Benco - Banjo Dumpster Hodown

I don't like this song. This was one of the first songs I wrote and it's just awful. I'm posting it here for completeness.

I wrote this song for one of the first shows I ever played at The Modified. The promoter listed me on the modified website as "Benco: beats from the deepest darkest dumpster" so I thought it'd be funny to perform a song with his rather odd description as the chorus. It wasn't very funny.

I remade it in 2004, but I think I just made it worse.

Benco - Banjo Dumpster Hodown

Benco - Bedroom Eyes

This song is a classic. I wrote it in 2002 on a QY70. I think in 2004 I re-recorded the song on my alesis micron. I'm really happy with how this turned out. This used to be one of the staples of my live show, but I haven't played it since december 2005.

Benco - Bedroom Eyes

Benco - This is the New Sound

The title track! Each day this week I'll be posting a song from my EP "This is the New Sound." These are songs from 2004 and into 2005.

This was a super fun track that I wrote and produced all in one sitting. This is rare for me! Looking back, I would touch up a lot of things, but whatever. This is a super upbeat instrumental track. Sometime I use this for sound checks.

If I had to decide on one "sound" to represent me as a musician I'd pick this. It's fun, light hearted and full of energy. Why don't I write music like this more often?

Benco - This is the New Sound

Benco - Sleazy Party

So each day this week I'll be posting a song from my old EP "This is the New Sound." It's not really an EP since it was never printed, but these are the songs I was playing from late 2004 and into 2005. All the songs on this album were written on the QY70 and produced on an Alesis Micron.

The first song is Sleazy Party. It is a true story. The sleazy party took place after a show I played with Houston Bernard, Bark Bark Bark and Ryo Vs. M.Bison. Since the party was at my house there was no way I could have avoided it, thus the chorus.

So, without further ado: Why did I go to such a sleazy party? I had to.

Benco - Sleazy Party

Recent Music Roundup

So I've posted a fair number of songs up here, and I'm going to give you a rundown of some of the highlights:

Benco - Around the World (NES Fiasco)
Benco - I Played at Daft Punk's House
Benco - Gabber Died Twelve Years Ago
Benco - (We've Had) All The Best Parties
Benco - (You're a) Pink Skirt
Benco - Banjo in the Key of C

And last is my favorite song I've posted here. If you only listen to one of my songs all the way through, make it this one.
Centerfold - Going Out Alone

Benco - Banjo in the Key of C

So I was playing around with chord structures and this high energy song came out. I'm a little iffy on the arrangement of this one, and there's an IDM breakdown in the middle that should probably be stripped down some. BUT WHATEVER!

Benco - Banjo in the Key of C

There aren't any lyrics. YET.

Centerfold - Going Out Alone (Benco Rock Remix)

Today I bring you a remix I did of Going Out Alone. As much as I love the long drawn out original version I also love compact pop songs. Are you ready for fake guitars and too much distortion? I hope you are, because this is a rock remix!

Centerfold - Going Out Alone (Benco Rock Remix)

Diagram of a Blog

The New York Times posted this diagram of a blog. I noticed a factual error so I'm offering them this correction:

Centerfold - Going Out Alone

Ever write a song that is so sappy and saccharine sweet that you have to stretch it out as much as possible? This is one of those songs. It's dedicated to all those times your friends bail on you and your left hittin' da club alone. If I was going to release a single, this would be it.

Centerfold - Going Out Alone

I don't need you.
I don't need you.
I don't really think I need you.
I'm going out alone.

Zodiac: A Six Word Review

Biggest case of blue balls, ever.

Two Stars.

Benco - Copy Editors

So last night I got drunk at a bar and challenged Lore Sjoberg, via Twitter, to see who could write the better song. Well, I tried to at least. I never actually challenged him, if you want to get technical about this. Either Twitter dropped a few of my messages or I sent them to the wrong address or I only think I sent them because I was in a diabetic coma brought on by sugar, vodka and fresh squeezed lemons. It's hard to say.

The point is, I wrote a song about copy editors:

Benco - Copy Editors

You took my story and you stole it's meaning,
I left it there for the readers gleaning.
You destroyed it on my lunch break,
and left the filler in it's wake.

Did you not think those words were arranged,
to create an atmosphere purposely deranged.
I killed myself to write this piece,
and couldn't you just at least,

leave the line about the possum,
because that line was fucking awesome.
Oh wait, what were you going to say?
Oh. I see. Never mind, that's OK.

It should probably be stated that, while drunk, copy editors and regular editors seem very similar, if not interchangeable. I hope I don't get disqualified from my own imaginary dual because of this.

Finally, a post about Twitter.

Every single attempt I'm made at explaining Twitter has failed. Spectacularly. I'm not going to try to explain it here. I have an account, it doesn't make any god damned sense and I love it anyways.

Benco's Twitters.

Benco - I Played at Daft Punk's House

I've gotten a lot of positive response from the "Song for Shanna" I posted the other day so I decided to post the instrumental and expanded version of the song. It clocks in at nearly 3 minutes, which longer then my songs normally go. Hopefully that extra minute will make up for the fact that it has no lyrics! Here's hoping!

Benco - I Played at Daft Punks House

Benco - Song for Shanna

Here is a short little song I wrote for my friend Shanna's birthday party. Sorry the recording quality is so poor, I recorded the lyrics in one go because I was in a bit of a hurry.

