NEW MUSIC: BBRC (FKA Notes to Self) – UTBD II & III
More newness from the BBRC fam. Lovin’ the context these guys give for (almost) every song. We often take for granted what goes in to making music, film, TV, art in general. So take a peep below at the process / story…
Project: TMR II (Loosies)
Artist: BBRC
Song: “UTBD II & III”
Produced by “Book & Bronze”
Mixed and Mastered by Erich Preston
Artwork by Ruffmercy x Bronze (RUFFNOTES)
Notes to Self BBRC
“UTBD II & III”An Introduction is an action of introducing – or the state of being introduced. A preliminary part, as of a book, musical composition, leading up to the main part.
A Trilogy is a group of 3, starting with the main part – becoming a series of 3 related things; novels, plays, films, operas or albums.2011: NTS extended family and frequent collaborator, Lee Gaul, writes an early variation of “Used to be Dark” (a song that later becomes track 9 on NTS’s sophomore LP, “RECOIL” with Decon Records).
2012: Shortly thereafter, Gaul records a rough acoustic demo of the song using his laptop & built-in cpu mic – he is surprisingly able to capture a wonderfully soulful piece of music entirely off-the-cuff – and it’s in this very process that producer and close-friend, Bronze, recognizes the fleeting moment of Gaul’s vocal genius & imperfect beauty in his recording – allowing Bronze to reproduce it with production partner Book, while utilizing Gaul’s original vocal demo, “Used to be Dark” becomes a raw and guttural melancholic anthem that shapes the eventual story of 4 voices going their separate ways after sharing a singular life-altering event together, based on true events.
2013: Producers “Book & Bronze” with NTS, then create 2 variations of the demo for their “RECOIL” LP; “UTBD Intro”, an introduction to the LP, and “Used to be Dark”, the single-cut (serving as part I), both deeply steeped in indie-folk & electro-rock influences. “Used to be Dark” purposefully contains skeleton pieces (as samples) of the original raw acoustic Gaul demo, giving the song its earnest and soulful edge. While mixing the records in their final stages, “Used to be Dark” is chosen to serve as the LP’s anchor, and NTS decide to name their project after the song. Decon Records are very much behind the song as a single, but latterly are not in favour of titling the LP by the same name, “Used to be Dark” – which is eventually accompanied by a rich visual, keeping its intended name (but not before NTS change their LP title just shy of its release date, to “RECOIL”). The LP’s “UTBD Intro”, a variation that does not contain Gaul’s actual recordings of any kind, but purposefully shares the same chord progressions, is produced & titled primarily in reference to its predecessor – and both pieces are placed 8 songs from one another, cleverly used in their entirety on the final “RECOIL” LP track listing.
2014: Bronze has his newly formed BBRC group record vocals to a loose series of unused stems in a subtly stripped-back sequence of UTBD’s Intro, w/o them even knowing it – an hour-long exercise for the hell of it. Naturally naming the session file “UTBD II”, Roshin writes & croons while Bronze chops & exploits his melodies, honing in on one; “Wherever I Go (I flew way too far)” – a melody that Arowbe then repeats his own sentiments over; “last chance, meet me at the airport, I’ll be the stylish looking loser with the broken-heart”. BBRC then have the bulk of their new songs direction, of what will eventually become their UTBD sequels (II & III) – perhaps looking to complete their trilogy’s evolution?
2015: While in LA during a series of recording sessions, Book & Bronze explore the evolving demo that Bronze has built with his BBRC brethren from TO, on-hand nothing more than to improvise and have fun in between sessions & studios, adding to “UTBD II’s” song-writing & production in on-the-fly fashion; not over-thinking any of it.
2016: In an attempt to bring the song series out of its melancholic bravado, Bronze & Roshin revisit “UTBD II” as a warm-up to get loose creatively in-session – they write part “III” together without flinching – liberating them from RECOIL’s cycle – while the message is still relevant to their lives.