Over the past 7 years I’ve released dozens of self-produced original songs on YouTube. I love them all, but I felt my self-production skills lacked in a serious way and I wanted to make a collection of music that maintained a level of quality that I admired in my favorite records. I wanted to make something grander than what I could accomplish by myself; a record that I hoped would stick around a little longer than my usual quickly mixed one-take. So I searched the internet for potential producers and late one night I came across Mike Falzone’s “You & Me.” The recording was stunning; beautifully mixed, captivating guitars, sonically dense effects. This was exactly what I was looking for. So I had some more wine and worked up the courage to email the producer, Jeremy Hatcher. I implored, he abided and we started with the song Extra Ordinary and went from there.

Produced by Jeremy Hatcher
Engineered & Mixed by Jeremy Hatcher
Mastered by Brad Blackwood at Euphonics Mastering

Recorded at the Peace Palace in Eagle Rock, Jeremy’s Hollywood apartment, Venkman Studios in Culver City, Jeremy & Dante’s rehearsal lockout in West LA, Jeremy’s Nashville house.

All songs written by Dante Cimadamore / Give Me Motion (C) 2017
(P) Music Every Moment (ASCAP)

Additional writing by Jeremy Hatcher on WYBTWIBT and Extralude

Drums: Jay McMillan (4,6,8), Scot Stewart (1), Griffin Wright (2,3)
Bass, Electric & Lead Guitars, Programming,
Background Vocals: Jeremy Hatcher
Lead & Background Vocals, Acoustic & Rhythm Guitars,
Ukulele, Moog, Piano: Dante Cimadamore
Violin: Morgan Paros (6)
Additional Piano: Bradford Snow (1)
Gang Vocals: Marc Walloch, Scot Stewart, Jay McMillan,
Bradford Snow, Zac Clark, Aly Jados, Dante Cimadamore (1)

Cover Art by Christina Johnson
Web Design by Michael “Cougarbait” Ressl
Disc Art by Bryan Briscoe
This record would not be possible without the help and guidance of the following people: Christopher Welch, Michael “Cougarbait” Ressl, Christina Johnson, Bryan Briscoe, Vaughn Hannon, Jeff & Meghan McBarnett, Caleb Coppola, Epic Lloyd and Josie Ahlquist, Nice Peter Shukoff, Ed Monk, Benjamin Atha, the Jackpot Golden Boys, Jesse Cale, Rusty Clanton, Tessa Violet, Dodie Clark, Ale Catanese, Flynn Adam, David Babich, James Connelly, Jose “Choco” Reynoso, Bradford, Scot, Jay, Marc and everyone at the Peace Palace, my parents Cynthia and Dan, my sister Diana, my encouraging cousins, and the person who had to deal with all of my needless obsessing the most: the incomparable Mary “Doodles” Gutfleisch

1. Extra Ordinary

This song first got its feet when I approached my friend Flynn Adam to help me create an “island groove” for a verse, chorus and bridge I put together. Flynn – with inherent rhythm and hip-hop sensibility – whipped together some digital drums in an evening and we got the feel going. I tracked a rough demo of vocals, uke, and bass and shelved it for another day (two years). That day came at Jeremy’s Hollywood apartment with some song structuring and discussion of dynamics. A few days later he had restructured and resampled the drums, added an intro, and tracked that driving acoustic guitar that leads you into the chorus. We spent the rest of the time recording at the Peace Palace in Eagle Rock. Scot Stewart played some toms and snare to add more sonic texture to the drums and Bradford Snow played some somber piano on the bridge. Like most of my songs, Extra Ordinary has a very clearly defined lyrical intention and arch. I wanted to encapsulate the feeling of appreciation and awe for the natural world and consider my relationship to it.

I wanna roam the sea with you

I wonder if our splashing will just see us through

how lucky the sunlight will find the moon

it’s something extra ordinary

Hey

I wanna climb a tree with you

crawl up to the coconuts and

drink their juice

if it’s beautiful then you will have no excuse

it’s something extra ordinary

Hey

We’re not allowed to see it

because we live and breathe it

you and I, you and I were wrong

For every simple question I’ll find my own direction

you and I, you and I belong

I wanna be at peace with you

forget about our troubles and see this through

If you’ll forgive my ego on the loose.

it’s something extra ordinary

Hey

2. Usually Helping

This song was the last one to get finished and the hardest to write. I had recorded some mumblings of a verse and the chorus “usually helping each other” on my phone sometime in 2014/2015. When I approached Jeremy in 2016 there were still no words, but he saw the potential and we recorded pretty much everything else. Time crept on as we completed the rest of the record, but I still had not finished lyrics. I tried writing about a plethora of preachy subjects and inside jokes, but nothing felt right. Finally after listening to Smashing Pumpkins “1979” I found my guidepost: to find nostalgia, reflect upon it, and hopefully smash it. But how do I start the song? Easy, just use the same opening line as 1979.

