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Beach Practice

by Veda Hille

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in an eco-digipak (cardboard gatefold and plastic spider), with photos by Jennilee Marigomen and design by Miles Wintner

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Deluxe 12" version of Beach Practice, featuring transparent soft pink vinyl and lyric sheet insert with photos by Jennilee Marigomen and design by Miles Wintner.

    For customers from the UK, Europe, and elsewhere, we apologize for the high cost of shipping, as what you are paying is what it actually costs us.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Beach Practice via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
I Jump In 02:24
I love when I am dancing in the kitchen I love when I'm funny, saying funny things I love when I remember I love swimming I jump in, again and again and again I love that I really like my mother I love that I'm a jerk when I win I love being older, mostly you know who you are I'm an asshole I'm a good mom I'm a half decent friend I jump in Again and again and again
2.
beach practice sing or swim never always give get lover lever etiquette exasperate build a fence around your face grief practice sink or climb sometimes never reach react add subtract a tesseract a balcony dig a hole and go to sleep light alight a light a butterfly a bird, a humming bird a buzzing not from your device how nice the sky alight bang your pots and pans, oh man line align a line geometry a word, a sudden word a shiver not from temperature unsure the stars align a line ring your little bell, oh well we practice, you and me equations and instruments how to do a little dance in symmetry me and you and you and me dig a hole and go to sleep
3.
Tracers 03:13
they injected you with tracers now your bones glow in the dark like the pleasure in a new eraser we will meet you glowing in the park lighting up the hood so good cleaning up the lines so fine till you wear the paper through boo hoo boo hoo boo hoo they put your body in a catscan now your insides are on screen you could run away to Scotland, or to Maui, or Bristol or Berlin but what good would it do for you you can’t tell them how to grow oh no multiplying all the time just fine just fine just fine beautiful birds blue turquoise patchwork fly into my house it is not a disaster come in one window out the other a beautiful scrap in an otherwise flat world keep it up they took off their scrubs and masks and gave you papers and set you free now you float above the landscape doing tasks and watching your tv who knows where you’re heading to doesn’t matter where you’re from here’s the thing I wish for you may the best day you’ve ever seen be worse than your worst to come beautiful birds blue turquoise patchwork fly into my house it is not a disaster come in one window out the other a beautiful scrap in an otherwise flat world keep it up
4.
Be A Tree 02:15
be in music without assignation be awake without destination be on the hill be near the sea be with me be nearby without complication be alive, be alive and then some be in the kitchen be on the stoop I’ll be with you be with you be with you *the darker the night the brighter the stars the deeper the grief the closer is god don’t chase meaning, trust delight I will pay if this is the price a hundred extra beats every day and night half a century of life be asleep and wander about freely be wherever you can be, really be a mess be a tree be a melody *Dostoevsky
5.
I was captured by Robert Downey Jr. John Cena was his muscle, and kept me from escaping by holding me tight. I began to hold him back, till he was on my side. When Downey had a moment distracted we ran, and then it was just me running, and I was John Cena, so strong. Kicking through walls and diving through glass windows into the ocean, which was rough and wild.
6.
A Knife 03:19
I took a knife and I cut it open I didn’t mean to, I wasn’t thinking I don’t wanna see What’s inside of me I took a knife, I wasn’t jokin’ I got this scar, a souvenir token And here, and here, and here The fear, the fear Any little pain brings it back again So many blades, bright and inspiring So many nerves, no longer firing Patchy and berserk I am a piece of work So She took a gun and she drew a picture I didn’t move, I didn’t kick her Be still, be still, be still Until, until Every combat zone ends up as something that you own
7.
Free Radical 03:25
Oh heavens, unwind Unwrap me from this cotton wool Dissolve my zap straps, I’ll unspool And blether round I’ll make small sounds I’ll smell as good as coffee grounds Go marching on Till I can’t then you put me down Somewhere contained, somewhere so clean Just not the shelf of a museum Very little want haunts me Very little want haunts me Mostly I want To see him grown and not alone And full of fire that is his own I hold him tight when he comes to me Very little haunts me Oh heavens, be kind Be lightning be electrical Crack open see what’s in my skull I’ll play and sing Like anything Wrap round your finger like a ring Yes, I will marry you The heavens and the hellfire too I’ll take it all Though I am so small I’ll be your free radical Very little want haunts me Very little want haunts me Mostly I want Like all along just one more song To find my hands, I’ll sing along I’ll wake at night when you come to me Very little haunts me Oh heavens, unwind Unwrap me from this cotton wool Dissolve my zap straps, I’ll unspool Gather round I’ll make the sounds I’ll save the fox retrain the hounds Yeah, I will go marching on Till I can’t then you put me down Somewhere contained, somewhere so clean Just not the shelf of a museum Please light me up like gasoline I will build myself a mausoleum Made of music and the cracks between I will sing ‘em as I see ‘em Just let me dissipate and be unseen
8.
Directions 02:08
You look the person in the eye I’ll look you in the eye, I’ll Look you You figure out how best to tell I’ll figure out I’ll figure Out You think of the way, the easiest way, the ease You think of the way, the easiest way, the ease You lay it out I’ll lay I’m out Please ask me so I can say I’m sorry I don’t know the way Please ask me so I can say I’m sorry I don’t know the way You look at the eye You look at the person in the eye You look at the eye You look at the person in the eye You look at the eye You look at the person in the eye I’ll look you in the eye I’ll look you You figure out how best to tell What is the best way to tell You figure out the best way to tell I’ll figure I’ll figure out I’ll figure You think of the way, the easiest way, the ease You think of the way, the easiest way, the ease You think of the way, the easiest way, the ease You lay it out I’ll lay You lay it out I’ll lay I’m out Please ask me so I can say I’m sorry I don’t know the way Please ask me so I can say I’m sorry I don’t know the way
9.
Time 03:42
10.
Coyote 03:20
Driving in the car at night My husband drives I’m on the passenger side We are quiet, tired The other cars are only lights Twinned lights in the dark I know this drive There are no surprises I look up and to the side In a flash of headlights Standing on the concrete divide A coyote Still Looking to one side I saw this for one second maybe two No time to point it out to you Yeah I saw this for one second maybe two And now every time we make that drive In my mind A freaking coyote Dangerous, poised, alive Some things happen again and again Like a dream that keeps repeating Some things happen only once And shine out like a beacon Of what could come And then you look up once and see A different picture, how things could be Forever still Forever standing On the divide Alive

