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Post by Rob W on Oct 11, 2014 7:21:19 GMT
Here is where you can comment (and vote) on this month's songs. Sorry for the delay. Poll closes later to reflect my failure!
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Post by stephen on Oct 11, 2014 8:55:04 GMT
Just cut and pasted this across from where I posted it the other day:
1. Mine – the line that sounds like "throw your kids down the stairs" is actually "lead your kids…". No violence in my songs.
2 Mike Gosling My Father's Tree Having a drummer on board definitely adds a lot, nice percussion. Catchy, well-arranged, plenty of variation, it keeps you guessing right up until the outro. Excellent use of harmonies, too. I like the twin guitar arpeggios through the verses, they take a slow rhythm and make it feel much livelier. The loud sections sound Coldplay-like, which is no bad thing in my book, they are an exultant band.
3 Tim & Glynn Running Away with the Hairdresser The vocals and chords feel very Squeeze-like, as does the story. Witty lyrics, too - I like the "clipped tones" and "scissorhands" jokes and the idea of running away where the cats and dogs don't fight. Nice strolling bass and reggae beat. Catchy, hummable chorus. Good one.
4 Stranded Eddie Custard Great piano chords, excellent melody lines, nice echoey vocals, they sound as if they were recorded in a church hall or somewhere like that. The song really takes off in a different direction with the chorus and its swinging chord progression. I love the way the instrumentation keeps changing – we get a guitar solo and a honky-tonk piano break. Catchy and quirky, reminds me of the feel of the White Album.
5 In Springtime Patrick Duffin I think old Claude would have loved being turned into a disco song. Great line – "in purple blue and white, the blossom will ignite". I could just picture myself on a lounger in Saint Tropez, cocktail in hand, watching Claude trying to round up bikini-clad girls to be in his next painting, while being filmed for MTV. Excellent hook in the chorus, every bar on the Med should be playing it next spring.
6 Casting Shadows Phil Sanderson Nice jangly guitar and folky feel, with the 12-string keeping both the melody and rhythm going – cleverly done. I like the use of silence behind the guitar between verses, courageous thing to do, and it works because it's well played and recorded, so it makes the song very atmospheric.
7 As I'm Painted Tim & Julie I like the opening riff, and the electric guitar, very exposed, carrying the first verse. Pretty daring way to start a song. The bluesy guitar that chugs away throughout gives everything a good sense of unity, because it keeps switching tone and direction. Nice chord progression in the verses, leading into the discordant sections, and very memorable chorus. There's a lot going on here, interesting stuff.
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Post by eddiecustard on Oct 11, 2014 21:38:18 GMT
Eddie Custard's song reviews:
Stephen Clarke – The Wrong Side of the Street. You’re on fine form with this one. It may be ‘1950s urban country’ but it sounds as fresh as a daisy. The sunny, warm-hearted tune is laid over a troubled backstory but it never gets downbeat because there is a lightness of touch and breeziness in the instrumentation. Some nice guitar work and a fun central riff. There’s a skillful manoeuvre to the beautiful minor chord in the bridge, which has a very good vocal delivery and which adds poignancy and contrast to the bouncy feel beforehand. A tragic tale and a battle against adversity. It couldn’t have helped that she looked like Michael McIntyre. The rhyme about being ‘fired from her office because she wouldn’t fetch the coffees’ stands out, but there are other good ones too: ‘Taking her daughters to less troubled waters.’
Mike Gosling - My Father’s Tree Soulful and touching. The cymbals in the opening give it a slightly oriental feel briefly before some nice pop/rock guitar chords come in. The harmonies are good throughout and the line ‘his eyes were bright and burning’ works especially well. But the greatest treat is the sudden explosion of sound nearing the three-minute mark with the line ‘All I can see…’ At that point things move skywards. By the end we’re left with lots of smart bits that have combined to create an adventurous tune. You’ve balanced the quiet and loud bits very well. I think both of your dads would be impressed.
Patrick Duffin - In the Springtime An instant classic. The chorus soars after the confident, quiet verse, which emphasises the theme of renewal and emergence of spring. The chord change to introduce the piano in the verse sounds classy. Totally out of place next to all of our songs in that it sounds contemporary and chartbound. Reminiscent of 80s Yazoo in parts; the synth-type line on the verse especially. Katy Perry, Cher and Gary Barlow would love to get their hands on this for the chance of a modern day hit. Or Morrissey could record it as our Eurovision entry next year. The backing vocals sound great in the chorus on the line about the sun filling the morning sky. I like the way the way the volume seems to vary in some parts of the song.
