2017-02-01 @ 12:23pm
tags: indie-rock shimmery
I thought of this title a few days ago and did that usual pre-FAWM routine of trying not to let my brain write any of it until this morning!
Probably at least slightly inspired by watching the film 'Tomorrowland' last week.
if your perfect world has just one flaw
it’s the crack in your smile when I knock at your door
your aura of love is almost infinite
but it’s not big enough to include me in it
there’s a cap on your cornucopia
there’s no “me” in “utopia”
from my fallen face, you can surely tell
that your paradise is my vision of hell
because I’m the one thing that can’t cross your borders
and you’re giving me my marching orders
you’re a diamond to my zirconia
could I feel any phonier?
there’s a cap on your cornucopia
there’s no “me” in “utopia”
can it be I’m your only phobia?
do you suffer from me-opia?
there’s a cap on your cornucopia
there’s no “me” in “utopia”
A fine lyric with wonderful imagery and good structure/rhyming. The music/melody/vocals are, as always, compelling. Very nice first FAWM 2017 song, Tom. :)
This is cool. I love the last couple of choruses particularly, which are super-sweet/sad and funny. Great first song!
So into this! Reminds me of the softer side of Smashing Pumpkins (strangely?) but with trademark Vorton vox.
Such a great sound and delivery of a clever song. Love the word play. Great way to start FAWM!!!
Very cool song, I really really like the instrumentation, this makes me think of the good parts of what pop had to offer in late 80's. Great lyrics too, and mmm guitarsolo. Awesome way to kick of FAWM.
Those reverby guitars sound lovely, and the solo at the end is great. Who doesn't love a good guitar solo! Really like the lyrics to this one too. Off to a cracking start
The bass line is tasty, the synths perfect for that 80s feel. Diamond-cubiczirconia-phoniah -- sweet. And the guitar solo is right in the pocket. Do my ears hear a very faint high vocal harmony on the chorus, or is that just wishful listening?
Great start! Great lyrics, shuffle and that solo's perfect. And a sad song that still has a little humour to it - 'Me-opia' :D
This one popped up on my SC app this am. Quite nice listen, had to rush here to see all the lyrics. Great start my friend!
Ooh, this is cracking. I love that tick-tock feel on the guitar - and some brilliant rhymes! I get a slight Del Amitri feel from this, though I might be miles off.
Love the sound of this, lyrically a brilliant idea that you've followed through well! Shimmery is a good description! This feels almost fully-fledged. Very impressed!
This is really well-made, dude. I like the chorus a lot. I get a bit of an 80's dreamy jangle pop vibe as well as a 2000's indie rock vibe from this, which is definitely cool. Love the lyrics and the little analog synth during the chorus. Oh yeah, and the guitars. Nice work, man.
Man!!!! This is a great song!!! Love the line "Your a diamond to my zirconia
Love the production! Clean! Big! The bottom end sounds smooth and glowing, so nice. The effects throughout are cool! and tasteful - shimmery is right! All the vocal stuff is great - I really like the melody - it has that F.U. kinda vibe, adds to the humour of the lyrics. I also get an 80's feel from it - there's an .au band called the Church - reminds me of them a little. Man, awesome start!
Really hits my taste in music. A bittersweet pop song with just the right texture in arrangement. Definitely a keeper.
Holy crap, that guitar grabs you from the first second and never lets you down. This hits me sweet spot. Just lovely
Great sound, lovely and just driving enough. The synth adds nicely and knows when to go away. Love the title and the chorus, and of course the cornucopia / utopia rhyme!
Nice! This is great, totally great vibe to the music with the synth and all, just awesome!
Sweet dreamy guitars! Vocal sounds great as usual...Great production! All of those "pia" rhymes are freaking brilliant.
Great title and a nicely worked lyric. Really enjoyed the zirconia/phonier rhyme. Good start!
The kind of guitars I always tend to put on a song, but never do. Nice.
This is great - how did you write and record all this in one day!? I particularly like the music. It is PLEASING TO THE EAR.
The hook and the sound is the real deal here! Something that Edge of U2 would be quite jealous of!
This song reminds me of Yo La Tengo. There are some really good vibes going on in this track.
Really dig the floaty guitars on this. It creates a very ethereal flavor. Wonder if there would be a way to give the vox some similar or complimentary fx to go with it? Catchy as always!
the intro hooked me right away. also rhyming utopia and cornucopia is pretty sweet. very cool
Yes! What a start! I really like how you've put this together - reverbs etc - it gives the whole thing a wistful, dreamlike feel.
Love! The auditory space is so wonderful here, the way all your layers interact. Reminds me of lovely music I'd listen to in the 90's.
Synth! Minilogue? Love the delay and the guitar.. with the drums and gave me a The Cure vibe. Awesome!
This really pretty. Will definitely listen again.
Wow, right from the start this one is gorgeous and catches my ear. It's so wonderfully put together and there are so many little things... The tone of the guitar, the delay, that synth! Yum. I loved it all - A FAWM win right from song 1. :)
This is mega lush. Reminds me of a sort half-way house between someone like Slowdive and Alvvays maybe? Love the rhymes in the choruses. And the monosynth lines are a treat.
This is wonderful, Vom! Simple, and yet never gets repetitive, feels heartfelt.
Ah I love it, this is great! Has a melancholy/wistful feel that kind of reminds me of the Cure. "zirconia"/"phonier" is an awesome rhyme! The synth coming in at the first chorus/dropping out/coming back is perfect. Weeeeoooooweeee
Love the song and lyrics - really catching melody there :)
Is there a better couplet writer (coupleteer?) on FAWM? I very much doubt it. Really lush and lovely, and heart-tugging in all the right ways.
*happy sigh* i really love where this takes me instrumentally and production-wise, and the lyrical concept / rhyme play are icing on that joy-cake...... until i connect the words with the current state of the Western world.... but mustn't allow myself to go there. great first outing, Tom :)
So lovely! Dreamy and cinematic. Love the guitar arpeggios in the background and that wandering synth line. Really like the subtle fuzz and distortion that gets introduced as the song builds.
I thought you said "Do you suffer from myopia" - a perfectly reasonable question for someone with less than 20/20 vision or a lack of foresight, so it surprised me (less and less the more I think about it) that you had invented the word "me-opia". It is a symbol of your untamed creativity, so wild that it goes through the garbage and poops in the woods like a crafty fox. If, and I'm not saying you should, but if you do expand this song at all I've thought of a few more rhymes you could fit in the chorus: fallopia(n), ski-slopia, L-dopia, telescopia. Whaddayathink? Anyway, enough rubbish from me. The guitars in this chime beautifully and your couplets carry those sardonic barbs that would make Neil Hannon envious.
Very catchy song. Great lyrics. I also like the instrumental bridge.
Wonderful shimmery melancholia. It made me think slightly of The Cure. You've got a way with a vocal melody, me ol' china.
You used the tag #shimmery, I had to listen! I'm not disappointed at all : it's one of my all-time favorite by you. I love how it unfolds with a gentle strength, disseminating its colorful harmonies. Smells of epic-ness.
!!! Good to find you here again and get to listen to your great tunes! And what a dreamy tune this one is! I'm getting a bit of New Order meets Destroyer meets Echo & the Bunnymen. I'm super digging your delivery, wry lyrics, and the melancholy dreaminess of the whole thing. I love the New Wave feel with just a hint of what sounds a bit like surf. I love just about every couplet in here, but that first one is a major doozy. Awesome stuff, I love it!
I already liked the title and the song kept what it was promising... Excellent and very creative lyrics with very intriguing rhyme-combinations, put to music in such an amazing way... Really, really beautifully done!
I should have commented on your least-commented song... but I'm selfish and just wanted to hear your favourite because I knew I'd enjoy it. This has a low-key stadium rock feel, if that's not an oxymoron - early Coldplay, especially on that guitar solo. The lyrics are clever and funny for the listener but sad for the protagonist. Particularly liked V1. As an aside, I very recently went back to your album and chucked "She's Gonna Use Technology" into my driving playlist, right alongside Ben Folds Five and the Arctic Monkeys. So keep making music!
A lush sound bed that subtly builds with the song, cool concept and the brainy lyrics we all expect from you - very nice!
Never thought I'd see "cornucopia" used in a song... sounds great, reminds me of Das Binky (That's a compliment, btw)
Shimmery is a good adjective for this one. Reminds me of The War on Drugs. Really nice feeling here; like floating but with strong energy at the same time. Love the synths; I think they take this track to the next level. Really nice guitar solo too.
Man, really nice song, was surprised how good it sounded when it kicked in. melodywise i really like the second/chorus part. Love all the synth parts also. and the jangly rhythm guitars. I I think tomorrowland was pretty cheesy and there was a lot of problems making it ultimately a weird movie but I keep watching it for some reason.
Starts pretty, gets prettier. Cool synths. Cool solo. Good production. Tops.
Really like this one. Great lyrics as is your trademark! The mix is lovely too - nigh on perfect I'd say. The subtle little synth touches are very cool. Great start :)
Yay! This is fantastic. Best title ever. And of course brilliant lyrics. All the clever ways you rhyme utopia. Really cool mix too. Brings me back to some of those 80's ballads I played on repeat as a kid. U2 and Don Henley and The Cure. Killer little guitar solo. I know a certain president I'd like to tweet this to.
I LOVE the movie Tomorrowland! The rhymes in this are fab! the music/production are amazing, could be in a movie. This just drips of inspiration and ideas and it really comes together well! The instrumental break is really well done, love the guitar. So happy I found this song today!!!
Love this from those first minor ish chords.. Your voice here reminds me of 80s Brit rock.. Clever clever lyrics.. Great guitar work.. I like u alot
Quality sound & lyrics very clever thx
I knew from the opening chords I was gonna like this and it doesn't disappoint. Lovely warm production. Reverbed strumming and the little synth touches over the top. Clever lyrics. Great build up over that solo guitar part.
Lovely guitar. Cool concept. Thanks for sharing
very well put together song. Catchy hook phrase with the rest of the fine lyrics...esp me-opia nice vocals Good all around
First off - great title! Lyrically very strong - some great lines, especially in that last chorus, and also "your paradise is my vision of hell". It's a massive sound - great guitars, strong bassline that carries things along really well, cool synth sounds.
2017-02-02 @ 09:46am
tags: anger garage-rock punk political resist
Looks like I woke up angry this morning.
I wrote the first four lines of this song during National Solo Album Writing Month (November) but I guess I wasn't quite mad enough at that point to come up with the rest. Cut to February and I'm writing and recording this BEFORE BREAKFAST. For fuck's sake. Going to go and angrily eat some crumpets now.
we want to believe that we’ll be fine
we’re moving forward all the time
but look closer and you’ll find
we’re sinking backwards into slime
we think we’re making progress when
the world turns back to hate again
one step forward, eight steps back
a war on trust, a heart attack
reinforce your self-destruction
build new borders, new obstructions
an eagle cutting off its wings
we never learn anything
we feed the rich, rob from the weak
we give the fascists room to speak
but cut the wounded off in flight
to ask them if the leader’s right
all backing to the inquisition
agree with the opposition
echo lies, print the absurd
the truth is now a dirty word
reinforce your self-destruction
build new borders, executive orders
an eagle cutting off its wings
we never learn anything
burning down your place of prayer
rubber bullets clear the air
waving banners, it’s a race
to punch ourselves in the face
Oh man, this is great. Tons of energy and that phaser/filter/whatever spacey thing works well since you used it judiciously. High School Me would have played this on repeat for days.
Sick! A healthy dose of angriness for the incoming day. Looks like we're both recording before breakfast.
hah, nice! fast and tight. that warbly sound is pretty wacky - sounds great when full on. mix is neat - building a wall of noise. it's a good time to get angry - the world needs it.
Great title! (I love it when you talk dirty. 😜 ) Well crafted, tight story with its justified fury. Excellent imagery. Wonderful energy in the music. (I hope you enjoyed your angry crumpets afterward. ;) )
Yes! Love the energy, the anger, and the insights! Great sociopolitical commentary - spot on! Awesome delivery!!!
Lyrics are so well written. You're speaking my mind only I'd be screaming more angrily and loudly. Would love to hear a real screaming rocker sing this. Great song! Music is perfectlying suited.
fantastic sounnd and arrangement. if more people could write songs like this, music might once again be a force for change. exciting and motivating music. thank you.
Perfect accompainment to lyrics! I feel and share your sentiment.
