When I’m not teaching guitar, I write and record my own music. Here are my latest projects.
Heartland
"I had a dream the other night
When everything was still
I thought I saw Susann
Coming up the hill"
Written between 2020 and 2022, and recorded in 2023, Heartland is Animal Soup's take on modern Americana. Between vignettes of the American experience and dystopian depictions of the isolation that clouds modern society, the new Animal Soup brings you commentary on America in the 2020s. While musically steeped in the band’s typical blend of progressive rock, pop, and a variety of other genres, the lyrics are inspired by the writers of classic American folklore such as Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Ralph Ellison.
Join Susanna and the American Angel as they traverse through the strange lands of modern America.
Chariots of the Gods?
Recorded simultaneously with the Edgewater album and REheated EP, CHARIOTS OF THE GODS? is a mini-concept album that blends progressive rock and metal with a storyline that blends science and religion. The material that makes up Chariots was written way back in 2017 for an unrelated project. When the sessions for that album were shelved, Josh repurposed the material for Animal Soup. It was originally meant to be a bonus disc for Edgewater, but the band felt so strongly about the material that they wanted to give it its own release. The epic Her Body Was a Planet in particular has become a staple at Animal Soup’s live concerts.
Inspired by the 70s pseudoscience book of the same name, CHARIOTS OF THE GODS? explores the idea of religious figures as greater extra-terrestrial beings who have interacted with earthlings. The instrumental opener, First Contact, depicts the aliens’ first visit to earth. Escape Velocity is taken from the perspective of an earthling awaiting their return. Finally, Her Body Was a Planet explores the afterlife journey that a recently deceased earthling embarks on.
Reheated
Reheated is a collection of reimagined live staples and old favorites from Animal Soup’s first two albums, Lover’s Leap and Eardreams. These new versions present the songs for the first time with full band performances and improved quality.
The idea to remake old Animal Soup songs came during the writing process for Edgewater as the newly formed lineup was revisiting material for future live shows. The material was initially recorded during the Edgewater sessions to be used as bonus tracks, but the band was so happy with the results that they decided to save the songs for their own release. With new vocalist Bridget Burke lending her talents to the material, Reheated is well worth the wait!
A Guitar for Christmas
An eclectic collection of Christmas and Christmas-related songs. Enjoy a warm beverage with Josh Mundt's cozy guitar carols!
Frosty Village composed by David Wise from Diddy Kong Racing
The Polar Express composed by Josh Mundt
The Christmas Song composed by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé
Special thanks to everyone who supported me and my projects in 2020.
Edgewater
Recorded on a mountain top outside Boulder, Colorado, EDGEWATER is the fourth full length studio album by Animal Soup and the first to feature a full band. The album is a sprawling epic that touches on themes of growing up, failure, nostalgia, distant romance, and reckoning with modern injustices and social upheaval. All this is set behind an exciting progressive rock backdrop, a wall-of-sound style of production, and the setting of the band's home state: Colorado. The album is musically diverse, from the synth-pop inspired electronics in Persistence, Resistance & Compliance, to the energetic rock of Breakfast of Champions, to the odd time signature frenzy of Snowfall In Loveland. It features fantastic musicianship, creativity, and a concept that makes for a rewarding full album experience.
The original concept for Edgewater was conceived by guitarist Josh Mundt in 2013 and the album was written, demoed, shelved, revisited, and reworked regularly throughout the following 7 years. In 2020, with a new lineup of Animal Soup formed, the project was revisited with new songs added including lyrical contributions from vocalist Faye Baulch. Recording commenced in July of 2020 and continued steadily through the second half of the year until completion in December 2020.