More of the Same or Something Totally Different?

A common refrain one hears when an established band is putting out a new song or album; this is especially true if there has been a hiatus or a period of separation, is whether it's in line with what they've put out previously. For established groups or individuals who have a easily identifiable sound, think AC/DC, changing direction midstream tends to cause all kinds of backlash and complaining, and many bands after a few tries at something different go back to the tried and true. That brings its own set of problems especially if the past is where their glory lay. This is why the Police did not put out an album during their reunion tour because whatever you do is going to be compared to the golden oldies.
And God forbid if they are pale reflections (or sound like Sting's latest album).
The other problem is familiarity.
I'm a big fan of Joe Satriani; I have all of his studio work, I've seen him in concert, etc., and, if I'm honest, I tend to greet his latest offering, What Happens Next, with a tad bit of trepidation. It's not that the songs are bad, and the playing certainly isn't; I am not anywhere near the player he is, it's that I feel I've heard it all before. And as someone who writes and records, I know how it is to try and come up with new interesting stuff each time out. I'm not saying that to rag on Joe, and I do like the new album, it rocks and grooves and illustrates that if you know what the hell you're doing, a bass and drums are all you need for accompaniment.
It's just...that each song sends me back to other songs on other albums and that leaves me conflicted, mostly as a composer and recording artist because my biggest fear is rolling in the same over and over; having nothing new or different to say. I tend to project that on the players and performers I admire the most.
On the plus side, I'm hardly well-known and can therefore go in all kinds of directions, but you are what you are and it takes a lot of work and a willingness to be critical enough to admit that the new happening tune is a glorified rehash of something you did 30 years ago. It's one of the reasons why I think it's a good idea to learn multiple instruments; a piano plays different from a guitar which is different from percussion. I find they lead in different directions which is what I like.
Plus it teaches you new tricks,
I like that.
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This week's song is from Life Without Chickens,

Near Kiss/Another Street Prophet, is my one foray into a Reggae beat. The song was created of a series of drum patterns I created using a Drumulator.

It is the drums and percussion you hear on all the albums from what I call the Seattle period, 1985-1991, and it had a great sound as well as individual outs for each sound, bass, snare, etc. This allowed a lot of creativity and it made recording just that more fun. The song is 2 parts, the instrumental to start and then the song proper. Along with the drum patterns, I used two guitars run through a Rat fuzz box and the Effectron II for the echo, and the Korg Poly-800 synth for bass and atmospherics. The lyrical subject was the conflict in our consumer driven-business driven society between self interest and the welfare of others. I posed this by having each verse be in a different position; the first is the street prophet lamenting for those struggling and a desire for us to come together; the second is the indignant response, partly of disdain for not working and for the suggestion that he isn't compassionate enough.
You can listen to it at www.mrprimitivemusic.com and click on this week's song.

©2018 David William Pearce