The Tracks
All of my albums are personal but this one is the most honest and soul baring of everything I've done!
All of my albums are personal but this one is the most honest and soul baring of everything I've done!
This is of course, the title track of the album. Starting the record, it sets the theme for the entire musical ride.
It's basically saying, I think I've come full circle in this life and now I will no longer be afraid and if it's my time to go, it's my time.
Musically, I wanted something R&B-ish but with a hint of folk and spirituality.
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This track is about that angel on one side of your shoulder and that devil on the other. The battle within myself of good thoughts vs bad, understanding vs intolerance - love vs hate - etc.
Musically I wanted something very modern day pop and happier for the "good" and more sinister sounding for the "bad"
The guy that goes, "hey... hey... hey"
is suppose to be the devil shoulder guy, tempting me - in reality, he is just a digital sound loop. ;)
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This is of course, an "ANON" remake from the days of The Janella Jessica Show.
Originally written and recorded in 2013, I always wanted to do a better quality remake of this song and well, now I am.
I often do Anon and Bypass Ratio remakes and every album has to have at least ONE dirty song, right?
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Petey is about a friend of mine from long ago that was a musician and a server. He had some legal problems and struggled with substance issues (like we all can). He was small and quiet but such a nice guy and beautiful brown eyes with these long, long eyelashes. I always found him fascinating.
When I left the big city, I lost track of him.
Musically, I wanted dramatic acoustic guitar and a slow heavy beat.
The main guitar is a loop from Mixcraft 7 from a guy named Michael Bacich. When I tested the song on Youtube, I didn't get a matched third party content so who knows if the "copyrighted" loops issue is there but I paid for the loop and I'm going to use it. Additional guitar will be by Jonny... me.
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This song addresses how almost everything "mainstream" is a remake or well... crap. There is not much originality in American culture these days. Not that EVERYTHING in the 50s/60s/70s/80s/90s etc, was fantastic but each decade seemed to bring in something new, something fresh... and in the last 10 years or so, at least in my opinion, that seems to be gone.
Maybe it's because at this stage of earthly existence, Everything's Been Done!
Musically, I wanted a very electronic sound, a sound to kind of match the plastic, computer device-y world we live in today.
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Because of health issues, I left the workforce a year and a half ago.
Because of getting older and not being able to stomach the ridiculousness of the general public these days, I stay home a lot (usually working on music).
Even though I have a TV (yuk) and a computer and try to keep up, you really need to be out in the public and around people to be "in touch" with what's going on in society and such, and well, I'm not anymore so essentially, I am Out Of Touch.
Musically, I wanted a sound that sounded shallow and empty, monotone kind of, like the feeling of being out of touch and not very stimulated.
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No Jonsona record is complete without the classic "conspiracy theory bullshit song" < sarcasm ;)
I've addressed the issues going on in the world and why, in many songs, for years now.
It's pretty clear to me at this point, that the majority of people are just going to ignore what's right in front of their faces and go with the official narrative, so...
this song is basically saying, go ahead and poison your children with vaccines you don't research, go ahead and trust a government that doesn't give two shits about you, go ahead and believe the planet is fine when the climate is clearly unraveling and go ahead and believe that it's just and increase in jet travel that makes the sky almost unrecognizable and that it's not slow genocide - I don't care anymore, but I am not a conspiracy theorist, I am an "Event Skeptic" and hey, if you have some tin foil, why don't you go ahead and shove it up your ass! It's a song with attitude for sure.
Musically, I wanted something dramatic with sirens and a bit of a euro sound too.
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Then, after any heavy "modern day bullshit events" song, I like to soften it up with a more positive note. The Little Things, I wanted right after Event Skeptic, a song about appreciating the little things in life, like smelling that flower, seeing your cat or dog in the morning light with that sweet innocent face, or your kids, or a nice bubble bath, or those moments when you have that super peaceful moment in a mad world. Pretty good message and I do appreciate the little things, more than ANYTHING, really.
Musically, I wanted something kind of Happy Days 50's sounding.
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It helped that my father worked for a major airline when I was growing up so I was surrounded by the industry quite a bit as a kid. But even without that, I still think I would have loved the modern jetliner.
I have ALWAYS has an affection toward these amazing beautiful machines.
This song addresses that and how something that we created that was so amazing, the planes and airlines - are now, like so many things, not the same.
Yes, the aircraft may be safer and cleaner but, there is nothing like 727's, dc-10s, L-1011s, TWA, The United tulip, the great service back in the day, the excitement... it's all gone.
One of my biggest regrets in life is that I let a love of my life and my own self doubt, keep me from becoming a flight attendant, something I always wanted to do. And now, it's too late. :(
Musically, I wanted something kind of old record sounding, jazz nightclub-y sound, sexy and sad at the same time.
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Shine On Me is a latin/spanish influenced song that is a Bypass Ratio remake. The original version is from June of 2014, the last song I did before I almost died in a hospital, 2 weeks later.
I've wanted to remake it as "Jonsona" for awhile and here I am making a new record so... perfect! But it also fits now, for who knows what I'll find out about my health again, this year.
It's a simple and beautiful song.
Basically it is saying, sun... shine on me in a beautiful meadow (pacific northwest by volcanoes was in mind) and bathe my soul in peace and love.
It was difficult to recreate similar music to the original with my better software but I did have success! The music turned out amazing!
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When I came up with the title for this song, there was no song... no music, no ideas. I just thought it was a good title to come right after Shine On Me. Initially, an idea came to have the song be about nature, seeds growing into beautiful plants, or some such nonsense - LOL - but then as I was working on other tracks for the album, a friend of mine named Meg had a post on facebook about someone being mean and rude to her. I was FURIOUS about this!!
Meg is such a sweet and amazing girl and suddenly, I had this scene in my head, of her in a saucy red latin dress, a rose (the stem) in her mouth and me in a tux and we are dancing in a beautiful ballroom with candles and stuff, not unlike a Disney movie. Kind of latin based too - like dancing a tango I guess.
So, basically it's like, in this fantasy or in real life, you grow on me Meg Bowen!
"You've grown on me" actually kind of sounds like I didn't like her at first (not true LOL) It's a confusing statement like that but when the song is finished, the true meaning will be understood and it's ALL good, from beginning to now! ;)
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Even though it is the last track, it was the first song I composed for this record. It was created (with many loops) last December. I wanted it to be the first pre single and video single from the album and the music was also used in the new "Follow Jonsona on Youtube" Youtube video for 2016.
The song is written and all that's left is to record the vocals and make the video but since these "health things" have come up, this single is on hold until I find out if I'm okay.
The song itself is basically, this year is about ME, if you're emotionally needy or crazy or handing me the same old shit, then you are on your own for I have to concentrate on me and my life now.
Even more fitting if I have cancer.
But, the song ends the album on kind of a bitchy note but a note of strength as well.
And it is, a Brand New Year - whatever it may bring.
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THE BONUS TRACK
I've never done a "bonus track" before but as I was working on other songs, I heard some loops that I liked and since the set list is set in stone, I had some other things I wanted to say and not have to wait for a new album so, there will be a bonus track, which is really what ends the album.
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I did say that I didn't want to use ANY loops for this record. For "Flowerhead" it was almost ALL loops.
I did use quite a bit of loops for Full Circle but I composed from scratch, quite a bit too.
There were just too many sounds that fit perfectly for so many different things that happened to be loops so, oh well!
I am hoping to have the album released by this spring.
Send me love and prayers if you'd like, to ward off any bad counts and or cancer. I would appreciate that greatly!
Peace & Love - Jonsona
2016TM
