Art of Motion, released in 2005, is Andy McKee's third studio album. This album features four tracks from Nocturne, McKee's debut CD, as well as most of the infamous YouTube tracks such as "Drifting", "For My Father", "Rylynn" and "Into The Ocean".
Track listing
#
Title
Time
1
"Art of Motion"
3:25
2
"When She Cries"
3:35
3
"Drifting"
3:11
4
"For My Father"
3:55
5
"Practice Is Perfect"
2:59
6
"Shanghai"
4:14
7
"Into The Ocean"
3:52
8
"Nocturne"
3:13
9
"Heather's Song"
3:24
10
"Samus' Stardrive"
2:41
11
"Keys To The Hovercar"
3:48
12
"Rylynn"
5:13
Andy's Comments
The album booklet features Andy's thoughts on the tracks and what they deal with.
#
Title
Comment
1
"Art of Motion"
A song about energy and movement. I was having a hard time coming up with a name (as I often do) until an audience member offered the name of her ballet school ... Perfect!
2
"When She Cries"
This song is an expression of those times when you wish you could take someone's sadness away. But as a wiseman once said, "Sometimes even music can't substitute for tears."
3
"Drifting"
An early tune that I wrote shortly after dropping out of college. I wasn't quite sure where I was going with my life at the time, and the title reflects that. This tune was inspired by Preston Reed's playing, the left hand is over the top of the guitar neck throughout.
4
"For My Father"
A dedication to my father, who lost his battle with cancer in May of 2005. My dad bought me my first guitar on my 13th birthday. Although he wasn't too happy when I dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to play guitar all day, he was very proud to see me performing all over the world in the last few years. This one's for you dad!
5
"Practice Is Perfect"
I had been studying Buddhism when I began writing this tune. It's a summation of the idea that while you are working towards something, you are in a state of perfection. Or in other words, "It's the journey, not the destination."
6
"Shanghai"
On the last day of my tour in China, I was sitting in my hotel room in Shanghai and this tune pretty much jumped right out of the guitar with little effort on my part. Shanghai is a beautiful, modern town with some amazing architecture and wonderful sights, but I couldn't hep but start feel a bit homesick.
7
"Into The Ocean"
Being from Kansas, I have had very few chances to visit the ocean. A few years ago, I went to visit my sister who was living in California at the time. We spent a day or two visiting some beaches and I was greatly inspired by the vastness of the ocean. It's the same feeling you get when standing next to a mountain. I love that feeling ...
8
"Nocturne"
A quite (quiet?) tune reflecting the nature of the night, the time when everyone rests. Except musicians!
9
"Heather's Song"
I wrote this tune and yet again I was having a hard time finding a name for it. I happened to play it for my sister and she asked what the title was and I had to tell her it's still untitled. She said, "Why don't you name it for me?" half-jokingly. So I did! This song is played on a baritone electric guitar.
10
"Samus' Stardrive"
I'm a video game addict and this tune is directly influenced by the music in a certain 8-bit oddyssey. After Samus' triumphant victory over Motherbrain and the Metroid hordes, I imagine she turned in for a long cryo-sleep during her stardrive to safer shores.
11
"Keys to the Hovercar"
When I was younger, I used to check out a book at out school library that made an attempt at envisioning the future. It had all sorts of great things in it; robots to do the laundry, robots to vacuum, robots to do the dishes, flying cars, you name it. And the greatest thing about it all, we were supposed to have it by the year 2000! Well, that didn't exactly work out. Since I can't drive a hovercar yet, I decided I'd write a tune about what the experience might be like.
12
"Rylynn"
This song is dedicated to Rylynn Coffman, a young girl as lovely and unique as her name. Although she came and went through this world so quickly, she will never be forgotten.
