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Post by Rob W on Feb 2, 2016 12:34:36 GMT
Voting is here and will end at 11pm on Sunday 28th Feb
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Post by stephen on Feb 7, 2016 16:08:51 GMT
Mine
In the sleeve notes, that should read "moody bass patterns" (not "pass patterns" - that's something Bournemouth do, generally without scoring at the end). I must admit, having listened to everyone else's, mine sounds almost simplistic, and bit long.
Christian D The Boy Who Never Was
Beautifully recorded guitar, very effective piano fills, great melody lines, with excellent harmonies in the chorus. But the words ... And there I was, thinking mine was too dark for being about a cynical adulterer. Musically, this is brilliant, but honestly I'd suggest rewriting it as one of those stories where you meet someone but forget to take their number and never meet them again, a sort of second-degree sadness. As it is, it's just too unbearably tragic, a sort of Je Regrette Everything. Mind you, in terms of effectiveness, it's an incredible piece of writing.
Choice (Slave) Tim W
Very atmospheric vocals, excellently tight bass riff, and I love that soaring, searing guitar. It builds up strongly then breaks down perfectly, and those pipes or whatever they are end it really well. It sounds like something from Bowie's Heroes era or maybe an Radiohead opus, sung by Lou Reed. Short and sweet.
Seven Days Rob W
Yes, the new bass sounds excellently rootsy. The double opening riff is very effective, as is the guitar sound throughout. I like the way the rolling electric piano seems to lead us through the chord changes, moving the song along. Very clever rhythm, it sounds almost conventional unless you listen carefully, perhaps because the song flows so smoothly. The hook line "seven days" sits really naturally in there too, linking theme to rhythm in a very satisfying way. A pretty good night's work, I'd say. Happy birthday.
Head in the Sand Phil S
Another almost symphonic song with that Sanderson sound. Very clever, the way the ducking and diving bass riff holds it all together. Those massed guitars soar throughout, reminding me of the Cocteau Twins. Strange that while the beats are so unusual, the melodies are amongst the most immediate you've written. As usual, very atmospheric, and, most importantly, instantly recognizable as your own personal sound.
Rhythm of Life Tim & Glynn
I agree, a bonkers rhythm - it would be very funny to put this on at a party and watch people trying to dance to it. Like Rob's song, you think it's in a conventional rhythm until you listen closely, which is a very clever trick to pull off. Both of the main melodies are very singable in their own ways, the one a bit menacing, the other soaring. Actually, these melodies in 4/4 might make for a very danceable track. Very effective.
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Post by Rob W on Feb 8, 2016 12:20:53 GMT
Annoyingly, after updating my phone, all my notes disappeared including all but one song review so I begin the process again with a heavy heart and a growing dislike for Apple products and software.
I decided to give myself certain factors/criterion to judge this month's songs on and then add the scores up at the end. I considered putting my scores for each criteria but that would have given the game away as to whom j was likely to vote for BUT the elusive 'X' factor will always be the over-arching reason a song is going to be a hit or a miss in anyone's individual opinion. My ‘factors’ were
a) Comfort Zone (¾ time is not really much of a stretch so would score quite low. Phil - see sleeve notes - is off the scale!!)
b) Bravery/stupidity. Was choosing a difficult time signature brave or stupid?
c) Listenability. For all the trickiness (or not) was it good to listen to?
d) Lyrical content
e) Melody
f) X Factor
1. Stephen Clarke
A very comfortable song for the listener owing to the familiar ¾ time signature and this swings along nicely. Stephen alluded to the fact that ¾ was a bit of a stretch but compared to some of the others' choices here this was not terribly brave in terms of pushing the envelope.
However, where Stephen always scores highly is in the listenability category. It appears to those of us who struggle to come up with anything remotely original that this stuff seems to just flow from him effortlessly. This does feel darker than the usual Clarke fare, but that's no bad thing.
