2. February Fantasy

What a good month! Many thanks to all the contributors.

Christian Duffin - The Man With The Changing Mind
I just love your melodies. Even if I totally ignore the lyrics, which is difficult as I seem to get drawn in, it’s really lovely. I especially like the acoustic guitar sound in the second verse.

The lyrics give us a glimpse of the paranoia and suspicion that seemed so normal in the seventies. These USA v Russia chess matches really seemed to have huge significance.


Stephen Clark - Merde in France
If your aim was to drive me to drugs, you have failed. This is utterly, brilliantly, bonkers and it makes me laugh and laugh. It is completely joyful, despite it being from the point of view of a disgruntled swearing crooner.

As a special bonus, for me at least, I understand very little french so, the lyrics I understand are just you saying ‘merde’ which makes me smile. The solo is something the Goons would have done.

The last few months your songs have really worked for me. You seem to be in a rich seam of form. Long may it continue.


Tim and Glyn - Over The Trees
Freaky ‘Kate Bush does Star Trek’ at the start but, then the accordion starts and it sounds like it’s a collaboration with Tom Wait’s backing band collaborating with Madness. The heavily processed guitar work is very effective, the two parts never collide or try and up stage each other, and finally combine into harmony playing. When I think about it, it’s an odd mix of sounds with quite distinct sections but, it feels quite natural as a whole piece.


Phil Sanderson - Square Peg
I enjoyed the guitar solo, you have the chops. It just ends a bit suddenly before going back to the vocal. The overall feel is interesting and slightly ‘other worldly.’ It taps into feelings many of us have about being a saviour of some kind in an otherwise skeptical world.

The production is the bit I usually struggle with on your stuff but, I like the effect here much more than usual. I’m not even sure what it is, possibly the reverb/echo but, it sometimes feels like some of the instruments are miked up from 30 feet away. There often seems to be more going on than I can pick out.

Tramp Emporium
I suppose if big business can make money from selling debt, nothing is impossible.

The Man with the Changing Mind – Christian Duffin

One of the best features of the SWC is that other people’s compositions display such different approaches to songwriting. I can’t imagine writing a song like this; the flow of the melody and the bursts of harmonies are so characteristic of your writing but this song is unique and distinctive and none of the rest of us write in this way.


As often is the case, your lyrics are beautifully constructed, leading us into the drama. The unpredictable (yet catchy) melody works with the lyrics without sounding forced and I absolutely loved the harmonies on the ‘Bobbie’ section in particular. Great piano playing holds the song together nicely – this sounds fresh and yet familiar all at once.


Merde in France – Stephen Clarke

No idea what you are singing but this is very funny, with a sort of Goon Show feel (particularly the ‘butt trumpets’). You have the happy knack of recording something that sounds really simple but rewards repeat listening to catch all of the instrumental and vocal layers. This is helped by the clear recording and well balanced mixing.


This had us singing along straight away and continuing to hear it for many hours afterwards. La la la la la la merde in France. There! I’m doing it again…


Square Peg – Phil Sanderson

This is great stuff. It’s hard to believe there are no keyboard parts, so rich are the sounds throughout the song. The vocal parts are particularly well judged in this song, with great harmonies and octave-apart vocal lines. I particularly liked the drum track on this one as well, with great driving beat breaking down for the beginning of the solo – and what a solo! There are shades of Robert Fripp but this is pretty much a Sanderson original – your own distinctive style, sound and note selection.


I liked the sentiments in the song too – I think everyone can feel a bit of a square peg at times.


Tramp Emporium – Tim & Julie

The prize for taking the ball and running with it goes to Tim & Julie! You took Rob’s original suggestion and really got the most out of it. It’s a very clever concept, extended really well into a catchy pop sing. Valet parking before heading off with a hired mangy dog to beg. Brilliant!


I liked the light guitar sound on this one, against the high-reverb drum sounds and restrained organ – there’s a touch of Small Faces about this. I don’t know if it was a conscious thing but the delivery sounded very English (which is a very good thing in my book). Thoroughly entertaining, nicely paced with a good middle section. Great fun.

Christian D Man with the Changing Mind
I like this new, sort of cabaret style. The lack of drums works well because it gives more room to the melody and the lyrics. And you've carried the surreal theme over into the instrumentation, too, with all those different keyboards. Some excellent harmonizing, even tighter than usual. If I didn't know what it was about, I'd think it was psychedelic drugs. The way the lyrics play with the theme without getting literal is very effective, and I loved the line "Bobby's brain had jammed the machine."

Mine
In case anyone's wondering, the lyrics mean something like this:
Verse 1 : D*ckhead, b*stard, small ball / bloody hell, stupid pr*ck / Male then female f*ckface, f*ck your mother / F*ck off you tw*t, I sh*t on you.
Verse 2 : D*ck, sl*t, d*ckhead / Pr*ck, arseh*le, small c*ck / Go f*ck yourself, rot in hell / You p*ss me off, I sh*t on you.
Those are approximate translations, anyway. 

Tim and Glyn Over the Trees
The ethereal voice is really effective, a bit Cocteau Twinsish. The change of mood into the accordion sections adds a more down-to-earth feel but the accordion keeps it surreal. Great sound for the guitar solo, or solos with the duelling guitars. "Over the trees, over the hills" is an excellent lilting hook - I reckon you could have stuck it over a rampaging electro beat at the end and turned it into a club classic.

Phil S Square Peg
Strangely, one of your most classically song-like songs, with that strongly constructed verse. But most of your stuff has a surreal edge and this is no exception. The lyrics about saving the world from disease, and that falsetto harmony keep things very much on the edge of sanity, and then the guitar solo sends us over the brink. Bonkers, it reminds me of Jan Akkerman of Focus. I like the way the song plays itself out, too, almost restful after the energy of the guitar solo. 

Tim and Julie Tramp Emporium
As usual some very tasty rhythm guitar, a great bluesy feel, very clear vocals, and some very effective chord sequences, especially leading into the hook. I like the "tramp!" bridge, the way the beat goes as surreal as the lyrics. All in all, very tight blues around a great pumping riff.
I used to wonder this about those poor South American pan pipe players you see all over the place, so far from home, with their excellent sound systems and pre-recorded backing tapes. I thought there must be emporiums all over the planet, kitting out all the groups and repairing pan pipes.