This is a collection of songs I have written and recorded over the years. Each entry comprises the name of the song, the approximate date of recording, and some notes on the song.

I put these out in the world not to provide you with good music, for if good music is what you seek, there is precious little to be found here, particularly amongst the early recordings. It’s mostly because, for all the time I spent playing the guitar in my youth, hardly anybody has heard any of this stuff, and bad as much of it is, I’m at least vaguely proud that I wrote and recorded them. They’re only compelling from an anthropological standpoint, so if that’s your thing, then have at it.

For no particularly good reason, I’ve chosen to release these under the moniker Vigilante Obstetrician. Some of you may know of the genesis of this name, the rest of you could not possibly figure it out in a million, billion years if you were not privy to its creation. In any case, I’ve created a lovely cover image for the thing, which you can see below, and click for a larger view:

Those are, of course, the various source tapes on which these songs were recorded. If you’re looking for what else is new (as hinted at on the front page), I’ve put up a higher quality version of “Willful Ignorance of Things Past” and a proper version of “A Rare Thing,” which was previously unavailable because I couldn’t transfer it correctly. Yay.

Snarl (download)
Running Time: 4:13
Approximate date of recording: October 1999
Notes: The first song from this group that I ever recorded. Wrote the song in my head at school, and was very proud of having done so. Now serves largely as a historical marker; it’s really not a good song.

Nate and I once recorded a version of this with bass and drums added, but that tape was lost in a tragic “I wasn’t paying attention to what I was recording over” accident. Alas.

Cascade (download)
Running Time: 4:30
Approximate date of recording: October/November 1999
Notes: Distinguished as the first tolerable song I recorded. Actually written before Snarl, as I recall. Features a typical abysmal one off guitar lead, a common feature of much of my work.

Spring Theme (download)
Running time: 4:09
Approximate date of recording: March 2000
Notes: Song was composed and recorded probably a year before this version. Back then, I had no effects pedals and created the delay by playing it twice, the second time a bit out of phase with the first. Obviously not the greatest way to do things. This was probably the second song I ever wrote (the first has been lost to the vagaries of time), back when I was 13 or so. Pleasant enough, kind of bogs down at the end.

Incongruity (download)
Running time: 2:48
Approximate date of recording: June 2000
Notes: Easily the poppiest song I ever wrote. There exists somewhere a more recent, contained version of the song, but god only knows where. Recorded using my sister’s acoustic guitar in addition to two tracks of the electric. Another dismal lead.

Eye (download)
Running time: 6:25
Approximate date of recording: July 2000
Notes: The main riff was a contribution from my cousin, who thought it was from an obscure Pumpkins song, which may or not be true. I took it, embellished it, added some other figures. It’s overlong and a bit dull, but inoffensive.

Containment (download)
Running time: 3:56
Approximate date of recording: August 2000
Notes: One of the more restrained songs I did in the early days. Features a backwards guitar solo that at the time I was hugely proud of; I am still fond of it, although I no longer feel like it was a spectacular technical feat, because it wasn’t.

Excess (download)
Running time: 6:47
Approximate date of recording: December 2000
Notes: I wrote this song a long time before I finally recorded it. It’s far too long and uninteresting, but I am fond of the way it builds, so I refrained from trashing it.

Common Snow (download)
Running time: 4:14
Approximate date of recording: January 2001
Notes: Just a pleasant little ditty recorded in two takes (one for rhythm guitar, one for lead guitar and background noise).

A Passing Attempt at Suspense (download)
Running time: 3:59
Approximate date of recording: February/March 2001
Notes: More than a little inspired by Ash’s “Heroin, Vodka and White Noise.” Written well in advance of this recording; recorded several times unsuccessfully (there are four or five guitars in there, and it’s easy to screw up in the mixdown).

Willful Ignorance of Things Past (download)
Running time: 4:11
Approximate date of recording: May 2003
Notes: Marks the shift into the “modern era.” Written and recorded at what would normally be a reflective time: the end of high school. It marks a clear divergence from the older style, just as I sort of left high school behind with nary a backward glance.

Update: I found the original source four-track tape for this one, which is much higher quality than the old cassette I used for the previous transfer. Thus, this one now has significantly reduced noise and lacks the awful racket in the first few seconds that came over the cassette.

A Rare Thing (download)
Running time: 5:16
Approximate date of recording: July 2003
Notes: Probably my favorite piece of my own. A bit of work this evening (3 January) brought the stereo panning that is central to the song back into the digital version, so I’ve put it up for download.

Indecision (download)
Running time: 5:04
Approximate date of recording: July 2003
Notes: An odd little piece. As I recall, I basically just came up with this, threw it down on tape really quickly, and never thought about it again. Could benefit from some reworking, I would say.

Untitled (download)
Running time: 1:48
Approximate date of recording: August 2003
Notes: An unfinished idea. Probably not enough there for a full song, but a decent riff.

Slow Descent (download)
Running time: 2:06
Approximate date of recording: December 2003/January 2004
Notes: I never went back and finished this; I think I might though, if I can remember how to play it. I rather like it.

A Mad Dream (download)
Running time: 1:31
Approximate date of recording: December 2004/January 2005
Notes: Easily the most intricate and technically difficult piece I’ve written. The main lead sort of popped into my head as I was getting ready for bed one night; I went and recorded that, then went back the next day and added the rhythm and second lead parts. More an exercise than a really good piece.

There Will Come Soft Rains (download)
Running time: 6:00
Date of recording: 3 July 2005
Notes: Written this very evening. Title comes from a Ray Bradbury short story, which in turn had taken it from a poem by Sara Teasdale. I tried to replicate the kind of feeling I got from the story with this one. It could stand a bit more thought; this is kind of a loose first version.

Return to Form (download)
Running time: 4:31
Date of recording: 13 January 2006
Notes: Written two days ago, recorded this evening/morning (I guess). Stick with it in the beginning; it’s intentionally a little strange at the start. Back in the old days, I lived by the motto “more distortion means more rock.” For a few years I’ve abandoned that philosophy, but it is back in full force on this one. It would definitely sound a hell of a lot better if I had been able to use a microphone, but unfortunately I a) don’t have a microphone and b) can’t very well be blasting this out of an amp at five in the goddamn morning. Also, I couldn’t dial in the distortion sound I wanted, so I may revisit this if I ever figure out how to get that sound. Still, I enjoy it, and it’s been six months since I last put a song out, so I figured it was high time.

Also in the spirit of olden days, I recorded a lead for this song after everything else. Given the circumstances of recording straight to my computer (essentially, I can’t monitor what I’m playing as I’m playing it), I had to do so without being able to hear a note of it. I don’t know how to feel about the fact that it’s probably the best lead I’ve ever recorded for one of my songs. This isn’t relevant to you, however, because this song doesn’t need a lead, so I cut it. Owned.