Strange Desires Track-by-Track Breakdown “Cuts”

My favorite part about this intro is how the acoustic guitar on the top presents these really lush chords that almost instantly become a wall of distorted bliss. I think we were going for a Swervedriver Raise-era feel here with the overall song - some aggression, some wild abandon and then a short moment of REM Reckoning-era harmony on the middle 8 to give it some shine. Making this LP with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Nothing) really helped crystalize the vision the band had for the overall tone of the album

“You’re Nothing”

To quote Meghan Trainor “It’s All About that Bass” where Rodrigo takes the static guitar chords and drum accents and anchors them down to make arguably one of the heaviest songs on the record with a chorus that leans into my post-modern late night college radio sessions in the 80s. As a band we are generally working within somewhat set parameters for song structure (verse, chorus, etc) so the challenge becomes how to work within that form and make something special and unique while also familiar and enjoyable.

“Aren’t I The Champion”

We’re at our most Fugazi here in terms of that beautiful guitar/drum interplay - I am allowed to say that because “I’m just the lead singer”, but I’m trying to allow for a less aggressive shift to the vocals that might be different from a lot of the more obvious Dischord choices.

“Addicts and Habits”

I just love a mid-tempo swing like this. We often finish with this song live because of the power of it. Vices and virtues abound in every moment and choice we make in a day. Some of these are more difficult to manage than others as the song title suggests.

“Better Men Than Me”

I love how fuzzed out the guitar chords are here so I was trying to allow the feel of the instruments to retain their depth and character while singing mostly in my lower register. Obviously, this song is filled with regret and lost intentions but I was hoping to give it a breezy sort of vibe after the intensity of “Addicts and Habits” to end side A with.

“Strange Desires”

Oh the things we want and need and keep our pulse at a pace that almost overwhelms the very fabric of existence. “Strange Desires live inside our hearts”, indeed.

“Why Are We Alone”

This was the first song we wrote for this album if memory serves and the easiest. Songs like this write themselves. I think at times we collectively feel less as if we “wrote” these songs and more as if we discovered them. A desperate longing for connection in the void.

“Ruination”

I cannot stand living on a planet where people's hopes and dreams and everyday expression of themselves is stifled and crushed. Why don’t we control our existence? Why shouldn’t we? In fact, let’s do just that!

“While You Sleep”

The paranoia of the everyday can seep into your unconscious mind so easily.

“The Rain”

The music was written by Jeff Dean with a heavy heart in response to the passing of his longtime friend and fellow musician, Gared O’Donnell, and the lyrics were written by myself in response to the passing of my father. These facts were unbeknownst to each other until we were about to record. This is simply a beautiful moment of kismet between two songwriters collaborating and making something neither of us may have had the courage to do on our own. I adore this one.