2021-02-01 @ 01:44pm
tags: songfight metal punk fuzz
Hiya!
So I knew that Song Fight! was going to announce a new title and challenge just in time for the start of FAWM, but when I woke up this morning I saw...
Title: "The White Morph"
Optional Challenge: Heavy Metal
...which was not particularly inspiring or interesting to me. BUT since I've bought a new amp and fuzz pedal I gave it my best try anyway. And this is probably my most out-of-character FAWM opener ever, as a result.
It's about these fuckers.
https://www.thepoke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/morph.jpg
6th Feb update - just tweaked some things about the drums and mix that were bothering me, before I submit to Song Fight.
my doppelganger
I hate your feet of clay
trapped in the same cage
forced to interact each day
we get pushed around
moulded into shape
I hate seeing myself in you
but there's no escape
I laugh at your misfortune
because it's all I've got
my life a little comedy
with pratfalls but no plot
but even if I play a trick on you
or best you at your game
we'll cease to exist
after five minutes of fame
I am your reflection
you are my polar north
but all you'll ever be
is the white morph
Don’t need my coffee now. Wide awake - lol! Interesting. Totally relate to “no escape.” The lyrics and the music mesh well. Enjoyed the ride!
Poor Chas. He was an annoying git though. The fuzz sounds stylish!
That is a 'proper metal guitar riff. I dig it. Properly intriguing opening lines as well 'my doppelganger I hate your feet of clay trapped in the same cage..'. Awesome opener.
this could inspire a twilight zone episode . i love these lines...my life a little comedy with pratfalls but no plot
Ah i used to love Morph. Loving that fuzz pedal matey and its a bombastic start. brilliant story about one of me fav kids tv shows. Always was slightly disturbed by white morph. A total mosh pit rocker. sweet start
Heh! I remember those guys. Pratfalls...hehehe. Tasty fuzz guitar. Off to a rocking start!
That lyric somehow seems deep and rather disturbing--a description of any number of dysfunctional relationships. That's some catchy riffage, too
Some great fuzz action going on here. Nice riffage. I used to love watching Morph on Take Hart.
Putting the millimuff to good use! That's one hella catchy riff. Had me dancing at my desk.
Aha. Here goes my first jumpin‘ round the living room this FAWM. *] thx for the sweating...
Firstly, those lyrics are brilliant! The little breakdown section reminded me of something - Fields Of The Nephilim maybe? Dunno, maybe. Anyhow, great crunchy guitar work and an all round nice start 😊
You know what? I never liked Chas but I couldn't have told you exactly why until now. He's just a pale imitation, isn't he? Thanks for giving voice to my misgivings in such a fun way. Like the riff, and like the fuzz a lot. It rocks!
I am unfamiliar with the fuckers in question, but the song is catchy enough that it doesn't matter ;)
What have you done with Vom? What next - jazz? I've just told @kissinginpublic he was warming up, this is you already very warm and you need to CHILL. No, but really, for a genre you don't (ever?) delve into, you've managed it with aplomb. I can almost definitely tell you've used the amp as well (go on, tell me you haven't even turned it on yet...)
Haha, nice one! I love this Rocking backing track for the lyrical content. It fits really well and that riff is catchy. The verses and beat shift into them are great. I have no idea what those things are but having that picture made this all the more enjoyable! Imagining those smiling creatures battling it out over this was funny.
I loved Morph. Good job
Fuzzfuzzfuzzfuzzfuzz.... Yaaaaaas 😁 Loved Morph. Chas really irritated me. Which is all the more reason to love this song. Fat, juicy, plasticene goodness. Yes please.
The Guitars sound great on this one!
I would never have thought to come up with something this beefy based on Morph! Suddenly I'm looking at the two of them pretty differently...
I like the guitar a lot. Don’t really get a metal vibe, but who cares about labels. :) Great start!
Always knew you were metal 🤘 at heart. This is good fun, with a proper catchy riff!
I think it's far more punk than metal with its catchy riffs and melodic strength. I enjoyed the energy. I seem to remember Morph featured in Vision On. Did you invent their rivalry or was this integral to the original plot.
I loved this, I especially loved the fuzzy, boxy vocals. Morph is such a emotional rollercoaster, they spend so much time being mates but actually revelling in schadenfreude. The little dicks.
Lovely fuzzy stuff. Far too melodic for metal though (don't come at me metalheads, I know nothing about your genre I'm just making sweeping generalisations about it okay?). Especially like that break with the acoustic and the speak-singy vocals. I think this is a very SMart take on the Songfight challenge (do you get it?).
I dig the riff.
