Thursday, February 7, 2008

Some More New Old Music

EDIT: NOW! WITH WORKING LINKS!!!

Since the Silvergirl stuff went down a treat, I figured I'd regale you folks with some other stuff from the Jon Hunt Vault (smaller than the Disney Vault, but much much cooler -- and minus one cryogencially-frozen corpse).

Backstory: It's six-ish years ago. I'm at the ass-end of a marriage and my then-spouse is away from the house every night visiting, um, a "special friend" shall we say? (Daily Mail readers -- it's the small details that make the story!) Leaving me alone with my snoozing then-infant daughter and, at the time, a great deal of confusion and sorrow. What better time to make an album than in the throes of crippling depression, I say! I called over some of my friends from past bands (Brandon Dalida from Medication and Chris Hill from every band I was ever in except, like, one -- shout out, brotha!) as well as my awesome friend Jennifer Wedding, and the lot of us took a stab at making a "sprawling double album" on my shitty digital 16-track.

DISCLAIMER: this was a long time ago, and I had NO IDEA how to record instruments. I was learning on the fly. Consequently these songs -- while I'm very very proud of them! -- sound like they were recorded in oatmeal. I'm sorry. You'll like them anyway.

Return To Sender
This first one was supposed to sound like Ryan Adams' "Gold" record which I was in love with at the time, but my weedy vocals, attention to pop details and inability to sound like a heroin addict put it firmly in Byrds territory, which is, y'know, to be expected. The lyrics are pretty self-explanatory, and written early-on in the breakup process -- you know, what does it feel like when your love gets pretty much tossed back in your face? "I'll get used to it, but I feel like shit" -- blunt, right?

Do You Dig Her Scene
You wonder about the gender-flip in the chorus? Yeah. Well. Again, written pretty early on in the break-up process, just that notion of "hey, what the fuck do you feel about this other person, just be honest!" "I don't know the score, 'cause every single night you walk out of the door -- I awoke to the sound of our love crashing down." And that confusing double-talk you get during an affair -- "You, you're talking in rhyme, I wonder if our love has run out of time." It ain't Dylan but it makes its fucking point.

My favorite from these sessions.

Shout-Out
At last, a happier thing, kind of. This was written slightly later, after I met Diablo. This is just lamenting the agony of a long-distance relationship. (Yes, I'm in another one. History repeats itself, don't it?) Anyway -- there's a BETTER mix of this thing out there that ends with a repeated cry of "Hello, Chicago" which I love -- but the same ex who was out every night took it upon herself to erase all my backing vocals on the various tracks and replace them with shitty, badly-sung tracks of her own at one point and various bits and bobs of songs got erased. I made this mix on the fly as I darted the fuck out of that mess, and that's why it lacks that. DAMMIT. Again -- sorry about the oatmeal.

ENJOY. For a while I had to kind of shelve these but I figure that since so much time has passed, they're good to go again.

8 comments:

lap said...

I totally love "Do You Dig Her Scene", the melody and especially the chorus fit your voice so well, and I'm a notable sucker for upbeat songs about sad subjects. Thanks as always for sharing these, you have no idea how great listening to Silvergirl songs are when it's this cold and snowy here in Mpls. They are the perfect anecdote.

Jon Hunt said...

You are FAR FAR too kind!!! Thanks!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Uhhhh. This is like the best Oatmeal I've ever had.

vfleblanc said...

Yeah, this is really good!! However, it would be fun to hear them re-done with the technology you have now - when you have time. Like when is that, huh?

MissTrixi said...

Every day I grow more in awe of who you are, and the talent you possess. This is no exception. 'Do You Dig Her Scene' actually brought tears to my eyes. Salty, wet tears. Your young, fresh, tortured self was full of the same music genius that you have now.
Oh, wait....am I gushing?
Naw. This is just the critique of an unbiased observer.
Sincerely,
'Other Long Distance Relationship'

Febrifuge said...

Christmas Pudding, man! These are incredible.

There's a thing that people study for years, and over-produce their own records trying to get to, that you apparently do by instinct alone.

If this is cobbled-together and rough around the edges, it's just proof that you speak Pop as your native language.

Jon Hunt said...

You guys are awesome. THANK YOU.

Eric, you especially know which parts of my gluteus maximus to kiss! HA! I'm glad you're digging!

Anonymous said...

Jon, you are so freaking talented. I am always impressed by your gifts. Loved, absolutely LOVED, "Do You Dig Her Scene".
;)