Tim and Glynn - Running Away With The Hairdresser A playful, fun song with an impressive ska and reggae feel. I really like the introduction of the organ joining in on the chorus, which feels like something by The Specials or The Selector. The lyrics are good and I chuckled at the line ‘in clipped tones she spoke to me, no scissor hands just bonhomie’. There are other good sections: ‘Every time I comb my hair…I imagine her just standing there.’ It’s a terrific title for a song, because there’s something sensual about having a haircut. I once wrote a song called Chop It All Off, Barber – but that’s another story. The bridge in your song is really good. You shouldn’t worry about the vocals – they sound fine to me, particularly on the chorus.
Tim and Julie - As I’m Painted I really like this one because of its bluesy swagger, chorus vocals and the unusual and adventurous guitar playing throughout. I like the way you’re not scared of doing something harsh and off-kilter on the guitar although I have to say I didn’t get on with the combination of guitar and singing on about 38 seconds that lasts a few seconds. The voices combine really well on the chorus, though. The line ‘We’re all the same on the inside’ is good and I like that whack on the drum (not sure which type) at end of the first line of chorus. Your idea of doing verses through the eyes of separate characters is interesting. I like the lyric in Julie’s first verse, which combines the character’s vulnerability and strength. I’m assuming the second verse is narrated by the cat, with its clever line of ‘I get what I want from everyone, then refuse the fuss.’ Nice touch. A singing cat would be surreal for most people but it’s piffling for you two, given that last month you wrote about a pig getting a degree. Really enjoyable.
Casting Shadows – Phil Sanderson. One of your best, Phil. The guitar sound is good here and the Irish pipe sound gives it an eerie feel about two thirds through. It’s a very mournful melody in spite of what you said in your notes, although I guess if having a bloodied corpse on the sofa doesn’t dampen a mood then not much else will. I think you did the right thing to cut down on the instruments. Things are much clearer and it’s good that the vocal is ‘exposed’. The singing is the most important part of the song so it needs to be prominent. A good, English-sounding folk song.
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tandg
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by tandg on Oct 12, 2014 15:26:27 GMT
Stephen Clarke – The Wrong Side of the Street I do like the photo and the thought you’ve put into the story that led up to this image. Personally, I would have commented that it looks like David Walliams! Great harmony on the word ‘side’ in the ‘Wrong side of the street’ line and loved the idea that someone would be expelled from play group for asking for more soup (apart from Oliver, obviously). Love the break. Your voice sounds really good (and especially given the description of the way you recorded it). I kept humming it for some time afterwards.
Mike Gosling – My Father’s Tree Lovely introduction – the sounds are really atmospheric and I like the gamelan cymbals. Just as I was beginning to think I knew how the song was going and thought it should go somewhere else, it burst into the ‘all I can see’ part and the change in the sounds and atmosphere is excellent. I’m full of admiration for the really committed singing in that part – your voice sounds great. Great concept and really well executed.
Eddie Custard - Stranded This is the first time I’ve ever used the word ‘whimsical’ but it really seems to sum up the mood of this song. Lovely piano playing and as always with Eddie’s songs the vocal line is beautifully put together – unpredictable yet catchy and with nicely judged and well mixed harmonies. Beautifully done.
Patrick Duffin – In Springtime As always, the most professional sound by some margin – stereo imaging is amazing. Catchy chorus and interesting spaces that vocals all fit into – really good mixing – backing vocals are far away but without obvious loads of reverb. Very poppy feel to the song and I like the contrast between the vocal sound in the verse and the chorus – I don’t know how you get away with the change so well as the line runs directly from verse to chorus. I think we need a masterclass session from you.
Phil Sanderson – Catching Shadows Loved the guitar sound and the rich texture of the finger picking. Sort of dark but without descending into maudlin – which would be easy to do with such a dark subject. The vocal sound accentuates a sort of vulnerability that I really liked. The ‘Irish pipe thing’ and clarinet is really nice and I thought this was the best instrumental passage of any of the songs this month.
