We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

The B​-​Sides, Vol. 8

by Riese Archive

supported by
ruthprudence
ruthprudence thumbnail
/
1.
Go to the Beach 02:22
buy track
2.
Thesis 01:13
buy track
3.
Help Me 02:24
buy track
4.
Fishbone 02:10
buy track
5.
The Cannibal 03:34
buy track
6.
Half Sure 02:44
buy track
7.
You Just Can't Tell 02:25
buy track
8.
Ass and Mouth 01:41
buy track
9.
These Pills 01:59
buy track
10.
Heaper 01:57
buy track
11.
Let Me Hold You 00:17
buy track
12.
In This Corner 03:06
buy track
13.
Cuban Pleather Couch 01:34
buy track
14.
Log and Woods 01:24
buy track
15.
Nighttime Boogie 01:51
buy track

about

Featuring outtakes from the Riese albums Writes It Up, Undercast, and Miss Direct

--Liner Notes--

Go to the Beach-
Finally, my Beach Boys obsession hits its peak, and becomes intensely annoying to everyone else. After recording this track I don't really feel the need to make such on-the-nose tributes to them anymore, though their later albums still inspire me. For the lyrics I just wrote whatever insufferable cuteness I could imagine Mike Love singing in '63.

Thesis-
The beat came first for this one, and I tried to retrofit some party rap to make it a radio-friendly hit. Didn't really work I'm afraid. It turned out as a pretty simplified parody of that genre.

Help Me-
Written shortly after Undercast was completed as a blueprint for what the next album could become. I never did a final mix on it though and I later became consumed with the idea of doing an electronic album, which became Miss Direct. Even if it hadn't been such a standard rock tune the lyrics are still more in line with Undercast, being very depressing and desperate. But at least I was finally asking (begging) for help! which I really needed! The line about the Quaker mom is based on a biography of some celeb who had one growing up but I can't remember who. Please help me remember that.

Fishbone-
The groove was good as fuck. I was really feeling myself here. But instead of taking time to write something decent I just kinda let loose with some improvised vocals, most of which are pretty garbled or mumbled. Oh well. The track kinda lends itself to that, it's very loose. I still think it sounds decent, just like there's a little madman yelling over the track. Nothing wrong with that!!

The Cannibal-
A very specific attempt to make a Von Sudenfed song. Which is something that no one should ever really be trying to accomplish. But yeah that project is pretty amazing. Tromatic Reflexxions, if anyone wants to check it out. Half of the second verse is just reversed chatter. I can't remember what it says if anyone wants to reverse it and find out. And yeah it's supposedly about a cannibal which is pretty messed up.

Half Sure-
a Kate Bush thing. Damn there are a lot of style parodies here. But yeah this is some high fantasy type operatic music in her unique manner. I wrote it about a sad little indecisive princess with no friends. Structurally I would say this song goes verse prechorus transition chorus REALchorus. Which is really interesting. The instrumental arrangement makes each part pretty separate and the choruses really don't just feel like one chorus. I think the reverb on my voice sounds right and Kate Bush-y too.

You Just Can't Tell-
Just a little demo I made on guitar. I don't know why some completely unfinished tracks make it on these B-sides collections while other don't. Those others were maybe more like sketches to be filled in later while this one actually has all the bones of the song filled in a little bit. Anyways this song is about my lack of external emotional expression, which was a pretty consistent trait of mine at that point. My life and feelings were all very internal. But I still experienced strong emotions at times. I was kind of living parallel lives simultaneously but they never intersected until I started transitioning. To be honest I completely forgot about the bridge on this song! Not fleshed out lyrically but I really think it could of been something. I should really use the chords and melody somewhere else.

Ass and Mouth-
The first version of Log and Woods which comes later here. It's mostly just me fucking around and trying to get the feel of that song. And yeah I named it Ass and Mouth which I thought was pretty funny. And also as a side note if you eat ass please call me.

These Pills-
A pretty emo alt rock tune about wanting MtF hormones, which I did, desperately. I was scared they wouldn't do anything, or that I'd never get them. But I did and that cleared up all the anxiety I had pretty quickly. The chord change on the second verse is pretty interesting.

Heaper-
It's called "Heaper" because I heaped every instrument I know on this track. There's definitely guitar, piano, bass, accordion, trumpet and theremin on this track. I think I left out harmonica and viola which is unfortunate. And drums. So yeah I play several instruments and I want to show that off but they don't really all go together that well. So umm oops. OH well that's heaper!!

Let Me Hold You-
The original concept for No Word of Yours from Undercast. I ended up expanding it into a whole song! But yeah it's mostly just based on that little piano arpeggio. Sounds cool enough on its own.

In This Corner-
Another one of those call-and-response songs like Crispin Glover or Stormchasers that never ended up being very remarkable. For some reason it's about the very macho sport of underground boxing. For some reason I find myself writing about things I have no knowledge about and only discover any interest in while I'm writing them. Odd. The song is basically ok. Just very gimmicky. I love the bridge, the tone change and then it goes right up back to the uptempo dad rock. Kinda like the solo here.

Cuban Pleather Couch-
It kinda ruins the joke to explain the title but... yeah it's a play on "Italian Leather Sofa" by Cake. Wow, a Cake reference, can you believe it?! But yeah I just kinda ran with it and you get the idea. I think it was going to be background music for some project or another I believe, kinda like how they used the Cake song in that show Mission Hill.

Log and Woods-
Created for a cartoon called "The Man who Knew Everything" by Mr. Jonny Swales. He makes some pretty amazing stuff if you ever wanna check it out. He's more involved in video games these days but it was fun to collaborate. I was trying to show a little guitar flourish on this one while still making it unique with the electric piano.

Nighttime Boogie-
Made-up stupid lyrics but I was just going for a vibe here. I think the vocals themselves sound pretty good. And I like my 2 concurrent little guitar riffs throughout. I want to write more songs like this. But good.

credits

released November 3, 2020

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Riese Archive image

Riese Archive Seattle, Washington

contact / help

Contact Riese Archive

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Riese Archive, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now