This is an incredible song, I love the weight that pedal brings to it! This is a great take on the prompt, it's aggressive but is still so much fun. Really nice job! Oddly enough, I saw that prompt too because I figured I'd give it a try and then saw the prompt and wasn't super inspired. I may take a crack at it later in the week though.
woah! metal! WWTF - that fuzz is killer - very inspiring! killer riff! killer beat! I like the (post?) punk vocals over music that is pretty metal - works really well. production sounds phat, and legit metal - double kick rolls all day long! awesome!
All the sounds are amazing! Really great. I think out of character songs are a great exercise you know? You are tempting me to look back into songfight again haha. I submitted a few songs several years ago, might be something I need to do again....
Awesome, always love your guitar sounds and energy!
Okay, i should stop air-drumming and write a comment on your song! I really love the bridge part (I am your reflection...) ! Congrats and keep up the good work!
This is so much fun. The bit when you added the stylish fuzz at the end was so cool. trapped in the same cage / forced to interact each day Do I detect a hint of furlough/unfurlough frustration in this...? I really enjoy angry vom. I think you should go to your dark place a bit more. You are so good at these killer riffs. Also the spoken word bit at the end was inspired.
I wrote a metal song a few years ago called War Doves that was about a coming apocalypse, inspired by two pigeons fighting over a hamburger bun somewhere in the Wisconsin Dells. This reminds me of that, in a good way.
I'm glad you went for the theme, it sounds fantastic. 🤘 I love everything, but specially the part at 1:30 where it slows down. Great song!
The breakdown at 1:27 gives this track some great contrast and dynamic, slowing down the beat and then growing back into the riff is super fun
i thought i'd never see those fuckers again it's quite interesting hearing an attempt at metal from a non metal person. as another non metal person I think you nailed a lot of it - the drums and guitars and particularly the last verse vocals. the drums sort of immediately had the feel of a metal song, i'm not sure what that is... a certain kick/snare sound or a certain reverb? as a non metal person i could be all wrong about metal. feel free to @ me, metal people
the overdriven vocals always get me, i love it, guitar tone is great as well. looking forward to more tunes, thanks!
Damn that guitar riff is ridiculously catchy. I love this whole Morph thing. I watched it a lot when I was younger and didn't even remember it existed till you put this out. What did white morph ever do wrong!! The bridge suits the heavy metal vibe especially - had a stripped back Megadeth sort of energy. And the lyrics for that last verse? Killer!
Oooooh riffarama! Love that breakdown too, I have to say topic wise, this makes me chuckle but if I didn’t know what it was about I would still think this was a hell of a jam!
Ha, this is an brilliant take on the theme. (I loved Morph. Chas was a bit of a dick, though.) Spot-on lyrics and excellent tightrope walking - it's simultaneously funny and stark without the two cancelling each other out.
Fantastic guitar sound there! I love the sawtooth sound! The guitar is so energizing!
Well what do you expect from FAWM^2 !? By the 14th go at 14 you must be fearless! Punk Metal Fuzz is a great way to get it all rolling. I'll be back for more :)
This is the most adorable metal I’ve ever heard! I think it’s your non-metal voice, which I really like!
Classic - you should do more plasticine inspired metal! Perhaps Gromit Rock? Tony Heart would have been thrilled! The drum line underpinning the track is great. What fun.
Fuzz! Grunge! Chugga-chugga! I don't who those characters are, but they remind me of Gumby. Digging the guitar riffage here. Great sound from the pedal. Nice drums! Excellent writing as well.
This is chugtastic! Love the guitar sound that you've mustered from what I assume is the depths of hell?
Yummy fuzz sounds, ah that spoken word bridge it's such a classic and a bit ridiculous metal cliche. This is a bit unusual from what I'd come to expect from a VV song, but good fun.
So your not going to write anything witty and fun eh? That is exactly what your first track is. Love the low end that is on the guitars, way to go for channelling your heavy metal, great start to FAWM this.
Fun! The spoken word bridge being the most metal thing here is amazing. Definitely want to get my fuzz pedal out now...
Love it! Something about the catchy, aggro music for those cute snide little clay fuckers who I have never seen before is really funny and scratches an itch for me.
You made this into a cool song for sure, I like the harmonies...really sounds like these guys are going at it, so mission accomplished I'd say!
Love all that fuzz guitar and the little spoken word section!
I forgot to comment on this even though I listened earlier! Yay for fuzz guitars, I love how heavy and crunchy that lead line sounds! The drop out into the creepy spoken word bridge is fantastic, very atmospheric. I have never seen this show but after at least two SF entries referencing it I feel like I should look it up...
RAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!! This sounds bigger than big!! LOL. That distortion and the drums and then the vocals came in and it got BIGGER. BIGNESS of RAWK! Great on you for starting in a genre/style you don't normally do.
