Welcome to the official home of our debut album, Chrome Wheels and the Open Road.We cook up Americana grooves and singer-songwriter vibes that'll stick to your ribs.Click Listen to find us on your favorite streaming platforms.
© Scott Poe -- all songs, lyrics, and art. All rights reserved.
About
Hypersonic Porkchop was born of corn dogs, roadside attractions, scenic routes, campfire stories, and the music of county fairs and tape decks. The sound lives somewhere among Americana and music that remembers the sound of screened-in porches.I produced this using a patchwork of free software, dusty gear that barely works, and digital hand-me-downs so old they came with dial-up instructions. But what it lacks in modernity, it makes up for in heart, duct tape, blown fuses, and the only thing that will make all that crap work: copious amounts of acerbic verbal engineering.Our goal wasn't to deliver a polished, urban sound but rather something a little raw and jagged---where fret buzz gets to stay, room noise gets to breathe, and if the vocal shakes a bit, it's because it means something. I guess I tried to capture, at least a little, the human condition because everyone can relate to that.Who am I kidding? That last paragraph sounds like a fancy-pants way to say this: it ain't perfect. It was recorded and mixed in a closet. My condenser mic literally has duct tape on it.But at the soul of it all, our goal is to remind you that music makes everything better---especially when three things catch on fire during the recording process. True story. How metal is that!I appreciate all of you being here. Please enjoy this modest attempt to put some fun vibes into the world. I hope it helps.
Bio
Scott Poe has been writing, singing, and playing guitar for many years and is slightly better than someone who has taken only one lesson. He is a W.K.U. graduate with a degree in English and a U.C. graduate with a master's in Literacy. When not playing music or video games or pestering Ian for guitar tips, he is teaching the next generation how to be better readers and writers.Ian Smith has been playing guitar since before he was born. Rumor has it he can actually summon Hendrix if he plays a solo longer than twelve bars. He always stops at eleven. Not one note more. Not one. A longtime lover of all things guitar and a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Smith has performed professionally in Nashville, taught music, built guitars under a custom brand name, and is thrilled to lend a few notes to Hypersonic Porkchop. When he isn't melting faces with tasty licks, he teaches English alongside singer/songwriter, Scott Poe.There were others, but they were sacked on the way to the studio. No animals were harmed.
Liner Notes
Jiggly Hula Gal: I wrote this song to honor all the little things that end up meaning everything, all the trinkets and cards and keepsakes we hold onto because they have meaning in the story of single life; they serve as witnesses to the busted engines, bad decisions, and roadside wisdom that define who we are. To us, priceless; in a yard sale, a nickel if you throw in a few old mason jars.Mama is About to Get Medieval: this one is dedicated to all the moms who believe that a proper raising comes with whippings and a "do as I say but not as I do" mindset. It was scary as a kid---but looking back, I can see that there were also some nuggets of truth and wisdom in that mindset too.Chrome Wheels and the Open Road: I wrote this song after a dramatic reading of my favorite poem, Ulysses, by Tennyson. And then I had a simple thought: what if right after Odysseus finished his "get up and go" monologue, I said, "Yes, but...what if that ship was a sports car, the ocean was the desert, and the sea was Route 66?" If you get some "hero's journey" vibes from this, you ain't going crazy...Broken Heart: what's more universal than the feeling of love gone wrong? I know it. You know it. And if you don't know it yet, it's on the way.Tough Guys: I wrote this to be a positive mental-health anthem about the power of openness and vulnerability. A lot of us were raised with the "man up" mentality or we’ve spent our lives working in fields that just don't talk about things. But I’ve never been the kind of person to just do what I was told, and I ain’t going to start now.Where the Outlaws Play: this is my love letter to the storytellers who lived their songs, the ones who traded polish for truth, who swapped suits for vision and wrote about real life. It’s a nod to all the artists who fought for their own voices in a world that tried to keep them in the same mold.Queen of the Fast Lane: I tried to channel my inner E.E. Cummings on this one. He once wrote a poem called “She Being Brand,” which is about a car. No, really, it’s about a car. And, uh, so is this one... #wink_winkWe Can’t Lose: This one’s about grabbing life by the wheel and then running headfirst into every ridiculous, wonderful moment it offers. From coffee shops to cuties to roadside oddities, campfires, and off-key sing-a-longs, it’s a reminder that the best memories come with joy,
good people, cuddles, and full coolers, so stomp the gas, and LET’S GOOOOOOOO!That’s Life: I get it. Life sucks, and there have been a bazillion songs written about it, so my goal with this one was to flip that a bit to say, “I agree. Life does suck---but when life hands me lemons, I’m going to make beermonade.” I want this song to remind folks to try as best as they can to shake off the bad and double down on the good because it’s easy to forget the good when the bad has hold.The Things I’ve Seen: This final song was meant as the after-dinner coffee on an album about journey, heartbreak, feels, and perseverance. Where Jiggly Hula Gal begins with a wide-eyed dreamer, this one transitions into an older, wiser person in a comfy chair who says, “I took the trip, kiddo. Let me tell you what I saw.” It’s a mix of truth, tall tales, and the joy of collecting the moments that make a life a life.
FAQ
1) Is there anyone you want to thank?The immensely talented Ian Smith for his expert mentorship and for asking, "Have you ever thought about recording any of this?" That simple suggestion led to me learning a lot.Also, everyone on the internet who takes time to post how-to videos and threads to help us indie folks (none of this would even be here if not for you).And of course, the exquisitely artistic Andrea Huley, a very dear former student, for perfectly capturing this album's spirit in our cover.2) Why do you sound like that?Because Chris Stapleton was busy.3) Why Hypersonic Porkchop?Because Mildly Speedy Bacon Strip didn't test well with focus groups. My good friend Ryan and the sixth-grade boys thought it was hilarious, though.4) Is it possible to record, mix, and master an entire album for $200?Yes---but you ain't getting any bells or whistles.5) What kind of music is this?Probably Americana, but it might also pass as Roadhouse Folk or maybe just "music to eat corn dogs to."6) How long did the album take to make?Somewhere between three weeks and three small fires.7) Why does it sound a little rough around the edges?Because my closet isn’t exactly Abbey Road.