Song of the Month Club - July 2017

crouchie

@theconnactic said:
This is mine for July: The name came from the giant with hundred eyes from the greek mythology, servant of Hera and treacherously killed by Hermes. Lots of overdriven guitar solos, including a lightning fast guitar improvisation, contrast with sweet, 80-ish DX pianos and clean, funky rhythms. The drums were synthesized with an iOS synth by FabFilter, Twin 2, and played with my ever-trustworthy BOSS DR-5.

Brilliant stuff, really impressive musicianship and one of those tempos I can't make head or tail of. Well done!

crouchie

@realdavidai said:
This is my song called “Dream”. I’m blending my music hobby with my current university studies of Chinese. So I snuck in some Spoken Chinese. Also used the Pipa in GarageBand to add a touch of traditional to the track.

Brilliant! Really polished, contemporary, great mix and arrangement. Running out of time this month so rushing it, but suffice to say one of the most accomplished songs I've heard on here.

crouchie

@DefRobot said:

After getting jaded with the long process of making my last entry, I decided to give myself a task for this month.
I had to write, record, mix and master the song within a week to keep it fresh.
I recorded it entirely in Cubasis. A kick from Patterning, the rest of the drums from inside Cubasis.
Live Bass guitar with some slight sequenced bass under and a sprinkle of Gadget.
Guitar is played through Bias FX.
Vocals have some Virsyn Reverb on the leads. Mors eq is on vox too.

Great stuff. Totally the right thing to do, get a song done and out there. For me the vocal is the best bit and you've performed it well, but I particularly like the overall sound of it. I am hopeless mixing vocals so I'm envious. Great tune

crouchie

@JohnnyGoodyear said:
As some of you know I am limited in production skills and tend to avoid anything more than a basic mix. I have to admit I did try for a 70s revival country band sound here and ended up sufficiently wide of the mark that I couldn't seem to make my way back. Subject matter/inspiration goes to @bluepunk as the words for this (which, as ever, came first) were prompted by a discussion around religion that we had/have been having...

Not my best work, but I like the first two lines sufficiently (words below the spoiler) that I'm pretty sure I'll come back to this draft for another go etc.

That Which Is Lent

Two women hose down a crucifix
Another girl comes by, separates the sticks
It is in this way our God is forlorn
While in the next room some new religion is being born

Chorus:
And everyone who rises up
will some day fall again
yet even so we'll ride on high
deal with our sorrow then

Between the legs of a virgin who never gave out
Who is dying inside with the dreams of the only devout
There are children and corpses who still hope for the best
For a solid square meal away from her aching lonely breast

Chorus

That which is Lent can never be given
That which is your snow will always lie dead, be here and driven
There’s a man on a hill he’s all alone
And he’s calling out loud that he’s only flesh and only bone

Chorus

Is good that is. Actually I've got a soft spot for this, verse chorus and all. It's got a really nice feel to it. Drew me in. And it's country and western if you want it to be

crouchie

@Bluepunk said:
" I've been writing a lot about my encounter with love which is the white stag as far as song writing is concerned because love songs are so banal, and my experience with love is anything BUT that."
J.Tillman

"That's what I love about song writing - That you can write something about your own experiences and think it's completely specific to you, and then people can take away a completely different meaning for themselves. I really love that."
Idina Menzel

Proper mad this month! Love it as always. Felt the vocal sat well in the mix this time and I could make out the words well, including alarming STD references. Barmy

crouchie

@aaronpc said:
Here is something new— started as a Gadget noodle on a plane three years ago, then became an exercise in using various strings sources, then became an albatross. It's time to get if off my plate for a while and see what other people think as I work on something else. Lyrics in the spoiler.

One
One bitter son
Sulphur on the tip of the tongue

Dumb
Clumsy mess of thumbs
Idle hands
Shining eyes
Dirty lungs

You never have been one to follow recipes,
Directions, laws or good advice
All end up kites wrapped up in trees

But for once
Put yourself first
Grab a car
Put it in reverse

Coup
Kaiser Coup
What's a good boy supposed to do?
There's no angel beside you
But something else there inside you

I'm here for…

You
Kaiser Coup
You can't cheat if you don't know the rules
If you can't see the right move
Why not do what not to do
Coup Coup
Kaiser Coup

Some bottles
And some rags
And some gasoline
Then you can pop 'round to the pool store
For some tablets of chlorine

Just this once
Let it go
Drop the act
Begin the show

It's time to…

Coup
Kaiser Coup
Let's give all the goons something new to do
There's no angel beside you
But something else there to guide you

They won't believe it's…

You
Kaiser Coup
What's a good boy supposed to do?
Now the old gang can all see
What it is you've been up to
Coup Coup
Kaiser Coup

