Studio happenings, , learning, ranting. The House of Imp Studio – JennyK Productions and Editing.
JennyK music news
You can hear this on the 2023 Reaper Made Easy wrap up show on The Global Voice radio.
Download the show here
JennyK: Songwriting, vocals, synths, mix.
Scott Chesworth: production advice, fake fake fake guitars, bass, various, master.
Dwight Brady: Making drums better!!
This song started as an instrumental track on Kompoz by Bill Babcock with drums by Andrea Spaziale. The song was left untouched for a while. Until Rob Glass added bass. This is my mix and production with my somewhat unsolicited lyrics and vocals.
This mix will be up for live feedback on
Produce like a Pro with the following notes:
Update: After Bobby confirmed my feeling that the vocals were simply too overpowering, I pretty much worked them over completely and decided to thin down the synths to make room. I find it hard to balance these instruments and hesitate to use the mute button too much. However, since this was never meant to allow for vocals, I might be fighting a losing battle. I think I’m slowly getting to where I want it. I could spend even more endless hours on automation, but I might need a bit of distance to it first.
Mixed in Reaper.
Enjoy. And follow me on
SoundCloud, for more demos and mixes in progress.
Cheers!
JennyK
At the House of Imp Studio.
Art/prog- rock
I read books. Lots of books.
I escape, sure I do. It’s my safe place.
And Recently I started listening to a podcast featureing fairytales the way they were written, not as they got cleaned up and polished by Disney. And those are disturbing, interesting, fascinating, and like a kick in the ass for creativity.
However, information overload is a thing, even if it’s self-imposed entertainment.
I’m not sure what that dark and absurd stuff does to the mind in the long run. Or if it’s even worth the bother considering.
As far as the name is concerned, I did read Beowulf recently – or an abridged podcast version. and I can’t help sympathize with Grendel. All he wanted was peace and quiet.
WillaWay: drums, lead guitar
Pete Midipunk: Encouragement, comical release. 😀
Bill Babcock: Guitars
Clif Warren: Bass.
Creator:
JennyK -Songwriting, lyrics, vocals, various keys and pads, mixing, mastering
Grendel
Lyrics by Jenny K. BrennanOnce upon a time there was a poet. He wrote a story where they all died. And someones mother was insane in the swamp and they came to get her.
And once upon a time there was a princess in a tower and she got knocked up and died when she tried to escape. Got strangled on her hair.
And once upon a time there was a happily ever after.
Can you tie up this story line?
Can you soothe my Grendel?
Oh, I’ve been losing all my heroes cause I’ve been killing them all.
I don’t know what I’m on.
It’s gotta be something strong.
I’m a poet after all.
Oh, I’ve been losing my direction and maybe I’ve gone too far.
It’s all the stories I read.
It’s all the stories I read.
It’s all the stories I read.
I want to believe in fairytales.
Do you believe in happily ever after.
Do you believe love’s like a fairytale.
I wanna believe in happily ever after.
But I do believe that love is a fairytale.
Once upon a time.
Oh, I’ve been losing my perception.
Cause I’ve been turning it down.
I don’t know what I’ve done.
It’s gotta be something dumb.
I’m a poet after all.
Oh, I’ve been burning your instructions and maybe I’ve gone too far.
It’s all the stories I read.
I want to believe the fairytale.
[Solo] Do you believe in happily ever after.
Do you believe love’s like a fairytale.
I wanna believe in happily ever after.
But I do believe that love is a fairytale.
I am nothing if not a believer.
In fairy’s play, the hero’s quest, the maiden’s everlasting innocence.
I am nothing if not a believer.
Once upon a time there was a dragon. He hoarded all the people and all the cats. He traded on the market for something interesting to read.
Once upon a time there was a king who tried to marry his daughter. Because he couldn’t find anyone as perfect as her mother who died.
Once upon a time I believed in love.
Once upon a time.
Do you believe in happily ever after.
Do you believe love’s like a fairytale.
I wanna believe in happily ever after.
But I do believe that love is a fairytale.
Once upon a time.
,
It is isn’t it?
Well, in one very important sense it is; it’s okay to not have it all together. Mental illness is something so many of us deal with and it’s the new normal to some degree. Not that it’s something people are comfortable talking about, but it’s getting better.
True. Yes?
