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News and Updates

Long Overdue Update

I don't know where the time has gone. The back half of fall just flew by and we went right into winter. I've taken to updating more frequently on X (link at the bottom of the page). It's so much easier to get quick updates out that way rather than hopping into the web-proper.

Trophies from Sheol - I'm happy to announce that it is now available on the same streaming platforms as my other recent releases. You can also still buy it directly from my store or also through Apple Music (where it is also streaming).

Parallels - I'm also happy to announce that I've moved forward into the final mixes for this EP. It is coming along really, really well. I'm very happy with it. The rerelease of What is, Was, Could Be didn't give me the super-really-good feeling that I was hoping to get. While I'm generally happy with it, I'm still not 100% happy. Parallels on the other hand, this is nice. I'm hoping to have it released either by the end of the month or early March. I'd have to look down the news here, but I'm pretty sure that this is on target for what I was originally hoping to do.

Lastly, I have a minor change to the tracklist. I've decided to rename Out of My Mind to Parallels - inline with the name of the album and ties things together nicely.

For the upcoming album and tracks, here is a little teaser:

  • Penny Never Spent: a piano love song
  • Robot Man: an electronic song similar in feel to Your #1 Fan
  • Yellow Light Life: 90s rocker - fast with a half-time feel during the verses
  • Parallels: a piano/acoustic song which reminds me of R.E.M.'s Find the River

I also have original music featured in the YouTube channel Time We Discuss. The original music is used exclusively with this channel in the intro/outro and the shorts. I'm really excited about the extra exposure. Time We Discuss is all about helping people discover new careers which they might not have known about. Especially geared towards people beginning their careers or changing careers. Check it out and dig the new music!

Parallels: Tracklist and Status

I have two big things worth mentioning surrounding Parallels. First, I've solidified the tracks for Parallels. Sadly, Damsel in Distress has been cut from the release. While I really enjoy the chorus, the remainder of the writing was difficult. I'll save that for later. Track order for Parallels is:

  1. Penny Never Spent
  2. Robot Man
  3. Yellow Light Life
  4. Out of My Mind

The second thing worth mentioning is that I've started tracking Penny Never Spent.

Now Streaming: What Is, Was, Could Be

I'm happy to announce that "What Is, Was, Could Be" has been remixed and released to the major streaming platforms. I'll have to update the Dan Swift streaming page here, but if you go to your favorite streaming platform, go to my profile, you should be able to get to "What Is, Was, Could Be". This is a huge weight off of my shoulders as I always had some reservations from the initial release that have since been addressed (for the most part).

With the new release, the previous version is no longer available (congrats to those that have it - it could be considered a collector's item some day. Effective immediately, the new version is also available to purchase at your favorite music sites (or directly from my site).

Album: Parallels [working title] and Remixes

First - I'm happy to announce the name and tentative track listing for the new EP entitled Parallel. Tracks are as follows:

  1. [Damsel in Distress]
  2. Yellow Light Life
  3. Out of My Mind
  4. Penny Never Spent
  5. Robot Man

"Damsel in Distress" is a leftover song from "A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life". There is a lot of writing that still needs to happen for that song (about 75%). For this album, it's been the song that has been around the longest out of all of them, but making headway with it has been extremely difficult. I'm not going to let this song hold up the EP.

"Out of My Mind" is the newest addition. It is completely written and I have some minor musical kinks that I need to iron out, but it is essentially done.

Last update for the album, cover work is also complete. This is huge for me as the artwork has always been difficult for me.

Remixing of What Is, Was, Could Be is almost done. I really think that it will find it's way to the streaming services by the end of the month. Remixing is finally wrapping up and then it's off to be mastered. Between the two of those, I think 3 weeks is enough time.

General timeline:

  • What Is, Was, Could Be - add to streaming services before the end of October
  • Trophies from Sheol - add to streaming services before the end of October
  • Parallel (EP) - finish writing before the end of November
  • Begin studio work - January 2024

Updates to Timelines

Remixing of What Is, Was, Could Be is coming along really well. We are about 90% of the way there and looking to get that added to the streaming services. I'm hoping we can get that before the end of September. Fingers crossed!

Similarly, I'm looking to get Trophies from Sheol added to the streaming services as well. I'll need to get that remastered first. Adding both of these EPs to the streaming services will happen while I'm working on EP#7.

General timeline:

  • What Is, Was, Could Be - add to streaming services before the end of September
  • Trophies from Sheol - add to streaming services before the end of October
  • EP#7 - finish writing before the end of December

As time goes on, forecasting will be a little more accurate. I'll be sure to update as we move forward.

Song #3

Another short update regarding the upcoming EP. Song #3 is titled "Penny Never Spent". Lyrics are mostly done and music is barely written, but I'm moving in a positive direction with this one.