Tim & Julie – As I’m Painted Really interesting painting and a really interesting concept. I loved the overlap of the vocals – it’s quite a surprise the first time round. Good to hear both of you pushing the vocals forward – Julie’s could still be a bit further up in the mix. Is it my imagination or is Tim’s voice improving each month? I like the way it breaks towards the end in particular – you sound more and more like Iggy Pop / Lou Reed to my ears. You tend to record very dry sounds and that gives it a really distinctive sound. I really like this one – it’s great to hear the development from the early songs to this.
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Post by patrickd on Oct 13, 2014 19:49:07 GMT
Patrick's thoughts -
I like the fact that everyone's chosen such different paintings.
1 - Stephen - Wrong side of the street Nice clear uncluttered arrangement, I like the double tracked vocal, jaunty lighthearted feel and melody. Effective use of repeated phrases on both the country guitar line Harrison esque, and the chorus vocals. Again reminds me of something from Help era Beatles, especially the end coda. I think there may be one verse too many, as the middle eight comes a bit late for me. I like the sparse arrangement. the lack of drums let it breathe nicely, and create space for the vocals and guitars.
2 - Mike Gosling - My father's tree I like the atmospheric reverse bell stuff on the intro, reminds me of the band Japan. Glad that Mike's vocal is nice, dry and clear. Imaginative guitar parts act as percussion as well as harmony. Big Strong anthemic chorus, goes well with the other Mike back catalogue.
3 Tim and Glynn - running away with the hairdresser Sweet rudeboy drum fill to start. I like the Englishness of the vocal, nice and clear and dry, reminds me of Suggs. The melody and song is allowed to breathe with the simple arrangement. I do like the drumming, Is it the bloke out of Madness ? demonstrates what a range of dynamics the snare drum can have, as he uses snare and rimshot as two separate instruments. I like the slightly naughty edgy feel like those old Stiff records from the early 80's. Quite a surprise from TandG.
4 Stranded - Eddie Custard. Makes you smile from the onset, lovely sounding piano and nice playing, reminds me of the Rubettes or Pilot from the 70's. Nice clear mix lets you hear everything. I think the arrangement could do with paring down a bit, as it meanders down some unexpected lanes, this could be intentional, but I find it a little disorientating.
6 - Casting Shadows - Phil Sanderson Lovely sounding guitar, sounds like a dulcimer or harpsichord in places. I like the simple arrangement, like a pastoral, elizabethan melody. I like the introduction of the different instrument (recorder, pipe ?). It sounds complex and simple at the same time. A much leaner, more disciplined song than Phil's others and all the better for it.
7 - Tim and Julie - As I'm Painted Brave sparse intro but I find the delicate vocal is a bit brutalised by the electric guitar. The guitars battle a bit in the second verse, by 02.07 everything a bit out of time, like the band is losing patience with the drummer for playing too slowly. I like Tim's dark menacing atmosphere which lifts nicely as the major chords come in. Thoughtful lyrics and interesting approach to the painting. I think these qualities would shine through more if only the band hadn't been to the pub at the interval.
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Post by Colin Steward on Oct 13, 2014 21:40:36 GMT
Stephen Clarke. Wrong Side of the Street I'm with Eddie on this and wondered if that was a bloke in drag! Anyway, I liked how it chugged along with the guitar riff breaking up verses and choruses, and well played guitar. I like how you record simply but it always has an authentic sound. it's as though even if you had all the expensive bells and whistles available, you'd only be trying to achieve the sound you got anyway. Like Patrick, I felt the middle eight came in a bit late in the song.
Mike Gosling. My Father's Tree Nicely structured and builds to an anthem from atmospheric beginnings. I found the lyrics quite moving and kept my attention. I suppose, if anything, I would have preferred the choruses, especially the last one, a little heavier on guitar to really make them shine and give more contrast. I am being picky but I said I would be this time since I don't have anything to be judged!
Tim & Glynn. Running Away With the Hairdresser. One of my favourites. took me back to late 70s when music got good again and before it spiralled down into 80s mediocrity! There's a bit of ska without being totally bolted into that genre. I think it fitted the painting perfectly. My favourite line is "Escaping was my finest feat". Love how the rhythm conveyed running. it's very British and very Stiff records.
Eddie Custard. Stranded. So catchy and bright. Love how the melody works. You really do write a good tune. Said it before and will say again, there's Beatles and Squeeze in there. Quite a surprising song considering the painting. It would have been very easy to lapse into a hum drum shanty, glad you didn't go there! The drum rolls were off-putting for me and resembled a machine gun which is a shame. I fight against criticising production since it's really the song that's important but with such a good song you leave me with little else to criticise! And with that said, I really didn't like the synth brass sound. Was the guitar solo a bit loud in the mix? It sticks out like a soar thumb. Nevertheless, it is a great song.
