Last July Robert decided to step back from composing and recording. We were producing allot of music and it was becoming a bit of a grind. It is hard to put love and soul into a tune if it is not fun. We decided to put Spirit Level on the shelf and possibly revisit at a later time when it felt right.

Robert and I have kept in touch via email and he is doing good.

Reasons To Go On was the last so we produced as a group.

We had another song that we were working on at the time called Junk Yard Dog. We were in just in the producing-tracking phase when Robert decided to call it a day. We also put this song on the shelf.

Robert did such a cool lyric and vocal I thought it would be a shame if no one got to hear it. I took the original vocal and some of my guitar tracks and rebuilt the backtrack with BIAB.

I sent the final mastered file to Robert to see what he thought of the song. He liked the song and gave me the thumbs up to release it.

This is a stripped down version of the song. Hope you like it..

Junk Yard Dog

Lyrics

Junkyard Dog

muzzle Jack Russell look through the peephole
her hips twanging like a broken banjo
her switchblade smile says too late for rescue
for a henhouse fox at the dumb show

in every pack the card with a hat
is a fool
from the bard to the boss say
love looks uncool
you`re jumping like a monkey on a log
grinning like junkyard dog

you had zero of hope then she starts singing disco
voice croons like a crow in a box
you`re smitten bitten mauled by love
eyes hungry as starving mutts

in every pack the card with a hat
is a fool
from the bard to the boss say
love looks uncool
you`re jumping like a monkey on a log
grinning like junkyard dog
bucking like a crazy horse
hazy with g-force
lit up like a bug eyed frog
grinning like a junkyard dog

� Robert Cordrey June 2021


Style is _SATIN.STY (Satin Brit Blues Rock w Soloist)

RealTracks in style: 995:Bass, Electric, HardRockLA Ev 120
RealTracks in style: ~674:Organ, B3, Background Blues Roadhouse Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 3361:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm BritClassicRock70sHeld Ev 110
RealTracks in style: 3363:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritClassicRockGrittyWah Ev 110
RealTracks in song: 2584:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PunkMuted Ev 165
RealTracks in song: ~586:Harmonica, Background Blues Roadhouse Ev 120
RealDrums in Song:RockHardLA^2-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Open HiHat

*******************

Scott & Robert,

Diggin' this Spirit Level sound! A very cool band.

Nice guitar work, Scott.

Robert's vocal is well delivered - though quite difficult to make out all the words (on my speakers, anyway. I listened again with earbuds and still had some trouble - so a lyric sheet would be helpful).
Even so, it's a strong vocal - I like it!
(Good to hear that Robert is doing well)

One of y'all's best, I think.

fj

Scott, really liked the intro and you've sure got a driving rhythm and groove, but like Floyd, I was unable to hear almost any of the vocal.

Scott...cool tune..as usual I love your guitar work...it's always top-notch work and always amazes me...I have to agree with Floyd...the vocals were difficult to understand...I think maybe they need to shine (EQ'wise) a bit more (?)...and yes I would love to see the lyrics also...but mostly a great tune and glad you pulled it out of the archives!

Nice rebuild Scott.
I do think you should pull your verse/chorus guitar parts up a little more to match, and opposite to, the organ.
The outro, particularly the last two bars, really should feature your guitar front n centre rather than over, & fighting, with the organ.
Nice to hear another level of spirit.

Yeah, you had me from the title, Scott. Then I read that Robert is on it. Cool. I missed Spirit Level. Great job completing this one, Scott. Well sung and cool lyrics, Robert. Man, your guitar sings like it really like the way you play. HAHA. I trimmed that down from the way I was going to say it. But your tone and selection of notes is flawless. The solo sounds like you're talking with the guitar --more like singing, I guess-- almost sounds like question and response. Man, love this song guys.

HI Scott ...

I like it! A little different - more vocally aggressive - performance by Robert. It's really cool! Love the arrangement and a really cool lyric. And it goes without saying your guitar work is premium! A rally nice sound. Good to hear Robert is doing well.

Alan

Thanks Floyd for checking out the song. Robert sent me the lyrics and I added them to the original post. I also made some adjustments to the vocal. Glad you liked the song...

