2013-02-01 @ 06:01am
tags: skirmish1 songskirmish guitar-harmonies hair-metal fawm-intro
A little guitar intro warmup for the first skirmish of the year!
Note to anyone who hasn't heard my music before: this isn't really very representative! Fun though :)
First-listened song of 2013 - and it's a fun one! That makes me happy. I've got a good feeling about this year. Nice noodling!
Wishbone Ash meets a Celtic Connection. Fun.
Yeah, noodling is mad-cool. It has a television theme song feel to it. Carry on, my brother!
Some of the noodling reminds me of Queen, a bit.
Fun! definitely a Celtic feel to the 'chorus' riff.
Ha...that is fun. I'm picturing the video from Safety Dance for some reason.
I think you've been spending too much time with @waar :P jk - devilish fun! Good skirmish sir
This is just the sort of music I could see inspiring a massively-viral video in either the flash mob dance genre or over-the-top synchronized light show genre. It's catchy, the strong beat is always determinable, and the form is easy to follow.
It really is fun, my misspent youth thinks it sound like something off a sonic adventure game, which is awesome.
Smashing skirmish, this is catchy as hell, I imagine a cartoon on TV having this intro
"Note to anyone who hasn't heard my music before: this isn't really very representative! " No, from know on you will be known as the guitar jam god! Ha, ha -- great and fun kick-off to this years FAWM. I am trying to listen to all the skirmish songs and a bunch of others but it is like someone opened up the fire hydrant so I could take a drink. In any case, nice guitar anthem type tune.
I second @max with the cartoon theme tune nice happy start, well done on the first skirmish :)
Very fun, I was humming along at once. Happy sounds!
Wow, pretty anthemic. Makes me think of superheroes and video games. Fun guitar, makes me want to experiment more stylistically. Nice warmup!
Rockin' drums! What time did you start this morning?? :-)
BOOM! what an intro! man that hook is an absolute corker
Dual, guitars - yes! Cracking first tune, The Darkness live on..
Lots of fun....lots of power....thanks!
A call to arms, of sorts. Could definitely be a theme song. Nice job Tom, I'm moving now.
ah class this woke me up with a jump...and a jumpin around the kitchen...fun schtuff... great guitar work chief..
Now THIS is fun - some nifty fretwork here, and it doesn't outstay its welcome :-) Onwards and upwards!
Haha, nice. Sounds like By The End of Tonight at their most overblown. I hope you had your foot on your amp and a mullet wig on when you recorded this. I like it.
Sounds like one of those folk-rock crossover bands, like something Boiled in Lead would play. I hope you were standing on a teeny tiny stage with somebody else's beers on your amp.
Nice! lol, I wish I could play guitar like you! It's so frustrating to try to do anything since I'd love to write a song like this! Super high energy, super upbeat; I love the power of those drum rolls. Good work! I think you could throw vox on this ?? I like it lots! :D
haha metal Vom! my hair isn't long enough for headbanging I'm afraid.. but this phantom-long-hairbangingly (new word!) fun!
2013-02-01 @ 07:36am
tags: post-apocalyptic indie-rock
Lyrically, this follows on pretty closely from the last song I did in FAWM 2012*, which is a bit weird. I have written songs in between, though!
The lead guitar is a bit rough, and the middle-8 uses a chord sequence I should really stop recycling, but overall I'm quite pleased with this one. A good start!
* http://vomvorton.bandcamp.com/album/armageddon-together
if we survive I'm going to buy you a drink
(though the chances are a million to one, I think)
maybe even a fancy meal if there's restaurants still standing
if not, I guess we'll build a fire
roast what we find as the flames rise higher
we can make our plans while the dust is gently landing
what you gonna do? after the world
after the world has ended?
will you still get chills
if my survival skills
fail to get things mended?
if we still exist I'll take you dancing
with no-one around it'll be less embarrassing
that my limbs flail uselessly like loose ropes
if there's no power to play the songs
then I will sing, and you sing along
our newly written songs will bring us hope
and if I'm not the ideal man to build us shelter
and if I struggle to keep up on foraging trips
and if the dog we find brings back more food than I do
and if I can't find anywhere that still sells fish and chips
then
what you gonna do? after the world
after the world has ended?
will you still get chills
if my survival skills
fail to get things mended?
ah... vom vorton is back :D eeexcellent catchy as always... I loved the dancing lyric; arms flail like loose ropes is how the cool kids dance :D
My god is this catchy. Seriously, fantastic job! The lead guitar certainly sounds fine to me, love the lyrics, and I know I'll be humming this to myself soon enough :)
You know... you usually don't hear upbeat songs like this that are Post-Apocalyptic. It's great. Love the mix- it's clear and crisp. And those backing vocals come out of no where and are a great surprise to break up the song.
I'm just finishing breakfast, but now I want fish and chips for some reason. Bravo, sir!
This has instantly become one of my favourite VV songs, I think. It's trademark: catchy lyrics, funny, incredibly well-performed. Nice to hear you using more harmonies, and very effectively too!
Great little a-pop-calypse number. Breezy and catchy.
Fun Tune! :) Excellent job on all those instruments-- and you produced a great mix to this. Well done!
great stuff man, some cool guitar going on towards the end. You're getting a really great sound theses days, great production
Wonderful lyric, Tom. :) Like @regis, I suddenly want fish and chips as well. :D Tremendous harmonies/background vocals, and a really tight production. Lovely work. :)
Nice, man! I always love your wit and rhyme schemes. Great fun, as always.
I hear the Magnetic Fields influence I think. Great track. Thanks. You've got a talent for putting these things together.
Hot damn: Slick, powerful and catchy right out of the box! Love all those harmonies. You've got me fired up; too bad I have to get in my car and listen to a children's book on CD for the next 2 hours.
Haha, those backing vocals are brilliant! Excellent, catchy tune.
This is so cute!!
Absolutely love the chorus; that stuff is gold. Lots of great vocal touches. I live for this kind of upbeat doom pop - it makes me look forward to the end times.
Ooo, are we to expect a less lo-fi outing this year? S'all sounding nightly produced. Clever lyrically, great musicianship.. melody lets the lyrics flow nicely. Ba ba ba backing vocals are great. Fish and chip lulz, too.
excellent...
I love this!
Oh man. Fun from the first note! You should make a million dollars on this song. Seriously. It's great.
Yeah, I seem to remember you writing more than 50 songs between last February and now! :) "survival skills" ! I may have to swipe those two words for a song myself. I really enjoy the -bop-bop-bop-bop- harmonies when they come in. And the chord pyramid build on "chips" of all things!!! Fun stuff, makes me smile...
I really like what you've done with this concept (and not only because I've used a similar one myself) – this song is sweet and bouncy, charming and poignant at once.
I love this, the music and the concept!
I was loving it. And then it hit the chorus. And now I love it even more!
Nice job, another classic from Vom Vorton. The chorus is really great and the whole concept is awesome. I am so glad we didn't all kick the bucket in 2012 because I wouldn't have gotten to listen to this otherwise.
Yes!!!! Love everything - the ramshackle jangle guitars, the lyrics, the soft/loud chorus.. Great stuff.
This is a great one, I keep coming across songs about zombies and the end of the world tonight apparently! Surely a new genre in the making? This is perfect indie pop, so good!
great pop rock tune Vom....your production is great....and love some of the lines... did you mention fish and chips...i'm starving...porridge will have to do for now.... you have 3 down already ..fair play...i tryin to crank up me new electric..everythin sounds...erm...whats the word...sorry i am still in aschleepland... keep em coming Tom man....
I was expecting a couple more zombie jokes, but my face muscles are still aching from all the grinning I was doing ("my limbs flail uselessly like loose ropes"!), so I'll happily settle for what's here :-) I think you have the beginnings of a concept album...
Mmmm this is some pop nugget! i like the snare rim shots on the pre chorus! ..and in other parts... is that programmed drums!? sounds ace! and also the (ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah) backing vox are, quite frankly, Titballs. keep it up vom vorton (tom taught 'em)
That is some powerful pop there. I have some questions: 1) If your survival skills are so pants how will you survive the apocalypse in the first place? 2) Do your survival skills extend to restringing a guitar (if not half of your plans are gonna be totally boned)? 3) Don't the cockroaches deserve a mention? Or is that too cliched? In other news, this is ace. Way to set the bar.
are you jarvis cockers little brother? i think hes fascinating...you seem to have the same skill of using everyday life/ language/behavior in your songs to explore deeper things & give them a humour so evryone can immediately get inside them a great little guitar solo aswell ..is that a new skill?
Picking up some Billy Bragg vibes, and definitely Pulp as @tinam mentioned! Romantic but not in a mushy way, just in the classic 90s indie pop way. When I saw this was tagged 'indie' and started listening I thought this wasn't very indie in today's parlance but it IS very Brit-Poppy and that is something I love! The chorus is perfectly catchy, and I love the acoustic guitar foundation for the electric guitar noodling on top of it! Downloading! :D
Awesome. I like this a lot. I especially like the harmonies. And the lead guitar. And the lyrics. And... all of it!
The thing I like the most in this is the guitar at the end. Freaking awesome.
This is brilliant, I really like the lyrics and the whole vibe of the track!
This fulfills all the criteria a great song is supposed to do... Brilliant, witty lyrics with many awesome lines like, for example, the first two ones or the already mentioned fish-and-chips-reference. Excellent, powerful, energetic pop tune and great performance, all comes so nicely together here! I love it!
Catchy and fun. I'm hearing a little Magnetic Fields in there. Surviving the end of the world would be pretty impressive, but where would you be without a world?
I love a cheery post-apocalypse. Especially one like this - radio-ready song structure, complete with chugging bass and great chorus harmonies. Fun! And easy on the dog's ears, too!
+1 on most excellent Brit-punk-pop, I like the emotive melody and the kinetic energy, favo(u)rite line "our newly written songs will bring us hope"
So that's like a rhetorical question? :) Anyway, I loved it. The first time through the chorus I was kind of composing backing vocals, thinking how wonderfully they would serve those lines and then, bam, there they we're and I was sitting here alone and laughing and clapping in spite of myself. Really delightful all the way through.
Fan-fckng-tastic!!!!!!!!!!!!! So sorry I don't have words to tell you how much I like it. I got it downloaded and will play it all year long. A treasure for songhunters is what it is. Glad I found it.
hello 'vom' - top tune love it xx
Such a fun song! First listened to this yesterday, and I already had some nostalgic attraction to it. I love the bop-bops and the solo. So fun! Without paying attention to the lyrics you wouldn't think it's so apocalyptic! Not sure how I'd compare it to Armageddon Together; but as I recall I don't think I'd ever not liked one of your songs. :P Cheers! Keep it up!
