February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

Major Major Major Major (@majormajormajormajor)

progress: 16

winner!
joined: January 22 2011
location: New York, USA
website: www.thelittlewaves.com
influences: Deerhoof, Les Savy Fav, Beach Boys, Flaming Lips, Karate, Modest Mouse, Phish, Sonic Youth, Mountain Goats, Bedhead

Bio

Spring has sprung and there's plenty of stuff to get done outside this year, especially if I ever want to build that amphitheater! Thank you all and I'll see you next year!

I am a musician and graphic designer who has always been fascinated by stories - both those we tell to one another and those we create together. I love music most when it's making me feel like I'm going crazy.

Story EPs this year. These things are meant to give you a sense of the story and explore different points along the way but are essentially a deconstruction:

1[postrocky] based on "Oh Whistle, and I'll Come To You, My Lad" by M.R. James and performed by my band, The Little Waves

2[psychfolky] based on "Beyond the Wall" by Ambrose Bierce with my wife, Danielle, as co-lyricist

3[kiddierocky] an original tale of two frogs searching for pine cones, written with my 4 year old daughter, Anna

2012 Songs

1	Frogs - 1 - Pinecones	23 comments // 3 months ago
2	Whistle - 1 - Prologue	12 comments // 3 months ago
3	Frogs - 2 - Maples and Palms	13 comments // 3 months ago
4	Whistle - 2 - Reach Back	8 comments // 3 months ago
5	Whistle - 3 - Fur Flebis	7 comments // 3 months ago
6	Whistle - 4 - Up the Jetty	5 comments // 3 months ago
7	Beyond the Wall - 1 - Enter the Sound	7 comments // 2 months ago
8	Beyond the Wall - 2 - A Fell Wind	6 comments // 2 months ago
9	Beyond the Wall - 3 - Until Dusk	3 comments // 2 months ago
10	Frogs - 3 - A Little Help (with armstid)	7 comments // 2 months ago
11	Frogs - 4 - You Are The Best	6 comments // 2 months ago
12	Whistle - 5 - A Rational Explanation	3 comments // 2 months ago
13	Whistle - 6 - The Face!	4 comments // 2 months ago
14	Whistle - 7 - Epilogue	4 comments // 2 months ago
15	Beyond the Wall - 4 - The Selfish	3 comments // 2 months ago
16	Beyond the Wall - 5 - My Reply	5 comments // 2 months ago

Soundboard

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dragondreams 2 months ago

Many thanks for taking the time to listen and comment. It's very much appreciated!
robs 2 months ago

Thank you for your comments!
errol 2 months ago

*laugh* Totally Awesome! I think next year, you may as well change your name to Major 4th. Unless... that was your idea all along... cunning...
toms 2 months ago

Thank you, Major 4th! And congrats on your excellent win!
errol 2 months ago

Alllooo Major4th! Just to let you know, I'm not done with your songs, still need to listen to 8-16! Thanks for your comments too!

And a bollywood zombie flick sounds cool...
downburst 2 months ago

Thank you so much for the praise of "The Easy Way Out."
sapient 2 months ago

Thanks so much for the excellent comments! I shall return soon as I am rather looking forward to the frog series...
mrblitz000 2 months ago

if you get a chance, check this guy out: http://fawm.org/fawmers/justazombie/

over the course of fawm, he tells a story.

edit: oops, scrolling down your comments page, i see that contact has already been made...
sapient 2 months ago

And so I am finished with Whistle. Damn. You are good. Thank you for giving us those songs...
sapient 2 months ago

I too have a story running through three of my songs. Though I only found out when I sat down to write the lyrics for them. I always do lyrics last you see, and the subject is often a complete mystery to me until they are done! Anyway the three in question are:
Taint - *21583
Horde - *22780
Hymn To The Tombs - *27818
These three songs complement a song I wrote last FAWM called Coffinships, and concern the imprisonment, and subsequent release of a vast number of people from an armada of ships flung out from their home planet in a hugely eccentric orbit. There's something about religion and politics in there too if I concentrate hard enough! Taint is the situation before they are boarded, Hymn is as they set sail, and Horde is their return. Would love to hear what you make of them if you are interested...
donna 2 months ago

You mentioned wanting to see 'story songs'. (Actually, most of mine are.)
I'm in the throes of writing a sci-fi prog-rock type of theatrical piece, which will likely have between 6-9 songs in total, of varying lengths.
One song already has music and a vocal guide.

