Apartments
The lyrics are pretty self-explanatory and autobiographical. I have since done an instrumental album about the experience of living so many places ("Moving").
One of the nice things about returning to the original multi-track masters was that I could get back to the performances that happened prior to bouncing. (For those to whom this term is new: "bouncing" refers to taking existing tracks, doing a stereo mix onto another deck; or onto a single track on the tape from the others, and then recording over the three you'd just mixed down. I almost always used the first method, thereby leaving earlier performances intact. You then transferred your stereo mix back onto two tracks further on up the tape, which gave you one track less to overdub to, but- it kept things cleaner. It then became very important to get maximum bang out of each track. Sometimes in order to have a range of instruments, you had to be very quick hitting that record button. You had to have a head for arranging. While the intricacies of recording this way were often a pain in the ass, I learned a lot from doing so. But I digress....
The original vocal track on "Apartments" was quite nice by itself. But I always felt better adding one more. I kind of felt it was "my sound", and I felt less self-conscious about the vocals, generally. I added some instruments in the bounce too, and overall, liked the results. But it led me to forget how good that original vocal track was. When the time came to remix, I was able to get the original tracks and the new bounce tracks together. I opted for a new vocal arrangement highlighting the first vocal, and the best of the support vocals only.
lyrics
Apartments
Places to stay
All familiar
None of them home
Places have spirits
Though most can't feel them
Contacts made on planes unknown
A place has a presence
Something like a person
Abstract yet somehow
Direct and pure
Stains left behind by those who've passed through
Intent of design shows even more
Who were they built for
These cubicle patterns
Resembling but never embodying home
The children of Wotan
A nation of strangers
Living only to work
And then moving on
Apartments
I've lived in too many to count
Each one's left a stain on my soul
Anonymous places
Rented lives
Move in when it's fresh and
Move out when it gets old
The past is a landmark condemned and torn down
Leaving photos and memories as testament
Apartments and people
Existing alone
Strangers thrown together
Making the best of it
G.S., 7/3/91
credits
from Darkland Express part one,
released April 29, 2016
GS: acoustic and electric guitar, vocals, bass, electric drums
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