Actually the middle 8 was a really nice surprise - the 'bobobobob's and the manic 'chips' harmonies made me grin plenty. Great solo too. Eventually you will have an album of these songs.
Great! Thank you for sharing your music it gave me a smile which I needed! I am a fan. I wish I had your energy!
I agree with @frenchcricket. Rad song. And I think that I too would be nearly useless after the end of the world... but I'd like to hope that nobody in the Thunderdome harbors ill will towards musicians (except when they need cannon fodder for all the gladiatorial combat entertainment of course.)
Where have I been?, if this were a pick and mix I have got a sweetie from every single tray, brilliant! You missed the kitchen sink though, I understand the very clever can make it sound like a tuba. This has everything and more, excellent track Vom, goodness I may have to come back. : )
This is wonderful: clever creative lyrics The music is soooo catchy and your solo is great. I love this song. I have seen your name for 5 FAWMs and had to finally check you out. Sure glad I did
2013-02-02 @ 09:13am
tags: country-folk alcohol
Alex came over to work on a SECRET PROJECT, and since we were finished by lunchtime, we thought we'd work on a song for FAWM as well. I wrote these lyrics yesterday but couldn't work out music for them - Alex helped out with that (and played his banjo) and added some backing vocals too, which gave the song its title.
I feel like I've been in a daze since the day we've met
perhaps because it's been six months and we haven't sobered up yet
the toast we have at breakfast doesn't involve any bread
just a glass of champagne each to chase the demons from our heads
in the clouds of forgetfulness that follow us around
there are a few rays of light that the alcohol can't drown:
the shot of whiskey we each had before our first date;
the pints of beer you drank after I said I would be late
that wine I downed to quell the nerves before I met your mother
lets quit drinking, and see if we really like each other
if we stick together we can achieve anything
we can pour the vodka down the drain and throw away the gin
I can start using my car again, you can ride your motorbike
we can each remove our beer goggles and find out what the other looks like
and if we still like each other, and we remember how to kiss
we'll have half a year of drunkenness on which to reminisce
the shot of whiskey we each had before our first date;
the pints of beer you drank after I said I would be late
that wine I downed to quell the nerves before I met your mother
now lets quit drinking, and find out if we really like each other
I'm not sure if this song is supposed to make me chuckle at points (which it did) or if it's really sad. It is a good mix of conflicting emotions...I enjoyed it, and reminded me why I don't drink :)
Very funny and clever and cool - enjoyed this a whole lot. I was going to pick out my favorite lines, but really, I like the whole thing.
Hi, great song! just curious where you upload your mp3s to? I am trying to find a good hosting site that will allow me to play my songs straight from to fawm page, soundcloud forces you to open another tab.
Reminds me of a cross between The Dead Milkmen and The Magnetic Fields. Four thumbs up!
Excellent lyrics, all the song turned out very nicely! Many, many strong lines, but I think my favorite ones could be "in the clouds of forgetfulness that follow us around there are a few rays of light that the alcohol can't drown". Great collab, gentlemen!
This was awesomeness in a bottle...more please!
"Let's quit drinking and see if we really like each other" One of the best lines EVER. Killer banjo as well!
This is ace. Funny and touching. Lyrics are excellent, and I love the layering of vocals in the chorus.
I love it! The music even gives a whimsical, non-caring, drunken feeling.
Love some of the lines in this: "the toast we have at breakfast doesn't involve any bread", ha. Syncopated vocal lines work really nicely; good work chaps
what a great song its got everything ...humour & wit & pathos & melody & a out of tune banjo....plus nostalgia for me anyway!! loved it! your wobbly voices sound great on songs like this where strong voices wouldnt work at all for it :)
Totally getting a Magnetic Fields vibe from this. Hilarious and great.
What a fantastic concept. I really enjoyed this number. As always I enjoyed your lyrics and the additional vocal line is a great touch. Now at least I know why you moved so you could walk to work
Lyrically this make me think of the Mountain Goats since I'm pretty sure 97% of his songs are fuelled by whiskey. This has more of a sitcom feel to it though, more Black Books than Two Pints of Lager becuase it's actually funny.
I need to get some sleep so I' just second everything Tina said. Personally I'm getting a ray Davies vibe.
There's Max the songbuilder and there's Max the listener. Thank you so much for pleasing Max the listener, I just love this. One of my FAWM2013 favs fosho! Burr! Give me back my 5Stars button!
I really like the style of singing from both of you here, it's got a wonderful meandering quality to it. The toast at breakfast line is ace, as is the banjo and the melodica .. look forward to the SECRET PROJECT
I listened to this right after "After the World Has Ended", and halfway through, my brain said "don't throw the vodka away! What are you doing, man? The world's ended, and you won't be able to get any more!" Then I realised it was a different song-universe.
Haha great! Hm, this is the second hawaii-ballad FAWM tune I've heard in less than an hour of listening (*413). Something in the air this year? Or in the drinks?
Great vibe...reminds me of that "hey, I'm getting drunk!" phase where everything is still in time :D Clever lyric and performance...nice.
great vibe indeed! Its clever and has a great melody! And banjo too.... I hope the SECRET PLAN is to write more songs like this
Echo the Magnetic Fields shouts. It's not just the uke though, it's in the dry delivery. Lyrics as per, are warm and funny and touching. It's also one of your strongest melodies. Very good.
2013-02-04 @ 02:44pm
tags: synthpop harpsichord
Based on a true story, and set in Wirksworth, Derbyshire.
was this the work of hoodlums, or was it ne'erdowells?
how could such vandalism fall within earshot of church bells?
these are dark times for the village, and darker times for you
if you continue to be the instigator of hullabaloo
do you have a brush, for sweeping? or a dustpan for the shards?
did you not know there was a clean-up operation on the cards?
don't you know the rules?
do you even care?
there's no broken glass in the thoroughfare!
so respect your neighbours
it's only fair
no broken glass in the thoroughfare!
they say this area is haunted, how could it not be?
they've been burying the dead here since 653
these roads will uproot themselves and pavements will un-pave
when every one of those corpses starts turning in their grave
please don appropriate footwear, and cut the balderdash
lest your doorstep strewn with daggers cause a serious gash
don't you know the rules?
do you even care?
there's no broken glass in the thoroughfare!
so respect your neighbours
it's only fair
no broken glass in the thoroughfare!
Nice synthpop number. Enjoyed the lyrics. I find the harpsichord a bit strong in the mix, but enjoyed everything else. Nice work. :-)
good work, its cool that its a true story as well
The synth melody that comes in under the final chorus is great!
Harpsichord and electronica? Now that's a combination I never would've thought of myself (especially with the grungy synth bass)... I'm envious :-) Quirky lyrics as I've come to expect, too... you've hit the ground running this year already!
I love me a bit of harpsichord, plus any song with the words 'hullabaloo' and 'balderdash' automatically gets top marks.
I like the dirty beats vs harpsichord... has that been done before? I really like the chorus melody and harmony. interesting wordplay - I especially like the second verse and second bridge.
I'd like to second @waar's motion that the final chorus synth is wonderful :)
That beat - yes! That harpiscord - yes! Awesome backing, and the vocal is one of your best I reckon. Sounds great on headphones
Distorted drums and harpsichord together at last!! I like the corpse verse best. I never knew the residents of Wirksworth were so selfish with their glass disposable.
Love your beat and vocal harmonies. Upbeat and tender feel with a funny background. Pure Vom Vorton :)
The harpsichord is awesome and your harmonies are bang on. I really enjoyed listening to this I would even go so far as saying it is one of my favs so far.
The instruments here work much better than they have any right to! That last chorus synth is especially good. Great harmonies, they're really effective. Love the Britishness of the lyrics. Enjoyed this a lot.
"pavement will un-pave" is so very very very new wave. orinico++ it sounds SO british. Seriously, I love these chords, and the heavy harpsichord is perfect for them. Chorus melody is sweet and so is the hook. Now I want to write a song with broken glass in it.
Great, intense beat, great lyrics; makes me wanna know all the details of how this is based on a true story. Love that harpsichord (is it?) --may try to use one in my next track. Love the melodies throughout, but especially during the "no broken glass in the thoroughfare" lines. Lovely vocals too; especially pretty in this track.
You are so civic-minded. This goes in the Public Service file alongside Vampires Will Always Break Your Heart. I really like the plaintive vocal delivery and that synth melody at the end. I love your brand of straight-faced absurdity, Mr. Vorton.
Ah - that chorus is pure money. I'm mightily impressed that you have got 'hullabaloo' and 'balderdash' to scan. The lyrics are top notch on this one. It's a shame that the unofficial anthem to the London Riots came a year and a half too late. I think this could be a Lardpony crossover
like it instantly... reminds me of something--cant put my finger on it-- like that drum beat. simple but driving force. like how fragile the vocals and emotion filled they are. good work
haha cool ending! instant awesome bitcrushed drums; cool use of the harpsichord'ish too... it was a bit unexpected sound when the drums first came in but it works really well! Tasty synthbass too; but you know I eat up stuff like that :D Great chorus
Nicely done, great production quality and this was a really fun song to listen to.
I love the drums on this! And the lyrics... something clever is going on here that I'm willing to admit I don't quite understand. But I love your word choices.. lots of straight faced silliness to choose from, but if I had to pick a favorite line it'd be 'instigator of hullabaloo'. I especially like the way it's delivered - for just a split second I thought of Yogi Bear.
2013-02-08 @ 06:37am
tags: instrumental rock odd-time
An experiment into time signatures. After hearing @lightningstef and @frenchcricket and @radioovermoscow do amazing things with weird numbers, I felt left out! This doesn't approach their levels of mastery, but I quite like it, I think.
(three bars of 7/4, one of 6/4)
Edit: my friend David made a stop-motion video: http://youtu.be/QwByr3e5XCE
Hooray for odd time signatures! Something I haven't done yet this year. Nice old school sounds and the rhythmic pattern is quite mesmerizing.
Definitely mesmerizing. :) I also like the use of odd time signatures, especially since it doesn't really feel odd, just different in a good way :)
Odd time signatures seem to work best when the casual user doesn't even notice -- it just seems like it all fits. I really like the sound of the electric guitar in this one. I might have to try a 7/4 or something like that this FAWM. Was that Sylvester Stallone doing a cameo? Nice creation.
this is amazing!!! don't know what is going on mind you.
Great churning synth sounds. I really like the lo-fi guitar too. This has a great propulsive feel to it. Also the ending...I was listening to this with the Simpsons on silent on my TV and it confused the hell out of me for a second!
Ooo, so old-skool intro! Nice! As a sucker for odd time sigs I'm all over this! Great title, as well. Fantastic ending there!
