Press Record and Play

The project continues. My name is Michael Harl and my goal is to create and post an audio track on a weekly basis for an entire year. I'm excited.

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Canary oh Canary - “Valley of Secrets”

RVA’s Canary oh Canary has released a teaser track from their upcoming full-length, Sleep, to be released July 11.  The band played a sweet show at Bogart’s last week or so, and they handed out a limited number of copies of Sleep. I, sadly, was not fast enough, so I’ve gotta wait it out, too.

This song, “Valley of Secrets,” is hopefully a dose of what to expect more of in the album.  It’s dark, catchy, new wave, dreamy, and the list could go on.  It sounds like the band added some violin to the instrumentation, and it sounds extra morose.  “… and then we were kissing…”

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Canary oh Canary's first full length "Sleep" is due to be released on July 11. Here is the first single. Enjoy it and enjoy this first day of Summer. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Allen Bergendahl at Scott’s Addition Sound and Viking Recording in Richmond, Virginia. Additional recording done by Michael Harl at Two Birds. Canary oh Canary is Josie Davis - bass Michael Harl - guitar and vocals Mark Hutcherson - drums ©2013 Canary oh Canary

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Shadows Blind

I fell asleep one night this past week with this in my head. I didn't sleep very well that evening. I don't sleep well in general.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Quiet Mountain

The wind moves quickly Taking the warm day with it Sand from snow days past Whips the windows and stings and cuts My eyes tear to flood the dirt Winter wet and white is three days out

Enjoy and thanks for listening, Michael

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Angry Mountain

I've spent most of this past week tracking vocals and supporting guitar parts for the up coming Canary oh Canary release. After laboring over a particular "texture" for hours I began aggressively strumming out of frustration. I rather liked what I heard in that blown out, reverb drenched tone. I decided to knock a quick little number out on the spot in an effort to release a little energy and get back to that "texture" in a bit. Borrowing lyrics from a Canary song entitled Catholic (which will appear on said up coming release) Angry Mountain is the result. It's out of me now and I can move on.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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I Wanna Be Into You - I woke yesterday morning with what felt like glass in my throat and my voice an octave or so lower is register. When I spoke it was as though I had a gravel filter on my words or like I had been smoking for years. I don't smoke. After a visit with the doctor for a strep test, which came back negative by the way, I came home none the wiser to what was happening with my throat and ultimately my voice. I didn't feel terrible or anything just a little run down. Viral perhaps.

Seeing as how I was supposed to go to band practice I tried to eek out a few of the higher notes and even a few lower ones and everything came out sort of strained and monotone. Practice wasn't going to happen. Also, I thought I should stay home with this "mystery" anyhow. 

So I figured I would take advantage of this sexy/creepy Peter Murphyesque tone and record a little something. The result is "I Wanna Be Into You." I took the lyrics from Iggy's "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" and combined them switching out every other line. I am amazed how well they work together.

Enjoy and thanks for listening, Michael

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This New Year - Happy New Year ladies and gentlemen. This is the first post in a new year that will hopefully prove to be creatively productive. In these first days of this new year I can't help but be consumed with thoughts that everything is a predictor of the year to come. It stems from the idea that if one eats greens, collards or otherwise, the year will be a lucrative one or that if one eats hop and johns they are bound for a year or good luck.

It freaks me out honestly. Are the first day's activities and consumptions a forecast of things to come? I like to think that perhaps it is my conscious decision making and motivation that determines my course through out the year. I chose to have chili in lieu of black eyed peas. I guess we'll see what happens.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Skinny Pants Hurt My Nuts

I posted on a friend Dave's Facebook page yesterday my wish that we lived closer together so we could be in a band and do songs like Shit Shat Shut the Fuck Up and Skinny Pants Hurt My Nuts. Dave's a great guy with an equally great sense of humor and a talent being able to deliver stream of conscious hilarity. He also plays bass. He responded with the suggestion that "we rent a space in Atlanta and meet halfway and write those and others such as You Seem Like A Nice Girl, But I was Hoping You'd Introduce Me To Your Mom and I'm Sorry I Killed Your Dog (I Hope We Can Still Make Out).