Love the space-synth sound and the aggressive beat on this one. Love the lyrics, this is definitely where my head's at these days. I really like the instrumentation differences between the sparser verses and the heavier chorus (does it count as a chorus if it's instrumental?).
Really into the aggression here!. drums are on point for sure.
oooo yes. I am going to love rocking it up listening to your stuff this year Vom. No heavy tracks from me with my indian jangle mess so this is perfect for my deprived ears. ROCK ON
Wow, this is not what I expected when I saw you'd posted a song! Loving how angry this track is. I hope it mellowed you out enough to enjoy your Wheetabix* *other breakfast cereals are available
Totally rocks! Lyrics are spot on, I feel ya man!
im finding all the political songs hard work but cant deny the energy & aggressiveness youve got going on here... its like the sex pistols had started again but bought a funny synth for sid vicious!
Cracking punky energy to this one that never lets up. Pretty ruthless this one dude, and matches the sentiment perfectly. m/ (why won't it let me do devil horns, damnit!)
This is brilliant in every way. Lyrically really strong, the production is incredible and it's a really good vocal performance too. Hope the crumpets calmed you down :)
angry rock 'n roll has always been a crucial part of resistance. the world is fucked and your fury cuts exactly where it must.
That guitar has some grunt - and I like the 'eagle cutting off its wings' line especially. Some cool dynamics going on with the loud/quiet section.
AMen to this brother!!!! Whoop!! Your so skilled at lyrics, playing ,tempo...boom! Just like that... Love your accent coming through... You are saying it all... Love this song!!
This song is a super effective conduit for my anger right now. Loving this and loving the straight up punk delivery.
Before breakfast?! You WERE angry. I suppose that is an incentive to write a fast song though. I like how you weren't too angry to SFA-ize the rock with some wibbly synths (the best kind of synths), which give this a bit of a Do or Die feel. I like the contradiction of reinforcing your self-destruction, and for some reason I have a soft spot for songs which mention punching in the face (this might have something to do with my favourite ever song introduction at a gig - "we have a lot of songs that are inappropriate for weddings, here's one of them. It's about being punched in the face, it's called "Call me Dave"). Sorry for rambling about things other than your song.
The stop/start guitars... the oozey slime synth... the fast delivery of the lyrics... It all adds up to a really good aggressive song. Good message and really well done. I feel like going for something with this energy tonight. You've inspired! :)
Oh man, you are speaking my language!!! We are in such a similar place right now, sadly. Resist is right. This tune has loads of urgency and importance! I love it. Btw, My first song this year is "America calling.....we are So sorry". This daily sick feeling gets old...makes for good songs, though.
That synth is nuts. This rocks.
is the only difference between the deeper guitar and the single chord strummed a lack of bass guitar? (for say the intro) Or did you eq the guitar for that bit especially? Sounds good. I like the tone. The way you keep the vocal tempo(energy) running into the final versey bit is great.
SINKING BACKWARDS INTO SLIME! the perfect image. Not just moving backwards, falling behind, but actually devolving.. And awesome images. It does feel like a race to punch ourselves in the face. The western world that is, not this song. This song is a race to dance/punch the air in angry defiance.
Yeah! awesome lyrics and raging vocals! I particularly like the last couplet but there are so many great lines in here that distill your anger succinctly. That weird synth is a nice touch production-wise.
Crumpets for breakfast? Are you completely insane? You eat crumpets for tea dear boy. Do they teach you nothing these days? Perfectly splendid punk song. Congrats
Music to angrily eat crumpets to! This straddles the line between punk and post-punk - love the way you've used the synth. Like a lot of songs this FAWM a lyrical reflection of the times.
Love the breakneck pace and the opening guitar chords, it feels like you're driving fast through hairpin turns on the side of a mountain! I also like when the words are slightly off-rhythm because you're cramming so many in. "An eagle cutting off its wings...we never learn anything..." Yes!
2017-02-03 @ 03:37pm
tags: rock slightly-shoegazey week1
I recorded most of this one on Wednesday after finishing my first song but I couldn't figure out what to do with it. Since I've been struggling to get anything started today at all, I revisited it and used the weekly challenge for inspiration.
at night when the day is done
and nothing is quite what it seems
I can still talk to you
in the comfort of my dreams
in my dreams
you’re not really here any more
we occupy different streams
I can still be with you
in the comfort of my dreams
Great recording, instruments in the track sounds fantastic. What's the setup you're using?
Nice and simple, yet effective. I do have to ask though - how did you get the vocals to sound like that? I'm assuming it's some sort of processing. Sounded really good.
I like the clean tone guitar hook in the opening, and the way the refrain of 'in my dreams' echoes back and forth. Also, a clever ending, having the filtered vocals repeat and fade.
Shoegazy. It certainly is!! Weekly challenge achieved as well. Boom.
Very cool, the reverb makes it feel kind of dreamy I think. Nice wistful lyrics too. Interesting fade out at the end.
Oheeee.. Just wonderful atmospheric piece. Cool cat guitars ....all those layers You ought be proud
I like the tag: "slightly-shoegazey" I should use that sometime. As others have said, this is a cool dreamy piece that is really enjoyable to just sit back & digest. Ooo, love the processing on the vocals & how you've layered them. Fits the song very well. Great job, I enjoyed this a lot. See You In The Shadows…
Ooh, this is nice. You're really good at production as well as songwriting, I think.
I agree with @candle, I like the tag. The most compelling thing about this track is those two beautiful atmospheric bars that anchor the song.
I like it, maybe more lyrics, but what you have is good.
Dreamy shoegaze awesomeness! Nice 😸👍
Love this. Could happily gaze at my shoes for a few minutes to this one any time. :)
Slightly shoe-gazy indeed! Like in the minimal lyrics on this one, places the focus more on the instrumentation - which is pretty dreamy, incidentally. Love that ending too
This backs up one of my FAWM golden rules: never throw any ideas away :-) I like what you have here - nice woozy atmosphere, and enough lyrics to point the way, if you want to develop it further down the road. Nice!
i wanted this to go on at least a minute or two longer, so i suppose i'll just have to exert the effort to press play again now won't i?! lovely stuff, mr.
This is so great. I really love that guitar part. "Slightly shoe-gazey" is my new favourite tag.
This sounds like the bittersweet ending to an indie romcom to me. Really like how the vocals are buried and distant – makes it sound all swirly and... dreamy.
This makes me smile. :) Lovely hook for the chorus. Did you sneak uke in there?? I only hope to contribute a song to the 'slightly-shoegazy' tag sometime this month, haha. :D
Cool groove you've got going on here. The obscured vocals work very well. I like the way you've got the different parts to sit together in the mix. Good work.
I'm a big fan of the way the super simple guitar melody is woven through the crunchy guitar. Nice melange of vocals. It kind of sounds like a women singing in there, which would add another dimension. Anyway, I like it...enough said
Dig the groove - the intro really gels and makes me want to keep listening.
I really like this. The lead guitar skips very satisfyingly over the taught half-time rhythm guitar. Cos it's a Vom Vorton song I was almost surprised at the lack of any quips or puns in the lyrics, but I don't want you to feel like this is expected of you. It's cool to hear something a bit more earnest. I think the contrast with the more humorous songs makes the impact of the earnest ones greater.
Wow! Super smooth! I love how you used the layers to create such a dense sound. That little lead does so much. I always forget how useful and transformative little hooks are. Well done!
Most excellent intro! I like how the rhythm hangs back, and lets the guitar have it's say. "In my dreams" seems an appropriate response to the flip off term that I could see a harsh lover giving as "In your dreams!" So this is completely rephrasing the situation as positive.
Oh yes, very dreamy! I love all the guitar sounds, nice blend of acoustic and electric and clean and distorted sounds. Definitely sounds like it could go on for another five to ten minutes and I wouldn't even mind! Nice work.
catchy and concise. awesome!
I love the guitar on the intro! The vocal effects are pretty rockin' too
I think is my favorite of your 2017 offerings so far. I like everything about it, but the vocals especially. Into the "KEEP" folder it goes.
So dreamy, very cool. I really like the different sound of the vocals. Great job!
This is excellent! I really really love the guitar sounds and the melody has a wonderful dreamy, swirling flow. The vocal effects work well with it.
Those lyrics, though brief, are really poignant and relatable. Loved 'em! Just a really polished production this one - great arrangement. Enjoyed it.
"Slightly shoegazey" is that looking at the floor about 10 feet in front of you? Great vibe on the opening. The doubled vocals are nice too. Picks up the vibe again for the chorus - that's nice. A laconic gem. Really like the ending too
Opening and chorus are great. What's missing are the chorus vocals by the female bassplayer ;-)
2017-02-08 @ 05:36pm
tags: acoustowhateverpop dystopian casiocore
Honestly, I have no idea what this is supposed to be. On to the next one, I guess!
you’ll learn how to jump on the hallowed leader’s say-so
(don’t ask for explanations)
he’s building a base in a hollowed-out volcano
(technically, it’s its own nation)
we’ve built the ideal world
all we need is your silence
you’ll be happy here
on this fortified island
we all have a place in this perfect community
(just keep your mouth shut)
just don’t be tempted by any talk of mutiny
(be happy with what you’ve got)
Intrigued by this island but I know better now than to go asking questions. Loving the different treatment of the lead and backing vocals again.
I liked the melody, it has this vintage British rock sound (80s perhaps?) to it. I also liked the chords in whateveryoucalledthissection (see what I did there?), a pre-chorus? a chorus? Or maybe it was a bridge? I especially liked the add9 chord at the end of the section, nice touch. I also liked the lyrics despite not getting anything in the terms of meaning but nice imagery nevertheless. I feel like this song has great potential for something bigger. Maybe come back to it another time. Nice work!
Ha...there's time to read the lyrics before the singing starts. Made me laugh. Love the catchy goofiness and the bvox. I think you could fit in some "The left hand knows not..." if you wanted to. I know I did
Ooooh, this is sweet! It reminds me a little of REM, but with all the Vorton goodness to it : compelling vocals, an ounce of weirdness, and inimitable melodies. A joyful anthem for ambiguous, striking lyrics.
I love all the asides from the peanut gallery ("Just keep your mouth shut"), etc. Cool harmonies, and the organ's totally cool. Great sounds, and a cool premise for a song, too. I dig it! Plus, what a great image: "he's building a base in a hollowed-out volcano."
Hilarious awesome keyboard sound! Love the backing vocals too. What a great idea to explore for fawm! You could expand this one in all kinds of crazy directions if you wanted, and I'm sure it would be awesome coming from you.
So many great, varied vocal ideas here - the babadadaaas under the chorus, (asides), Say-soooooooooo!, all the harmonies - love it, makes for a very dynamic listen. Great tune too, love the different synth sounds.
Oh what a fun song, and I love your vocal layers. The lyrics are brilliant. No need to define it, it is, and it's awesome.
"Casiocore" - love it - the rhythmic acoustic guitar alongside the synth and "da-da-das" reminds me of Blur's organ instrumentals. Another utopia-themed song... Love the little guitar accents complementing the driving big chord strums.
Love what you've done with the backing vocals. The lyrics are very odd (in a good way!) - kind of commentary on the current state of things, meets Bond villain, through a cartoon lens.
Having "Sergent Pepper" flashbacks :) . The song sounds like kind of a happy fantasy song with really deep lyrics. It was kind of a juxtaposition (or maybe another really fancy word that I don't know the meaning of.......) I really liked it!
Yeah, this is bags of fun. Proper life-affirming feel to it. Love how the intro essentially works as a wordless chorus - damn catchy.
Reminds me of Blur or early Bowie or They Might Be Giants or something. I loved it! I like the happy-go-lucky guitar and your extremely British delivery.
whatever it is supposed to be, I like it! it just feels really FUN. the acoustic guitar with synth is a nice combo, and the backing falsetto vocals are super sweet esp where they double the main lyrics.
Again very creative lyrics... It made me reminisce of the fortified, secret island that captain Nemo started creating in Jule Verne´s novel "20.000 miles under the sea", where he also wanted to lay the foundation of a new, better society... Beautifully brought to life and awesomely presented!
Whatever it is supposed to be, it is enjoyable. That's enough for me. I really like the delivery of "say-SO."
Yes! I've had an idea for a similar song sometimes. Perfectly executed with the peppy melodies and farfisa organ.
Haha, this is great. Definitely Casiocore is the tag. Love the upbeat sound to it and how it contrasts with the lyrics. Very cool harmonies throughout. Well done!!!
