Window Pain by Pumpkin Friend

Window Pain is intended to accompany Outskirts of the Woods, as a four-song, companion single. Together, they are the eleventh and twelfth installments in my 90s/early 2000s “retro series.” For a lengthy and unnecessary description of what that is and how these two releases fit into it, see the description for Outskirts of the Woods. Basically, I viewed this as a “single” or EP, but also as an extension of “Outskirts” containing a second ending.

I can be very specific in how I intend things to be listened to (under ideal circumstances) — very annoying, I’m sure. My introduction to music began when cassettes were the most popular format and I was always taken with how they, like records, essentially have two beginnings and two endings (side A and side B). I thought of these as lesser and greater beginnings/endings. (Maybe everyone thinks of it this way — I’m not sure.) I particularly liked this view when I got into Led Zeppelin, the first classic rock band I loved. When CDs came out, I felt the loss of the separate sides as many people did, I imagine.

Around the same time, I got into collecting CD singles/EPs, especially by Nirvana and The Cure. CDs like Drain You, Lithium, Pictures of You, and Strange Attraction. They all contained 2-3 extra songs that felt like satellites or moons that revolved around, added to, and fleshed out the “planet” of the album.

Anyway, that was my idea for this. It’s supposed to be almost like another side to “Outskirts,” and can optionally be listened to right afterward or on its own, with Thoughts at the End… being the most final of the endings.

This version of Window Pain is different than the one on “Outskirts.” I recorded it on the day I bought my plane ticket to Portland to meet a girl I had met online. I worked a torturous month at a printing press, coming home every day covered in ink, to buy the ticket. The flight number was 1065.

On the inside of the handmade sleeve, I have a note that hints at things to come – it says, “Coming soon: Burkittsville with field recordings.” I will talk more about that in the subsequent retro releases.

Tracklist

1.	Window Pain (ticket 1065)	4:10

2.	The Dead Are Taking Revenge on the Living (slow)	4:50

3.	Burkittsville (In My Mind)	2:25

4.	Thoughts at the End...	4:58

Credits

released November 8, 2023

All songs by Pumpkin Friend.

License