shakedown 1995

brown and nerdy and just trying to stay alive

new school’s got a bunch of skaters

and guess who’s a target for the haters

kickflip to 1996

behind the bowling alley learning to French kiss

Free hearts, never ending summers

sweet girls and a band of brothers

Usually Helping each other

yea we’re usually helping each other

usually helping each other

I thank you for getting me where I should go

update to the fall of ’98

I got a Squier, but I can’t get a date

high school isn’t what they told me

but there’s weed so I’m better high than lonely

Spring forth to the end of ’99

cool kids still don’t have the time

but we live for practicing our covers

big dreams in a band of brothers

usually helping each other

I thank you for getting me where I should go

I won’t say those were the best years of my life

Cause that would make me sad

And I’d sound like my dad…

these days I’m still following a dream

and every time I fail I know what it means

my worth is not a number

and when you’re lost you discover

we’re usually helping each other

yea we’re usually helping each other

usually helping each other

and I thank you for getting me where I should go

3. Now That I Know It

Another phone demo that could have been lost to the passing of time. I had the fingerpicking intro, the mumbling melody, and the words “now that I know it…. no one else” for the chorus section. I first thought it would be a love song like “I love you and no one else” but as time and experience infiltrated my brain I found myself wanting to write about more abstract feelings that contain contradiction and duality; the elements life is truly made of.

My time working on the Epic Rap Battles of History was filled with both incredible gratitude and intense self-hatred and impostor syndrome. Looking back at videos I made during that time it’s obvious. I spent days of wasted time considering all of the possible outcomes that could have unfolded. Reality is there was only one path I could have taken and I’m still on it so keep on moving forward. Turn this one up loud. Fingers in the air.

Once I broke a promise to my self

cashed the check but never felt the wealth

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes for no one else

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes

you held me back, but not against my will

feed me to your dogs, I’d love ya still

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes for no one else

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes

the truth is I was very unprepared

to live my life with fingers in the air

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes for no one else

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes

can you see it? don’t you be afraid

just believe it. It’s all the same

I still got your passion

that’s not all I got from you

I hate to be untrue

but that’s not all I got from you

age is finally catching up with me

but I’ll still wear my heart on every sleeve

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes for no one else

now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes for no one else

yea, now that I know it

I’d make the same mistakes

4. Autumn in America

You can find a one-take one-shot demo/explanation of this song on YouTube. It was inspired by Occupy, the Arab Spring, and hope for all kinds of social change through technology. I believe we are in the middle of the ripples from those events and their full impact is still unfolding.

I had pretty much tracked this song entirely by myself, but it sounded awful. So Jeremy and I started from scratch and recorded it all again adding some driving electric guitars, much more proficient bass shredding (Jeremy) and extra moog harmonies in the final section. Fun note about the Bernie Sanders quote at the top: as we were recording guitars the amp picked up a Bernie speech being broadcasted on the radio. It was never my intention to add a “political” quote to the song, but the serendipity of the event made it necessary.

My fondest dream has been a simple life

cherishing the small things

what else could l need?

then I start to think

in a world that now believes it’s all or nothing

how can I compete?

Changing

all the leaves are changing

colors quite amazing

Autumn in America

Piles

I can see for miles

Don’t be in denial

Autumn in America

Under this tree

I feel the roots around me

every day they’re strengthening

soil and seed

but when one busy bee

hides all the honey

from the rest of his own colony

there will be a swarm of bees

Changing

all the leaves are changing

colors quite amazing

Autumn in America

Piles

I can see for miles

Don’t be in denial

Autumn in America

learn the language of the winter’s wind

don’t let it cut and shut you in

there’s stories to be told

find the warmth of community

share in the prosperity

and spring time will unfold

5. Extralude

Extra Ordinary time stretched and pitched. Jeremy offered it as an idea to tie things together a bit. May it infiltrate your dreams.

6. WYBTWIBT

Originally written as an ode to Jesse Cale who was moving out of LA back to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. I wrote it from his perspective and then added my own emotional baggage into it and reflections of heading back to the place where I started.

The music truly soars thanks to Morgan Paros’ lifting violin, Jeremy and his crafting of a truly epic outro and the pounding drums of Jay McMillan. Fun fact about Jay, he drummed for River City High, one of my favorite bands in high school so you can imagine the honor of having him drum on this, Autumn, and Indebted. You can hear my original version this song on my bandcamp titled “Will You Be There When I’ll Be There?” and hear what I self-produced and started with.

I’m on my way

I’m on my way to a new home

but it’s not to stay

it’s just to keep me on my toes

Love is my leg

I hope it keeps up my balance

when the wind blows

and I’m back up on the road

Will You Be There When I’ll Be There?

Something to say

is there something that you hold

can you give it away

do you need all your old clothes

are they wearing you thin

I say face all your problems

kiss them away

there’s a new home that you’re in

Will You Be There When I’ll Be There?

7/8. Long Distance Love / Indebted

These two songs were written in conjunction – one after the other – the way that you hear them now. I was writing Long Distance Love and it naturally flowed into Indebted and it all happened in a night. I was overstaying my welcome on my sister’s couch (again) in April of 2009 wrapped in nostalgia and feeling a wave of gratitude for my ability to move to LA, fail hard, move back home and return again. If there was ever a closing statement to my life, this is it. Thanks for being a part of it.