Posts
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Finding The Lost Vol. 2, The Instrumental B-Sides (2003-2007)
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Finding The Lost Vol. 1, The B-sides (2001-2007)
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Ghost Towns of the Nuclear Age (2007)
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The Lewiston EP (2007)
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Christmas Songs (2005)
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Phosphorus, EP (2005)
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Not All Thoughtful Stories (2003-2004)
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Stories From Gilmore (2000-2003)
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Old Town Electric (2002)
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Long Beach, Vol. 2 (1998-2000)
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Long Beach, Vol. 1 (1998-2000)
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From Here: Early Compositions (1997-1998)
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1. My Last Prayer (May and June)
2. Northern Hemisphere (July)
3. Affectionate (Early August)
4. The Pugilist (Late August)
Sincerity: Live From the Shower (2008)
1. Untrue (1999, Long Beach vol. 2, T. Belnap)
2. Never Treat Others by Matthew Pryor
3. Inflections (2000, Long Beach vol. 2, T. Belnap)
4. Lies by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
5. Giving it All on the I-84 (2004, Not All Thoughtful Stories, T. Belnap)
6. That Woman Walks (2004, Finding the Lost, T. Belnap)
8. The Pugilist (2008, Northern Hemisphere, T. Belnap)
10. Part (2007, The Lewiston EP, T. Belnap)
Sincerity is a collection of songs with a common theme that I recorded in the shower.
Sincerity in my songwriting has been an ongoing battle for me. It's diffcult to be sincere; it's difficult to acheive in conversation, it's difficult (for me) to achieve in songwriting, and it's especially difficult (for me) to acheive in the performance of the songs. This project was directed at me and for me.
Over the years I've written a few songs that deal with the topic of sincerity. I recently decided to record some of those songs in addition to some covers that are centered on the same topic. My decision for undertaking the Sincerity project was based on a percieved wall that I hit when I started recording Northern Hemisphere. When I started recording Northern Hemisphere, I was really happy with the songwriting but I felt like my performance wasn't sincere. I stopped working on NH and started Sincerity to "find my voice" again. I think it worked.
The songs are all tracked live which means the vocals and primary guitar are tracked through the same microphone at the same time. This method of recording is raw. You can't go back and "fix" stuff like you can when you multitrack. As a result, you can hear all my missed chords, forgotten words, and flat notes--hopefully the bad with the good sounds honest and real; hopefully it sounds sincere.
Finding the Lost Vol. 2, The Instrumental B-Sides (2003-2007)
1. I Know (Yellow Guitar's Song) (2004)
2. Lake (2003)
3. Remembering February (2004)
4. Summit (2003)
5. I Wish I Was Stone Gossard (2004)
6. Syncopated II (2004)
7. Dueling Reverb Reggae (2004)
8. Tokyo (2004)
9. Syncopated (2004)
10. Minor Song* (2004)
11. 47 (2003-2004)
12. If I Was Able (2004-2005)
13. 3/4 Gallop (2004)
14. 82 (2003-2004)
15. Western Tremelo Clip (2004)
all songs written, performed, mixed, and mastered by Trent Belnap
* Minor Song is an adaption from "Song" by Matteo Carcassi
I used to write instrumentals on fairly regular basis. For me, it was a way to be creative and musical without exerting tons of effort. (Lyrics--for me--are the most difficult part of song writing). Sometimes I just want to sit down and write a melody without trying to say something cleaver.
At one point I intended on using some of these for other projects. Summit and Lake were intended for use with the Stories from Gilmore set.
Dueling Reverb Reggae was inspired from some dark Reggae song on the Grand Theft Auto III soundtrack. I was playing the game and thought -- "Wow...this is pretty cool." It reminded me the syncopated rhythms I had fun playing in the Back Door Brides.
Finding the Lost Vol. 1, B-Sides, 2001-2007
1. Where is the Heart (2003)
2. City of Brotherly Love (2002)
3. Cable (2004)
4. Springtime Next Year (2003)
5. 6/8 Blues (2007)
6. That Woman Walks (2005)
7. Actress (2nd, 2005)
8. Liberty & Justice (Original, pedal steel version, 2006)
9. Return To the Lake (2004)
10. Mo Monkey--Cooper's Song (2005)
11. Love's Not Safe (2nd) (2005)
12. Part (3rd) (2007-2008)
13. To Bid Thee Adieu (Red River Valley) (2003)
14. Where is the Heart (Western Version) (2004)
15. Behind the Gun (2005)
16. My Own (previously "God's Jews") (2005)
all songs written, performed, mixed, and mastered by Trent Belnap
Finding the Lost is a collection of b-sides recorded from 2003-2008. It's a mixture of songs that were never part of a album and alternate versions of songs that appear on other albums.
