John says:
This started with a little maudlin rhythm part I was messing with. I liked it, but didn't quite know what to do with it, so I hit record and filed it away. Midway through FAWM, I sent it to Leslie on a whim, and she more-or-less yelled "YES!" and went to town with it. She did that awesome "lyrics and singing" thing she does so well and said "I want something moody, and then crunchy". So that's this.
This is the first song this FAWM where I've had a chance to use the baritone acoustic, and it's such a fun instrument. Managing the build here was interesting exercise, I tried to map out what might come in when to keep it interesting. This was a good time, and it was great getting in a second Leslie collab before the month ended!
Leslie says:
This is a song I wrote for my friend, Jo Butler, who backed my Kickstarter in 2019 and has been incredibly patient waiting for me to write it. At first it was going to be based on a Tarot card (The High Priestess) and then another (The Moon), but neither was large enough to say what I wanted to say about the nature of our connection to each other. Part of it is she’s a Scorpio, and I’m a Scorpio Moon. We match up in so many Mysterious ways, and I love her dearly. Witches are going to recognize a lot of the Work in these lyrics. And Herself, too.
Discovering John is also a Scorpio Moon, I asked if we could turn our second collab into this song for Jo, and he made it SOUND LIKE THIS. Which I love so completely it can’t be contained in this paragraph. I want more pagan rock in the world. Everything about this song makes me blissfully happy.
(John addition: I had no idea I was a Scorpio Moon until last week. It has been a life changing revelation, and I have now rethought every assumption I hold dear. There are no new conclusions, but I'm thinkin' about it.)
lyrics
You know it’s funny
That we should meet again
Beneath a Scorpio Moon
How are the mountains?
I wish that I could tell you
That I’ll find you there soon
But there’s a distance
To go before I travel
In the usual way
So in the meantime
I wanted you to know
I’m just a journey away
She is our companion at the gate
There she waits
There in the shadows
Where you and me make sense
Of how the universe flows
Pass through the mirror
Of counter-intuition
Where our consciousness goes
To find the questions
That needed to be asked
Before we knew what they were
These are the secrets
Of why we understand
When others feel so unsure
She is our companion at the gate
There she waits
I hear the crows call
A warning of a junction
That we cannot perceive
I watch the snow fly
Sideways past the window
Scraping bent tulip leaves
I take a photo
Of heavy heads of sunflowers
In the bright April sun
It’s like the fabric
Of what weaves time and space together
Can be undone
She is our companion at the gate
There she waits
credits
from Pianoless EP,
released March 5, 2021
John Argentiero (@dasbinky): music, guitar, bass, programming, production
Leslie Hudson (@leslie): melody, lyrics, vocals
Written and recorded during February Album Writing Month (FAWM) 2021
Leslie Hudson is a Canadian singer songwriter and pianist. Their albums range from storytelling styles to bluesy bar rock to
dialed-up, full-band homages to pop culture. With lyrical piano skills and a voice that cuts through the crowd, their songs dive deep into archetype and folklore, modernizing ancient voices & shining a spotlight on the shadowy paths we walk through life, myth and media....more
Mischief was my introduction to the spellsongcraft of S.J. Tucker who builds sonic story sculptures with such precision and grace of motion that I am borne up on her bright beating wings of wonder. Leslie Hudson
My favourite album by Karine Polwart, an understatedly brilliant songwriter, serene and incisive, who weaves resistance, hope, joy and heartbreak into hauntingly crafted arrangements rich in harmony. Leslie Hudson
supported by 14 fans who also own “Scorpio Moon (demo)”
A silky, smooth, sultry voice weaving lyrical imagery upon a canvas of exquisite tonal contours. Immensely pleasurable. The bouncy cheer of " Little Bird" is a delightful contrast to the dusky jazz groove of this truly beautiful album. Much gratitude for you S J ! roddylloyd
The “grunge soul” artist draws from influences like Nina Simone, Lianne La Havas, and Kurt Cobian on her new project. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 30, 2023