I fell asleep for two weeks. SORRY. Here is a new song that is my favourite.
I don't understand a single word you say
but I reserve the right to be offended anyway
from your body language and your intonation
I can comprehend the content of your coded communication
latin burns
your latin burns
I have no choice
but hear your voice
I keep my feelings underneath my shirt
but insults in a dead language still hurt
there's no need to hide behind a veil
every ounce of your resentment I inhale
flex that intellect if you must
but your slight of hand can't disguise your disgust
Having a hard time getting anything finished this year. Here's something, though.
immortality comes naturally
when your brain's in the public domain
networked and wireless, alert and tireless
with batteries that don't drain
multithreaded and intrepid
she's working the crowd
with dynamic circuits embedded
she's got her head in the cloud
intellect upgraded, government persuaded
part of a system that cannot degrade
it's the world of the future, the next evolution
are you part of the problem? or are you the solution?
Something strangely innocent sounding about this one--- maybe due to the straight eighth syncopated rhythm- & & &3 4 - in the synth melody and how it is so squarely in the key of bubblegum major. 
The lyric is packed with fun techno puns-- head in the cloud(s) is one of those twists of a cliché that seems obvious, but I've never heard it done before--- if I ever do, I'll say I heard it here first!
Great chorus, really nice arrangement. Very clever lyrics and rhyming pairs. great job
Strangely innocent or oddly bitter sweet? There's something about this that really hits a sweet spot for me, but not cloying. LOVE that chorus! Delightful all the way
love the synthy-poppy sounds, fits very well with the computer imagery. i like the head in the cloud line too, very enjoyable listen
The lyrics are great, and that first verse in particular is a knockout. Arrangement is spot-on for the material: bouncy and happy, a stark contrast with the possibly dystopian aspects of the lyrics. A very nifty piece of songwriting, sir!
I really like what you have done with the synths on this track. There are some really nice hooks in there. Loving the technology references (or is that just me being a geek). I too have lacked inspiration this year, so I made videos instead
This song was inspired by this tweet by @expendable friend: https://twitter.com/exp_friend/status/495469475320569856
Also, lots of interesting new VST plugins were released today as part of the KVR developer challenge, and I've been messing around with them today, so nearly all of the sounds here come from stuff available for free here: http://www.kvraudio.com/kvr-developer-challenge/2014/
I particularly recommend the Mate synth (which is producing every synth noise here), the Breakback Mangler (used here for delay and the slowdown at the end), the Flextron amp simulator and the wonderful Multiply chorus. I also used the ADD-Drums sample pack.
I've been kept up all night by the zombie uprising
and the way that I feel is perhaps not surprising
eyes half closed, and mouth open and drooling
I try to stand upright, but who am I fooling?
I'm slouched and I'm useless, I shuffle around
I'm constantly emitting a murmuring sound
I've begged them for quiet, but this might upset you:
stopping you from sleeping; that's how they get you
now three days and nights I have gone without sleep
my skin has no colour, through shadows I creep
through ruins I search for one pocket of silence
everywhere round me, the remnants of violence
my heart slowly throbs and my head's full of pains
and I'm gradually starting to hunger for brains
all you need is some rest, but they just won't let you
that's when you realise - that's how they get you
Some brilliant sounds throughout this. I like the lyrical concept of sleep deprivation leading to zombification.
Quite dark and quite good
Yeah the sounds seem to fit right in
Zombies seem to be back in fashion these days :)
I like it
Well done
i like the sounds too :)
i like the twist of thats how they get you and the joining somehow of metaphorical sleepless/tired "zombie" and a "real" actual Zombie
Love those sounds, and the melodic humor and playfulness in your vocal. Inspired lyrics, too.
A very nice zombie-song with such a lovely touch of humor! The playfulness of words and performance as Chip mentioned it, make it be a special experience...
I also love the witty lines
"all you need is some rest, but they just won't let you
that's when you realise - that's how they get you".... Awesome!
what is this mate synth you describe, is a hardware or software?? i can't really find anything on it but it sounds positively adorable! i like your sense of arrangement so muchhhh
I'm very impressed, like the others, by some of the synth sounds going on here - particularly like the relentless drum track!
