Reading Machine

amount of swear words: 1
longest word: “interpretation" and "personlessness" (flags)
slowest song: "sun" (60 bpm)
fastest song: "my angel" (172 bpm)
longest song: "sun" (4:39)
shortest song: "job" (2:07)
least words: "stupid quilt" (96)
most words: "anemometer spinnin" (214)
highest note hit: C#5 (sun, falsetto) F4 (bombs)
lowest note hit: B2 (bombs)

key: f dorian (main part), a# lydian ("i can't wait to meet you" part)
tempo: 172 bpm
recorded: 1-14-23 - 6-07-23
ben's opinion: i like it :)
fun fact: is it in 5/4? or 5/8? you decide! (if you really want to state your case you can email me about it)
best word: chemical

i'll owe you my life
my angel
when you give me your arms
i'll know who you are
when i see you
everybody knows it's true

i can't wait to meet you
i can't wait to meet you

it's a chemical, i can't name
it's magic on the earth
in my mind's eye, you're perfect
i tear up at your thought

i can't wait to meet you
i can't wait to meet you you you you you you you you you you...

key: d mixolydian
tempo: 78 bpm
recorded: 8-9-22 - 9-16-23
ben's opinion: my favorite track on the album!
fun fact: i was trying to figure out how chords worked while making this song. i was trying to find chords in the key of d major to use for the chorus, somehow overlooking that c was prevalent in the song
best word: defensive

i flex my neck muscles
and then they get sore
in the morning
it only makes me notice them more

it's not a nervous thing i'm sure of it
at least i don't think so
i don't think so
i don't think so

i cross my arms a lot
and then i look strange
but i'm cold
it only makes them notice me more

it's not a defensive thing i'm sure of it
at least i don't think so (no)
i don't think so
no, i know so
it's not a defensive thing i'm sure of it
at least i don't think so (no)
i don't think so
i don't think so

key: b major
tempo: 108 bpm
recorded: 8-11-23 - 11-4-23
written: 8-1-23
ben's opinion: i think i could have made this into a 10 minute jam track if i wanted/could. i feel like the ostinato would have gotten a bit stale though... but it's so fun to play!
best word: job

i find a job that looks cool
i apply for the job
i get hired
i have too many jobs

(i have too many jobs)
(i have too many jobs)

i find a job that looks cool (i have too many jobs)
i apply for the job (i have too many jobs)
i get hired (i have too many jobs)
i have too many jobs (i have too many jobs)
(i have too many jobs) i have too many jobs (i have)

i find a job that looks cool
i apply for the job
i get hired
i have too many jobs
(i have too many jobs)
(i have too many jobs)

key: g mixolydian
tempo: 80 bpm
recorded: 11-13-22 - 6-15-23
ben's opinion: cute song. i remember being really happy when i was finished because i was like "i finished a song!!!!!!!"
fun fact: i wrote the instrumental for this one (and "my angel") before i knew how to music, which is why it's so weird.
best word: A-bombs

i dropped bombs
on the wrong city
i dropped a-bombs
on the wrong city

i must've put a typo when i sent it to the guy
in charge of sending out the telegraph to all the navigators
oh, i screwed up

i dropped bombs
on the wrong city
i dropped a-bombs
on the wrong city

i didn't know there was another town that had just that name
it's not too far from the one i intended, just a couple counties over
oh, i screwed up
i screwed up
i screwed up
i screwed up
i screwed up
i screwed up
i screwed up

key: a minor
tempo: 100.5 bpm
recorded: 5-21-23 - 10-24-23
ben's opinion: the ending... yes... good...
best word: concentric

against a background of sky my rotors fly
along a concentric path and they don't know why
the universe does not care who i am
but neither do i

i know my name and i know what i do
i can't do anything that i don't want to
the universe will see to it i don't move
and i do not care

that kid is back he's lookin' at me
he's been doin' that since 2019
who made me did not grant me greater meaning
he must know that too

even if i were to spring alive
and lift that boy away into the cloudless sky
my constant duty wouldn't be fulfilled
and surely he'd die

