Hope everybody enjoyed the holidays and is ready for the long winter ahead. I'm finally heading back into the studio with a new album as my goal. This album will be almost entirely instrumental and all done with live mics and acoustic instruments. The "theme" of the album will focus on the river that runs through the valley below this cabin i built 33 years ago...and still call home today. The songs will try to generate good imagery of the flora, fauna, and history of the Native Americans and first white settlers to come here. It's a challenging goal...especially in light of the fact that i'm total amateur on the instruments i plan to use. Below is the title track...which will probably be the only song on the album with vocals. This is a demo and not the final edition.
"Genesee"
ON THE HIGH NORTHERN END OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
IS WHERE THE ALLEGHENY HILLS ARE FOUND
FROM THE HARDWOODS AND THE PINE NEAR THE PENNSYLVANIA LINE
A RIVER SPRINGS TO LIFE ON RURAL GROUND
GENESEE, GENESEE, LIKE NO OTHER RIVER, FLOWIN' TO THE SEA
GENESEE, GENESEE, GENESEE RIVER VALLEY..IS HOME SWEET HOME TO ME
NOW RIVERS FLOWIN' NORTH WELL YA KNOW THERE AIN'T TOO MANY
BUT SHE CAN'T RESIST THE GREAT LAKES CALL
FIND A SWIMMIN' HOLE OR GRAB A FISHIN' POLE
FOR SOON THE RED AND GOLD WILL START TO FALL
CHORUS
BRIDGE
SOMETIMES LATE AT NIGHT, WHEN THE CAMPFIRES BURNIN' BRIGHT
A MIND GOES DRIFTIN' BACK IN TIME
THE SENECAS ARE THERE, HUNTIN' DEER AND BEAR
PIONEERS AND TRAPPERS ON THE LINE
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK
NOW HAVE YOU HEARD THE THUNDER OF HER WATERFALLS
OR SEEN THE RAINBOWS DANCIN' IN THE SPRAY
AN EAGLE CIRCLES HIGH, LIKE AN OMEN IN THE SKY
MAKES A 'BODY WANNA KNEEL AND PRAY
CHORUS
ONTARIO CALLS, LIKE A MOTHER TO HER BABY
TOGETHER AS ONE FOR EVER MORE
ST. LAWRENCE RIVER IS THERE TO DELIVER
THE GENESEE, TO THE OCEAN'S DOOR
CHORUS
pinedog!
this is an absolute premium example of Bluegrass as you can get.
even though i'm fully immersed in Jazz, i spent a couple of years in a Asheville, NC and enjoy the genre immensely.
great post!!
8)
bloody nora this is awesome pinedog, i'm gonna be listening to this all day long
Awesome lyrics Pinedog, thanks for posting them.
This is really good songwriting, and the performance sounds pretty damn near studio quality to me already.
Excellent piece of music man.
Yes Pine Dog you have set high goals for the year!! But if this is your starting song, You are well on your way. This was great!! Your album will be great!!
This is very good stuff P-dog. I love it. I like that bass line, simple but very in the groove of the song. Great acoustic playing. Great bluegrass voice. This is one of the strongest songs I have heard from you (I still love that Shot in the Arm song and listen to that one a lot). Very strong songwriting here. This is a Hit for sure.
Totally professional sounding song this and extremley well written. Particulary love the drum beat that comes in during the chorus and the solo that follows it. Not the sort of music that I would usually listen to, but really do have to marvel at everything in this song!!
Many thanks you guys...i appreciate the positive feedback especially in light of me feeling like i'm on rather thin ice here musically and vocally and all.
Andrew, anytime anybody thinks my songs sound "professional", i'm a happy guy ;-)
The drums are not acoustic...wish i had a nice big djembe...
Dave...my bass line was a disaster. I finally asked my old bandmate gabe to do it and i liked his approach. Solid and simple. He also did the harmony vocal parts on the choruses but i plan to replace them with my own and do three part if possible. As for it being a "hit"..my neighbor says if i changed it to "tennesee" it would be...lol. That ain't gonna happen.
Wiley you are fountain of enthusiasm. Thank you. I am excited about the album ... and think that it will at the very least be a great learning experience.