But I’ve noticed something a bit odd and quite disconcerting. I admit, this is my perspective and I do not speak for you or anyone else. These are just thoughts that have come up lately. I’m not even sure if it’s an actual viewpoint, a definite opinion, if it’s something that has actually changed in the last few years, or If I’m just completely full of it.
So here it is.
Yes, mental illness is okay to deal with, to admit having issues with. Everything from slight social anxiety to serious cases of OCD and beyond where serious medication is needed. I think it’s going the right way if nothing else.
but the first thing I find myself uncharitable enough to think at times is that, “If everyone and their aunt claims to have anxiety, then what does the word “anxiety” actually mean in real life for me?” The odd thing is that if I tell someone that I have anxiety, Joe Blow down the block might say “Oh, that’s okay, we’ve all got that. Pot helps with that these days, doesn’t it? I get anxious all the time. You should take a walk or something. Join a club or whatever.”
Sigh.
the thing is; I don’t think Joe Blow down the block knows what anxiety is. he most certainly doesn’t know what an anxiety attack does to a person. Or how crippling social anxiety can be. Or how stress hormones in the body from cronic anxiety will make you sick, physically. It’s not something to be taken lightly. Joe, I know you mean well, but before you minimize the suffering of those who actually do suffer, you might want to talk to a few of those who know what it’s like.
Really, I do feel like my anxiety, which is both crippling and makes me physically sick, and prevents me from doing so many of the things I deep down wish I could do, gets viewed as nothing more than a slight case of being a bit scared or nervous. Oh, everyone has anxiety these days, no big deal. If it gets bad, there’s pot, and there are drugs. What’s the big deal?
Now, you tell me, am I being fair?
let me know in the comments if you think, as I do, that just the normalizing of the word “anxiety” has made it pretty much meaningless. Or maybe I’m thinking about this a bit screwy, then tell me that.
Jen
Music: Demo of “Hey, it’s okay.” by JennyK.
‘s
by Icarus machine 2018
Written by Jenny K Brennan.
With guitars, mixing, mastering and production by Bill Babcock.
With the always amazing Jordi Ribas on the bass.
Dissonance is a song that defies genre. It’s prog-rock, goth-rock, emo, and a bit of experimental. but mostly it’s defined by the emotional tension and disregard for standards that is typical JennyK. I’m glad to have Icarus Machine with its own particular style of metal produce this song.
JennyK
Dissonance
Lyrics by jenny K BrennanI said hi, I said hello, I said I think that I need you.
You said hey, you said sure, what do you need me for?
I said oh, never mind, I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.
I’ll do it on my own.It takes two to pitch a proper fight.
It takes two to propagate a lie.
It takes two to pose a question.
It takes two to play a proper game.
It takes two to make someone believe.
It takes two to build a connection.
But only one to shut it down.At the end of the day I just wanted someone to know me.
At the end of my song I am dissonant.
At the edges I’m frayed.
At the end of the night I just wanted somewhere to belong.
A place where I can always go.
At the end of the day I just wanted you to hear me in my dissonance.It takes two to pitch a proper fight.
It takes two to validate a lie.
It takes two to make a friendship.
but only one to let it die.
It takes two to play a proper game.
It takes two to make someone believe.
It takes two to build a connection.At the end of the day I just wanted someone to care that I feel at the end of my line.
I don’t know what’s beyond here, beyond here.
At the end of the day I just wanted someone to know me.
At the end of the day I just want to know I matter.
To you.It takes two to pitch a proper fight.
It takes two to propagate a lie.
It takes two to change perception.
But only one to see it my way.
It takes two to play a proper game.
It takes two to build connection.
but only one to break it down.This separation is all mine.
Anxiety is blind.
I know in my mind you’re all around.
But at the end of the day it’s just me, myself, and I.
In your voice I hear reason.
In your absence I hear treason.
After all, that’s what I came to know.It takes two to pick a different fight.
It takes two to ease somebody’s fright.
It takes two to make perfection.
But only one to deny.
It takes two to start a different game.
It takes two to build another faith.
It takes to to make connection.
but only one to break it down.I said hi, I said hello, I said I think that I need you.
You said hey, you said sure, what do you need me for?
I said hi, I said hello, I said I think that I need you.
Hello?
Icarus Machine – Sundered Records 2018
Collaborators: Sriracha, Rhythmicdevil, AndreaSpace, srhangover, jennyK