I couldn't wait and went ahead and got started with Skinny Pants Hurt My Nuts; a true story based on actual life events.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Tomorrow I'll Shed (Version 2)

Tomorrow I'll Shed originally appeared as Week Two of the Press Record and Play project. Reworked and slowed, this version revels a bit in the melancholy of the lyrics. 

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael 

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Nothing In Common (Version 2)

Now that the project has ended I am putting together a compilation of what I think are some of the highlights from the project. It will be made available at some point via Bandcamp and Soundcloud. I also am reworking and rerecording some of the tracks for a possible solo release later this year.

This a bit of a different take on Nothing In Common from week 20, complete with morning breath.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Week 52 - The Mission

And here it is, the final installment of a year long project known as Press Record and Play (PRAP). Technically it should have been done on Feb. 9 but for one reason or another that just didn't happen. I found myself over thinking the final posting wanting to make it "extra special" and perhaps overly significant in some way thus delaying completion. That is exactly what PRAP is not about. It is not about over thinking or hesitation to the point of stagnation. It is about doing; sketching gestures of inspiration sometimes immediate and raw and other times rendering deep seated experiences to nearly "finished" realization. PRAP has been wonderfully rewarding in that it has pushed me to explore the question of what is a seed of inspiration and recognize that at times the most mundane idea can develop, shift and evolve into something unexpected in the end. I've learned how to recognize that moment of spark and to act upon it putting it down whether through writing or playing. I've learned how to push beyond disregard and give sounds a chance to become structure whether as words or music.

The Mission is directly inspired by the ever prolific Edward Ka-Spel of The Legendary Pink Dots. I was listening to his aaAzhyd China Doll record recently and thought it would be interesting to do an LPD style song replete with Ka-Spelian accent and enunciation. I have always enjoyed his delivery and slight Elmer Fudd speech inflections.

Spring is in the air as the temperature rises and the trees begin to bud. Soon the French irises and tiger lilies will emerge in all their delicate splendor to display their intricate petal and color arrangements. I love this time of year.

Headphones and repeated listening are encouraged for this one.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Week 51 - A Particular Trade-off

Two minutes. Two notes. Two voices and a cell phone. 

Happy Valentine's Day <3

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Week 50 - In My Mouth

It was a year ago today (Feb. 9) that Canary oh Canary played it's first official show at Sprout here in Richmond, VA. Holy hell in a hand basket, WHAT A YEAR! I've met some great people, made some new friends and shared a bill with some great bands.

On the bill for that very first show was the incredible Baby Help Me Forget. MY GOD MAN! The energy these guys radiated was just kick you in the face and ask for more, infectious. I was hooked and took every chance I could to see them. Not since my days in Savannah had I seen the sort of performance that Mr. Jamie Lay gave. A performance reminiscent of the greats like The Professor from The Woggles or Big Jim from La Brea Stompers. The music was dirty and raw and dripping with sweat. FUUUUUUN!

This past Friday Baby Help Me Forget played their last show at the WRIR 97.3 fm Party for the Rest of Us and gave it their all. I just wanted to say THANK YOU gentlemen for kicking me in the balls and leaving me smiling.

"In My Mouth" was recorded this morning with BHMF in mind, utilizing lyrics from the Canary oh Canary song "Dirty South." Quick. Raw. Dirty.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Week 49 - Homage to Fromage

I love cheese. All kinds of cheese. Stinky cheese, not so stinky cheese, high end imported cheese, Velveeta cheese, crumbly cheese, spreadable cheese, dippin' cheese, cheese on a stick, sliced cheese, shredded cheese, cubed cheese, grilled cheese, the Cheese Colombo sandwich at Capola's, cheesy puffs, fried cheese ...

I could go on and on.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Week 48 - Drugs

It seems like every time I turn on the television (which isn't often) I am inundated with pharmaceutical ads telling me I need to take something to get me through every aspect of my life. It blows me away how many of them have listed as a side effect, FATALITY. Death isn't a side effect. It's a result.

I wonder if this is the future George lived in.

I highly recommend headphones for this one.

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael

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Week 47 - Hawk

Enjoy and thank you for listening, Michael