Such chirpy indie pop, and such darkly authoritarian lyrics. I wonder was there a specific thing which inspired the island totalitarian concept, are you thinking of starting one? Is this a cry for help? If so, don't worry, the Stockholm Syndrome will kick in soon. In the meantime keep churning out these pop nuggets. The combination of acoustic and the organ give it a really laidback feel, though it's perhaps more village green than carribbean. Not that you specified where this island is, it could be the Orkneys for all we know.
Digging your pop tunes! Love the call and response vocals, and the background harmonies during the chorus give me major New Pornographers vibes. Actually the whole tune has their feel. All in the best way of course! The friendly tone of the song versus the dystopian subject matter is preeetty great.
Came for the 'casiocore' tag, stayed for the great tune. Dystopia has never sounded so good.
2017-02-11 @ 10:49am
tags: ss11c superskirmish skirmish bad millionaire
I was keen to do a skirmish this morning to get my head "back in the game", but judging by this, the game is long lost and I never even knew the rules. If this is the first song of mine that you hear, please don't let it put you off trying another, haha.
if I were a millionaire
there’d be cats simply everywhere
lying around and scratching at stuff
robot butlers to pick up the fluff
if I were a millionaire
I’d have golden streaks in my hair
which I’d get cut every three days
to stop it from getting in my face
my house would be made out of money
I’d rebuild it every sunday
I’d keep buying new things
and I’d keep building new wings
if I were a millionaire
I’d travel only by air
you’d envy my zeppelin fleet
I’d order you to kiss my feet
if I were a millionaire
I’d buy all the stocks and shares
I’d be paranoid and untrusting
I’d be fucking disgusting
my pockets would always be full
my life would never be dull
I’d invest in every new fad
surely I’d never be sad?
my only fear would be
those who were richer than me
and crippling loneliness
yeah, my life is the best
Sounds like a million goes farther where you live than it does here. I would totally want a robot butler, but then I would be paranoid that someone reprogrammed it to steal my precious bodily fluids or something. So I'd have to dismantle it.
Love how the lyrics turn from cats to paranoia and then loneliness :) Great music, too! Well done!
Great work in one hour well done. Gets my feeling that we will never be totally satisfied no matter what we have. Well done.
@vomvorton! Wosis!! Stop the trash talk! It's a skirmish! And as usual your production values are so far above the rest of us it's not a joke. So shaddup with the miserymouth already! Not in front of the FAWMlings etc etc!. Really enjoyed the lyrics, Perhaps it's htat at heart I'm still a cat person, so the cats sucked me in to begin with. But they're a delightful set of lyrics and I like the setting too. Nothing wrong with providing a bit of delight, right? Right! {EDIT: oh. and. as a schizoid paranoiac myself, I'm not at all surprised at the descent into digusting personality!]
The lyrics are really clever and I think the sort of new-wave feel of the melody and vocal performance is totally fitting and well done. The only thing on this track that could use improvement is the timing on the drum track, hardly worth being tagged as "bad". :P
HA ha i always love your lyrics mate. I would definitely have golden streaks in my hair. You under selling yourself in your notes though as this is a top well constructed tune. ITs catchy as hell as well. Screw the drums ;-)
I like those warbly guitar bits, and karlsburg25 is right, it is catchy as hell.
Haha, you singing sounds like you're so bored, funny with these lyrics!
This is very entertaining and catchy. I already have one cat and one robot butler so I am well on my way towards fabulous riches and paranoid loneliness, I assume. This is especially excellent considering it's a skirmish tune, you could clean it up nicely with a bit more time I think, but I like the lyrics just as they are.
See the problem if you didn't want people to listen to this is that most people are drawn to anything with a NSFW tag :) You're hard on this but it's pretty good for a FAWM song generally, let alone a skirmish. Some really nice lines in the lyric and the instrumentation works well.
I particularly like your use of the sparse and flanged guitars here, they give it a really nice spacious feel. It's cool how it starts silly and playful and then gradually descends into the nastier sides of wealth. The line "I'd be fucking disgusting" is the best. It's good that the lifestyles of the rich and powerful are providing such fertile ground.
not enough about cats but damn if this isn't a great beat... I'll agree that maybe the song as is isn't as good as META HORSE (but that the hell is??), but considering its a skrimish you should be really proud.. and the my house would be made out of money I’d rebuild it every sunday I’d keep buying new things and I’d keep building new wings is ace I though... the dumbest house in the world hehe.
I almost definitely remember commenting on this.. seems I may have submitted! Anyway, this is pretty good fun - the beat definitely needs a tidy, but given it's a skirmish it's understandable. Definitely channeling some Robert Smith, especially in that last line. Love that tremelo guitar - so simple, but lovely
This grooves along nicely. I like the fun vibe of the song. I totally dig (and I'm not sure why) this line - "...I'd order you to kiss my feet". Again, not sure why, but I assure you, it's not a fetish thing. I also dig the simplistic style of the song - got some good smiles from it! :)
2017-02-11 @ 11:50am
tags: skirmish superskirmish ss11d post-rock instrumental
Ah, that's more like it. Sorry for whinging about the quality of my last song! I was still waking up.
Featuring the debut of my new melodica, replacing one that broke many years ago during a house move. This one is cheaper and doesn't sound as nice but EFFECTS!
This is beautiful :) A perfect track for waking up and having a leisurely breakfast on the patio in the early morning sun :) And when the distorted guitars come in, is when the sausages and eggs arrive :) All excitement and expectation :)
.....and chill. Nice Saturday morning chill out.... even with that distortion midway. also, what @ajna1960 says, very eloquent!
Wonderful effects and layers. I like the groove with the light and happy feel but still some wonderful depth that grows and builds - it is a perfect morning breakfast song..
What a lovely way to enter my day. Nice subtle groove building depth and layers of melody. Love the melodica. Thanks for a great listen!
Nice, ethereal tune. Reminded me a bit of late night than morning, but then again, I've had breakfast after a gig at 2:00 am at Perkins. Good skirmish.
So nice. I didn't find it heavy at all. Kind of light and soothing.
This is like electronic spacey galactic post-rock meets a Sergio Leone film. <3_<3
Not what I was expecting from a song with that title. I thought there would be more beans and blood sausage. This is more like...uh...oh wait...here comes some fuzzy guitar...enough weak metaphors...I will keep typing until the song is over. Sounds awesome. I love the way you place the instruments in the sonic space. Gorgeous and dreamy
Lovely soundscape! Love the combination of the guitar and the pingpong sound... and the way the song moves on to different instruments and sounds. I think this one would be great as a wake up song.
Ooh, lovely. Really dig the sparse percussion and the backing guitars; everything works so nicely together to create a soundscape that's lush but still has a lot of space in it. Haunting and simple melody, too. The building guitars add a sense of menace to the whole thing. Super cool!
Ooh I love the kind of dark Western vibe that sneaks into this. It definitely is begging to be on the soundtrack of some cool, noir-esque show or movie, like True Detective.
Mogwai wrestling Sergio Leone. I like it.
I'm loving these breakfast songs. This is still, serene, a little surf guitar. Oops there's some distortion. Melodica is haunting. Great song!
Nice melodica, I love that instrument. I hear a western vibe too. Could be great for a movie!
This is perfect! Love it. I definitely get that Sergio Leone vibe a bit, but this is its own beast for sure. The fuzzy guitar sounds wonderfully intense where it comes in.
This is awesome. Great guitar sound and choice of other instrumentation. It kind of sounds like Sergio Leone, if his favourite Radiohead album was Kid A. Which we all know it wasn't. He preferred their earlier, guitar driven work, like The Bends.
I was hungry so thought i'd listen to this. Really love that single strum guitar sound you got going on. I love the contrast between the melodica and guitar. Topwork..............but im still hungry
Getting to that stage where my watchlist is getting overwhelming! I don't know about post-rock, I'm getting Chris Isaak vibes from this! :) It definitely has a bit of a Tarrantino feel to it all too, which matches what some have said below
Oh so sweet guitar... with all the other beautiful bits in there too. And cheers to the new melodica!! Mine's a cheap student model, but I was happy with it. I love how you blended it in this song. What a contrast in instruments!!! It all fits perfectly, though. So good...
Clean reverby electric I always love, and Yes for me too it was the Chris Isaak song where I first heard it, but I never tire of it. Then the JAMC fuzz adds a nice bit of brown sauce to the ingredients. Where's my black pudding, then?
That melodica sounds brilliant when it comes in! Great work. I'm not sure how the heavily distorted guitar manages to sound mellow here, but somehow it fits in beautifully with the overall vibe.
Sounds damn fine to my ears. I love those dirty guitars coming in.
I think everything has been said.. well.. hmmm... I thought about space ships when I listened to this!
this is so soothing and wonderful. Thank you.
Nice change of pace. This has a really cool atmosphere that makes me think of being in a diner in the middle of nowhere in Idaho or something. Shows what you can do with melodica power!
I love that guitar tone, at the beginning--- like a shimmering desert--- and wow, this piece feels like a sort of journey--- the melodica is sounding almost like a harmonica --- lonesome high country in my mind--- beautifully arranged--- that bass fills in some spaces so perfectly--- each part really brings its own magic to the whole--- really nice work with this one, sir!
this starts off sounding like chris izaak appearing in the X files... i love that melodica... i never knew they could sound like ennio morricone so it ended up sounding like chris izaak in a Fistful of dollars! :) great stuff!
I like how the whole song kind of rotates and revolves around that chimey bell part. Very dramatic when the chords change over it! Makes me think of a few songs by Mogwai where they use that trick, and it took me a while of asking "how do they get that dramatic shift to happen?" In fact, I'm going to try doing that! If only I can come up with a nifty little repeatable hook like yours... This is indeed one heavy song!
Ok this is great as it is...have you considered doing a few lyrics in a scaled back interlude of sorts? Maybe just a poem you have lying around and then building back up? Great sound enjoyed!
2017-02-14 @ 09:53am
tags: collab alt-rock vocals indie-rock
I updated it With @vomvorton s awesome music/vocals
I have to leave this early so I don't loose my head
(So) When sunrise approaches I leave you in bed
The burning things inside me Tells me I must go
And you know ….
Chorus: If I could stay
I wouldn't do
The sky is so dull
And so are you
2.I don't look for solutions
This is just the way I am
My urge just for body heat
Like a child is drawn to jam
But as soon as jars empty
The children's wanna go
And you know ….
Chorus:
If I could stay
I wouldn't do
The sky is so dull
And we are so trough
3. When friday night approaches
LIke cats when on heat
Looking for desperation
Like dogs look for treat
And as soon as sun rises
I really need to go
Course you know...
Ouro chorus
Chorus:
If I could stay
I (Still) wouldn't do
The sky is so gray
I am so over you
(C) Maddie Larsson 2017
Interesting progression of the chorus lyrics in this song. I like the jam and body heat analogy !
Another great set of lyrics... Good work maddie
This flows well, kind of a pop feel, powerful phrasing, nice work
Fantastic lyric, sounds like pop song lyric. Hope to hear it. Nadia
This is such a great set of lyrics. "My urge just for body heat Like a child is drawn to jam" really got me into it. It's like, the other person is just the easiest route from point a to point b, rather than an actual human contributing anything meaningful. Ouch. Well played.
Really like these lyrics! The child drawn to jam and the cats and dogs lines are witty and clever, and I love the chorus.
Damn, Vom. You hit this one out of the ballpark (love baseball references.) This lyric is a great find, well written and I love the verses.
Really catchy, great production and vocal. Love the "jam" line
An anti-love song :-). Very refreshing!
2017-02-16 @ 02:40am
tags: spoken-word lyrics-only poetry lovecraft horror thriller steampunk
My brother posted a photograph on his Facebook page of a pile of boards. The caption read: Death of a Loveseat. It won't eat anyone else. This happened. I'm so sorry.
vom: I couldn't resist recording a version of this! I initially tried to do a Vincent Price impression but it was beyond rubbish, so hopefully my own voice will suffice :)
Various sound effects pinched from freesound.org!
Death of a Loveseat
Was an evening like this, slight chill and quite dreary
I expected a friend to drop by, my pal Larry
Weekly, he’d come round at half past four
He’d stay for dinner and a few minutes more
We’d chat about the daily news
The what’s whats, how hows, and who whose
However, If I had known about the coming fright
I may not have let him inside that night
As we retired to the parlor for brandy
I grabbed the papers I had handy
The daily news and the houston chronicle
And as I was adjusting my monical
A scream cut the air! “What are you doing?”
Then crunching and munching and grinding and chewing?