Billiant stuff! I wish I knew how to make cool synth noises like this! Loving the sample at the end too :D
Yes, some awesome synths here - The Knife eat yo' heart out. Brooding is the word me thinks.
Pre-mature commented..MEGALOLZ at Simpsons sample
im having to listen quietly on speakers cos ive hurt my ears but numbers & time signatures dont mean anything to me anyway i just hear odd shapes i realy liked the synths & wish i could control the things like you do but instrumentals dont realy grab me i wish youd used the voices at the end earlier to make it more interesting :)
Love the time signatures, the vibe, and the title, great work.
Thanks man :) I think the guitar adds a lot here. I like the filter sweeps and that, but it might get a touch samey without it. (To be fair, you deserve a medal for singing on our odd-time collab last year)
I was wondering where the title came from, good old simpsons. This is a step away from your usual stuff which I applaud, it would have been nice to have had some lyrics but that said it still works.
Aha I'm honoured to have contributed to you doing this! This is wonderfully sinister sounding, I think the time signatures help that a lot. Also, can't beat a good simpsons reference, loving it!
This is exciting in a sinister way. The result is rewarding and pleasing : )
interesting! It didn't feel weird at all I found; you made it sound pretty natural! lovely sounds
Good job with the time signatures, the song runs smoothly with interesting dynamics. Very soundtracky.
That bass synth sounds juicy ;) This reminds me of a drummer I used to play with who now writes electronic music in time signatures that haven't been invented yet. Really complex, and yet the beat is always there and I seem to be able to find the one at every turn!
2013-02-09 @ 10:25am
tags: titular crashy rock bad-taste
Titular (http://muse.fawm.org/titular) gave me this title, and the lyrics wrote themselves. Unfortunately the music didn't write itself, I still had to put some work in there. I found it really hard to work out a decent vocal melody for this one, it might still need some work, but singing it seems to have given me a really sore throat, so I'm calling it done for now!
sir, there's no time for a holiday
we need to scout for locations
pick the perfect time and place
for maximum devastation
you have a busy calendar
I'm having to turn people away
you've got meetings scheduled for the rest of the week
and you're blowing yourself up on saturday
when I joined the agency
I said yes to admin
but I never thought I'd work
for a certified madman
when I asked for a temp job
I never planned for this
I'm the secretary
of a terrorist
sir, I'm doing my best here
to keep all your appointments in order
but it's taking all my organisational skill
to get the explosives over the border
I'm being paid
cash in hand
not to divulge
the things you planned
I feel I should quit
before it's too late
but the overtime
is fucking great
Fantastic!!! Oh don't know if I should laugh but its hilarious! Great job! I seriously loved it!
This is really good and humorous. Great job! I really like your voice too.
Read the title and started listening. Very cool and thought provoking. Mix is very nice to my ears, very cool bass sound.
I love it. Ha, the music is really nice and toight. toight like tigah. The vocal melody shows the work you put into to it.
Excellent stuff. The lyrics are great - really liked 'but it's taking all my organisational skill / to get the explosives over the border'
You had me on the "bad-taste" tag. Brilliant concept, very well written. It has a really nice pace as well. Well done.
Oh. My. Gods. I nearly died laughing. The rhyme in the first verse (location/devastation) is great.
What a great fun song and genius idea! I absolutely LOVE the lines "you've got meetings scheduled for the rest of the week and you're blowing yourself up on saturday". Made me smile so much, too. The musical treatment is superb as well and you speak of a sore throat? No trace of that! Great song!
Hahahaha! I think this is brilliant. Yes, the lyrics are my favourite part, but the music is brill too. So much rock! Particularly love the way you sing the line about overtime.
Loads of fun this.. vocals catchy as ever, good heavy guitars and love that organ. Awesome lyrics and subject matter. Falsetto vocals, though brief are great!
I need to use titular at some point, I love when a title jumps out so much that the lyrics just flow out! This is great, love the lyric "the overtime is fucking great", can't help it, I think I have a soft spot for well placed swearing in a song. Loving the organs as well :D
Wow, this sounds ace! Really big sound and the main riff is a proper ear-worm. Some absolute classic lines in there too. This is my favourite Vom-song of 2013 :D
Genius lyrics - really a titular gift! I think the melody you have works well, maybe a little tweak towards the end of the chorus. Fantastic riff which I know is going to be in my head for the next week. Brilliant work!
Those are some serious stadium rock drums at the beginning. The subject matter does give some inventive rhymes. My favourite line is "you're blowing yourself up on saturday"
i cant decide whats your best strength lyrics or melodies ... your brilliant at both ..the idea for this is realy novel but then the music is so hummable & catchy ..so basicly its irresistible listening your getting good on that guitar aswell ,.. tight ryhthym playing!
I'm slipping on my go-go boots and getting down to this one. You really keep this rhythmically interesting, with all he breaks and drum fills. That organ is really cool, and the vocal melody during the organ bit is great. Words are failing me...so off to bed.
probably the coolest idea for a song ever; titular rocks :D nice organ and of course the lyrics are ace as always.
What a great idea! I love the groove to this song and that chorus is killer!
Love the chorus, and such a novel idea! The unexpected idea adds great humor.
Liked this as soon as I saw the title. But then I am a sick MF. I love that Hammond organ and the chorus is classic LP - it's got the signature full stop. Hope to hear it live someday. I actually think the melody is on the money. The "never planned for this" falsetto bit is killer (no pun intended).
Yes! I think this is really ... <BOOM!>
2013-02-11 @ 10:40am
tags: whingy-but-short indie-rock
Dunno where this came from. I've been really struggling with lyrical ideas since my first-weekend rush, otherwise I would have written something less miserable here, but this is all I could squeeze out of my head, alas! I quite like the tune though, and the brass is fun.
I feel a bit mixed up
in trying to get my argument across
I seem to have changed my own mind
so I'll delete every letter
and try to write it out better
then after several attempts I shall just resign
because I'm straining for something that I will never achieve
I think it's best for everyone if I just leave
I've got the words in my head
the perfect expression of how I'm feeling
so I set my stance and ready my mouth to speak
so, if I've got your attention
I shall overcome my apprehension
wait for silence, and then begin to shriek
hey it was going along very well and cool and then that chorus came..geez thats catchy and class man.... i love the guitar sound and riff in this one....the horns are cool too.... i like the lyrics....i am not good on lyrics or interpreting and stuff...but these are fine ones in my eyes...good tune bai...
Self-aware songs ftw! Getting some Grandaddy vibes on this'un.What's that's weird synth (?), sounds cool!
When the horns come in at the end, I get Beta Band goodie flashbacks and I fall in love with this song. Thanks :D
for lyrics you don't seem that excited about, i've got to say i like them. that chorus is such an understated killer.
I really like these lyrics, and this is catchy. Love the horns! Good work. I'd have repeated the last two lines, though!
My theory of lyric writing is to toss out phonemes until all space is filled. Is that brass? Cool. There are actually some good lines in this little pop nugget. "So I set my stance...etc," really rolls off the tongue. Keep at it Vom, I always like your take on things, even when you have nothing to say.
i like the way it finished that was perfect & your guitar sound was way cool i m not keen on brass when it sounds like a brass band so i wasnt so keen on that but i thought the lyrics were funny & tongue in cheek & they made me smile :) & of course its catchy as always
For shame, halfway through FAWM and I havent listened to any Vom Vorton yet! What was I thinking. This is cool, tongue in cheek pop and a top ending! I will be back for more :)
I love the muted trumpet you have got in it. I also really like how you have sung it as well, it fits the mood of the song and is really expressive.
I admire how you always come up with lyrics even when you run short of ideas. The brass is cool, and I love the lead guitar :)
I like the lyrics, too... The music is excellent, love the drums and the subtle drive forward in the tune... Awesome vocal delivery, of course!
Story of my FAWM. Those harmonies that come in in the chorus are pretty cool. The simple progression suits the song too. The trumpet in that final chorus really suit too. :) Whatever you do don't leave!!!!!!
A bloody good whinge. Can't beat one, can you? Nowt quite like it. And in this case it's spawned a bloody good song :)
Short but punchy. It's a good change up to have a more minimalist lyric. The palm mutes also work really well. Like Arthur said, they give it a forward momentum. I can decide if I like the wah guitar or not. The brass is nice though.
I was getting into this and then it stopped! love the chorus; really catchy! .. What I liked best was that guitar twang (you know.. twaaaaang) that came in during the second verse... the fourth note seems out of place, but after listening to it again it fits.. it was an usual choice, but it works
2013-02-15 @ 05:29pm
tags: lo-fi indie distorto-pop fuc
fuzzy fun.
through the walls I can hear him shouting
giving his emotions an outing
does he know that his anger
can be heard throughout the street?
I'm pretty sure that he's alone
maybe he's shouting down the telephone
or perhaps, just perhaps
he could be shouting at me
from the sound of his words he's furious
and though his anger leaves me curious
I try to ignore the things I hear him say
he's raging like a forest fire
and he never ever seems to tire
hope I never get in his way
he's taking a break for his dinner now
I can hear him crash about
pots and pans and cupboard doors
treated like enemies
I wonder what has him so worked up,
as he takes out his rage on a coffee cup
I hear it smash against my wall
and hope he wasn't aiming for me
from the sound of his words he's enraged
like a tiger trapped in a cage
I try to ignore the things I hear him say
he's got a mouth like danny dyer
and he's got a voice like a hairdryer
hope I never have to get in his way
so now I'm putting together an ACTION PLAN
step one: move away from this ANGRY MAN
step two: find a new house, the PERFECT FIT
for my 18-piece stadium rock DRUM KIT
Love the lyrics. Nice playing and interesting/engaging combination of different elements. Liked the change at the end and the sudden finale. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Like the backing tracks, very nice counterpoint. You almost don't need the last four lines but they work (I want to hear you break out into a drum solo once the drum kit shows up). First tune of yours I have gotten to hear this time-will be listening to more.
Lovely installment from Vomville. Enjoyed very much. You're a natural at these whimsical observations of the world. A joy to listen too. Loving on the denouement. Have a great February! Wolf.
This is the kind of song that you fall instantly in love with. Perfectly put together and catchy as all hell. Downloaded.
Great song, perfect performance, catchy tune, excellent all regarding all these aspects! And as a lyricist myself, I also like to analyze the formal elements of a song and I must say I really enjoyed a lot in your lyrics, not only in the way they are written, but also in the complicated, sophisticated rhyme pattern... Wonderfully done!
Nice uke riff.. like the mix of clean/fuzz and authentic/sequenced.. seems to work pretty well. That high pitched synth riff is cracking.