EP #7 Summary

  • Yellow Light Life
  • Robot Man
  • Penny Never Spent

Song #2 … and Song #1

The 7th album is off to a great start! I also now realize that I never provided an update for song #1 (I think I only posted on social). Let's do this properly … I have another EP fully underway. I am 2 songs in with 2 more strong contendors. Here is what I have so far …

Yellow Light Life is the first in the writing line-up. I'm not sure where it will appear in the EP, but with the success of streaming services, I guess it doesn't really matter. Yellow Light Life is 99-100% written, full with chords and pitches; however, it is not orchestrated yet.

Robot Man is the second in the writing line-up. I actually started this one before Yellow Light Life, but YLL had more of a creative pull. I have a chorus and verse done for this (words and music) - some really interesting chords (for me) appear in this one. It's kind of difficult to play, but I'm loving it.

As the music comes together more, I'll make a decision on what I'm going to do musically. With recent recordings such as "The Tears" (studio version) and "Your #1 Fan", it's possible that I might lean in more of an electronic/alt-rock direction. I could see pushing myself more towards that 90s alt/rock feel ("Shower Rock Star", "Secret Millionaire", "File Under Chapter 11", etc.).

Just a reminder that "Zombies Ate My Hamburger" is now a limited edition and only available through Sick City.

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates.

Gratititude

I want to express my complete gratitude to the incredibly talented Bill Griffiths for his exceptional artwork that landed on the cover of Zombies Ate My Hamburger. Back in January 2010, when the album was initially released, he crafted the original artwork that captivated countless hearts … well, countless may be a stretch. As fate would have it, when the chance arose to immortalize ZAMH on the blockchain, Bill generously volunteered to breathe new life into the cover art.

Fast forward to the present, and the new cover he has created is nothing short of awe-inspiring. With his unparalleled creativity and skill, Bill has managed to surpass all expectations, delivering a masterpiece that seamlessly blends innovation and nostalgia. The intricate details and vivid colors now seem to leap off the screen, drawing us deeper into the world of Zombies Ate My Hamburger.

Update: Zombies Ate My Hamburger (Limited Edition)

July 10, 2023

Updated: the album has dropped, the link has been updated, and the album has been removed from the website.

It is official - I received confirmation from Sick City that "Zombies Ate My Hamburger (Limited Edition)" is ready for release this Friday, July 14th. As previously mentioned, this release is exclusively available through their channels and the NEWM Record Store. This limited edition release does not include Volume 0b; however, it does include a never-before released studio version of "The Tears".

Once the drop occurs this Friday, I will be permanently removing "Zombies Ate My Hamburger" from the store on my website.

Buy Zombies Ate My Hamburger (Limited Edition)

Pandora Update 2 / New Music

The Pandora link has been updated - wahoo! This will be good for when my next album gets posted. Unrelated, I'm still waiting on a date, but I'm rereleasing Zombies Ate My Hamburger (Limited Edition). It will have the same songs that were previously released, will include new artwork, and has a studio version of "The Tears". This limited edition will be sold exclusively through Sick City on the Cardano blockchain. That's right, get yourself some music NFTs by Dan Swift!

Pandora Update

This was incredibly disappointing … my music got lumped in with another Dan Swift on Pandora. I've since updated the links to Pandora which are found farther down on this page, my streaming music page, and my marketing URL. These now go directly to the A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life on Pandora. On the bright side, I can try to think positive and believe that I acquired some new users thanks to the other Dan Swift. Cheers, mate!

Streaming on Pandora

A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life is now available to stream on Pandora. As with the previous two platforms which I mentioned, searching by my name was met with obstacles. Your best bet here is to search by the album "A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life". The results there will bring up the album as well as all five songs (along with The Heckler) for your listening enjoyment. Alternatively, follow this link to hear Dan Swift on Pandora.

Streaming on Apple Music

A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life is now available to stream on Apple Music. As with Spotify, searching was challenging. If I searched for my name, I didn't have any luck; however, searching by the album name did turn up a result. Oddly, it was like the third or fourth result despite being the only album that was a complete match. Seems like Apple needs to work on their search algorithms. Nevertheless, a result is a result and you can find Dan Swift music on Apple Music.

Streaming on Spotify

What a glorius day! Everything with the Library of Congress is in excellent shape. If that wasn't enough, I have also been notified that A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life is now available to stream on Spotify. It doesn't look like it's searchable yet; however, you can access it by visiting this link I created. Dan Swift music on Spotify.

I'm continue to add updates here as my music begins to hit more streaming services.

I'm hoping to add some more music over the next few months including a rerelease of What Is, Was, Could Be and a studio version of The Tears, which was originally only available as part of the Trophies from Sheol Collector's Edition. I'm also expecting Trophies from Sheol to get added to the streaming services as well. More updates on that as it happens.

