Fool's Errand - out everywhere 10/19.
Nine great tracks. More than ten different musicians. Instruments put together in ways you've never heard before. Fifty minutes of fun.
Describing this album is truly a Fool's Errand.
Want an original reworking of a Leonard Cohen classic? It's got that. Prefer funky steelpan tunes starring members of Supertramp? It has one of those, too. Like professional quality? The sound engineer and many featured musicians are among the best in the business. Prefer stuff that sounds like a middle schooler made it? That too is in abundance on this record. It's hard to say whether this album has something for everybody or nothing for anybody, but I think it's a question you need to answer for yourself.
Digital Liner Notes
Project Manager: Luke Henson
Executive Producer: David Reeder
All tracks mastered by Steve Sundberg
"16th Street"
Credits:
Music by Luke Henson
John Helliwell: saxophone
Luke Henson: bass guitar, steelpans
Kevin Spence: piano
Jonathan Westerfield: French horn
Joseph Westerfield: drumset
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Recorded by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
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From Luke:
"16th Street" is really the first real song I ever wrote, I think I was eleven or thereabouts. It was for a proper steelband: that is, tenor, doubles, guitars, bass, drums. You hear the tenor and doubles parts as they always were on the record, but the triple guitar has been replaced with French horn and the bass with bass guitar. The solo section is also new.
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I was of course pretty thrilled about getting Supertramp's John Helliwell on the record. Breakfast In America, I mean, is there a better album of pure pop in the world? (Billy Joel's Glass Houses might come close, or the new one from Olivia Rodrigo.) But what wonderful songs, and how fantastic is Mr. Helliwell on it. And I loved the solo he put on this one.
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The Westerfield brothers, Joe and Jon, were members of the steelband that initially played this song. That makes their contributions to this song especially special; we've been making music together for about as long as I've been making music. Be it my dad's youth steelband, our glorious funk band, the rhythm section at Joe's high school jazz camp, or just getting together and playing music, the Westerfield brothers have been very likely my closest musical compatriots since I began playing.
"Words"
Credits:
Music by Luke Henson
Words by Rebecca Zaharia
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Luke Henson: vocals, bass guitar, drumset
Joseph "Sloppy" Sanders: midianator
Professor Snodgrass: "gUiTaR"
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Recorded by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios and Samuel Wegwart at Wegwart Home Studios
Mixed by Samuel Wegwart
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Lyrics:
It’s all I ever noticed
And all I ever said
I know I’m not too talkative
But I kinda wanna be
But it’s hard when I’m too quiet
I know they say my voice matters
But my words get lost, I don’t know where to find them
Sounds come easy, themes get lost inside my head
Words are soldiers marching down along the trenches
But their general can’t get them to stay in line
I used to say a lot more
But then they told me not to
And so, I heed their words
Nehmt den hin ihr schönen Seelen
Froh die gaben schöner Kunst
Und Kraft, und Kraft, und Kraft
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From Luke:
I did most of this one except for the writing. My friend Rebecca Zaharia wrote most of the words and I wanted her to sing them, but unfortunately our schedules never lined up. Shame, too; I really did a very lousy job on the singing. But it is what it is.
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I also couldn't download the second page of lyrics for this one and wound up singing some words from Beethoven's Choral Fantasy. It was appropriate, as the song is about being at a loss for words and not knowing how to express oneself, which is also what Maestro Beethoven experienced writing the Choral Fantasy (he told his publishers to feel free to change the words, as long as they kept Kraft, "strength." He was, coincidentally, also a great lover of macaroni and cheese...the plot thickens).
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On this one you see the first instance of fake instruments, which I've accredited to Joseph "Sloppy" Sanders and Professor Snodgrass. The first is an inside joke between me and a cousin; the second is my grandpa's usual suspect in Clue (his weapon of choice is C-4). The midianator is essentially when you generate a MIDI file with your music notation software. I couldn't have done it without Sloppy and the Prof.