Vann...thanks for listening. Lyrics mean alot to me and it's hard to write really good ones...which is one reason the rest of the album will be instrumental ;-)
ORH...Nora...nora...could that be Mary's sister? I know her...only too well. Glad you liked her and thanks for commenting..
Mr2cool...Jazz is great stuff. Best of luck with that. The virtuosity it takes to play it well is akin to that of bluegrass. I will never be able to play REAL bluegrass...too many years and too little talent. The folks down Ashville way are steeped in the tradition to be sure. Beautiful country there. Love the Smokey Mountains. Seems evrybody down there plays an acoustic instrument. Not here. I more or less "paint" with my mountain instruments. Speed is not in my pallette. Wish it was...
bloody nora is a politer way of saying fmgwabp lol. if you hit your thumb with a hammer you can say that if there are kids around lol. but it is an exclamation of surprise, it can be used in the negative but here i used it in the positive.
Thanks for improving my international understanding of your linguistic expressions!
You English chaps have always been more polite than us ungrateful Colonials... ;)
Great song Pinedog - very warm - luv that bridge !!!
Reminds me of the days I use to jam with my ex-step-father-in-law in Pennsylvania. Also that's were Genesee Cream Ale flows plentifully ! Thanks for the memory walk!
PD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is Freaking Awesome!!!!!
Live mic's!?!?!?!
This is Studio Magic!!!!! What the hell did you record this on!?!?!?!
The Vocal is stunning!!!!!!
There is So much about this track that floats my boat!!!!
OMG!!!
It is Amazing!!!
Peace
T(Osckilo)
Yep! Just what everyone else said. I'm loving it - Some friends are listening and giving it a way thumbs up as well.
A1, Charlie!
Sorry for the weak comment - I'm swamped :D Really happy you are able to put a tune up, though!
Peace, and happy new year!!
Mark
Country to the max guitar and vox are just excellent love it.
Pinedog, what can I say that has'nt been said this is just brilliant so professional, well done Alex 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Thanks agin guys...
Tommy, you may be one of very few (if any) on this site that ever heard of Genesee Cream Ale (or beer) :D The Genesee Brewery is in Rochester, NY which is at the mouth of the Genesee River..where it flows into Lake Ontario. Be glad you are in Phoenix today. We have a like -25 wind chill...it is brutal out!
Tharek...great review my friend...should i pay you now or later? oops...forgot i wasn't supposed to say that in public! Really though man you are too kind here. I did it on my BR1200 and yes it was all live mics except for the bass (dl'd) and the drums (sampled toms from my keyboard) Really appreciate your enthusiasm!!
Mark...thanks for taking time to listen. A1 sounds just fine to me. It isn't the kind of tune alot of folks on average would care for these days. maybe that's what i like about it.
Thanks SE and Alex as well. Appreciate you listening and commenting. It has a little ways to go yet but i'm pretty happy with it so far. I have canoed the river, fished it, swam in it, and partied on it's shores many times so it's like a friend to me.
PD, I'm not a country-lover but your voice sounds great here and it's a really catchy song with good lyrics. I like the picking (banjo?) in the instrumental and you paint a lovely picture with the words and music. Great demo, I'm sure the finished product will be even better.
Cheers,
Nigel
bxxxldy great -man congrats -I think this song is so .........
weaves pictures in the mind -----
think you've found the magic formula 8) you are on your way Pinedog ,with this one -best of luck with the album --
congrats -
tommy
Very nice song. Stunning vox singing together. Well produced.
two thumbs up !!
Best wishes for 2010 !!
Thanks gents..
Nigel, anytime i can get an ol' rocker like you to even listen to this stuff i'm happy. The "pickin'" on the instrumental section is yes, 5 string banjo on left channel, slide/resonator on the right. Modern "country" is a total turn off for me as well...but i enjoy 50's and 60's country more the older i get. Bluegrass is another world altogether...and one i have loved for almost 40 years. I've been hooked on harmony singing ever since the Beatles hit town. Bluegrass always features that, as well as virtuoso pickin'....but i leave that part out :D
Tommy...your comments are music to MY ears. Weaving a picture is what i was aiming for here and what will be my goal for the whole album. As for "magic formulas", well, i think those are pretty subjective. As for being "on my way"..well, i'm over the hill so i guess i'm on my way down the backside of the mountain and pickin' up steam on my way to the toll booth ;)
CVRMRK...thanks. i have worked hard on my singing. i was able to do the harmonies in the verses fairly easily but really struggled with the choruses. Too high i guess.
