3. March - Clothes

Tim and Julie – Dress Related Pay


You’ve hit the bullseye with this one, Tim and Julie – it’s one of your best ever. A low, filthy sounding guitar on the verse and an epic, psychedelic chorus tinged with just the right amount of organ are the high points. Have you done the dropped D tuning on the guitar? It sounds like a lower register than normal. There’s a very likable ascending guitar run in the middle of the chorus, moving the song upwards. The singing is crystal clear and hits the spot beautifully. A nice bit of organ in the second verse works well dynamically to distinguish it slightly from the first verse, and once we’ve heard that great chorus, we’re itching for it to come back – a sure sign of a superior pop song. All the elements are in place; inventive playing, a good bridge and a skillful resolution back into the final chorus. Well done – brilliant.


Stephen Clarke – Firing Line


Excellent, wistful opening on the guitar, which sounds a little flamenco. The crooning in the verse sounds great - bit music hall, bit Charles Aznavour. I like the rhyme of pyjamas and Bahamas. The guitar lick at the end of chorus is something I used to hear in assemblies at school. Is it from Peer Gynt by Grieg or something by Tchaikovsky? I understand the appeal of staying in pyjamas – I do it often, frequently while playing the piano. As usual, the high quality of the songs makes us forget that there are only a couple of instruments playing, which is indicative of the skill you use to maintain the pacing, interest and dynamics.



Phil Sanderson – A Thing About Thongs


Another marvelous title and intriguing concept from Phil. But what to make of the song? On first listen I found it quite disconcerting - the breathy, half-spoken vocal made me think that this narrator was a bad ‘un and had done something really awful. But the lyrics suggest that he simply enjoys walking around in public wearing a thong. Like the narrator, I’m a bit surprised that this would land him in crown court for a trial by jury, and then with a prison sentence. Are his actions much different to a bloke walking around in a pair of Speedos? Or a woman wearing a bikini?

There are some poignant lyrics – notably the bit about his children refusing to bring their friends round. I also like humour in the line: ‘Smaller items should cost less, but the items I buy come at great expense,’ and the bit: ‘I hope my family visits me in my new home with such high walls, a man … on guard, I bet he’d like to wear my smalls.’

What a great musical backing you’ve created here, Phil. I like the interlude after the chorus, with the ethereal guitar floating skywards. There really are some brilliant melodies right through, with a very effective leap to the chorus. I’m all for experimentation but I just wonder whether a more conventional singing style would make it sound less disturbing and more like a comedic, yet heartfelt plea for understanding and acceptance. You mentioned in your notes that you had planned to sing it differently - I’d love to hear that instead, because I think it’d turn it into something really special. In short, it’s close to greatness.


Tim and Glynn – Sybil’s Dress


There’s a trademark atmospheric and brooding opening here, with restrained drumming and a nice humming organ. You’ve done a string of these types of songs successfully lately, with The Girl on the Train sticking out as the peak. This one runs it close, and feels like a fond, nostalgic portrait. I usually find that your stuff is quite immediate, but this one is more of a grower. It took a few spins for the melodies to sink in but when they did they started to exert quite a grip. This is down to a nice chord sequence in the chorus, the dreamy guitar and deft combination of the voices. Very enjoyable.

 Dress Related Pay

Groovy powerful opening Tim! Guitar part nicely to the fore with a tasty Hammond organ ( or 2) vying for star instrument of the month. Each month certain song(s) seem to demand a video, and this month you’ve won that one hands down. Only trouble is, I can’t get the image of you cycling to work on a winter’s morning out of my head! ( actually more a feeling of guilt on my part for not getting on my bike, after all we have virtually the same journey, only mine’s somewhat shorter, so have even less of an excuse.)


 Firing Line

Absolutely love the opening, and the rhythm and mood of the main section is quite intoxicating and an instant winner. The mix/sound on this song feels different to some of your other songs. Your ‘slightly higher’ (?) vocal parts are really good here. I’ve listened to ‘Firing Line’ an awful lot these past two weeks, and I’ll be listening to the song again before the weekend is out, I’m sure!


 Her Favourite Shirt

Maracatastic! Perfectly judged backing vocals on chorus section, and they sit well above the instruments. Your trademark excellent chord changes are present again. I always enjoy the challenge of trying to work them out. Before I assimilated the lyrics I got a more melancholic feel from the music, but on subsequent listening a more positive feeling comes over.


Me

I might at some stage re-record a ‘clearer’ vocal version, but have a ridiculous backlog of other vocal parts to work on and throat and voice slightly knackered again as it’s right at the end of a long term!



Sybil’s Dress

The maybe unintentional dusky, sometimes fragile voice throughout song is really excellent. I like the intermingling with Tim’s voice ( always sounds great live, too!). The keyboard sounds ( especially the warm brass ) are excellently judged again with the guitar part hovering over them ( I think I may have written similar things about a previous song or two of yours!) Repeated listenings sort of draw the listener in. I only wish that there were an extra section at end after a solo ( guitar, maybe ?)

Me neither, I didn't get to vote - I thought we had till the end of the month? Congrats to the joint winners, and here are some brief comments, for what they're worth.

T&J - Dress Related Pay
You say your riff is a bit obvious but I don't think it matters, because it's played full-on and dirty, and when the songs takes off into the chorus the song gets a whole new melodic energy, sort of Bluresque, with the distorted guitar carrying the minor chords brilliantly. Very well delivered vocals, and the sentiments are spot-on, too -  I'm so tired of having to wear high heels at work.

CD - Her Favourite Shirt
You should put these songs together into a concept album about the melancholy of modern urban life. Great harmonies, especially on the "woos", and excellent basslines, with those perfectly timed slides up the neck. Really tightly arranged, too, lots of light and shade, and I like the way you've included two (very different) instrumental breaks, with your trademark slightly distorted guitar that I look forward to in every song. Great hook line, unmistakably yours.

PS- Thong Song
It reminds me of when my kids were small, there was a song about a bloke who loves thongs - I said he had a lisp and was singing about "songs". I also used to sing loudly over the chorus of Beck's "I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me", changing the ending to "why don't you tickle me". Anyway, this one is totally batty - I love the line "thing about thongs", and there are some great rhymes (especially walls and smalls), and it's a really good melody in the chorus that develops really organically. I hope the head of your school and the governors never hear it, but by the time you bring out your album you won't care.

T&G Sybil's Dress
Nice atmospheric opening, great lilting melody, and the nostalgic feel perfectly matches the theme. Some very nice vocal and instrumental touches, like the harmonies on "yesterday" and the electric piano between lines in the verses. Lifts really well into the chorus, which distils all the melancholy of the song into the great blue chord on "dawn".   

Tim - in my song the bloke may not have left; he could have died, but I take your point.
Anyhow - we'll done to you and Phil. I think you'd pick up more votes between you if the Retrospective Voting Committee was convened.