LOVE the punchline at the end, but that's not all - can I call this "uketronica"? As ever, you have a great mind for a quirky couplet ("he's got a mouth like danny dyer / and he's got a voice like a hairdryer") - also like the solo synth in that verse (and the last one). Just keep 'em coming :-)
Great uke playing, the synth is really nice and fits really well. As always, great lyrics I really liked "he's got a mouth like danny dyer and he's got a voice like a hairdryer" and of course the ending line had me in stitches.
amazing choice of instruments on this vom ...i would nt have thought it could work but its just brilliant ....so poppy one listen & you cant forget it! as usual the story & lyrics are brill ...you write with the same sense of humour i put in my songs so thats probly why i think your stuff is so great
Fuzz bass under ukulele should be part of the ukulele trend. For some reason the hand claps made me think of the Fragglerock theme. Nice hype man and Casio on the ending there.
Holy crap I LOVE THIS SONG!
Loving this to death. Sounds great.
Yay - more fuzz bass/uke! It's an underused paring IMO. I'm really taken with the casio melody, especially when it's later coupled with the lead guitar. Multiple points of interest = win.
fuzzy fun indeed. This got stuck in my brain instantly. "pots and pans and cupboard doors treated like enemies" is a brilliant lyric and this song is chock full of them. I like the doubling of the vocal on the action plan angry man perfect fit drum kit bit at the end. Great song.
2013-02-16 @ 10:36am
tags: weird fuzzy waltz-rock
I think it's safe to say I've never written anything that sounds like this before. That's @waar on drums.
turned on my TV
and look what I see
fame-hungry pixels
lost in the mist
they jostle for position
their impossible mission
to prove to the world
that they exist
it seems my dreams
are falling apart at the seams
and no-one can hear me scream
the front page headlines
are written to deadlines
but that's no excuse
for the things that they say
they shout for attention
defy comprehension
and fly off the newstands
every day
they promised us it would be great
but all that they brought us was hate
I've never heard a 'waltz-rock' before. It's different and interesting and brilliant!
an unexpected combination of elements have come together to make this interesting but totally accessible and awesome. i really like the ending with the interviewing vocals
I'm a sucker for a waltz time signature (or 12/8 or whatever it is in this case!). The main riff is really cool. Like it :-)
That repeating guitar riff is super catchy and ties this together. I love the distorted vocal and the fuzzy feeling of the whole song. I agree with @shortdan, this ain't no waltz but rather some weird pop/blues number. I just listened to the whole song without hearing the lyrics at all. The vocals would add to the ambiance nicely even if they were gibberish.
Rockin'! Love the AM radio harmonised vocals, but I'm a sucker for vocals pushed back in the mix (though I can personally never get it sounding right). I may have said this on another of your songs, but it's a bit Grandaddy-esque
Alright! More waltz rock. I did one and was happy with the sound because the time is so different for rock. Love those textures in the vocals. I like the grittiness with the FX on the vocals too. I think it works really well with the overall tone of this song, which has that lingering doom feel to it. Very cool.
Yep, I have never heard anything like this from you. It sounds a wee bit like the strokes, although I can hear Grandaddy in this as well. Good job with would what you have done with the vocals, it really suits you voice, and the guitars are sounding really good.
Ha - I like how you put the vocals way down in the mix, it really pulls you in. The guitars sound a bit like Slanted and Enchanted era Pavement. Which, by holy hell, is a good thing. A wonderful experiment.
Yeah it's different, and excellent. I love your vocal delivery. The drums are very nice, providing the right energy throughout the song, never too heavy and well balanced.
2013-02-17 @ 05:50pm
tags: country
There's a small part of my brain that just wants to write country songs all of the time. Occasionally it escapes.
we wrote this song together on a wednesday afternoon
we raised it from an inkling into a full-grown tune
we took a fresh young lyric and we watched it mature
then we broke up, and you walked out the door
now we can't sing the song we wrote together any more
I still had the music, and one half of the words
but performing our new song on my own... well it seemed quite absurd
we gave it life together, when we composed that score
then we broke up, and you walked out the door
now we can't sing the song we wrote together any more
I'm begging you to come back, at least for one duet
we could have one last performance, a night we'd never forget
but you don't read my letters, my phone calls you ignore
'cos we broke up, and you walked out the door
now we can't sing the song we wrote together any more
I like how cause and effect work at the Vomvorton residence :) It sticks in my head already.
Ah, very sad! Love the old school solo. Sounds like it's coming out of a vintage Fender Twin amp. The words flow really nicely. Good stuff :-)
Why does this make me think of Johnny Cash and June Carter? Love that guitar solo. There's something very classic about it. It's simple and fits just right. I like this. Country sometimes pop out with me too, though I'm not a country artist. Sometimes you just gotta let the muse have her way. This sounds great.
I love this! Oh, don't worry about it, the large part of my brain wants to write country songs all the time and I usually have to listen to it. ;) I really like the idea, it really sticks to you and is quite original, and I love how the song progresses as the relationship does. I like the repeating line you have going, it connects the three verses very well. Nice work! :D
Vom, you are a very versatile artist, indeed! I got accustomed to your lovely upbeat grungy/funky songs and then this... A wonderful country song with the strong emotional touch of a love-song... I like the lyrics, too... Very beautiful!
There's a part of my brain that thinks all my songs ARE country songs. Something about the way you sing "walked out the door"is quite affecting. The whole thing is imbued with a lovely melancholy vibe. I liked the guitar solo, too.
Sad, but in a lovely sort of way. (Most songs are country songs, we just package them up in different ways.) Nice vox and arrangement. Good job!
Heartfelt, sweet and beautiful. Yet another great song!
Those acoustics sound glorious, lovely stuff. I usually hate country music, but this is nice. Bright Eyes-esque ; good lyrics as always! You have a knack of finding great subjects for songs
Showcasing your versatility. Sounds more folky to me, maybe alt-country, ah who cares about genres, if it sounds good sing it and in this case write it first then sing about writing it ;) Great performance Tom.
Ha, nice. Lyrically reminds me of Pulp's 'Something Changed', but musically more like Magnetic Fields. Like Ad, I normally hate country. Not this though. So you've done well. I love the simple guitar solo as well.
No need to apologise :-) I didn't think it sounded that "country", except for the old stereotype about miserable C&W songs (oh, and the guitar solo in the middle), and... ah, never mind, I like country anyway!
This is really cool. Fun idea. I bet it was a blast to put together. Nice groove all the way around.
Nice vocals. :) It sounds very melancholic, with this unique irony touch only you can achieve.
Unique lyrics for a break up song! Love the simile between music and relationship. Nice instrumental interlude. Bittersweet but beautiful lyrical country piece!
2013-02-19 @ 06:04pm
tags: pop fun harmonies
Collaboration! @orinoco came up with the original idea, @vomvorton wrote the words, @orinoco wrote the music, @vomvorton did the drums, acoustic guitar and bass, @orinoco did the electric guitar and harmonies, @vomvorton did the lead vocals and synth. A good time was had by all!
hey baby, don't be so hasty
let me say my piece before you leave me
I thought we were like family
and I think if you examine me
you'll find that I still have a lot of charm
hey girl, let’s think things over
I'm not ready for this unexpected closure
have you run this past your folks?
because they seem to like my jokes
and they've offered me a job out on their farm
chorus:
I help around the kitchen
I do the washing up
I'm not afraid to wear the oven gloves
while you're chatting with your father
I'm helping her restock the larder
I'm the man your mother loves
I don't want this to end, can't we please stay friends?
I still find you exceptionally good looking
I'll miss your company
and the time with your family
but most of all I'll miss your mothers cooking
so I'm begging you, please reconsider
what could I have done that was so bad?
it's not a threat, as such
but your mum likes me so much
that you might have to start calling me "dad"...
Great song idea and lyrics, really enjoyed this. That odd synth sound adds a little twist to the vibe. Kind of an alt-country tinge to it too.
This is ridicuously charming, like the best of 90's Blur. It made me happy and I want to be happy again. This is going on my phone for later. Downloaded!
Reminds me of Belle & Sebastian a little. Definitely a touch of the Britpop era about it too. Really catchy tune and your lyrics are great as ever :-)
aah.... one of my dream collaboration teams paired up and kickin it! huzzah! First off; the concept is brilliant G and the lyrics are witty and funny.... and the performance! I loved the synth (duh.. of course hehe) but man all those harmonies going on? haha so cool.. this seems like you guys had a ton of fun doing and it really shows... bravo!
Ha this is fun! great collab, well done!
Like a hard-charging Nick Lowe song, though with 100% more oddball synth bits. Yes, a good time was had by all, myself included.
Haha! I like the twist at the end of this one! :)
Love that detuned synth on the intro, (good) Horrors-esque! The rest? Rests between Neutral Milk Hotel and Belle & Seb. Harmonies on the title are cracking.
Great lyrics and an inspired concept. I also love the twist at the end. Extremely catchy and the little synth bits are sweet
i know what rayboneor means about nick lowe ....he was such a master of pop & clever ironic lyrics ....this is a great title for a song expertly given the right lyrics & music
Hilarious and catchy! This one is a total success in my book. I'll be back to listen again. Love the descending chords at the beginning of the last verse.
Cleverly and skilfully written lyrics with a nice basic idea... I also like the (near) rhymes like "family-examine me". Power music at its best! Amazing energy and tune! Excellent singing as well!
Listened to this the other day and didn't get a chance to comment. Listening again, it's just as fun the second time around. Gotta love that energy in the track and the lyrics are just fantastic. How could this not put you in a good mood?
What a fantastic collab. I really enjoy everything : harmonies, sound, energy, instruments and vocal work... Wonderful.
Most men don't really like their mother in law. This is the complete opposite :-).
Great collaboration by two of my favorite FAWMers. :) Sounds like it was a blast to create. The demo is just fun. The premise for this is great and original. (didn't I just say this about another VV song?) I suppose she's got good reason to break up with this guy since most of all he'll miss her mother's cooking! Well written.
That last line gave me a great, squirmy laugh, and the rest was a ball! The seasick synths were a particularly good fit for this... and I particularly liked the father/larder rhyme.
A really fun tune, the music is great and fits the topic, harmonies are spot on and the lyrics are brilliant. I really enjoyed listening to this.
2013-02-22 @ 08:20pm
tags: earth rock pop guitar synth funny morbid oops lol
So, the wonderfully talented @VomVorton wrote and recorded this music.
I wrote and recorded the lyrics.
I wrote this (and the title) before realizing there was an oxymoron challenge. Seems to fit nicely ;)
(we all spent summer with the...)
we all spent summer with the trees
straight loving us, if Mother Earth was
young enough i'd ask her out and try to
consummate a scheme to protect this green
so our kids could see how similar they are to baby goats
and we'd hate to all grow up without you!
even tho i wondered if your breath
stung back the yellow jacket when you screamed—
credit card to scrape the smell of spring off the spot of the sting
(cha-ching!)
thank you God
for all this bling!
where would i be without the bloody diamond ring
i had to buy for her to prove that i'm in love?
~ DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER ~
Danger? What?
Is this a warning of the danger we will find if we remain to live pretending we are blind to the suffering of every living creature and the Earth?
NO! not at all! it's just an invite to a party to rock the planet and to die before we're forty!
HEY! --it's BYOB
so let's get fucked up!
if i'm [still] awake you'll find me shitting in the ocean
or smoking mad trees, burning that shit to the ground
yo ashes to ashes! WOW-- look what I found:
under this spot that yesterday was just a nature preserve, there's a nest of baby eagles and they all got burned!
and they're still squirming and tweeting; party animal extraordinaire!
'hey— Joey's passed out, stuff the birds down his underwear!'
[HANGOVER MINI-MONOLOGUE]
well, i'm out of cash
and this place is trashed
so... i'm guessing that i had a good time...
there's vomit on my collar
and the sea is covered black
so i'm pretty sure we had a great time.
so there's a haze in the air
and you can't breathe out there
that's how you know you had a good time.
if the trees are all cut
and there's magic marker on your butt
that's how you know you had a good time.
if you have a mouthful of blood
and a brand-new tiger skin rug
you're pretty certain that you had a good time.
you splash your face in the sink
and recall your pets are extinct
that's how you know you had a good time!
a kangaroo stuffed with birds?
holy shit-- that's absurd!
i guess we really had a good time!
can you believe all we did?
after a party this epic, guess no one else can ever have a good time. D:
Lots of words. VERY interesting sound! Like in a musical. I like it!!
@paule43 thanks! ya, probably TOO many words... lol, may stretch the music out for a final version.
Great stuff, love the vocals a lot! Musically really great and fitting as well... reminds me of Why? This is so much fucking fun, great work chaps.
Favorite FAWM song this year! (maybe ever)
This is pretty spectacular. I really enjoyed to this track, I really love the lyrics and the vocal suits it so well, great production. Brilliant collab.
Well first of all that vocal delivery is just superb. Melody is twisty and fun and great, and the lyrics were fun as hell. It sounds like something I can't put my finger on - Cross between Flaming Lips and Hidden Cameras maybe? I dunno It's a massive party, in my headphones. I love that stereo panning synth. It's the same chords all the way through, but because of the subtly shifting guitars, brilliant synth sounds and changes in drumbeats etc it never gets boring.
A drunken pillaging, hybridized pig-roast of a song- with a side of stuffing, topped with weird lumpy gravy. Several out loud laughs.
I have read the lyrics three times to see what is happening. There are so many very fun (aka hilarious) parts, and enough ideas to make 10 songs out of them. But you've put them all in one song, together with a great performance! Very impressive, can't wait for the video :-).
2013-02-23 @ 03:29pm
tags: sloppy post-rock instrumental
Getting warmed up* for some superskirmishing with a little post-rock tune that has some timing issues. I was trying to make the drums sound a bit more human by not quantising / editing them too much, but I think that, combined with the delay on the main guitar being a bit loose, makes this sound a bit messy. I quite like it anyway though, not sure whether to re-edit it to be tighter or just leave it like this FOREVER.
The samples are from the Errol Morris documentary "Vernon, Florida".
* still fucking freezing
I don't mind "messy" here - it reminded me a little of "Oar" by Skip Spence in that respect, and also with the slow tempo and big spacey guitars, more than a bit of Sigur Rós (whom I'm very keen on). I think the slightly ragged feel works in its favour... overall, it makes a great "interlude", and one of my faves of yours this time around!
Very nice! See what you mean about the drums and delay, but probably only because you mentioned it. Great stuff anyway, the sample is top as well, and the distorted guitars are a treat
Nice intro, slow and intense. I keep waiting for Robert Smith (The Cure) to start emoting. I like the way it builds up to those big guitars. I don't think you need to tighten it up.
I love when you do this kind of stuff. It's very lovely and relaxing, with the dense sound in the end carrying a sense of being on the move.
Very nice. That melancholy bassline is a really good anchor for the rest of the stuff to prog out on. A little bit Explosions In The Sky maybe - though I do use that as a reference quite a lot, as I'm not massively up in my post-rock knowledge.
2013-02-23 @ 04:47pm
tags: superskirmish1 weird echo-chamber casiocore waltz
I decided to do the first superskirmish using only a Casio PT-30 keyboard. I MIGHT use a different retro keyboard for each skirmish (for the ones I can do - I do plan to sleep at some point) but I might get bored of that idea.
My girlfriend poked her head around the door while I was doing the group vocals at the end and said "you've finally cracked". To be fair, although it doesn't really come across in the final mix, one of those backing vocals was sung in a ludicrous fake South African accent...
the best dance that the devil ever did was his last dance
it was the dance that convinced the world that he didn't exist
his arms flailed so quickly
onlookers felt sickly
a hypnotic sway
took their reservations away
the best dance that the devil ever did was his last dance
and now he refuses to ever dance any more
the letters are addressed
to "that guy, sharply dressed"
who came to the ball
that no-one recalls
the best dance that the devil ever did was his last dance
the dances before that have been erased from history
when this song is done
your brain will move on
and the end of this verse
you've forgotten the first
....
Nice gentle build up. There's something a little bit Pulp about it. I also like the layered vocals at the end.
I like this in 3/4 time...suits it well....a relaxed tempo for such a 'dark' topic....good take on the skirmish....great work in under an hour!!!!
I like the layers and key melodys underneath. Reverb'ed out sound is great!
What an excellent idea! Very attractive lyrics and creative structure... I absolutely love the idea of the lines "when this song is done your brain will move on and the end of this verse you've forgotten the first" and the way how they do not only pull all so nicely together, but even immediately involve the listener! Great musical treatment again! Compliments! :-)
Woo! Retro keys! This sounds fantastic. Great lyrics, fine melody, and the group vocal at the end was worth whatever crap you got for it. Loved it!
This one is fun. Kind of fits with the Official Challenge this week, no? I like your second verse. And the group vocals!
this is great! love the lyric and the opening line is fantastic...as is the rest love that circusy electronica feel on this.. and the whole way it builds with more stuff each time.. ha, great meta-fawm ending in a way!
Nicely done. I like the calliope feel to the counter melody line. The echo puts it into a different place than it feels like it should be. Great effort.
I like the lyric quite a bit, it's yet another take on the title. And the south african choir at the end was a nice touch. (okay the only partially south african choir....) If you're gonna keep getting songs like this then keep on using different keyboards and stuff.
I need to get me some keyboards and stop relying on vsts. Anyway, great lyrics and this is all round great.. each sound introduced sounds just great.. awesome mix. This almost sounds like Pulp! Love the end vocals, though why does it fade-out.. could've had a bit more of that
Loved all of the sounds on this. Especially the call answer twiddly bit. Lyrics are really intriguing. Reminded me of The Master and Margarita a bit. One of my favourites. If I could make one suggestion it would be for the vocals to be a little less dominant - maybe thin it out with EQ or slapback or something.
2013-02-23 @ 06:55pm
tags: superskirmish2 acapella argh
Well, @helenseviltwin mentioned in the chat room that she was going to be doing this one acapella. "I've never done a full acapella song", I thought, "maybe now is the time to try". 50 minutes later, I have partially deafened myself and for this!? Haha. If you want to hear acapella done WELL, head over to Helen's 30 Days song...
from the office window
I can see my car headlight
poking out from where I parked it
before the ground was white
everything else is covered
no sign of sparkling chrome
but we're still waiting for the call
to say that we can all go home
the car park has been covered
but the manager is a jerk.
if it snows for thirty days
will I get one day off work?
a crew arrives with shovels
and they move it all around
piles are made behind the bins
and we briefly see the ground
but the volume that is falling
means that their efforts only fail
it's like painting the forth bridge
but on a slightly smaller scale
the car park has been covered
but the manager is a jerk
if it snows for thirty days
will I get one day off work?
and the phone is ringing off the hook
my family and my friends
saying "get home before it gets worse
and slow down for the bends"
the car park has been covered
but the manager is a jerk
if it snows for thirty days
will I get one day off work?
This could be in a Wallace and Grommet movie, with a sheep chorus. The background vocals and beat boxing made me chuckle, but the lyric and lead vocal have a serious feel.
...which is to say, I enjoyed it.
Know that feeling well ... seems like the rule for when you can go home is when there's no longer any chance of getting home. This line caught my eye ... 'it's like painting the forth bridge but on a slightly smaller scale'
Now I can't imagine this without the sheep chorus... No, actually, it reminds me of (a more benign version of) Robyn's Hitchock's "Uncorrected Personality Traits." That's praise, by the way. "it's like painting the forth bridge/but on a slightly smaller scale" made me laugh almost out loud.
It's the rough edges that make this work, for me, at least. I enjoyed this immensely!
What a nice take on the skirmish!! I really love the baa baa background singers!!! You did a nice job on performing this without instruments! Great work!
reminds me of doo-wop and kudos for the effort. By the way I have yet to go aca. LOL on the hook "will I get one day off work"
Amazing, I burst out laughing at that beatboxing (or more the drum fills). This is great though, some lovely backing vocals (mouth synths?).
haha so funny... Vom Vorton beatboxing! oh wow.... love all those fills! oh man.. *dries eyes* Since I'm from Norway, snow doesn't mean anything ... its just business as usual :)
Full acapella is tough. For my part, I cheat : I always have an instrument near at hand to "retune" the vocal I base the song on, or I work with a ghost track. Anyway, I find you did a great job knowing what it means to record full acapella :) And the beatboxing is excellent!
You're far braver than I am - Each year I say I'll do an a capella. The high harmonies are great! I really enjoyed the Forth Bridge line.
2013-02-24 @ 10:56am
tags: superskirmish10 alt-country pop folk fast
Really pleased with this one! I just had about enough time left to attempt some lead guitar but I decided that there's enough going on in this one already.
looking back, I don't recall
hardly anything at all
a bottle in my hand
and a night of fun planned
but now it's 8am
and the sun is out again
there's a gap in my brain
and a throbbing pain
where did those memories go?
surely somebody here knows
perhaps the things I said
are in someone else's head
because somewhere around nine
I think that you will find
I changed my mind
I changed my mind
there's a cut under my hair
I don't remember putting there
could this be the remnant
of some kind of brain transplant?
have the hours from nine til three
been surgically removed from me?
can I get them returned
or has the evidence been burned?
so now I'm feeling like a cake
with a great big missing slice
I'm calling nhs direct
for medical advice
I'm feeling like a pizza
that has been shared three ways
but the face of the third party
is a mysterious haze
Brilliant LOL This seems like a great Irish ditty to me! Love this! Think we've all kinda had "similar" moments... :-) A++
Cricky o reilly that is some great guitar work. Great skirmish and I agree that you don't need any more guitars. Well done.
blimey, can't believe your skirmishing powers! don't know how you do it excellent work all round. respect.
