The Manimal's Music

[Manimal]

Here we go. Before 50/90 I have to do something. I got in a rampage with something and that wave of inspiration has already left me. But I got three songs out of it, all I need to do is make 2-3 more than I can have another EP, this set is called Blurry Knuckles and for a reason. This song I am super duper proud of the instrumental. My vocals are whatever, not great. I made the mistake of playing in half a step down which I am unable to sing well in. I wrecked my voice trying to sing a cover that may or may not be on this EP. But anyway this track is me in my brighter moments. It has my normal thing I stick to because it works and I like it. Rhythm guitar power to the max, no solo because it didn't need one. So let's battle the squares, yes. 

I finally jammed with some dudes last night and, I have feeling it could be the start of something maybe. They are serious about making and recording music and seem like perhaps fun to be around, perhaps. I was getting excited and I felt alive when we put together a track yesterday. I really felt this energy in me, like wow I'm writing a song with people! and there are suggestions I can add and see how other people feel! It's not just me! and they have songs I can add to and put my input to? This is all new to me. I'll see where it goes.

Battling The Squares
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/battling-the-squares 

   

[Manimal]

Kanttila : Blurry Knuckles (EP)


1. Battling The Squares
2. DiALONE
3. Cyclonus Bolognus
4. Arrival Of My Rival
5. I Gotta Know (Cover Song)
6. Star of Memories

All songs written by the Manimal sans A5 (Evans/Williams)
All songs performed by the Manimal
 
https://kanttila.bandcamp.com/album/blurry-knuckles-ep

                   

So here we have it, an EP that is just a couple random things and current inspirations. It started with the first two songs which are just straight up Hard Rockers, with the double tracked guitars and all. This wave didn't last though, and I wanted to have a seventh song but I got nothing left for this. 50/90 will start soon enough anyway, this is just my in-between of albums.

"DiALONE" is one of my best full on Rock songs yet for sure, and "Star of Memories" might be a lot like "Country Club" but it is perhaps the only truly chill song I have ever made yet. "I Gotta Know" is a fun Elvis song from Golden Records Volume 3 that I thought I'd cover and included it since it's the first thing I recorded here in the Post-Pawn era. This is the beginning of the Post-Pawn era and this EP reflects it where Days Of Our Lifenheimers reflects the end of my Post-Kansas era of life.

My albums connect to the eras of my life, of course they do. and of course I group my life into eras. Now that I'm jamming with people we are making our own things, I'm just going along with what they have, my songs wouldn't work for anything but my own thing. and it's fun to work with simple stuff from other people I've found. We recorded a track last night with me on guitar and drums which was pretty cool. I hope we get stuff done so I can post that as well, we just gotta keep at it. Jam #2 and we have 3 songs already.

So this is Blurry Knuckles, it's just you know what it is. Just a little something or other.

         

[Coryn]

Ah, y'know I should have known after you first mentioned the name. I imagined you were going for some sort of metaphor with the whole blurry knuckles thing. Maybe some sort of play on 'bloody knuckles', but nope, here we are, staring at a literal blurry picture of knuckles the echidna.

[Manimal]

50/90 time. Here are two new songs, one rocks the other still kind of rocks.

Life moves in new directions fast, and I've been hit with many good realizations since quitting my previous job. I want to make a double album that can reflect that along with the same ol' brand of Goof Rock I always do. I intend to make better use of this 50/90 to make looser songs and try some new things. "The Declaration Of Kanttila" is simple but was very fun to do, the lyrics say "this is the album opener". Nowhere near as strong a statement and song as "No Reason But My Own" (one of my top 5 songs yet) but you know, can't always top yourself so easily. and that song would be absolutely nothing without Lego's vocal melody. "Contingency Plan" is a song that came about very quickly and I just added more to it until I was like, damn okay. So this album, more guitar solos like mad, more 50's Rock/Country vibes I hope, and more whatever I feel like doing in the moment.

