Dirt Witch Records Debut Album Song By Song Breakdown

Dirt Witch Records self titled debut releases to major streaming October 24th. Out now on Bandcamp, pay what you want.

Dirt Witch Records self-titled debut album is absurd, occult basement post-punk performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely in house.

1. Get Behind Me Satan!

One of the first songs to come together and really feel like I was starting to find an identity for Dirt Witch Records. Singles get picked for a variety of reasons: Thematic appropriateness, catchiness, how well it represents the album etc. My wife picked this one. Definetely a The White Stripes reference.

2. Catfood

I wrote the main riff for this a while ago and reworked it to combine with a song from a scrapped cat/dog themed project (that sorta became “Release The Hounds”). Contains one of my first non improvised/composed solos along with “Get Behind Me Satan!”

3. Black Cherry Vibes

This one started out as a jam/demo riff on my Youtube and only got made into a full song because my brother said the riff gave him stank face.

4. Cognitive Dissonance

I think the main chord progression for this song predates this projects creation. Got reworked significantly after the album started taking shape with the lead guitar, vocals, and recorder all added way after initial recording.

5. Blue Raspberry

Another song finished out from a youtube jam/demo riff. This one is a bit subtly mathy, with the song playing around with different time signature feels in 12/8. The only instrumental, and uses some percussion from a cheapo set my toddler got.

6. Even A Black Cat

Another one from the scrapped cat and dog themed project that almost got axed becausd it was too chill. Drums on this one are recorded open handed instead of my usual cross.

7. Scam Likely

Probably my second favorite riff on the album behind catfood. Lyrically based on a micro story I wrote a while back of the same name. Kinda sounds like a commercial for a call blocking service.

8. Sour Apples

Another mathy one from the jams. It’s essentially 11/8 subdivided into 6/8 and then 5/8 and at some point I do a counterpoint that’s 5/8 and then 6/8 instead and I think that’s neat.

9. Hail Satan! God’s Dead.

The lyrical heart of this album. Inspired by the final lines in “The Best Ever Death Metal Band Out Of Denton” by The Mountain Goats. Fuck bigotry.

10. Dirt Farm (Album Version)

Originally a jam, and then arguably the best track off “Three Piece Bathing Suit.” Has more bass, and some piano added to keep it more in line with the rest of the album.

11. Devil’s Due

Written as sort of a lyrical continuation of the ideas in Scam Likely. The arpeggiated bass was the start, and is the heart of the composition

I’ll likely follow this up with a post containing the lyrics for the album. Please check out “Dirt Witch Records” on Bandcamp, and major streaming when it lands Friday!