Bootleg Collection 4.24.10

Tracklist:

The End (alternate take)

Recorded at the end of 2005 for “The Hereafter” album (2006). Featuring the voice talent of John Madden and Al Michaels. Eventually decided it needed to be simpler and shorter and not contain the voice talent of John Madden and Al Michaels. It’s in a different key too, which was harder to sing right. Andy and Evan’s work on this recording is so beautiful. Andy borrowed an enormous concert bass drum and we got it to the studio somehow – I can’t remember.

Running in Circles

This is one of the first songs recorded for “The Hereafter.” Probably sometime in the summertime in 2005. At that point, what eventually became the album was going to be an EP with “Better Now,” “Back Where I Was,” “Musical Chairs,” “Teenager in Love” & this one. Check out Andy on the phone-o-phone (and instrument he made out of junked telephone bells) and the triangle.

Out of My Head

Recorded in 2005 for “The Hereafter,” written during the time of Hurricane Katrina. I wrote some of the songs that ended up on “Before We Fall” at the same time: Feet to the Fire & 52 Pick-Up. This one got lost in the shuffle.

The Words We Could Not Say

This song was written for the independent film “Southbounders,” a story about hiking the Appalachian Trail.

I’m Through

This song was written in 2002 and recorded at the end of 2003 for “Parade.” We did a full arrangement of it with drums, but it wasn’t really working. Toward the end of the process, I did this solo piano version. It ended up sounding like something else so it didn’t make the cut. I really like this song. Wish it had found a home on an album.

I Am A Terrible Liar

Written and recorded in the summer of 2003 in the shadow of the Iraq war in my one room apartment in the San Fernando Valley.

It’s Not Too Late

File this under me experimenting with my electric guitar and a Zoom pedal that I bought at Guitar Center on Sunset. All I remember about this time is that it was the summer of 2002 and I was spending many days at Justin Bradshaw’s house with Eli and Drew playing Grand Theft Auto.

Brand New Year

I wrote and recorded this at the beginning of January 2002. Strange times. September 11th was three months ago, the Iraq war was more than a year away and I lived in a basement in Hollywood that flooded twice a year. I don’t know about the Dave Matthews-esque bridge – it seemed cool at the time.

Today

This is one of the first songs I wrote and recorded after arriving in Hollywood. I lived in the basement of a house at Gower and Franklin, it was sunny every day, the promised land was real and the future was before me. I was YOUNG.

Minnesota

This is the first song I wrote that I thought was good. After 5 dark months in Brooklyn, I drove home to Minnesota in March 2001. I wrote this a couple weeks later when I decided to move to California.