Whether they are alternates or originals, the songs typically started as an experiment in instrumentation or production and then ended up being abandoned for a new track.
In the Spring of 2008 I decided to empty my 8-track. I wasn't comfortable "throwing away" some of these songs so I decided to put them all together in Finding the Lost.
Ghost Towns of the Nuclear Age, 2005-2007
1. Ghost Towns of the Nuclear Age*
2. The Magic Show (Boise Version)
3. His Clothes Wear Like a War (Boise Version)
4. Part (Moscow, 2nd)
5. It's Not Like They Said
6. Future Day (Boise Version)
7. I Ain't Going to Lie to You (Anymore)
8. Giving It All on the I-84 (Lap Steel Version)
all songs written, performed, mixed, and mastered by Trent Belnap
*Percussion, mixing and mastering by Ken Dudley
Ghost Towns of the Nuclear Age (GTNA) was recorded contemporaneously with the Lewiston EP. Initially, I envisioned both projects being one album. The only real reason for their separation is the dates of completion. With the exception of the song "Ghost Towns", I mixed and mastered all of the GTNA EP. Lewiston, on the other hand, was mixed, edited and mastered by Ken Dudley. The difference in sound quality is obvious.
This EP has some re-records of some of my personal favorites, namely "Magic Show" and "His Clothes Wear Like a War."
With the exception of one or two b-sides found on Finding the Lost, all of my law school originals appear on the GTNA EP and the Lewiston EP. It's really staggering how much school affected my musical productivity.
The law school originals include (and this is approximately the chronology).
Not Like they Said
Lewiston
Waltz in C
Ghost Towns of the Nuclear Age
Liberty and Justice
Part
I Ain't Going to Lie to You
6/8 Blues (found on Finding the Lost)
1. Giving it All on the I-84 (Moscow Version)
2. Lewiston
3. Part
4. Liberty & Justice
5. Waltz in C
All Songs by Trent Belnap
The making of The Lewiston EP spanned from the spring of 2006 to the summer of 2007. It's the only group (or album) of songs I composed (with the exception of I-84) while in law school.
While the EP only includes 5 songs, there are a handful of other tracks that were composed contemporaneously (see the single "Ghost Towns of the Nuclear Age").
One of the most difficult challenges of attending law school was not having enough time for my music. I would (as some of my friends will attest) determine to record and compose a new project only to get lost in my class work and forget my musical goals altogether.
I recorded tracks for these songs in 3 different locations -- my first Moscow residence on "C" street, my apartment on Main in Moscow, and my Grandpa Nelson's basement in Idaho Falls.
During the making of The Lewiston EP, I decided I wanted to learn how to play pedal steel guitar. I found a junk MSA Sidekick-10 on the internet and bought it. I tried teaching myself how to play it but spent more time trying to repair it. I ended up selling that instrument for a few bucks more than I originally paid for it. I used some of that money to buy a lap steel guitar -- a remake of the old Fender Champs. I took some lap steel lessons from a local musician by the name of Doc Rosgren in effort to jump start my skills on the instrument. I still can't play the thing to save my life but I managed to record a track for "Liberty & Justice"
One of my law school friends, Sean Beck from Idaho Falls, helped with the backing vocals on "Waltz in C" and "Part." Sean's voice, while having its own distinct character, blends surprisingly well with my voice.
Ken Dudley was brought into the project for editing, mixing, and mastering. He added all the percussion sounds you hear (with the exception of "Part" and "Giving it all the I-84") with his computer (his magic computer). With that said, The Lewiston EP has the highest level of post-production of any group of songs I have ever recorded.
1. Good Christian Men Rejoice
2. Lo How A Rose 'ere Blooming
3. Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel (featuring Ben Mason)
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
5. I Saw Three Ships (featuring Ben Mason)
6. The Holly and the Ivy
7. Coventry Carol
8. Silent Night (featuring Brian Williams)
9. Auld Lang Syne
all arrangements are by Trent Belnap of traditional Christmas carols
additional performance by Ben Mason and Brian Williams
I recorded these versions of some of my favorite Christmas carols in the late fall of 2005. I gave the recording to some family and friends. For some reason I anticipated them being more impressed than they actually were. (Story of my Life)
Anyway, this was lots of fun and I intend on doing more Christmas recordings in the future.
I have a strong belief in Christian principles and the story of Jesus' birth has always fascinated me. The lyrics to some of the carols are, to me, very spiritual.