I like. Running so far behind you'll have to forgive my brevity. There are elements of the vocal and melody that remind me of the Divine Comedy (good thing), and then I really like the scratchy, portentous bits. In fact I really like it, but I do think the vocal is buried just a bit too much (hello pot this is kettle). Really good stuff

crouchie

@trackedout said:

I do like this, vocals get better all the time and this is certainly more of a slow burner. I just found the brass sounds a bit too distracting, making things feel a bit too disjointed. That disjointed feel might have more impact if used in just part of the song. Is really good though, great stuff

crouchie

@richardyot said:
@crouchie we'll overlook posting an old tune (since I've revisited past work as well, and dammit I'm the gaffer), for favoured members we can consider relaxing the rules now and then.

First things first: I miss hearing your vocal. Obvious thing to say but it's true.

The track is good though, lots of interesting sounds and textures and that beat is oh-so-funky. The snare sound is a bit harsh though, and does give the whole song a bit of an edge. That transient is so sharp you could cut yourself, and you hear it for four of the six minutes the tune plays for. I think the best thing about this track is all of the interesting little background sounds you hear, especially in the break. It's definitely a tune to dance to while off your head on some very synthetic drug.

Thanks Richard. Don't get to do that last bit v much any more I fear :-(
Sorry about old tune, won't happen again!

crouchie

@Bluepunk said:
@crouchie See it was 23.15 hrs last night and I was Killing Joke'd out. So I played your rhythm addiction romp to chill. Ha... chill! No chance and thanks. You are one of the few that can get away with a 'clean shave, to a five o'clock shadow' length tune. The rhythm owns a twisted mind and along with The Prodigy synth feeling thing, your audacious plan has payed off. Throw the dodgy snare over here please.... and everything else. Touched me again and danced it a few times to hit that snare beat (which is bliss by the way). Forcing off beat Hue and Cry choreography on to a Punk shouldn't work but does. Brilliant, dynamically deft tune that if you ever decide to sing along to with your lyrics, could be sung in this way. See, this is where your song took me both musically and physically. Back to KJ and a gig I was lucky to be at. Think it has similarities to this and I haven't worked out why. Gigantic gear you've created Crouchie.

Got to love those fellas! Many thanks as always. Will try to exercise restraint over timings. Just get carried away...

Bluepunk

@crouchie said:

@Bluepunk said:
" I've been writing a lot about my encounter with love which is the white stag as far as song writing is concerned because love songs are so banal, and my experience with love is anything BUT that."
J.Tillman

"That's what I love about song writing - That you can write something about your own experiences and think it's completely specific to you, and then people can take away a completely different meaning for themselves. I really love that."
Idina Menzel

Proper mad this month! Love it as always. Felt the vocal sat well in the mix this time and I could make out the words well, including alarming STD references. Barmy

Thank you so much. Alarming indeed. Especially the old fashioned treatment of. Do they still use those things from 'Saw 3'

crouchie

@richardyot said:
Some throwaway chillout, lyrics (such as they are) in the spoiler.

Take me where the air is thin
And take me where the void begins

I want to fly away from here
And shed this earthly atmosphere

And leave the planet out of sight
To drift into the endless night

So take me where the air is thin
And take me where the end begins

Yes, really like that! Dreamy, the vocalised pads and your vocals work really well together. One of my favourites!

crouchie

@serosin said:

My contribution for this month. Having some fun with mellotron strings and 170 bpm

Currently binge-listening Slam and so I really appreciated this one!. Kick needs more boom though. Great tune!

JohnnyGoodyear

@crouchie Ta Mister C.

marliess

@crouchie said:

@marliess said:

I genuinely like this tune, sort of garage rock tune, great hook and really well performed and mixed, I just wanted more oomph in the chorus. Rather than taking it up a notch it drops out a bit. Some growling guitar through that bit would make me happy. But really good tune and I think one of my favourites by your good self. Good stuff!

Thanks @crouchie , spot on with that feedback....dang it! thought i was done with this tune but will revisit to jazz up the chorus a bit. Thanks again for the feedback

Got a few more July reviews to get through post-work today...great to see the July SOTMC still alive and kicking

aaronpc

@crouchie said:
I like. Running so far behind you'll have to forgive my brevity. There are elements of the vocal and melody that remind me of the Divine Comedy (good thing), and then I really like the scratchy, portentous bits. In fact I really like it, but I do think the vocal is buried just a bit too much (hello pot this is kettle). Really good stuff

Thanks @crouchie for the last minute nudge. I tend to mix to the nth, then try to plop the vocals on top, so yeah, they always get buried. Now I have to hitch up my pants and drop levels during the vocal parts on a multitude of tracks to make room. Same as ever. Always good to know I'm not getting away with something, though.

fattigman

@richardyot said:
Some throwaway chillout, lyrics (such as they are) in the spoiler.

