Showing posts with label 24 Songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 24 Songs. Show all posts

Video: February 12, 2012 @ Cervantes

Posted: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 by AdamLockwood in Labels: ,
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Hi there!  Here are a few videos from my show at Cervantes on February 12, 2012.  Let me know what you think.  Thanks for watching :)

Adam







Song #7 - A Soul Divided

Posted: Monday, October 17, 2011 by AdamLockwood in Labels:

'Old Couple' photo (c) 2008, Hartwig HKD - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/


I had some fun with this one.  I actually wrote the song in about a day, but as you will hear, I went a little further with the arrangement.  It was a little time-intensive, so I don’t know that I will always put as much effort into the arrangement for following songs.  It makes me happy to have it done and up for you to hear though!  So, take a listen.  Enjoy!  




Also don’t forget, for a limited time, you can get the first six tracks from the project for free by clicking here.  

A Soul Divided by AdamLockwood
If you don’t see the player (i.e. you are on a mobile phone), click here to listen.



I don’t know about you, but I’m growing tired of the popular idea that humans are inherently good; that left to our own devices we would tend to do the right thing.  In truth, I believe this type of thinking is narrow and short-sighted. Historically, our human existence is littered with evidence of man’s tendency toward destruction over and over again.
We all have the ability to do both good and evil, to create and destroy.  It’s built into all of us, you and I, and that’s what this song is about -- the internal struggle we all face to choose right over wrong, good over evil.  I see this duality in myself.  I would be willing to bet that if you are honest with yourself, you would see it too.  
Man, that was kind of depressing.  I felt like it came from my heart though.  I hope you like the song!  Let me know what you think below in the comments.  As always, I appreciate you listening to the songs and my ramblings.  
A Soul Divided
Words and Music by Adam Lockwood
I love and I hate
I’m asleep and awake
With nothing to soothe me
I give and I take
I’ve got nothing to say
But I scream it loudly
I’m up and I’m down
Like I’m riding on clouds
The Earth sinking beneath me
I’m loose and I’m bound
With my feet on the ground
But my mind escapes me
I’m a walking contradiction
Of fiction and fact
I’m a man with two faces
Both calm and conflicted
Look at me, a soul divided
Take a good look at me
With one breath I bless
And I curse with the next
My thoughts betray me
I kill and create 
I’m honest and fake
Both fixed and fleeting

My Gift For You

Posted: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 by AdamLockwood in Labels: ,



Okay, we’ve made it through six songs here. As a big thank-you for following me in this process, I’d like to give you these songs. These will be available until I finish the next six; then I will put those up. So, be sure to grab them while you can!

Just so you can see the big picture, let me be upfront about my intentions. As I have talked about before, these songs aren’t perfect. These are, what we would call in the music business, demonstration recordings, or demos. They get the idea of the song across, but aren’t necessarily the finished product. So the plan is to take the cream of the crop from these twenty-four songs, and record an album. Hopefully that can get started within the next year.

So that's the plan. Thank you again for joining me on this journey! Enjoy!

Adam



Song #6 - The Oceanside

Posted: by AdamLockwood in Labels:

As you may or may not have noticed, September 13th, 2011 has come and gone.  I think I’m okay with that.  I didn’t make it by my self-imposed deadline, but I’m going to keep on keeping on.  This has been a great project for me, and I’m really excited and motivated to see it through.  I could give you (or make up) some excuses, but I just didn’t make it in the time I allotted myself. Nonetheless, I truly appreciate you sticking with me on this.  I’m working hard to get there, and with this song, we are at 25%.  Not bad for baseball.  So yeah, here is song #6, The Oceanside.  Enjoy!  Oh, and be sure to check back in the next day or two... I’ve got a special treat for you.  

The Oceanside by AdamLockwood
If you don’t see the player, click here to listen

I’m a pretty busy guy.  There is always something that I have to do or could be doing. I often feel like I am failing somehow if I’m not actively engaged in something productive.  But sometimes, what I really need to do is nothing.  
And for this land-locked Colorado boy, the perfect picture of that is the ocean.  My wife and I honeymooned in Mexico.  It was the perfect time.  No phones.  No computers.  No responsibilities.  Just us enjoying each other and our serene surroundings.  That’s what this song made me think of.  I would love to go back there.  
This was a fun one to record.  Except for that one time when I almost had it done, my computer crashed, and I lost everything we had worked on.  Save and save often people!  Okay, sorry about that -- enough with the lecture.  I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.  I heard a lot of things going on in my head, but I tried to keep it simple.  But I am very pleased to feature the superb vocal and whistling skills of my wife, Cari on this one.  Alright, I hope you enjoy!  As always, your comments are appreciated.  Here’s the lyrics and thanks for listening. 