Quote from: Pinedog on January 03, 2010, 10:48:59 AMIt isn't the kind of tune alot of folks on average would care for these days. maybe that's what i like about it.
People Go Nuts for this Stuff in my Home town (Hackney East London).....
Here is a link to a band I know that you remind me off.....
They Gig at my local pub. Very Nice Guys...
http://www.myspace.com/thebonfireband
absolutely love this sort of stuff...loved the solo section, the vocals, the lyrics, all ace! But maybe you should be 'Pinedawg' ;D
henwrench
PineDog, I absolutely love the kick off to the new album. I was surprised to read that the drum wasn't a djembe. I could practically feel that organic rush of air/sound mix at ankle level when it was played.
Great song, great imagery, fantastic soundscape. Everything in this song felt right, nothing out of place. Brilliant production.
Gracias mi amigos!
T, The Bonfire band is a hoot! Listened to their posts over at MySpace and enjoyed them all. great in the pub live i bet. Probably a bunch of characters as well.
Henwrench...thanks...glad you enjoyed it. As for Pinedawg...hmmmm...it is kinda cool especially since it has the letters DAW in it...Pinedawg.com is also available. Folks might think i was a hillbilly rapper tho... :D
Tony....to get tones that deep, the djembe would have to be the size of a garbage can :D
i wish i had a big hand drum tho...not cheap however. If the local philharmonic has a garage sale maybe i'll pick up a kettle drum :D I'd have to build an addition on my shack to fit it in tho...
Thanks for taking time to listen and comment.
So easy to love this...just an incredibly good song, performance, mix and feel.
Great, great tune - wonderfully recorded - nothing like a little bluegrass for the soul :)
Don't know where to start.
Let me just say Simon and Garfunkel or Mamas and the Papas.
Vivid story telling and a really good musical arrangement. Love the vocal tracking. You should be very proud. It's sounds like one of those good old songs from years gone by. Honestly I have know idea where the Genesee is but I feel as though I've been picked up and dropped right next to it. Or that I was watching an artist with an intimate knowlegde of it, physically, draw it from memory. Telling long forgotten stories with every brush stroke. Bravo Pinedog
You know I'm a fan of your music Charlie, and you sure don't disappoint with your new song!!
This may be your best song so far! I love the all acoustic approach and how everything balances so nicely in the mix.
That slide is really great, and I so want to buy a banjo when listening to this wonderful song !!
Looking forward to more from this forest journey of yours !!
I listened this song and read all the messages after it and the chorus is still in my head! I had to check Genesee in the Wikipedia and get information from your region. Rivers and lakes has been the source of inspirations also in my country.
Your voice and guitar sounds perfect together. Thanks for sharing the lyrics!
-Kari
geez guys...i never dreamed so many folks would listen this. Thank you all very much. I wish i could offer feedback to all of you on all your posts i have missed...but all i can say is i'm sorry and i'll try to do better. There just aren't enough hours in the darn day.
Nelson, i've been compared to alot of folks but never S&G or the M&P's. Since neither of them ever did any bluegrass that i know of, i'll assume you are referring to my harmonies...and when it comes to harmony singing, those cats were tops..so Thanks!
If you have ever driven between Syracuse Ny and Buffalo NY on the I-90, you have crossed the Genesee...it empties into Lake Ontario at Rochester NY after 150 mile journey almost due north from it's source.
Thanks Geir. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated! banjos are a hoot. get one! The resonator guitar with a slide is fast becoming a fav for me. Experimenting now with tunings...
Kari, it sounds like you are a nature loving person. I find endless inspiration there. Thanks for listening and commenting!
Beautiful song P-dog.
What's not to like about this tune... sliding guitars... acoustic guitars...it's like I'm standing on the river bank right now as I listen. Wow... you've really painted a picture in this tune PD... I absolutely love this one. Glad it got bump'd
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Loved this tune brother, i did a thru-hike of the AT in 1996 and this took me right back! I took my family camping this weekend and I would have loved to have had this on my mp3 player, at least i do now. Great tune, great recording, great performances, great listen!
