My band Canary has three EP’s! Listening to all this stuff gets me so excited to record more. I know blogs are sort of an echo chamber, or at least I feel that way, but even if I’m the only person listening I’m still pretty proud of this stuff. If anyone would like to have anything on cd’s (you can order a la carte if you want) hit me up! roylemartin@hotmail.com.

Another version of First Things First, which appears on “Rally Rally Rally Redemption”. this one has no intro but added harmonies
1) First Things First Version 2

My full band version of “The Softer Heart” featuring Vince Scheuerman on Vox (of Army of Me) and John Thayer (Exit Clov, Drunken Sufis) on drums, produced by Drew Doucette (Beauty Pill, The Dance Party). This song first appears on “Surfing The Rut”
2) The Softer Heart – Featuring Vince Scheuerman
3) and here’s taht same song with Paul Thornley from US Royalty on the guitar….
01 The Softer Heart with Vince Scheureman and Paul Thornley

Sad Songs are all I have left. by Canary

1) The Softer Heart

2) The last place I expected to find myself

3) If Time Ran Backwards

4) The Dream Neverending

Low Fi-Lullabies. by Canary

1) Headlight Headline

2) Lay down Sheena

3) Ice in the Bathtub

4) A rose grows out of concrete

5) Have you ever dreamed something then it happens?

Have you ever felt simply desperate to create something? Right now I’m burning with that feeling. I don’t want to ‘express myself’. I want to bring my own order to the world by creating a cradle for it to sleep in. Creativity it is not only the desire to make something, but also the need to make sense of everything. We do not think of a song as a method of characterization, and yet that is what it does.

A song is a painting where the melodies and structure are simply the frame. Inside this frame is the world, arranged using an emotional pallet of words and images. You must never have too much paint, or too much frame. Today I am sitting with paint running down my fingers and yet no frame. I left my guitars in the district. That’s not a metaphore. My guitars are all sitting in Gold Leaf Studios on 4th. I guess I’ll just walk my dog.

Rally Rally Rally Redemption EP. by Canary

1) Rainy Day Companion

2) Tie Me To The Mast

3) Christ I’m Tired

4) The Kids Today

5) First Things First

I count five flatscreens in this room. There’s 3 more at the bar, but near the stage there are 5, in every corner and all pointed down at us. Somewhere inside their dark screens is a world series game, a real housewife, jon and kate, 500 channels and way too much on. But powered off, hanging above our heads the tv’s are lifeless gargoyles protecting a church for culture worship. Tonight at Solley’s we watch live music, making us pagans, practicing our voodoo by candlelight in the church’s basement.

I didn’t play this installment of Thornley and Friends and i enjoyed being able to kick back and watch John and Paul play their endearing songs with soul and skill. Tonight they are joined by an orchestra named Matt Hemerlein who uses a violin and a loop station to create pretty landscapes, the second original he plays connects to me. The Thornley’s leave the stage and The Laughing Man (just the singer) plays a song that’s my favorite of the night. Simple and engaging, the singer tells us that he doesn’t want to be dealing in dimes and nicks. But later that night Honey House’s luxurious 70’s rock make dimes and nicks sound more attractive. I suppose a song about moderation wouldn’t be too exciting.

And speaking of lacking moderation, (or a moderator) we end the night at Ben’s Chile Bowl. Kimberly and I joke loudly that my wife might not be the best candidate to carry a taser. “Impulse control” Kimberly jokes. Taylor perfects a bemused smile, attempting scorn but ending up at cute.

You don’t know what you go till its gone, i’ve heard it said. Well, i think that might have been my last spontaneous night out in Washington DC. We have some planned parties next week, and of course my show at DC9, but i didn’t see last night coming and that made it all the more memorable. And no, i don’t care who won the game.

To whoever gets this message:  I am not stranded on a desert island with only a beach ball for company that I’ve named Wilson and speak to in order to maintain my sanity.  I’m just blogging.  Although I imagine the feeling is about the same.

News!

I am playing with the fabulous Amy Millan who is touring on her new album Masters of the Burial. That show is on November 8th at DC9. It is significant in my life for two reasons. One, it’s my last show as a DC dude. What started in The Grog and Tankard ends in DC9. Ashes to ashes, tiny club to tiny club. TWO, it’s the first show for Canary.

I’ll be giving out the Canary disc, free for anyone who even remotely gives a shit!  Hell, even if you don’t odds are you’ll leave with one.

And in closing; Send help!    This beach-ball keeps telling me to go to law school

Mastering. Such a dominant term for making a track essentially, louder. Now many will say there’s a lot more to it then that, and i”m sure there is. But I don’t know if Canary needs a master. Canary just needs a friend.

first things