American Vanity explores the many faces of hubris in american culture, government and society. the concept of vanity is fascinating to me. at first, america’s bloated egotism and its’ presumptuous smug attitude, reoccurring themes in the history of our politics and culture, was plenty of material to get my blood boiling and the project started. the real challenge was to dig deeper, and get past the finger pointing and realize that vanity just may be a corner stone of the american way. in fact, our whole way of life, perhaps staring with those overly-confident and demanding colonists refusing to pay taxes , is built on vanity. however, excessive egotism suggests emptiness and hollowness, that some argue has irreparably damaged our culture. “the masses are asses” or so the saying goes, and is seems we get dragged from fad to fad because the media tells us what to do and who to listen to and what to wear etc… along the way, some innovative gems of “americana” become more than just passing fancies signifying nothing, but instead offer us a glimpse into a time that was or a time that is or even can be. my goal was to mine for these “gems” through improvisation, composition and re-interpretation. as americans we are simultaneously victims and purveyors of vanity and this... more
1. The Fad 01:54
2. Coke (for our addicts) 02:06
3. Gnossienne #1 04:56
4. Mandrake 03:55
5. American Eulogy 02:17
6. Better Get Hit in Your Soul 03:39
7. BA-DEE Image 02:28
8. Greensleeves in Vermont 03:37
9. Ode to Little Drummer Joy 03:20
10. $...(part 1) 00:37
11. Old Man River (for our lost ones) 06:19
12. New Coke (part 1) 00:36
13. Driftin' On A Reed 02:11
14. American Innocence 02:29
15. $...(part 2) 00:40
16. Dukes of Hazzard 03:22
17. Take on Me 03:41
18. Femme Fatale 03:37
19. New Coke (part 2) 00:48
20. Display Window Strut 03:30
all arrangements by eric hofbauer, tracks 1,2,5,7,10,12,14,15,19,&20 by hofbauer (spice-E music, BMI), c+p 2002 Creative Nation Music Productions
recorded by eric hofbauer at CNM studios (aka his living room), Somerville, MA, summer 2002
mastered by warren amerman and eric hofbauer at rotary records, Springfield MA, oct. 2002
graphic design by rich cole
produced by eric hofbauer