Reminds me of very early Green Day in their indie days
This guy can do anything! Heavy Metal? No problem! And going into the minds of these stop motion people is genius. I never thought how miserable their lives must be. Being at the mercy of giant hands, no freedom of movement -- let alone getting to chose your roommate/performance partner.
Good time Nicky Wire vocals here - I love the effect you put on them because it really brings out the punchy rock vibes. Works as a great metal track!
2021-02-03 @ 07:50pm
tags: protest pop retro rock-and-roll
Kinda didn't want to spend too much time on a song this bitter, but also my brain demanded I finish writing it before I do anything else. So I went for a loose kinda rock 'n' roll vibe, which fit in with also trying to record using an amp and mic rather than DI / plugins. Anyway it's quite a nice little mix of soothing retro pop and pure vitriol I think, can you guess who it's about?
I didn’t know that you could be so cruel
yet play the role of the harmless fool
I didn’t know the scale of your corruption
matched your gift for reproduction
and I didn’t know my hate could be infinite
I want the world to end and take you with it
I never thought we’d fall for your act
believed that we’d spot the skills you lacked
I hoped your lies would break the spell you weave
I guess I was naive
now dreaming of your demise is so exquisite
I want the world to end and take you with it
my tolerance for this is at its limit
I want the world to end and take you with it
I loved the sound of the guitars from the off. This is like a much better quality libertines song and it is made by those OOOOs. I love the vibe matey and could quite easily have this as my New van number one casual cruising tune. Top stuff
Very cool, walks the line between upbeat and angsty! Did you perform the entire track?
I like how boomy those drums sound. This is the new amp? It sounds great! Excellent poppy but laid-back feel, and I just love the "exquisite"/"take you with it" rhymes. I don't personally think it's too overt who it's about, so it doesn't emotionally taint it or anything for me at least.
Kind of like an Elvis Costello boogie with the happy sarcastic melodies accompanying the vitriol. Really dig the sound :)
That loose feel really comes across. I like the guitar and drums a lot. The chorus parts sound great and the melodic solo was awesome. The lyrics mixed with the feel good instrumental is a good contrast! I really never know what kind of song you'll make when I hit start, this was another great surprise.
That amp sounds ace - great tone. Awesome solo, and an important message. The scale of his corruption DOES match his gift for reproduction.
Really like this one. That guitar tone is lovely actually. Worth the effort of miking up the amp I reckon! Digging the ooohs. Lyrics great as ever. Good stuff!
This is great! Such an ironically warm, pretty, summery sound, all in the aim of sweetly delivering an important message about this hateful bastard. I wonder if we can write hate songs about him quicker than he can conceive offspring from his fetid, yet vastly-overindulged cock.
Surprisingly gentle sounding for the lyrical content
Sweet! If the end of the world sounds this happy, I'll gladly go down with you. You really are quite a vocal artist these days, in addition to all your other gifts. No, I don't know who it's about. Someone from the UK?
Good move with the guitars through your amp, it really gives the music life. Great topic as always, who would have thought writing about a BJ could be so bitter.
Love the laidback 60s vibe you've got going on. Really channelling you inner Hank Marvin! I've always been a sucker for jaunty songs with hate-filled lyrics.
Can't believe you would write such a bitter song about beloved children's author Dick King-Smith. What would motivate you to attack him in this way? Anyway, yes it's pretty clear who this is about, but it's also subtle enough that it doesn't put me off in the way most overtly political songs do, so well done for that. It helps that it's a really pretty tune, those oooooooos are glorious
Blaaaaaddy hell, this is great! Those bv's are so ace. Ain't nothin' wrong with a bit o' bitterness. And he's a twat, so I'm with you all the way.
Love the dreamy sound on this and the guitar is divine. Your delivery is great and your voice sounds v Jarvis Cocker in bits, which I hope you take as the high compliment it is. I think the lyrics are great, and also don't think it's too overt -- plenty of enough bastards in the world that this could apply to! *upside down face emoji* Also think the "with it" rhymes sound great. I'm a sucker for a depressing and/or bitter song set to an upbeat melody and this is a great addition to the canon.
The title line is incredible. I have never heard it before, but it feels so familiar. The sunshine and daisies guitar under it makes for a comedic effect.
Yes, these past few years were the genesis of hook lines like you've got there. Really sweet little solo bit in there. Definitely a soothing groovy retro way to know we're not the only ones who - yeah.
Well, he got COVID... but sadly not even that was enough
As someone else has mentioned your vocal delivery makes me think of Jarvis Cocker, but also early Belle and Sebastian comes to mind. Love the warmth and sparkle of the guitar, well worth spending the time using a real amp and mic. That little solo is also something i imagine Stevie Jackson would do.