Patrick Duffin. In Springtime. You've come up with a club anthem this time. So very well recorded and some great songwriting. Really loved the lyrics, probably better lyric than the average club anthem. The choruses are fantastic with some great backing vocal sounds. Like Eddie, you leave little to fault. However, I did feel that since you used all the trappings and sounds of that genre I was expecting a key modulation for the last chorus after the quiet section. It is cheesy to do it but I felt a little let down when it wasn't there! Key changes eh? Can't live with them, can't live without them!
Phil Sanderson. Casting Shadows. I love your guitar sound. This combined with the reverb on the vocals creates a very atmospheric song. It reminded me of "Still You Turn Me On" by ELP. The pipes kept it quiet and atmospheric where Mr Emerson would have trampled all over it with a bloody great Moog solo!
Tim & Julie. As I'm painted. It's very brave to have it so sparse at the beginning. I did find the lyrics interesting and I don't often pay much attention to lyrics normally but Tim is a pretty good wordsmith. Tim's voice seems to get better with each song he comes up with. My biggest criticism is that is so dry, drier than Tim's humour! As Patrick pointed out, some of the parts weren't in time with each other and whilst reverb isn't a cure, having it so dry only draws one's attention to it.
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Post by mikegosling on Oct 14, 2014 13:11:19 GMT
So, firstly, an admission. When I first listened through the songs (very late, very knackered, only listened once) I didn't really get into any of them. Spoke to Karl at the weekend and said I was a little disappointed but I had only given them a cursory listen - he said "Oh you've got to play them a few more times - they're good" or words to that effect. So, 3 or 4 listens later and the songs are indeed another fine bunch and very enjoyable to listen to!
1. Stephen Clarke - Wrong Side of the Street Good simple arrangement and sound - nice 50's / 60's sound. Pop music has become pretty dominated by drums and its good to hear the drums stripped away (like an early Elvis record). Starting with both the chorus vocal hook and then the guitar riff works well. I really like the vocal hook. The minor chord intro the middle 8 is very nice and yes, I also think the middle 8 arrives too late in the song and I would have lost a verse to make the song better balanced structurally. I would have liked to have heard a female/ high backing vocal arrangement in chorus. Overall the song is a pretty good fit / response to the photo. Incidentally, I like that sign "Vaccines and Biologicals" in the chemist shop window opposite and I might have been tempted to use that detail in the song lyric / story.
3. Tim/Glynn - Running Away with the Hairdresser A good ska sound from The Specials / Madness era of British music. A very good, catchy chorus. Some very nice lyrics, my favourite is "no scissorhands, just bonhomie". Tim's vocal works well with the ska sound as it is a very English sounding voice (bit of Suggsy, but also some Robert Wyatt especially in the "night/light/right" sounds). The Jerry Dammers organ is both a great sound and a good melodic line. Maybe the rhythm guitar isn't quite crisp enough for this genre - it sounds a bit too full, distorted, loud in the mix. Also, as for Stephen's song, I would have liked to hear a backing vocal arrangement in the chorus.
Not sure the song is a good fit for the painting. The Welsh valleys don't immediately conjure up urban ska to me. Having said that, when we got married down in South Wales we had "Ghost Town" played on heavy rotation at our evening do!
4. Eddie Custard - Stranded
Another fine piano chord sequence and melodic tune. I like the lyrics a lot - I like the chorus line "the tide's going out, so far, so fast". There are some instrumental/mixing choices that don't work to my ears. The scattergun snare fill is not one of my favourites and I do think the guitar solo is too loud in the mix. The tambourine is very fine and effectively moves things along in the chorus and towards the end. This was nagging away at me as I listened to Eddie's song and I couldn't think who Eddie reminded me of - then it came to me - especially on that "so far, so fast" line, Eddie sounds a lot like Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots).
I know you (Eddie) didn't write the story lyric, but I didn't interpret the painting in the same way. I thought the old fisherman was about to admonish his daughters for not selling the fish that he'd spent all night catching!
