As it turns out, I had an opportunity to have lunch with Jake and Joanie today. We enjoyed ourselves until the evening, so when I got back I was hesitant to fire up the amplifiers even though technically it wasn't too late to be making noise around my neighbors. I plan to do some bona fide noisemaking tomorrow though.

Since I'd opted not to record actual sounds traveling through the air today, I went right back to programming and working with loops, virtual instruments and things I can record directly without a microphone. I revisited both "Evil Reaches Nebraska" and "We Are Not in Kansas Anymore" and built out the arrangements. I programmed and sequenced a great deal of "Kansas" (which is looking to be one of the most complicated songs I'm doing at least as far as having multiple tracks goes) and basically cleaned up and sequenced "Nebraska." I also decided to go with the evil metal guitar part in "Nebraska" and added it using my VG-8ex instead of a proper amp set up.

Oh, and I also rewrote a bit of "Kansas" to shorten some of the verses. At the moment, it's the longest song on the record, which is fine, but I think some of the verses are actually more effective when I spend less time "setting up the scene" and more just saying what I want to say. This is actually something I have a tendency to do often, so I will usually revisit lyrics a few days after writing a song to look for places where I can shave them down to the Most Important Things. "Kansas" will still probably end up being the longest song on the record, but now I think the music will have more of a chance to breathe instead of being crowded out by a barrage of lyrics.

At this point there are two songs which just need vocals and guitars to be done. (i.e. "The World Is Flat" and "What Came Out When I Opened My Mouth.") I'm hoping to finish them both tomorrow. "Nebraska" is only missing a few little flourishes and all of the samples I was talking about in yesterday's entry. I've made great progress on "Kansas," but there's still quite a bit to do.

I know what I'm doing for the song for Michigan though I haven't started putting any of it together. I'm still up in the air about Wisconsin and Iowa though. I figure I've got enough time that I needn't worry too much yet.

Jake has insisted that Iowa's be the best song on the album, and he's offered to tell me things about growing up there to help get me started. We ended up not talking too much about Iowa today, but hopefully he'll be of some use as a catalyst for that song. I have considered writing a "lost Misfits song" about some ridiculous monster attacking Iowa, but I fear that may be too much like the concept I've got going for Nebraska. I have also tossed around the idea of writing a "lost Mountain Goats song" titled "Going to Iowa" since the good Mr. Darnielle has not yet written one for Iowa in his Going To... series. That idea appeals to me still, though I don't know if I'm actually up to it.

Suggestions are absolutely welcome, but please note there is no way I'm writing a song about cheese for Wisconsin.

what's on:
"High Hopes" (Sicko - You Are Not the Boss of Me!)