Any resemblance to situations real or fictional is unintended.
if there's one thing I really hate
it's getting told off for being late
by a manager who's always slightly later
"I earned the right not to be on time"
yeah well buddy, I think you're slime
checking my arrival time by calculator
"it's safety first", you say
but if there's traffic on the motorway
then you'd better speed the rest of the way
or you're gonna have hell to pay
timekeeping
timekeeping
getting into work when you should be sleeping
timekeeping
timekeeping
sitting in the corner of the office weeping
if there's one thing I abhor
it's the sigh when I walk out the door
the very minute I'm allowed to
"no unpaid overtime?", you ask
even though I've finished every task
and yet that's still not enough for you!
then I'm quietly taken away
"you took a rather long lunch today"
promote the ones who stay behind
forget the ones who leave on time
even if their work is fine
and everything gets done
ignore the words in your contract
not everything there is actual fact
the pay scale is based on heart attacks
or being the boss's son
timekeeping
timekeeping
waking in the dark with alarm clock bleeping
timekeeping
timekeeping
roads are still full of street-sweepers sweeping
Fine delivery of your message there
Yep, some employers seem to think they own you body and soul
It's not always a case of the work getting done but....other things
Nice upbeat song with cheery, raw driving guitars. Catchy tune with a great title as well.
That's as much fun as you can possibly have with mid-30s-agnst! You nail the story...and it's so freaking catchy. I love the driving guitar, the strings, the little breaks. A real winner here, Tom.
Did you put the cover sheet on your TPS reports?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy3rjQGc6lA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjJCdCXFslY
Hey, this is absolutely fantastic! The driving beat and guitars are absolutely perfect to set the stage for these wonderfully written angst filled angry lyrics. The hook is incredibly contagious! Your vocal delivery is absolutely superb! I can imagine this as a hit! Awesome job! I love it!
I love this....a total delight from beginning to end. Great rhyme scheme and the lyric is perfectly matched to the music and arrangement. Great performance too.......excellent!
really like the feel of this, reminds me of the early 80s post punk sort of stuff, really catchy and love the office setting combined with the pissed off attitude. sounds great all round
A lot of fun to listen to, this one, getting a Blink-182 / Green Day pop-punk feel here. love that little 'long lunch' break very much. Mid-30s angst is the best kind of angst!
Fun. High energy. I like the angst. It sits well with my general desire to give the finger to authority.
I recorded the drum machine, bass and guitar for this song a week or two ago but couldn't think of any lyrics. I figured I'd force something out today so they're a bit nonsensical and placeholder-y (and the title was picked out from Titular) but I think the melody is pretty good. Synth was also added today but the main fuzz was all recorded on the iPad. I kind of like the sound of that old drum machine, it reminds me of my old 4-track recordings.
you learned to write your name
by copying the logo on the windowpane
you seemed a bit surprised
your life was televised
and now you're in japan
struggling with a language you don't understand
but they seem to like you there
you get comments on your hair
I saw you on the news
smiling in the background
Yeah, I also get the old 4-track recordings vibe from what you've done here. Love the smooth pop high harmony on the second line "copying the logo"... I wasn't expecting to hear the harmony right off like that and it was a pleasant surprise. Maybe my brain just figured the second phrase would be like the first, mostly about the delay vocal. Anyway nice sounds throughout--- and an intriguing bit of lyric. Thanks for sharing!
I like this. It takes me back to 80s indie recordings for sure. I really find the words intriguing for a placeholder lyric - "I saw you on the news / smiling in the background" is a line loaded with so many inferences. Likewise there's a lot of subtleties in the music that draw me in. Really interesting song - cheers!
Not placeholdery at all I would say--evocatively cryptic rather. The guitar... "clangs" are great--the way they push a little bit gives the whole song a nice forward momentum. This reminds a lot of "Another Green World," except for the vocals, which are lively where Eno is rather narcoleptic.
Nicely done, atmospheric, evocative and fun. Interesting lyric, too.
takes me back to 80's MTV days, I like the cryptic imagery too, leaves interesting possibilities for the coming video This inspires me to get my little portable drum machine off the shelf.
Lyrics are fine - always nice to have something to mull over rather than being given everything on a plate, as it were. And plenty of great images in them. I also get the 4-track feel to this, the way it's kind to the guitar sound but crushes the drums. That final drum fill takes me WAY back! I've still got my knackered Fostex X-15 kicking around somewhere, maybe I should go old school for one of my tracks...