Lyrically, I didn't really listen until the second or third time and then it was a fascinating can of worms. From what I can decipher, this is about a 'third' woman in a self-imposed abusive relationship with a married man. And it seems to be told from the perspective of a concerned brother or sister (or mum or dad.) I have no idea where any of you guys get your inspiration from but taking time to listen and try to understand the lyrics - particularly in the case of Stephen's sublime use of words - lifts this song from just another good effort from a SWC songwriter to a very powerful and stunning composition. This is definitely a 'grower' and is worth the effort to get acquainted with.
The melody is strong (as it always is) and it has the elusive X factor (though this is a grimy, slightly rustic 'X' and that's no bad thing.)
All-in-all, it IS vintage Clarke and yet there’s a dark underbelly that will be attractive to those imagining that Stephen has more to offer than very funny songs commenting on the small things that make life so interesting.
2.Christian Duffin
Another consummate and assured performance from Christian. Immediately we’re drawn into the deep sadness of the story and poses questions that the vast majority of people wouldn’t even think to ask.
The time-signature issue is forgotten. It’s not an issue at all. One could argue that he’s played it incredibly safe with the 6/8 (that’s posh ¾!) But one only has to listen for 30 seconds to forget the point of the exercise and just enjoy the richness of the lyric, the beauty of the formation of the instrumentation and the strength of the melody.
So what Christian loses in factors ‘A’ and ‘B’, he more than makes up for in ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’ and of course ‘F’.
Fantastic song that I am left simply marvelling at. Brilliant.
3. Tim
Interesting choice of percussive sound from the beginning and throughout and - production note - really HEAVY compression throughout which adds to a slightly oppressive feel. But the more I listen to it, the better it sounds with a great array of sounds that seem somehow to find their way in the mix. Confusion and yet coherence.
⅝ is brave and yet he makes it seem quite natural so I’d say he scores more highly in Categories ‘A’ and ‘B’ than both Stephen and Christian. I’d even say it’s up there with them on the ‘Listenability’ factor. The weird time signature doesn’t really get in the way of the song.
Lyrically, It took me a couple of listenings to get any meaning out it (and I have to say that most of the lyric was lost as the song reached its crescendo.) It seems to be about people choosing to be led by others because that’s what either they feel comfortable being or have been led to believe that’s what they feel comfortable being. I’ve just signed up to Apple Music and was busy downloading some ‘Yes’ and ‘Rush’ (and soon after deleting both!!) and this had the feel of being very progressive like those bands with a large slice of David Bowie and Lou Reed thrown in for good measure. It’s really well produced and you’ve maximised the idea that you had here which, when you really break it down, is very simple.
Melodically, this wasn’t your finest hour but Lou Reed was never really known for his sweeping melodies. I think this may score well on the ‘X’ factor though and I wouldn’t discount this one from being one of my two votes.
5. Phil
This starts off a bit 'Elbow' and takes me on a 'Progressive' journey through electric folk and the famous guitar shredders of our time.
Phil is, quite simply, a human metronome! I wonder whether the type of people who can do this time-change stuff so easily and seemingly effortlessly (as Phil does here with aplomb) are just wired differently to us mere mortals. I listen to a lot of John McLaughlin who only ever seems to use weird time signatures and I often wonder whether they just spend the whole time counting or just 'feel' where the first beat of a bar is. It's a mystery. The more I listen to it, the more in awe I am of his ability in this ‘odd time signature’ month.
So having said all that, in terms of 'Comfort Zone' and 'Bravery' Phil is definitely at the top of the leaderboard. And even given the really weird collection of bars and beats, it isn't an uncomfortable listen (I'm not worrying that Phil is any more out of time with the drummer than he normally is!! Sorry Phil!!). So while I'm heaping praise (of sorts), this is also a great aural experience. The mix is good, the voice - though a little raspy - is up front in the mix which is great. Production is improving steadily.
The third and fourth listening of this is really good. It is very accomplished and very well produced.
