Tag: Erik Trabert on Guitars

The Last Man to Walk Alone

  By

 On   By 

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:49
Listen to the Song: Purchase the MP3:
[audio:TheLastManToWalkAlone.mp3]
Lyrics
JR felt the tremble deep in his bones
He had become the last man to walk alone
He made the choice, the bridge would burn
A one-way jaunt with no return
He’d learn that he could never go home again

RJ watched it all from on up high
From beyond the great beyond that lines the sky
No spoken voice was granted him
A broken choice all results grim
But he’d try to set the table of life again

The ferment continued until the end of time
For some it seemed vulgar but for many it was simply sublime
RJ back to his drawing board
JR toward his prison ward
In time they’d end up in the same camp again

But he won’t ever get there again
Not to see the stalagmite citizens
Nor the crude, fair-weathered friends
He won’t ever get there again

And he will never see there again
Never perform the vapid rituals
Nor die the slow death from the bends
He will never see there again

Composition © 2006 Ric Albano
Publication © 2007, 2009, 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Composed on February 28, 2006
Recorded starting on April 13, 2007
at Saturation Acres, Danville, PA
Produced by Ric Albano
Engineered by Bret Alexander
Mixed and Mastered in 2009
at Cygnus Wave Studios
Original Release: December 27, 2007
on Imaginary Lines II
This Release: September 9, 2009
on Imaginary Lines 33

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Piano, Keyboards, Bass, Vocals
Ron Simasek
Percussion

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A nice, blue-grass-esque tribute to Johnny Cash which builds layer upon layer with synth work from Ric Albano.

Song Trivia
The unique percussion sound by Ron Simasek was achieved by turning over the snare drum and playing by hand.
The song’s message was unfortunately undermined a bit by the movie spoof Walk Tall, released the same Christmas as Imaginary Lines II.

Please offer your own analysis of The Last Man to Walk Alone by leaving a comment in the box below.

She Said

  By

 On   By 

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:09
Listen to the Song: Purchase the MP3:
[audio:SheSaid.mp3]
Lyrics
She says “I wonder if you’ll ever learn”
She says “A movement’s 6 stages while the 7th brings return”
She said “I know what it is like to be dead”
It’s all in the way that she says it
The subtle semantics may be revealed in the summertime

She says “Behind the beauty cracks appear”
She said “The future is uncertain and the end is always near”
She says “Keep them mower blades sharp”
It’s all in the phrasing she uses, the simpleton gets confused –

By her tones, by her freshly tossed bones
She at once seems perfectly content while she concocts a new argument
About war – man, she really hates war
But then she’s never had to fight for anything, no, she’s never had to fight
She never had to want for anything, never had an unconsummated delight

She says “Think as it was and then again it will be”
She says “Go sing your heart out to the infinite sea”
She says “I may make you feel but I can’t make you think”
It’s all in the way that you convey it
Was the promise of her ever real in the summertime?

Composition © 2006 Ric Albano
Publication © 2009, 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Composed on May 31, 2006
Recorded starting on April 13, 2007
at Saturation Acres, Danville, PA
Produced by Ric Albano
Engineered by Bret Alexander
Mixed and Mastered in 2009
at Cygnus Wave Studios
Original Release: December 27, 2007
on Imaginary Lines II
This Release: September 9, 2009
on Imaginary Lines 33

Performers
Ric Albano
Piano, Keyboards, Bass, Lead Vocals
Erik Trabert
Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Ron Simasek
Drums and Percussion
Janet Rains
Background Vocals
Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: This is the best example of what was trying to be accomplished with Imaginary Lines II – a very simple song with a simple arrangement and structure, built on a rather complex piano pattern. This version suffers from slight timing issues and an acoustic too high in the mix, but that all dissipates under the excellent, moody guitar solo and building strings in the last verse./.span>

Song Trivia
the lyrics of “She Said” were intentionally meant to be a riddle, with each of the nine quotes (three in each of the three verses) being directly lifted from songs by nine different artists – eight by established, classic rock acts and one from Ric Albano’s previous life in Wahray and Soul. Can you identify the source of these quotes?

Please offer your own analysis of She Said by leaving a comment in the box below.

The Fool’s Overture

  By

 On   By 

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 4:12
Listen to the Song: Purchase the MP3:
[audio:TheFool’sOverture.mp3]
Lyrics
Was the joke on you this time?
Did it once feel as though you had finally got across that line?
Did you dress up well today? Get well prepared to play?
Just to be banned you from the stage?

Is she waiting in the wings?
Fawning and hanging onto every blessed lyric that you sing?
Did she dress you up to play? Boast your morale today?
Use her deep insight to gauge?

Has the air escaped the room?
Once all had realized that you are imminently doomed
Did this world just pass you by? Deny your one last try?
Was the joke on you this time?

Subtle on the surface, inferno in the soul
The search goes on forever but no one seems to know
The past reveals no sign for the burden that was wrought
Mystic heated whine, get some while it’s hot!