Thanks Brad for checking out the song. I made some adjustments to the vocal. Glad you liked it.

Cool song, sung & played with attitude...
Well done.

This is good Scott.

I am glad you got around to releasing it!

Thanks Daniel. The stems on this song as we had not really completely finished it. It will be awhile before we hear another Spirit Level song so I felt I would put together what I had. I made some EQ adjustments to vocal and posted the lyrics.



Thanks Ray. Yes for sure the song could have been taken to a little farther along. But I thought it was a shame that Robert did such a great job of the vocal and lyric that it would be a shame to have no one hear it.. Glad you liked it..

Scott & Robert,

Nice song!
I agree with floyd.
Diggin' this Spirit Level sound! A very cool band.
Robert's vocal is great. It reminds me of Bob Dylan a little.
Scott's guitar work is also very nice.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Hi Scott and Robert,

So nice to hear Roberts' vocals again in this pleasant Rocky song.
And also very nice he's doing better now.

And also nice Spirit Level revived, at least for a while.
But I thought Ray was part of it too, back then?

As always, the lyrics are written in 'high' English, so a challenge for me. Compare it with my Dutch (in songs)
But to me, it looks as a sad story.

And then you, Scott. That was a nice solo you did. It fitted like a glove in this song.
Also very good of you to make this song came alive. It would have been a pitty if it had stayed on that 'shelf'.
Convince Robert for doing 'just one more'...

Hans

Man, I miss Spirit Level! Very cool song in all aspects. Possibly Roberts best vocal, and you are playing lots of great lines, Scott.

Thanks for the update on Robert! I understand, I've quit music more than once after getting burned out. But, you always come back and I'm sure Robert will too at some point.

Great work guys, enjoyed!

Thanks Marty Robert has a great way with lyrics and rhythms. The song wa fun to play on. Really glad you like it.



Thanks for checking out the song Alan. Really glad you liked it.

Thanks for checking out the song. Glad you liked it.



Thanks David glad you liked the song.

Well, the lyrics are in the post now.
We always think it's because we're not native speakers, if we don't understand all the words

It's good you posted the song.
It's worth it.

Rob and Anne-Marie

Super guitar licks

Strong vocal however it was hard for me to make out the lyrics

Good mix

Nice job on this one

Thanks Shigeki for checking out the song. Your comments are very much appreciated. Glad you liked it.



Thanks Hans for the awesome comments. They are very much appreciated. Glad you liked it.



Thanks Dave for checking out the song.

One thing cool about music as you never really quit playing. You just take a break from it but I think we all come back to it. I quit playing for 40 years then something inside sparked me and I came back to it. I think it is in our DNA. Glad you like the song.

Spirit Level lives! We’re glad you finished this, Scott, and also glad to hear that Robert is doing well.

What a cool song and Robert is singing like a man who is crazy in love.

As others mentioned, your guitar sounds awesome.

Good job!

J&B

Thanks Rob and Anne Marie. No problem on the lyrics. Really glad you like the song.



Thanks Mario for checking out the song. Your comments are very much appreciated. This put together with some rough stems. I am sure the next Spirit Level song will be a bit more polished. ;-). Really glad you liked it.

Those lyrics paint quite an image!
The extra vocal howl add just the right touch.

Moto

Hi Scott
Great song
The background track is great
Vocals fit well and the guitar work is excellent
Great job Scott
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

SpiritLevel:

Wow, first off, great to hear Robert’s sweet vocal again . . . not sure why this has a Mark Knopfler vibe to me . . . but it’s good whatever it is. Cool poetic lyrics with great music backing, making for a terrific tune!

Hope all is well in the SpiritLevel world,

Deej

Thanks Janice and Bud for checking out the song. Yes really enjoyed putting this song together. Was really happy that Robert approved as well. Never know what is coming down the pipe. ;-)



Thanks Moto. Really glad to hear from you. You were missed on the forum. Glad you liked the song..

Thanks Andi for checking out the song. Glad you liked it.



Thanks Deej for checking out the song. Really appreciate your comments, Glad you liked it.