Bob Gaulke

I guess you could say that these are pandemic songs only in that for various introverts who are already mostly living in their heads, the prospect of staying home, saving time on transportation, and being two steps ahead of your bosses, felt like an unexpected bonus in some ways. 

I was attempting an online relationship at the time and it seemed like another escape that was colored with the same sense of unreality that I feel towards writing songs/making music- I seem to mostly live in my imagination with very scant evidence of making an impact on this exterior life.  

I woke up wanting this- we seem to have clearer thoughts upon waking; though they do have to be reconciled with our evening fears, don’t they? 

The Indoor Troubadour- apparently Xavier de Maistre beat me to the punch 230 years ago with Voyage Around My Room, but perhaps we’re drinking from the same source. 

Dating My Shrink- I’m too fascinated by my own patterns, at times.

You Left The Meeting- I sometimes get into the character I play at work and the oppressiveness of it all; then, songs like these slip out.

Recurring Whale- My father was a big man. He now lives in my dreams. 

Have You Seen Me? We’re different people with others. What does “feeling like yourself” really mean? 

What’s Up With Steven? A pretty straightforward journalistic effort, twisted into middle school Brecht with added angst delivered by Emilia Cataldo

Adventure- Ahh, the weight of my bookcase prevents me from escaping entirely. 

I received a small grant from NYC which I took to mean I’d spend almost double on it doing silly things like buying string arrangements. The person I was in a long distance relationship once said of my music, “Why do you put all that stuff on top of your songs?” by which she meant horn sections, keyboards, drums, etc.. OK. I was listening to some quieter stuff (70’s Caetano and João Bosco) and these songs started out as acoustic solo things, but when you live next to people like Carlo Nicolau (violins), Juancho Herrera (acoustic guitar), or Gil Oliveira (percussion), things quickly get out of hand. 

The missing element was flute. By this I mean that flute is so predominant in so many 70’s era Brazilian arrangements, but apparently it’s an instrument that has largely fallen out of favor. Had to search high and low to connect with Henrique Band in Rio to do the honors. 

The album was once again lovingly mixed by Martin Scian in Patagonia; a cellist when not a sought-after engineer. For all this, I am grateful. 

Streaming everywhere June 6th, 2022