The Oceanside

Words and Music by Adam Lockwood
I’m sitting by the oceanside
Trying not to dream
As ships float by and rising tides
Crawl up to my feet
The salty breeze, it carries me
Somewhere far away
But I don’t mind, I’ve got the time
To wander as I please
The hope of glory swells within me
As I cast my cares out to the sea
And I pray that love will find me waiting
Patiently 
The sunset casts silhouettes
Of swaying palm trees
So scootch your side up next to mine
And swear you’ll never leave
I can’t bear the weight of the world
All its pretense and diamonds and pearls
All things fade away, fade away




Song #5 - 100 Years (The Carver)

Posted: Thursday, September 1, 2011 by AdamLockwood in Labels:

Hello there, my happy blog-following-music-loving friends!  It is time for song #5--100 Years.  The subject matter is a little bit heavy, so I thought I would start things off with this amusing picture of a headstone.  You know, I dig Scrabble, so I can appreciate Mr. Lind’s choice of afterlife decorations here.  I think I’m still holding out for having my remains rocketed into space though.  If I wasn’t a musician, I would probably want to be an astronaut, so this could be the best of both worlds.  Anyway, enough with the funny business--on to the song!


100 Years (The Carver) by AdamLockwood
(If you don’t see the player, click here to listen)
Okay, so if you haven’t guessed already, this song is about death.  Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer, but here is the story behind it.  
One of the many things I do to help me afford this rock-n-roll lifestyle is by teaching guitar.  I recently started teaching a new student--hey Dave!--who was comparatively older than most of my other students, and thus, gainfully employed.  His occupation is that of a headstone carver, and his family has been doing so for over one-hundred years.  I found this to be intriguing.  Doing this type of work day in and day out would have to weigh on one's soul.  I’m very thankful for the people who do such things.  
With this in mind, 100 Years took shape around the story and character of the Carver, an assistant to Death and a guide to the afterlife.  I don’t want to taint your interpretation of the story, so I will leave it at that and leave you with the lyrics.  
(By the way... I’m not trying to make any theological inferences.  It’s just a story)



100 Years (The Carver)
Words and Music by Adam Lockwood
100 Years and 100 more
I’ve been lying at Death’s door
All their names I write in stone
And in their graves I lay their bones
Believe in me
Please believe in me
There’s no escape
On this your dying day
Now God’s child lend me your hand
And I’ll guide you to the promised land
Now I lay thee down to sleep
To gaze upon the glassy sea
Believe in me
Please believe in me
There’s no escape
On this your dying day
Let not fear guide your heart
‘twas insincere from the start
Believe in me
Please believe in me
There’s no escape
On this your dying day

Song #4 - Secrets

Posted: Monday, August 22, 2011 by AdamLockwood in Labels: ,
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Well, it seems like things are rolling again.  I’ve got a couple of songs written now that just need to be recorded and here is song number four.  I had a lot of fun with this one, and I think the recording captured the song really well.  It is called Secrets and is a little riff on the human condition.  So here it is--enjoy!