Great stuff - excellent lyrics far too true to life for complete comfort, catchy melodies backed well by strong chord sequences and solid guitar playing. Nice!
Great lyrics as ever :-) I've not had a night out like that in ages! Snappy, fun and memorable. Good stuff!
Yeah, that's some pretty awesome guitar playing. Awesome work for a skirmish, great lyrics too! This is quite the hoot!
The guitar is damn catchy :) I love your vocal work, especially the way you sing "I change my mind". I second @writeandwrong's comment on the Irish feel.
Love the line about the cake with the missing slice... and lots more! You have a real way with lyrics that raise a wry grin - perhaps I've been a bit too heavy and serious with my stuff this FAWM! (Well done for reaching 14, BTW :-D )
wow that is some catchy chorus.. this song is killin it. typical Vom Vorton awesomeness.... two thumbs up and a big grin!
I'm trying to introduce a new expression to the global vernacular. It sounds to me like you sold your face to the moon here. That's some slick picking, Slim. Yee Haw. Pure VV storytelling fun here.
That fingerpicked guitar is terrific, almost Paul Simon-esque. One of the catchier songs from this year's stock. The lyrics are so so good as well, I can scarcely believe this was skirmished
Yes, this is bloody catchy, and that guitar figure is lovely. Top stuff, skirmish or not.
Nice ditty. All pop bounce and jangle. I love your black-out premise... There's a looseness to it that works stylistically and makes since given the skirmish time-crunch - under an hour!!? But I think if you decide to come back to it an polish it up, I'd try to pick the tempo up even faster, as fast as you can get the lyrics and finger-style guitar out in a comprehensible way. Lyrics are clever and funny and well set to melody... Catchy chorus!
Nice chorus... I'm just poking around here, but it seems you are the king of clever silliness this year. Though I do seem to remember something about a cat on the pitch.. ;) Anyway, might be fun to echo your theme here with a sudden left turn of some kind - a huge stylistic shift perhaps - to represent before and after. Of course it works just fine like it is, too, I'm just writing whatever comes into my head..
2013-02-24 @ 12:53pm
tags: superskirmish11 synthpop apocalypse future alien robots
I could probably have kept adding more synth noises to this all day, but the skirmish decides that this is finished now, which is probably a good thing. Another really fun one! I seem to be enjoying these skirmish songs more than I've enjoyed my less time-sensitive songs the rest of the month, which is a bit odd. More experimentation, I guess. Or more coffee.
no time. no time!
they're winning the battle.
abducting men.
dismembering cattle.
our weapons have no effect on them
apart from one exception...
the scientists call him andrew
(alien neutralising digital
reconnaisance electrical weapon)
he fights using pure current
and the tide is turning
stomping over the battlefield
shaking with every blast
it's dented, grazed and blackened
but this machine was built to last
no time. no time!
we're losing the battle.
as the machine approaches
our insides rattle
we thought their weapons had no effect
but they built something we didn't expect
andrew has them running in fear
their ships turn and run
and as the last craft flee
andrew shakes his fist at the sun
stomping over the battlefield
shaking with every blast
it's dented, grazed and blackened
but this machine was built to last
That rising synth in the 'stomping over the battlefield...' section works really well. Think I need to listen again with some better cans to really appreciate that bassy synth! I've often wondered myself why these invaders concern themselves with cattle mutilation and crop circles. You'd think there'd be more pressing concerns once they got here?!
LOL Great take on the title...very original, and well played out!! Love the sounds you have implemented into the lyric (or vice versa).
wow you did it again. love the Andrew machine... love all the sounds and vocal effects, great concept, song and skirmish.
Your head must be an interesting place. This sounds cool. Bass synth is ace. Like the sonic shifts. Lots of sing for such a short time.
What an intriguing and enjoyable story. :) As always, your vocal and production skills shine, no matter how little time it takes you to compose and perform. :) Those spoken bits are wonderful. ;) I agree with morti that your head must be in an interesting place. :P
i love the idea of andrew! XD brilliant song! and lol, coffee is a great motivator! XD
Wow, I don't know how you make that in an hour. Nice job.
I love coffee, too... lol... Witty, extremely creative lyrics, even the use of an acronym (andrew) and this all within only one hour!!! This is genius!
You're a little odd. That synth on the chorus is proper awesome, and love the percussion panned all over the place, great stuff. Arpeggiated bass is a nice touch.. also like how the urgency of the track matches the lyrics.
I wouldn't be the same if you didn't have a song involving robots. I am reminded of a certain mj hibbert album involving dinosaurs. All the synth is cool, and loving the vocal effects. One of my favourites from you this year. Really really great stuff.
I love the density contrasting with lighter sounds. Your vocals are splendid! And the epic feel carried by the lyrics and the rising scale, awesome.
I jumped the gun and posted twice...that's how excited I was.
Oh...my...goodness. You are my newest favorite person ever. This is the sound I was looking for in my new song. ;) Well done!
As part of the robot trifecta up on FAWM, I congratulate you on an exciting and well composed song! I particularly like the, "stomping over the battlefield..." section. Created during a skirmish?! Awesome! Hooray for robots!
synths! Obviously I adore this... oh so awesome! That chorus is amazing... and the concept? haha.. Andrew... so brilliant...
I'm gonna say it - I did a GLOL. Especially the acronym reveal. Just a great story, well told. A lot of excellent Kraftwerk type noises, that ascending synth line especially. That filthy bassline and almost white noise bits are also really great.
You came up with all that in a skirmish? Even that acronym? Well, it's seamlessly put together and sounds great. I love that hint of hysteria in your voice at the outset: No time! The rest of it has an odd mournful quality that I find appealing.
I love robot songs, and this one is pretty cool. Still amazed that this was formulated in a skirmish. "andrew shakes his fist at the sun" followed by gorgeous synths. Cant' touch that!
Some really cool lyrics in here, and somehow right at the moment I was wishing for a robot voice, one appeared(!), so that was pretty cool. I really liked all of the voice effects, and it made the dry vocal parts seem very dry, but considering it was a skirmish the fact that you shaped those characters to the point where I had no trouble following the story is pretty impressive.
2013-02-24 @ 02:52pm
tags: superskirmish12 ambient tape-hiss lo-fi casiocore
I signed up to "host" this final songskirmish, not realising it would clash with a football match I wanted to follow (Newcastle vs Southampton), and then as soon as it was time to provide a title the chatroom crashed! Bah.
Anyway, I managed to record a few little loops in between hitting F5 on the bbc sport page and fashioned them into this lo-fi ambient thing, which I think is quite pleasant. Sooooo much reverb.
THINK BIG
Nice one. I don't guess our skirmish efforts on this one could be more different stylistically. Great production on the vocals and a very pleasing effort all around. Great job!
It *is* pleasant...also evocative of something spacious, which rather fits. I was starting to imagine the rocky shoreline of a lake, for example...but it could be adapted.
...very evocative of bigger things....I like it!
It's ok, the match looked boring anyway, hardly any goals or anything. Ahem. Ah yes, the track! Great intro.. lovely stuff, sounds like the Cure. Love the idea of just singing the title, of course the next track on your album needs to be some heavy shit, man
Very lovely. Reverb suits you well. :) It reminds me of some James's stuff in the Wah Wah album.
Lessons to be learned, when pushed for time, add reverb to everything :D Ad's right, it's a musical palette cleanser, segueing into something with massive drums. Dreamy sounds throughout. I also like the second "Think Big" that comes in at the end - it was a bit Animal Collective-y to my ears.
2013-02-27 @ 05:37pm
tags: fuzzy indiepop synth
I've had a last minute surge of inspiration and have got quite a few things I want to get up before the site closes. The music for this one was for a collaboration that never quite happened, and I realised I could (just about) squash one of my unfinished lyrics into it if I sang quickly and didn't collapse.
The other songs are lyrics-only at the moment so I'm going to attempt to musicify them all tonight and tomorrow, otherwise I'll post them as-is.
you wouldn't look me in the eyeball!
you set up a mirror just to look the other way
I could not quite work out from your reflection
whether I could trust the things you say
because there's something suspect in your story!
I've heard conflicting testimony from another source
and although I rank their opinion highly
I value your input of course!
but you you you you you
wouldn't look me in the eyeball
you wouldn't call me by my first name!
you constructed a framework of misters and sirs
you spoke in a monotone, no emotion
I had no faith in your feeling-free words
This song is so fun! I love it!
Oh my goodness, I LOVE that crazy chorus. I love the guitars. I love the swelling, exuberant feel. Here's what's gonna make this a smash hit: You need to repeat YOU, shout it out the way you do the first time. Hammer the hell out of it. Make everyone shout along: YOU wouldn't look me in the eyeball YOU da da da da da da da da YOU.... You are on the edge or greatness here, Vom. You know where to send the royalty checks. Could you send me an mp3 of "Champion of Something?"
Another powerful, dynamic song of yours! Very good lyrics and what a musical treatment! Musically, I particularly like the part when the "you you..." lyrics set in... Excellent, Vom!
You're a machine @vomvorton ! Another catchy tune off your production line :-) Once again your lyrics made me smile. Bravo!
Awesome, that heavy guitar/bass line is proper great, like the Wannadies or something. The chorus is probably one of your better hooks I reckon.Great track, squire
I think this is one of my faves of yours. It's got the kind of euphoric energy that Guided by Voices are so good at capturing. This is jumping around the living room music, best backing vocals ever.
I love this! Really. Thank you for not collapsing. :)
A clever re-working of the Medusa myth! This is all kinds of fuzzy and all the better for it. The "you you" bit is a fantastic hook. That guitar tone really kicks ass. I reckon this might be another good one to 'band up'.
you realy are the king of FAWM pop... despite all the lo fi sound & wonky mix this is great pop music ....i see you as the cliff richard of FAWM
Wow, Tom, this is great pop with high energy. I dig how you sing in the chorus, it's mighty convincing. Impressive!
2013-02-28 @ 07:27am
tags: caffeine tempo-changes ipad
My girlfriend needed the computer for essay writing, so I recorded this one using the iPad internal mic and MultiTrack DAW (thanks @tawalker for the tip on this one, it's AMAZING). I might re-record this one at the weekend when I've got some more time, but on the other hand it works quite well as a slightly more raw recording, I think...