5. Patrick Duffin - In Springtime
What a great sound. And very effective use of stereo to highlight the simple cabasa percussion. Although not my favourite genre of popular music this is another winner. The vocal melody is very good. The best musical bit for me though is the fantastic backing vocal response in the chorus - very lovely. There are some good dynamics here - I like the way that the song almost disappears entirely at 1:50 before verse 3. And verse 3 is where Patrick departs from just writing an optimistic / upbeat lyric to accompany the loveliness of the painting. The words of caution "Some might say it's too sublime" indicate an intelligence at work (which you don't usually get with this genre of music).
The upbeat dance feel is an interesting response to Monet's painting (not for me an obvious choice of music to complement the painting), but the song and lyric are too good to just label this song a Balearic anthem.
6. Phil Sanderson - Casting Shadows The 12 string guitar gives this song such a strong grounding and a sense of musical place. It's hard to hear that sound without thinking back to the prog years and maybe some Al Stewart. The lyrics are very good - I particularly like the lines "freedom can come under cover, or in a disguise". The Irish whistle instrumental is a very nice passage - I would love to hear that part played with the "vibrato" type effect that Paddy Moloney (Chieftains) gets.
As I listened to the backing I kept hearing little bits of cello / strings that could have been addded. I think you could do a string arrangement for this song (pizzicato in verses, rhythmic strokes in choruses, long bows (no not longbows!) in the instrumental).
With regard to song as a response to the painting I think this song is a very good fit. I do, however, think that the "Casting Shadows" line (and title) doesn't work on two levels. Literally, the murderess doesn't seem to cast a shadow in the picture. On the contrary, the woman doesn't seem to be there both physically or emotionally - she is not distraught at murdering her husband she is just empty / nothing.
7. Tim/Julie - As I'm Painted A really catchy hook - "All the same on the inside". This hook dominates the song but the idea of allocating a verse to each character in the painting is an excellent idea for interpreting the painting and creating a narrative for the lyric. There are a lot of good lyrics in here, but I think that you could have used the (for me) strongest lyric / vocal performance at the start. "This picture is about the girl, Why should she be a slave to man" would for me have been a very strong opening to the song. Then when you(Manet) say "... she has her own story to tell" it leads naturally to the second verse being sung by the woman. Guitar-wise I like the Robert Frippish guitar later on in the song. The guitars are a little loud in places - but that's your style!
Top marks for writing a song that responds in an interesting way to the painting. I think you fulfilled the brief better than most.
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Post by timwarner on Oct 14, 2014 18:35:41 GMT
The first time I listened to this month's offerings, I must have been in a bad, cynical and unreceptive mood. Everything sounded a bit, well, lets just say I didn't like much of what I heard. Since then I have played them a few more times and everything has improved as I listen to in my more benevolent mood. The trouble i haven't entirely forgotten that first impression so, it is with this in mind that I review the songs. A bit like bad cop - good cop.
Stephen Clarke - Wrong Side of the Street First time I heard it the rhyming was very noticeable (then I get distracted by guessing the end of the next line and serious listening goes out the window). On subsequent hearings there is a charm to this, as there is to all of Stephen's songs, that is helped by the quirky recording techniques. You could see how they are all easily identifiable as a Stephen Clarke song. It's certainly good enough to get the ideas across, and there is some nice playing which makes it hang together rather well. I really love the vocals that sometimes are in unison and sometimes harmonise. I also like the second bit of the middle8.
Mike Gosling - My Father's Tree Listening to this in a bad mood made this song suffer more than most. If you don't get the mood on this straight away it's a bit of a struggle. I just wasn't in the zone for a song where, if played in the open air, it would have inspired people to hold aloft lots of lighters (or mobile phones with a candle app). Listening to it subsequently, there is much to admire here. The David Sylvia's percussion stuff is great and I like the chord changes without changing many notes (reminds of if 'it's different for girls') the dramatic drums and the lift it gets in the chorus and again when the back beat comes in. It's almost like you have downplayed expectations early in the song so you can surprise us with how it soars later on.
Tim and Glyn - Running Away with the Hairdresser I didn't dislike this on first listening, I was just a bit dismissive. Listening to it since, I think it's a real gem. The slightly ska feel is made a bit more grown-up by more interesting chords. Smart lyrics and I like the quiet angst in vocal. There's also some really good drums throughout. I can imagine Steve Naive playing the organ on the backing track. It's a really good pop song.
Eddie Custard - Stranded That snare sound really distracted me on first listening. The piano playing was good but I was reminded of Chaz and Dave who, although are great players, are associated with rather whimsical songs. Possibly not a good start. When it get going though I really like the descending stuff that's going on. Guitar too loud? Not a bit of it, you can hear the contact with the string, I like it. Another really good catchy pop song.
