MX Skroch – Scratchrock Volume XVII

Album #: 94

Recording Dates: 2012 – 2014

Release Date: 2018

Catalog: SMR 34

ScratchNotes:

After the artistic and recreational success of Sheep Fiends’ “Farm Jam” the group was eager for an encore…every single year! Aaron and Mark joined in on year two and thereafter. Matt joined the caravan in 2013. For the fourth Farm Jam I fell ill and needed to quickly get back to Illinois. Along with the first two Farm Jam sequels this disc contains top performances from several jams and an enjoyable reunion with Dave L.

There are three solo tracks this time around. “Dracon” is an experiment with speedy drums and samples. “The Oldest Living Human is Always Dying” may or may not have a point to make. “Mobile Telephone” is a beefed up version of an improv acoustic track I made in my bedroom one afternoon. It’s pretty silly. But I think that’s just fine.

Four Track Sampler

Track 02 – Dracon (MX Skroch) – Here’s a speedy high energy instrumental where I play everything. From light rock to shrieking noise in under 3 minutes? Here you go – we aim to please!  [Scratch on Bass, Guitars & Drum Programming,]

Track 06 – The Oldest Living Human is Always Dying (MX Skroch) – My rock-oriented take on dub music? Something like that. A reverberating bass swims around a drum loop, as sampled vocals are fed into the synthesis machinery – coming out warped, ruined. Then the narrator arrives – and is pulled into the same maelstrom. [Scratch on Bass, Keyboard, Samples, Vocals & Drum Programming]

Track 07 – 80 Degrees (Sheep Fiends) – Keyboards dominate this humorous mix as we examine our rising thermometers. What will we do? Why do we have coats on?  [Scratch on Vocals]

Track 14 – Wood 4 Sale (Sheep Fiends) – Mandolins battle with keytars as the future confronts the past. The agrarians rise against the technologists. Oh wait, this is about needing firewood. A rather progressive and rocking instrumental with my Casio guitar powering a wall of delay over the pounding drums and rumbling bass guitar.  [Scratch on Casio DG-1 Synth Guitar]

listen to Scratchrock Volume XVII at Bandcamp here