As I crossed the threshold of the parlor door
There was no sign of Larry anywhere anymore
He hadn’t snuck past me, no that horrid hollar
Definetly came from this parlor
And the the loveseat caught my eye
Uh...is it grinning? And is that grin wry?
Like the fallen feather of a canary devoured by the cat
Just next to the loveseat on the floor lay Larry’s hat.
And his shoe, the sock trailed up the side of the couch
And then there was half of Larry like he was stuffed in a pouch
A-fear-ed for his life, i leapt into action
Braced my feet against the loveseat for traction
I pulled like Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh
And when that didn’t work, I tried pushing, too.
But my half of Larry not already eaten
Was lifeless and cold, he had been beaten.
I paused for a moment, to aknowledge my greif
Then I thought of a way that would insure my relief.
To the toolbox with hammer, prybar and saw
I’ll be rid of this sofa for once and for all
The boards lay piled in a heap on the floor
And the man eating loveseat existed no more
You are playing in Ogden Nash and Shel Silverstein's sandbox here. Well done.
Very funny story!!!! Having sat on couches that tried to "eat" me makes it even funnier.
I'm going to have dreams about this tonight. (well written! enjoyed:)
The horror. Virtually Lovecraftian. I love the title, and the song lives up to the promise.
Well, that took a turn for the gruesome which makes it all the more better (that's technical talk) in my book. What a great story.
No, you are not weird at all. Not one bit. Everyone has these thoughts. Sure they do.
Very clever and well crafted. I enjoy when people go outside the normal ho-hum of the usual topics.
Incr-eat-able This is definitely how Arlow Guthery would write it Very well done Russ :)
Horrific yet hilarious. Having a hard time finding the right words to say!
Haha, this is inspired! Love the concept, and the way you tell the story is sublime. My brain read it in the voice of Vincent Price, FYI :)
It's like poetic sequel to "DeathBed: The Bed That Eats", only INTENTIONALLY funny. This is brilliant, and I echo the sentiment of hearing Vincent Price reading it in my head...
This is really quite excellent. :)
This has such a spooky atmosphere. Like a haunted house style song, and who wouldn't expect to see a man eating loveseat in a haunted house.
Very Poe-etic and silly lyrics and a wonderful narration and creepy soundscape. I love this story.
So (Edward) Gorey, or maybe a macabre Dr. Seuss. Loved this, lots of weird little sounds and great narration.
Ha, I love this. The haunting piano is really great in it's own right, but the story gripped me. The image of poor Larry, identifiable-half-first in a couch, invoking Winnie the Pooh. There's something Seuss-ian about it. Creepy, yet silly.
juicy details! loved the pushing pulling couplet and the traction before that too. Definitely a Gorey ambience. Great understated music (and reading) too, although I admit I would have loved the beat to add a snare or two at a certain point, and while we're at it, a macabre off-the-wall chorus to punctuate things :) good stuff!
Nice collab! Lots of delicious detail in the lyric and an understated delivery over just the right music. Definitely made me smile.
2017-02-17 @ 01:41pm
tags: week2 dream-pop indiepop fairytale
I was really excited about the Week 2 challenge, as I've been taking piano lessons for almost a year now and it seemed like a fun use for some of the classical pieces I've been learning. And so, I recorded this song - based around Beethoven's Eroica Variations - last weekend, only to completely draw a blank on lyric ideas.
Ideas finally started flowing today and, to make sure I didn't lose momentum, I recorded these vocals on my lunch break. They're slightly rushed but it feels good to have this one out the door, hopefully in advance of a more productive weekend!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eroica_Variations
she had the horse, but then of course
they had to give her hope
but when she took him out to ride
they kept them on a rope
and every night, she slept beneath
the clear and open sky
but watched all night by a changing guard
they never told her why
she never knew her father
but he knew her location
his only heir was unprepared
for her unknown vocation
if she had known that royal blood
flowed within her veins
perhaps she wouldn’t have escaped
with saddle, shoes and reins
so she ran
and she rode
through the trees and out into the world
he wanted to protect her
he didn’t understand
that she wanted more than twenty-four
square miles of untouched land
he treated her like fragile glass
he never dared go near
and now he’s lost the only thing
that he ever held dear
I really like what you did here. Piano for a year. Nice. Well done mix of the classical inspiration and a more modern song. This is really good. Harmonies, piano, synth...
Nice and soothing sound. The "through the trees" chorus was a lovely detail.
This is lovely! Piano is great! vocals are just fine :) The lyrics are fantastic! Great job!!
Lovely production, must admit that I'm a bit blank and uneducated when it comes to classical music, but enjoyed this, like the filtered lo-fi piano sound and the drum machine, and off course the Korg Minilogue? Great lyrics too.
You have created a wonderful fairtytale type world in this track. It is a fun to listen to and definitely something I would listen to again. the lyrics are really clever and vocals sound great.
Great world-building, fantastic sound. Warm synths wrap around your ears, and the little piano interludes paint a picture by themselves. Great vocal performance as well. Lovely.
Love the way this drops out to just the piano to emphasise the source. This has a lovely playful fairytale feel to it.
Sweet, you've matched the lyrics up really nicely with the music. I like that warm high synth pad a lot! the beat you added here is awesome, too, it sounds really cool where you drop down to just the piano parts. The ending is awesome also.
I like the vinyl effect on the start, I was surprised by the switch to the big synth swells over top. I like how the song opens up at times to emphasize the piano between some verses. The xylophone/glass tink sounds add a nice fairy-tale element to it, as well as the airy synths you chose for this one. Very whimsical, and a nice adaptation and use of a classical piece. Clearly the lessons are paying off. Blast off to space at the ending!
A very interesting, unique combination, like two songs that melt together to a wonderful whole... I had to smile because I remembered my first piano lessons many, many years ago... Beautiful tune and performance!
This is great. I love the atripped back piano and electric drums prior to the synths coming in. I have piano jealousy.
Damn...you make me want to take piano lessons. This is a pretty crafty bit of songwriting, classical and poppy. And that's a great arrangement. I think you know have all the tools to become the Vampire Weekend of the Midlands. (I just looked up their bio, thinking they might actually be from the Midlands. Whoa, I didn't know they were Americans.) I really enjoyed this. Great storytelling, per usual.
Holy cow this is great... why? piano for one... your voice the lyrics... dreamy Ray Davies kind of thing going on here... Love this song...job well done... and the wrong song brings me back to Edwardian Suits worn by rock stars in the 60s thank you because I love that era so much... tripped out ending...xxc
Ah, piano lessons. I envy you sir. Nice playing here, the piano blends in well with those synths. Real youthful and playful feel to this, which is a strange conflict to the classic mix, but it works well!
Ooh, live piano, I'm impressed! My first thought was that it was a sample before I read the notes. Actually, my real first thought was that this might sound like the band Royal Blood, that will happen, soz. This is really a super smart recording, there's a hint of the Divine Comedy, but I shouldn't make comparison because it sounds unique to me. The chorus is short and sweet, that's the bit that'll stay with me. This is like the fairytale kingdom part of Vom's world :)
Such great juxtaposition of bouncy classical and dream pop! The subject matter suits the classical chords in a charming way. That synth lead towards the end is extra dreamy creamy goodness!
Lovely, charming, song. I like the easygoing, dreamy groove you build atop the classical melody. And what a fine tale the lyrics tell.
Very glad I kept checking for songs I missed during FAWM - found this looking up for fairytale songs. Beautifully done in every way; these are really inspired lyrics perfectly put to music.
Great arrangement. Full of ace melodies, and the answering bv's on "through the trees" are wicked. Very nicely done.
2017-02-18 @ 03:05pm
tags: random-collab alt-country indie-rock
Tom: I was paired with @tsunamidaily for the random collaborations, and suggested this title, having pinched it from the (absolutely excellent and extremely underrated) sci-fi romance film 'Happy Accidents'. I received back these marvelous (slightly tongue-twistery!) lyrics and the rest is HISTORY.
time: i have been either working tremendously or suffering from the flu for a bit, but i want to finally say what a pleasure it was to get that lyrical cue from Tom. it is similar to something that would have struck me (being from alabama, i would have used "aint," in a country type song, most likely). the bulk of the lyrics were written on one day with the bridge and the twistiest line in the song ("but if what has come is what we're yet to see") on the next day. this is an awesome setting here. a great random collab, in my opinion.
used to be you could expect to make
more than your folks
now what you pay versus what you take's
more like a joke
like peering through the fog is plain to see--
the future's not what it used to be.
used to be that the more things changed
the more they stayed th'same
not really strengthened, more like stranged
in more than just name
machines can do so much but set us free--
the future's not what it used to be.
the future's not what it used to be
all others tense besides
the clock on the whole is a cruel machine,
the turning of the tides.
the present is absent what it will be
opened at the moment
you are there to see what you will see-- <>
the future's not what it used to be.
nowadays there's a price you pay
in more than just time
you can aim to have something to say
and not just rhyme
but if what has come is what we're yet to see--
the future's not what it used to be.
present is passed
future to come
past went fast
where is the sum.
while the sum of "me"'s constitutes our "we,"
the future's not what it used to be.
Love those jangly guitars in this.. Can't help saying it ...luv the accent Cool the way it picks up in the chorus... Really really good song. Excellent lyrics A keeper fer sure
Very cool . I wrote a song with the same title on my first album in about 2003. This is a fantastic take on it. I love the vocals and jangly guitars.
great sound, great song and playing!
What a great concept. The instrumentals are top notch. Vocals sooo tight! Lyrics - perfect. Everything here is absolutely wonderful!
Yum the guitar in this is delicious. Sounds really nice where the organ comes in (especially the solo in the outro). Love the concept and the lyrics--so much great wordplay and insight--and they mesh perfectly with the music (or vice versa, I guess). Excellent collab!
Nice work you two! I love how you've set the lyric here Tom, great melody on the chorus, and I loved the sudden filtered breakdown at 3:10 and the guitar solo. Good one all around!
I wrote a song with nearly the same title for FAWM 2013 (https://tawalker.bandcamp.com/track/the-future-isnt-what-it-used-to-be), though I certainly didn't think up the expression... I wonder who did? :-) I have a weak spot for country-rock, and this hits it nicely... like the guitar runs, and I won't be alone in sympathising with the lyrical sentiments. Good work, you both!
There are so many good lines in this... "not really strengthened, more like stranged" and "the clock on the whole is a cruel machine" really stand out to me. Those twisty little guitar riffs will stick in my head.
This is an absolutely classic. It's a proper nod to a load of 90's and 00's indie bands that I used to listen to. It's like the best libertines song that never was. Chorus is obscenely catchy, as are the guitars. really, there are so many good things going on here, it's hard to comment on everything. I particularly enjoyed the backing vocals, the hammer-on guitar line, the very Pulp-esque middle 8 and then the solo. Good work guys!
This is really good. Well recorded, love the vocal interplay. Very clever lyrics. Strong melody. Good work.
Very clever lyrics, this song works great as both a catchy pop/rock and deep tune. I really like it.
The production is so nice on this one! The guitar tone is gorgeous, and the vocal performance fits with the lyrics perfectly. Love the little guitar flourishes here and there and the vocal harmonies as well. Also damn catchy. :)
Really clever, *thoughtful* lyrics -- the words convey perfectly a sense of frustration and disappointment with how the world's turned out, as opposed to how we may have wanted it to be. The performance has an equally bemused, unimpressed vibe, the the "future's not what it used to be" hook at the end of each verse is quite catchy. This would be great playing in a movie montage where the hero realizes that the world cares not one whit about his/her hopes and expectations.
Used to be, I followed tsunamidaily's lyrical output pretty regularly. He's always such a craftsman and does not disappoint here. (I love the line about the clock on the whole being a cruel machine.) The vocal is just awesome here, perfectly conveying the melancholy tone. Hey, it's over all ready? Only 4 minutes? I'm going back for another listen. Really, this is pretty much perfect. I will leave it there.
2017-02-18 @ 05:52pm
tags: pop-punk punk horse short best-song-ever
http://vomvorton.co.uk/music/fawm17/horse.jpg
horse: promise me one thing, vom
vom: anything, horse
horse: write the dumbest song in the world about this
met a horse
didn’t think to ask its name
met a horse
nothing’s gonna be the same
we connected with amazing force
met a horse met a horse met a horse
wrote a song
about the time I met a horse
this is that song
for better, or for worse
the song continues after this pause
…
meta horse meta horse meta horse
Love the 'met a horse' / 'meta horse' switch in the lyrics. Great pop-punk energy. Really fun track.
Oh this has a great groove and love the picture! Wonderful punk feel. Love the pithy lyrics!