Patrick Duffin - In Springtime I wasn't expecting this at all. Normally the yardstick, Patrick has produced something I found very difficult to like on the first hearing. On subsequent hearing I still don't like it. The production is, as usual, the best on display here, and there could be a good song here but I just can't get passed the Stock-Aitkin-Waterman treatment. It starts well enough (slightly more Howard Jones or Vangelis) then it goes a bit dreamy before that horrible electro-snare crescendos into the euro-pop chorus. I'm sure it would be a big hit in Germany, especially if you could get David Hasslehoff to sing it but, it's fair to say, it's not one of my favourites. I guess you're saving a 'key changing' version for the eurovision task.
Phil Sanderson - Casting Shadows On first listening I though the guitar was doing its best to do an acoustic version of the wall of sound but, like I say, my mood wasn't the best and I now realise that was less than fair. I really like the pipe thing and the instrumental break generally. It's a delicate tapestry that could be an extract from an early Genesis song. Very English. Although I don't pay much attention to lyrics, those that I catch make it quite bleak, so very appropriate for the picture.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Oct 15, 2014 15:23:33 GMT
Like Tim and Mike I was a bit underwhelmed when I first listened to this months songs, but my patience and repeated listenings have been rewarded as there are some fine songs here once again. I found it interesting that all but one of the paintings chosen had people in them. The exception being Mike's (which I chose for him) and it inspired a song about two real people.
Stephen Clarke - Wrong Side of the Street A good choice of painting and I like the reasoning behind it. Very catchy. Unlike others here, I would like to hear it with a full band backing, probably from verse 2.
Mike Gosling - My Father's Tree I'm far too close to this song to be objective, but would like to say just one thing - Thank you, Mike.
Tim and Glyn - Running Away with the Hairdresser Wow - what a change of direction. Not what I expected, but well done for writing such a catchy song. The chorus has got right inside my head. There are some great drum fills, but the too loud open hi-hat is a bit annoying.
Eddie Custard - Stranded After last months winning entry, I was expecting great things again, and in some respects this delivers. I'm not a fan of that drum roll, but the more I listen to this, the more I like it. Eddie is great a getting an authentic retro feel in to his songs.
Patrick Duffin - In Springtime So Patrick has nailed the blissed beats dance genre (along with anything else he turns his hand to!). It sounds great, in no small part thanks to that good vocal line (so often missing in this type of music) and a proper set of lyrics. However, probably because I have heard them used so much in 90's dance music from the likes of Faithless and Leftfield, the production tricks didn't really wow me - sorry!
Phil Sanderson - Casting Shadows The harpsichord-esque guitar sound on this "Medieval" song is great. Overall I think it is a bit too long, but then it probably needed to be to fit in all the lyrics. The exposed vocals, which for some reason remind me of Billy Bragg, are fine.
Tim/Julie - As I'm Painted The catchy "All the same ..." line is the real hook here - it could have been the song title too. This "less is more" idea really works here - I wanted to hear it sung again before the abrupt end. The dry, rough-round-the-edges production is fine ... up to a point. The timing issues late in the song are a bit hard on the ear. However, your brave decision making, once again, deserves to be applauded.
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Post by philsanderson on Oct 17, 2014 22:26:46 GMT
Sorry about ‘delay’ with my review! No excuses, I’m just late!