Another one of these to post now and two more songs to come in some state tonight, hopefully...
I need a caffeine injection
to get my brain through its morning inspection
to kick me off the last layer of inception
to tune my eyes to get better reception
I need a chemical lift
something that will take effect swift... ly
stop my thoughts from wanting to drift
coffee is the morning's greatest gift
because I've got to turn these shapes and colours into the real world
I've got to stop my head from lapsing back into the dream world
I need a caffeine delivery
enough to make my hands feel quivery
hot and strong, so I'm not so shivery
if you've got one, please, to give me!
(solo)
because I've got to turn these shapes and colours into the real world
I've got to stop my head from lapsing back into the dream world
but the dream world wants me back
tells me caffeine can cause a heart attack
ten more minutes? what's the harm in that
I need a kick in the skull
to make the morning less dull!
to put me under its spell
to make me feel less unwell!
because I've got to turn these shapes and colours into the real world
I've got to stop my head from lapsing back into the dream world
the dream world
the dream world
Blimey dude, for someone who was out with a cold you've smashed this last day. Nice ode to caffeine, I know this is something that pretty much every person in the world struggles with. Who invented getting up so early in the morning anyway? idiots. The middle bit that slows down is great and then when it kicks back into normal tempo and turns mental is brilliant. Like you've saved the fun stuff for last.
Wow, is that you? If I found this on the jukebox, I'm not sure I would recognize you. I would think it does sound familiar, but would find it impossible to put a name on it. So I would check out the profile page to add the writer to my watchlist, and would discover it's you and laugh and say "of course!". I'm fancying, but this happened in the past ;)
The slow section is quite trippy. Please use lots of freaky delay there when you record it proper... :) The subsquent speeding up is really fun and clever - given the context of the lyrics. Caffeine, she is a double edged sword.
I had a plan to record some tunes using my iPad but never got around to it... I regret it when I hear all the wonderful tunes people are making with just this device... love the rhyminh in the first verse especially "injection", "inspection".. this has a slight Oasis feel I thought... if they still wrote proper songs hehe. Nice falsetto on this too... just turn down the volume a tad on this if you ever re-record it (the caffeiiiiiiien was funny)
2013-02-28 @ 07:29am
tags: synth-rock b-movie
Updated 9th March - proper demo done, and I'm really pleased with it! Features omnichord, synths, etc.
The original iPad demo is here: http://vomvorton.co.uk/music/fawm13/VomVorton_i2_Pulp.mp3
Old liner notes:
Another iPad demo (MultiTrack DAW and Animoog) - will definitely re-record this one properly, I think it could be really good. Inspired by an excellent short film I watched recently called 'A Gun For George', which can be seen here (possibly only if you're in the UK): http://www.film4.com/reviews/2011/a-gun-for-george
he writes paperbacks and publishes himself
sneaks into the book shop and puts them on the shelf
he's tried getting them stocked properly, but the manager is tough
and she refuses to sell the really violent stuff
the shop is well stocked with romance, and there's plenty there for kids
but his stories of destruction, she completely forbids
and yet still he wears disguises and he puts on fake voices
to get his books on the shelves among the more wholesome choices
because his books are about murder
his books are about killing
they focus upon vengeance
in an attempt to be thrilling
they don't hold back on the detail
even when maybe they should
his books are about murder
and they are filled with blood
when they first started appearing, she flicked through the pages
although they turned her stomach, she thought about them for ages
and she found, in time, that these sordid tales
stuck in her head like blood under fingernails
soon the romance novels bore her, she craves violence and more
but she knows the local parents love her family-friendly store
and so she clears them from the window and removes them from the shelf
but every time he leaves a new one she takes a copy for herself
his books are about murder
his books are about killing
they focus upon vengeance
in an attempt to be thrilling
they don't hold back on the detail
even when maybe they should
his books are about murder
and they are filled with blood
This is lovely, but think it does deserve a rerecord I reckon - the synth is fighting with the vocal a bit. But great work, got a bit of a Western vibe going on with that guitar line
Really nice tune and I love the portrait you've painted here. It's like the kind of character sketches Buck65 does, seedy people in the cracks of society. It's got this strange melancholy feel to it though. That e-bow-y synth thing is supoib.
Interesting song. As it is, I find it a little different from your other stuff, but as great. Love the sparse synth arrangements. The lyrics are dreadful, but I'm always impressed that you can sing about any topic without letting it become heavy or graceless.
Ah the lesser spotted minor key VV song (I think - I am crap with music theory). Always an enjoyable change of tone - Scene But Not Heard was my favourite Lardpony song after all. I think this could be great with some percussion to propel it along. Whether that be drums or something more sparse. I'm also impressed that you extrapolated so much from a 15 minute feature :)
Ahh, this is a really interesting story. I wasn't expecting it to progress the way you told it. I like the chord choices for the middle of the verse, especially in the first verse - "the shop is well stocked with romance," you open it up into the major for a bit and then jump back into the minor by the end of "completely forbids." Great word choices, too. All in all a really solid song.
Very original, I wonder how you come up with these ideas. Interesting arrangement, powerful to the very end. And I like the shift in perspective in the 2nd verse.
Love the new version. The omnichord and Vangelis synths are great touches.
Have just listened to your original version, I liked the lyrics, really dark and very interesting. I shall definitely be checking out your new version when I get back to somewhere with a decent internet connection.
Very original and also believable I can see the owner stashing the books and reading them secretly . Being a bad, bad girl :) Well told and the music delivers it just right. (Maybe these two should "get together :) But that's the plot for another song.( Makes note :)
2013-02-28 @ 07:27pm
tags: chiptune synthpop nostalgia
I was going to do my last four songs as quick acoustic demos and then dress them up later, but I couldn't think how to do this one acoustically because I wanted it to sound like... well, like this.
the screen flickers and the clock ticks
I shouldn't be up this late
I'm rolling up in the carpet
and pressing play on tape
I'm still in single figures, I think
this isn't yet my room
I've had to sneak down two flights
of stairs in midnight gloom
the thrill of technology
will keep me awake tonight
my stomach feels a little weird
it knows I'm doing something wrong
adrenalin flows as games load
expectations raised because it takes so long
I've turned down the volume
so I can barely hear the sound
that indicates the game is ready
and I should stick around
the thrill of technology
will keep me awake tonight
this television has no remote control, but it is mine
it only takes sixteen colours to send shivers down my spine
to this day, when I hear those vibrant chords there's no way I can disguise a
lump in my throat from those familiar notes on an 8-bit synthesizer
The sid things sound great. The lyrics have a nice atmosphere and feel to them and they fit well to the song. Nostalgia can be a great thing. The ending is nice.
I love this kind of electronica, it reminds me of your song Terrorcubes from a couple of years ago. That is a lush wash of synth you've got there and you've gotta love a song about the mighty Commodore. Rhyming "disguise a" with synthesizer is genius. Your drums are great.
It sounds like you wanted to, and it sounds like an awesome song. The sound of it makes me think about water, I don't know why.
Excellent chiptune sounds throughout. I loved the SID stuff on the chorus, which is really strong generally, and that 8 bit drumbeat is amazing. One of my favourites of this batch I think.
Shimmery, shiny, swirly....yes, more like this please! I really like this.
I love chiptune music.. what did you use for this? Love the vocoder in the chorus and the delays on the main gliding synth line.. this is actually my favourite of yours this year Vom.. makes me want to try and write something using just 8bit sounds.. this is ace!
this is quite soulful & that synth is quite commodores at times but i dont hear lionel ritchie in the lyric
Love this one. I was another Commodore kid, so it hits my tape-loaded sweet spot. Great sounds.
Even the chord progression of this song sounds like sneaking out of bed at night to play a game. I never had a Commodore though...
I'm picking up a sort of Davey Jones-replaces-Yolandi Vi$$er-in-Die Antwoord vibe here. Okay, that's not true; I've just been reading the "Comparisons" forum. I found this sort of dreamy and seductive once I'd slowed my brain down enough to slip in to that groove. It's interesting to sing about adrenaline and expectations in a song that's so slow and dreamy. We're right there with you feeling that sense of anticipation--and then the thing finally loads and that guitar kicks in. And then it's over. Ah, that's a great ending--it lets us know that ANYTHING can be an object of nostalgia. I've read that 'kids these days' are feeling nostalgia earlier and earlier as things change quickly around them.
Where do you get such great ideas!? You've got a wonderful story telling aspect to your songs... The kid sneaking downstairs to play video games in the middle of the night has got to be a modern archetype. Well balanced set of sounds... the sudden tempo shift at the end is a great move, pulling us out of the late night hypnotic groove the song has put us in, waking us up to twenty some years later... indelible memories you've evoked with this one! Kudos.
This has got to be the most compelling song I've *ever* heard to go under the heading of chiptune. Simply brilliant use of those sounds to create that setting, one I can definitely relate to. Your usual dry wit is on display here as well, but storytelling definitely takes center stage. Excellent pacing, and the closing bit is perfectly manic. I can't say enough about this song... just loved every second!
Based on the lyrics this song should definitely feature synths indeed. The references to tape loading programs and a tv without remote control are nicely nostalgic.
2013-02-28 @ 09:50pm
tags: indiepop fuc ukulele fuzz-bass
I wrote these lyrics a week or two ago and wanted to get the song recorded before the end of the month, although I'm not sure if the lyrics are... well, horrible. It was supposed to be really tongue in cheek, but I'm not sure if some of it just makes me sound like a dick. At the very least, I think the tune is decent, so I could write some new lyrics for it perhaps.
Any input gladly received! Anyway, that's me done for the month. Onwards to listening, commenting and re-working!
well it's been one of those days, you know? nothing's gone quite right.
if you listen for an hour or two, I will outline my plight.
the free coffee that my work provides was missing from the shelf
so I had to drink the stuff that I paid for myself!
I had like FOUR emails waiting for me when I switched on my machine
and like THREE of them were joke emails I had already seen
I had to take a moment out to give myself a slap
and tell myself that...
I'm not suffering from a rare disease
that they'll have to name after me
because nobody has ever seen it before (as far as I know!)
though the world is plagued with pestilence
I can observe from a distance
and I'll probably never be in a war (at least I hope so!)
I'm not being hunted by ninjas
or under a gypsy's curse
it could be worse
it could be worse
but on the way home the traffic's AWFUL, nobody knows how to drive!
the limit's fifty here but this guy's doing forty-five
it's only raining a bit, mate, put your foot down!
I overtake him on a blind corner and laugh at that clown
when I get home - three minutes late - I find the bulb has gone
and I've got to drag a ladder out to put in a new one
I had to take a moment there to give myself a whack
and remind myself that...