No way. I'm laughing out loud! This is just too off-the-wall, unexpectedly absurd, and perfect.
ha, great playing, especially at the end, love it!!
meta
A lot of fun and great production! Catchy, loud and I love it.
You let that horse down. This is way too smart and self-referential. I love it, though. Which part of that is the chorus?
Yeah!!! love those kick ass guitars and super sonic pace...
met a / meta horse ... bravo! Love this, I'm a sucker for short songs (why say in 3 minutes what can be said in 30 seconds?) and this is an excellent one. Love that riff and the ooooooh la la la bits are great. That guitar playing in the outro is brilliant too.
LOL Well, that's awesome and hilarious and stupid and brilliant and and and only you can do this sort of stuff. You're great. Loving the picture and the captions in the liner notes. :)
Still good...it almost feels like there's a choir in there
It's short, but it rocks, and the dueling guitar solo is wailing. Equestrian rock FTW! If you wrote a song about writing a song about a horse that would -really- be meta-horse! :D
It's everything one could ever need in a song. Just beautiful. It rocked.
That riff proper rocks right from the start. It's got so much energy and oozes fun. My favourite part is the "the song continues after this pause" part. Haha!
Meta horse! :D Magic. This was the pick me up I needed!
That horse / worse rhyme is exactly why I love fawm ... Nice estate railing -- seventy quid a metre, that stuff ...
#best-song-ever THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND FUN AND I LOVE IT is this guy different from the donkey? He is, isn't he! Why are there so many cool equines where you live?
A W E S O M E Loved it. Truly deserving of the #best-song-ever tag Nuff said.
Ha ha. I love this. It really is totally awesome in a totally awesome way rather than the kind of totally awesome that everyone says these days to describe something that's actually quite ordinary
Haha this is great, reminds me of late 90s punk rock. Love the lead work in the last 10 seconds or so, and the fun melodic vibe throughout. Nice work!
I thought this was about a one night stand until I saw the photo above. Very fun tune.
goodness gracious that is short! i dont know what meta means ..i even looked it up & still dont know what it means ? anyway a terrific song.. lovely clanky lead guitar & a fab chorus ...its punk perfection actually! i liked the simple punk lyric & was very taken by the way you & the horse 'connected with amazing force' & then insisted on rhyming 'horse' with 'worse' & then 'pause' your voice on the final chorus is great & you sound very excited! have you bought it or something?
hahahaha .. Vom! You mad man.. hahahaha.... This was EXCELLENT... you own this so hard lmao... wow.. haha... I would have bowed if I wasn't laughing this hard .. META HORSE!
Brilliant. I'm now imagining how this conversation in the liner notes would have sounded.
Oh yes, this wicked. In fact, reminds me quite a lot of @tinam's work. Meta/met a is rather genius.. kudos!
So many huge smiles for this one! Awesome power pop with winks and nods and energy. Kind of TMBG in its irreverence combined with the reference to the horse. But that pause... And those end lyrics are amazing.
I was scanning your list of song titles and had to pick this one because I really liked the donkey in your profile pic. lol to the pause and you actually singing that line "the song continues after this pause"... I suppose it does rhyme with horse. Such a cute song in lyrics, that horse photo above, and the music and vocals are fantastic - great work! I love your pop punk song here. :)
Fun! You should meet more horses.
Aw, shame we didn't get to find out the horse's name. Great song though... full of energy and attitude!
I'm ashamed I only got around to listening to this now. Just listened 3 times in a row to make up for it, although I must emphasise that the repeated listens were because I HAD TO HEAR IT AGAIN, not out of a sense of duty or anything. Obvs, it's fun. I like how you say the title at almost any opportunity, but not in the same place in the line, just wherever it's appropriate. I'm concerned about the force with which the horse connected with you. I hope it wasn't a violent force, and that if this was violent that the horse didn't make a lame quip afterwards, like "don't worry, you're in a stable condition". Thanks for pointing out in the lyrics that this is the song about meeting a horse. It wasn't 100% clear until that line. The song continuing after the pause is so great I wonder why nobody has done this before. Meta madness.
2017-02-19 @ 05:14pm
tags: catcore sad lament fuc
http://vomvorton.co.uk/music/fawm17/henry.jpg
I was really excited for my tenth FAWM, but on the 12th of January we lost our lovely cat Henry after a series of ailments and struggles. While he never showed @mojo's interest in actually contributing to my songs musically, he was a frequent topic of songwriting and I probably have enough Henry songs to compile an album (or at least an EP). Needless to say, this has cast a shadow over February a little... I knew I needed to write this song but it's been hard to actually do it.
Henry was diagnosed as diabetic a couple of years ago and for those last years of his life we gave him two injections a day - in addition to making sure he ate properly, and sometimes having to feed him honey when his blood sugar levels were off balance. As such, we were rarely apart - any little bit of downtime in the day and I'd always find myself checking on him. It's hard now to explain how it feels not to have him around but this song is my attempt.
For the last year-and-a-bit of his life he was able to become an outdoor cat again after a couple of years of indoor dwelling and it makes me really happy that he got to explore the garden in our new house, drink from the neighbour's pond and chase the other neighbour's cats when they got too close.
RIP Henry, ~2001 - 2017.
I wake in the morning and don’t feel quite right
I know something’s missing; I don’t need the light
under the covers it’s safe and hot
but I am in bed, and you are not
and then, from the kitchen, the morning looks stunning
but I open the fridge, and nothing comes running
I pause and lose my train of thought
I’m having breakfast, and you are not
during last night’s film, projector softly hissing
I could almost forget that there was something missing
but there’s only a cushion in your favourite spot
I’m on the sofa, and you are not
RIP Henry :( I'm glad you got your sad cat song down and this is a wonderful and heartbreaking ode to him. The line about the fridge got me in particular, but I think all the images paint a perfect picture of that surprise loss-ambush that happens in everyday situations. The melody and accompaniment are appropriately poignant (is that uke in there?), and the radio change thing at the end is cool. I'm going to go give Lily some wet food for breakfast as a treat because now I feel all sad.
Ah man, this is devastating 😞 I must say - amazing lyrics. Poignant and beautiful, as is the tune. Well done man. Henry sounds like he was an awesome cat. That ending is pretty heartbreaking too! Dude, you've hit all the feels.
I know you'd mentioned writing a tribute song at the start of FAWM but I really wasn't expecting to find it as moving as this. A combination of this song/a bout of what I euphemistically call 'feels'/half a bottle of wine has me getting weepy. The whole thing is great but I particularly like the ukulele strumming between the verses, and the piano part at the end is brilliantly sombre. And as @adforperu says that outro is devastating. RIP Henry
AH mate . I was actually waiting for a song related to your cat as i believe i have heard such tracks from you before. Sorry for your loss matey but a really incredible tribute. I would say its not like your usual stuff but then again your tracks are always so diverse. This is beautifully heartbreaking and very well structured . Big love mate
This is completely heartbreaking 😢 The whole thing is perfectly judged to convey the obvious depth of emotion - the melody, arrangement, vocal, that ending - all great. So sorry for your loss.
I put off listening to this, knowing how raw your pain must still be. You've really captured the way those little furballs completely insinuate themselves into every aspect of our domestic lives. Lovely atmosphere here. I like the tinkling piano toward the end. That's a nice little surprise right at the end, too
As an owner of a very old, blind and deaf cat, I can relate to this very much. She's holding on but I don't know for how much longer more. I can imagine going through the exact same thoughts and feelings. Oh god, I'm crying now. RIP Henry.
Sorry Vom, I feel your pain. Having said that - this is really something quite special. Lyrically it's really strong and the refrain of 'I am... and you are not' works really well. Unusual instrumentation that captures the mood really well (I don't think I've ever heard a ukulele sound plaintive before). And a great surprise at the end (is that from a previous song or written for this?)
Henry is the most gorgeous puss I ever saw! :) So sorry to hear but how awesome that he got to explore your garden before he went to kitty heaven. I can definitely say this is the first song to make me bawl this Fawm but well done on making such a touching tribute to your fluffball, must've been so freakin' hard!
You know I know what it feels like. I commend you for writing this song. For my part, I just can't let it out. And what a song : it's sad and moving, but it has something else ; a feline feel, that "Why the hell are you worrying, human? Just live your life." thing their eyes say all the time. And love. The song oozes love. The shimmery piano is superb. Your voice feels different from what I'm familiar with. Loving the humble tone it has. And yes, I'm crying.
*hug* I feel you, Vom. When I lost my childhood cat a few years ago, I had to call in sick to work for the next two days and was basically inconsolable. I have a dog now and I probably daily look him in the eyes while holding his goofy dogface and whisper to him that he's not allowed to ever die, because I am a very stable and normal person. Anyway, I'm so sorry for your loss This is just a really beautiful song -- the lyrics paint a perfectly sad picture of loss -- the images are rendered really clearly. The melody is really lovely, and I love the arrangement, especially with the tinkly piano bits. I like the radio change at the end, too -- it both makes it more hopeful and also somehow even more heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing this song. Henry was obviously a lucky cat to have been so loved.
Sad face. But lovely song. The Casio fade out is almost as cute as Henry.
Oh sorry to hear about Henry. As a crazy dog lady I know well the sad loss of furry family members. This is suitably melancholy but not depressing at all, maybe reflecting the happiness he brought. Love the subtle classy production, the bass and the piano, the casio outro's gold
Awww I am so sorry. I can relate to this. I lost my kitty Ringo last summer. He was almost 1. :( I think the reverb effect you've got on the guitar and piano really sets the mood. Pulls my heart strings...
I'm sorry. He was a good looking cat. Like some other folks posting, I can relate. I still miss my cat terribly, and he died in 2012. It took a long time to stop seeing him out of the corner of my eye. Songwise, well done. The lyrics are good (especially the "...and you are not") and heartfelt, and the mix of instruments is cool.
That's lovely. Just lovely. *sniff*
Those lyrics... made me teary eyed. I'm at work and trying to keep it together. A beautiful tribute.
Your cat looks just like one of mine. I have had beloved cats pass away and you've captured that continued feeling of loss so very well.
2017-02-22 @ 08:22pm
tags: dystopian drone synth four-track tape worldwide 4-track analog cassette
In order of recording:
@phlex - drums
@anonymouse - synth
@marvsmooth - bass
@vomvorton - vocoder
I (vom) ended up doing two mixes of this, first by adding effects 'live' as I mixed on the four-track, and second by dumping the four dry tracks to my PC and mixing in Reaper with some volume / filter automation and stuff (if anyone wants the raw tracks to play with, let me know).
The version in the player above is the digitally-enhanced one, this one is the "through a guitar delay pedal" one: http://vomvorton.co.uk/music/fawm17/FAWM2017_Tape12_FadeAway_v2.mp3
I can't work out which I like more, the end result is fairly similar though: wild synth-drone madness! And may I note here for posterity that the noise that @anonymouse makes right at the very end is the best thing I've ever heard.
you are on the inside
getting stronger every day
I am on the outside
watching you fade away
you were selected for your special ability
carried away to a hidden facility
no visits, they said no phone calls or letters
you were never unwell but they said they were making you better
in the streets the people crowd and cheer
the new scientific sensation came from here
the photos that they use are all archive
who can say if you are still alive
Wow!! I love this! Hypnotic drumming, ominous bass, crazy sweeping bleeping synths, haunting vocal melody--the vocal processing sounds super cool. Great track.
This is amazing. There are so many elements here worthy of note that it's hard to know which specific ones to point out or begin with. Needless to say, I liked everything about this: lyrics and concept, vocals, electronic sound effects, everything.
I love how this turned out... So trace inducing and I love how it takes it's time to just let everything soak in. Could almost be Joy Division with a vocorder. It's amazing how these tapes somehow cross time/space boundaries! Such a cool track! :)
Love this. The drums are great, and all the different synth sounds are awesome. It feels like it's constantly on the edge of disintegration (in a really good way!) and is only being held together by that beat. Also that noise at the end is great!
unsettling as fuck, love the vocals
Great fun! Sort of early 80s long overcoat theatrically bleak - I guess that includes Joy Division, but for me it's more John Foxx/Tubeway Army/the Normal, early Human League maybe? Yet totally fresh, I hasten to add :-)
woah! that is amazing - to be part of something like that is pretty :thumbsup: all hail the 4track tape! chilling vibes throughout - the synth work is blowing my mind - the bass is the dark deep glue holding the sharks at bay- and the vocals are perfect for the mood. great lyrics too! wow, probably my fav this year - thanks guys!
