Preston – Smiler

Preston
Smiler [rough mixes]
1994 (no label)

Denis Preston – All vocals and instruments

Side 1:

1. What Would You Say
2. Short Vocals
3. Short Heavy
4. Smiler
5. Talk to Me
6. Endurance
7. Erik’s Song (Den’s Version)
8. Maybe I’m Amazed
9. Birthday
10. Eight Miles High
11. Short Stuff
12. Short Smiler
13. Elisha’s Run
14. Stop
15. Just Looking For

Side 2:

1. Jungle Journey
2. Cry
3. They Tell You Lies
4. How I Love You
5. Sick
6. Meek But Bold
7. I Don’t Get It
8. Little Driver
9. Noi Troba
10. Not Easter
11. Salvation / Sanctification (just the intro)

So this is the same Preston that put out Toys from Hell in 1991. I’m not sure if this was for a follow-up project, or just some experimentation. Or both. There are sticky notes on the tape that indicate the “short” songs might end up in different places or with different names in between longer songs. This is  very experimental music that is all over the place stylistically – acoustic songs, rock songs with loud guitars, keyboard pieces, etc. “Maybe I’m Amazed” is a parody cover of “Baby I’m Amazed,” while “Birthday” is a cover of The Beatles song (with some extra “lyrics”). “Talk to Me,” “Erik’s Song,” “I Don’t Get It,” “Little Driver,” “Not Easter,” and the full version of “Salvation / Sanctification” would later be included on Rough Mixes of Basement Tapes 1993-2001 with other songs from different projects. Its a pretty cool project, and several of these songs also ended up on Preston’s BandCamp page, although I’m not sure if they are in this version or a later version as there is a lot of music there and I haven’t been able to check it all out.