The song is based off a real life conversation we had so there's a lot of inside jokes going on here. Things you should know: Club Portland is a gay bathhouse that was a few blocks away from where we were eating at the time. Me and Shanna decided it would probably be a good idea to sneak her in. Why? I don't know.

Also, Diego is the name of her cat.

Benco - Song for Shanna

And the lyrics:

Me and Shanna were at virginia cafe.
Talkin' bout club portland 'cuz that place is gay.
That crazy broad really got to thinkin'
me and her could probably sneak in.

thats when we pulled out the ace bandage.
wrapped her boobs up tight as a deli sandwich.
I gave her a baseball cap.
and stuck a sock down where she got the clap.

they stopped us at the door and said "can't you see?
we have a strict no pussy policy"
Sorry Shanna, Diego can't come
now lets go and have some fun.

On the inside it's a creepo convention
so Shanna got everyone's attention.
"Ha!" She said "You've all been fooled,
You guys totally thought I was a dude"

Benco - Mario Underwater Theme

Sorry that I didn't update with any songs this week. To make it up to you, here's 2 MP3's. They're both renditions of the Mario Underwater theme.

First up is the slow one. I would just like to say that Philip Glass ain't got shit on me. This runs at 10 BPM and, I think, if very soothing. If you listen to it on good enough speakers you'll notice a lot of interplay between the bass sounds.

Benco - Mario Underwater Theme (slow)

However, if you're like me and think that all music is too slow here's the fast version. It runs at 180 BPM and ends in roughly 33 seconds.

Benco - Mario Underwater Theme (fast)

Benco - Gabber Died Twelve Years Ago

Before we get down to todays MP3: I got a decent Last.fm page! I uploaded my 2006 Demo so maybe it will stream on Last.fm radio stations?

Today's song is a short little number that (once again) expresses my disinterest with the club scene. This seems to be a common theme lyrically. Gabber Died Twelve Years Ago follows the narrator as he realizes that he's been going to all these parties all these years trying to relive a feeling he once had and that every party is just people and that it doesn't matter if it's different music, different faces or different drugs. They're all just people at parties and it's going to be the same.

Gabber is a type techno music with a distorted kick and really high tempos. It's essentially the punk rock of techno. Gabber hit it's peak in the mid 1990's before falling (even further?) into the underground, thus 'Gabber Died Twelve Years Ago.' The song also references Kandy, those colorful beaded bracelets ravers used to run around wearing. This song is not Gabber.

THAT WAS A LONG POST! Here's the MP3:

Benco - Gabber Died Twelve Years Ago

Gabber died twelve years ago
your stupid kandy has got to go
and Gabber died twelve years ago
and techno music has gotten so old

The rave scene died years ago
your music collection has got to go
The rave scene died years ago
and you'll die before it's retro

you went to desert raves
with kandy kids
and did the drugs
that the law forbids

Now you're at
a warehouse party
hearing punk rock and
drinking bacardi

but is it really
all that different?
sitting around while
your friends get fucked up

but is it really
all that different?
'cause your new friends are
really fucked up

Freezepop - Boys on Film (Benco Broke His NES RMX)

This is a remix I did for a contest put on by Freezepop. While this entry didn't officially rank, it was given special mention and featured on their myspace page. Also, the Duke gave me an analysis of the song that I found very helpful and provided a lot of direction on production of future tracks.

In retrospect, I'm not happy with this track. It was very rushed. If I had had more time I would have completely rearranged the song and increased the tempo. For some silly reason I remixed the song down to 90 bpm when the original was 180 bpm. I also would have cut a lot of the song and stuck to a more verse chorus verse structure.

Anyways, here it is, imperfect and bumbling.

Freezepop - Boys on Film (Benco Broke His NES RMX)

Benco - (We've Had) All The Best Parties

I'm really happy with how this song turned out, both musically and lyrically. It's an old IDM song I wrote back in 2004 and recently re-produced and wrote lyrics for. Lyrically, this is a prime example of what I strive for. It's fun, poppy but not entirely stupid.

Anyways, hit the link to download it.

Benco - (We've Had) All The Best Parties

Here are the lyrics:

Are kids in the clubs
really so lost?
They're only 21
and getting Botox.
They lost their souls
in their late 13's
When their parents gave them
their fake ID's

They're jaded, they're hated
and they own the scene
They can't handle the scandle
of why they look so lean
They're hipsters and scenesters
and go-go dancers
but they wont give me any goddamned answers!

We have
All the best parties (x2)
We have
All the best parties (x2)

It's not the tattoos or lyrics
or fleeting fashions
They say they're artists
but show no action
act so big and
talk so tall but
they hang out in dance clubs
and dance in the hall.

Benco - Turmoil Doesn't Even Begin to Describe it

Here's a lo-fi tune I churned out one day. The idea behind it was to have a song with ramping quality. It starts with really lo-fi synths and builds into, what I think, is a really pretty song. Also, the whole thing sounds really conflicted, which I love.

Benco - Turmoil Doesn't Even Begin to Describe it

Centerfold - Ballad of an O.C. Housewife

This is an interesting song I wrote in response to Kelly's Shoes video on youtube. Basically, we wanted to follow the same format but make it about something legitimately sad.

Musically, I'm not entirely happy with it. I was going for a minimal Timberland-esque sound but I think it just came off as silly. Anyways, here it is for your enjoyment:

Centerfold - Ballad of an O.C. Housewife