about

In the early spring of 2020 I was getting ready to do a lot of things: open a theatre production in Dusseldorf, tour my solo show Little Volcano, and continue working on large musicals. And then, like many people, suddenly I was homeschooling my son, figuring out how to have zoom meetings, and going for confusingly beautiful spring walks in the abruptly still city. It was weird, but definitely not the worst apocalypse.

I wrote a note to the Cultch, my East Van home base, and started practicing on the good piano in the empty theatre. I wrote the songs that are now on Beach Practice in that limbo time, the period of suspension before the human world creaked back to life.

And then a really nice thing happened; Nicholas Krgovich told me that he was making a covers album of my songs. While I was plunking notes at the Cultch he was walking around Vancouver singing my old songs and making new versions in his kitchen. That album This Spring came out in spring 2021, and by then we were playing backyard and online shows and working on Beach Practice. I sent him rough demos recorded on the phone, really rough, and he built sounds and grooves around those early ideas. He made them into songs with the help of friends recording in their own homes, and then I came in at the end and just sang. It was easy, and fun, like two old friends hanging out because that's what it was.

And so here it is, another spring record. There will be a lot of albums coming out right now, with similar stories. We’re happy to be part of that crowd, the wave of music that might be one of the nicer side effects of these strange years. My memories of 2020 all seem to be in little boxes; seeing people online, leaning out the window banging pots and pans, organizing the fridge. Think of this record as another small box. For you!

credits

released March 31, 2022

Produced by Nicholas Krgovich
Mixed by Joseph Shabason
Mastered by Joe Lambert
Design by Miles Wintner
Photos by Jennilee Marigomen

Veda Hille - singing, piano, casio
Nicholas Krgovich – singing, drum programming, percussion, keys, guitar, ukulele, midi orchestra
Aaron Olson – bass
Thom Gill - electric guitar, synth, singing
Joseph Shabason - saxophone, flute
Chris Harris - pedal steel
Ryan Peters - drum kit
Matt Rheeston - drum kit
Anders Hille Kellam – singing, directions
Jason Zumpano - 7 o’clock cheer recording

Veda Hille gratefully acknowledges the support of The Canada Council for the Arts. Thanks also to the Cultch, Cryptic UK, and the Offers & Answers crew.

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about

Veda Hille Vancouver, British Columbia

Born August 11, 1968 into a nice family in Vancouver, Canada. Started playing piano in 1974. Childhood interests included plants, books, microscopes, science fiction, and psychiatry. Attended art college in the late 80′s and started writing music. Now makes records, writes musical theatre, scores films, teaches songwriting, tours, and generally keeps busy. See full discography at Veda's website. ... more

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