Knock Knock Knock

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

I posted much of this in the "What Are You Working On Now" thread, but thought I would start a thread for this album I am going to be releasing hopefully by the end of the month (May '25) ;~)) Titled "Knock Knock Knock", this album will be a lot like my last album "Real Notes" in the sense that it will have the same format. Approximately one hour, played in a single sitting (using guitar, cajon via foot pedal and voice), no overdubs, no studio trickery or magic (just chorus on the vocal choruses and pumping up the cajon sound, master and done), no additional instruments added, no mistakes removed, no auto-tuning and no regrets. I am doing my stuff this way for several reasons. One of them is the idea that I can play live what you hear on the recordings. No figuring out how to reproduce live that cool effect I made in the studio. Another one is I want my music to be very "human" and in leaving in minor mistakes, doing it in a single take I think helps to make it just that. Matter of fact, one of the songs on this album is called "Human Genre" as I believe that in short time we will have just that, a genre of music that is segregated as human. It will probably be as big as the jazz section of most music stores (do those still exist?)!

I did take 15 of the album last night. I would not be embarrassed to have performed most of the songs in that take (but I know I can do WAY better and will do so). The ones I am still having problems with I have not fully internalized and am still trying to figure out the bridge and endings on those. Today I need to take the day off as I have been singing several hours everyday for over 2 weeks straight and my voice is demanding some rest ;~)) Tomorrow or Sunday I will do take 16 and beyond. I am expecting a take somewhere around the late 20's or early 30's to be a take that I am comfortable with releasing (though it did take me till take 82 with the last album but that was a different duck). Here is a track list of "Knock Knock Knock" (subject to change on artistic human whims) and preliminary artwork below that:

Knock Knock Knock (title track about opening your door of creativity)
Human Genre (a song written from the songs perspective, stating it's human nature)
Chin Up (a song about the passing of Taylor Hawkins)
Helio Orbit (a song about David Bowie being buried in space)
Dream Pillows (from 2001 a song about laying your head on your dreams pillows)
FunkCountryRockFolk (some of us like it all)
Happy Birthday 2025 (a birthday song for this year)
I Like Tequila (need I say more)
InfiniZoo (the infinite zoo that is the universe)
My In-Laws Is Outlaws (slack jawed with a long drawl, can you hear their lips crawl)
Sexecution (written in 2000 on my first cross country motorcycle tour)
Songstramentalist (the primary instrument I play is the song and the other instruments are just supporting characters)
Tattooed Brain (inspired by the Tattoos thread started a few weeks ago and Alex Kenivel's response in said thread)
Richard Craniums Treasured Taints (a song about the Richard Craniums of the world - plenty of mirror time in this one but others inspired as well)
21st Century Blues (what is giving you the blues? here's a short list of mine)

If anyone is interested in providing feedback on this material prior to release, PM me and I will send some stuff when ready for review ;~)) I would love the feedback!

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

Well after a lot of delays for a number of reasons, my new album "Knock Knock Knock" is now out in the wild. It will be available on most streaming platforms and digital retailers starting in the next 0-7 days. It can be heard immediately at my Bandcamp page . One of the great things about this album, for me, is I LOVE playing every single one of these songs! Give a listen and if you like, feel free to PM me for a free download code if you are interested ;~)) "Knock Knock Knock, time to unlock a little creativity" ;~))

​

 

[FuzzyAce]

Cheers on getting it out there, Moondog.

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

​

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

Bandcamp Friday happening now! Artists receive 100% of money spent today (they normally take 15%) ;~)) If anybody was interested in purchasing this album, today is a good day!! Also, here is an album summary that Adobe PDF Maker generated for me after analyzing the album and it's liner notes, I though this was pretty cool.

============================================================
Moondog Wily's album "Knock Knock Knock" emphasizes a raw, human approach to music creation and explores themes of creativity and emotion.

Album Overview
"Knock Knock Knock" is Moondog Wily's third album, recorded in a single 81-minute session.

The album consists of 15 songs, recorded with minimal post-production effects.

The recording features only a guitar, cajon, and vocals, with no overdubs or mistakes removed.

The album reflects a shift towards a more human, raw sound, moving away from studio perfection.

Themes
The album includes songs about music itself, exploring its various roles in life.

"Human Genre" is written from the perspective of a human-generated song.

The title track encourages listeners to unlock their creativity and embrace their unique expressions.

Artistic Approach
Moondog Wily utilized AI for album artwork, reducing creation time significantly while maintaining artistic input.

The artwork process involved selecting images, integrating logos, and adjusting fonts for a professional presentation.

The artist balances traditional artistic methods with modern technology to enhance efficiency.

Notable Tracks
"Chin Up" pays tribute to Taylor Hawkins, encouraging resilience in tough times.

"Dream Pillows" promotes the pursuit of dreams and aspirations.

"21st Century Blues" addresses contemporary issues and societal challenges, expressing a desire for change.

Conclusion
The album showcases a collection of songs that celebrate human emotion and creativity.

