Cosmic Blues is Neil Levin's personal tribute to The Blues. The album is centered around his self pioneered genre of the same name, which seeks to reimagine the classic Blues sound, for a modern audience. Conceptually, the album picks up where his last two albums left off, centering around a character who meets an early fate, but through the will of the cosmos, is resurrected to play The Blues. Indulge in the album's Artificial Vinyl Listening Experience, whilst exploring the album's story via the Virtual Sleeve below, containing Neil's personal track notes and official song lyrics...
Virtual Album Sleeve
Side A
Not Worthwhile
"This song picks up directly where my last album, Sultry Have Gone The Roses, leaves off... our main character is dead. Tons of nods to influences and heroes of mine on this one, let me know which ones you're hearing!"
- Neil
"Not Worthwhile" Lyrics:
Let me tell you about what I want
Let me tell you about what I need
A girl who's gonna hear my prayer
Not leave me on my knees
Cuz I'm broken, dead and not worthwhile
I said I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
Cuz I'm broken, dead and not worthwhile
Yeah I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
(Keep gettin' the same signs)
Did she give me what I deserve?
Was it worth all of his pain?
Am I something worth fighting for?
Are you gonna leave me again?
Cuz I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
Yeah I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
Cuz I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
Yeah I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
(Alright)
Oh, what I want is what I need
A girl that's gonna set me free
Cuz I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
I'm broken and I'm dead and not worthwhile
Gone Away Prelude
"I know this intro is short and sweet, but our goal was to channel the vibe of a Southern Blues bar, maybe in New Orleans, and somehow transition that old school sound, into the Cosmic Blues sound... it's almost like a before and after scenario. The song starts with this old time-y timbre, and transitions into the opening of 'Gone Away' in a really cool way. This is one of the many nods to the traditional side of The Blues on this record. If you listen closely, you can hear producer Ben Relf saying 'Here it comes' before I come in singing."
- Neil
Gone Away
"Story wise, our character is still dead, but from the afterlife, I guess you can say they are feeling a bit like holding a grudge. Death is something mystifying yet equally shared amongst everything, and the idea of calling your ex-lover out from the after life with a symphony of guitars is something I could not pass up. I'm dedicating the guitar solo on this track to Jerry Garcia... ifykyk"
- Neil
"Gone Away" Lyrics:
The boy you used to love, up and gone away
Did you hear the news yesterday
He washed up in the middle of the bay
I tried to tell you in some way
That the boy you used to love, up and gone away
Rather be someone else's burden
When you came to me you were on the verge of
Dreaming and feeling the night away
Cuz the boy you used to love. up and gone away
Now I'm rolling in the ground
I'm no longer your hound
I feel my soul is hell-bound
But if seeing is believing, then I'm ok
Cuz the boy you used to love, up and gone away
Cuz the boy you used to love, up and gone away
Roses On The Grave
"This song picks up where the last two leave off ("Not Worthwhile" & "Gone Away"), our character is dead. This is the same character, that upon a more further dive, is actually the same one carried on from my last two albums. Their death actually is first mentioned officially in the song "Bury Me" off of my last album. They are so heartbroken after finding out their lover cheated on them, they take their own life in an attempt to truly get the last laugh, and guilt trip their lover. All that is then left to do is bury them. Obviously, only one person truly loses in this scenario, the one who dies. When writing this song, in the back of my mind, I felt like i was closing the bookend of The Blue Roses saga. This song even felt like a 'part 2' to the song "Blue Roses" off of my album I put out back in 2020, I Want Blue Roses on My Grave." The roses are finally being laid on the grave. The Blue Roses to me have always been a symbol of the characters eventual suicide. It's like saying from the afterlife to the partner who wronged them, 'You said you loved me, but went and hurt me, and now I'm dead and all that's left to do is put these Blue Roses on my grave.' This kind of stuff has always given me chills, postmortem requests, so I had to lean into it."
- Neil
"Roses on the Grave" Lyrics:
It was springtime, I met my fate
The skies were blue, but your eyes were filled with rain
My time came, oh my time came
It's time to put those blue roses on my grave
So put 'em down, put 'em down
Put those blue, blue roses in the ground
Cuz my time came, oh my time came
Blue skies of rain, my time came
So let 'em down
Let 'em down
Let those blue, blue roses hit the ground
Cuz my time came, oh my time came
Blue skies of rain
So let 'em down
Let 'em down
Let those blue roses hit the ground
My time came, oh my time came
Blue skies of rain, blue skies of rain
It was springtime, I met my fate
The skies were blue but your eyes were filled with rain
My time came, oh my time came
It's time to put those blue roses on my grave
Side B
C.B. Interlude
"I always imagined this tune as us recreating the sound and atmosphere of a show at The Rib Joint, a local bar in Dana Point I got my start playing at, early in my career. On a deeper level though, the character who's story is being told in this album, which could be any one, is swirling around in the cosmos after their untimely fate, searching for answers, until suddenly, they meet someone special in the void..."