I am beginning to feel I am often not making music for the best of my abilities at times. Like, "No Reason But My Own", "Star Of Memories", "Magnus Bridge" are songs I used my best for and meanwhile I make songs that are just silly and stupid like it's nothing with sometimes bad or overly reference based lyrics ("When Your Time Comes"). I am always conflicted, so instead of a conflict I just do both whatever I feel like it to keep the vibe of my music natural and alive. "Contingency Plan" is atleast a song I brought my best for.  I just don't make tunes often enough or just straight up songs. I too often go off in a track and it tuns into something else.

Days Of Our Lifenheimers was a bit incomplete, and could've done without "When Your Time Comes" and should've had the song I couldn't find a vocal melody for "Life Is Comedy". But I am overall quite happy with that album, more so than others. I think in terms of instrumentation it's my best album. My vocals aren't horrific on it either, compared to other albums. Blurry Knuckles not so much, but it's just a quick EP before 50/90 and better than last year's attempt at that. Plus it has "Star Of Memories", which is way too close to "Country Club" but different vibe.   

The Declaration Of Kanttila
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/the-declaration-of-kanttila

Contingency Plan
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/contingency-plan               

         

[Manimal]

I've lost my focus but I am really happy with some of these 50/90 songs.   

"Who Rules The Knight?" I am super proud of, it's a classic me type of song with some SY elements in structure and dynamics, not in noise, and my favorite kind of vocals to do. I think it's a kicking song, about Daredevil, Batman and Michael Knight. I really think I did well with that one. 

"The Great Dodge Caravan" is a BAND-MAID inspired in change-ups song about the most powerful vehicle in world history. I was going to make it a Funk type song like I have done before, but this is way better. I just went for it, I need to make some more songs like this, but I have no inspiration at the moment.

Who Rules The Knight?
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/who-rules-the-knight 

The Great Dodge Caravan
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/the-great-dodge-caravan   

[Manimal]

The album draws closer. I don't think it will be one of my greatest or anything, in fact it seems to lack power and energy in a way. I think due to the mix and also the songs.

However "Misunderstandable" is a highlight and one of my more crafty moments for sure. I am quite happy with this one. and "In Your Darkest Hour" being the first song lyrically of it's kind for me. With a call back sort of outro.

I have better plans for my album after this one. It's time for new things but first I gotta finish this one, only one song left to make and a few left to do vocals on.

Misunderstandable 
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/misunderstandable

In Your Darkest Hour
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/in-your-darkest-hour

[Manimal]

Kanttila : Closer To Clarity

1. The Declaration Of Kanttila
2. The Great Dodge Caravan
3. Contingency Plan
4. Cyclonus Bolognus
5. Who Rules The Knight?
6. Misunderstandable
7. A Couple Of Weird Quirks 
8. My Best Buds Of All Time
9. Fender Of Feeling 
10. Prepare For Rain
11. Your Insured Doomsday
12. Ayaka
13. In Your Darkest Hour
14. Our World Inside The World

All songs written/performed by Kanttila

https://kanttila.bandcamp.com/album/closer-to-clarity

             

So this is my 19th album, a rip roaring double album that says who I am now and who I want to be. 

It's a mess. A big cluster of this and that with no real direction. At times it makes sense and than it slips into something random. This album is really just everything I came up with from July up to now. It's not one of my best, but it has it's moments and it serves as a blow-out of everything I have learnt and added to my music since my previous double album Aesthetic 2 years ago. It ends on a rough note with a brutal vocal performance on "Closer To Clarity" which itself is the most lyrically revealing song I've ever written, much like most of this album. 

I would say this set has my greatest lyrics yet, but that's about it. The solos are strong, but the recordings go all over the place. My USB mic broke so I finally began using my Blue Snowball to record everything, so some songs like "Prepare For Rain" and "23 Year Old Me" are recorded with it and it's clear I have no idea where to put it. My USB mic I got used to and figured out how to optimize it since the start in July 2016. But this I have to figure out.