I've not lost the use of any limbs
though my knee aches a bit in strong winds
and there's no history of madness in my family (a good bloodline!)
I can see and hear alright
and I'm middle-class and white
and at work, I get coffee for free (most of the time!)
there's food in my kitchen
and pennies in my purse
it could be worse
it could be worse
5 stars for thinking to pair uke with fuzz bass. Harmonies are terrif too. Lyrics have a positive grateful message, and that's good too. Can't believe I'm busting a @vomvorton zong!
Bass heavy song, Tom, liking it. Nice concept for a song, well executed as usual :)
Nice ukulele - under rated instrument for pop songs.
The bass entering is awesome. I love the sound of the ukulele in this, it's warm and colourful, very nice.
It could be HORSE you mean #topical #banter The melody is great, you did right by finishing it. It sounds a bit Pulp-like in the chorus. The fuzz bass was very welcome, but also the chord choice on the uke, especially on the verse was er, choice.
I'm with FC, a bit Pulp-like which is a good thing. Those drums were oh so 80s.. especially those drum-fills .... didn't quite fit into this tune I thought; I would think of reworking those if you ever have time. Coffee seems to be a common theme for you this FAWM :D The lyrics are classic VV witty.. love it!
first. The
Shit, that didn't go as planned.
14 songs about vampires. Go!
Always a pleasure
...and a 15th about a vampire cat. Wait.. a vampire cat that gets bitten by a dog. Ha
I'm expecting awesome things from this mythical creature-a-thon :) Be sure to shout me if you want to do another collab this year
:D Happy FAWMing 2013!
Hi, Tom. :)
Yeah, sounds great, drum machines through the monotron! Im in!
work that booty! .... hmm... shake your moneymaker? .... errr .... just make noises already!
Lets make something ridiculous together this year!
Happy FAWMing!
We still need to finish polishing that 'phone' one (but post-FAWM). ;) My bad for not getting back to you on it. :P It's been a hectic year - got really burned out before Christmas. Gradually getting on top of things, though. ;)
Following on from my recent introduction to the mad world of Mr Vorton, the journey, continues.
Vom, I need some poignant absurdity and I think you can deliver.
What with it being FAWM eve and there being a new Dyson product launch today, I don't think I can cope with the excitement
They suck!
omg are you trying to ignite that keyboard with those big matches?!! awesome idea!
Right back atcha' :-) (I had to sign up again - did everyone?)
Best of luck with FAWM 2013--- I'll be listening.
first. The
Happy vomiting!
Wotcha! :)
ALOHA VOM!
oi oi! Let's do this... :)
I hope so!
Love your stuff, Vister Vorton. Best of luck this year!
bring it. Wolf.
Thanks! Yeah, it's a mix of 7/4 and 5/4, with some random bits thrown in. I programmed the drums first, deliberately making it awkward so it'd be a challenge throwing something on top of it.
Hey Vom! I am happy to see you here again... Judging on your great start you are heading for 50 new songs plus X... lol... Have a great FAWM-time!
You're always the first to comment on my first song :D Thanks for your sweet words, I wish you the best fawm ever :)
Glad you liked it. For some reason Japanese text-to-speech seems to be much more realistic than English ones.
Thanks for your comment man. Hopefully I'll have some more ambient guitar pieces later this month!
Hi Vom, looking forward to your songs!
Look forward to listening. Enjoyed your november album
"The big crashy bass drum (?) : I don't know, it's in one of my Hydrogen system kits, Ratmilk. This sound's called "Desk". Thanks for your comments :)
Hey! Thanks a lot for your great comment! And thanks for telling me that detail about the road, I did not know that something like this really existed... lol... I would look very forward if you gave it a go...
Nice profile pic! Well, I've started fawm attept #4. Will this be the year I finish?
HEY. Let's collab this FAWM! I never finished anything except a few synth layers on that 5090 track you shared with me. I'm down to add vox or synth to anything! LET ME KNOW PLEASE! :D I'd love to work with you. Also, lovely work so far, as always I guess. XD
Yeah, I'm trying to learn piano but oddly everything I play comes out sounding like Martin. Maybe I should just get him to write and play them for me and upload them in my name.
Oh thank you thank you thank you kindly. I am so humbled. I really hope you enjoy the album!! All the songs were heavily 'remastered' and 'perfected from the original 5090 songs... I was so glad I set the 12/12/12 release date--I was SO glad to be done with it! Thank you again, that really is so sweet of you! :D
Cheers! Have to catch up on my listening now... *runs with cartoon legs Aye - I'm on a Hoof binge at the minute. Trying to indoctrinate @paulh1237, but he's having none of it.
Good to hear new songs of yours, Vomvorton. I always wonder how your stories will unfold :)
I'll continue our convo (and collab discussion) today or tomorrow via email once people come home and I can no longer record screaming vox!
Glad you liked it! The song I used was a recent one apparently, though I can't remember the name. I just came across a Youtube embed in a message board post somewhere. I was inspired mainly because I had been reminded of this really great sampler-based band called Dymaxion from the late 90s that used chunks of old 60s / 70s records to make these peculiar, sort of abstracted songs. btw I liked your last song!
Hey there, thanks for commenting! The Johnny song has a 3/4 and 4/4 signature. Had the plan to do not always go for 4/4 so, seeing this thread about different signatures was cool: http://fawm.org/forums/topic/359/ Keep 'm songs coming!
Thanks for the comment on 'Theresa Crowed'. The mad panning on the arpeggio is down to a random LFO routed into the control for pan on the mix channel. Gotta love Reason for stuff like that!
Been trying to think of something Flameboy. But struggling quite a lot actually. Too busy trying to learn how a harp is supposed to work, having bought Logic then remembered more technology generally makes me less productive.
Thanks for checking out "Now Leaving Earth". I actually use NodeBeat in composing most of my music for Mood481 because I just love the syncopation the randomness creates. If you decide to try it, I have a couple of posts on my ios music blog about it at http://musicin2d.com :)
Thanks, Vom, for the great comments and not wielding your veto pen :D
Thanks so much for your kind comments - really appreciate it. Totally agree with your advice re: Blazing A Trail. Fewer lyrics and a middle eight would definitely improve it :-)
Thanks the the flurry of comments,
:) Wolf
Hi there. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I will get around to listening to your stuff, eventually. FAWM on!
Thanks Tom!
That's all we can ask for - KNOWLEDGE. Cheers! I probably would have farted around with the piano a bit more, but even when I added just compression, I got dropped MIDI notes... :(
I had NOT seen it, and you just made the top of my favourite person list for the whole of today! And to think that I had once toyed with the idea of finding out how much it would cost to buy the masters to this thing when it looked like it wasn't going to get a release, silly me.
Always was, we must have heard most of it live a couple of times and it kicked it then. My near-orgasmic happiness has now erased my disappointment at Tom from Reveal for shelving it in the first place.
I have a special request for a song I'm working on...I need to get as many people as I can to provide me with a 1 to 2 second clip of them yelling "NO!" If you can do that, I would love it! Any quality recording of the "No!" is fine.
Thank you for your kind comment on "Laundromat Love Song"! I think it's one of my favorite things that I've ever written.
Listen for your noooos! http://fawm.org/songs/6691/
Ooops - thanks for the tip on the long pause at the beginning of Devil's Last Dance. Not sure where that came from, but I'm fixing it...
Holy moly Vom, you are a song machine! Congrats on your early win. I promise I will listen to all of these when I'm finished with my frantic recordings!
song about colds?
I'm overstating how much I lost, it wasn't much. Only a couple of sections. It was more me throwing a paddy really.
Thanks Tom, I got it, though I did have to use forceps for the delivery.
Jesus. Can't believe you so conclusively won. I'm going to download all your delicious produce and listen intently now. Congrats!
Cheers for the kind words :) You're basically an indie-pop wizard, so I'm honoured! I'm going to have to do the same with yourself, you have won this year in style!
Congratulations to you for a prolific month. Same for me, I want to catch up with your songs, and I'll start right now :)
Wow, thank you so much for your comments! (And you're still commenting while I'm writing this!) Of course you rushed for the skirmish, that's what makes your track even more impressive and of great value. :) Re my liner notes : sorry for this, I felt depressed at some point but soon bounced back thanks to FAWM's magic. :) I'm not completely done with your stuff, I'll be back. ;)
Woohoo! Thanks for the listening party! I know what you mean about getting ideas in March. I had the same experience listening to @shortdan's stuff
btw 'The Essential... French Cricket' will be in the post ;) I really like that Android song you done. When's the video out?
I did all my drums this year on a new fangled digital kit. Well, I say 'did' - I played something approximating a beat and quantised the heck out of it.
The keyboardist is the guy from TheMakingOf, right? I enjoyed them at Indietracks, they were fun.
Do you make the call or is it a democracy? Both systems can work
You need to hear this one! *6593
Not been online for a bit so just catching up with your comments blitz from the other day! Thanks so much for all your kind feedback. Very happy with the Kinks reference - that'll do me! Your description of 'telephone guitars' is absolutely bang on too. I'd been struggling to describe the effect myself (which was completely accidental!) but that sums it up perfectly I think. As for your suggestion re: taking something out of the chorus mix in my final track I have to say I think that's a very worthy suggestion. I may have a tinker at some point this week! Thanks again :-)
whoa! Comment explosion... *bow* thanks Tom.. I'll repay the favor obviosuly; I was a bit gutted we didn't get to collab this time around, but we will make up for it for sure :D
my goodness mr vorton you got busy...last time i looked you were on 11 & youve doubled that...lets have a butchers at what you got up to!
Thanks for all your comments on my later songs - I'm really grateful for your feedback :-) The weekend is coming up, so I'm going to catch up with your "skirmish" and other song postings... if you do an album this year, I think it'll be a goodie!
I was honored to see your comments on my collabs with Ferry and Arthur. Thank you deeply. Really respect and admire your work.
Thanks for your thoughtful and excellent comments - I really appreciate you taking the time to go through that whole story! And: "Yet another puke escape. When will farmers learn?" has to be my favorite comment from this year.
Okay...my home page is all yours now. Use it as you will. My plan for the 5090 is to write my lyrics in the sand just before the tide comes in. I will then perform my songs one time on my acoustic guitar. You will never hear those songs, but the positive vibrations will probably reach you.
Mrreow eeh :) [Thanks! I think what triggered Mojo's desire to sing is that he understood the connection between hearing himself on the loudspeakers and the mic. Actually, he perfectly understands the use of mics. Use the same mic each time you record your cat. Make him listen to himself (and possibly put his "vocals" to music), and show him the mic each time. Record him by surprise if needed. Show him that the mic can also record your voice. When you've flattered his ego and his curiosity enough, he may feel like a superstar and take control of your home studio.]