"Easy Money"
Credits:
Music by Robert Fripp and John Wetton
Words by Richard Palmer-James
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Luke Henson: bass guitar, steelpan, vocals, drums
Wyatt Mehmeti: guitar
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Recorded and mixed by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
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Lyrics:
(indeterminate scatting)
Your admirers in the street
Got to boot and stamp their feet
In the heat from your physique
As you twinkle by in moccasin sneakers
And I thought my heart would break
When you doubled at the stake
With your fingers all a-shake
You could never tell a winner from a snake
Easy money
With your figure and your face
Strutting out at every race
Throw a glass around the place
Show the color of your crimson suspenders
All the swindlers in the land
Building castles out of sand
But the waves come in the end
And their empires always profit them nothing
(further indeterminate scatting)
Got no truck with the la-dee-dah
Keep my bread in an old fruit jar
Drive you out in a motorcar
Getting fat on your lucky star
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From Luke:
The first cover on the album! King Crimson is the only band I've seen twice, and with good reason. Nobody disregards "The Way Things Are Done" in music quite like guitarist and bandleader Robert Fripp. They have a live dimension unparalleled in rock music, in my opinion, and "Easy Money," from their mid-70s classic Larks' Tongues In Aspic, is often the highlight. The drum part is about the first thing I recorded for this album.
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Without a doubt the star of this track is Wyatt Mehmeti. His band Blind Spectrum's first (and, it turned out, last) album, A Search For Reason, was about the best Bandcamp find of my life, and his playing was a highlight. He did it again years later with another group, Involute, and their debut album Hindsight is the best metal album of the year 2021. I was blown away by his work on this cover of a song we both love. His guitar part is simultaneously faithful to the original and very much his own, and it is an honor to have him on this album.
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I decided to contribute a stanza of my own to the lyrics, as both John Wetton and Jakko Jakszyk have done. Mind you, I have no idea what the lyrics are about, but it seems to me they concern wealth at some level, and I got to thinking about that one scene in The Wolf Of Wall Street where Matthew McConaughey is talking about how the stock market is all a big imaginary game, and I thought of the teaching of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, how people build up these empires and they all come to nothing sooner or later. The waves always come for our sandcastles. The pursuit of wealth, pleasure, the good life, what have you, it doesn't have any eternal significance. Obviously that truth is seen very clearly in the stock market.
"Simul Iustus Et Peccator"
Credits:
Words and music by Luke Henson
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Luke Henson: bass guitar, vocals, steelpan, drumset
Elisabeth Thomas: French horn
Joshua Thomas: guitar
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Recorded and mixed by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
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Lyrics:
Lord, You are my shepherd
Why, then, do I fear?
Bearing all my worries
Even though you’re near
Searing off my conscience
Trying to hide my sin
Lead me from temptation
Then I dive right in
Help me, God, I pray
Take this thorn away
Change me, God, today
Lord, you are the potter
I am only clay
I can’t help but wonder
Why I am this way
Give my heart conviction
Give my soul relief
Lord, I do believe you
Help my unbelief
I trust in Your love
Send strength from above
Mine is not enough
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From Luke:
This is definitely among the older tracks on the album (musically, at least. I wrote the music in middle school and the lyrics last year). As such, you'll hear a strong prog rock influence. I am still very much a prog guy as a listener but I've accepted that prog musicians play at a much higher level than mine and know how to write to my limitations a bit better now. I wrote it at a time when I was trying very hard to be prog and knew very little music theory, and I joked in the studio that the song has about as many different chords as time signatures.
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You'll hear two other musicians on this track: husband and wife power duo Josh and Elisabeth Thomas. I joined their worship band as a drummer in November 2019 and since then these two have poured so much love into my life. Our weekly Bible study in their home was the highlight of my week for a long time. They are as kind and intelligent as anyone you'll ever meet and, as you'll hear on "Simul Iustus Et Peccator," top-notch musicians as well.
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I had a terrible time thinking of a name for this one. I settled on a Latin phrase popularized by Martin Luther, meaning "simultaneously justified and a sinner." The great dilemma of my life so far has been whether anyone who is justified (saved) could still commit the kind of sins I commit every day, a dilemma that I have lost a good deal of sleep over. That's an aspect of the lyrics here. Is it the main theme? Kind of...? I mean, it's a better title than "Piano Song," which is what I called it throughout its recording.
"Interlude: Froh! (including Beethoven's Bierpalast Blues)"
Credits:
Music by Ludwig van Beethoven
Words by Friedrich Schiller
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Luke Henson: steelpan, vocals, bass guitar
Stephen Langley: guitar
Kevin Spence: Hammond organ
Seth Uyechi: piano
Jonathan Westerfield: trumpet
Joseph Westerfield: drumset
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Recorded and mixed by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
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Lyrics:
Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan
Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.
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From Luke:
Now this one was a treat to make! It sounds like Christmas! The second of three non-originals on this album, it's a jazzy rendition of the Turkish march from Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. We recorded all the parts on the same day, and I had a cold when I sang it too, which I'm weirdly proud of (because I don't think you can hear the cold much).
