"Seize In Caesium" ("I've Been Thinking..." THOUGHT PROCESS SERIES 11/12)
“I've Been Thinking...” behind the songs “THOUGHT PROCESS SERIES”
My latest full length album, “I've Been Thinking...” released on the Savannah based label Dope Sandwich Records and Tapes May 3rd is a collection of concepts and narratives that I've written over the last few years featuring instrumental contributions from coast to coast and outside of the country as well. Looking over the collection I'd opine that it is some of my finest work to date (one would hope). What have you been thinking? Over 12 days I had planned on be releasing a behind-the-music sort of blurb for each track. I got a little off schedule due to a series of crazy life changes and distracting obstacles, but I'm back to finishing up this series! If there are any questions or comments regarding the songs please submit them and I'll do my best to answer and fulfill them! I hope this series is of interest and that the music does something for you!
As a short aside before we get into the details, I'm proud to announce that "I've Been Thinking..." is now available on Itunes, CDBABY, Amazon.com !
Earliest recorded song on the album/history of the song:
Seize In Caesium was one of the first recorded tracks for the album, my buddy Tommy Beets (check out a bit of his production collection on his soundcloud here), who I met at a show at a Hauppauge, Long Island venue called Barringtons because he is the talented drummer of the now-defunct progressive band "And The Day Is Mine" (of which Austin Sandick, the producer of the first track on the album, "Cardiac Compass [path to preservation]" was a frontman/guitarist). We befriended one another and eventually in fall of 2013 he sent his instrumentals my way and generously offered to let me work with whatever instrumentals I wanted.
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| Myself and a Gnome rapping September 2013 at Barringtons, where I fatefully met Tommy Beets and the rest of the ATDIM geniuses! |
The instrumental that I chose for the song was originally called "eternity" (listen to that by clicking here) and that set me thinking about time, and the vibe of the music and the seeming effect of gradually increasing tempo had my mind on that topic as well. I started writing over the beat and within a day or so the song was basically written save for a few edits here and there. (note this is the only song on the album that was written entirely from scratch to a beat). Progress with artistic endeavors rarely ever happen in a predictable or linear fashion and it may be strange for non-creatives to hear that an early recording of "Seize In Caesium" from Tommy's bedroom was finished in early 2014 that I had performed in set lists for quite a while until I found a home for it in on this record and re-recorded it with my former roommate Paul (who also helped me record "Roamer" and "Dystopiates"). I've included a video that Tommy took of one of the early performances of the song below! Other fun facts: Because I was so used to performing this song out, this was the quickest track to record by a long shot!
What's with the weird title?
The title comes from a play on words and a discovery I made for myself about atomic clocks. Carpe Diem being latin for "Seize the day". Now, Atomic clocks keep highly-accurate time by observing electromagnetic transitions in the atom Caesium-133, due to associating its decay rate with our understanding of "a second", (being off by only one second in 20 million years) and is recognized as being the most accurate realization of a measurement that mankind has achieved. That little factoid being shared, I though that it was interesting that the atom we closely associate time with "Caesium" phonetically contained "Seize" in it, as in the reminder to "Seize The Day". This association is also written into the lyric "See that "seize" is in "Caesium atoms' " phonetics, arranged". If you are more interested in the science behind this, here is an interesting link.
Quite obviously (I hope), this song is the penultimate discussion on the album regarding my aforementioned obsession with time and constant harsh worry about the fear of having wasted it. I also point out, as a fair transition from "Unbelievable", that I'm not as scared of being "damned to hell" or concerned with "aiming for acceptance in the heavens" as I am with just feeling like I made a decent mark here when I made a mark here. With a mentality like this, you could almost say that in my ideal lifestyle I inhabit or legacy I hope to leave; frequent sharing goodwill and good work is my "religion".
What is that odd sample in the beginning?
The sample included in the beginning of the song is one of my favorite Disney segments from one of my favorite Disney movies, Pinocchio. There is a beautifully imagined scene in Gepetto's workshop of all of his various humorous and astoundingly crafted clocks as he falls asleep they all tick maddeningly (for J. Cricket) and perform their odd theatrical machinations. After all of that ticking and after all of those clocks everywhere, Gepetto still "wonders what time it is". I've included the clip (from which i borrow the audio) here for you to most assuredly enjoy:
I hope you've enjoy this write-up...I've tried not to make it too painstakingly long because frankly, you and I both have "things to do". Its never really just "things" is it? At least I hope not. And its never just "doing" its so much more than that! Creating, living, experiencing, becoming enveloped in memories and moments! One of my new favorite sayings/lyrics that sums up the simplicity of life and my personal aspirations is "Make. Do. & Make Due!". As a song ("Intertwining Storytime") off my first album, "Coal Aberrations" (Which just experienced a 6 year anniversary, speaking on time!) reminds me/us constantly "When we have the time of our lives, we rarely have the time at all!"
To get lost in a moment is also to be found in one.
Stay tuned for the final entry about the closing song "Youthtopia"
Now "get lost" will you?
With love, time and time again.
-Bruce "AllOne" Pandolfo
Bonus Blurb: "Between The Lines" (Links to the references)
I often weave many references to books I read, people I've learned about or films I've watched into my lyrics. In addition to this showing the influences of mine and being a fun way to cleverly carve new meanings into the titles and authors and performers whose work I've enjoyed, it is mostly an attempt to expose those who listen to my music to media that I've been inspired by in hopes that you may pursue them and will get something out the art that I've taken in. Here are links to a few people/things I reference in this song. Enjoy!!
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