(i just am) my white burns bright against the blue
(i just am) i have one simple task one single thing to do
(i just am) neither content nor displeased with what i've been through
he must know that too
(i just am) i have no quirks, no problems, and no needs
(i just am) i keep no hate or fear within me
(i just am) i cannot process thought, but i'm a bit confused
(i just am) what does the kid see

against a background of sky my rotors flylf srotor ym yks fo dnuorgkcab a tsniaga

key: g major
tempo: 112 bpm
recorded: 9-10-23 - 11-2-23
ben's opinion: embodies the sleepy songy style i want in my songs
best word: Johnny Song

i had a dream
you two were ripped to pieces by some careless folk
i'm glad you two are alright but i haven't got a lot of time
the stench of those awful plants outside is fresh in my mind
i have to get to the right number this time

this is what you do
put your things together like a stupid quilt
that's it now you've got it you're a regular johnny song
you can put your pencil down now you're all done
if you ignore your own rules writing songs is so much fun

key: d major, a major (chorus)
tempo: 60 bpm
recorded: 1-24-22 - 10-27-23
ben's opinion: loud
fun fact: started making it after i listened to kid a (the song)
best word: pinking

unassuming
simple youngling
sits there staring
waiting for the sun

purples pinking
darkness sinking
i'm here sitting
join me if you want

it screams "open your arms for me
i represent the safety of heat
you all may rejoice, you all may rejoice
the winter's gone and i am here again"

no more crying
no noises surviving
brightness thriving
all life paused and stunned

heed its power
iron and stone devoured
surface scoured
by the burning one

it screams "i am the finality
i am the holy killer of beasts
you all may rejoice, you now may rejoice
i rise as the almighty champion of light"

key: f# major
tempo: ~64.5 bpm (no metronome was used)
recorded: 10-27-23 - 11-20-23
written: 9-18-23
ben's opinion: another really fun thing to play on the keys.
fun fact: the weird noise at the end is construction starting outside just as i finished playing the keys.
best word: 48

she's just tryin' to look out for you
she doesn't want you to be alone
and you don't either you know
unless you're mistaken

you've got to go attend
game night with evelyn
your future friends will be there
who you'll still talk to when you're 48
when you're...

there are people here for you
you might know a name
your mother's just lookin' out for you
shouldn't you do the same

you've got to go attend
game night with evelyn
your future friends will be there
who you'll still talk to when you're 48
when you're...

when...
when... you're...

key: g major
tempo: 168 bpm
recorded: 10-6-23 - 11-12-23
written: 10-3-23
ben's opinion: it's alright.
fun fact: the synth tracks on this song were recorded when my keyboard's batteries were really low, which made them buzz and peak really bad.
best word: Bensity

the bensity index is at a record low
whether that's due to them or me is up to interpretation i guess
i knew my reflexes were slow
but shouldn't this frog even try to jump out the boiling water or something

i've got the flags in my hand, i've got the choice to make
my hands are quickly turning to stone so it's time to bite the bullet i think
i see the trolley comin', it's time to flip a switch
it's time to go to battle but i was never much of a fighter, you know somethin'

can't a wizard cast a spell on these rotten bones
breathe some incantation of life that can bring me back from personlessness
being dead is getting old
i remember when i used to live back before that kid told me to shut the fuck up

i've got the flags in my hand, i've got the choice to make
my hands are quickly turning to stone so it's time to bite the bullet i think
i see the trolley comin', it's time to flip a switch
it's time to go to battle but i was never much of a fighter, you know somethin'

key: c minor
tempo: 99 bpm
recorded: 10-2-23 - 10-7-23
written: 9-29-23
ben's opinion: proof that playing it yourself trumps using a piano roll
fun fact: uses clips from 5 different videos i took on my mac's photobooth app between the ages of 5 and 8. the original "atlas" is incomprehensible blabbering.
best word: iPhone

(this song is called atlas! by rex)

when i grow up
my name will be ben
i'll have brown hair blue eyes and white skin

(i just put my special effect-- i put my effects on mirror, so like this)

when i grow up
i'll have an iphone 4
i'll be able to do so much more

(silent movie)

when i grow up
i'll always be loved
maybe not by someone else but by my younger self

(you can't receive a-- element five! you can't receive (?) ext-ra unit of element five. don't you?!)

(one, two, three, four)