Distant Eden is a collection of short guitar improvisations that pay homage to my childhood home.

The title comes from a verse in my song October 29th from Autumn Sketchbook:

“I think about the old house all the time.
The hours that I spent there, in my youth.
It’s become some distant Eden that exists just in my mind.
I’ll never once again walk those fields of truth.”

The album explores several interests of mine:

First and foremost, is my love of brief, imperfect, improvised, or quickly sketched moments or fragments of music that don’t necessarily go anywhere—moments of nostalgia, mood, or longing that are not interested in being anything other than what they are.

In these warm meditations (or lamentations), I reflect on different aspects of my old home and yard—tapping back into a distant feeling.

Many of these moments are named after things that are no longer part of my life in Portland, such as cardinals, onion grass, and lightning bugs.

The order here loosely follows the course of a year and makes its way back and forth between the yard and the house. In my mind, they are vaguely grouped into sets (listed below).

With a total duration of 2 hours and 9 minutes*, Distant Eden mainly was recorded during the winter of 2022, but some “found” tracks date back to as early as 2012.

I will be adding individual track art and descriptions over the course of 2023. Clicking on each track name will take you to its page.

Future tracks are planned and will also be added over the course of 2023—probably a small batch per season.

*Update 1: Added eight new tracks on March 26, 2023 (see Set 20 below), bringing the total running time up to 2 hours and 22 minutes.

Update 2: Added ten new tracks on May 28, 2023 (see Set 21 below), bringing the total running time up to 2 hours and 36 minutes.

Update 3: Added eleven new tracks on July 30, 2023 (see Set 22 below), bringing the total running time up to 2 hours and 51 minutes.

Update 4: The standalone track Kid in the Basement II (poem) was recorded on August 16, 2023, and added on August 21, 2023.

Update 5: Added eighteen new tracks between October 15 - November 2, 2023 (Sets 23 & 24), bringing the total number of tracks to 149 and the full running time up to 3 hours and 16 minutes.

Update 6: Added five new tracks on December 20, 2023 (Set 25: The Christmas Annex), bringing the total number of tracks to 154 and the full running time up to 3 hours and 25 minutes. Texts were added on the subsequent days with the last being completed on December 27, 2023.

Update 7: Added the second standalone and final track, Death, on January 6, 2024, bringing the total number of tracks to 155 and the full running time up to 3 hours and 29 minutes.

Update 8: Added a nifty, 95-page, bonus PDF companion booklet (105MB) containing all the track descriptions and track art.

Update 9: Added Death II (poem) on February 2, 2024.

Set 1: Intro/early spring (6 min.)
1. Dining Room Window (Recorded: January 13, 2022)
2. breeze through the hydrangeas (January 26, 2022)
3. Forsythias Along the Fence (January 26, 2022)
4. springtime (January 26, 2022)
5. Rhododendron Red (February 5, 2022)
6. the rare bunny (February 5, 2022)

Set 2: Backyard (8 min.)
7. Bodkin (February 17, 2022)
8. The Back Fence (January 26, 2022)
9. the back left corner of the yard (February 4, 2022)
10. the early days when the yard had 27 more trees
(January 26, 2022)
11. the swingset, the slide, and the orange sandbox
(January 26, 2022)
12. The BB Gun (February 17, 2022)

Set 3: Spring II/Easter (5 min.)
13. The Carport (February 25, 2022)
14. Glass Easter Rabbits I (lime green felt vest) (October 3, 2018)
15. Glass Easter Rabbits II (light pink felt vest) (April 29, 2019)
16. jelly rolls (February 6, 2018)
17. karen witter 82 (February 25, 2022)

Set 4: Early summer (7 min.)
18. mindy in the flowers (February 5, 2022)
19. honeysuckle (February 4, 2022)
20. neighbor's pond (February 17, 2022)
21. pet cemetery (February 17, 2022)
22. playing (January 13, 2022)

