Post Description

Salem Hill is an American progressive rock band based in the Nashville, Tennessee area.



Welcome to the "Who did what and why" page for our new album "The Unseen Cord / Thicker than Water". Here we'll give you the scoop on who played what on each song and what the song is about. 

Float was written by Carl. "I had finished reading the book Little Girl Blue and the tragedy of Karen Carpenter's story was overwhelming to me. I don't really think she ever knew how tremendously gifted she was. I think her damaged self-image supports that theory. So I wrote 'Float' as a tribute to her as well as a lamentation of how our society prizes a certain body shape and image and how so many folks buy into that garbage, often at their own peril." Carl played piano, guitar, Wurlitzer, Hammond and sang lead vocals on Float. Michael played bass guitar, fretless bass guitar, bass synthesizer, and sang backing vocals. Kevin played drums, vibraphone, and sang backing vocals. Michael and Carl arranged the backing vocals. 

Sing On was written by Carl. "I wrote 'Sing On' years and years ago. I was playing and singing some song at my wife's grandmother's house, and her cousin, Saskia Grooms, came in and I instinctively quit playing. 'Sing On! Sing On!' she cried out and it stuck with me. The song's lyrics originally were about celebrating the gift that is music and although they've been altered throughout the years, for the new album, we all decided to go back to the original intent. There are some updated parts, but the song is, essentially, how I wrote it many years ago." Michael played electric guitar (solos he trades with the synthesizer), and sang lead. Carl played acoustic guitar, mandolin, synthesizers, Hammond, electric guitar, and sang backing vocals. Patrick played bass guitar. Kevin played drums and sang backing vocals. Michael arranged the backing vocal tracks. 

Butterfly was written by Carl and Michael. Lyrically, the song swings back and forth between two travesties. First of all, those who feel, see, and write deeply are usually the same folks who are ignored. Second, there's a helplessness that one finds upon this realization. It's like discovering profound truth and realizing that when you share it, it will be met with a shrug. Michael played fretless bass and sang backing vocals. Carl played piano, guitars, synthesizers, and sang lead vocals. Kevin played drums and sang backing vocals. Michael arranged the backing vocal tracks. 

Hurt was written by Carl. "I wrote 'Hurt' about suicide. For years, I heard opinions about it being 'the coward's way out', 'the unforgivable sin', and other horrible things. Can't deny the horrible part, but when you delve deeply into the subject and you understand how someone could eventually get to that place, it's both terrifying and educational. 'Hurt' is my way of telling someone very, very close to me who has struggled with suicidal thoughts for years that although I can now see their pain more clearly, this isn't a decision you can turn back from once it's been made. Carl played guitar, piano, Hammond, and sang backing and most of the lead vocal. Michael played bass, guitar and sang backing and the other lead vocal. Kevin played drums and vibraphone and sang backing vocals. 

Holding On (Happy Hands) was written by Michael and Carl. This song was an instrumental up until about 2 weeks before the conclusion of the album. Michael had told Carl he'd written a melody but didn't have lyrics yet and Carl was skeptical a vocal line could be sung over what was already recorded. Michael decided to write lyrics about a friend who is struggling with their marriage. Carl's original title for the instrumental was "Happy Hands" because the keyboard part is so frenetic. Michael incorporated that into the final title, using an entirely new meaning. Michael played bass, electric guitar and sang backing and the lead vocal. Carl played piano, Hammond, synthesizer, guitar and sang backing vocals. Kevin played drums, WaveDrum, and sang backing vocals. 

So Much More was written by Michael and Carl. This song is about a friend of the band who has experienced a violent, unimaginable, devastating trauma. Michael played fretless bass, sang backing vocals and sang the lead vocal. Carl played piano, synthesizers and sang backing vocals. Kevin played drums, vibraphone, and sang backing vocals. Michael arranged the backing vocals. 

Noon was written by Carl. Lyrically, "Noon" was inspired by an accident Carl's two oldest daughters were in in December of 2012. The song depicts the accident, the period of recovery, the challenges to one's faith in the midst of crisis, and the realization/resignation that life will happen and it won't always be enjoyable. Musically, Carl used snippets of pieces he was working on in the months before the accident. "I waited until after the album was done to let my wife and daughters hear it. It's long--about 28 minutes. But it's also made up of music that they had heard me writing on piano and guitar around the house before the accident happened and the house went silent for over a year. I wanted them to have some sort of subconscious remembrance of the music when they heard the finished piece and to celebrate having made it through that dark time." Carl played guitar, syntheisizer, Wurlitzer, Hammond, acoustic guitar, and sang backing vocals and the lead vocal. Michael played guitar and sang backing vocals. Patrick played bass guitar. Kevin played drums, WaveDrum, vibraphone, and sang backing vocals.



1. Float (9:10)
2. Sing On (5:15)
3. Butterfly (6:42)
4. Hurt (9:28)
5. Holding On (Happy Hands) (6:25)
6. So Much More (5:18)
7. Noon (28:05)