Track x Track: 30db – One Man Show

Susanah

I wrote that song with Jeff in mind and was very nervous when I first played it for him. If he didn’t like it then I thought this project would be in trouble.

30db – Susanah

Liar

A serious tune but upbeat and somehow always fun.  Sometimes I think of the Monty Python movie The Meaning of Life when we are singing the outro. (Think of the last scene if you are familiar with the film.)

30db – Liar

Backfire

One of Jeff’s gems. I liked it from the first time i heard it. We recorded it live on the 2nd take.

Automatic

One of Jeff’s rock tunes. This was another tune we got on one of the first takes. “Can you hear me Dallas, Texas?” gets stuck in my head from time to time.

[Photo by Chad Smith]

Lick #6

A tune we finished writing at Jeff’s house. He had this hard lick to play and a verse that was a nearly finished idea. We simply added a little change in the middle and it made it feel complete. I love the acoustic feel and interplay at the end.

Grave

One of my favorite tunes on the record. Cody does all the drums, piano and organ…he’s all over this track. It sounds like a full on rock band.

30db – Grave

Return Item

Jeff and I got this all in one take – no overdubs, vocals and everything and I think it came out great. We only had to do two takes!

Instrumental in D

A simple little ditty that we now stretch out when we play it live. I think it took several takes cause I kept blowing it.

• 30db Live Show Download: Jam In The Dam 2010

Get in Line

I always wanted to write a simple tune in an open tuning.  The harmonies are strange but they work. We got it in one of the first few takes and it drives along well the whole time.

One More

Another Jeff rock tune with great word play throughout. We had a couple different versions and actually had to edit this one. Cody sent in his washboard after the sessions…he gave us a spicy, medium and mild take to pick from.

Wadmala

A little acoustic song written years ago in South Carolina on Wadmala Island.  It’s an odd meter that when played long enough feels like it stays in time.

• 30db Live Show Download: Northwest String Summit ’06

Backbone

I love the way this one came out. One half quiet and one half loud. I got my solo in the middle on the first take. Nick’s slide parts at the end sound killer.

As we mentioned, One Man Show hits physical and virtual retailers tomorrow. 30db tour continues on May 19 in Boulder and continues the next night in San Francisco. Visit 30db.net for more tour dates and information on the album.