I mean, if I've read between the lines correctly, you've got a point. The reproduction/corruption couplet is especially on the nose. Really enjoy that juxtaposition of the lyrics against that sweet, homely musical setting. As @w1n says, I heard B&S in there too and the authenticity of the recording set up just emphasises the weariness of the words.
Ah that indie-pop vibe is so cool paired with the darker lyrics - gives everything a bit of a sense of irony. Love the arrangement, just the little addition of those high BVs really elevates the choruses.
Righteous vitriol set to sunny 60s guitar? I’m all for it. This was utterly delightful.
Time to get my Vom on! 😁 ooh this has got a really cool, loose rock and roll vibe. Oh that’s what you were going for? 😁 I can totally get on board with the sentiment, expertly outputted dude!
This track is quite poppy but also bleak, which is always a good thing. I Loves the Merseybeat shuffle to this and the ‘oooooo’s! Delightful little guitar solo too.
Woooo, harmonies! Love those. Sweet, sweet vitriol.
love the intro. I'm a sucker for bitter songs, so this resonated with me :) also thanks for the kind words on my song!
Love the contrast with the spiteful lyrics and the sugar sweet sounding music (and gorgeous backing vocals!). The guitar sounds are wicked too. You might have inspired me to try recording mine with an amp rather than DI.
Very late to this one, but I just spotted it on Soundcloud. Musically sweet and lyrically bitter - what's not to like. That drum sound on the intro has a very live sound - gives the whole thing a bit of a 60s feel, as do the harmonies.
Love how it’s so upbeat, yet the words are in stark contrast. Great breakdown near the end. That chorus gets catchier as it goes on. :) -ru
Something special about pushing air from an amp into a mic. Love how this came out! I'm glad your brain made you do this before you moved on. Love the chorus line. It's a just really good and clever and fun. Well done!
I think a lot of people are feeling the same way these days. The contrast between your negative lyrics and easygoing rock 'n roll vibe works so well here. Excellent choice!
Are you a Lloyd Cole fan? This reminds me a bit of him. Plus a great sort of 60's pop vibe as well.
As a card-carrying member of Team Asteroid, I approve this message. 🌎🌠💥🔥 That chorus is perfect. Glad you pushed through with this one!
Great delivery, can tell this comes from the heart. Great offbeat rhythm to the accompaniment, works really well. Worth the effort for sure!
Oh boy, this is great. And it works just as well for a certain public figure on this side of the Atlantic. I dig the retro rock n roll of this. Stellar lyrics and of course the backups are Top Notch.
I am really loving this retro rock groove! Cool melody sung quite well! Awesome guitar solo too! And I love, Love, LOVE these lyrics! And this fits so damn well with the infestation we just got rid of over here in the colonies across the pond! I thoroughly enjoyed my listen!
I love the contrast between the jolly late 60s upbeat feel contrasted with the downer lyrics. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
2021-02-04 @ 05:32am
tags: country-pop list-song
VV: thanks for a fun lyric, Arthur! I had a great time with this. Especially when I decided to impulse-buy a lap steel sample pack, which I am now going to use on everything because it sounds great!
Country-song
I’ve been listening to Acid House and Baggy,
Celtic Metal, Chamber, and Pop that got spoilt…
I’ve been listening to Free Jazz, Bel Canto was quite magic,
(but) I need something rooted to my soil…
I’ve been listening to Samba, Chumba, Disco,
Deathcore, Nardcore, Doo-wop, Dubstyle, Bantowbol,
I’ve been listening to New Age, New Wave, New Beat, Calypso,
they’re great! but I need something for my soul…
(Chorus)
Sing me a country-song, about dust and sun,
a classic country-song about deserts, horses, guns…
…about senoritas, and lands so vast and free,
please, sing a country-song… a country-song for me…
I’ve been listening to Polka, Post-rock, Gothic,
Waltz, Go-go, and some Blues that’s just played in Perth…
I’ve been listening to Hip Hop, you may call me neurotic,
(yet) I need something that’s more down-to-earth…
(Chorus)
Sing me a country-song, about dust and sun,
a classic country-song about deserts, horses, guns…
…about senoritas, lands vaster than you can see,
please, sing a country-song… a country-song for me…
(Bridge)
Sometimes I listen to Kagok, Ska and Danza,
to Mamba, Twist, Kabuki,
but I like the music of Nashville and of Kansas,
that’s the right stuff for some plain folks like me…
(Chorus)
Sing me a country-song, about dust and sun,
a classic country-song about deserts, horses, guns…
…about senoritas, and lands so vast and free,
please, sing a country-song… a country-song for me…
A list song inside a story :) Nice work Arthur.
