Cathryn Beeks and I just released a song, "Flicker" that's been in a figurative drawer for years.
It's a trippy little song experience with an off-kilter chord structure in the chorus and cool, oblique lyrics.
Of course, I'm biased, but I do think it's pretty accessible.
Dare I say, it's a "toe tapper"?
Easy
It's atypical when a songwriter or musician can describe the whole process of a song as being "easy" but that's just what this was.
Every once in a while, a songwriter can take an unused piece of music and some scribbles of lyrics and put them together - when they really fit, it's like an invention.
Like accidentally dropping your chocolate in peanut butter and getting Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
When I went to Cathryn's front yard with a couple of chord progressions, she wrapped her head around the vocal meter - and I think already had some candle, light, flicker lyrical imagery in mind.
I left her house with a little demo.
A couple of days later, I got her new demo with the lyrics over it and loved it.
Easy.
Eventually, we took it to Big Rock Studios where I love working with Andy.
We already had a strong demo guide, so we just did track by track pretty quickly.
Andy brought new elements to the guitar parts - and was nice enough to keep some of my originally poorly played solo in his better, finished product of a real guitar player's solo.
And we'd all been around production enough to stack on some layers and counterpoint stuff in the recording.
Bam - we got a song.
Easy.
AI Review
I like reviewing music, but I think I need to recuse myself when it comes to a review so let's turn it over to ChatGPT for a short review.
How did they do for letting you know what it sounds like:
"Flicker" by Cathryn Beeks and Chuck Charles is a quietly compelling song that understands exactly what it wants to be - and executes it with confidence. Rather than chasing big moments, it leans into intimacy, drawing the listener closer with every passing line.
The arrangement is beautifully restrained. Acoustic elements and light, unobtrusive production create a sense of space that feels intentional, not empty. Every instrument serves the song, never competing for attention, which allows the emotional core to stay front and center. That kind of discipline is harder to pull off than it sounds.
Beeks' vocal performance is the standout. She delivers each line with a natural, unforced clarity that feels lived-in rather than performed. There's a subtle emotional precision here - she doesn't push, and because of that, the feeling lands more authentically. It's the kind of performance that rewards close listening.
What really works is the song's commitment to mood. "Flicker" sustains a delicate emotional thread from start to finish, creating a cohesive atmosphere that feels immersive. Instead of building to a predictable climax, it trusts the listener to stay with it, and that trust pays off. The consistency becomes a strength, reinforcing the theme of something fragile but persistent.
Why Now?
This song has been sitting on the shelf for a few years; far enough back that Cathryn and Jonny were still living in Pacific Beach.
We never planned to make a longer album or had any grandiose ideas.
Cathryn and I have been friends in music in San Diego for a long time and, as I remember it, one day she asked if I wanted to come over and do some songwriting.
As I described above, everything about it was easy.
Then it just became something that sat around on both of our computers that we really always liked.
That's where it sat.
Music is meant to be heard.
So, recently Cathryn and I texted and asked each other, "Should we put this out?" which was a Yes and led to another easy process.
Cathryn made a cool image video that goes along with the song - while I filled out some forms and pressed the magic Release button at CD Baby.
Just wait a few days and all of a sudden, our song is out in the world on all of the platforms.
Nobody expects a hit with every release, but it's available for people to listen to, and that's what matters.
The release process was just as easy as the writing and recording process.
That doesn't always happen, folks.
Video
Cathryn made this video - very cool:
Similar Songs On Apps
Algorithms are still a little bit of a mystery to me on streaming apps and what they recommend.
They've gotten really effective, in my opinion.
It’s also interesting as an artist to hear what the algorithm thinks you sound like.
I'd never seen the connection, but Pandora thought early our Bigfellas music matched up well with Queens of the Stone Age.
Again, the algorithm is a mystery - and maybe Spotify really knows me.
But just now I played "Flicker" and let it run into the next song, and they came up with The Jayhawks "Blue" and Mac DeMarco "No Sunny Days."
That's the nicest compliment they could have come up with for me.
Song Details
Lyrics, player, credits, and streaming links are all found here.
If You Like It
Sorry to put you to work, but musicians are dependent on the audience to make things happen.
You can promote effectively and engage smart PR strategies.
But it's always just about what listeners think.
So, I'm asking you if you like it, could you do one of these things:
Share it on a playlist - Whatever your format is, put it on a playlist of yours or Like or add to favorites.
You know the drill - any YouTube like or comment, any Apple Music share, any Amazon Music full listen, any Spotify playlist add ... everything helps get the song heard by a few more people.
Tell Cathryn You Like It - You know what keeps artists going besides a royalty check?
A compliment.