Moondog Wily invites listeners to engage with the music and find personal meaning in the themes presented.

The artist emphasizes the importance of authenticity and connection in music creation.
============================================================

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

​

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

This album "Knock Knock Knock" has been sent out to about a dozen sites for review. Below is the first one that has returned anything and it gives the album 11 of 15 (yes, this album goes to 11)! Here is the link (German magazine with no built in translations on site best I could tell), below that is the translation. The translation is done by google translate and then corrected by me for inaccurate wording, etc.

https://www.twilight-magazin.de/rev...og-wily-knock-knock-knock#zonik-cb177db52776c

===========================================================
By Martin Thiem
September 12, 2025
Twilight Magazine (a German publication)

Introduction:
Moondog Wily is an American musician and singer/songwriter. "Knock Knock Knock" is his third album. It is comprised of 15 titles. He recorded it in a single 81 min take on 23rd August 2025 - with the session resulting in this 50 minute album.
----------------------------------------------
As written in the introduction, the album was recorded in one go, no overdubs, no corrections. Moondog Wily composed the songs he selected for this album between 2000 and 2025. It is unusually puristic: voice, an electric guitar and a cajon, which he serves in parallel with a foot switch for effect changes. The post-production was just as minimalistic: slight mixing adjustments, some chorus and an amplified kick-like cajon sound. Nevertheless, there is a raw sound, which is also more in the middle and highs. Instead of months of studio work with effects and plugins, since 2023, he has been pursuing this minimalist approach, capturing his songs as they come live – human, flawed and real. Thus he positions himself in his own “human genre”, which is also the subject of a song by the same name. Several pieces revolve around music itself, including the title track, “FunkCountryRockFolk” and “Songstramentalist”. While he emphasizes the human in music, he uses AI tools when designing the artworks – not for convenience, but for practical reasons: faster implementation, lower costs, yet artistically curated and further processed. At this point, it should also be mentioned that the press kit leaves nothing to be desired in terms of content: one-page, 17-page liner notes with the song lyrics and a short description for each song. The result is an album full of philosophy, humor, blues and stories that find their strength in authenticity – raw, direct and consciously unpolished. Moondog Wily has created a suitable image for each song using AI.

The album opener "Knock Knock Knock" concludes that you are the lock to the door of creativity. "Creativity is intelligence - Havin' just a little bit of fun - Creativity is your best weapon - Against the way this world is run", it's said in the lyrics. "Human Genre" changes perspective: the view of the song itself, which does not arise from instructions to an AI (and probabilities), but through human consciousness (brain, soul). "Chin Up" deals with Taylor Hawkins. Triggered by his death, it emphasizes to continue and enjoy what someone has bequeathed (and with musicians it is immortal music). Chin up - even in dark times. "Helio Orbit" pays homage to David Bowie, with the idea that he was buried in space and is henceforth, as Admiral Stardust, in a red convertible on the magical helio orbit towards the Dark Star. "Dream Pillows" was inspired by a USA trip Moondog Wily did on a motorcycle. The appeal: make dreams come true. "FunkCountryRockFolk" wants to motivate himself to move to everything that brings your own soul musically into being. "Happy Birthday 2025" was born January 1, 2025 but it didn't make it into a release earlier. In "I Like Tequila", Moondog Wily sings of his favorite drink. The "InifiniZoo" sings of our universe from which we cannot break out. "My In-Laws Is Outlaws" describes the bad luck that can happen to you. One has indeed found his heart's love, but the affinity gained with it turns out to be the manifestation of the bad. In "Sexecution", it is about the (self-)destructive desire for a person who has rejected one, but one has nevertheless fallen into disrepair through this kiss of death. "Songstramentalist" revolves around the idea that the artist's actual instrument is the song itself, all other instruments are only companions. The text playfully describes how music can arise from all kinds of sounds, but the focus is always on the song as an expression of thoughts and feelings. This is how the piece celebrates the creativity and essence of songwriting. "Tattooed Brain" describes a metaphor of memories as tattoos, experiences and errors in life that leave traces in the brain, like the ink on the skin. Good and bad experiences that one regrets or accepts. In the end, it is perhaps about self-acceptance: living with all the scars and imprints is the only way to stay healthy inside. "Richard Cranium's Treasured Taints" - the esteemed flaw of the bighead. The album closes with the "21st Century Blues". Though the entire 20th century had enough occasions for the blues, much has come in the first quarter of the 21st century, nothing has changed.

Moondog Wily's voice reminds me a little of Primus' Les Claypool, a little squeaky or grating in the timbre. I also admit that this kind of purist music does not belong to what I consume privately. So it means you have to get involved. Even if it is the first impression that the songs are similar due to the same instrumentation, Moondog Wily varies in detail with measurement, beat/rhythm. For me, the lyrics of this album are perhaps even more important than the singing and music, so I would write that it is basically musically performed poems.

"Knock Knock Knock" actually needs an open mind to be opened up and will then require all the attention to be focused. In any case, not an everyday work and one that somehow has an effect.
================================================================