From the recording Octopi Ink
Penultimate Frontier song explication by John Royce Holtz, J.D.
What may I not say about Penultimate Frontier tune off OCTOPI INK L.P. by John Royce Holtz, J.D.?!! For one thing, the seven minute tune progressively escalates the dice…The song starts off modestly enough—But what it adds to that soon-to-be-legendary baseline promptly gets so slick off the Garage, without redirection, it becomes out of hand…and off the foot! I’ll have a banana split—Hold the bananas before the slip!
Furthermore, the tune sounds like a cross between original, varying baseline, sequence riffs like New Order, legendary Peter Murphy-esque vocals, and even a little, quasi Herbie Hancock on way, higher octave synths (The aforementioned comparisons are not, by any means, absolutely parallels, yet quite compatible.)—All the similarities are from venerable 1980’s staples….
I believe that I add a more modern, heart-throb status to the danceable inferno. Electro Jack Funking House, slightly Alternative and Indie Pop/Glam Rock ramps it up a few notches as it hobbles away before sprinting like a Gothic gazelle, way the f off the hook, like in geodesic, elliptical orbits !
The refrain belts/or spouts off: “Atypical Author….Personal Song Writer…Song Writer!” In between the two choruses for the grand finale, circa the five minute mark of the tune, celestial keyboards ricochet off faux Electric Guitars, which, in turn, shockingly bounce off the bass riffs, plus add volumnious drums—with minimal effects but maximum affect!
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Now, “penultimate” generally means second to last. In the tune, one interpretation is that being an “atypical author” is almost as grandiose as being a “personal song writer!…song writer!” Or, perhaps the unusual author presents a personal song for all of us who are lucky enough to have the opportunity to read it…
Now we all know that reading is often a more sophisticated art form than music because it requires the reader (and writer) to utilize more of their imagination. There are more configurations of words in the English lexicon than chord and note configurations.
Also, listening to music is a more passive way to inundate the listener with that same evocative vibe that a good read does, only it is concentrated into 3-4 power minutes of pure emotion with plenty of unseen and unforeseen emojis! Therefore, while reading/writing requires more brain energy, a “personal song writer” of a tailored tune delivers rawer, emotional energy to the intended listener, who may relax, take a load off, and/or merely inundate oneself in the glory of the musical and lyrical inspiration that is tailor-delivered to the “personal” recipient!
My tune is kind of like a benevolent love song to my futuristically found lady friend, plus simultaneously a gift to the whole world! Then again, a good book is like a tremendous song, in itself!~ If only we may get folks to read/write to mirror life more punctiliously!
Nevertheless, I did not mean an atypical author to be the penultimate frontier to personal song writing—necessarily. That is only one entendre. What I did mean was for both art forms to become penultimate conduits to conceivably win the heart of a fiercely, true soulmate, and ultimately, to hopefully find fuller favor towards appealing with G-d.
I like how the song begins with less and morphs into all-out spastic, melodious fireworks! Reminiscent of a cross between New Order’s slowly progressing Blue Monday, Bizarre Love Triangle and Peter Murphy’s Cuts You Up, Penultimate Frontier off the upcoming, 15-song Octopi Ink L.P. by John Royce Holtz really kicks a little college…Easily one of the greatest songs on an already, “quantumly” stellar L.P., this tune exponentially leaps and bounds towards the charts!!! No joke—This is, at times, masterful stuff!
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