I think that I would perhaps not mark very kindly for the melody and yet, given the remarkable time signature I can almost forgive its repetitive nature and I’m left thinking it’s my problem not Phil’s! Where I could mark him down is how he seems to struggle at times to make the lyrics fit (something he alluded to in his Sleeve Notes.)
Finally, I think he’s ‘knocking on the door’ of having something here with that ‘X’ factor. Well done Phil.
6. Tim & Glyn
15/16 one has to say is impressive (even if one were to break it down to one bar of 7 and then two bars of 4.)
I’m writing this as I listen and I must say I love the way (at the chorus) how Glynn’s voice has a different production setting. Very Kate Bush (VERY - and that’s no bad thing. It’s a type of ‘slap-back’ echo. Lovely.)
This is short and sweet and, as with Phil’s song, deserves several listenings to get over the ‘odd’ feel of the rhythm (I really think I have aural OCD because it feels very important to me to understand the rhythm and it takes a huge effort to just sit back and let the music wash over me.)
Tim & Glynn obviously score as highly as Phil for taking such a bold rhythmic decision and stepping way out of their comfort zone. Great production (again) makes this a very listenable and enjoyable experience.
Lyrically, I thought that it was quite hard to penetrate. Everything seemed a little too cryptic (but I am useless with lyrics.) The second verse refers to butterfly wings and I’m assuming (given the title) that it was referring to a butterfly’s wings beating having an effect on someone a million miles away. Some of the phrases felt as though they were a stream of consciousness on a therapist’s couch and the underlying message seemed to be ‘stop the world, I want to get off’.
I really enjoyed this and I love what you now appear to be doing with the production. It really makes the songs zing along.
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Post by eddiecustard on Feb 9, 2016 19:45:51 GMT
Stephen Clarke - Cocky
This is one of Stephen’s most accomplished songs of recent times. It’s got the roughness and readiness of the others but the arrangement is more impressive. The ‘down, down, down’ section works really well, and the way the song returns to the verse after the chorus is impressive, along with the harmonies.
It’s a good lyric about power struggles in relationships. A great line: ‘Your answer phone answers a call after midnight, a voice says pick up now, I know that you sleep light,’ which has a sinister edge to it and expertly highlights how oppressive the relationship has become.
I like the guitar solo, which has a slightly fairground ride feel to it, adding to the uneasy atmosphere. Excellent work.
Tim Clarke - Choice (Slave)
Tim’s conjured a freaky, psychedelic and unsettling mood here with the thumping drums and the superb guitar that comes crashing into the song brilliantly on 28 seconds. These unusual time signatures are handy in creating such moods, I think, because of the unexpected pauses and jolts in rhythm when we’d normally because taken smoothly on a 4/4 ride.
I rarely have much success in interpreting Tim’s lyrical messages. Is this about the struggles of Nat King Cole trying to succeed in the music business as a black man? Pressure on him to sing in a certain style? Without Tim’s blurb I wouldn’t have got even this far though. It takes quite a few listens for the layers to reveal themselves, which means we have to work a bit to get the best out of the song. Nothing wrong with that. The shortness of the song doesn’t detract from its power. It’s all about the visceral nature of the rhythm and melody, and it succeeds handsomely on these counts.
Rob Warner - Seven Days
Superbly played as always by Rob, with his lovely voice and the new bass sounding great. There’s a satisfying simple melody and his nice habit of shifting direction with an unusual chord (just before the one minute mark) to take the song in a different direction. I like the way Rob generally avoids rock and folk influences in his songs and aims more for a funky/soulful feel using his always excellent bass, sparse arrangements and electronic piano/organ. His stuff stands out because of that. I really like the laid back harmony guitar work, which has a lovely lazy air; in keeping with the song as a whole.
A slight issue about the lyrics - the threads are a bit arbitrary and unconnected, so it ends up being a song about the number seven. But this doesn’t detract from the many pleasures elsewhere - a major contender.