- Neil
God of Blues
"Our main character whilst swirling through space, encounters The God of Blues, and He offers to grant their life back in exchange for one simple thing, 'play that guitar till you die.' This song is my tribute to some of the later class of players I look up to. I felt like I was channeling BB King at times, or Albert Collins, or even some Muddy. I really just wanted to do my own thing on this whole record, but still leave some space for the greats. I am never claiming any sort of originality with The Blues, I mean, it's The Blues, it doesn't belong to anyone. That being said, I wanted to make this record as transparent as possible, leaving no mystery to who inspired it and where it truly came from. There's also a little tilt of the cap to Robert Johnson's 'Me and The Devil Blues' on here. This song was actually recorded in 1 take, and the video of Ben Relf and I playing on it together is on Youtube and VEVO."
- Neil
"God of Blues" Lyrics:
Well I spoke to The God of The Blues
'Said I could bring you back to life
Spoke to The God of The Blues
'Said I could bring you back to life
Keep strumming that guitar, and play that music till you die
Don't got no worry
Don't got no sin
All I need baby is my guitar and a bottle of gin
And I go walking, me and The God of Blues side by side
He said, keep strumming that guitar and play that music till you die
Spoke to The God of The Blues, yeah
He said I could bring you back to life
Spoke to The God of The Blues
'Said I could bring you back to life
Keep strumming that guitar and play that music till you die
God of The Blues
Said I could bring you back to life
Well The God of The Blues
He said I could bring you back to life, yeah
All you gotta do is keep strumming that guitar and play that music till you die
Brave New World
"This is my Cosmic Blues tribute to Aldous Huxley and one of his masterpieces, Brave New World. The book was published in 1932, yet at times feels more relevant today than ever. I did combine some things from the book, with some real life topics and events, but can you even tell them apart? From a story point of view, this track can be seen as our main character, now fully resurrected and committed to playing the blues for the remainder of their extended life, awakening to a new modern dystopian age."
- Neil
"Brave New World" Lyrics:
Keep your eyes open to the brave new world
Listening to music that objectifies girls
Drugged out prophets trynna kill your soul
Everything eventually takes its toll
Dump your mind by the side of the lake
Cuz our lives, our lives were never ours to take
Money's all it takes to run this place
They're sending rich people to outer-space
Pumping toxic fumes into the schools
Twisting minds in a crowded room
Leave your mind by the side of the lake
Cuz our lives, our lives were never ours to take
Society is getting worn and old
Dead people choosing who holds the throne
Choosing how the youth will spend their lives
Forcing them to term, against basic rights
Leave your mind by the side of the lake
Cuz our lives, our lives were never ours to take
Watch as they tear down the walls
Building churches on our sacred ground
Everyone's waiting for a great big change
And no one, no one is gonna hear their name
Leave your mind by the side of the lake
Cuz our lives, our lives were never ours to take
Sixstring
"This song is probably the song I was sitting on the longest, and waiting to record. I wanted it to be something I could play and record live in studio, and that's exactly what it was. It had been refined and ready to go long before its recording date, yet underwent the most change in post-production. This song is probably the most personal for me on the record. It deals with emotions, values and affirmations that proved vital to me during a difficult time. It's a reminder that if the world ever goes to sh*t, like, even more unbearable than it can feel at times now, at least if there is a guitar around, I'll get by. Story wise, our character has now come full circle, and realizes they were relying on their own need for connection and love so much, that they were abandoning their own self-worth in the process. This song is a reminder that you are enough on your own."
- Neil
"Sixstring" Lyrics:
Well I played my guitar, on a rainy eve, thinkin' about you in his arms
I was wondering where I'd be, if you stuck with me, maybe love could conquer all?
We'd be sailing a ship, across a delicate sea, if you'd just stuck with me
We'd be dancing on fire, while the world is ours, if you'd just stuck with me
Finally found my way out, figured everything out, I don't need no one to hold
It's just me and my guitar, and baby that's alright, no, she never talks back to me
She just does what I want, makes everyone jump, gets the girls beggin' on their knees
But, no, I don't need them, just a paper and pen, and a six string to strum freely
oh, and a six string to strum freely
I kept playin' my guitar, on that rainy eve, I was thinking about no one but me
oh, I was thinking about no one but me
But, then I think again, what if I changed?
Would we have our own parade?
But you're gone and my guitar's all I need
Behind The Scenes
Neil recording the Cosmic Blues album with producer Benjamin Relf at his home studio in Orange County, CA.
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