From odes to stalking, flirtations with reggae and other people’s idiot/loser boyfriends, Geoffrey O’Connor (Crayon Fields/Sly Hats) talks us through his first album under his own name, ‘Vanity is Forever’. The stream is above and Geoffrey’s notes below. Prepare to be seriously charmed by both.
1) So Sorry: I love the company of sexually forward people who have no sense of etiquette. This song is about that kind of person – a song of praise.
2) Whatever Leads Me To You: A pretty song about stalking. The title looks great in text message shorthand.
3) Things I Shouldn’t Do Anymore: A duet with my friend Jessica Says. I recorded many versions of it over the last couple of years and then finally settled on this. At one stage it was a sweeping orchestral acoustic ballad, very organic. I loved it, but like any responsible parent I thought I’d give it some cosmetic surgery before sending it out into the big wide world.
4) Proud: Another song that has had a number of makeovers. This is about as close to reggae as I’ll ever get. Definitely a future hit in New Zealand.
5) Have Your Way: A funky song about letting someone’s idiot boyfriend buy you expensive drinks.
6) Idle Lover: A funky song about waiting for a hot babe to leave their loser boyfriend. Recently we’ve been playing it with a synthetic saxophone sound.
7) Expensive: A sad song about buying someone expensive drinks and feeling like an idiot boyfriend.
8) Now And Then: I almost called the album Now And Then. I should have too, technically I wrote this song in a hotel in L.A. and that would have made for a great press release.
9) Like They Say It Does: Musically this song reminds me of ET. Lyrically it has a kind of homecoming theme too.
10) Bad Ideas: A song about how all the bad, foolish and dumb things you do will only make you more successful in life. It’s very uplifting, that’s why I made it track 10 – my favourite number.
11) Soon: My first ever 6/8 song…. I think. It is about restlessness, which makes sense I guess because 6/8 can really slow you down.
12) Surely: Guy Blackman plays piano on this one. I intended to record a guitar part but his playing was so beautiful that I thought I’d let it breathe and then overrun it with synthesizers in the chorus.
‘Vanity Is Forever’ is out now via Chapter Music.