Phil Sanderson - Head in the Sand
I’m going to take your word about those time changes, Phil. I can’t imagine the process of fitting the lyrics to these twisting time signatures. There’s a very effective contrast between the growled first part of the verse and the much sweeter sounding bit that starts: ‘here we stand…’. This second bit sounds great and it’s augmented by Phil’s familiar wash of guitars. Strong melodies show up throughout - he’s tumbling out great tunes these days at a high speed. The ending works really well too.
Tim and Glynn - Rhythm of Life
A 15/16 time signature? I’m not sure I know of any song in this rhythm so well done for even attempting it. The verse here is outstanding – one of your best ever – with the unlikely beats, strings and organ making an excellent combination. There’s edginess to this section too. The bass sounds especially good right the way through. Nice restrained, wispy singing from Glynn in the verse. Your songs tend to be fairly immediate but this was unusual in that it grew on me after a few listens. A short, sharp, compact song with a terrific groove.
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Post by timwarner on Feb 10, 2016 14:36:42 GMT
An interesting month and Rob seems to be presented them in order of increasingly disturbing time signature. It’s easy to get drawn into thinking of the time signature rather than listening to hear if it’s a good song or not. I guess what I’m saying is the SWC lets us write songs without starting with a blank page. It doesn’t really matter (to me at least) how well we have approached the theme of the month, it just matters that we produce the best songs we can.
Cocky - Stephen
This has a lovely feel to it. It could be argued that it’s more like 12/8 but who cares.
I really like the way the chorus just seems to grow out of the verse. It all happens so naturally I only realised I had a chorus when the verse started again. I really like the guitar solo but, it can be a little overpowering, depending on the speakers I am using. The bass line is really good at steering the whole thing along.
The lyrics and story a great. Listening to your stuff reminds me that we should really be trying to do a bit more than just making 3 minutes slip by as comfortably as possible. I rarely hear words (unless they’re jarringly terrible) so the effort it takes to listen here is well rewarded.
The Boy Who Never Was - Christian
I usually find it difficult NOT to vote for Christian’s song and this month is no exception. There is some lovely playing which is heightened by the quality of the recording. I really like the combination of piano and acoustic guitar and the arrangement reminds me of the Peter Gabriel song ‘mother of violence’ (this is high praise).
The lyrics are not as sad as I feared they might be. It’s much more like wistfully imagining what might have been and, while it’s not a happy situation, it’s not desperate.
Choice (Slave) - Me
When I wrote this I was thinking about the choice the Russians made to vote away the freedoms given to them by Gorby and Yeltsin in order to go back to being ‘looked after’ by the state. I don’t think you’ll get that for listening to it. On reflection, it sounds like a song that was rejected from the 50 Shades movie.
7 Days - Rob
Yes, the bass is good but I am always surprised by the guitar work you put in. You’ve guarded against calling yourself as a guitar player for years and I think it’s time to rethink that stance. I like that they’re panned left and right too.
Masterful use of 7/8 time. It never feels awkward or rushed, just very natural.
Luckily, I know you don’t give a toss about the words so I haven’t listened to them particularly. They don’t stand out, which is a good thing; when that happens they are usually not very good, as if they were written by an angst ridden teenager with a rhyming dictionary.
Head in the Sand - Phil
For me, try as I might, the rhythm is impossible to follow (the compound rhythms remind me of Indian classical music, about which I know almost nothing). I just have to let it go and enjoy the rich world you’ve created without ever really understanding it rhythmically (are you sure it’s not just one, long bar?). Because I’m not worried about where the start of end of the bar is, there’s no feeling that a bar or phrase is longer or shorter than is should be.
It’s the sort of arrangement that can’t easily be picked apart. There is certainly a lot going on and repeated listening on good headphones gradually reveals more of the different elements.
You tend to use melody lines that are very similar for each line of the song and I would like a bit more variety.
