz 2 weeks ago

ha... nope! no intentional meter shift... it was a mistake, but hopefully a good one? idk. Thanks for the comment!
Old Lost John 4 weeks ago

Jharms, about my song Where Did I Fail? Normally I don't like to explain my lyrics, but OK, the story goes something like this: Disturbed character finds the person he considers his dream woman. After a brief affair she wants out, but the narrator occupies her home, takes control of her mail and kills another guy out of jealousy. He is convicted for murder, but manages to escape prison after some time, returns, beats up her children, and badly beats up her as well when she's too shocked to give any response at all. That's the point in time where we are "now". The opening question in every stanza can be seen as a defense or as an accusation. "Where did I fail?" is directed towards both himself and the woman. Is he psychopath enough not too understand what he's done wrong, or is he beginning to feel regret?
Winlock Toledo 1 month ago

thanks for the note on the song little - the siren is actually just a Hammond organ bending one note, and then I panned in left and right during the mixdown. I have no idea what a tone generator is but it sounds easier than my method! thanks again for listening!
Eric Distad 1 month ago

On the song Everyone Knows, you asked me if it was a current event sort of thing. Yes and No. We started with the image of the Mob storming a castle but wanted to relate it to the modern day. I see all kinds of modern day examples where the pitchforks are perhaps a bit less recognizable, but the same group think attack dog syndrome is very much there. It's a human nature thing - consistent through history - and I wanted to highlight that nature as a warning. Just because we are more "civilized" doesn't mean that we wont devolve into the mob with the proper emotional buttons pressed and the correct lack of facts. Or something like that. Thanks for spotting this and for the kind comment!
Steffan Pitzel 1 month ago

But I would have never stayed on key without playing the guitar along with it! Still... You are too kind, sir.
mike skliar 1 month ago

oh and to answer your second question, in 'flying over reality' I'm bemoaning the fact that 'most of us don't really care' about curent event's the news, what's happening in the world, etc... lack of political and social engagement is not a good thing for anyone, methinks.
You're free to have a different interpetation, tho, of course,, Hope that helps!
mike skliar 1 month ago

hey- thanks for listening to some of my stuff- just heard one of yours, really unique and fun!
To answer your question on the bossa nova song (the goddess of pop).. I had the first four chords which come from the bridge of another song and then kinda followed the melody in my mind and tried to figure out (hopefully) interesting harmonies and all to it- mostly by ear, i guess. Practiced the progression a few times before recording, tho.

I can hear you know your way around a uke! wish I knew more then a few chords on it!
stolie 1 month ago

yes, spoon the band! it's a spoon-ish rhythm... but no, definitely not their lyric style! thanks for listening!
cashmoney 1 month ago

I like your new demo.
avr 1 month ago

you got me
cashmoney 1 month ago

guess what? I did it. You should check out my bio, it's pretty rockin.' And my influences. oh, and I already wrote a song! it took all of 15 minutes. You know what, this might actually be pretty fun.
Halfpenny Orchestra 1 month ago

Jharms, thanks for signing up for Halfpenny Orchestra’s Loteria Challenge. You have been dealt: La Bandera (The Flag, No. 16). Looking forward to it. In the description of your song, please include the subject of the card and its number. Also, please include loteria as a tag. Have fun!
Errol 1 month ago

I actually listened to a LOT of songs last year. I'm just awful at remembering things.

This is my 2nd year too! So exciting! But... I can't really start writing songs until a few days... *sigh*
oddbod 1 month ago

Thanks for listening in, glad you like the stuff on my website.
Good luck this time around.
Cody Statz 1 month ago

Well, your rendition is excellent.
Cody Statz 1 month ago

Thanks for the nice message man! Checked out your myspace as well and was delighted by what I heard. "Wait" is a great tune.

Look forward to hearing your new music and reading your lyrics!

Getting excited for it!!

Cody
Mike Debenham 1 month ago

Cheers, Jharms! You had some crackers last year, looking forward to this year's crop. (1.5 cheers for the half-fawmers!)
Errol 1 month ago

Alllooo Jharms! Thanks! Oooh, you play the piano! Fun! Have I heard your stuff? There weren't that many piano songs last year... so I can't recall!
J Rex 1 month ago

Hey buddy,

Thanks for posting the link! We should try doing a couple collaborations if we have time after break
JimmyUke 1 month ago

Wise choice of instrument my good man!
Best of luck to you too!
weswrites 1 month ago

Hey there.
Jonathan Huffman 1 month ago

RE:
Sonic Jacuzzi! You in again this year?

Yeah, but I'll be using my real name (Jonathan Huffman)
PlushBaby 1 month ago

Hi Jharms, thanks for the kind words, hope all goes well in the month ahead!
Dusty Mason 1 month ago

Hey...I see you're on my watchlist from last year so I guess I'll be checking in again.
Welcome back.
$Charlie\'s Daily FAWMcast - charliesradioshow$ Charlie's Daily FAWMcast 1 month ago

JHarms, my mom went to St. Olaf, small world.
The radio show is totally internet-based, live streaming from here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fawm
It's also recorded and almost immediately download-able in podcast form from the same site.

I'm touring through the Twin Cities in mid-May, let's stay in touch! -Charlie
Frances 1 month ago

Looking forward to hearing your demos this year!
mike skliar 1 month ago

some nice influences there!
$Kramer\'s Dog - kramersdog$ Kramer's Dog 2 months ago

Haha. I don't see any issue with your bio or influences. In fact, I really like quite a few of your influences. Good luck this year! I'm excited to see what you come up with.
Halfpenny Orchestra 2 months ago

Hmmm... As for music in a style like Bifrost, the first place I'd recommend looking is some of the Asthmatic Kitty catalog, but it seems like you're already there. I like DM Stith's Heavy Ghost, and Son Lux put out an interesting album called At War With Walls and Mazes ... both from 2008, I think. Bodies of Water is doing some cool stuff, very much in their own style, although I prefer to listen to them in small chunks.

Oh, and I've been enjoying this freely-downloadable album "Hospital Blossoms" from Jewish group The Wailing Wall - http://blog.jdubrecords.org/2008/06/09/the-wailing-wall-hospital-blossoms-lp-free-download/

--Bret

P.S. I'm always looking for recommendations too, so bring 'em if you got 'em...
Halfpenny Orchestra 2 months ago

Love your list of influences... I was listening to Come, O Spirit this morning on the way to work, and Bowerbirds' Hymns For a Dark Horse was one of my favorite album purchases of this past year. Happy FAWMing!
mojo 2 months ago

Mrrrmrmrmrr rrweow mrrrrw
Steffan Pitzel 2 months ago

Heck yes - I have no plans but i'm excited as all get up. I just checked your myspace and it sounds sweet - looking forward to your FAWMput.
isaac quatorze 2 months ago

awesome, thanks for the shout bud! sorry to say i didn't catch your fawm 09 output either. loving the look of your influences list tho....
Eric Distad 2 months ago

My goal for this year... is to finish. I tore a ligament in my right (read: guitar strumming) wrist and so I'm having to learn to do everything left handed. We'll see how it goes.

And you? 5 demos and 14 songs or is there a hidden nugget of challenge in there?
Eric Distad 2 months ago

Hey man! Welcome back!