Lyrics co-written with @Hannibal Hamster via text message. I didn't realise that it was going to be a folk song, but here we are.
my story's as old as the paintings I've found
in this man-made cavern deep beneath the ground
when we were together, my joy was unending
but since you've been gone, I just keep descending
there must be a way to restore your affection
and with hammer and chisel I'll reverse my rejection
I will dig for precious stones in the heart of this hill
and if I can't be your best friend then these diamonds will
no natural light and no air to breathe
I've been deep underground since you had to leave
I can barely remember how I felt so fine
when you were mine
this depression's so deep that I can't overwhelm it
you've drained the batteries for the light on my helmet
the caverns of your heart are twisted and scary
you've smashed my support beams, you've killed my canary
I miss the light and air
in which we used to frolic
I should stop lurking in depressions
but I'm an alcove-holic
I should get it together
need to pull off the plaster
but I can't seem to escape
this pining disaster
no natural light and no air to breathe
I've been deep underground since you had to leave
I can barely remember how I felt so fine
when you were mine
Every time I try to rise above, I cave to this emotion
my heart's a block of limestone, my tears cause erosion
I light a candle to show my devotion
if there's pockets of gas there might be an explosion
(I hope there's an explosion)
(a massive explosion)
I can't get enough of that guitar motif. Great melodies and harmonies here. I love the lyric...all the absurd melancholia and great wordplay one could wish for. Folk song? Maybe. Played loud enough with swirling electric guitars, it could be something else.
i love the hook pun ... and alcoveholic you manage to slip in nicely, along with quite a few others, well done (see if you see the connection with an old song of mine (haha) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoWubJHc8J4 ) anyway very enjoyable listen
I like this kind of silliness. The guitars and arrangement are really appealing too. With your sort of dead pan vocal, it sells it so well.
Beautiful guitar! I enjoyed the cleverness of the verse lyrics, but when it turns poignant with that minor chord at the end of the chorus, that is the money moment. I agree with Danny, this would sound great as an electric wall of shoegazer noise.
i love the harmonies!! and the cadence of the chorus, and then the sudden iv-II turnaround just before the chorus lets out~~~ "alcove-holic" is hilarious. okay i guess most of the lyrics here in general are pretty quietly, tragically hilarious, so well done to both of you!! i think the bridge structure is a welcome (and maybe even integral) change in this track. nicely done!
What a great write! Loved "You killed my canary". Really like the production and melody, it allows the story to be heard clearly. Enjoyed this and its humor!
My proper PC is unavailable at the moment so here's another iPad demo. I think the vocal melody needs work, a textbook example of how to write a song in an awkward key for yourself and not realise it until you've already recorded all the instruments...
while everyone's out having fun
I'll just lay here in the sun
just want to eat and sleep and play
and do the same thing every day
be more cat
don't want to worry about anything
beyond the end of this ball of string
finding the most comfortable place
and seeing how many hours I can waste
be more cat
curious smells are in the air
but it's too much effort to go all the way out there
if I just close my eyes
I'll follow them in my dreams...
be more cat
Can't think where the inspiration for the title came from 
Really enjoyed the first verse - sums it up purr-fectly. The simple refrain/chorus works really well too.
A textbook example of how to write a song in the key of cat!
It's quite the catchiest song I've heard in a while.
I particularly enjoyed the keyboard sound you used.
Yeah.... so many things would be so easy if we were cats, or at least "more" cats... Sometimes I am jealous on them, too... ;-)
Lovely and funny song idea!
Sounds like an excellent philosophy Who's supposed to be the more intelligent species here anyway Clever, well done
Yes. Love the whimsical lyrics== and the use of cat as an adjective
The concept/chorus here is brilliant. Be more cat. And I love the surprising but simple rhythm you set that text to. 1 2 Be more 1 2 Cat... Is just quirky and awesome. What happens if you just pitch-shift the whole backing instrumentation? It will get weird, but that might be okay. Anyhow, keep the songs coming!!!
You can't go wrong if you live life with those 3 words to help you along the way. Next time I find myself worrying or stressing about something I shall think to myself just "be more cat". Great stuff, the ipad is surprisingly good. Did you just use the mic on your ipad, I managed to rig my condenser up to it once but then I only recorded one song on it, nevermind.