So many amazing musicians contributed to this one! I'll highlight a few. Seth Uyechi, the pianist on the record, brought a warmth and smoothness to this track that took it to the next level instantly. I've met very few musicians who can rival his gift for tonality. One of my closest friends, Kevin Spence, absolutely nailed the Hammond organ solo. He performs with a vibrance and excitement unique to himself, and after watching him improvise a tune on the Hammond at our summer 2021 recording session I knew he simply had to play it on the album. And let's not forget the ingenious Steve Sundberg. When the aforementioned Elisabeth Thomas came to FTM Studios to record her part, she recognized his mastery of the craft of audio engineering immediately. Every song on this album is made into a professional studio track by his expertise. He turned my deranged ideas into "A Real Album" and I can't thank him enough.
"Messenger Of Love"
Credits:
Words and music by Luke Henson
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Luke Henson: bass guitar, twelve-string guitar, vocals, Hammond organ, drumset
Stephen Langley: electric guitar
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Recorded and mixed by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
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Lyrics:
Well, I played a game of tennis with the girl with fuzzy hair
And I had thought the score was love but then I realized that there was nothing there
Why must it be so hard?
And I think about her smile each time I see a yellow car
Each time I listen to her favorite Yessong or an open mic night at the bar
Why must it be so hard?
Who is this angel?
This messenger of love?
Heaven knows I can’t get over her
And she’ll never hesitate to care for anybody’s heart
And her love is unconditional, she’ll always be there when you fall apart
She’s too good for this world
And her laugh is like a melody, her voice is sweet and low
And her sneeze is like a chipmunk but she’d kill me if I ever told her so
She’s too good for this world
Who is this angel?
This messenger of love?
Heaven knows I can’t get over her
She is my best friend
I know that I’m not hers
But no one ever touched me like she did
Who is this angel?
This messenger of love?
Heaven knows I can’t get over her
And even though I want your affection
I know you don’t want me
So now it’s time to let you be
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From Luke:
Oh how cringe, a song about my middle school/early high school crush. Cringiness aside, I think the lyrics are actually not bad. Every word in the song signifies something to me, her, and the people who knew us at that period in our lives. I played this recording on a twelve-string guitar which I got for a hundred dollars from a girl who worked at my dad's music store. I love the sound of a twelve-string; it's so much richer and sweeter than the ordinary acoustic guitar.
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The song stars Stephen Langley on electric guitar, one of my first guitar heroes. His tremendous rock cover band, Friar, played a rendition of Rush's "La Villa Strangiato" that my dad confused for the real deal. When I was fourteen and worked with him occasionally at the music store, I got it into my head that he was one of the coolest people to walk the earth (an opinion with which I have not parted to this day). His solos on two of this album's tracks are exciting, musical, and absolutely perfect for the song.
"El Ñandú"
Credits:
Music by Luke Henson
​
Joseph Westerfield: drums
Luke Henson: bass guitar
Samuel Wegwart: guitar
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Recorded and mixed by Samuel Wegwart at Rocky Mountain Steel Bands
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From Luke:
This one has backstory! When I was in high school, I took a couple courses per semester at a community college. I could never remember my student ID. It occurred to me one day that I can remember bass tablatures, and those are also just a series of numbers, so why not read my student ID as a bass tab and play it on bass? It was 02389062. I played the 02389 on the E string and the 062 on the A string and it had this funky, groovy quality to it. I had learned in Mexico the word ñandú, which means rhea (a sort of flightless bird), because a friend I made there really liked them. I thought the song had kind of a ratite quality, so I called it "El Ñandú."
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The great Sam Wegwart plays guitar on this one. I don't think I know anyone on the planet who is more natural at music. He writes songs like most of us breathe; it just flows out of him. Every time I see him, he has something new he's been working on, a chord progression or a page of lyrics. I very much look forward to recommending his solo album to you all in the future. I also feel blessed to call him a close personal friend. He and his wife Maggie, along with Kevin and Seth, were among the circle fostered, led, and often hosted by Josh and Elisabeth. From that number was born a band, The Potted Plants, whom I also hope you get to hear in the near future.
