Turtle Down Music

Tautologic’s Wheels Fall Off was released 5 years ago, this April.

We continue our look back at Wheels Fall Off with the second track, "That's What I Hear."

I began writing "That's What I Hear" by noodling around on a chord progression that used open/drone strings on an acoustic guitar. I might've started the song during a television commercial break (remember those, before streaming?). I'm pretty sure that I was sitting on the couch in the living room of a house in Hyde Park that several members of Tautologic rented from 1997-2003.

I played guitar on early versions with the Ethan Sellers Band, a folk-rock Tautologic spin-off. When I brought it to Tautologic, I switched to keyboards and the song transformed into something like a more frenetic and funk-rock take on a Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield vibe.

The lyrics always had a protest vibe, but the subject matter changed from version to version, eventually landing on themes of government corruption and declining empire that seem pretty prescient to the present moment in US/world history, if I do say so myself.

-Ethan Sellers

That's What I Hear, by Tautologic from the album Wheels Fall Off

Tautologic’s debut album, _West Is North, East Is South_, turned 25 in June. We are working on a new album, so we’re a little short on time for retrospective projects - but I (Ethan) did want to share a few thoughts on each track. This month’s track feature is “A Year’s Journey.”

Pat Buzby composed and played piano and percussion on “A Year’s Journey.” Kensuke Arai played Pat’s lovely lyrical cello part. The percussion is actually just Pat thumping and whacking on the body of an acoustic guitar - a Gibson Hummingbird, if memory serves.

It’s a nice quiet moment that ends the album on a question mark.

https://tautologic.bandcamp.com/track/a-years-journey

Ethan

A Year's Journey, by Tautologic from the album West Is North, East Is South

Happy Earth Month, everybody!

"She" is one of the first songs I ever wrote on guitar, back around 1996 or so. Hardly sounds a day over 29, does "She?"

She, by Ethan Sellers track by Ethan Sellers

APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER...:
Tautologic's _Wheels Fall Off_ turns 5
Track feature for Tautologic's _West Is North, East Is South_
Tautologic gigs at Mackey's Hideout and Lombard Historical Society
Summer Gig heads-up:
Saturday, May 16 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at Discover Oxford Indiana event
Friday, June 12 - Logical Fleadh (Celtic) at Chicago Scottish Festival and Highland Games at DuPage County Fairgrounds
Friday, June 13 - Logical Fleadh (Celtic) at Chicago Scottish Festival and Highland Games at DuPage County Fairgrounds
Sunday, June 21 - Father’s Day - Chez Butter (soul) at Scoville Park in Oak Park, IL
Thursday, June 25 - Chez Butter (soul) at River Forest Public Library
Thursday, July 2 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at the Barrington Lions Club Brat Tent
Friday, July 24 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at Werk Force Brewing in Plainfield, IL
Saturday, July 25 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at Music on Grand in Brookfield, IL
Friday, July 31 - Character Fleadh (Celtic) at Kiwanis Park in Brookfield, IL
Saturday, August 1st - Tautologic (rock) at Mackey’s Hideout in McHenry, IL
Sunday, August 2 - Chez Butter (soul) at Munster, IN town hall
Saturday, September 5th - Tautologic (rock) at Lombard Historical Society
Sunday, September 20 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Barrington, IL

February 2026 - Ethan Sellers Music newsletter
Short newsletter for the shortest month, featuring:
- Le Travaillant plays Cajun at Maple Tree Inn on 2/8
- Tautologic debut album memories - The Verdict
- Turtle Down Music - music and merch - Bandcamp Day 2/6
- Lesson - piano, guitar, and voice