1. Nova 19- This is case where the name of the song informed the lyrics. This is also the first song I finished on this album, and perhaps my favorite, so I named the album the same.

2. On this Occasion- Bam! I love the snare sound on this song, it just punches. Lots of flavors of darkness here, this songs moves through realms and spheres of shadow. I like it.

3. Teeth Grinder- It rocks and swings at the same time. A bit of social commentary if you pay attention to lyrics. Check the switch to 6/8 in the middle section! I guess that makes it prog.

4. Bugeyes- I tried to make this song quite dynamic but still heavy. The guitars are distorted, drums are heavy, but it’s often but driven by a keyboard arpeggio. The bridge is where it gets really spooky, and dare I say even a little funky? Don’t worry, it’ll get back to heavy for the ending!

5. Choices and Voices- I did the first passes of vox on this song but definitely wanted a better vocalist to sing these harmonies. Billy took the reins and killed it, so it is him on lead with me on backup. I don’t want to spell out the meaning of the lyrics, at least what I think they mean, but my intent was telling the story of a stage actor aging out in a quickly changing industry. Do you hear the vocals at the end? It was a day when I could somehow sing to low D. So I did. The main solo is keys instead of guitar because it’s me. The drums are mostly synthetic which works better with the feeling of the piece.

6. The Scales Tip- Anyone want to sing on this one? Seems like a good one for a good singer. Lots of poly rhythms going on here but the last half of the song is roughly in 7/8. It’s hard to count. And wait until you hear that ending!

7. One More Bridge to Burn- Yes, you can swing in 7/8, at least a little. There’s a good mix of vibes here with a nice 4/4 break in the middle that really opens up the sonic palette. Then expect a steady build to the last verse.

8. Seventeen Lashes- Can you count all 17? Not really. Major keyboard solo there when it switches to 7/8 through to the end, with an ending that is all about the prog. I love this piece, it just has a thing.

9. Poutinour- A name that I think came to me in a dream, like happens pretty often to me. It’s a bit cliche but this piece is a real journey. The big build in the first section leads to a big audio dip in the middle, a breather from the urgency of the rest. Where does this one take you?

10. Ixion’s Curse- Ixion is Greek myth, quite a convoluted story that, not surprisingly, ends with Zeus cursing a human to eternal torture. But he mated with a cloud shaped like Hera and that’s how centaurs were born, so there’s that. I don’t even attempt to tell the whole story, so if you’re interested it’s worth a little research. Thanks for all the production help, Joel.

11. Gaelic Bitch- Or maybe “Gaelic, Bitch”? The name just came to me one night when I was reading a book. I wrote the guitar melody in the middle on keys but it needed the touch and sound of a guitar master, thank you Joel! And that ending should slap you, just a little.

12. Feeling Alone- We have all been there, and it’s not all bad. We pick ourselves back up, feel stronger again, embrace our uniqueness and step back out, back up, back in. And we’re changed. A quieter finale for the adventure.

Coming to streaming services soon!