lean on
Oct 8, 2023
bog berries
Newfangle
I’ve always wanted to do this but had way less time than I would have hoped so this one is a little ROUGH! I’ll do some better planning next time and get a better product
I chose to write in delta blues as my genre and then that turned into sort of like midwest emo or maybe indie singer songwriter solo act? Not 100% sure but I ALWAYS write and produce and arrange in a very full out intense way so releasing a piece of music even to a small community with just guitar and vocals is VERY new for me. I also wrote the lyrics from a different perspective than I usually do and tried to tell a story a little bit. My breakdown is the “lean on” chorus part. not sure if it really counts but it’s a little bit of a breakdown. The new idea I was trying to write about was friendship in adulthood. Stayin connected, supporting each other but maybe not as much as we used to? It was fun to force myself to be fast and messy and just get it down. I don’t love all of it but there are moments that are fun maybe? hard to know if it has legs to grow into a larger fuller song but the excessive was fun even if this is it’s final resting place
LYRICS
Angus wrote a letter he was calling out for help
He never really calls for much so we knew he wasn’t well
Most of us replied real quick we called or sent a text
but mike got stuck inside himself he couldn’t take a step
usually his love can flow but this time it ebbed
Angus tried to let it fade
the summer came and went
and his wound has there infected from the text mike never sent
and though it seemed so small and trivial, just one quick reply
mike couldn’t get it down to send
he couldn’t simply reach his friend
he was trying to but couldn’t then
some affliction to his loving hand
Lean on x1000
we keep on leaning
and the chair is out form under you
we turn 31 or 32 and don’t know what to do
we used to hold each other hold each other up
but now we go to lean and there’s no one there to trust
Looking for feedback on
which part(s) would you keep which would you cut/change?
Discussion
stonewindow October 20, 2023 10:25am
Intensity and space. Struggle is well articulated with vulnerability. I dig the end. More space. Nice
bog berries October 17, 2023 12:10pm
Thank you all for the comments! Very cool project to be a part of! I am slower than the rest of you but I’m gonna get around and listen to all of them soon! <3
Rmal October 10, 2023 6:07pm
I love the raw grit of the guitar with the clean bell of your voice. Never felt wanting for a full band. I felt the rhythm and was drawn into the story. I’ve come back to it a few times. Well done.
Ryan October 10, 2023 11:02am
Welcome to NCBC, Bog-man! This is an incredible first submission. Was drawn in immediately. Heck of a voice!
Loved the juxtaposition of the main guitar part with the chromaticisms thrown in. Does an excellent job representing the warmth of friendship but with the chaos of getting older looming / interrupting that warmth. This reminded me a little of Hadestown—a big rock voice over excellent guitar playing, backdrop of delta blues but tweaked toward indie, sense of ominousness, etc. Really rad stuff.
In terms of cutting/changing, I suppose the only thing I’d be curious for you to do is bang around the lyric sheet a little. Is there more color that could be brought in with expanding the story or some of the metaphorical language? More examples of the friendships struggling? Love “we keep on leaning and the chair is out from under you”.
bog berries October 17, 2023 12:11pm
I went very literal and I agree it isn’t that interesting. I tried to to tell a story and have it easy to follow along but I agree my favorite part is when it leaves the story and the “characters” hahah
nick October 9, 2023 7:47am
coooop. im blown away. i didn’t know what to expect (and maybe i still don’t considering this was a new genre for you) but just really happy you hopped in for this assignment. right off the bat, great tone with the guitars and @@Kyle and @@ryan can attest that i do not care about tone. The guitar line is really strong, and that chromatic move at the end works so well. Some times little chromatic walk downs can feel tired and overused, but this one feels super fresh and gritty. Funny we both ended up in the emo world, and talking about a relative lack of response as adults. bog berries. so glad to have you!