The Wrong Side of the Street A really distinctive ‘Stephen Clarke’ sound- the instrumentation and vocal sound really clear and the lack of presence of drums works really well. The lyrics and vocal delivery are first rate. The rhymes are wonderful, in particular the ‘office /coffees’ line. The middle eight is my favourite part, would be nice to have it as the main verse or chorus of another song? When I heard your song for four chord month I had got a sort of retro black and white image stuck in my head, so the choice of artwork somehow seemed natural. My Father’s Tree Especially keen on percussion coupled with guitar sounds towards beginning. Definitely the song with the most heartfelt lyrics and vocal performance so far in the SWC history. The chorus is uplifting and needs to be played at an outdoor festival gig in front of adoring fans. Great song! Running Away with the Hairdresser Is it Squeeze or is it Madness? No, it’s a brilliant amalgamation of styles! The vocal is outstanding – not knowing your ‘other’ music it came as a real surprise, as did the clever and completely British lyrics. The music completely matches the ‘running’ theme. This song deserves a video. Stranded Hard to review this great song without repeating what others have said! The harmonies, chords and piano are first class throughout. I feel the song didn’t need the synth parts, as the remaining instruments and vocal are so strong. I immediately got a mental picture of Mrs Mills playing the piano part at the end (!!), although the overall feeling of the song is definitely ‘Beatles’. In Springtime The clever use of dynamics throughout song coupled with the excellent stereo / panning are this song’s highlight for me ( especially the backing /secondary vocals.) You get the most out of this song hearing it on headphones , have to admit to missing the good bits when I first heard it on my very average old Hi-Fi. It is very modern and I like most of the synth sounds. As I’m Painted There’s a lot going on throughout this song. I especially like the snare sound coupled with the King Crimson guitar sounds. I almost wish that the main part of the song would actually have moved off into Crimson territory rather than bluesy, but it’s no criticism of the song as it is, Tim!! ( Just a fan of KC) The main ‘chorus’ line is strong and holds the song together well. It’s a brave song and it deserves multiple listening to ‘get’ all the parts!
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Post by Rob W on Oct 23, 2014 9:48:40 GMT
September Song Reviews
Wrong Side of the Street Stephen Clarke
Stephen never lets me down. I can imagine him playing gigs in reasonably-sized venues (never stadiums - it wouldn’t be true to his fans) and his loyal supporters would hang on every line and hook. This is close to being one of my favourite songs from Stephen. It’s well constructed and there are some really lovely chord progressions. I love the guitar sound and the hook line. I sometimes wonder whether the lack of drums is deliberate but certainly in the case of ‘Wrong Side of the Street’ they’re not missed. It feels like a classic ‘story’ song as we get fed more and more of the facts of this poor woman’s life; even the middle 8 that takes us to a better time in her life. I love it.
My Father’s Tree MIke Gosling
I expected this (based on the title alone) to be a kind of David Sylvian/Peter Gabriel homage and the reverse effects at the start had me ticking those particular boxes. When the drums-proper started though it was a ‘Sounding Line’ song - folk with a rocky undertone. Mike’s vocal was a little sharp at the start but once the octave harmony and then the full vocal started it was great.
I wondered what the message of the song would be and was waiting for the next rhyme (in the chorus) to see what would scan with the previous ‘eee’ sound. I guess the message was that fathers/parents can affect what we become in life and that the loss of a loved one is like a strong oak tree being felled in the forest - almost unthinkable when we’re young (but become more ‘thinkable’ as some of us edge ever-closer to our sixth decade!!!)
The production was as effortless as ever and the drums were very good, particularly the china bells. Great song.
Running away with the Hairdresser Tim & Glynn
Before I had even listened to the song, this was my favourite title and painting.
Ooh. I love the drums from the off. And a real shock to not having Glyn singing but Tim (lead singer of ‘Nocturne’?) rose to the task brilliantly (he and Stephen Clarke should harmonise for one another.) The instrumentation on this is great. It’s very simple and the relaxed feel leaves you to listen to the story.
The first verse made me wonder how many ‘plays on words’ I could come up with on a hairdresser theme but I think you just about covered them all! I loved the verses and the particularly the chorus. The middle 8 felt like it had been plucked from a 70s classic and I too liked the ‘…where the dogs and cats don’t fight’ line. I was wondering whether we’d get the inevitable ‘now I’m bald she’s left me..’ line but I like the thought of them running away from the madness for their own brand of madness. I really liked this.
Stranded Eddie Custard
My first thought was ‘that’s a brave attempt at a drum roll on a drum machine - but please don’t do it again!’ My next thought was with regard to the ‘narrow’ sound and 70s sounding vocal. The vocal sounded the same throughout (which I liked) and then the ‘narrow’ sound spread beautifully which gave the whole song a lift (as if it needed it.)
The song itself is brilliant but having listened to it a few times, I don’t like the Honky Tonk piano refrain at the end; it was fine at the beginning but reprising it at the end didn’t work for me. Also, the feel of the painting didn’t really match the feel of the song but those very minor criticisms shouldn’t detract from what is a major, major piece of work from Eddie. I remember Tim & Glynn talking about a song by Patrick D a few months ago where they intimated that they could not have written the particular song he’d created that month or wouldn’t have known where to start. I feel exactly the same about this. I have no idea how Eddie was come up with something so pleasing to the ear. The melody is brilliant; the chord progressions unfold reassuringly (like a hand-made, oak bureau!) and it has Eddie’s brilliant vocals and harmonies sprinkled on top. To use a football analogy, this is Watford FC in the seventies and eighties; easily moving up the divisions until they hit the top flight, but along the way they’ve suddenly become Real Madrid. You’re playing with the big boys now. Let’s see how many times you can raise the trophy but this is fantastic.
