Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring (Slouching Beast Style)

It has been a long, brutal winter in the Northeast: tough on the roads (i.e. potholes deeper than Rob is tall) and tough on our souls (and our soles . . . all the stomping around with my dog in the snow in Sorel boots-- which have very little arch support-- aggravated my plantar fasciitis).  I normally love the cold, but this winter was more than I could handle in good spirits. My only solace is that I didn't go Jack Torrance on my family . . . though I certainly came close. There was a night or two where I had this look in my eyes:

But it's over . . . or nearly over (snow in the forecast tonight) and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, or at least makes you stuck inside with plenty of time to play the guitar. The result is two seasonally themed Slouching Beast songs.

The first song-- Long Winter-- was inspired by a Christina Gutierrez line from Serial . . . I recorded the vocals back in February, when it was zero degrees and extremely dry, and my voice sounds even raspier than usual. I was going to try again last week, but decided against it . . . as the final effect is more than fitting. It really has been a long winter, and my voice on the track is a testament to that. 

I'm very proud of my bass riff on this song (played on a short scale Danelectro Longhorn).

The second song-- Shining Incident (Averted)-- is a tribute to spring that rivals Vivaldi's masterpiece (there's some lovely vocals and a full fledged jazz interlude-- it's quite upbeat by my standards . . . aside from the ax and the undercurrent of violence . . . Seasonal Affective Disorder is a serious ailment,  and there needs to be more songs about it, as a lot of people north of the border lost their shit this winter). 

I have reason to believe
my wife is stepping out on me.

There's a guy who works the floor.
I think she's giving him something more
than she's giving me.

My kids are pale,
they creep and fail. No tooth and nail.
They do their hair.

There's nothing in there.

I have reason to believe
it will be a long winter.
Sun low on the horizon,
it's barely a splinter
in my eyes.

I have reason to believe
my new boss despises me.
She averts her eyes
every time I pass her by.
I don't know why.

I have reason to believe

it will be a long winter.

Sun low on the horizon,
it's barely a splinter
in my eyes.

When the fog rolls in,
and the rain begins,
you will call my name,
you will call my name.

And you will come to me,
in your weakest hour.
You will succumb to me--
feel my super power.

Remember December,
the glow won't go forever.
Remember . . . remember,
this won't last forever.

Put away the axe.
Let your mind relax.
Pour yourself a beer,
spring is near.

This time was close,
you were seeing ghosts,
but the sun melts the snow,
and the feelings go.

Encapsulate your rage,
your house becomes a cage.
Every sound you hear
devastates your ears.

But you made it, you made it,
the gray days finally faded,
and they made it, they made it,
your family's out of danger.

But remember December,
the glow won't go forever.