WARREN TEAGARDEN - HAIKU ISLANDS VOLUME ONE

After more than a decade fronting a band, Warren Teagarden releases a solo EP on October 18 entitled Haiku Islands Volume One. The San Francisco singer/songwriter offers up five songs ranging from up-tempo modern rock to a melancholy ballad and delivers his best songwriting to date.

Why "Haiku Islands" for the title? Haiku Islands Volume One is the first in a series of three EPs due out over the next year. Volume Two will feature seven songs and Volume Three five songs. So ...five, seven, five...the number of syllables in each line of a haiku. The "islands" refers to the fact that there is no common theme between the songs, as if each tune is like an island unto itself.

There are some familiar faces on Volume One. Longtime Good Grief collaborator Jessica DeSimone returns to lend her stellar voice to all five songs and more recent Good Griefer Johnny Tripod plays guitar on several songs as well. The piano on The Calaveras Line is by Rich Trott, who provided piano on the Warren Teagarden and The Good Grief self titled album from 2011. Drums on Volume One were handled wonderfully by Steve Landey.

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Track-by-track synopsis:

The Camera

You see an old family photo and recognize a bit of yourself in a long forgotten relative. Who will see your photo in years to come and see in your image a bit of themselves?

Talking Points

Why do we keep arguing when we know neither side will budge? Whether its love or just plain stubbornness, it's probably best to keep the conversation going.

Mistaken for a Radical

The original idea for this song was to draw some sort of parallel between the persecution of Christ and the persecution of the transgender community. The lyrics ended up a little more vague than that, but there is still a hint of that original idea present here.

The Calaveras Line

Sometimes you have to leave your hometown if you want a better life. You wish your hometown could provide all the opportunities you can find in the city, but a small town cannot.

The Sea Became His Grave

Inspired by the overused marital advice "never go to bed angry" this song explores the worst possible outcome of ending a conversation on a bad note. Sung beautifully by Jessica DeSimone.