"The Shoreline (A: Internal Affairs/B: The Trial Of The Lake"
Credits:
Words and music by Luke Henson
Based on a novel by Celeste Ng
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Stanley Femur the Carpet Lemur: midianator
Luke Henson: bass guitar, drums, lead and backing vocals
Huke Lenson: drum machine
Samuel Wegwart: acoustic and electric guitar
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Recorded and mixed by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
Lyrics:
A: Internal Affairs
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(Marilyn)
And then the news broke
They found her floating in the lake
I know it wasn’t
A suicide as they may think
My dreams were shattered
Or rather, they just fell apart
My heir apparent
Would fill the visions in my heart
Now I just have Hannah
She’s just not sufficient
He hasn’t come home yet
I must be deficient
(James)
Louisa knows me
And I can empathize with her
My wife has never
Been separated by a slur
Tempted to leave her
But I have no idea how
Entranced by fervor
And steaming plates of char siu bao
I’ll never be like you
No need to remind me
Exploring my birthright
That’s where you can find me
(Hannah)
I’ve always watched you
You never seemed to notice me
I know your secrets
And what it means to be a Lee
She didn’t like school
His playboy status is a scam
Please take the time to
Learn just a bit about who I am
I want to impress you
I’m wish you would take note
You never saw past her
I’m only a sideshow
(Nath)
He hurt my sister
I know that he’s responsible
I couldn’t help her
For that I am accountable
I knew her anguish
The pressure that she had to take
I swore to watch her
The day I pushed her into the lake
I wish it was over
Forget all about them
First I’ll go to Harvard
Then up to the heavens
B: The Trial Of The Lake
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(Lydia)
If I make it to the shoreline
I’ll share my heart, I’ll open my mind
And tell you everything I never told you
Our façades are starting to burst
And everyone is doing their worst
But what I’d give right now to hold you
Secrets tend to tear us apart
The walls we built are stifling our hearts
And our inaction may be fatal
We are strong, but fragile as glass
Our breaches have begun to amass
And we’re getting more and more unstable
If I make it to the shoreline
I’ll share my heart, I’ll open my mind
And tell you everything I never told you
We betrayed our family ties
We hid behind diversions and lies
But what I’d give right now to hold you
If I make it to the shoreline
We’ll learn to love, we’ll learn to be kind
And I’ll learn to speak to you with candor
I still hope our love is not lost
There’s no divide that we cannot cross
But will we ever know the answer?
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From Luke:
At 12 minutes, this is the longest song on the album by some distance. I was inspired to write it by Celeste Ng's world-class debut novel, Everything I Never Told You. It remains one of my favorite books of all time. It took six years to write and it shows: the plot and narration are constructed absolutely brilliantly. Each verse of my song is from the perspective of a different character. I had to write it for a literature class with one of the best teachers I've ever had, Ms. Sarah Thompson. Our final project was a creative work based on one of the books we had read in class. The chorus came to me in the cafeteria one afternoon, followed by the midianator riff. The rest just flowed when I got home.
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Now, be it known that I can't write a decent guitar part to save my life. When I first recorded this with Sam, I had him doing something completely crazy that din't work with the beat at all in the verse. He had better ideas, and I decided to substitute my deranged acoustic guitar part for his guitar expertise. I'm glad I did, and I'm sure you will be too.
"Bird On The Wire"
Credits:
Words and music by Leonard Cohen
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Chris Carter: electric guitar
David Reeder: bass guitar
Luke Henson: steelpan, vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
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Recorded and mixed by Steve Sundberg at FTM Studios
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Lyrics:
Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried, in my way, to be free
Like a worm on the hook
Like a knight in some old-fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee
If I, if I have been unkind
I hope you can let it go by
And if I, if I have been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you
Like a baby, stillborn
Like a beast with its horn
I have torn everyone who reached out for me
But I swear by this song
And by all that I have done wrong
I will try to make it all up to thee
I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch
He said to me, “You must not ask for so much!”
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door
And she said, “Why not ask for more?”
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From Luke:
Leonard Cohen's "Bird On The Wire" is one of my favorite songs of all time. The melody is beautifully simple, like a folk song. The lyrics speak to me on a deep level; at times they really speak for me. "I have torn everyone who reached out for me." That's exactly how I feel. And the last verse has such a clear message and yet such ambiguity at the same time. It means something just a little bit different to me every time I read, hear, or sing it. To close out this album, I decided to put my own spin on the song. Mr. Cohen's works are made to be performed, again and again and again. "Fresh take on a Leonard Cohen classic" is one of my favorite sub-sub-subgenres. "Bird On The Wire" is a classic any way you slice it; I just hope my take is fresh.
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This is the only song on Fool's Errand with a bass player other than myself: David Reeder, my longtime bass student. I'm more proud of his playing than I am of my own. He can learn a song in a snap, it's unbelievable. He has an immense talent for music. Chris Carter plays the guitar solo on this song. He's been one of my biggest supporters since I set out on this project, and his solo is just what the doctor ordered.