New Single: “Couldn’t Tell”
Couldn’t Tell by Dave Hill Jr.
I wrote “Couldn’t Tell” in my backyard—patting a heartbeat on my chest while the birds chirped up a storm. That original memo loop opens the track. This is my first collab with prolific Seattle Guitarist and Producer Jeff Feilder, who engineered and co-produced, played guitars, added drum machines/keys, and even a few of the “Hey Hey” backing vocals. Couldn’t Tell was mixed by Gary Thompson who produced Inflatable Soule’s album So Sad (1994).
Production-wise, this song was an adventure for me in discovering new approaches to making music. The song features two distinct sections because I was honoring two states I was in.
Lyric Excerpt:
I couldn’t tell if the side of the mountain had fallen into the sea, I only know what I’m running from when my shadow sneaks up on me. What if I forget to die? And I know my heart is open so wide they can’t bury me from inside
A couple of fun facts about creating this song.
The lyrics were composed in 24 hours with only minor tweaks.
The heartbeat of the rhythm is a Brazilian surdo rhythm played on my floor tom and run through a series of guitar pedals (including a “compaction” pedal). I also played a bunch of keyboards and Jeff Fielder’s drum kit (mostly playing the rims).
My dear friend and songwriting hero, TW Walsh’s son, Ezra Walsh, created the artwork for this release.
My magical “Comptortion Pedal”
What’s the song about? It’s really up to you, but my grief journey has been one of wild disorientation. I imagine that the disorientation of death is even greater. And what might it be like if we forget to die? Might we see the transgressions of the past in a new light? Perhaps my lifelong melancholy will follow me forever and be fully accepted.
You can support my art by following me on Bandcamp and attending live shows.
If any of this resonates, please share/save/add to a playlist. Each and every one of those little actions encourage me to keep releaesing music to the world.
ONWARD!
DH