Rhythm of Life
This is the most disturbing of the lot, probably because it’s almost normal. It sounds a bit like the drummer is playing just ahead of the beat without actually speeding up (everyone else has to just put up with it). It’s so close to being 4/4 without actually being 4/4 that must have made this so difficult to produce. Listening too closely to the rhythm is troubling so I try and hear it as a ‘pushed’ 4/4. I wonder if you’ll ever get to play this live? Glynn's voice is better than ever on this. I love the way you’ve got all those parts in the chorus and the way it dies back for the subsequent verse. Really good use of the question and answer phrase between the electric piano and strings. The whole thing just ratchets up the tension. It’s really very good.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72 
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Post by Karl on Feb 13, 2016 14:20:33 GMT
It's a shame I didn't get my act together before Mike left for his trip to Oz & NZ, as we recorded a demo a few months ago called "Oh Time" which is played in 5/4 (similar to Mission Impossible theme - although the song sounds nothing like that) and I would have liked it to be here, as I think the time signature was used as it was required to make the song work.
I am usually wary of songs in odd time signatures as often so many of them are written for the sake of the performer, not the listener (Rush for example - yes, very clever, but really awful to listen to - sorry Rush fans!), a bit like overly long solos. For me it works best when it helps the song and isn't obvious, eg. Money by Pink Floyd, Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel or Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush. However, I needn't have worried as, for the most part, the songs here don't fall in to the self-gratification category and the odd time signatures were pretty much forgotten when listening to the songs, especially after several listens.
Cocky - Stephen Clarke
Stephen always writes songs full of catchy hooks, regardless of his minimalist instrumentation, and this is no exception. Like Rob, I feel I ought to mark him down for not pushing the time signature barrier, but as I like the song, I feel that would be churlish. A highlight is the solo continuing into the outro section of the song. Another hit!
The Boy Who Never Was - Christian Duffin
Once again, not an especially challenging time signature. However, This is a really lovely song and everything fits together so neatly - what an excellent piano part, played so well and without becoming too fussy! Two little things would have made this even better for me - 1. tambourine a bit quieter, and 2. I'd have liked that lovely string part to keep going to the end and for the tambourine to make a reappearance towards the end. But still, very nice indeed.
Choice (Slave) - Tim Warner
There is so much to admire here - the low-fi drum sound and part, the odd timing which I soon forgot to listen out for once things really got going, the sound choices and the quite brilliant guitar part that comes in at around 29 secs. I like the stop in the middle which could have been broken down even further (as it is at the outro). Yes, it's dark, but I like dark. What a great sound.
7 Days - Rob Warner
This sounds so warm and somehow gently uplifting after the darkness from Tim, partly due, no doubt, to the rich (LOUD!) tones of the new bass. Very nice! Once again the odd timing doesn't distract from the overall sound and feel of the song, with the possible exception of the snare - although I really enjoyed the fills - I remember spending many hours in various bedroom "studios" with Rob and know how much joy he'd get from programming a killer drum fill! Robs self-harmonising sounds good and, like Choice (Slave), this is short but sweet - nice one!
Head In The Sand - Phil Sanderson
Wow - I couldn't understand the sleeve notes, let alone count along with the extreme odd time signature. However, once I had (quickly) given up trying to work out what was happening with the drum part - which sounds great and is one of my favourite things in this song, I found I could just go with the flow and enjoy what I was listening to - especially the backing, with it's multi-layers of rich textures. The sound of the lead vocal on it's own reminds me of a guy I used to be in a band with (for those that know him, I'm referring to Loz). Now usually this would not be a particularly good thing, but when Phil harmonises with himself it does sound rather good. The more I listen to it the more I like it - especially the drums.
Rhythm Of Life - Tim & Glyn
Probably the catchiest song of the lot. The odd time makes complete sense with that keyboard hook. However, I got lost again when the vocals came in for the 1st verse, so as with Head In The Sand, I gave up trying and found myself really enjoying this. The mix of vocal treatments between verses and chorus's is well judged and a delight to listen to, especially with headphones.
