Notes:

Why this took so long... actually, I do know why.  I was going to play dumb and say "I don't know" but I won't.  You fine folks are too good for that.

The reason it took so long was I spent time remixing and getting all of my other CDs mastered.  That does take time.  It was really September that I got to dedicate some time to it.  And the words took the longest to get going but once they did, I found I had a surplus of topics.  At least I won't be short for the next CD.

So how is it?  You'll have to find out but I think it's a good group of tracks this time around.  Not a lot of vocals so that's good for a few people even though I'd like to think I'm getting somewhat better.  I didn't say "good", I said "better".  And, surprise, lots of guitar solos.  And loops too.  I really like using those for click-tracks.  And a new bass, my Alpine White Epiphone EB-3.  Anyways, here we go, song by song:

Track 1  - Drive You Home
The title started when I was finishing up writing about making the CD covers and I Photoshopped my name on a car licence plate. The tune part was partly inspired by obviously ZZ Top, but also in part by what my friend and drummer Dwyane Laframboise did on his computer. I went over one day and just recorded a bunch of licks and riffs and he copied and pasted them together.  Even though this isn't a lift, it is reminiscent of one track he did in particular. Also, we both love the last 4 ZZ Top CDs.
Guitars: That's the Studio Plus in both ears.  The Studio Plus gets the first half of the solo and the end solo and the 2nd half of the first solo goes to the Goldtop.  The loop, which was originally going start the song, came from the Sony site.

Track 2 - I Pulled Out In Time
This took me forever to come up with words for.  I had the backing track and a guitar line that would be how the vocal would go.  You wouldn't believe how many 5 syllable phrases you can come up with driving around in a car.  I went with this because it was the funniest thing I could think of.  Also, I've been dying to use the Rorschach Test line for a long time.
Guitars: So the bass line did come first. I went through a few different guitar lines before I said to myself "this could go on forever - pick something."  And I did.  Actually, the white Studio is the rhythm guitar and the Goldtop through the Rotovibe gets the solo.

Track 3 - Plenty Enough To Go Around
This was the last song to be recorded.  Initially, I had too many rock-y songs and I liked how Take What You Need turned out, so I wanted another funky-ish song.  The lyrics are total throw-away but I liked the chorus part.  That's probably why the song is basically a big guitar solo.  Another first is that out of the 5 guitar tracks, only one has distortion.  That's a big step for me.
Guitars: All rhythm guitars were the Studio Plus.  One had the Vibrato turned on.  The one in the right ear has the Maestro phaser.  Fun.  The Junior gets the solo.  And I ended up liking the dry main vocal sound.  I'm might go dry more often...for vocals, that is.

Track 4 - Taking Out The Trash
I like that line.  So yes, it's about taking out a slut.  Cute, huh?  Oh sure, it could have been a set of lyrics describing bleach blonde hair, oversized sunglasses and miniskirts but you fine listeners deserve better.  So I tried to work it so that it was about cleaning up.  For now, I'm putting up how the song started and then the end result just so you can hear how the song "evolved".  Sorry, I couldn't think of a better word.
Guitars: That's the Goldtop in the centre for the solo and main lick. the panned guitars are the Studio Plus.

Track 5 - Busted
One of 2 oldies-redone earlier in the year.  This original is 8 years old, at the time of writing.  Just a quick one about getting caught doing something.
Guitars: The GoldTop is in the centre and left ear.  The solo is the Studio Plus through the wah and Rotovibe.  It's not my best solo but it is one take - both solos were done in the same pass.

Track 6 - Take What You Need
This is, by far, my favourite track on here.  It started with the bass line and drum loop and just built up from there.  I had words made up and it was going to be about Koval Komfort.  Most people haven't experienced that but once they do, they can't get enough.  Anyways, I put the guitar line down for what the vocal would follow (based off of Prince's Let It Go) and it sounded fine on its own.  My friend and pickup-installer Les, suggested to keep it instrumental.  I already had an instrumental (see below), and 1's usually enough per CD so I made my own compromise to just sing the chorus line/title.  And the organ really makes the song even if it just is 2 chords.
The Goldtop got the final solo.  The original take was done with the white Studio and for the longest time I was going to keep that one, but I had another go at it and the Goldtop's solo, overall, was the better of the two.  The other panned guitars are still the Goldtop.

Track 7 - Wasting The Day Away
As I mentioned earlier, I originally had too many rock-y songs.  And thinking back, I didn't use the acoustic on On Ice or Hits The Spot at all (Passing Time just had the Epiphone Biscuit resonator).  The chord progression just kind of came out.  I like having a drone with passing chords on top, and although I'll use open E tuning for slide, I tend not to open tune the acoustics.  So it is in regular tuning but it's supposed to sound like it isn't.  The rest of it was me trying to do an homage to Danny Kirwin (Fleetwood Mac) since I like his instrumentals and love his guitar playing.
So the Taylor (3 in total) starts everything off.  The main guitar is the Goldtop and the panned harmony guitars are the white Studio.  And before you say anything, yes, the main lead line does sound like Ramblin' Man.

Track 8 - The Sky's Better Over Here
Even though I recorded this earlier this year along with The Great Outdoors, Busted and Hard @ Work, I wanted to put this on here.  Really because it was the only one that fit out of the 4.  Originally I recorded this way back when in 1999.  I hate when I date myself.  This does sound better and I got to take advantage of more than 4 tracks.
Guitars: Since I'm doing this write up months after I recorded it, I'm probably mistaken but I believe that's the Studio Plus through a whole bunch of effects; I'll guess Octave, Maestro Phaser and Alesis Quadraverb for the rotating speaker effect.  And delay.  What I thought turned out well was the Boss Octave on the bass.

Track 9 - Alien To Me
Ever date someone and you think you know them and then you find out that they're from outer space?  Me neither but it's fun to pretend.  That's all this is about.
It's all the Studio Plus on this one.  Also, the outer space noises are from using the Maestro Phaser with the Vibro Champ's Vibrato on full intensity.  Boi-oi-oi-ing!

So that's it.  Pretty fun.  Just in time for the holidays and I hope to have it up for sale at CD Baby next month.  Keeping that in mind, download it while you can.