'Don't Look Back'
*27014

the second (although chronologically it will come before that first one) is still waiting on the demo. I did an a cappella for it.

'Baby, Dear Baby'
*27839
joy212 2 months ago

Thank you so much for all the comments! I don't really consider myself a songwriter outside of FAWM, but it's really great to feel encouraged and supported by such respectable people around here.
It's also so great to know other songwriters out there share my weakness for the intensely literary. I am definitely going to seek out your recommendations. It has been such a pleasure getting to know you and hear your songs! Do let me know if you ever decide to come out with a kids album--FYI Music Therapists LOVE songs that can have actions, like your stomping song in the Frogs series.
justazombie 2 months ago

Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to listen through the entire rock opera and leave insightful comments on every song! A lot of the stuff you said is very useful to me, and I definitely plan to spend some time banging it into shape and doing at least something with it. Thanks again!
bking 2 months ago

Thanks for your comments on "Whispers In The Dark". I could never be so presumptuous as to compare my playing with Jeff Beck especially on an album like Amused to Death, but thank you for that complement. By the way, "Three Wishes" is one of my all time favorites.
bradbrubaker 2 months ago

Your compliment of my "balance of humor and darkness" is one of the most specific and well-phrased compliments I've received. I can see it being added to promotional material...or my FAWM bio right now.
joy212 2 months ago

It probably shouldn't have taken me this long into FAWM, but I finally looked up Ambrose Bierce and read some short-story snippets. I think I'm going to be very glad for discovering him.
raygungirls 2 months ago

Thanks for checking out my song and commenting on it. I think that I agree with just about everything you wrote - guitar tones, and "gang chorus". Maybe in March!
johnnycashpoint 2 months ago

Thanks for the comment, sir, and yes, you raise an interesting point. The title was the last thing I added. Originally it was called 'urban matricide' - so the pay-off would be sharper in that last chorus, but 'urban matricide' sounds like a death metal song, and there aren't enough songs called 'Mother London' ...
gummunq 2 months ago

hahahah i'm glad your daughter is into that song's creepiness. i sang the bottom octave in my gollumiest voice possible, so i guess it worked! i like your concept / theme here. i'll keep checking in for the full story.
joy212 3 months ago

Yay! Thank you so much--I'm already planning interventions in my head that I can use in the next couple of weeks. I'm usually stuck singings songs written by people who assume that being a child is the same as being a complete idiot. "I know a chicken and she laid an egg; oh my goodness--it's the shaky egg!" is an actual lyric of a song most music therapists adore. Like I said... I really appreciate your stuff.
simonjcurd 3 months ago

Hey, the Whistle series is excellent - I love hearing the Danny Elfman-esque theatrics combined with the slowcore and now a bit of Slint type stuff, looking forward to what comes next...
kiwafruit 3 months ago

Hi there Just letting you know that I've posted a demo for @duaneclancy's "I'm just a zong" if you're interested in having a listen *24196
explodingmary 3 months ago

Glad someone gets the sick humor.
errol 3 months ago

Allloooo Majorx4! Btw, thanks for your comment on my song. I am... very late in responding to people on... everything as of late. Ah well! I hope your fawm is going well and I hope your pinecone frog song drama is going well too!
duaneclancy 3 months ago

Your take on the lyric was a supprise. I have never done a "Barbershop Quartet" style lyric and I really tried, but I was unable to get that same feel on this one (but I had the other feeling when I wrote it too). But that is a wonderful suggestion ... I think I will try to write one in "Barbershop" style for this next one ... man, you never run out of options here
frenchcricket 3 months ago

Thanks man! You've nailed it, that's exactly what I was going for.
steffan 3 months ago

Constructive criticism greatly appreciated! You've got my brain parts working on it!
tobermory 3 months ago

Aw thanks for the comment - I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy doing it this year but it looks like it's a goer... good luck with the other 13 1/2 tunes
toms 3 months ago

Thank you for the kind comment!
explodingmary 3 months ago

hey, you are back! post-vic ghostic sounds good.