Espeically for acoustic. I intend to make my next album acoustic, tune, lyric and vocal based. To work on my abilities to write tunes (which if you listen to this album you will find my melodies are not there) and to be more confident and present my singing upfront. Hopefully make songs that fit my vocals and current singing better. I need to work on good tunes. I can make a good song, proven by tracks like "New Gate", "Magnus Bridge" and (with help from Lego who came up with the entire vocal melody) "No Reason But My Own". I just need to let my songs cook a bit more. 

So I wanted to get this big 18 track 1 hour long album out of the way to start working up again and go in a better direction. This album is rough, and it has some off moments, but it's reflective of where I am right now in music and life. One of those kinda albums.   

       

[Coryn]

Y'know, I will be interested to list into this one and see just how much it jives with how I (one of your friends), think it jives with my own perception of you. Granted, you've been going through a lot of growth! So it's kinda hard to say right? Definitely going to be on my list for Monday morning music!

[Manimal]

Kanttila : Best Of 2019


1. New Gate
2. Bridge By The Sun
3. Nothing Left For You
4. Aarto And The Old Boys
5. No Reason But My Own
6. Love Is Nuclear War
7. DiALONE
8. Star Of Memories
9. The Great Dodge Caravan
10. Misunderstandable
11. In Your Darkest Hour
12. Our World Inside The World

All songs written & performed by the Manimal
Sans A5 written by Manimal/Legomaestro

https://kanttila.bandcamp.com/album/best-of-2019

           

Time again for one of these. Taken from 3 albums and 1 EP.

This year I made my best music so far. I lost my inspiration after my most recent album and have just been taking a break and hoping to get it back somehow. My age of making a lot of albums might be over, or it might not. Whatever. Right now I'm just going back to KISS songs to practice something again and relearn and better learn Ace's solos. I also jam with people now, finally, and we aren't good yet but we are making some alright tunes so far.

Infinite Human Machine had some ugly songs but actually it's the most crafty album I've made with a lot of different kind of songs. Days Of Our Lifenheimers could've been better with more focus as one half is it's own thing, and by my standards quite good, and the second half is random stuff. Blurry Knuckles was a fair EP I think and Closer To Clarity has some bad songs but a lot of it works.

Some prime songs here are "Bridge By The Sun", one of my best for sure. "No Reason But My Own" which Lego wrote the vocal melody and lyrics on the bridge for. "Star Of Memories" which is just a spacey ballad. and "Our World Inside The World" which has my longest and best ever ending jam with fancy tunings.

So that's my best of 2019, alright. There it is.


   
 

[Manimal]

I've been out of it for a while! I have been trying to record but lately the inspiration hasn't been there. So in order to take it easy and relieve the pressure on myself I thought I'd just do whatever I feel like...so, cover songs! Perhaps it will be an EP, I don't know. Right now I just want to record songs again and put stuff out since I haven't completed a track since September. So here is a Buddy Holly cover and a Replacements one. Two songs I love to sing. I pretty much stayed true to the originals just did it my way.

It's So Easy (Buddy Holly Cover) 
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/its-so-easybuddy-holly-cover

Kiss Me On The Bus (The Replacements Cover)
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/kiss-me-on-the-bus-the-replacements-cover

[Manimal]

I love old long cars, anything that looks like an old man style boat car. Last year me and Lego made the song "Operation Impala" a cop chase story based on the 92 Chevy Impala and now we're back with "Fool In The Cutlass" based on the 84 Oldsmobile Cutlass. I was lost a few months ago so I went back to my beginning and played along to classic KISS songs which is were this song comes from. My idea was to take inspiration from the sound, this results in a song inspired by pieces of "Nothin' To Lose", "Strutter" and "Got To Choose". I knew right away that Lego had to be on this song, I just felt it was a totally fit song for both of us. 