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tandg
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by tandg on Feb 19, 2016 22:50:37 GMT
Cocky – Stephen Clarke
The 3/4 time signature really seems to suit you – it feels completely natural. Glyn’s immediate comment was that this is her favourite of all of your songs. Sharp lyrics, great key changes and just when you think it may be beginning to flag in rips that great guitar solo. The decision to continue it right to the end is inspired (although the hard panning of the guitar doesn’t really work on headphones).
I particularly liked the second verse lyrics – “you lie awake and look down on your life” is a really telling line and the delivery of the word “Cocky” is great. I liked the double tracked vocals and subtle harmonies – a winner all round.
The Boy Who Never Was – Christian Duffin
The first impression is the beautiful guitar sound – it has a really full bass and blends really well with the piano. This is a lovely arrangement and as always, the harmonies and vocal production is great. This has to be one of the best sounding recordings you’ve produced – it’s stunning throughout. For me, the lyrics were a bit too direct – it’s uncomfortably personal and I thought one of your previous songs, “The last time that we spoke”, managed similarly deep feelings in a way I found easier to relate to. In all other respects, this would be the song I’d most like to hear on repeat.
Choice (Slave) – Tim Warner
For me this is one of your best songs yet for SWC. You’ve really found your voice – the vocal production is great and the arrangement of guitars, keyboards and drums is rewardingly full and yet you can make everything out. I loved the chosen rhythm and thought you really made it work for you. I do think the less conventional rhythms that move away from 3/4 or 4/4 or 6/8 force you to listen differently to music and this is a case in point. Thoroughly enjoiyable.
7 Days – Rob Warner
This sounds like a really natural groove – you’ve really nailed the 7/8 rhythm and the song bowls along nicely. I like the harmony and background guitar parts but the bass is the best part for me – you certainly should not apologise for putting it up front. I hope we here more of that in upcoming songs. You’ve made it a bit of a trademark to swap from minor to major and back again and it certainly gives the song an unpredictable quality – you have to listen again and again to really get the combination of the timing and the key changes.
As always the recording is crisp and clear and your voice (particularly the harmonies) is really good. Nice one!
Head in the Sand – Phil Sanderson
The drum track for this is lovely – there is no way I can follow the rhythm (I’d definitely have to take your word for it that the timing is as stated in your sleeve notes). The instrumentation is fabulously lush sounding – as always, there is so much to hear – there’s some beautiful electric piano playing as well as the more obvious strings and guitar sounds. On first listen, we found the vocals quite disturbing – the whispered tone does have a slightly menacing feel but this passes quickly because the lyrics are actually much more positive than the sound suggests and there is such a warmth in the swirling sounds.
I particularly liked the ‘stop’ leaving just the drums – very effective. As always with Phil’s songs, the structure is not obvious and by the time I’d played it enough to grasp where it was going, I was hooked into the atmosphere and the groove of the song. Great stuff.
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Post by timwarner on Feb 29, 2016 0:09:36 GMT
Congratulations Tim and Glyn. That was quite a feat to use that difficult time signature and turn it into a very listenable song. Well done.
In which universe is my song anywhere near as good as 'The boy who never was?' The voting can be a fickle beast, indeed.
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Post by Rob W on Feb 29, 2016 8:50:04 GMT
Yes. Many congrats to Tim & Glynn (again!!) I agree with Tim's comments. But as Christian will I'm sure be saying, 'the people have spoken...the bastards!!'
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Post by eddiecustard on Feb 29, 2016 11:42:54 GMT
Well done T&G - a fine song.
Tim - yours is really good, great guitar work.
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tandg
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by tandg on Feb 29, 2016 21:01:03 GMT
Thanks for the kind comments - but I promise we'll never write anything in 15/16 again.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Mar 2, 2016 19:04:01 GMT
Well done Tim, well done Glyn. Really good work.
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