Secrets by AdamLockwood
(If you don’t see the player, click here to listen.)
Instead of talking about the song itself, this time I thought I would talk about my process of songwriting a bit.  Sometimes songs come quick and easy, and sometimes they take a little more toil and persistence.  
As a writer, I’ve seen my approach evolve over the years.  When I began writing songs, it felt really natural.  It was like a dam had been broken, and the music flowed from me freely.  That’s not to say that it was necessarily very good, but it was easy.  As I’ve gotten older, it seems like much more of a struggle.  At one point, I even thought that I was done, that I had dried up and might as well stop writing all together.  Fortunately, I pressed on, and now realize that the struggle is worth reward.  I feel like I’m writing some of my best songs now, and am continuing to grow as a writer.
So here are some things that I’ve learned about myself and the process of songwriting.  While these ideas are from the perspective of my own writing, they might be good to try for any fellow aspiring songwriters or other creative types:
Controlling Your Inner-analytic
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how to control my inner-analytic.  I’m kind of a perfectionist, which can really hinder the creative process.  So what I have to do is turn that part of my brain completely off.  In a moment of inspiration, I try to let the ideas flow--musically and lyrically--whether they are good or bad.  After I have something more complete, I can then go into editor mode.  This has been incredibly helpful for me; it has allowed me to make the most of both my inspired times and my times of refinement.  
Case in point, this song, Secrets.  I had some difficulty with the lyrics on the verses, but I kept on going even though they weren’t just right.  This especially true of the lyrics at the end of the second verse--Wait, wait for me there / Beside the dark water’s edge. I struggled with them until I recorded it, but it turned out to be, what I think is, one of the high points of the song.  
I also came across a article on MicControl.com--a great blog on the ins and outs of the music business geared for indie musicians-- by Chris Seth Jackson, called Writing Music... Even When You Don’t Want To.  There are thirteen really great ideas for getting your creative juices going, but I’m going to share my top three.  
Avoid Perfection
No big surprise here!  As I said before, I’m a terrible perfectionist.  I’m always trying to write the perfect song, the next big hit, the song that is going to break and help me make it big.  So I start, only to freeze up when a song isn’t what I would consider great.  Jackson suggests to do the opposite, write a crappy song (he says it with a little more colorful language).  The idea is finish songs regardless of their quality.  With this in mind, I’ve been trying to not care about how a song turns out as much.  I think this helps keep the creativity flowing.  
Turn Off All Distractions
Our tech crazy world is full of distractions:  Facebook, Twitter, TV, smart phones, etc., etc., etc.  The list could go on forever.  While these things are great at times, they don’t make for the best songwriting environment.  Sometimes the best thing to do as a songwriter is to engage your thoughts; just let your mind turn over and wrestle with your ideas without anything to divert your attention.  For me, this means going into my own private space and cutting off the rest of the world.  It is amazing how much more productive it can be.  
There are also some low-tech distractions out there too.  With two rambunctious babies both under two years old, family can be a big distraction for me too, especially when I work from home.  My wife is great though!  She always helps me set aside time for writing.  Now I just need to insulate the floor over my office a little better. :)  
Use Time Limits
This idea is a little counterintuitive, but I’ve found it to be very helpful.  Instead of indulging in an all-night writing session that never goes anywhere, I give myself a short time every day to write.  A short focused session of 20 or 30 minutes can be much more fruitful for me than an uninspired, unfocused, and unending stretch of writing.  Here I think focus is the key word.  Writing for a short time helps me to focus my ideas and make the most of the time I explicitly devote to writing. 
I realize that everyone that reads this isn’t a songwriter, so I would love to hear what you think of applying these ideas to other creative disciplines.  Or... let me know you ideas!  I'm always looking for new ideas and ways to improve my process.  Anyway, here are the lyrics, I would love to hear your thoughts.  
Thanks for listening!
Secrets
Words and Music by Adam Lockwood
Say, say anything
Just hold your tongue 
If you don’t mean it
Take, take my hand
And lead me
I need redeeming
Darkness hides the dawn
Inside my wandering heart
And all my secrets
I can’t stand the light
For what it shows inside
And all my secrets
Where, where have you been
I’ve been needing
I need your healing
Wait, wait for me there
Beside the 
Dark water’s edge
Don’t wait up for me 
I’m faltering way too easy
Breathe in and breathe out
It’s all I can do now
To keep my head above the ground

Song #2 - Same Old Story (and the Imperfect Perfectionist)

Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2011 by AdamLockwood in Labels: , ,
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Done.

Finally.

This one has been a long time coming.  I wrote this song quite a while ago--before January at least.  So after a couple of failed recording attempts, I'm excited to have it finished and up for your listening pleasure.  It is the second song I've written for this project, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.  Take a listen!

Same Old Story by AdamLockwood

If you don't see the player above, click here to listen.

When it comes to my music, I'm a horrible perfectionist.  That is not necessarily a bad trait, but unfortunately I struggle with imperfection as well.  All in all, this seems to be a particularly unfavorable pairing when you are trying to get things accomplished. I always have to find the perfect riff when I'm writing songs, or the perfect lyric to complete a phrase.  And when it comes to recording, it can get just plain silly.

Thus, here we sit, ten months into this thing with only four songs written and three recorded (more on this in my next post).  You know, if I could just write amazing songs and perform them perfectly, this would be going much better.  So I guess I need to work on being more perfect. But in the mean time, I guess I will have to work with what I've got.

Anywho... here's the lyrics for this song.  Hope you enjoy it!


Same Old Story 
By Adam Lockwood


Hallow my heart 
I’m wading in light and dark
I’ve been too well
Somewhere between heaven and hell

It’s the same old story, it’s the same old me
It’s the same situation just a different scene
I try and try to make things right, but there’s no escaping me. 

Be well my soul
I’m holding on and letting go
Lay me to rest
This feud of spirit and flesh

It’s the same old story, it’s the same old me
It’s the same situation just a different scene
I try and try to make things right, but there’s no escaping me. 

Like a pen that doesn't write, like a candle in the broad day light
Like a man with out a name, my heart is never tamed
It’s a liar and a thief, always betraying me

It’s the same old story, it’s the same old me
It’s the same situation just a different scene
I try and try to make things right, but there’s no escaping me.

Song #3: Radiance

Posted: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 by AdamLockwood in Labels: ,
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I know what you are thinking--what happened to song #2, right?  Well fear not my friends, it is on the way.  I had a couple technical problems in recording process, but everything is going swimmingly now.  With that said, let's have a listen...  This one is downloadable too, so feel free to do so!

