The Sound of no Return; Chris Eckman (cover-ish)

[brianlarsen]

Beg, borrow or steal?
That is the question!

When I was back in Dublin last month and visiting my youngest brother, I casually asked about the whereabouts of the acoustic guitar he bought a number of years ago. His stock response: “Oh, it’s in the attic. I must take it down and start learning again…” It’s an Ibanez AW65 ECE-LG, virtually unused with hard case, so knowing I’d be returning in a couple of weeks, I asked to borrow it. When I got home and took it out for a spin, I was confronted with old strings and an action that would give a pilot vertigo No point in having a nice instrument in unplayable condition, so I brought it to my local luthier for a full setup (nut and bridge filing, truss rod adjustment and new strings).
The good news is that, because it took a few weeks, it wasn’t ready in time to bring back, so now I’m forced to hold on to it here till my next trip
It plays nicely, smooth satin feel to the neck. Happy with the sound and the electrics work fine. I’m not sure what the cutout is for
No point in having a new toy and not playing with it, so I needed a song.
As luck would have it, I fell asleep listening to a Spotify playlist last week and woke up to a cool country song I’d never heard before. A guy called Chris Eckman. I googled the chords and lyrics, but alas nothing on either front
Ah well, it’d be good to have a go by myself. I think most of the basic chords are in the ballpark (but not the right extensions). There were only one or two words I couldn’t make out, but some of the lyrics just didn’t make sense to me, so I took liberties and ‘improved’ them

This might be the ‘Sound of no return’ in more ways than one!

The Sound of no Return; Chris Eckman (cover)

Lyrics

The snowploughs ain’t coming up this way this morning
But that will not stop me, I’ll leave without warning
The white prairie billows. The crucifix poles.
A foam cup in one hand, stiff shot for the road.
I swing past the car lot, I slow down to tell you
I’m leaving right now but the offer’s still valid
Radio’s scratching, the white noise attack
as good day as any for not turning back

And who would have guessed that we’d ever be sure
That we’d ever find who you wished that you were
This is the sound, this is the sound of no return

Well you’re right by my side in your world over there
your feet on the dashboard, smoke in your hair
The window half rolled down, it’s colder than hell
but that won’t get fixed, it’s been stuck for a year
The windshield’s a movie we’ve already seen
mile after mile roles down the screen
The road is more real than the people upon it
each hour leans forward, each minute more honest

Chorus

I hate to think what happens next
how your pretty ass got mixed up in this
Something just pulled me sharp to the west
past the coral and beyond
He won’t know you’re gone till he wakes from his slumber
picks up the phone dials your dead number
The sweat on my brow questions my motives
but I swear this road is the answer

Chorus

not gonna think how we got here
the whys and wherefores there ain’t no profit in that
I’m here in the present, the thick of the thick
it’s all that I know and make no sense of it
Love is not crazy, but it ain’t without cost
our tracks in the snow, a cruel sign we are lost
but for now we’re still moving, peaks in the distance
cold air your last breath, high ground…
My forgiveness

Chorus

[roger_holland]

@brianlarsen

so I brought it to my local luthier for a full setup

Because you had some problems with buzzing strings and not so clean chords ? ask your money back

Thank Elvis for your singing,that saves the day and makes it a nicer song , I would like to hear it if the chords sound a bit cleaner, but I’m afraid there is no chance now that you have already made a recording … well you never know

I hope your little brother appreciates the upgrade and will use it soon

Greetings

[brianlarsen]

@roger_holland

ask your money back

You’re a tough critic, Rogier, but sure that’s one of the reason’s I like you
The defence would like call upon the following witnesses:

1. If I had simply shown pictures of my new toy, someone would have been bound to ask to hear it
2. I spent more time trying to figure out the chords and write lyrics than actually practicing
3. Even though I have an acoustic, I hardly ever play it, so it’s kinda ‘new’ to me.
4. I even pushed myself a bit out of my comfort zone be attempting some hammer-on thingies
5. There’s a reason this one is unlisted on my chanel

If that sounds like a litany of excuses for poor playing, you’re spot on.
Now, what could I give up for lent?..

[roger_holland]

Oooooo ,good answer

Well, now that you put it like that, I’m completely…almost…satisfied …
Only if someone had asked how the guitar sounds, I doubt if there is one person here who can distinguish a 100 pound guitar from a 1000 pound guitar in this way… we really need some better/cleaner sound for that … but having said that… I have had a lot of fun with it this way now

I want to write about the rest of the points first, but I decide that it is late and that I should leave something for the others to write or chuckle… but point 5 is of course completely unnecessary…

Greetings

[twistor59]

Nice musical story as always Brian! Are you reading the lyrics? There’s no way you can remember all these songs Shirley?

[Eddie_09]

Nice one Brian. You really should play the acoustic guitar more as it really suits a lot of the music you play. You surely didn’t memorize all those lyrics did you?

[andyPlays]

Hi Brian,
cool to see you play acoustics - nice song and a hell of a job to figure it out without tabs and text! Very nicely sung (your voice is marvellous) and played!
It is a task of its own to be able to sing over with those complex lyrics - even to be able to sing while seeing the lyrics requires a looot of work and repetition I would think! Great job!

[DavidP]

Always engaging, Brian, you do know how to perform a song and engage an audience.