In Springtime Patrick Duffin
A really interesting and unexpected start. It took me back to the Casio we used to use in our band of the 80s (Another Citizen) where we’d program random notes and see if anything inspired a song (I think it only worked once!) The ‘Euro-pop’ was even more unexpected but the change of chord just before we enter full, bass-thumping ‘Euro-pop’ mode was great. The execution and production are as sublime as ever (even down to the over-compressed backing.’
I think I have two or three problems with this song, however. Firstly, I’m not a big fan of ‘Euro-pop’. Secondly, your songs thus far have all been distinct in that they have startling and singable melodies that always leave me scratching my head at your inventiveness/genius. This one didn’t feel like that. It felt a little thrown away. And thirdly, if we were to play a ‘matching’ game, I’m pretty sure that no one would match your song to your picture (yours, in my opinion, would have been matched with the ‘Hairdresser’ picture.)
I feel compelled to qualify any criticism with a) you did a lot better than me! And b) you have set such impossibly high standards that it would surprising in the extreme if you were to be brilliant every month and not ‘tickling my fancy’ makes you almost human!! Love you, man.
Casting Shadows Phil Sanderson
Phil, I know, was very proud of this and so he should be. This is a much simpler arrangement than we’ve been used to from Phil and shows him to be a very accomplished 12 string guitar player.
The feeling, at times, is almost like a cross between a traditional ’Tudor’ theme and a Led Zeppelin track. Once the ‘pipes’ and ‘cello’ start, it really takes on a Celtic feel.
The difficulty for Phil is that the comments throughout the months have largely been ‘strip back your arrangement’ or ‘it needs to be simplified’. However, this month’s songs would have benefited from stepping up a gear after the ‘pipe’ instrumental section (you can’t win, Phil.)
I think it really matched the picture well and a second and third time had me listening intently to the lyrics. I loved the way some of the lines were delivered particularly the ‘…not one glimmer of guilt as his soul disappears…’
On a critical note (and this is not the first time I’ve said it) Phil tends to appear to be a little ‘fast and loose’ with the timing of some of his instrumentation and his phrasing. I like the fact that he’ll stick in a bar of three beats here or five beat there but sometimes it just feels that he’s out of time with the backing and it can make it a little uncomfortable to listen to (particularly for me as someone who’s fairly OCD about being in time!)
All in all, though. A great effort and a haunting anthem to accompany the ‘kids-sister’ picture of ‘Scream.’ Well done, Phil
As I’m Painted Tim & Julie
Another solo appearance from the female half of this now famous duo!! If I were offering any pieces of advice to Julie in terms of vocal performance, I would just say 1) try and treble the volume 2) open your mouth wide and 3) throw off any doubts. You’ve already demonstrated you can stay in tune (which is no mean feat) now try and sing with a little more confidence. Please feel free to ignore.
The arrangement is great. Very clean, very clear and well executed in terms of ‘build’.
All Tim & Julie’s songs, to me, sound a little like songs by Alice Cooper from the early 70s (a plus point, in my books!) particularly Tim’s vocal (It sounds just like the verse vocal on ‘Killer’.) His vocal is getting better and stronger week-on-week. The ‘hook’ (‘…we’re all the same on the inside…’) was very catchy but the verses did suffer a little bit from a lack of clarity.
All in all, this song has made my voting choices harder. I had picked my two but this has thrown a spanner in the works. Well done.
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Post by timwarner on Oct 28, 2014 15:49:42 GMT
And we have a winner, or two. Congratulations to T&G and Eddie for producing two very good songs.
Yar-boo to everyone else as, in the court of popular opinion at least, your song was as crap as mine.
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Post by mikegosling on Oct 28, 2014 17:31:33 GMT
My congratulations as well to Tim and Glynn and Eddie for September's winning songs. I enjoyed them very much.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Oct 29, 2014 18:39:57 GMT
Well done Tim & Glynn. Well done Eddie. Two worthy winners.
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