As the release date for my new album, "Queens English", approaches, I thought it might be a fun idea (if only for me) to try and maybe dissect the record here at the old Blog space. A bit of a behind the scenes look under the hood so to speak. Since I've always dug reading about some of my favorite albums track-by-track, I thought that might be an interesting way to approach. Eleven tracks in eleven installments? Can I pull it off without boring even myself? Got me. Stay tuned and find out. Here goes it with the title track...
Track 2: "Queens English"-
The origins of this tune really date back to the summer of 2001; Around that time my wife and I bid a bittersweet goodbye to our beloved, overpriced, Manhattan apartment and made the move to a newly purchased townhouse in Queens with an eye toward starting a family and owning a semi-affordable place we could call our own. Growing up in Queens with an ever present desire to escape and follow my musical dreams in “the city”, I never thought I’d return. Now back in the hood, more a result of economic circumstance and bizarre twists in realty listings rather than premeditated thought, I felt oddly at home yet at the same time very much like a fish out of water. Both the transplanted interloper and the hard-core townie somehow wrapped into one.
It was also around this time that the now widely recognized, outer-borough, hipster invasions really began to pick up full-steam in Brooklyn and in parts of Queens (sorry if this makes no sense, non-NY'ers). Suddenly straggly, trust-fund babies with guitar cases and beards started to appear in places heretofore inhabited solely by track suit-sporting Tony Sopranos and black hat Hasidim. Inspired, I suppose, by both my sudden displacement and the wide-eyed gazes of Nebraska natives as they 'discovered' this 'new world', a snarky pen was put to paper and "QE" hopped a 7 train into being. Queens English Speakin’ the Queens, Speakin’ the Queens… Left the big city, my girl and me Headed for the new frontier Not talking Brooklynese, that’s over, please Man, I’m speakin’ the Queens Speakin’ the Queens… English, yeah, yeah Found a real nice place, got some space It’s cozy and the bills are low It’s a new hip scene where the accent’s keen And I’m speakin’ the Queens Speakin’ the Queens… English, yeah, yeah, Speakin’ the Queens Speakin’ the Queens… English… whoa, yeah, yeah… It’s not the Village, no or the new SoHo Don’t have snobby models on my block Just some heavy cats wearin’ baseball hats And they’re speakin’ the Queens Speakin’ the Queens… English, yeah, yeah Speakin’ the Queens Speakin’ the Queens… English, oh, yeah, yeah Speakin’ the Queens Speakin’ the Queens…
English…
Next time on "Speakin' The Queens...", we get "Happy" with track 3.
As the release date for my new album, "Queens English", approaches, I thought it might be a fun idea (if only for me) to try and maybe dissect the record here at the old Blog space. A bit of a behind the scenes look under the hood so to speak. Since I've always dug reading about some of my favorite albums track-by-track, I thought that might be an interesting way to approach. Eleven tracks in eleven installments? Can I pull it off without boring even myself? Got me. Stay tuned and find out. Here goes somethin'...
Track 1: "Who Are Yous? (prelude)" -
Since the title track of the album, "Queens English", is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of all the gentrification/hipster invasions taking place in NYC's outer-boroughs of late set to a kind of glam-rock romp, I thought it might be less stock and more interesting to push said uptempo track to the number two slot in the running order and start the record off instead with a kind of stylized, old-timey sounding, rock-free instrumental. I hoped the disparate styles sitting side by side, one quickly segueing into the next, might be a cool way to further illustrate the collision of new and old New York riffed upon in the title track and at points throughout the record.
With lofty concept now firmly in place, I needed an actual composition to execute the idea. I'd written an old-style, music hall type song with lyrics called, "Who Are Yous?" to close out the album; a tune designed to be literally and figuratively the polar opposite of the song, "Queens English". With "Who Are Yous?" having been written from the perspective of an elderly, native New Yorker lamenting the changes transforming his "old neighborhood", I realized I already also had the perfect contender for my intro track - Why not create an abridged, instrumental version of the closing cut, put it at the head of the sequence and bookend everything in the process? Word (or lack thereof) was born.
Intent on getting that string-quartet-coming-off-a-crackling-78 vibe for the recording, I turned to my friend and string arranger, Jacob Lawson. Successfully converting my abstract thoughts into reality, Jacob realized the arrangement I was looking for and we set out to put some zeros and ones in their places. With Jacob kindly and adeptly donning the hats of engineer, mixer and sole player on the track, we layered Jacob upon Jacob until a lush, faux string section emerged brimming with front-parlor, old time dandiness.
Next time on "Speakin' The Queens...", track two, "Queens English". Come on back now, yous hear me?
Mark your iPhone calendars! Wake the neighbors! I'm psyched to let you guys know that the release date for my new album, "Queens English", has finally been set at Tuesday May 18th, 2010. The album will be released on the DreamCrush label and will be available in stores nationwide and online in the following configurations - CD, Digital Download and Deluxe Package.