Coming up with a melody was nearly impossible for me on this song. I'm not that good at melodies to begin with and I just had no idea with this song. I was stuck on it since January so I just finally wanted to get it out. This song has one of my best guitar solos for sure, along with best guitar tones. It's not perfect but the idea was just to make a really fun track and for that it had to be one where me and Lego sing together.

Fool In The Cutlass (Feat. Lego) 
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/fool-in-the-cutlass-feat-ahasuerus

 

[Coryn]

At some point you're going to have to do a compiled collab album called "Old Man Parking Garage"

[Manimal]

Kanttila : The Cover EP - Volume 1


1. It's So Easy (Buddy Holly)
2. Kiss Me On The Bus (The Replacements)
3. Mr. Tambourine Man (The Byrds)
4. Rain (The Beatles)
5. Treat Me Nice (Elvis Presley)

All songs performed by the Manimal

https://kanttila.bandcamp.com/album/the-cover-ep-volume-1

           

Here we go. The Cover EP. Doesn't everyone do one.

I haven't liked recording covers in the past but with my own inspiration being sort of dry in the last few months I wanted to just go for it. and I had a lot of fun with this and intend to make another set of covers, which is why the EP has it's classic "Volume 1" name. I'm working on my own songs along with covers, just whatever I feel like day to day in this wild time to keep busy. I'm hoping to improve my songwriting and recording from this. and especially my singing.

"It's So Easy" I did because I love Buddy Holly's tunes and find them very fun and easy to sing. I covered "Heartbeat" before and...it was not great. But I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. "Kiss Me On The Bus" is a favorite, me and my buddies enjoy jamming it. My singing is iffy on it, I had to tune it down half a step. "Mr. Tambourine Man" I did because the Byrds recording inspired me along with other Jangle tunes when I started making music. I found an electric 12-string tucked away at home and I've used it here and there since my first album so I'm always happy to use it. I wanted to do another verse of Bob Dylan's masterpiece original but I thought I'd keep it short.

"Rain" was tough but I love the song so much, it's one of my top 5 Beatles tracks. The guitars are weird, George's is tuned to open G and John's is tuned down a full step and capo'd. On top of this Paul's bassline is crazy and Ringo went insane on the original. I reigned in that element of the song a bit. I managed to just barely sing it in the original key. I had a lot of trouble and I sort of used an Ayuni D snarl to get through certain tricky parts. But I feel good about it and I think I did it to the best of my current abilities. "Treat Me Nice" was recorded last year but I think it fits in nicely and it's an Elvis song I am really fond of.

So this is volume 1, I have already started on the next but we'll see what happens. I'm just trying to have a good time and record what I want to (or what I want to record as long as I can do it).

   
 

[Manimal]

A new song, finally. I've been stuck and I found a reason for this has been my increasing uptightness about music and trying to be more "proper" or on time. Basically my music lost the looseness it once had. I used to write a few riffs and then record it right there. Now things sit and never turn out well. My battle is making it loose but not a disaster like a ton of my old songs. I want to make good tunes but I also want to make music that doesn't feel dead.

So last night I was messing around with Sonic Youth songs and tuned my poor guitar designated for alternate tunings to the "Dirty Boots" tuning but with one string different. So it ended up as EGDAED. I like noise and chaos but I don't really like dissonance (atleast not in my music) so this worked perfectly for me. Granted the melody here is my trope. I love love love the Boys Of Summer keyboard series of notes, whatever that is called I abuse it. I basically improv'd the first guitar track and went from there to try bring back that spontaneous energy. 

So here's a new song, we'll see where things go.

I'm Gone
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/im-gone

   

[Manimal]

Release the hounds. This is simply put a Manimal style Rocker that I aimed to go for energy in the performances more than perfection because it sure ain't perfect. I'm trying to play through my emotions like I used to. and this is certainly a song were I went for something timely.

Hounds Released
https://soundcloud.com/kanttilamusic/hounds-released