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Dissatisfaction is a song penned entirely by George Smith sometime circa 2003. Although George in the ISS uni- verse is known for his out-of-this-world improvisations, he is also a prolific and brilliant songwriter despite his rather limited discography.

The song depicts a “mother” with a “cornered and conservative college past,” who is suffocatingly restrictive and protective of her well behaved and scholastically proficient teenage daughter. In typical George fashion, the song is brutally honest and probably written with someone close to him as his real-life muse, a habit that has brought him trouble more than once in the past.

Sophisticated chord progressions abound as they do in most of George’s songs. Curiously the song begins in the key of Db major but somehow makes it’s way down a semitone to C major for the chorus; a very unusual modulation. The only compositional input I (Tim) had, other than producing and recording all the instrumental parts, was suggesting some alternate (non-root) bass notes, and crafting the moody clarinet duet on the outro (fadeout). There is an organ solo after the bridge that contains some very curious notes which were obtained by copying a vocal improvisation that George did in jest a number of years ago in Seattle.

When deciding what direction to go with the production I often pick a model song that has the basic vibe we were going for. I knew from the get go this was going to have the feel of a George Michael ballad a la, One More Try. Although I used more organic textures than the midi synthesizers and drum machine Michael sound, the basic feel and tempo is pretty close! George has a great way of writing beautifully depressing songs and when you listen to the chorus (“...Who’s not dissatisfied”) while thinking of how much unease, depression, gloominess, etc. are in the world right now, it really resonates.

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from She's A Girl (deluxe edition), released January 1, 2018

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Tim Smolens Denver, Colorado

Tim Smolens is a composer, producer, bassist and pivotal contributor of Estradasphere, Don Salsa, ISS and currently heads up international sci-fi prog rock band High Castle Teleorkestra. He is known for elaborate, multi-layered productions and a keen insight into chord progression "theory." ... more

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