The Deluxe Package will be available exclusively at the DreamCrush website and will include the "Queens English" CD personalized/autographed by yours truly as well as the "Brooklynese" CD EP featuring 4 bonus tracks/demos from the "QE" sessions previously unreleased and exclusive to the Deluxe offer only. A portion of the proceeds from Deluxe Package sales will be donated to cancer research; A worthy cause, indeed.
And oh, here's a track listing if you're totally OCD like me and enjoy reading this sort of thing prior to an album's release -
1. Who Are Yous? (prelude) 2. Queens English 3. Happy 4. Muffin in the Oven 5. Camp Elmo 6. Angeline & the Bensonhurst Boy 7. Bridge & Tunnel 8. Blue Suit 9. Middle Town 10. Ballad of M & LJ 11. Who Are Yous?
Of course, I'll remind (aka pester) everyone about the drop as we get closer. I'm looking forward to you guys hearing this album. I truly hope you enjoy it.
Shortly after waking Christmas morning, shaking off my eggnog fog and safely negotiating an endless sea of discarded wrapping paper, I flipped on the TV to see if my old compatriot, "The Yule Log", had managed, once again, to return home for Christmas in all its beautifully mundane, flaming brilliance; indeed it had.
As per Wikipedia - "The Yule Log is a television program which airs traditionally on Christmas eve or Christmas morning, originally on New York City television station WPIX but now on many other stations. A radio simulcast of the musical portion was broadcast on sister station WPIX-FM (later WQCD and now WRXP) until 1988. The program is a film loop of a yule log burning in a fireplace, with a traditional soundtrack of classic Christmas music playing in the background. It airs without commercial interruption..."
I have to admit, there's something about a close-up of a log burning on a TV screen that chokes a brother up a little. A natural reaction I suppose; as a child of the 70s and 80s The Yule Log was a personal Christmas eve tradition for this little kid growing up in a Queens, NY home with four televisions but nary a fireplace in sight. The Yule Log served as my quietly patient, secret confidant during those mean, late-night hours when sleep was deprived by the excitement of the coming mornings festivities.
In an ever-shifting, 140-character world that seems to have little patience for anything, it's nice to watch The Yule Log burn, if only once a year, as a reminder that, thankfully, some things never change and some are still worth waiting for.
The Yule Log (sadly without copyrighted music)
Note - A cool Time Magazine piece on The Yule Log can be foundhere.
Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Crimble and say a quick thanks to all the kind folks who came out to the Pete's gig on 12/8. As always, 'twas a joy and honor to bring the jams your way.
Hope everyone has an awesome holiday season and thank you for all your support in 2009. I'll see you in 2010 with more live shows and the new album release (more on that soon).
Here's hoping Santa brings that cowbell you wanted. Cheers!
The band and I will be kicking out the jams (and downing awesome grilled sandwiches) at the world famous Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn, NY on Tuesday Dec 8th, 2009. Admission is free so come on down, get your holiday buzz on and join us for our last rock show of the year. See below for details and more info. Happy Holidays! -XO, mb
Mark Bacino Tues. Dec. 8, 2009 - 8pm Pete's Candy Store 709 Lorimer Street Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 302-3770 www.petescandystore.com Click here for directions *No Cover*
The Band - Cheri Leone, Matty Karas, John Lee, Jay Sherman-Godfrey and Bob Byrne
Hey everybody, welcome back. Sorry I've been a little negligent on the Blog front of late. Thought I'd check in quick and say thanks again to all who braved the nasty weather and came out to The Living Room in NYC last month. 'Twas a blast kickin' and screamin' for you guys. I'm hoping to possibly sneak another show in before the holiday season descends upon us in all its egg nog-spiked fury so stay tuned for info on that gig.
In other news, I'm real, real close to settling the fine-print regarding the release of my new album, "Queens English". Will definitely let everyone know the street date, details, etc. as soon as they become available. Looking forward to finally getting this project out into the world. I truly appreciate all the words of encouragement and support I received from you fine folks during the making of and beyond; it's been a long road indeed.
Well, guess that about does it for now. Thought I might leave you with this mellow little jam (below) from the last show that seems oddly apropos. This lo-fi talkie and others from that night can also be found here.
And oh yeah Julie, did I ever tell you about?... ah, never mind. XO -mb
As the release date for my new album, "Queens English", approaches, I thought it might be a fun idea (if only for me) to try and maybe dissect the record here at the old Blog space. A bit of a behind the scenes look under the hood so to speak. Since I've always dug reading about some of my favorite albums track-by-track, I thought that might be an interesting way to approach. Eleven tracks in eleven installments? Can I pull it off without boring even myself? Got me. Stay tuned and find out. Here goes it with the title track...
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