This is great fun, and while it sounds like quite a challenge, I think I'd like to have a go at setting it to music if that's okay? 😁
Haha, this is loads of fun! Loving the bendy guitars in the chorus. What is that? A synth?! Properly quirky - I love it 😍 Smile inducing lyrics and a pleasurable bouncy tune to match - enjoyed it!
That is a good lyric and fitting. I like that it's not Meta but still fits in the challenge theme. And this music is excellent. I love your sample pack, too, VV.
Haha... Those samples are great. I love the lyrics. I was trying to think if there’s such thing as indie pop country... Nearest I came up with was Camera Obscura? I’m sure there’s someone else I’m forgetting...
Oh my god, I love this collab so much. Vom Vorton + lap steel is the combination I didn't know my ears were missing, but here we are. I was getting mild Pavement "Range Life" vibes in bits around the chorus. Really fun lyrics that are a nice updated take on the country song trope about just wanting to listen to country music that blend a bit of wry wit with winning sincerity.
Yeah indie pop country gives me a bit of a Wilco vibe I reckon. After the rough mix (paraphrasing Tom here) of Shoot me in the Heart, this is such a clean, wholesome mix. Not a bad all-American vibe at all for a chap from Matlock and a chap from Austria.
Brilliant, catchy, positive and catchy song and collaboration. So wonderful and fun to listen to!
LOL--I love the litany of genres. I'm curious about that Perth-specific blues, for sure. This is catchy AF and equally clever. That bridge is sweet and kind of silly. Yeah, that lap steel is great. I need to figure out a way that I never need to record actual instruments again, because I always feel like a non-stop failure. Is it easy to use those samples?
Nice tune! Country and Jangle Pop meet in this instrumental. Listing assorted genres in the verses is fun and focusing on classic country song tropes instead of modern cliches is great. Enjoyable listen, this is another great collab from you two.
Whoa the lap steel sounds great! This has some 69 Love Songs vibes (or would it be Charm of the Highway Strip?) with the combination of the charming musical setting and the quirky and subtly funny lyrics. I like the melody, and the small adjustments to the lyrics work well for the meter. Really excellent collab!
That was a cracking collab. Those words suit you right down to the ground and what a impulse buy! I can definitely hear some more songs coming out from you with those sounds, they just wrap around your voice so nicely. Really really enjoyed this.
Pedal Steel! love the sound.. Its hard to write country; you nailed it! dust and sun and guns hehehe... yeeha! Loved how you got Bel Canto in there :)
This one is really fun! Enjoyed it a lot. Especially how while you altered the lyrics, in later verses you used those missing words.
I'm so jealous of these lyrics, wish I could write such a well-crafted vignette. It reminds me of 60s and 70s writing, when they could be super-specific. And the music perfectly fits it as well, country-leaning but with a heavy pop centre, bit Teenage Fanclub! Those warm slide layers with the organ really sets it off too.
This lyric really paints the character and I love the production and those unusual changes in the chorus! Great Collab, guys! 👏🏻👏🏻
That lap steel sounds wonderful. And I really like the synth stuff dotted throughout this too, particularly the plinky stuff in the bridge. Great vocal on this too and a really fun lyric. This is really catchy :)
That sample does sound great - there's something about the range of chords and the slow attack that a lap-steel guitar adds. And the lyric is great, simple without being twee (both in original form and as adapted by Vom). Nice one gents!
ˋ].
Fun track, love the lyrics. Captured the country vibe, steel guitars will always do that. What was the sample pack by the way?
Oh yeah..great tune!! First time i have heard a lap steel guitar this FAWM cool.
Yes! what a fun collab. I love the ticking off all the different genres -- what eclectic tastes you have @arthurrossi! That lap-steel is perfect and when you bend those notes on the chorus it sets the whole thing off. nice harmonies too!
2021-02-04 @ 09:52pm
tags: lo-fi post-rock dream-pop instrumental tape-hiss
I was sick of staring at screens so I thought I'd record something on my four-track recorder. But I couldn't be bothered to set it up so I turned on my laptop after all BUT recorded to "four-track rules", which is to say there are four instrument tracks (guitar, guitar, bass, drums), one take for each instrument, and I wanged a fuckload of tape FX on everything.
Barely had to move 😎
P.S. deliberately left a few seconds of fake tape hiss on the end there so you can just loop it and sit there with it hissing away at you if you like, I won't judge.
lo-fi-post-rock-dream-pop: you're checking all the boxes for me. I like this one a lot. The intimate sound is cool. It would be cool to build to something monstrously big when you're building up at the end. I could even imagine a vocal. But it's pretty sweet like it is
That's a really cool idea. And this is brilliantly done. It perfectly captures that Portastudio vibe; it almost makes me nostalgic for those days, but then I look at the room I'm sitting in and think, yeah, I'm good with what I have now, thanks. My Fostex X-15 remains where it is: at the back of a wardrobe, dead.