I’d love to hear the guitar with playing the common or garden open chords without the capo, hear the tone without the capo.

[brianlarsen]

@twistor59

There’s no way you can remember all these songs Shirley?

Don’t call me that!
You must be joking, Phil. It was all I could do to read them fast enough, whilst trying to make them intelligible.
Cheers for the listen- and belief!

@Eddie_09

You really should play the acoustic guitar more

Ta, Eddie. Now that I have a nicer guitar, I might well do that

@andyPlays
Vielen Dank, Andreas. Too generous
If it weren’t for Dutchy whispering in my ear, whilst holding laurels over my head, I might become quite big-headed

@DavidP

Always engaging, Brian

Thank you David, much appreciated

@brianlarsen

If I had simply shown pictures of my new toy, someone would have been bound to ask to hear it

@DavidP

I’d love to hear the guitar with…

I’m sure that will happen in due course, David. Although I’m with @roger_holland on this one. Even though I usually comment on folks’ NGD posts how gorgeous they sound, once the sound has been squashed into a USB or phone mic, compressed into MP3 for YT, and dribbled out of my tinny phone speaker, these lugs could not tell (or care) what it sounds like. It’s a big deal for the player, but for me the song is king. You can probably tell I’m not a vinyl or hifi enthusiast

[sairfingers]

I’m pleased you’ve got your hands on a decent acoustic Brian as opposed to the one you reclaimed from a skip.
It sounds good (could sound even better with a pick ).
Your vocal fitted the song perfectly and top marks for keeping that complex lyric super clear.
I didn’t know the song or artist so I looked up the original. I know you don’t want your song to be a copy but yours is a super version (that could be improved with some picked notes and bass runs but of course a pick would help with that ……oops!)
Well done on working out the chords and lyrics yourself Brian. As always, an entertaining performance.

[brianlarsen]

Thank you so much, Gordon. Very generous
And kudos for seeking out the original- only 20’000 views between Spotify and YouTube. You’re out on the fringes here!

@sairfingers

could be improved with some picked notes and bass runs but of course a pick would help with that ……oops!

Yes, I do need to be reminded what ‘guitar playing’ consists of, but I am loathed to give up that portion of my free time I spend on my sideline family & friends projects and ‘celebrity chasing’
I promise to bring a pick and learn one bass run if we ever make it to our Borders tour.
Cheers again

[oldhead49]

A fine performance, Brian. I listened to this before. I can only say this place is a slippery slope, if you know what I mean.

@brianlarsen

I even pushed myself a bit out of my comfort zone be attempting some hammer-on thingies

It’s good to get out of your comfort zone, and I’m glad you attempted some of those thingies. Might work better with a plectrum Just saying.
I enjoyed the song and the performance.

[LBro]

Hey Brian,
Since my fretting thumb went south, I have not been around as much. Alas I make it to this one you did just now. Some observations:

As others have noted, a pick might improve things. I wonder as well what gauge of strings are on this guitar? If you play electric a lot, these strings may feek like telephone pole wires? If you went down a gauge, it might help you some, could also change to sound too, maybe for the worse. It would also likely mess up your setup and it would have to be fine tuned again. But something to think about if you keep it.

I did not see any comments on the “cutout”. If there was a comment, sorry… The cutout is for reaching the upper strings in chord and lead as well. With the cutout you can play much higher up the neck without having to approach the strings from over the top in an awkward manor.

The song was good and fit you’re style of play. Good job there…

All the best and take good care,
LB

[pkboo3]

Hey Brian, yes as LBro commented, the song seemed to fit your taste and your style. Happy you got the opportunity to try out and to have a set up done on your brother’s guitar. You seem to be able to do exceptionally well in transcribing too. Good job!

[LievenDV]

You’re such a great storyteller!

[CD02]

I’m still in complete shock Brian Larsen with an Acoustic, na I think its AI

[brianlarsen]

@oldhead49

this place is a slippery slope

I like to think of it as a slide in a fun-park
I’m glad you enjoyed it Dave.

@LBro

Since my fretting thumb went south, I have not been around as much

I’ve been around less too, Brother, but am grateful that it’s not ailments I can blame. Hope you’re on the mend.
My brother had 12s on it. I play with 10s on my leccy, but the luthier recommended 11s, so I went with those. They feel ok.
Yes, I understand the function of the cutout, but cannot see myself ever up the dusty end, esp. on an acoustic. And my sausage fingers can’t do barres above the 12 anyway
Cheers for dropping by and your thoughts.

@pkboo3 As Bowie famously sang: It comes out better on a stolen guitar!
Thanks for the listen and thumbs up

@LievenDV Cheers mate, much appreciated!

@CD02 You’re still a ‘relative’ newbie here Most of the old hands know that I’ll give anything a try

[Digger72]

Hi Brian,

Hope you’re keeping well.

Can’t say i’ve heard this before either - not exactly my usual type of music - though my son in law likes to try and get me listening to this style.
It really suits you -you have the perfect style/delivery for story telling songs.
I was watching a video about AI generated songs (the death of real music) - so good to hear the complete opposite.
Keep the good fight.

Digger

[GrumpyMac]

Every time I hear you playing and singing i fell like being back in a pub

Next time ill bring my own Guinness before listening one of your video