The songs on my seventh album, ‘Noise’, were written in a 14 month period starting at the end of 1998 through 1999. This makes it Noise by kjbandchronologically my fourth album, but lyrically it is the follow up to my second album, Pretending. I had drawn on songs from when I first started writing songs in 1981 for my first three albums. So after the songs for the third album, First Love, were chosen, I challenged myself to write a new album from scratch, and that is what I did, resulting in this album, Noise. This song cycle chronicles the breakdown of my first marriage, and contains some of the saddest songs I have ever written, though the last song, New Beginnings, is an optimistic rocker about the future.

I was fortunate to be able to use the same musicians that helped me record the Real Life album (Chris Delis again brilliant on guitar, Kevin Presutti spot on with sax and flute, Ken Adessa fluid on drums and percussion, Gary Georgett impeccable on organ, Marco Vitali perfect on violin, and Brian Connell solid on bass) . The exception is the lead vocalist, but I was very happy to discover Kate Lewis, a wonderful singer with a beautiful voice who captured the emotion of the lyrics perfectly. Also, what stands out on this album are excellent horn arrangements by Chris Rinaman (who also played trombone) and kick ass trumpet solos by Frosty Lawson on the single, Waves, and the closer, New Beginnings.
There is something special about this album. Maybe it’s because it took 15 years of a full life from the writing of the songs to the recording of them. Or maybe it was the magic in the room when the piano, drums, and bass were recorded live in the first recording session. Whatever it was, the result is some of my best work, and I hope this is the album that gets people to notice. Maybe this ‘Noise’ that I make is not just for me.

Recording of this album started in late 2014 and was finished in 2015.

This album is available to download on Itunes, and the CD can be ordered from amazon.com.

Songs on Album

(click for lyrics)

Carbon and water and dust
Hurling around a sun
An endless mosaic of stars
And we’re one

Thank our lucky stars
That we are here today
Thank who ever you want
We’ve got something to say

Miracles down and up
The universal order
Billions of years of miracles
We’re a small part of

Thank our lucky stars
That we are here today
Thank who ever you want
We’ve got something to say

The right combination
A roll of the dice
Does it matter how
It started here?

Before we’re back to dust
(Someone else’s turn)
Find some meaning
Wherever you can

There it is, he did it again
Not saying all of his lines
Everyone else, they’re off too
Not following the script

It’s been running a long time
This play we call our life
Just for once
Let’s not follow the script

When you’re the director
You run the show
Here’s where he changes
And starts following the script

Maybe it’s not enough
Just not enough…

Through the incessant passing of time
Despite so much going on
We can do it together
Rewrite the script

I can feel my heart beat
As I lay next to you
The rhythm of my life
Plays a restless tune

Lightly touching as you sleep
What are the dreams that you keep?
I watch you sleep
What are the dreams that you keep?

I can feel you start to go
Catch the beat, lean to me
Join the song of my life
Sing it sweetly


I am kind, let you sleep
Leave you to your dreams
Lose the beat, give in to sleep
Where in my dreams, the song’s complete

Your touch was so soft
As we walked hand in hand
My heart in my throat
And our toes in the sand

Look out at the sea
Young love, fill my cup
Stirring my soul
Do I have to wake up?

    
         Monday morning laughs at me
Wake up dreamer, look and see
Monday morning laughs at me
This is your reality!

No longer young
Working night and day
Hassles and fighting
Bills to pay

I’m kidding myself
That it ever can be
Beautiful feelings
I never see

No more making the most
Doing my best
All I want
Is to get some rest

So bring on the sleep
Let me find that bliss
Only in dreams
Can I have what I miss  

I’ll do anything, she said
I’ll do anything, she said

To keep you here
To make you see
You belong here, by my side, by my side
We can work it out, work it out

I’ll do anything, he said
I’ll do anything, he said

To find the answers
To fill this void
Can I find that, by your side, by your side?
Can, can we work it out, work it out?

An innocent remark
Taken the wrong way
Always on my case
Do you hear what I say?

It’s the same thing that I’ve said
Every day for years
So why does it now
Fall on deaf, dumb ears?

Habits and patterns
Habits and patterns, we fall into

It’s not just the words
That you say today
It’s how they add up
That makes me feel this way

You can’t help it ’cause
You’re just being you
I can’t help how I feel
So what can we do?

Can we break them
Can we change?
The patterns
Run so deep

Do we have the will
Or the strength
For our love
To keep?

Who knows why
Who know why, pick a reason

Who knows why
Who knows why, don’t need a reason

It comes over me
Like waves upon the shore
Washing, washing me down

People tell
People tell me to cheer up

People tell
People tell me to get over it

And I try, yes I try
But still it comes over me
Washing, washing me down

But I hear
But I hear there’s an answer

But I hear
But I hear there’s a cure

Take a pill
And it’ll go away so they say
No more waves, washing me down

It sounded so good at the time
Inspired, a lovely idea
So easy to weave my web
Here in my fantasy

On the weekend I go down
To this world where I am the man
Leaving that normal world
As far away as I can

         Down here, I’m free
Down here, it’s just me
Down here, all of my dreams
They fall right in line
They fall right in line

It’s too bad, those times
When my two worlds collide
Reality, that nasty word
Leaves me with no place to hide

But no fear, I can always go
To the place where I am free
Where I make the rules
And dreams are my reality

No one cares what I say
So why do I make so much noise
In my quiet way?

Reaching out while holding in
Not sure what to say
Why bother, what’s the point?
Let’s just get through today

The today’s, they pile up
Into quite a mess
I don’t want to clean it up
I must confess

Make a joyful noise
If only just for me
Keep making noise
Maybe just for me

Those few friends who care
And listen when they can
Help me as I make my noise
And be who I am

I’m getting dizzy
Chasing my tail
There’s a wind blowing
But a hole in my sail

New beginnings
New beginnings

What is it always
Blocking my way?
Why can’t I get there?
Maybe today

What’s that up ahead
Around another bend?
Can it be that sign?
Maybe today

In that rear view mirror
Is what you leave behind
Like it never happened
The future starts today