Song of the Week #13 (10/10/12)

By Gabriel, on October 10th, 2012

This week’s “Song of the Week” is about an older man I know. Unfortunately, every time I hang out with him he wears a sadness about the past that is almost visible. He talks about his regrets and simply doesn’t seem able to shake loose of his self pity to find what is still great in him.

This situation is even more sad because this person was once a buoyant personality, ever the jokester. This song, “Why Would You?,” is my musing out loud about helping him rediscover his uniqueness.

Come see About A Girl perform this coming Monday, October 15th at the EARL. We play at 8:45pm and open for My Jerusalem and Dana Falconberry.

“Why Would You?”

Song of the Week #12 (10/3/12)

By Gabriel, on October 3rd, 2012

Song of the Week #12

The first band that I put together was called Radio Mango. I had just left my brother’s rock band, Aya Sofia, wanting to play music that incorporated sounds from the various places I had lived and visited. RM played original music with heavy Latin, African and Caribbean influences. We did some great things, played some great shows, but after 2 years performing together, we decided to split up.

I then formed a new band. Unlike RM, this time I wanted to have no preconceptions about the type of music we would play. Thus, About A Girl. We have continued to keep the free-flowing, no preconceptions thing going now for 5+ years.

When I was young I had a Sony Walkman then Discman, and it was always one album at a time. In the age of iPods, however, when you can listen to 15 genres or 15 bands or 15 songs from 15 countries – whatever – in an hour AND in this age of singles, not albums, I only think it right, for me anyway, to do lots of different types of songs. What is a genre?

On to this week’s song, “Brother.” At the time I started About A Girl, my brother and I had a big disagreement. RM was doing pretty well and he thought I was being stupid to start playing an entirely different type of music.

We debated it for a while, I tried to win him over and failed. That night I remember playing the conversation over in my head several times, feeling pissed and down. It wasn’t really that big of a deal, but I wanted him – my bro, who I had played music with – more than anyone else to get why I was making the change and to support it. To deal, I wrote this song. It will be on twoheartstwo which should be out this fall.

“Brother”

Song of the Week #11 (9/26/12)

By Gabriel, on September 26th, 2012

This week’s “Song of the Week” demo was created last night and this afternoon and is based on a marimba riff (see below) that I created this summer. Honestly, I hated the riff but made myself record it anyway because it popped into my head. I keep everything and constantly go over old voice memos recorded on my phone, song ideas recorded quickly on garage band, etc. looking for ideas.

I hadn’t listened to the marimba thing for a while. When I was checking it out last night, I added some delay to the part and it suddenly became something that I thought was cool. Thus this song: “House on Fire.” The song name is the working album title I’ve been using with all of my new songs.

“House on Fire”

“Marimba Riff”

Song of the Week #10 (9/19/12)

By Gabriel, on September 19th, 2012

Early this summer my sister asked me to write a song for the first dance at her wedding. I can’t tell you how excited I was. During a layover in Pittsburgh in June for about 6 hours, I took a shuttle downtown with my guitar and ended up writing most of the song, “I Feel So Lucky,” while sitting on a park bench between a couple of office buildings. (I had thrown my guitar case down sloppily in front of me and one of the security guys ended up asking me to leave thinking I was panhandling!)

My brother, Ryan, plays lead guitar in the video below along with Eric Davis, friend of the groom who also plays with About A Girl in Atlanta, and my cousin, Michelle Stevens. A few members of the band, Shimmer, also join us – Jay, Pearcy and Joe. Ryan and I did rehearsals piecemeal throughout the week prior to the wedding with each of the players. The performance was the only time we all played the song together. Enjoy the flashing cowboy hats!

“I Feel So Lucky”

Song of the Week #9 (9/12/12)

By Gabriel, on September 12th, 2012

I wrote and recorded the demo for this week’s Song of the Week yesterday afternoon. It was inspired by hearing someone say they wanted to have a relationship that made even going to the grocery store fun. I really liked that sentiment.

By the way, you can see my band, About A Girl, play in Atlanta on Monday, October 15th at one of my favorite venues, the EARL. RSVP on Facebook.

“Grocery Store”

Song of the Week #8 (9/5/12)

By Gabriel, on September 5th, 2012

I’m now set up back in the ATL. It was great to see everyone in Chicago! This week’s song is also a new one, written in California and performed for the first time at the Bucktown Arts Fest. I went out West to write and this was the first thing that came out. It’s about immersing yourself in nature and finding the words.

“Discovery”

Song of the Week #7 (8/29/12)

By Gabriel, on August 28th, 2012

Thanks to everyone who braved the deluge this past Sunday to see us at the Bucktown Arts Fest. This week’s song is one of the new ones, written in California and performed for the first time last week. It’s about neighbors, love and, of course, gardening.

“Gardening”

Song of the Week #6 (8/22/12)

By Gabriel, on August 22nd, 2012

This week’s song is one I wrote a few years back. I plan on including it in twoheartstwo. Sometimes I forget about it and then stumble upon it to remember that I really do love this one. It was written after I had impulsively broken up with a girl and then regretted it. It didn’t work.

“Can’t Let You Go”

Song of the Week #5 (8/15/12)

By Gabriel, on August 14th, 2012

This week’s song, “Not Like Tonight,” is the last one I will post from Truckee, California. I came out here to write and ended up creating demos for about 9 new songs, many of which will be performed live for the first time during our show at the Bucktown Arts Fest on August 26th.

Early next week I’ll be heading back to Chicago for the show. I’m sad to be leaving the mountains but thrilled about the chance to perform the new work for human beings. There aren’t too many where I am now!.

“Not Like Tonight”

Song of the Week #4 (8/8/12)

By Gabriel, on August 7th, 2012

Song of the Week, No. 4

This week’s Song of the Week installment, “Boys and Girls,” is also a recent creation and product of the “Truckee Sessions.” It will be performed for the first time in public at the Bucktown Arts Fest on August 26th.