What reasons do we put forth that ultimately prevent our own happiness and success? Are they real, or are they manifestations of our own minds? They sure do seem real at times! This song is an internal dialogue that demonstrates this struggle. Only by looking inward and confronting these difficult questions, may we begin to unravel the preconceived notions that we cling to, and perhaps in doing so, reach our higher selves.

“Reasons”, like “Where is Home?” has gone through many phases, and a few different bands. And again, my newest release is one of my oldest songs!

I wrote the chords for the chorus, first, back when I was still in high school. I was trying to go for a Soulive-type vibe.

The chords and melody for the verse didn't come along until a few years after, when I was 20 years old. I just left Pittsburgh, where I had lived and attended The University of Pittsburgh for two years. I was heavily influenced by the local jazz scene. When I wrote the original melody, I was inspired by the album Once Upon a Mind, by Colter Harper, a fellow Pittsburgh based guitarist. Over time, and after vocals were added to the song, the melody changed, but it is preserved in its original form during the instrumental section before the 2nd verse.

Vocals were added after I moved to Philadelphia to pursue a jazz degree from Temple University. Miraculously, after only being in Philly for a few months, I was lucky enough to form a band with my college friends. We called ourselves Erronious Krunk, a silly take on one of our inspirations, Thelonious Monk. Our singer, Samantha Rise, wrote lyrics to a handful of my original compositions. “Reasons” was one of them. It was called “Clutch” at the time. The current lyrics include a lot of Samantha’s original lines. I wrote the second verse, and edited her words to better fit my own experience.

This song also marks The Ardvark Felon’s first fully self-produced record. We tracked the song using our own gear at our drummer’s house in Media, PA. I mixed it myself at my home studio in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Sure, there was a little bit of a learning curve, but overall we’re really proud of our work, and we're excited to see what opportunities it creates for the band. Already, the studio has turned into a great means for collaboration. I have regularly been working with other artists both as a studio guitarist and as a producer. The Ardvark Felon is ready for hire!