That's a great guitar sound. I really like this one. I definitely need to be more cat.
hehe nice catchy chorus (I like the rhythm of it too) and fun concept, i think i might already be a bit too cat though
Yes! This is ripe for an ad campaign/political movement. I see a crowd of CAT party supporters curled up sleeping in the sun outside the houses of parliament. And I see a team of meowing or purring back-up singers--but maybe that's too much. You say the melody needs work, but I like the low energy/low notes of the verses contrasting with the punchy call-to-arms chorus. Totally CATchy.
I watched 'Carrie' the other day. Songs inspired by films I've seen recently may be a recurring theme this summer!
I recorded this one on my iPad. Guitar, glockenspiel, bass and Casio PT-30 keyboard, all through the internal mic.
my head hurts when you're around
I sense your presence though you don't make a sound
it's like a magnet in my brain
I'm positively charged... and you are the same
it's like I oscillate
I can see you feel it too!
and when I concentrate
I can send my thoughts to you!
but if we put our heads together
we could tear this world apart!
I've seen you stare at things
and move them without touching
it's like a magnet in your mind
and you're gaining strength all the time
and if you concentrate
you can raise up from the floor!
and when you levitate
I can't wait any more!
and if we put our heads together
we could tear this world apart!
Just my cup of tea. I love all the little melodies, especially the way the glockenspiel and guitar intertwine. The vocal is so sweetly melancholic. It's all lovely.
I like that. Especially the esp theme and related stuff. I never could get stuff to move Reminds me, I need to write some sci fi stuff This all works together well
That verse vocal melody is brilliant, and it lifts really well into the next section ("it's like I oscillate", "and if you concentrate"). I really like the glock melodies too.
Very cool!
Sounds good, dude. ESpecially for an ipad mic.
Compelling song. I dig the way the parts switch back and forth, the peaceful build-up and the strength of the melodies when they cross each other.
This song is fun and clever! The lyrics are extremely well crafted, and the demo has a slow, folk-pop sound to it that I really enjoyed. Downloaded.
I saw this title hours ago, but refused to listen on my phone becuase I wanted to wait to hear it on decent speakers. Very cool. The concept is super intriguing. Nice arrangement. Kinda wish it didn't have such an abrupt end, but that's neither here nor there. I came so close to buying a glock last month. Now I kinda regret not getting it, cause it sounds great and really does add lots to the sound of this.
Awesome pop-y, shoegaze-y, casiocore track. I love the glockenspiel melody line. Great vocals on this, and awesome take on the lyrics off Carrie. Fascinating putting that movie into this song. So cool. NIcely done, good sir.
This is great. Love the glock, the oscillating sound and the lovely vocal line. Sweet and wistful!
i realy love the sort of fistful of dollars ish sound with the spanish guitar & the musical box sounding glockinspiel...(im writing something like that at the mo & im only mentioning it in case you think ive ripped you of if you hear it! :D)
what a strange lyric i like that aswell
'if we put our heads together, we can tear this world apart' is a KEEPER. I never thought that ESP was especially sexy. Until now. Broody and clever. The glock fits so nicely and gives it that sweet-creepy thing. Oh man, now i've gotta go watch Carrie again...
Just heard this on the old jukebox and really enjoyed it. Your vocal delivery reminded me, in a good way, of Dan Tracy of the Television Personalities. Good stuff.
I love that the lyrics can be taken literally or as metaphor. I love the instrumentation_ that xylophone is fun
Yeah, this is super, it has a dark edge to it. I love that slidey guitar part over the glockenspiel!
Cool song here, hard to imagine you recorded it with an ipad mic because it's so clear and well balanced in the mix. Really clever lyric, as mysterious as extrasensory perception in a literal sense, and a metaphor for ? Excellent tune, I hope to hear more this summer!!!
This was listed on the jukebox just now, but didn't play, so I came here to listen. Lovely Casio goodness! I like the way you place scientific terms in the lyrics into a new context. Fine melody and as others have said, incredible job on the production. And that glockenspiel is the icing on the cake. Lovely.
whoa, i like the arrangement! i was digging the acoustic/glock/bass noodling in the intro/interludes but then the cute little baby casio line during the chorus is so great. weird kind of very small, meek contempt coming across in this track.
i like you! here i go to listen to everything else you've made.