Radiance by AdamLockwood

One of the things I do to make ends meet as a musician is leading the music team at our local church.  It has been a great blessing for me and my family.  While it brings me a great deal of joy and satisfaction, this type of music isn't necessarily my main outlet for writing.  In fact, I'm not that into Christian music in general, but that is a subject for another blog.  I'll stay off of the soapbox for now.  But all in all, my belief is a big part of who I am, so it is no surprise that it sometimes comes out in my music.  So, just as a warning, this could get a bit churchy.  If that's not your bag, you can skip to the last paragraph.

This past month I had the opportunity to go to the annual Continuous Worship Conference in Nebraska.  I had never been to that type of thing before and it proved to be a wonderful experience.  It was a great time to learn from and play with some really talented musicians.  I also learned a lot of practical ideas to aid in leading congregational music, and heard some teachings that were really good for my soul.  If that is your thing, I would highly recommend it.

During the first night of the conference, Paul Braddy, a musician that I greatly respect and admire shared from Psalm 34.  In all respects, it was a great message, but one word really leapt off that page at me: radiant.  I loved the idea of seeing the joy of God on people's faces.  I'm often just as inspired seeing God work in others as I am seeing His work from my own perspective.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
                     -Psalm 34:4-5 ESV [emphasis mine]

So there you have it--that was my inspiration for the song.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  The recording is a little rough (sorry for those out-of-tune guitars at the beginning, yikes!), but I think it captured the idea and the emotion pretty well.  So far I've learned a few things:  First, I really like to over-produce these songs.  I'm committing to recording the next five songs with only guitar and voice; aside from Song #2, which is already in the works.  Second, I really like playing my electric guitar.  And third, I really want a guitar amp :)

Thanks for listening!  I hope you enjoyed it.

-Adam


Song No. 1 - At Least I’d Like To Think

Posted: Saturday, October 2, 2010 by AdamLockwood in Labels:
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Okay, so here is song #1 . . . and I have to admit, I might have gone a bit overboard.  I had this song in the works before I started the project, so I decided to go ahead and make a decent demo for it.  Have a listen . . .


  At Least I'd Like To Think by AdamLockwood 

Often times when I am writing a song I won’t necessarily realize the depth of possible interpretations and how I relate to it personally.  It is a pouring out of emotion onto the page that has a life of its own.  It lives, it breathes and I wrestle with it until it becomes a part of me.  For some songs, I might not even connect with the meaning for a couple of years. 

This one was different.  As I said before, I had been working on this song before I decided to start the blog, so it was naturally a good place to begin.  I had the first verse written for some time, but had trouble coming up with a chorus. I mulled it over for what seemed like forever, but it wasn’t until I saw several people in my life going through a similar circumstance (one that deeply shaped my own life) that I connected the meaning and emotion of the song. It became quite real to me; the song was about divorce. 

Disclaimers
  1. I am married and I love my wife very, very much!  She is the world to me, and we will always strive to live out our vows to one another.  I have no doubt that we will live a long, joyful life together. 
  2. I grew up the product of a broken marriage; however, I am in no way bitter.  I love both of my parents very much and understand that sometimes God uses difficult situations in people’s lives to His purposes and to their benefit.  


There has been a lot of divorce within my circle of friends and family, especially lately.  It truly makes my heart hurt to see people’s marriages end painfully.  I hope this song imparts my empathy to those who have or are going through a divorce, and also to someone like me -- whose parents have gone through such a difficult situation. 

I fear that this song could appear one-sided and possibly even judgemental.  But, I think we all play both roles at some point in time -- whether we are running after someone or are the one running away. 

I also feel like it is important to share the lyrics to this song, so here they are:


At Least I’d Like To Think

It’s all well and good
‘til we start taking sides
When this bridge burns
I hope your on mine

‘Cause I can barely breathe
Without you next to me
The water fills my lungs
As we drift out to sea

Either way you turn, you’re turning away
From everything you love, and mistakes you made
And I know you know
That always means forever,
And someday you’ll come running back to me
At least I’d like to think

I can feel the weight
Of words you said to me
A thousand thrown stones
At the bottom of the sea

And how can we erase
Our tortured history?
It’s all we are
And all we’ll ever be

I’d like to think we’d make it if we tried
I’d like to think that the pain inside would break you
Would break you down
I’d like to think that you meant what you said
When you said you’d love me to the end but
I’m wearing out

So there you go... song number one.  I better get started on number two.  See you back here in a couple weeks.  :)

-Adam

The Best Thing I Did This Year...

Posted: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 by AdamLockwood in Labels:
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Well, that special time of year has passed again.  One year older and hopefully a tad wiser.  This year will be the beginning of my perpetual twenty-ninth birthday.  That’s the magic age that everyone stays at, right?  But, in all seriousness, this was a great year for me.  I graduated from college (after being on the 10-year-non-doctorate-program) and my music career passed from a stage of vague uncertainty to a point of actuality.

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