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Archive - Commentary

1.6k words across 38 entries.

Archive Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube (playlist)

Michael Guy Bowman: (Bandcamp about blurb)

A compilation of non-album tracks going back a few years presented in reverse chronological order. Tracks 1-4, 12-13 are commissions from various projects, including "Jungle Boogie", an outtake from Homestuck Vol. 10. Tracks 5-11 are single tracks off of Soundcloud selected from 2013. Tracks 14-30 were created by request as rewards for my Kickstarter from 2012. Tracks 31 and 32 are remixes by a couple of friends of tracks off of Ithaca.

There's a lot of jingle length stuff on here, so individual tracks less than a minute long are pay-what-you-want. Enjoy!

Michael Guy Bowman: (Bandcamp credits blurb)

Written and produced by Michael Guy Bowman. "Aba Daba Honeymoon" written by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan. Featuring Clark Powell (cello; track 17), Erik Scheele (piano; track 23), and Riki Tsuji (additional synths, vocals, arrangement; track 25). "Old Buggy Now" remixed by Jeremy Iamurri (track 31). "Ithaca" remixed by Jamie Paige (track 32).

Crimesters Credits Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (Bowmantown Discord, excerpt)

Emery Ferguson (who did track art for Another Countdown) was working on a podcast that never came to fruition and commissioned those. I've got some music in his current thing called "The Museum of Natural Mystery"

Got It? Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Feeling very electric.

Awake Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

A new version of "Awake" which I'm very fond of as far as songs go.

Polyominoes Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Little blocks stacked together.

Gondwanaland Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Continents drifting together and apart - hundreds of millions of years of geological history illustrated in a few minutes.

Slow Bay Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Another calm piece. This might become a thing for me.

The New Window Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Something short for all the daydreamers.

Aba Daba Honeymoon

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

As commissioned by Chris Sweet for Effing Decaf's Transdimensional Mormon Summer Vacation!

"Aba Daba Honeymoon" is a classic song by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan from 1914. This particular butchering is an assault on the senses with the whimsical sci-fi flavor we've come to know and love from the many adventures chronicled in Effing Decaf, specifically a recent episode concerned with a variety of magic words. Enjoy!

READ THE COMIC: effingdecaf.blogspot.com/

Chris Sweet: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Valentine To Sarah From Julian

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

New commission: a love letter from fundraiser backer Julian Low to his girlfriend Sarah. In it I recount the story of their relationship as Julian recounted it to me.

This track is so saccharine that I was almost too embarrassed to upload it. It's based around a sketch I wrote back in 2009 which just laid around on my computer as "sandpaper.flp" for the longest time. Now it's got me doing scat on it.

Hope you enjoy it, Sarah! Julian cares for you deeply and I hope it comes across in this song.

Make It Bounce Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by McKinley Freeman. The request was simply "Butts". When you listen, imagine all of humanity twerking as one in perfect harmony.

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Diamonds and Diamonds and Diamonds Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Michael Orr for the fundraiser and all that.

Here's the request: "A song about... space? More specifically black holes, dark matter, objects slipping beyond the horizon of the visible universe. Things we observe without seeing, and things we will never be able to observe."

Michael Guy Bowman: (artwork, SoundCloud)

Awake (2012 Version) Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Samuel Bennallick. Cello by Clark Powell.

Request was as follows: "...the confusion one feels upon waking up from a particularly intense dream; good or bad. The struggle to come to terms with some shocking imagery or, if it was a particularly good dream, the realisation that you're not in that euphoric state you dreamt about and waking up into the dull monotony of life."

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Mad Science Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Another commission! This one was requested by Nich Maragos and celebrates a certain legendary character trope.

Request was as follows: "I would like a song celebrating mad science. Those fools at the institute said it couldn't be done! But you'll show them! Ahahaha!"

This Sunset Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

This is a chill-as-ice spoken word track commissioned by Leigh-Ann Peach called "This Sunset". If "Awake" is my ode to dawn, this is my ode to dusk. The original request is as follows:

"I'd like a song about being happy for the sake of it, featuring blue skies and space. Because those two things are cool. anything hopeful and would cheer people up if they were sad too."

Enjoy.

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Millennium Bug Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Another commission! This one is a full-length instrumental requested by Sixar for use in a forthcoming project.

Request is as follows: "I'd like you to write a theme for one of the worlds that features prominently in a project I've been working on behind the scenes. It'd serve as a theme song for both the planet in question and maybe the project in general..."

"...Basically, I'd like something adventurous, perhaps a little dark, and a bit sci-fi. Instrumental would be fantastic."