Set 5: Mid-summer (7 min.)
23. Summer Lightning (February 17, 2022)
24. lightning bugs (February 17, 2022)
25. Croquet Set (February 25, 2022)
26. lawn darts (February 25, 2022)
27. on the roof (March 18, 2022)

Set 6: Inside the house (6 min.)
28. in the closet with glowing monsters (February 17, 2022)
29. Monk Monk (February 25, 2022)
30. the side window of the old bedroom, pensive (February 17, 2022)
31. ship wallpaper (February 25, 2022)
32. Snoopy Steals Darth Vader (February 25, 2022)

Set 7: Late summer (8 min.)
33. onion grass (February 4, 2022)
34. swimming (February 25, 2022)
35. Walk to Bodkin Park (February 17, 2022)
36. vegetable garden (March 23, 2018)
37. metal trash cans and shovel (February 25, 2022)

Set 8: Night I (7 min.)
38. blue house (June 7, 2012)
39. bluejay (October 1, 2021)
40. The Yard at Night (October 3, 2021)
41. Night I (June 7, 2012)
42. zZZZz (February 25, 2022)
43. Secrets in the Walls (February 5, 2022)

Set 9: The basement (utility room) (7 min.)
44. The Back Room of the Basement (February 25, 2022)
45. coffee-can totem pole (February 5, 2022)
46. the stationary tub (October 2, 2018)
47. Under the Stairs (February 25, 2022)
48. The Toy Shelf (February 25, 2022)

Set 10: Fall (6 min.)
49. The Avenue (February 17, 2022)
50. raking (February 17, 2022)
51. burning leaves (February 5, 2022)
52. scarecrows (August 23, 2018)
53. quail (February 17, 2022)
54. The Occasional Deer (February 5, 2022)

Set 11: Basement II (main room) (11 min.)
55. home (January 26, 2022)
56. Wood Paneling (March 17, 2022)
57. ghosts in the basement (June 7, 2012)
58. Fake Fireplace (Basement) (March 5, 2022)
59. Crickets (September 4, 2022)
60. Faces in the Paneling (February 17, 2022)

Set 12: Basement III (early days) (6 min.)
61. the old bookshelf by the stairs (March 18, 2022)
62. kid in the basement (January 13, 2022)
63. The Old Bar & the Dart Board (February 25, 2022)
64. longing (January 13, 2022)
65. The Old Guitar (March 5, 2022)

Set 13: Basement IV (9 min.)
66. Separate Lives (November 12, 2020)
67. The Old Basement (January 26, 2022)
68. lonely hours (January 13, 2022)
69. 8405 (February 25, 2022)
70. sadness of no talking (February 17, 2022)

Set 14: Night II/Bathroom (6 min.)
71. late (June 7, 2012)
72. light from staggered windows in the front door at night while
sleeping on the living room couch (February 25, 2022)
73. Nocturne III (February 25, 2022)
74. window above the tub (February 25, 2022)
75. Elf Soaps on the Back of the Toilet (February 25, 2022)

Set 15: Winter I (5 min.)
76. the holly tree (January 26, 2022)
77. Squirrels at the Bird Feeder (February 17, 2022)
78. Trip to Ellicott City (February 25, 2022)
79. pine needles (February 5, 2022)

Set 16: Winter II (6 min.)
80. Winter Yard (January 13, 2022)
81. Shoveling the Driveway (February 17, 2022)
82. moonlight out the windows (March 18, 2022)
83. The Workbench (February 25, 2022)
84. X (February 25, 2022)

Set 17: Winter III (living room) (7 min.)
85. Wreath Against the Window (February 5, 2022)
86. icicles (February 17, 2022)
87. Cardinal in the Snow (January 13, 2022)
88. Fake Fireplace (Living Room) (March 5, 2022)
89. The Piano (March 13, 2015)
90. the old house (January 13, 2022)

