The Bailey Band’s debut studio album, “Someone You Can See” is an eclectic collection of ten original songs. Click on that “Full Screen” icon in the upper right hand corner of the box above to flip through and enjoy the digital Liner Notes. Or you can view and/or download a PDF by clicking here (better for mobile devices). Read about some background, insight, and fun facts about the songs below!
Track 1: Ghosted
“In the glow of the backlight” begins this dark parody of a 21st-century relationship. What is a girl to do if he hasn’t responded for a whole hour? Assume she’s been “ghosted” and vow to haunt him, that’s what.
A pounding piano and bass intro Olivia borrowed from Schubert and Listz kicks off the album in unique style. The piece, written in 1815, is a classical one to accompany a German folk tale called the “Der Erlkönig.” What’s that, you wonder? A dark specter or bogeyman who haunts. That was really just a happy coincidence.
Track 2: Jukebox
A fun, straightforward country/blues romp. One time Bailey had a guitar along on a trip with her Mom and Dad and played depressing songs, one after the other, for a whole day. Finally Dad asked her, “Can you play something less depressing?” She immediately began playing another depressing song, prompting Mom to say, “Honey, I think this jukebox is broken.”
Bailey made it a song.
Track 3: Silver Screen
“We’re all just extras in a scene on your portable silver screen.” It’s a social critique of the phoniness of the age of the “selfie stick”—influencers and wannabe influencers treating everyone else like an extra in their never-ending production of self-indulgent motion pictures on their phones.
The Bailey Band loves Regina Spektor and it shows in Bailey’s playful vocals and Olivia’s extravagant piano orchestration.
Track 4: Maybe I’ll Buy a Dog
“I want you to notice me so long as you don’t really-really look at me.”
Wait. Doesn’t the title track of this album say she wants to be seen? Why is she now begging the guy not to look at her? Or to not notice her? Or to pretend to notice her? Or notice her without “really-really” looking at her?
Because insecure teenage girls are not known for their emotional consistency. This is as bubble-gum pop as The Bailey Band gets.
Track 5: Someone You Can See
An anthem for shy people, wallflowers, and middle children, “Someone You Can See” is the first ever collaborative song composed by Bailey and Brian. He took her on a songwriting retreat to a remote cabin in the mountains and they vowed not to return until they had a song. They emerged two days later with the song fully formed, even the solo section, bridge, and harmonies—along with the very unusual feature of two acoustic guitars picking in two different, yet complementary, patterns.
Adding Parker’s upright bass, Pat’s sensitive snare, and Olivia’s exquisite piano orchestration made the song something special and more than worthy to take the album title.
Track 6: Last Best Place
Rocking “outlaw” country celebrating The Bailey Band’s home state of Montana, otherwise known as Big Sky Country or “The Last Best Place.” Brian wrote this two decades ago while living abroad and longing for home. He had no plans to use it, but the girls had other ideas and worked it up on their own.
Fun fact: the strange lyric, “find that alley that points the way to grace” (not “valley”) was inspired by Montana landscape artist TJ Lynde who, in addition to painting the cover art for the album, at one time made a practice of painting evocative scenes of Montana back alleys. When asked why he loved alleys so much, he replied: “There’s always light at the end of an alley. An alley points the way to grace.”
Track 7: My Favorite Color
The Bailey Band’s go-to song for quiet, rainy, blustery days. It should be everybody’s go-to for quiet, rainy, blustery days. Pour yourself a mug of coffee or tea, sidle up to the window, and let the band help you think of that special someone. It can be joy, happiness, heartache, or regret, but the mood will be melancholy blue.
Track 8: Gypsy
J.M. Barrie is a famous author who wrote a book everyone has heard about: Peter Pan. He also wrote a far lesser-known novel called The Little Minister, which tells the hilarious and heart-warming story of an earnest young Scottish Presbyterian minister who scandalously falls in love with a gypsy woman.
Naturally, a song about a gypsy would have to be in the style of “Gypsy Jazz.” It helps that Parker Brown spends a great deal of his time playing his upright in jazz ensembles.
Track 9: Roots
A band favorite, “Roots" emerged from a walk through a gloomy Redwood forest. How on earth do they stand? They hold each other’s “hands,” and The Bailey Band thinks that’s a good message for humans, too.
Bailey fashioned the melody in the style of Yorkshire folk songstress Kate Rusby. Local violin virtuoso Trevor Krieger graced the studio to bless and surprise the band with a full string arrangement. The result is magical.
Track 10: Much Ado
It has to be The Bailey Band’s favorite song. Co-written by noted lyricist William Shakespeare, every line of the verses and bridge are lifted directly from his play, “Much Ado About Nothing.” And the chorus gives a playful, contemporary spin to this classic romance.
Everything shines in this finale. The alternately tuned guitar, the vocals, the inventive wandering bass, the epic piano—but the rest of the band thinks Pat Epley makes his drums the real stars.