FAWM: "451"

451

2 weeks ago by @toddnorem

Liner Notes

Song #1

I had a lot of fun with this one even if it was very labor intensive. I tried to combine disparate elements into something that hopefully sounds a little unique. The subject matter is dark and I didn't want to run away from it. But even the dark stuff is kind of fun if it's wrapped up in a hooky little rock song, which I'm thinking this is.

UPDATED 2/5
I feel like I could keep playing around with this song for a while. Made a few edits to the mix and uploaded a revised demo.

UPDATED 2/12
This year I've been going back and making edits to some demos, usually a few days later when something bugs me about the way they're written. The chorus of this song always annoyed me. Seemed to kill the energy of the song. So I edited it again. Cut it significantly and shaved 40 seconds off the song. The song feels much more punchy to me and more of what I was going for initially. Also I changed the title. It was called "Fallen Eyes," which sort of worked, but it was mostly a carryover from the dummy lyrics I had when trying to nail a melody. The new title, 451, seems about right as it's a nod to the Ray Bradbury novel that helped inspire this song.

#rock #electronic #political #indiepop #indierock

Lyrics

Down, I know you've seen the way the world turns around
And you're not the only one
Safe, with your locked doors and alarm systems on
But now that world has gone
Mechanical breathe and gaze
Tracking each move you make
I read the news and I tell you
When you're there in your underwear
Saying your daily prayers you are never
Alone, try to erase your scent and take this underground
They lit the match can you hear
Mechanical breathe and gaze
Tracking each move you make
I read the news and I tell you
When you're there in your underwear
Saying your daily prayers you are never
Normalize
No more lies
Now, your thoughts ignite and illuminate the town
Turn to ash what it must feed
Normalize
No more lies

Comments

@nancycunning 1w

Hey, Todd - you are so right. I was listening to the wrong song. I was trying to listen on SoundCloud - but I think when the song is Private clicking into it just takes you to the user’s profile. I was walking around while I was listening and didn’t notice it was a different song. I went back and listened to 451 today. I especially like that rhythm of While you’re there in your underwear. And the feeling of the song made me think about the chase scene in the book.

@nancycunning 1w

Cracking the whip on a wooden horse carousel is such a great image for all kinds of energetic futility. I find myself thinking about Fahrenheit 451 pretty often.

@joefahey 2w

Talk about a perfect way to start FAWM 2025! I'm so glad to hear you pick up from last year's more fleshed-out arrangements and this arrangement is super cool and catchy. It's got all these great, almost, 80s synth pop and 60s harpsichord psych pop elements but so modern sounding and full of beautiful detouring inks between verses, choruses, bridges. Normalize and no more lies, wow, that's cool. An excellent way to get these seriously heavy lyrics out of the coffeeshop and onto the dance floor. Maybe things will finally sink into some disengaged booty-shaker's psyche.

@tspoon 2w

Nice one to break out with I must say. I love the normalize and no more lies thing works. It’s pretty clear where this is coming from. Love the sound u got here. Very cool start!