Set 18: Winter IV (bedrooms/halls) (8 min.)
91. Candles in the Windows (February 25, 2022)
92. The Blue Bulb (February 25, 2022)
93. Night II (June 7, 2012)
94. The Blue Boy in the Hall (February 17, 2022)
95. hallways (August 11, 2015)
96. Doors (February 25, 2022)

Set 19: Attic/Final (5 min.)
97. The Attic (January 26, 2022)
98. angel (March 18, 2022)
99. Midnight (February 25, 2022)
100. green plastic manger (March 18, 2022)
101. goodbye (March 24, 2018)

Addendum I (Added March 26, 2023)
Set 20: Winter/Post-Christmas (13 min.)
102. the snowscene painting above the living room fireplace (3/24/23)
103. the clicking of the baseboard heaters (March 4, 2023)
104. sick days (February 24, 2023)
105. snowstorm (February 24, 2023 - compiled/edited 3/23/23)
106. Snowed In (March 23, 2023)
107. My father’s black work gloves (March 4, 2023)
108. waiting for spring (March 1, 2023)
109. the shed in winter (July 5, 2013)

Addendum II (Added May 28, 2023)
Set 21: Spring (14 min.)
110. The Clothesline (March 24, 2023)
111. The Secret Garden (March 24, 2023)
112. first robin of the season (June 1, 2013)
113. the cross above the door (May 20, 2023)
114. Randy & Phil ((May 27, 2023)
115. Stanley (May 27, 2023)
116. Cathy St. George (March 4, 2023)
117. dandelion (May 20, 2023)
118. The Butterbean Tent (May 20, 2023)
119. lush green (March 22, 2015)

Addendum III (Added July 30, 2023)
Set 22: Summer (15 min.)
120. chainsaw in the distance (May 20, 2023)
121. kennel dogs (July 18, 2023)
122. American Indian Call (July 19, 2023)
123. Mr. & Mrs. Turner (July 24, 2023)
124. Marco Polo (July 26, 2023)
125. Tarring the Driveway (August 11, 2018)
126. the distant, lazy drone of a small airplane (July 25, 2023)
127. Black Booger (July 24, 2023)
128. the camper (July 24, 2023)
129. the old lawnmowers (July 24, 2023)
130. Whale Poster (July 19, 2023)

Standalone track (Added August 21, 2023)
131. Kid in the Basement II (poem) (August 16, 2023)

Addendum IV: Fall (Added October 15 - November 2, 2023)
Set 23: Late September/Early October (11 min.)
132. kicking the ball around with my dad (October 15, 2023)
133. the old brick school (October 15, 2023)
134. The Side Yard (October 15, 2023)
135. The Hutch (March 3, 2017)
136. The Dry Sink (October 8, 2015)
137. trips to dinosaur land (October 17, 2023)
138. Skyline Drive (October 16, 2023)
139. finger paints (October 19, 2023)
140. plastic monster ring (October 19, 2023)
141. The Zither (November 1, 2023)

Set 24: Late October (12 min.)
142. ghost holding a pumpkin on the kitchen table (Oct 25-26, 2023)
143. Flashlight Nights (October 25, 2023/October 29, 2023)
144. October Candles (October 26, 2023)
145. Charon (October 30, 2023)
146. Halloween (October 30, 2023)
147. Candy Corn (October 14, 2023)
148. scorpion (April 23, 2019)
149. red currant candle (October 27, 2023)

The Christmas Annex (Added December 20, 2023)
Set 25: The Christmas Annex (9 min.)
150. Santa Claus (December 19, 2023)
151. Ginger at Christmas (December 19, 2023)
152. Snow Globes (September 10, 2022)
153. the christmas garden (December 19, 2023)
154. Frosty (December 19, 2023)

Standalone track (Added January 6, 2024)
155. Death (December 19, 2023)

Standalone track (Added February 2, 2024)
156. Death II (poem) (January 8, 2024)