That's a beautiful song, I like the melody. My only criticism is the autotune on the vocals. I think it would be better without it.

marliess

@richardyot said:
Some throwaway chillout, lyrics (such as they are) in the spoiler.

Cool dreamy intro, love the slight edge to the bass groove. Vibe is great, chilled indeed. My only knock is a minor one - the mouth noises..(1:15 as an example)...once you hear them you cant unhear them. By-product of compression and prob not a bother to many, just raise them as theyre on my own editing hitlist. Minor quibble in a lovely tune.

richardyot

Mouth noises... Eurgh. Will definitely need to edit those out, I'm normally a bit sharper with my editing.

marliess

@aaronpc really enjoyed this one. It Sort of has an eclectic madness too it. Vox are nonchalant and restrained but still have an urgency about them. Tone of your vox suits the song perfectly. Great breakdown interlude around 1:30. Breakdown just after 4 min was maybe less effective. For mine you couldve pulled stumps just prior to that and been left with a great and complete tune. That said, fantastic effort overall and production was top shelf. I didnt notice burying of the vocal...u could always try complemenatary eq cuts / boosts to carve some space for the vox rather than messing with levels if u reckon its an issue...amazing how much space that can open up in a track. There's a free AU called GooseEQ that has a really useful eq spectrum view that you can use to quickly identify the tracks that are masking the vox.
Thanks for the feedback on my tune...great observation that my vocal structures maybe too rigidly align with guitar rhythms...sometimes i even mute the guitars when recording vocals to try to break the habit.

Shaken&Stirred

@Bartlinux said:
Huhu Late to The Party , gut here is my last Track

Hey @Bartlinux this one had be bobbin my head by about 4 seconds in! nice groove, and clean mix. I felt I could hear everything really well. I've made the following comment on a few tracks this month, but I would like have heard more use of the stereo spectrum. It seems like everything was panned close to the middle with stereo fx applied. Maybe putting the hats to one side, or one of the synth lines to the other might add interest. And the part where you bring it down, about a 1/3 of the way through adds nice dynamics. I think the track could benefit from more of that. also, thanks mucho for the follow on soundcloud as well. Cheers!

Shaken&Stirred

@crouchie said:

@Shaken&;Stirred said:
Here is my first submission to The Club. I have a goal to complete/share one track a month here, to get past the "never finishing anything" habit. All input appreciated!

That's really well put together, a very good song, chops and changes nicely, hint of electroclash but distinctive vocal give it great identity. V impressed. Very nicely mixed indeed. Only complaint was the drums in the chorus, would want them louder, with more of a crack, even a breakbeat. Very good though. Looking forward to your next one

Thanks @crouchie it's very nice to read this over my morning coffee! I agree with your assessment of the drums during the chorus and you're not the first to say something similar. I'm glad you like the track. Cheers!

Bartlinux

@Shaken&;Stirred

Thank you for the sound and constructive criticism. I have to give you right, I have to work more in the stereo field, I'm not long music and have not dared so far at the pan buttons up. Honestly no idea had left what is right. I thank you for your tips that will try and experiment some more there. Thank you very much!

realdavidai

@crouchie said:

@realdavidai said:
This is my song called “Dream”. I’m blending my music hobby with my current university studies of Chinese. So I snuck in some Spoken Chinese. Also used the Pipa in GarageBand to add a touch of traditional to the track.

Brilliant! Really polished, contemporary, great mix and arrangement. Running out of time this month so rushing it, but suffice to say one of the most accomplished songs I've heard on here.

Thanks @crouchie I’m really encouraged by the feedback to it.

richardyot

@serosin nice instrumental, good sounds, good melodies, drives along nicely. I would have thought 170bpm would be really manic but on this track it sounds just right.

richardyot

@Master_Ascendant welcome to the club, congratulations on your first post. It's a dark and oppressive riff very much in the Sabbath mold, and I think the riff is pretty cool, but the track needs more variation for me. This is essentially the same riff being repeated for three and a half minutes, and that makes the track feel very static. Some variation in both music and dynamics would be welcome IMO.

richardyot

@Bartlinux it's a feelgood party tune, with a nice groove and a happy feel. I think it could do with a little more variety though, because there's a limited number of musical ideas in there, especially for a 5 minute track. Some additional riffs, beats, sections, anything to create some changes and make the track more interesting and provide contrast would help. However the parts that are there work nicely and the vibe is great.