Yes, yes, yes! Bedroom-daze-pillow-soft-cat-fur-cloud-hangaround-sleep-pop! I would have loved to hear some four-track recordings, but oh well, this worked out nicely anyway! P.s. Yes, I looped the hiss
Very nice very nice! It's def easy on the ears. Love that hiss. Thanks for sharing!
I don't think any of my 4-track recorders has that much noise! :-D The song is lovely, and recreating the constraints of 4-track on your laptop is clever! :)
I'm a huge sucker for all things tape, whether real or emulated. Makes for such warmth and texture. This was such a nice listen. Very nostalgic feeling to me, I like it a lot.
For four one-takes, I see this as such an accomplishment. The tone comes across perfectly, and I'm having a blast just chilling to groove. Keep 'em coming!
Sooooo chilllllll! ❤️
Beautiful work. Hearing some light airy Mazzy Star vocals or, weirdly enough, some really bold Michael Hutchence kinda vocals a la "Never Tear Us Apart." Loving the chorus'd guitar work and the minimalist drum machine sounds. And yeah, I sat and just listened to the tape hiss and veg'd out. Thank you for those moments.
Definitely has nice textural qualities as others have said, but I think the bass is the unsung hero of this track - both in subtle rhythm and the ways you keep it interesting in the way you move away from, and back to, the root notes that you're playing. And the subtle interaction between the two guitars.
Oh that tape noise gives it such a vibe. This is such a relaxing track and the guitars are wonderful. You made a great mood piece here! That build and release coming up at 2:18 was awesome.
I really like the bass sound here. I love the higher bit when the full chords come in and I thought it was on the verge of exploding and.. aaaaah, what a lovely little tune. Tiny bit of an American Football feel, which is cool. (Band, not sporting activity..)
Sometimes you just need to shift the constraints to make something different. Emulating a four track is a great idea, the whole sound feels so cohesive and the tape hiss makes me super nostalgic. Really nice tune too!
I would have written a comment for this piece of r.e.m.'s cutting room floor waltzery but I was too busy replying to you on messenger so I gave up. I will now say a prayer for your Tascam that didn't even get used during a FAWM and will now die sad and unloved.
I love this one - it's got a bit of a Darren Hayman feel to it, but not in a derivative way. I think it may be the drum-machine? I'm using my TASCAM DP-006 for as much of my FAWM songs this year as I can, mainly as our Mac is out of action, so I have to resort to other means until (if?) we get one back up and running. I've chickened out of lo-fi-ising my demos thus far... though if I can "nail" the sound Iron & Wine got on his early stuff like "The Creek Drank The Cradle", I may still give it a try. It certainly worked for you here - keep 'em coming! :-)
Ah...lovely...I came by for a second listen...and because I thought my first remarks were lame. Those two guitars really play nicely together. Are you playing real drums. I remember that year you played every instrument live. Whoa, that's a nice build at the end, and a delicate dismount
Seriously one take? I can't play nearly that good. This is such a beautiful pillowy song, I want to smoosh my face in it.
Oooh this is so dreamy and lovely! The guitars sound beautifully shimmery and the bass holds it down really nicely.
I got a tape effects VST I downloaded when I wanted to put a tape stop on something that's got all this sort of hiss on it, maybe I'll have to have a play with it. Love the way this sounds, those guitars are so lush, this feels like it should be getting played in The Roadhouse at the end of a Twin Peaks: The Return episode.
Very nice. I like the 4 track rules idea too. So easy to get lost in the options and ability to layer everything ad infinitum,
This is luscious. Lovely tune. I’m digging the beautiful guitar. Great song. -ru
So yeah, this is gorgeous. That beat is so lovely and cosy and warm, like the whole track really. Fake tapes is also a great name for a song, though I did read it as 'fake tapas' at first
I got my four track out yesterday and started messing about it before thinking it was too much of a ballache! This sounds like an aural representation of marshmallow. It's so dreamy and warm, I almost expect Liz Fraser to start singing!
Ah, this is really lovely 😊 The lead guitar tone and melody sounds Peter Buck-ish to my ear. Enjoyed this one.
really atmospheric - particularly love the bass riffs. the lead guitar tone as a lush amount of tremelo on it. really nice
Sounds legit like a four-track recording. I miss tapes. Everything glued together so nicely on those old machines. Perhaps why I’m sticking his on a lot of things these days. My plugin hisses all the time when it’s turned on and I keep forgetting to turn it off then think my tinnitus has got worse. Charming instrumental and fantastic for a one-take (you should tag that). Love the dream pop feel. Could listen to this for days.
for having just four tracks this sounds very lush and full. tape effects are really the way. the guitar is simple but pretty, and the beat is so understated that you almost forget that it's actually there and propelling the whole track your hiss sounds nicer than my hiss, i'm jealous.