Fantastic! I love the tape hiss, the extreme saturation of the drums, the nasty synth filter sweep, the subtle yet creepy vocoded vocals, the deep and punishing, yet groovy, bass.
The 4 track tape sounds really nice on this track and really adds to the atmosphere. Very moody and brooding track. I love the sound design. This was clearly a great collaboration.
Wow! That turned out fantastically. There's so much going on here. I found the drums by @phlex to be absolutely spellbinding and, as a bassist primarily, I almost felt as though I had no choice but to lock into that, and allow the other elements to breathe around that, which is precisely what happened. The synth work by @anonymouse is just brilliant, with a very Kraftwerkian rhythm to it, only added to by Vom's beautifully delivered vocoder vocal - such great lyrics there! I'm incredibly proud of this one! I wish we could do more in this vein guys? I'm game. :-)
Wow, this turned into such a flipping complete track. Slightly different characteristics between the enhanced and non enhanced versions. I think @phlex's drums sound awesome esp toward the end (love incidental? children vocals earlier which were inaudible with DBX on). @marvsmooth's bass is awesome when it comes in esp in the dig enhanced version. I didn't expect anything like @vomvom's vocals but another killer choice. I don't know what else you did, @vomvorton but you did ace.
These kind of experiments are fun, but can be a bit hit and miss, but this came together really nicely. Wild synth drone madness it is. Fabulous noise. The lyrics are dreamy and abstract. Excellent work, all of you.
Woah, worldwide collaboration - kudos before I even press play! This is hypnotic, such a coming together of different minds with the same purpose. A complete cluster fuck, but it works really well.
This is quite delightful to listen to. I enjoyed it. Very hypnotic and wild and raw. Great collab!
That vocal and vocal effect works beautifully against the rhythm and the synths. And that bass locks it all down. This is cool!
Wow. This is amazing. Great worldwide collab, this! Creepy, spooky and utterly musical.
I really liked the bass in this one! I also liked the synths especially at the end. All the instruments added to the music created this surreal movie soundtrack music, which I liked. Not sure what the lyrics are but I liked the mysterious tone to it. It seems like it can be interpreted in many ways. I'm gong to assumed is about losing a special friend that has forgotten you and moved on with a better life. While you are struggling with life with no way to get in touch with him/her. So, you missed him/her dearly to the point you can't live life without it. And without being in touch with your friend, you are depressed, and no longer happy the way you used to be with your friend. Nice job on the collab to all of you!
This is awesome. It has such a deep, rousing sound it makes you want to dance. I love how every instrument plays a crucial part in the feelings that the track conveys. It would make a great soundtrack for some weird cyber-punk movie.
Sounds so massive. Good job y'all.
2017-02-24 @ 07:26pm
tags: acoustowhateverpop indiepop omnichord week3 week4 punshine
Haha, this was so much fun! I've had the vague idea stuck in my head since the Week 3 challenge popped up but I couldn't quite figure it out. Luckily there's a Week 4 challenge now to help.
I was inspired to get my Omnichord out by @w1n.
She said she’d never understand my love of robotics
long nights in the laboratory made her psychotic
I asked her why
she responded eventually
“none of your inventions
ever make sense to me!”
So of course, as a scientist, I had to investigate
instead of coming home early, I stayed even more late
She asked me why
I said I had an idea
“Just a little
more patience, dear!”
And so, in a blindfold, I took her to work
would this placate her, or send her berserk?
she said
“what is that machine?
with the levers, and vents?”
I said
that makes perfect scents…
a relationship that once seemed doomed
saved by the scent of the sweetest perfume
So punny! What a great and very creative (innovative) idea. You can hear the amount of fun you had making it. Well done!
Acoustic Nerd Pop! Fresh lyrics and I can hear/feel the "fun" vibe through the song. I can hear the Kinks singing this one.
Everyone will want one of these. Well, every nerd scientist who wants the lab time and an understanding other half ... Oh wow great folk harmony group vocals at the end there, nifty stuff!
Very creative attack on an atypical topic. I also think this is a very Kinks-like song, so take that as a compliment.
Super fun. Very clever lyrics. Has a bit of Elvis Costello and the Attractions vibe, but still sounds pretty fresh. Harmonies are a especially nice touch as is the near almost ending. Well done.
That is possibly the biggest build up to a single pun ever. Therefore I love it
You playing the sousaphone in there? This is so groovy...I think it needs its own dance. The arrangement and performance here are masterful. You're knocking everything out of the park this year. (Do you say that over there?)
oooohhhhhh what a groaner of a pun at the end of the song. I loved it!!!! (I'll probably use it often and get numerous eye rolls). It has a tecno-punk kind of feel to it. Kinda like Timbuk 3 in a way.
This is fun to listen to, so I'm glad it was fun to make. It reminds me of...a band...blast it, it's on the tip of my mind's tongue. Ah, nope, it's gone. I like the snare stuff. And that low, low thing.
Hahaha! I like the slowdown in V3, and the a cappella harmony bit. This has a great, lush arrangement, the mixture of acoustic guitar and omnichord harp sounds really great.
Great play on words! I like that you tackled two weekly challenges in one song.
There's a real early Elvis Costello vibe about this. Very cool. Utterly brilliant lyrics and the acappella/dreamy chord ending is awesome. I really hope this was all reverse engineered from the pun.
Ah this gives me all sorts of vibes. XTC, Thomas Dolby, Jonathan Coulton (because of science-y subject matter, haha). Love hearing that jovial Omnichord. Great little pop tune!
Nice sense of humour, being from a scientific background I can understand the "nerdishness"
Wow, a lot is going on in this. I also get a lot of vibes from this.
You really do have an infinite amount of super-catchy pop in your brain, don't you, Vom? Sweet, silly and infinitely relistenable.
Ah this is sweet and fun! Love how the story evolves and the final hook! This has such a gray vibe too it as well. Loving it!
Fun story with a surprise ending!
2017-02-26 @ 04:18pm
tags: rock keytar
This song had a slightly awkward progression from "idea" to "complete" - I had the concept and a couple of lines but then I ran into another FAWM song based on a very similar idea and abandoned it for a while. Then when I picked it up again I couldn't work out what kind of song it should be, and I toyed with a couple of keyboard-heavy ideas, mostly at a much lower tempo than this one. It felt like it dragged though, so I started working on an uptempo rock version and now I really like it! A happy ending. Unlike the lyric, which is pretty bleak, really. Haha.
I dug out my Yamaha SHS-10 keytar after @fourzeroes mentioned wanting one on the forums and it sounds a lot nicer than I remembered (especially through a delay), so it handles keyboard duties here and on another song that is off elsewhere being collaborated on! The sounds used here are 'saxophone' (main riff) and 'celesta' (on the chorus).
http://www.keytarcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/yamaha-shs10.jpg
the doctor says I’m sick
stethoscope to my chest, all she hears is a tick
where there should be a beat
she signs my forms, kicks me out on the street
and I know it makes me a danger to be with
and I know it makes me a stranger to my friends
but it’s somehow kinda comforting to know
exactly how my life will end
so now I spend my days
keeping out of the way, in a confined space
the doctors say the explosion
won’t do too much harm if the right place is chosen
I’m not saying I like the situation
just looking for an upside to my sacrifice
it’s not ideal, but I can’t help the way I feel
my heart is a timebomb, jesus christ
Brilliant idea for a song and the uptempo arrangement was definitely the way to go! The best thing about this is probably the performance: the narrator's giddy outlook on his situation is executed (pun) top-notch.
Had me toe tapping from the start. Everything fits together nicely here, vocal performance is great, and I always wanted a keytar, even though I wouldn't know how to play it! Lol
AH YOU HAD ME AT KEYTAR. I think the upbeat arrangement on this is supergreat. I love the dual hooks with the guitar riff and the keytar run over it. I *LOVE* how delightfully macabre the chorus is, and how you let the metaphor of the timebomb heart speak for itself. Your vocal delivery is really fun on this, too.
Man!!! A really upbeat for such downer type lyrics. I was bobbing my head along going this is a summertime happy song. Then I started paying more attention to the lyrics.... You pulled it off beautifully!!! I loved the song!.....and the keytar......
I love this!!! The keytar saxophone sounds soooo sweet. This is so hooky and poppy and fun and the lyrics are wonderfully clever, they hit that sci-fi:metaphor ratio sweet spot.
loved the title idea. great development and execution, both lyrically and musically. Pulp vibes all the way :) Fun!
Dude I really want a keytar. Sounds really nice on here. I like this song a lot. The concept and lyrics are cool.
Really cool take on in. Love the keytar. You have a very nice voice and a a fantastic flow in the music. Great job.
Everybody else said everything that needs saying - this is a happy spell-your-name-with-a-sparkler-in-the-dark mini-corker of a song ;-)
I read through the lyrics first - what a story, sort of sci-fi. And the lead keytar keeps that sci-fi feeling going. And what a driving, pulsing rhythm you've got going - this is an amazing song. Tempted to say too short, but I'll just listen again.
I found this enjoyable. On one hand it kinda has an 80s vibe, which is my generation , but it also reminds me of Too Much Joy, which I think was a 90s band. Anyway, I liked it. Thanks for sharing!
2017-02-27 @ 09:31am
tags: indiepop offbeat-guitars stylophone keytar
VV: After our first collaboration, back in FAWM 2015, @owl and I carried on working together and made a bunch of tracks in the months that followed. Due to a variety of factors, though, this is our first track together since the Shangri-Las homage we did during last year's FAWM. Hopefully this will inspire a New Wave Of Productivity! Keep an eye on the SoundCloud and we'll see: https://soundcloud.com/vowl-sounds
Musically, this sprang from that keyboard melody which popped into my head the other day (and I have played here on my Yamaha SHS-10 keytar again!) and it also sees the debut of my new ride cymbal, which I got cheaply on eBay and picked up from a village called Quorn on Saturday morning. "What's Quorn like?", I hear you say. Well, it's a bit like Turkey, but you can tell the difference.
owl: It's a funny coincidence about Quorn because there is actually a small village near Madison called Textured Vegetable Protein.
I love Vom's keytar riff in this song, and I was happy to bust out my annoying stylophone, which I had forgotten about this month up until now!
Meet Mary Anne, she's on her way to the pharmacy
Two kids with heads full of nits, out of three
So she'll go and get a comb and a box or two of RID
That should do it--that's what the principal said
Charlie's watching the kids for the afternoon
Thank God cause they've been whining, whining
Her head is itching just a little bit too
But it's probably paranoia, or that new shampoo
Or so she hopes
She looks out the window at the bones of some homes that they're building
Soon they'll be filled with mothers just like her
Line the nests with stainless steel and Travertine
Practical choices for budget-minded birds
And now Mary Anne is itching, itching
And she's scratching at her scalp with a growing sense of dread
The turn for the strip mall is coming up in a bit
It crosses her mind to just keep driving instead
And just fly…
She thinks about the nature documentary
About the penguins with eggs held on their feet
Holding very still in the chill of Antarctica
Nothing but their time and the warmth of their hearts to give (Nothing but their stillness to give...)
If she kept driving, driving on
In an hour she could be gone
Quite a lament. She said a bad day has no rain and a good day is when I don't think of all the things I could have been. Motherhood not for sissies
lovely! would be great driving music, if not for all the mums driving endlessly on the freeway - where are they going?!? killer song and collab - smooth and poppy in all the right ways - reminds me a bit of the new pornographers. vocals are tops - love the doubling, especially when with both of you. that synth sound is rounder than the soccer ball in the boot. excellent!
This is fantastic, love these lyrics loads - "Line the nests with stainless steel and Travertine / Practical choices for budget-minded birds" may just be my favourite couplet this FAWM. Music is great, that guitar line through the verses is so catchy and I love that synth hook. Also, stylophone!
Such an unusual and effective combination of instruments. The quirky-sad slice of life builds to a fantastic interior landscape. I especially love the harmonies here.
Great song. Keytar? Maybe that triggers memories, but to me this would have been right at home in the 80s. The sound, the slightly fluffy vocals (not sure exactly what I mean by that, but there you have it) and the theme of suburban dysphoria. The nature documentary thing works, and it's amazing that it does. I feel like this is actually how our minds work. Penguins. Eggs. I think I could abandon my family. Very catchy, nicely arranged. This was a super-fun listen!
As the song progressed It got better and better. Nice to hear your harmonies on this, the reggae way of singing and guitar playing in the verses, the very poppy and pretty great chorus...Yeah, this has been a joy to listen to.