Business Logistics

I am happy to announce that the album is finally done! The album A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life was officially released on April 30, 2023. I'm currently waiting on some minor hiccups with the Copyright Office to get resolved. The PayPal purchase process is all set up for the new album.

If you've decided that supporting my creativity through my self-hosted, Dan Swift music store isn't enough, I have more good news for you. I'm over-the-moon-happy to announce that my music is also available on several streaming platforms including: Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube, iHeartRadio, and more!

Ready to Launch

I've debated about removing the recording journal as I feel like that it has served its purpose; however, the idea of removing it and then coding the buttons in the menu just leaves me with a feeling of 'ugh'. While the ride of the most recent album has been awesome, I need to just finish and move on.

To recap what hasn't been captured … What Is, Was, Could Be has since been completed along with everything that goes with a new album. I never did finish redesigning the website though (at that point in time), so marketing of the album has been very lackluster.

With the completion of A Front Row Seat to a 2nd Life, I'm forcing myself to also finally finish giving the site a makeover. The last time I touched this site was back when I first created it somewhere between 10-15 years ago. With that in mind, one can see how jumping back into the coding is less than desirable (I've been in and out of the code interittently for years).

Another update coming soon ("for real life!") …

Through the Block

I've been struggling for the past 60 days … though probably longer in actuality … with writer's block. I am uber happy that I've actually made some progress. 'Untitled IOS03' has been renamed to 'One' and the third verse is finally written. I'm really frustrated with the final track -- this is probably the oldest one of the foursome, but everything related to vocals has managed to elude me thus far. I may have to shake up the chord progression a little. BAH!

  • Window Painted Black (ready for tracking)
  • Make Believe (ready for tracking)
  • One (ready for tracking)
  • Untitled IOS02 (no change)

Rough Cuts

With the possibility of jury duty looming over me, I scrambled to lay down some rough tracks thinking that I could maybe come up with some lyrics while sitting for hours in the jury room. As luck would have it, my services were not needed for either day. Yay low crime rate. It did kick me in gear though as the rough tracks (sorry, no clips) are ready for me to listen to during my daily commute.

  • Window Painted Black (no change)
  • Make Believe (no change)
  • Untitled IOS03 (rough pitches/rhythm for vox)
  • Untitled IOS02 (no change)

Tracks Rearranged

Did this one the other day … this is the first time that the order of the tracks is different than the order in which they were written. Actually, that isn't entirely true. On "Zombies", Burger This! was written in the track 4 slot. It obviously makes a much better closer. The new order is listed below along with the following updates:

  • Window Painted Black (no change)
  • Make Believe (no change)
  • Untitled IOS03 (chords final, rough pitches for vox)
  • Untitled IOS02 (no change)

Back in the Swing

I've taken a break from other projects and am back again swinging away at the music. This is how the tracks have changed so far. Admittedly, not much in quantity, but a fair amount in quality:

  • Make Believe (no change)
  • Window Painted Black (title, lyrics)
  • Untitled IOS02 (no change)
  • Untitled IOS03 (rough chords)

I'm also debating about rereleasing "Influences of Six" once I finish this album. The re-release will feature (should it come to fruitition) some rerecording, remixing, and remastering. We shall see though, I have plenty on my plate right now.

ZAPP!!

I'm either a genius or mad … though there is the possibility that both are true :-p
Aside from the album listed in post 011511, I am really quite ecstatic to report that I'm also working on a second album. This one will be called "A Unique Listening Experience" and will be henceforth be shown abbreviated as "EULA". I promise that this will make sense in time. My hope is that when I get writer's block with one of the albums, I can hopefully work on the other. I can tell you that this one is planned to be some kind of hybrid between "Trophies from Sheol" and "Zombies Ate My Hamburger". It's going to be a great album and I'm really excited about the possibilities with this album.

Off the Wagon

This is the first official entry to my latest creations. It's been a year and 10 days since the Zombies sprung free. I have two distinct EP ideas floating around in my head … and they have started to manifest themselves. The first is sort of reminiscent of "Influences of Six". The breakdown for the guitar music is as such:

  • Make Believe
  • Untitled IOS01
  • Untitled IOS02
  • (Possibly a studio version of The Tears)

Make Believe is coming along the quickest … undoubtedly why it also has a title. Rhythm guitar is complete, about 75% of the lyrics are complete, and the lyrical melodies are complete.
Untitled IOS01 is a very upbeat sort of tune. It almost reminds me of R.E.M.'s Star 69. Chords are almost completely done. I'm still working out the bridge.
IOS02 is pretty much in the exact same state as IOS01. Lyrical content for both of these is proving to be challenging.
The fourth track is pretty much in the completion percentage of about … well, zero. I'm toying with the idea of doing a studio version of The Tears … I think that could be interesting.

Recording Status: 02/10/24

  • Parallels: Final Mixes
  • Trophies: Done
  • What Is, Was, Could Be: Done
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