Very cool (all except the can't be bothered bit, lol). Seriously a cool song progression. Love the relaxed vibe and the chimey guitar playing off the thuddy old school drums. Good one! (now get that actual 4-track set up!)
Oh this is so super dreamy. Just the type of stuff I want to be my permanent background music while carousing Tokyo. The tape hiss at the end is a little zen meditation moment. BTW bought your album, but haven't gotten a chance to listen yet. Super excited to!
Just catching up on your output so far. I really love this. Super dreamy and nostalgic feeling. ❤️❤️❤️
LOL. Your liner notes cracked me up. Totally had me convinced this was 4 track. HIsssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Tape hiss and vinyl scratching should be used on EVERYTHING; haters gonna hate That guitar sounds like something straight out of Pulp Fiction.. is it 70's sound? I don't know know anything about guitars other than this track is missing SYNTHS.. btw: can you say "I wanged a fuckload" ? This is the first time I've heard this expression; I wish Norwegian had similar phrases .. alle we have is like "Watch out for the moose!"
Dreamy, nostalgic loveliness. Love the tremelo too. Looking forward to checking out more of your stuff :)
I like this one a lot. That filtered drum sound is oddly soothing, and the little build-up at the end is perfectly judged.
This is sleeeepy stuff! I love the way the bass starts to move under the guitars towards the end too - helps to build to the crescendo that...never comes and then it’s gone. Beautiful!
I’m just going to echo @lanasolyluna...I would love to have this on play as my personal soundtrack. Everything lo-fi engages all kinds dreamy goodness in my brain. I spend half my life in daydreams, anyway, and this song is meant for daydreams. ❤️
Ah I love this stuff. Awesome progression and style, really does sound like it could be a Martin Newell track.
Mmmm.. late night in Twin Peaks season 1. Beautiful chord progression. The drum machine in 6/8 gives the music an eery and bit creepy atmostphere.
Very flipping cool. Gives me the nostalgia for sure. Looking forward to catching up on all your songs as I’ve somehow missed them this fawn.
Sounds pretty authentic as far as I can remember from my 4 track recording days. Especially the damned hiss. :)
What a great sound. Totally sounds like you could've stumbled across it on a tape found in an old shoebox at the back of a closet. If I were making a FAWM Faves 2021 compilation (and I probably will), this would likely have to close it out. Nicely done, Vom!
Haha, but it sounds great for not moving very much... great 4track work and I luv the tape/beach hiss. Looks like that’s all we‘ll get this year again, so thx for a lill atmospheric nostalgia
So having just spent a month recording with a four track and finding out what a massive hassle it is as compared to what we normally do. But I do think it changes the way you record. The main thing was letting go of any perfection, I could never sing a song wonderfully all the way through (especially not one I'd just written) but cutting in to the tracks was frought with the danger of recording over something else so was a no-go. I like the vibe on this one, I'd maybe make the drums a bit bassier for the phat tape sound, but that could be my speakers... the guitars are lovely and dreamy - what's strange is the magic a tape 4 track has for making things sound nice, but getting a massive change in tone is difficult. However the tricks are in getting to use track 2 for both bass and backing vocals and maintaining the level when you bounce it down so you can put vocals on - loving the warm hiss! Is it bad form to talk about yourself in the comments of someone elses song? Just thought you might be interested! Cool tunne
Love this, and the restrictions you forced yourself into worked great. It often leads to more creativity and “better” (well quicker anyway) decisions. And I too love the hiss.
Great track - I love the open-ness of it somehow, not over busy thanks to the restrictions you gave yourself. Funny to add the hiss, and effective too, ha ha. Had to listen to this one having heard on the news of Lou Ottens’ passing (inventor of the cassette tape). Love the spangly guitar sound, and the melody you create.
Definitely digging the lo-fi, hissy feel of this track, even if its creation was somewhat artificial. Limiting yourself to four one-take tracks really allows for fullness without busyness. The vibe was just what I needed tonight.
2021-02-07 @ 03:18pm
tags: punk-pop indie-rock fuzz
VV: It's been a very Arthur Rossi weekend! I spent a lot of time on the other of Arthur's songs that I worked on Friday-Saturday, this one was much quicker - I could hear how I wanted it to go as soon as I read the words! It's a fast and energetic one so I've tried to keep the energy rather than fiddling with the mix too much.
