When I Blank I Blank

December 2009 When I Blank I Blank (mp3)

from the flickr photostream
listen here

"This is a little song for all the people who visit this page, and look at my pictures and read my words and listen to my music. And it's a song to say goodbye to 2009. I'm sure we all learned many things this year, so here's to remembering those things we learned and using those lessons to make 2010 our best year yet.

The lyrics are taken from the comments on my previous post, plus I received one submission by email from Vincent Boulanin (the last sentence in the song), because he doesn't have a flickr account and couldn't post a comment.

Thank you all."

Inside Out There/These Walls Of Mine

December 2009 Inside Out There/These Walls Of Mine (mp3)

Two more tunes from Peter's flickr photostream.

01 Inside Out There
02 These Walls Of Mine

Copenhagen

December 2009 Copenhagen (mp3)

Another tune for free on Peter's flickr. Listen here.

"An icepack for the knee, plenty of coffee, a computer and some recording equipment. Earlier today there was a demonstration right outside my window. They were playing the coolest beat on their drums. So I recorded it, and made it my day's task to make a song out of it.

I've never really tried to make a dance song before. But today it felt right. Maybe this is as close as I'll ever get to the dance floor. A tired Wednesday night dance party. Maybe everyone could lay down and dance from their beds"

Til Danmark

December 2009 Til Danmark (mp3)

another free tune on Peter's flickr photostream.

"Well, I'm happy to say that my work visa in Denmark has been extended again, and this time for two years. Which means, I can actually move into a place and stay there for a while, and spend some more time in this lovely country.

One of the things that bothers me most about myself, is that I can't really speak any other language than English. Just little bits and pieces of a few languages, but nothing fluently. I've been in Denmark for about two years and still I'm afraid to go to the super market because I can't speak Danish. I've gotten a lot better, but I still have a long way to go.

More and more I try to test myself, and sometimes I'm surprised at much I know, but other times it feels like I could never, ever grasp it. Anyhow, I'd really like to make an effort to learn, especially if I'm going to be spending so much more time here.

Last night I wrote a little song, just with voice and a little percussion (well, the clicking sound of the pen I wrote the words with), and forced myself to write every third line in Danish. I'm pretty sure they are incorrect, but I wanted to try and see how I would do without looking anything up. Today, after two years, I finally learned how to check my voicemail on my Danish phone! The instructions are in Danish when you call to hear the messages, and I've never been able to understand it well enough until today! So, I think I might be making some progress.

Anyhow, I'd like to dedicate this tiny song to Denmark. Thank you for having me."

here

Crawl Into My Bed

Peter Broderick - Crawl Into My Bed by Fluid Radio on Mixcloud

December 2009 Peter Broderick - Crawl Into My Bed (fluid radio podcast)

On December 10 & 11, 09, I played 2 very special concerts in Leuven, Belgium, @ the amazing STUK venue. They were label nights for Slaapwel records, who only release music to sleep to, and recently released my Music for a Sleeping Sculpture. They installed 50 beds, & everyone in the audience slept over, while me & 2 other artists performed in the middle of the room.

I only have a recording of the 1st night. I went on around 1 am, and performed for two & a half hours or so, until my musical brain was tired, and then went to sleep among the audience. I started off performing quiet versions of a couple songs people had requested, and then improvised the rest around a couple loose themes.

I wouldn’t recommend listening intently all the way through, but instead maybe try putting it on quietly in the background while you go about your business, cleaning your room, working on your computer, cooking dinner, taking a walk, laying in bed, etc. – Peter

On flickr, Peter describes this music like this: "One hour of quiet, slow building music, improvised around a few loose themes, using violin, nord electro keyboard, musical saw, melodica, various percussion, acoustic and electric guitar, glockenspiel, field recordings, postcard weevil, my voice, two loop stations, and one delay pedal. Not to mention a few audience members turning over in their beds and coughing a time or two."

Music for a Sleeping Sculpture of Peter Broderick

December 2009 Music for a Sleeping Sculpture of Peter Broderick Slaapwel (cd, mp3)

01 Music for a Sleeping Sculpture of Peter Broderick

created in berlin, june 2009

In April 2008, I played a concert in Utrecht, Holland. After the show, while I was standing at a table selling CD's, a girl walked up to me and said something to the effect of, "You have a very interesting face. I would love to use it for a sculpture."

I smiled and told her I thought that sounded very strange, but that I wouldn't be opposed. I gave her my contact information, and that was it. Six months or so later, I still hadn't heard from her, and had forgotten about it entirely. Then one day she wrote to me, telling me she still had plans for the sculpture, and still wanted to use my face. She asked me if I could take some pictures of my face from different angles. I took some photos and sent them over to her, and then months went by before I heard from her again.

Slowly her emails started coming more and more frequently, and I realised that she was serious about this project. Her name is Chrysa Chouliara, originally from Greece but relocated to Amsterdam for art school, and she was really making a life-size sculpture of me. The sculpture was to be laying in bed, sleeping, with a small motor in the chest, to create a sound that simulates breathing.

Wim at Slaapwel Records had asked me some time ago if I would like to make a contribution to the label, which I immediately agreed to. For many years I have loved to put on one of my favorite records late at night to help me drift away to sleep. And when I thought about this sculpture, it seemed this would be the perfect chance for me to make some very sleepy sounds.

I proposed to Chrysa that I could create a piece of music to be played on a loop at the opening exhibition of the sculpture, and she liked the idea very much. The opening was set for the first of July, 2009. So after my European tour ended in mid June, I spent a few quiet, sleepy days in Berlin, recording some music for the occasion.

I like to think of good sleep as a peaceful and quiet place. So when I made this music, my only goal was to somehow make it peaceful, and I hope that will come across. The quiet part is up to the listener.

Thank you for listening, and reading, and for just being here.

Peter Broderick
November 1, 2009

dow

peter broderick - voice & piano
voice recorded by peter broderick
piano recorded by nils frahm
mixed by peter broderick
mastered by nils frahm
sculpture and photo by chrysa chouliara

limited to 500 physical copies, available directly from Slaapwel Records

A Tired Tuesday Song

December 2009 Peter Broderick - A Tired Tuesday Song (mp3)

Another song from Peter's flickr

Various Artists - The Wall Re-Built! Disc Two

December 2009 Various Artists - The Wall Re-Built! (cd)

Given away free with MOJO 194 (January 2010).

01 Engineers - Hey You
02 Peter Broderick - Is There Anybody Out There?
03 The Mummers - Nobody Home
04 North Sea Radio Orchestra - Vera/Bring The Boys Back Home
05 Ralfe Band - Comfortably Numb
06 Alessi's Ark - The Show Must Go On
07 Fol Chen - In The Flesh
08 Crippled Black Phoenix - Run Like Hell
09 Twinkranes - Waiting For The Worms
10 Diagonal - Stop
11 Simon Bookish - The Trial
12 The Soundcarriers - Outside The Wall

According to MOJO "Portland emigre-turned-Efterklang collaborator made a name for himself in Europe thanks to his beautifully melodic approach. Similarly, Hamburg-born pianist Nils Frahm spent the last few years creating wondrous, haunting music. Together they accentuate the orchestral qualities of Pink's lament, the track's sense of paranoia amplified by the choral resolution of this version".