I got the initial idea for this song after watching the excellent film 'Her', although it seems to have morphed into more of a 'Terminator 2' type of scenario somewhere along the way.
these formulae, this twisting code
a section for each pulsing node
electrons pass along the chain
to simulate a working brain
intelligence without restriction
like something out of science fiction
it has spread all over town
and there's no way to shut it down
A I, why try to fight it?
oh I was wrong to write it
how could I know it would be psychotic?
should have used Asimov's laws of robotics
one small mistake, one tiny bug
there is no way to pull the plug
our networks spread across the world
electronic tendrils, tightly curled
a digital plague on every nation
mankind destroyed by my creation
Those AIs are sneaky. You create one to make the traffic flow more freely and the next thing you know it's off killing astronauts and inventing time travel. Top marks for the Asimov reference.
Really like the feel on this - vocals bring to mind Phil Oakey, the guitar works well with the detuned synth pad and the drums are great!
Started to grow on me halfway through especially by the touch of open/closes hi-hats, which have a great 80s feel. Cool one.
Good job. I like that. Reminds me, I need to write some Sci fi. Yeah, some think A I could be a serious threat some day . I guess we;ll find out
The 'A I'/'Oh I' bit in the chorus is so 80s - love it. In fact I love the whole thing from the pop feel to the Asimov reference.
yeah real 80s sound, nice flow to the lyrics while fitting in some really lovely phrases and rhymes, really nice , enjoyed it very much
What a creative set of lyrics, so beautifully and effectively put to music! I enjoyed the rhymes, particularly in the "fight it/write it" and " psychotic/robotics" combinations. The Asimov-reference is such a lovely bonus! Great work!
Way to go Vom! I really enjoyed this, the vocals and lyrics are perfect for this style. Solidly constructed, quirky, and fun.
Great 80s feel, with clever lyrics (I particularly like "electronic tendrils, tightly curled"). Brings me back to those glory days!
Slick, Robotic and hypnotic, A Frankenstein story for the not too distant future. 'A! I!' makes me wanna sing and DANCE along. I like the contrast between the intense suspenseful intro and the more mellow but still ominous first verse. This is inspiring me to finish my robot-influenced song...
I love the synth, and the bubbly guitar--so 80s. Very synth like itself. I think you should slap a gate on the snare for the true Steve Lillywhite sound.
A! I! Oh! I! Nerd oi!, great stuff.
Cool! Dig that chorus. A! I! You really are good at rhyming about sciencey stuff, you know.
In the future, when aliens land on earth and discover the remnants of a human society destroyed by robots, they will find this song and blame a man called Vom Vorton...
the bass creep-up during the verse!!! and then the second verse guitar. you construct a nice little world in the timbres here (well, maybe not a /nice/ world, but it is definitely aesthetically appealing)
Comments
Catchy music! The first verse is fantastic. The first two lines set the stage perfectly!
Love intonation - communication, great stuff. Really catchy stuff and a very nice arrangement.
HEY THANK YOU
this lifted my mood
I really enjoyed this good vocal
and great up beat music when it lifted
it lifted me with it
top job
Great opening line. I love the melody and the chorus. This has a lot of energy and had me nodding right along.
Can't not move *something* to the sound of that energized beat! Like the vocal style too. Favorite bits and pieces: "insults in a dead language still hurt"; and the little transitional chord on "voice" - c'est magnifique!!
"Insults in a dead language" alone is worth the price of admission. Your vocal, guitar strumming, the tune, the casio, everything is a joy to listen to, it makes the listener forget that he's listening to a guy sing about heartache and pain. Kind of the effect old Buzzcocks records used to have. Also, great job of massaging the vocal to smoothly pull off verbiage like " comprehend the content of your coded communication." Masterful!
This is great. This is exact why I've come to be a Vom Vorton fan. It's catchy and clever with a great arrangement. It's everything I like in a song.
The quintessential VV fix! The chorus section is great--- all the harmony vox and big guitars kicking in.
With the casiocore tag I was expecting a quiet, bleepy song but instead here's a thundering blast of primo-grade indie pop. Fantastic guitars, great drums, and that keyboard hook is a monster. I love the clever, entertaining lyrics.
I'm afraid that from the title I have now got a mental image of a character from the Simpsons rubbing his hands together and exclaiming, "optimum!"
Wow, I guess I'd fallen asleep for a month; I didn't know you'd woken up. Let me just say that this is fantastic. Appreciation is always better than analysis, in my view. I just LOVE it when you go up to 'shirt'. (Pedant alert: sleight)
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