Zither (feat. Derek Piotr)
This is another one of our experimental tracks. In this one, Derek plays his out-of-tune zither, with the pitch correction effect applied by me, and sings, also with it applied by me. The zither and his vocals were recorded over the phone. I also use
Reuben Walton is an artist and songwriter originally from Cape Cod, MA and currently based in Falmouth, MA. His work spans multiple genres with a popcentric foc
Reuben Walton is an artist and songwriter originally from Cape Cod, MA and currently based in Woods Hole, MA. His work spans multiple genres with a pop-centric focus.
A graduate of UMass Lowell and Sturgis Charter Public School, Walton's involvement in music has been a longterm passion with a steady shift towards original material beginning in high school. From his beginnings with choral ensembles, avant garde lo-fi dadaist compositions and earnest cover songs, to his free-flowing explorations of hip hop, atmospheric R&B and plaintive pop melodies, Walton brings a unique perspective that is both vulnerable and playful, his vocals and ear for melody and rhythm forming much of the common element unifying his body of work. His modest career highlights have included performances at UMass Lowell's annual Mothers of Rock concert and various venues in Southeastern Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area.
Currently he is in the process of assembling a short EP with producer AVLI Music of Avli Music Productions in Woodland Hills, CA, in addition to working on a variety of side projects and collaborations.
Story behind the song
This is another one of our experimental tracks. In this one, Derek plays his out-of-tune zither, with the pitch correction effect applied by me, and sings, also with it applied by me. The zither and his vocals were recorded over the phone. I also used the Vocal Transformer effect that I had recently discovered in GarageBand. Derek wanted to do one last song the night we were recording a bunch of songs. The lyrics here are at times sung in a somewhat swinging rhythm and there are interpolations of Björk’s Vespertine-era B-sides “Generous Palmstroke” and “Domestica”, the latter of which was the working title for the Vespertine album when it was being made. The swinging rhythm and loosely 3/4 time signature probably came from being inspired by “Generous Palmstroke” since I think that song also features those musical elements. Also “Generous Palmstroke” primarily features just Björk’s voice and a harp, much like how this song features the zither, which is a similar string instrument. The “Generous Palmstroke” interpolation comes when the lyrics say “a-trickling, down my own shoulders, from up above,”. The “Domestica” interpolation comes after the “Generous Palmstroke” one, when the lyrics start saying “badababa, ba, ba”, which incidentally is an adlib that Björk has sung near the end of some of her live performances of her song “All Is Full of Love”. The track artwork here is a sepia picture of my late friend Amber Scanlan taken in her bedroom at F-22 Chilmark Drive, East Falmouth, MA 02536, with the more brightly lit hallway showing in the background through her open bedroom door, taken by me with my mom's old digital camera, from the same photo shoot as the track artwork for the song "Vertebræ by Vertebræ (Björk Cover feat. Derek Piotr)", which comes right before this song on this album. This song was originally uploaded to my SoundClick music page at www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=541671&content=music on Sunday 9/30/2007.
Vocals by Derek Crofut
Vocal production by Reuben Walton
Lyrics by Derek Crofut and Björk Guðmundsdóttir
Zither by Derek Crofut
Composed by Derek Crofut and Björk Guðmundsdóttir
Produced by Reuben Walton
Recorded by Reuben Walton
Mixed by Reuben Walton
Edited by Reuben Walton
Track artwork by Reuben Walton and Amber Scanlan
Lyrics
Derek Piotr: Chubby, vermin, burnin’, the whole iron will be, in door it down, we, for you too, I’ll begin. How you can, sand through, the grass of my hands all, and I cannot run none. You forgave twirling you, and I know not a view, I can only can try, you mean the wrong. I only suppose that you do not found real, you did not regret, no one can know, and I know not of you man, and I know for endlessness, I gather myself, your fear is hope. I do not repent much, I do not repent much, I do not repent much, but I know but your empty try, your bin, and your legs, your be why, enjoy in my passion to find you out, you are human and you come back, a dead on the prayer. If I find you alone, to cut from the yarn, do cut from the yarn, do cut from the yarn. Oh oooooh, you may away. Mattress, a-trickling, down my own shoulders, from up above, up up above, badababa, ba, ba, the taxi’s out, in, force, I pick my keys, up, badababa, ba, ba. I drive only, these ant, badababa, ba, ba, badababa, ba, ba. (snorting snickering laugh)