Man do I love this! Just the best chord progression. Killer Vox and harmonies.. Cool keys..Excellent job all round..yay!!!
Wow, this song should inspire a miniseries. And this is the theme song too. I really like the vocals and the doubling up harmonies on "itching itching" and "just fly", just plain great. I'm going to listen to it again!
What a cool sound! Everything just works. The lyrics are unbelievably clever and deep, and the delivery just goes perfect with the quirky, unique sound of the music. Great collab!
I enjoyed the last collaboration and listened to several of those tunes earlier so this makes me happy. Aww cripes this is good and what seems like a non-sequitur in her chorus thought process is delightful on the ears and makes sense once were in it. All I have to say is: more!
So much dang grooviness goin on here. I must have additional listens to slurp up every bit. Vocals, lyrics, keys, cymbal, yep everything clickin a long nicely!
Love this. Nice arrangement, verses are sparse and that works very well. Great driving bassline and nice harmonies. There's a lot to enjoy.
Such classy writing and playing here! Perfect production, great song! Love the riffs and instrumentation, especially the kids sounding toy thing - guessing that's the stylophone. Love the climatic 'she thinks about the nature doc' section and then the return to the awesome instrumental. Excellent collab!
Amazing song... wonderfully pop, in the vein of a good Squeeze song, without sounding like Squeeze. And reminded me of something Squeeze did so well, in using a lot of lyrics really effectively and entertainingly to tell a story. But I'm just rattling off the influences in MY head, not in this song, really. Great stuff and the story actually gets really deep and thought provoking, within the context of the fun music. Really amazing job on those lyrics and the music is just top notch. I love the structure too - definitely not your typical verse-chorus-verse. Fantastic...
I remember your Shangri-Las track. That was awesome. Loving the keytar on this and good to see the style phone get an airing. "Practical choices for budget-minded birds" made me chuckle.
Genius lines here include: travertine, or so she hopes, still in the chill, she could be gone. Musically the nature docu part is gloriously pop perfection ... and that TVP, WI is the funniest liner note ever!
Ooh, this has so much good stuff going on in it! This is one of the more complete packages I've heard all year, in terms of the lyrics, melody and vibe coming together into a cohesive whole. This is one of only a handful of songs I've downloaded. Stellar stuff!
Like your collab tracks, great lyrics and singing. Love that Keytar synth and hate/love the stylophone, forgot to use that during this FAWM.
lovely retro vibe (50s story, 60s guitars (?)) lyrics are a hoot - love the juxtaposition between the wordy verses and the monosyllabic chorus-y breaks. bones of homes, line the nests, scratching her scalp - all great finds. to be honest, i felt a bit let down by the penguins though. i guess i didn't see how eggs in your feet are an escape from the kids at home... plus, is she driving to Antarctica? loved the vocal flourishes on whining, itching, etc. - nice touch. fun collab!
Fantastic groove and phenomenal lyrics! Love the everyday quirky fun details and the great vocals delivery and harmonies! Wonderful change up between verses and chorus bits! I don't know why but I feel kind of itchy now....
what an infectious beat in the intro early 60's pop mixed in with a reggae feel it seems to me. Quite brilliant and involved lyrics, topped off by great singing and harmonies. The instrumentation is superb, too. The stylophone is quirky, but fitting, addition, I enjoyed my listen. My first visit to owl and vomcorton's page this FAWM. What an interesting story and write.
Love the lyrics! Very descriptive with lots of images and a deeper emotional meaning. The music is also very enjoyable, the keytar sounds surprisingly good :-)
2017-02-28 @ 03:50am
tags: surf 4track collab
This one started in the Netherlands, went to the UK, then over to the US to Oklahoma, and ended on the 27th in Michigan.
Recorded on a real cassette tape, one part at a time. The tape is then sent snail mail to the next person (unless the first two live at the same house, lol). This is old school collaboration!! You never know what the song will sound like until the end.
***This account gathers all of the 4-track songs in one place. Be sure to check out the songs on all of the song writing contributors pages too!!
Euro/US **Tape 3**
Bass - @alboe (Netherlands)
Guitar - @vomvorton (UK)
Lyrics/Vocals - @bachelorb (Oklahoma)& @arthurrossi (Austria)
Drums - @zecoop (Michigan)
Hot chilly pepper girl (needs music)
She´s no one that you could know
in the way of knowing…
Just by her naughty look…
she´ll keep your desires growing
(Chorus)
Her looks are like fire,
her kiss is like poison,
you feel the hell and horizon,
As she carries you away…
you feel a thousand years passing
like a single day…
Many think they know her,
and read her like a book
and when they think they own her,
they're just a fish on her hook…
(Chorus)
Her look is like fire,
her kiss is like poison,
you feel the hell and horizon,
As she carries you away…
you feel a thousand years passing
like a single day…
Now they are just drunkards,
and are thought as freaks…
but they were just victims
of the havoc she wreaks…
I'm telling the legend…
of the hot chilly pepper girl….
her hug is like blessing,
Her smile is sweet desire,
But your just adding firewood
To your funeral pyre
She´s no one that you could love
you´ll damn the day you met her,
she will keep you starving,
For sure, you`ll never get her,
And before you notice,
you´ll burn in her flames…
you will not remember
your age nor your name
She will take your body,
she will take your soul,
she´ll leave the outer wrapper,
turn you into a doll
And you will be always be hers
even without being…
Wishing with your ghost eyes
… empty and unseeing…
I'm telling you the legend…
of the hot chilly pepper girl….
Frank Zappa, is that you?? How do you create that surf twang? It sounds gnarly! Great bass riff, too. And I can always appreciate a spoken-word breakdown.
2017-02-28 @ 08:04am
tags: 4-track analog cassette
2017-02-28 @ 08:04am
tags: analog cassette 4-track
2017-02-28 @ 11:24am
tags: auntie-sin sin acoustowhateverpop indie-folk
For the Auntie-Sin challenge: http://fawm.org/forums/topic/6885/
This is a synthesis of 'Rude Awakening' by @wobbiewobbit
http://fawm.org/songs/71203/
and 'Like a Brick I Sink' by @jibbidy34
http://fawm.org/songs/75568/
Since the first song was in C major and the second in C minor, I based my song around a chord sequence that goes from the major to the minor. Both songs used acoustic guitars so I stuck with that sound, and used my extremely limited drumming skills in some kind of imitation of the fairly sparse, folky drums in @wobbiewobbit's song (and I kept the 'pips', too!). For the lyrics, I just mashed the two songs together - since they're both about dreams, I figured I could get away with not making too much sense! I'm really pleased with a couple of lines that resulted from my manglement though! For added dream-bonus, I recorded it in my pyjamas.
I also included some stylophone, neither of the tracks I was synthesising had a stylophone but if you listen to both of them at the same time and turn the volume WAY up, you can hear that both singers were thinking about stylophones pretty hard.
I experimented with different methods of recording the drums, with the various microphones I had available. I can confirm that clipping a contact mic onto a ride cymbal sounds ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.
This was really fun, so happy that this challenge got around to me just in time to fit it in before the end of the month!
deep in dreams of co-dependency
where I know the secret of buoyancy
my friend bob, and his friend bob
and everyone they know
shut me out as wine and laughter flow
sinking into dreams of bricks and radios
old friends stop by to serenade me, oh-oh-oh
nothing's what it seems
happy for days with thoughts of corporate greed
your company is something I don't need
thoughts of frozen houses, swimming crises
if I'm floundering, is it because I'm a pisces?
sinking into dreams of bricks and radios
hit the snooze, where was I gonna go?
where was I now?
you don't care about my bubble!
eight lonely men causing endless trouble.
how can I survive this dystopian nightmare?
is this a shared dream? did I get my full share?
the weather warning promises harsh reality
teeth biting half the world, another odd inequality
but if the winter bursts overnight
how can the homeless sleep if it's always light?
sinking into dreams of tea and kitchens
old friends stop by to pitch in, oh-oh-oh
the world is cold and hard.
Love these lyrics, they're a patchwork but it works really well. Great tune here and I appreciated the Stylophone that the two previous tracks were CLEARLY intended to include 😉. Really like the multiple vocal on "you don't care about my bubble", gives it a terrace chant feel.
Ah i love the words here but alas the wifi still not letting me listen. I will be back for this one and much more. Grrrrrr
This dreamscape is totally believable. Plus, I like bricks ... I was chuffed with the ee comparison btw ...
Great evolution of this song. Thanks for the liner notes. This is such a great song with such a. Oil groove and I love the major to minor chord progression! Lyrics are great too and I love the energy and emotion in your vocal delivery.
Haha I was giggling just reading your liner notes! 'My friend bob and his friend bob' - haha hilarious! Stylophones...Yes perhaps I was thinking REALLY hard about those. :D So impressed with the way you managed to mash both of our lyrics together. You put so much thought and energy into this and it's coming across to my ears. I'm so glad you managed to do this in time! Hooray for auntie-sin!
Is that a kazoo? Wow! I see the synthesized elements, but I have to say you also succeeded in creating a great stand alone song. Great job with all these tracks!!!!
nice Auntie-Sin-ing :) I like the abstract dream material, the bricks and radios, as if it makes sense like things often do in dream logic. nice mash up of the two lyrics. i like how it changes to tea and kitchens. love the oh oh oh bit too. I like the line eight lonely men causing endless trouble. maybe cos I know where it comes from, but otherwise it fits the dream logic. i really like the backing you did on that section too, with the BV doing it. and yes, deep down I was thinking about stylophones ;)
Stylophone!!! 💯 I like the major/minor chord progression, gives this a bittersweet feel. The lyrics are fantastic, the "Pisces"/"flounder" line particularly pleased me but there's a lot of wonderful dream images and turns of phrase all the way through. Love it!
I've never done that challenge. You create a brilliant song here - I love how the vibrant music and vocals counter the downer (but really, really good) lyrics.
That title is pure mid-00s post-rock. Musically, it's obvs not. Great stuff man.. loving that playful Blur feel of it all. Stylophone, yes. You've just reminded me I have one at the bottom of the drawer that I didn't even bloody use! Kudos for the real drums too, sounds great to me.
Great! Drums sound awesome-clear, perfect snare.
Nice work synthesizing the two songs!! I like how you took those little 'pips' as you call them, of wobble's, and bookended the song with them. Some great lyrics in there, sort of morphed from the sources, but sort of going their own way. Thanks for playing!
Cool and nice delivery. Love the SImon and Garfunkel sound (yes its a compliment) . Well played.
This is a really great fusion given the songs you started with - it's quintessential quirky English homemade bedsit pop - at times halfway between Jilted John and Damon Albarn - but cheerful playful stuff. The neon line (as Simon Armitage once said), the one that glows in the dark is the "eight lonely men causing endless trouble."
2017-02-28 @ 10:32pm
tags: indie-rock
VV: I think this is my third (?) collaboration with @rayboneor, a gentleman and a songwriting wizard. He wrote the song, I played the instruments, we both sang (but it's mostly him). I'm proud to have acted as an honorary Fresh Spotless Youth again!
Danny: Thanks for bringing your considerable skill and skin unmarked by signs of aging, Tom. I was really stressed out trying to write a lyric under pressure. Hat tip to Ronsard's Mignonne Allons Voir Si la Rose
This was way back before...
The internet
The telephone
The printing press
I was naive and young but
Now I know
What I must have known:
Where flowers go
But we always knew
The earth was round 'cause the moon was, too
They said we'd put a man on the moon
And you and me, we'd fall down
And we'd laugh like children do
We walked the woods and the moon looked down
It saw the ice was thin and my skin was too
Everything I wanted was right there in front of my
Rock paper scissors
I held your hand
Everything I wanted...
Now if you would believe me
I went too far
I went too far
I let your beauty fall
So come let us see the rose
Her eyes wide open
Her pale skin frozen
I went too far
Well I always knew
What was in my hands
It was in my heart, too
I've been around for ages...now I know
Oh now I know where flowers go
Now I know
The rose this morning did bloom
Says all the young lovers are doomed
I always knew
The earth was round 'cause the moon was, too
They said they'd put a man on the moon
And you and me, we'd fall down and laugh like children do
Hey @vomvorton my aunti sin buddy! Good collab here with @rayboneor - Fresh Spotless Youth is a cool band name. Way to go dudes
I really like the phrasing of the lyrics in the verse, and the rock paper scissors speaking section is great. I love how all the sections keep changing it keeps it interesting throughout. IHaving just seen a thread regarding the lazyness of comparisions, I would just add that this reminds me a bit of Destroyer.
