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Prairie Song

By sad_infamy_sings on July 31, 2022 8:47 pm

I’ve been pretty burnt out lately and overcrowded both mentally and physically, so I didn’t upload anything last week. This week was my birthday, so I recorded this early in the morning while walking through a prairie.

It’s kind of a prairie spot that feels like a tutorial in a video game, lots of little signs up that talk about and educate visitors about the prairie, the weather cycle, controlled burn. The paths were circular and I found myself walking around and finding new paths through the tall coneflowers and sunflowers and dandelions and thistles and stuff. Also, I can’t help but mention this revving hum from the nearby powerlines. It felt at first like a dirty reminder of human pollution in an otherwise peaceful nature space, until I accepted it as it was: just a part of the world we live in now. A human thing that I benefit from nonetheless.

Lots of rabbits watched me, and some birds who were alarmed by me. I walked past a spot and smelled a strong mint smell, and then I heard some crying in the bushes and walked up to it, probably some kind of small animal or something, but I didn’t see it nor did I want to disturb it. Anyway, that was part of my birthday and it was pretty nice.

Listening to WB with my SO this week. SO, when this came on: "Who is this?  This is beautiful!" (cue hacking cough tongue)

Lovely voice; happy birthday! cool

happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday! Good singing! You and the birds! The power line noise came stronger later in the song, sounds like you harmonized it a bit smile humans are good at adapting. Can't stay mad at humanity, you just have to take a step back...

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- your recording aesthetics and environment incorporation is nothing short of brilliant and every time I hear your work I am jealous of the sincerity of your sounds. (I think the cough-left-in has that same humanistic touch of genius as the edits of your conversation with your dad.)

Chk-chk-chk-chk, happy birthday! smile

was this recorded in one take outside, its so surreal like im there.

i've always loved environmental sounds, always incorporated them into my music, but this escalates that to something of true beauty
to me it feels like a tender moment shared with a friend, whether that friend is another person, yourself, or nature itself. it's something i really long for right now, something i used to make more time for
my birthday is on the 11th, perhaps i will go out and record my own prairie song

ineff wrote:

Listening to WB with my SO this week. SO, when this came on: "Who is this?  This is beautiful!" (cue hacking cough tongue)

Lovely voice; happy birthday! cool

sorry for the late response, thanks! I think the prairie is nice company. Also I think it's just my thing now to leave the coughs in ahahaha, I always cough when I sing it seems.


emily wrote:

happy birthday to you!

thanks!


horatiuromantic wrote:

Happy birthday! Good singing! You and the birds! The power line noise came stronger later in the song, sounds like you harmonized it a bit smile humans are good at adapting. Can't stay mad at humanity, you just have to take a step back...


thank you! it was a very peaceful morning after a very hectic and stressful two weeks. i'm glad the powerline noise came through in the recording, it was really loud and noticeable, so I shouldn't be surprised.

ilzxc wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- your recording aesthetics and environment incorporation is nothing short of brilliant and every time I hear your work I am jealous of the sincerity of your sounds. (I think the cough-left-in has that same humanistic touch of genius as the edits of your conversation with your dad.)

Chk-chk-chk-chk, happy birthday! smile

thanks as usual! sorry again for the late reply on this, keeping up with wb has been a challenge, replying and communicaitng with folks is an added thing. thanks for the birthday wishes and compliments. Also kudos for noticing the chk-chk-chk noise. I think I was trying to warn the red wing black birds I'm coming, because I notice they make that noise as a warning when an intruder comes along.



franky wrote:

was this recorded in one take outside, its so surreal like im there.


yes! i just pulled out my phone and did a do


offbrand wrote:

i've always loved environmental sounds, always incorporated them into my music, but this escalates that to something of true beauty
to me it feels like a tender moment shared with a friend, whether that friend is another person, yourself, or nature itself. it's something i really long for right now, something i used to make more time for
my birthday is on the 11th, perhaps i will go out and record my own prairie song

thanks, offbrand! As I told you before, I really like your music and it gives me a lot of inspiration. If you're interested, I'd like to show you an art piece I did in 2019 that was inspired by your piece "half-awake"

I'm glad that my stuff has that kind of shared-moment vibe to it. I think it mostly just comes from my low-tech experience and basic recording set up, but I also like the impermanence and life of a live performance, and nature is important to me and my art, so I feel most inspired and open to creativity when I'm out in the field. Refining things is sometimes a drag for me, and I find the magic dissipates if I press on things too much. Happy early birthday smile

sad_infamy_sings wrote:

thanks, offbrand! As I told you before, I really like your music and it gives me a lot of inspiration. If you're interested, I'd like to show you an art piece I did in 2019 that was inspired by your piece "half-awake"


i'd love to see it!!

offbrand wrote:


i'd love to see it!![/quote

Sweet! It's a triptych I did based on some thoughts and feelings I had while listening to your song. Here's a post I made a long time ago. I'm actually not sure where the piece is right now since I'm packing to move, but I could take some better pics in a couple months.
medium/supplies: 18x24 bristol board, sharpie, acrylic paint, recycled packing tissue paper and scotch tape.
It's alright if you don't care for it, it's just some random thing I felt inspired to make.

OOPS lol, oh well you get it

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