Better than a music video, here's the fantastic projection-based Christmas display Yuletide Lights by Pollyck: youtu.be/8yAoG1wbonw

Know That You're Mine Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

A delightful little song commissioned by Kalen Boley for my SXSW fundraiser.

Request is as follows: "Something kinda romantic or nostalgic, about stargazing with a sweetheart?"

Far Away Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Another dang commission from my fundraiser. This one, called "Far Away" is a jingle commissioned by Jon Drobny. Original request as follows:

"I was thinking about space exploration - something about being farther away from one's home than anyone's ever been before."

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Ismelda The Bearded Mermaid

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Brad Griffin for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser. Featuring the piano stylings of Erik Scheele.

Request: "I have no preference as far as topic, but something in 6/8 time would be awesome."

Bandages Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

The personal anthem of Colin Burns, known as "Bandages" on various forums. Commissioned for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser.

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Get Start!

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Alex Coady for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser. Featuring vox and additional sequencing by Astro Kid.

Request was to make a 1-2 minute song that was "upbeat, melodic, and happy".

You Are The Birthday Girl

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

This is a birthday song you can sing whenever wherever - I don't care if it's in a movie or any derivative work of any kind! Let the jerks that own "Happy Birthday To You" go straight to hell!

PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS: Play either this song or its alternate version, "You Are the Birthday Boy" and then say their name at the end after "Happy Birthday to..."

Commissioned by fellow MSPA musician Jeremy Iamurri for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser whose birthday was a couple of days ago and for whom I attempted to make this birthday jingle.

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

You Are The Birthday Boy

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

This is a birthday song you can sing whenever wherever - I don't care if it's in a movie or any derivative work of any kind! Let the jerks that own "Happy Birthday To You" go straight to hell!

PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS: Play either this song or its alternate version, "You Are the Birthday Girl" and then say their name at the end after "Happy Birthday to..."

Commissioned by fellow MSPA musician Jeremy Iamurri for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser whose birthday was a couple of days ago and for whom I attempted to make this birthday jingle.

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

In The Marching Band Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Mason Herschberg for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser.

Original request as follows:

"Marching Band really changed my life in 2011 so I figured a neat little jingle about Marching Band would be a fun thing to use as a ringtone and show my friends that also know about your music! I'd like like it to be funny and lighthearted."

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Explosion Force (They Do It Right) Listen on: Bandcamp, YouTube

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Jeremy Geist for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser.

Original request as follows:

"I and some of my friends at college enjoy playing a game called 'Hunter: The Vigil'. It's a tabletop role-playing game where you're a bunch of hunters attempting to take down the assorted horrors of the night. Our characters are members of VASCU, a secret section of the FBI dedicated to taking down supernatural serial killers.

Our cell name is 'Explosion Force'.

If you couldn't tell, we quickly shifted the tone of the game from 'Supernatural' to 'The A-Team'.

The characters are:
-Arthur Spencer, a hardboiled detective with nothing to lose.
-Felix Gant, a graduate student investigating the disappearance of his father. A vengeful spirit named Alan lives in his arm.
-David Bramble, an ex-military agent who enjoys guns, threatening people, and throwing his weight around.
-Brian McLane (my character!), a grizzled fellow who joined WitSec after VASCU put the blame on him in order to cover up mass Meso-American mummy murder. Both the team driver and the team drunk.

The Explosion Force drives around in the Explosionmobile, a large van with the most bitchin' van art of all time: On the left side, a wizard plays guitar that shoots blue lightning, while on the right, a bear plays guitar that shoots green lightning. The lightning bolts meet in the back of the van and cause an explosion. The van also has a giant laser cannon under the hood.

Every team needs a faceless, shadowy organization to fight, and in this case it's the Cult of Scars, full of people who love scars and/or human experimentation.

Long story short, we've all chipped in for you to write the Explosion Force theme song (as if it were a weekly TV show). Do cheesy, yet inspirational '80s rock like 'Eye of the Tiger' or 'The Touch'."

Michael Guy Bowman: (alternate artwork, SoundCloud)

Conro Corp Anthem

Michael Guy Bowman: (composer, SoundCloud description)

Commissioned by Connor Norris for the "Send Bowman and His Band to SXSW 2012" fundraiser.

Original request as follows:

"For a series called 'untitled' about some guys who have a magic office building with an elevator to other universes. There'd be a lot of video game stuff referenced. They all work for a company called Conro Corp which is an actual group that will make games and other things. Pretty much I would like a jingle that could function as the Conro Corp jingle both in the show and in actual things, the theme for the show, and has a 8-bit like vibe to it. If it could be instrumental, great."

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