Candy for the ears... There's so much goodness here, everything is stupidly catchy... I love, love, love the discreet backing vocals, sometimes replying to the lead, sometimes singing in unison with it. Gorgeous.
Oh this is so right up my street you two. From the intro and odd beat rhythm with that gorgeous downward chord progression followed by the anthemesque big chorus. This is real quality all around and Its one of my FAWM 2017 favs so far.
Love the nostalgia-laden lyrics, and the production is great on this. Love how the clean guitar tone contrasts nicely with the slightly distorted vocal processing. The chorus is catchy as hell, too. I could almost hear REM doing this one, or even The Cure, but theirs would be more serious and much less fun. Great collab!
Intro comes crashing in like WHOA! I love the synth riff. Great lyrics and songwriting--the flow of the song is excellent, constant motion and changes and dynamics. (Gets very pop-punk towards the end!) Love the line "the ice was thin and my skin was too" Another FSY #1 hit.
Now this is an energetic song! Great collaboration! :-)
The intro part is awesome, the rest is also nice, but doesn't have the same wow factor as the intro, nice gnarly solo guitars though. But in total great energy an momentum throughout the whole song. And really like the production.
Great work chaps, really love the energy behind this one. Got a real Grandaddy feel to this one. Such a well rounded production, especially so late in the day
Ooh, that chorus, and the following riff are so satisfying on this! I love the vocals, and especially the different effects together. So many different dynamics and bits, but they all flow perfectly. The pop-punk bit somehow comes out of nowhere, and yet is a somehow a logical progression in the song. Some great lyrics, too -- I especially love the line "But we always knew/The earth was round 'cause the moon was, too." And the arrangement is tops. Awesome song and collab!
was there an REM nod in there? heard a 5/4 thing going on in the verses which reminded me of the Trickster, but maybe I'm just out of sleep. love the young-old interplay in the lyrics and in the confection of the song. the first verse in particular is a keeper as well as the riotous 'around for ages' line. Great collab!
When I saw this collaboration, I knew there would be an enjoyable listen, and I was right! What seems to start as REM inspired, shoots past the moon with so many great sounds. I especially like that change up near the end. A nice dessert at FAWM's end!
I love the 4 + 2 and the dual vox -- I've forgotten how wonderful Danny's lyrics are... Way back before, and before, and before... so clever and well constructed. Rock!
Love the verses! The 6/4 is one of my favorite signatures. A very successful collab I must say! Great instrumentation with those keys, and your voices complement each other well.
Hey Vom, sorry about your cat. I cried for days when one of my cats died. I like sad songs, though, and I like VV songs
Hope you have a winning fawmula this year.
14 songs in 28 days!!!
Haha. Gladiator, ready!
Heyo!
Good luck for 2017. Look forward to some new tunes :)
<3
Need me some VV songs! Luv that pic. I own a Jack donkey!
cool
woah, 10 years! that is something special, as will your sounds undoubtedly be. these are some exciting times - can't wait to see what you unleash!
congrats on 10 FAWM's! looking forward to hearing your stuff!
Vom! Yay! Excited to hear new songs from you.
Hey fellow peaks muso
Yo Vo! Love your bio pic. The donkey is the one on the right? :) Have a great Fawm 2017!
I talk a good game with sampling but it's actually quite a pain in the arse. Anyway I like your sad songs, so hit me with the feels
Cheers, thank you so much for the support! Looking forward to hearing your creations once again this year. Don't be afraid of the sadness <3
Hi Vom! Congratulations on the jubelee! Have a great time!
I like the donkey!
Hey man. Good to see you're back this year. Sorry to hear about your cat. I know your pain.
Believe me, it's one of the best. Has all the best words.
Somehow missed you off my hellos the other day! Hope you're well, and sorry to hear about your car :( Working my way through the ol' watchlist at lunch time..
Totally! I've had pet deaths in the past (including my dad running over MY OWN CAT the only time he ever took me to school), but not had one in adulthood (where I'm far more attached). People will always try and trivialise it, but sometimes we can feel closer to our pets than most people :(
Thanks for commenting on my strings piece - the rhythmic drive was coming from cellos, doubled in places by viola.
Cheers mate . I think the guitar sound should improve as I record more and I got new strings now so it may even stay in tune!!!!
Thanks for the great comment on Requiem For A Feline. We are all gonna miss @mojo. See You In The Shadows…
All I can hear now is "sexy zombie," thanks a lot
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for the comment and the heads up – think it's working again now but I'll keep an eye on it...
We should be careful or we're gonna get arrested by the gestapun.
Catching up on my thankyou's. So... thank you for listening and commenting to Wait But Why. Did you receive my tape yet?
I'll see what I can do about the monster trucks. That does sound pretty cool.
Cheers, Mr Vom! I see you're already going great guns. Time for a listen...
Either that or you have pre-cognitive plagiarism superpowers!
Thanks for the very nice comments! Yeah, I could see yo la tengo....although I don't have any of their albums! I don't know why! Very nice, thank you.
Thanks for taking time to listen to "Shots". Glad you liked it!
I really like the titles of your tracks so far. Thanks for the comment on Songs that Pay. :) Happy FAWMing
Thanks for your comment on my cat-song. Sorry to hear about your cat, I didn't wanna make you sad. Making music is how I deal with difficult situations, it's my therapy.
Haha, he was on my shortlist! It will happen
Appreciate the comment on "The Note." This year is being good to me, perhaps because I'm trying really hard.
Yoko accepts your human compliments with appreciation... *murr murr*
Speaking of cats: http://fawm.org/forums/topic/7005/ Perhaps you can contribute a #catcore song in memory of our beloved feline muses
Thank you for all the thoughtful comments.
This is a terrible introduction, but every time I see your name my mind extrapolates: vomit vorton
take a look at any of my lyrics, and see if any appeal to you. if not, give me a topic and i'll come up with lyrics. lyrics come easily for me-- it is finding the time to record which gets me, which is why BiaB has been my friend this year.
Hey Vom! So so sorry to hear about your cat. That just sucks. And any songs you write are awesome. Sad or not. Dude, why you gotta be so awesome? Looking forward to hearing all the great ditties you come up with this year. R.I.P K.I.T.T.Y.
Thanks for stopping by and listening to The Nickel Ride. You are spot on in describing it as science fiction tinged noir folk. That is exactly what I was going for Thanks again for yout comments.
I do like the line "she's the puzzle piece behind the couch that made the sky complete".
i started those lyrics last night. should finish them today. here's to hoping this future is what it used to be....
I'd sorta glossed over that one.
Thanks a ton for the comment, much appreciated!
hey, i sent those lyrics. have at 'em.
I understand your sentiment about finding the courage to write something for your cat. When the time is right it will come. If it's too soon, trust your instincts. I find it can be cathartic to get it out- but I can also appreciate the delicate nature of raw wounds...
Thanks for stopping by Vom! I can't wait to check out your wicked tunes; just gotta get through another day at the office :D
Please have fun with death of a loveseat! I look forward to it!
Added!
OH MY>>>>>OH MY >>>> By Jove I think you've done it! OMG... I am not worthy. Death of a Loveseat! Oh My oh my oh my. I"m gobsmacked! entirely! thank you so much. You did wonderfly. Vincent is pleased, and may Cthulu let you live another day. :)
A few years back I went on a date with a guy who didn't know who either Prince or Bowie were (It was before the obituary media blitz at least, but what?!??!), and then he acted like I was the weird one for not shutting up about this fact (seriously though, HOW?!?). So the Spinto Band love on that date was very unexpected and honestly kept me in the bar for a good hour longer than I would have otherwise stayed with a progenation-obsessed creep. That and a very disappointing series of albums means the Spinto boys have a lot to answer for.
S&G? I can only dream of something like that. More like Fred and Barney. That was my first real attempt at harmony...ever
I want to hear an extravagant synth workout from you now! 😀
Thanks for the kind words on my tracks! Your description of beating up dudes and eating whole chickens is right in line with my vision :D
Thanks for the good cat wishes! She's OK, gets plenty of cuddles. :)
Keep it on the down low, but that's iPad riffage.
Thank you. Your beuaitufl puss song inspired me to write my own! :)
cheers matey. I think that song is my fac so far purely as i was able to make my indian guitar go backward. was a fluke actualy. created a double part solo for the middle but got bored of it so found reverse in audacity and hey presto, smattered it throughout!!
Thanks so much for your comment!
Yes Casios definitely have more brains (and talent) than many of our leaders. Thanks for stopping by. We have been offline for awhile, but looking forward to catching up on listening. :)
I think both the OM300 and OM200 has midi out, I think that the OM200 sounds best, and it has a nice selectable vibrato, and a bit cooler rhythms than the OM200.
Hey, I don't know if you actually have time to collab with me. The month is winding down quickly and I'm leaving for the weekend tonight. You know I would love nothing more than to have the VV treatment (hell, I'd pay you $50/hour to help me beat some of my stuff into listenable shape). If you do have a moment, I will try to beat a couple of ideas into shape so you at least get the main idea. And if those ideas don't inspire you...well, there's always the $50 an hour route once fawm is over
Ah cool, I think that the OM27 & OM84 are the best sounding ones in the Omnichord family.
Okay, I have a few ideas. Here's my first pitch, a song about a women who kills herself in the presence of her grown child. I apologize for the welter of guitar. I just layer it on while figuring out what I'm doing. https://soundcloud.com/danny-thomas/surprise-the-day-my-mother-died
Hi Tom Let's Go Have Some Fun (4-track) isn't in your list? http://fawm.org/songs/74401/
typo in the url, should've checked quicker, but it was only down for 10 mins before I spotted it. Thanks for your kind words on it.
You're talking to the man who's previous FAWM hits includes Apathy in the UK. I couldn't agree more.
Yea, the first time I listened to the song I got quiet lost. "I don't remember playing that!" I was thinking. Probably your synth dubs and some of the other tweaks you did. I recorded most of the track @ double speed which has a massive effect on what it all sounded like during my recording. Though, it sounds like the final version is EVEN slower than 4.75 ips. But not sure about that. You did a good job on the lyrics by the way, they're not thematically my sort of thing, but they are well done.
Thank you much for your encouragement, and I like the word a catpella. LOL
Thanks for you comment on my geography song. I felt I hadf to record it probably as I have trouble sometimes picking up the rhythm in other peoples lyrics.
Thank you for your comment on my Lonely CD Single in a Charity Shop song. I do rather like the simplicity of CTFPA approach, it's a bit like writing a song on an acoustic guitar. A friend of mine has just released an EP made on junk shop synths costing less than £30. https://philreynoldsandtheuncertainfutures.bandcamp.com/album/white-claw
Thanks for commenting on 'Human' - there's a lot of weird metallic sounds going on that come from the percussion going through a big, filtered reverb.
Thank you very much for you comment on "Female on the Beach". I have drawn a lot of inspiration from movies and TV Shows. I watch a lot of horror movies which are great for inspiring some interesting songs. I have written a few songs inspired by Joan's life as well as a few of her movies, "The Damned Don't Cry" has been a huge inspiration for a few. I have not yet written one about "Mildred Pierce" but I'm sure one will come eventually.
I thought that might have been you, Vom. I felt something on my shin as I was overlooking the A1...
Thanks for listening
Thanks for your comments! Makes my day knowing that the songs were heard.
Hey, thanks for checking out the Horo. It's in 9/8 (think of it as a longer 4th beat) and people do dance to that: https://youtu.be/TtnYFUSpp5c
Thank you very much for your kind words on "Mandy Lane"!
Thanks for your comment on Tokyo Blues. It's really quite different from what I usually do, but I guess that's what FAWM is for :)
Thanks for commenting on my cryptogram song! Good guess, but no. ;)
Chow Yun Fat? AND a rocket launcher? Well, I need to see this film, then.
Oh I love your version (where you sing it) awesome!!! Thank you so much! 💚💚💚
Oh and I have updated it With your link!
Have I told you youre awesome 😀? You are. Thanks again. Hope its ok if I also put it on my own website with credits and link of course. And thanks for updating the forum thread. I really enjoy your take on it!
Thank you. Hope we could work with something again. Youre going for 5090?
Hey thanks for the complement and comparisons to The For Carnations and Bedhead, I can hear the similarities, especially with The For Carnations, which my RPMChallenge Album is in the same vein. I had never heard of these bands so now I have learned about Slow Core...thanks a bunch.
Cool!😃 I will write something specially for you!
Thanks for commenting on my Takeover song! I've always wanted to make a wall of sound - guess I now know how. :)
Thanks for listening to the Brave one!