“The Twelve Days of ChristÂmas” is, of course, already long and repetÂiÂtive, such that when in recent years I’ve sung even the first few notes of it at “Ave Maria” speed, I’ve been greetÂed with satÂisÂfyÂing moans of agony. This year I decidÂed that the thing must be put to tape, with each verse slowÂer than the last. The whole thing now runs to around 75 minÂutes.
To make this pleasÂingÂly bearÂable, even if an exerÂcise in Zen-like patience, I crowd-sourced the backÂing arrangeÂments for the versÂes among musiÂcian-fans of The ParÂtialÂly ExamÂined Life podÂcast, plus a few speÂcial guests, includÂing Camper van Beethoven’s Jonathan Segel (who arranged and perÂformed verse 11 and plays solos on guiÂtar, lap steel, and vioÂlin in the verse 12 group jam) and New York comeÂdiÂan Adam Sank (who adds a naughty monoÂlogue to verse 12).
Here’s a quick guide to help you keep your bearÂings durÂing this strange trip:
-VersÂes 1 and 2 are my effort, to estabÂlish the conÂcept for the album: ignore the melody to set any beat at any temÂpo you want and throw down a bunch of tracks withÂout secÂond-guessÂing yourÂself or redoÂing anyÂthing.
-Verse 3 is Swedish prog-keyÂboardisÂt/ÂguiÂtarist Daniel GustafsÂson, sportÂing a baroque ensemÂble.
-Verse 4 is Jason DurÂso and ShanÂnon FarÂrell proÂvidÂing some staid beauÂty while a narÂraÂtor spouts some epiÂgrams about our expeÂriÂence of time.
-Verse 5 is a disÂco monÂstrosÂiÂty by a being who wants to be known only as WilÂson.
-VersÂes 6 and 7 are elecÂtronÂic, texÂtured pieces by Maxx Bartko and BelÂgian musiÂcian Timo CarÂliÂer respecÂtiveÂly. ComeÂdiÂan Alex FosÂselÂla (@afossella) proÂvides some brief narÂraÂtion in the vein of True DetecÂtive.
-Verse 8 is a colÂlage of atmosÂpherÂic sounds and acoustic instruÂments by Kenn Busch and JenÂny Green, while Verse 9 turns into a tuneÂful acoustic folk song feaÂturÂing UK singer Al BakÂer.
-On returnÂing in verse 10, Daniel GustafsÂson estabÂlishÂes a death-metÂal purÂgaÂtoÂry, which morphs in Jonathan Segel’s verse 11 into an endÂless nightÂmare landÂscape.
-Verse 12 is over 25 minÂutes alone, with a jazz fusion vibe a la Miles Davis’s BitchÂes Brew and conÂtriÂbuÂtions from Kylae JorÂdan (sax), Rei Tangko (piano), GustafsÂson, Segel, WilÂson, CarÂliÂer, Greg ThornÂburg, and Sank, over my bass and drums.
An earÂly comÂmenter on the ParÂtialÂly ExamÂined Life site where the “song” was postÂed (as an exemÂplar in supÂport of a disÂcusÂsion on Edmund Burke’s ideas about aeseÂthetÂic judgÂments of the subÂlime), said that it’s “kind of what I would expect a Pink Floyd ChristÂmas album to sound like.”
Can you live through the 12 days? What will your mind look like on the othÂer side?
A free, audio-only mp3 verÂsion of the song can be found here.
Mark LinÂsenÂmayÂer is a musiÂcian who releasÂes his work free to the pubÂlic. He also hosts the ParÂtialÂly ExamÂined Life phiÂlosÂoÂphy podÂcast and blog, which you can access via iTunes or the PEL web site.
Leave a Reply