Composition © 2007 Ric Albano
Publication © 2007, 2009, 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Composed on May 7, 2007
Recorded starting on October 5, 2007
at Saturation Acres, Danville, PA
Produced by Ric Albano
Engineered by Bret Alexander & Paul Smith
Mixed and Mastered in 2009
at Cygnus Wave Studios
Original Release: December 27, 2007
on Imaginary Lines II
This Release: September 9, 2009
on Imaginary Lines 33

Performers
Ric Albano
Piano, Keyboards, Bass, Vocals
Bret Alexander
Guitars
Erik Trabert
Guitars
Ron Simasek
Drums

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: An exciting, hard rocking , tangential song that is not really an “overture” at all. It suffers slightly from some off-key guitar chords in the second movement.

Song Trivia
“The Fool’s Overture” is one of two Imaginary Lines songs that share a title with a Supertramp song, the other being “Long Way Home”.

Please offer your own analysis of The Fool’s Overture by leaving a comment in the box below.

Tommy’s Got a Gun

  By

 On   By 

Written by Ric Albano and Hunter S. Thompson Song Length: 3:09
Listen to the Song: Purchase the MP3:
[audio:Tommy’sGotAGun.mp3]
Lyrics
The Hunter could not stand it no more,
Couldn’t stand his Aspen slums
He pranced about like a dignitary
But his heart paled to that of a bum
It was so easy to travel the “Heming” way

He reached out with both arms and he embraced surrender
For he could see no solace in yet another cheap bender
No longer was it easy to face the setting sun

So Tommy got his gun, away from life he chose to run
Project him towards the setting sun in six months

The Hunter could not fake it no more,
He could not shift the blame
For football season is over now,
There will be no more games
No more bombs, no more walking, no more fun
Tommy’s got a gun

You are getting greedy now, act your old age

17 more than we needed, 17 more than we wanted
Relax, this won’t hurt…

Composition © 2005 Ric Albano and Hunter S. Thompson
Publication © 2009, 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Composed on February 25, 2005
Recorded starting on August 10, 2009
at Saturation Acres (II), DuPont, PA
Produced by Ric Albano
Engineered by Bret Alexander
Mixed and Mastered in 2009
at Cygnus Wave Studios
Released: September 9, 2009
on Imaginary Lines 33

Performers
Ric Albano
Piano, Bass Guitar, Vocals
Erik Trabert
Electric Guitars
Ron Simasek
Drums
Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A simple but haunting song with lyrics that were fused together from different sources and points of view. Writer Hunter S. Thompson shot himself on February 20, 2005 and Ric Albano composed the original part of this song a few days later in response. Months later, the contents of Thompson’s suicide were revealed and much of that was lifeted ver batim for the ending of this song, including the final, chilling line; “relax, this won’t hurt”.

Song Trivia
Although Hunter S. Thompson has several music credits, mostly in the spoken word and “gonzo” genres, he is credited for composing songs for only two musical acts – Warren Zevon and Imaginary Lines.

To offer your own analysis of Tommy’s Got a Gun, please leave a comment in the box below.

Princess of Pearl Avenue

  By

 On   By 

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 4:22
Listen to the Song: Purchase the MP3:
[audio:PrincessOfPearlAvenue.mp3]
Lyrics
Just to see you dance ignites a fire deep inside my heart
The essence of true romance that perseveres even when we’re apart
So why not just take a chance, remove constraints that inhibit this start
Please let me see you dance, I’m well aware of the difficult circumstance
Just can’t compare any other woman with you
Princess of Pearl Avenue, Princess of Pearl Avenue

Just to hear you sing that sweet song will be worth the wait
The prospect of this happening
Must soon begin to unfold towards this fate
We’ve just begun to progress, would be now rash to evacuate
Away from the song you’ll sing or towards excessive worrying
About the risk that this faculty does come true
Princess of Pearl Avenue, Princess of Pearl Avenue

I know that I’ve made my bed, spent way too much time inside my own head
But now I feel that the base has been bore
The eagle will leave this floor and will soar like never before

It’s all in your control, my wish on you bestow, enchanted glow
No tragic Vince Van Gogh nor tragic Edgar Poe, just cool old flow
We surely took it slow is it not time to go on with the show?
No? No. No! I’m not gonna let it go

Just to feel you rock shoots white lightning all through my veins
Every time I hear you knock,
It’s as if nothing in life is yet mundane
But after an ocean of talk,
Is it not time to finally get into the game?
Just to see you rocked is jubilation of the highest stock
Imagination can hold nothing against the real you
Princess of Pearl Avenue, Princess of Pearl Avenue

Composition © 2006 Ric Albano
Publication © 2009, 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Composed on June 7, 2006
Recorded starting on April 13, 2007
at Saturation Acres, Danville, PA
Produced by Ric Albano
Engineered by Bret Alexander
Mixed and Mastered in 2009
at Cygnus Wave Studios
Original Release: September 9, 2009
on Imaginary Lines 33

Performers
Ric Albano
Piano, Keyboards, Bass Guitar, Vocals
Erik Trabert
Guitars
Ron Simasek
Drums

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A fun and upbeat rocker sliced in half by a slower and more methodical mid section, with a few issues with overdubs and timings.

Song Trivia
This song originated as a frivolous tune entitled “Things” when it was created in 2006.

To offer your own analysis of Princess of Pearl Avenue, please leave a comment in the box below.