Folk on!
Thanks a bunch for the the kind words Dave..Rat-a-tat and Hook. I wish i was a better player...i would definitely do more bluegrass. Flatpickin' is tuff but i'm workin' on it!
Hiking the AT must have been awesome Hook. Did you write about it?
A few months after i wrote and recorded this song, i grabbed my camera and did a video for it. if you have time, see what ya think. Thanks...and have a great 2012!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBaVQdYqa-k
Earthy Brilliant music from you PD ! glad this got a bump !
Top class as always from you , have a goodun !!
Dunny
Cool video and a great song. Well done.
Sounds great and I liked the video. Did you do the mixing on the song as well?
very good song, good video, great!
Regards
Sigi
This is brilliant Pine, such a cool track
Mike
I love this. I grew up in Southwestern Ontario, and I spent my 20s working for a company that had a lot of stuff to do around WNY, Rochester down to Ellicottville. If I was gonna live in the USA, I think this is the bit of America I love best.
How can you not love this song...great one P-dog...so great.....like something from big pink....love the banjo and the slide guitar and the strummy guitar and the vocals and the lyrics and the backing vocals....and...well....everything really....out of the park on this one...love that lilt in your voice....I haven't heard this one in a while...and I love it all over again
wow... a blast from the past!
Thanks Dave...really appreciate the kind words. Funny how much easier it seems to write a song when all the material is right in front of you in real life. One of my favorite songs as living in the Genesee Valley has been my life since i was just 22. I'll die here. No place else i'd rather live, and i've been around.
Mike...thanks for the bump man. Haven't listened to this myself in a long while.
Warp...hey..you know the area! SW Ontario...where like out by Rainbow Country? You obviously have seen the Genesee River and the southern tier of western NY if you've been to Ellicotville. That is a booming ski area these days. I live about 40 miles SE of there in Allegany County, not far north of the Pennsylvania line. Northern end of the Appalachians. Sparsely populated as there are no jobs and no reason for young folks to stay. Family farms have long gone under. No crime, no traffic, nothing but rolling hills and hard times for those that choose to stay and those who can't afford to leave. Home sweet home..lol. Land is still cheap here compared to most anywhere else, altho nowhere near as cheap as it was in '74 when i bought my land. $5k for 15 acres overlooking the Genesee Valley with a fresh drilled well. As Archie and Edith Bunker sang..."Doz were da days"...
dang....I live in NC and this would be big here...fantastic stuff.....wow
and the Genessee beer is pretty good too
Quote from: Pine on January 02, 2021, 05:52:55 PMwow... a blast from the past!
Thanks Dave...really appreciate the kind words. Funny how much easier it seems to write a song when all the material is right in front of you in real life. One of my favorite songs as living in the Genesee Valley has been my life since i was just 22. I'll die here. No place else i'd rather live, and i've been around.
Mike...thanks for the bump man. Haven't listened to this myself in a long while.
Warp...hey..you know the area! SW Ontario...where like out by Rainbow Country? You obviously have seen the Genesee River and the southern tier of western NY if you've been to Ellicotville. That is a booming ski area these days. I live about 40 miles SE of there in Allegany County, not far north of the Pennsylvania line. Northern end of the Appalachians. Sparsely populated as there are no jobs and no reason for young folks to stay. Family farms have long gone under. No crime, no traffic, nothing but rolling hills and hard times for those that choose to stay and those who can't afford to leave. Home sweet home..lol. Land is still cheap here compared to most anywhere else, altho nowhere near as cheap as it was in '74 when i bought my land. $5k for 15 acres overlooking the Genesee Valley with a fresh drilled well. As Archie and Edith Bunker sang..."Doz were da days"...
as a man who grew up in Northern NY I really appreciated the story you just presented right here.... the song too...but the stuff you just wrote... wow...15 acres for 5 g....that is awesome... yes...it is beautiful country....
just went back and read through all the comments...hey I am 61 and at work and have time so....what can I say? I loved the video...really added a ton.... great stuff.... Did you ever do any other video's you posted on here? I will have to go through your play list....