Shoot me in my heart
You wonder if I’m still single,
you keep counting my new wrinkles,
asking which one of them I gave your name…
Can it be?! you ask me whether
I still think of us, together,
no, no… you have no sense of shame!
May somebody else kiss you
and pretend to miss you
and you’ll end up like me…
(Chorus)
So heartless and so smart,
if you shoot, shoot me in my heart,
so artless and so hard,
just shoot me in my heart…
just shoot me in my heart…
and one day may someone do
to you the same you did to me…
Nothing’s left of your old glory,
and you ask me if I’m sorry
for you who is not worth a tear to shed…?
Your red lips, your thighs are covered
with kisses from other lovers,
tell me, how many have you had…?
May somebody else kiss you
and pretend to miss you
and you’ll end up like me…
(Chorus)
So heartless and so smart,
if you shoot, shoot me in my heart,
so artless and so hard,
just shoot me in my heart…
just shoot me in my heart…
and one day may someone do
to you the same you did to me…
Great stuff, immediately very musical as I read through the words in my head! Can I have a go at this one too?
Very nice. Great title too!
These lyrics are so indie pop! Great combo of lyrics and music. Loved this!
So reminiscent of 60s Chad and Jeremy. I say that a lot, don’t I? Lol! Love it!
Cool use of vocal fx on the chorus and I love the way you delay the title rhyme by extending it into the next phrase. Great setting for wonderful lyrics (single/wrinkles!!!); a fab collab.
That opening riff is full of energy! Love those telephone background vocals. This had me bopping. The lyrics are fantastic! Wonderful collab, you two work well together!
Oh there's some great energy mustered (energy mustard) here, the lyrics did demand it after all. The title could have taken this in a very dark direction, but I'm glad you saw the light in it.
Another top Rossi Vom collab here! Loads of energy in this one and bags of fun. Like the vocal effect change up for the ‘shoot me’ lines in the chorus. I might pinch that idea! Enjoyed this lots 😊
This sounds exactly like Kaputchawoonga! I’m reporting you to Mallard. Anyway, if you’re gonna steal, steal from the best. Great performance and I really like the lyrics... I’ll allow it :)
Alright let's go! This song gets going right a way. These drums are so upbeat and bright. Is it weird to say the snare sounds happy? Your vocals are great here and deliver these awesome lyrics well. The shoot me in my heart parts in the chorus are great. Awesome collab!
Holy cow, you guys have done it--legacy defining hit pop song right here! I listened three times and then went back for a forth listen with my headphones. That guitar hooked me in right away. I love the way you do the chorus (that's why I went back with headphones). The Ramones ain't got nothing on this. Get the Vomettes back together and do a punk doo-wop show. It'll kill! (Maybe some saxophone wouldn't be amiss here)
That little ascending riff transition is really infectious! I like the processed call-and-response vocals. Lots of fantastic energy. I love the heartless/smart/artless/hard rhymes in the lyrics. Great song!
great fizzy pop energy on this! I really like the vocal sound on "if you shoot me", a brilliant touch. If I had discovered that sound I would probably have covered all of the vocals in it! but i should probably learn that a little can go a long way and that variety is the spice of... songs
I just listened to Owls latest which made me think of festivals and mosh pits. This has now had the same effect. Really love the libertines esque but with much more in tune vocals, feel to this. Well i won't sleep now ;-)
I love the quiet/loud dynamic in the chorus and then the driving finish to it with what sounds like a lovely minor chord. The melody fits the lyrics so well, classic Vom catchiness.
These lyrics are so good, and the catchy, pop-punk treatment they've been given is just right. The vocal effect on the refrain is an excellent touch. Had to listen a couple times. You guys make a great team.
Oh yes and go hide behind the moon... both of you - just a great collaboration Arthur your the master of sad love songs and VV you just gave this so much energy that one should save this track as a secret weapon, just in case...
Very effective use of vocal processing to make a cool line sound even cooler! it's got a really lithe, nighttime wandering around Camden sort of feel. It's not warm but people are coming out a hot back room in short sleeves and already developing hangovers. I like the dun-nar-nar-nar guitar line between the vocal lines - great collab!
2021-02-09 @ 08:23pm
tags: rock stop-start whatever-it-is-that-paul-does
VV: Paul sent me some guitars and drums, and I added... all of this stuff. This was really, really, really fun.
PH: I've been trying to embrace the FAWM spirit and just sit down and pump out a song each night. This is a lot easier when you staple together a collection of fun riffs and ask someone else to make it into a song.
If you want to feel old
Take a picture of your face
and take a look
It’s grey
it’s cold
and you can’t tell
if you’re just tired
if you’re not well
If you want to feel sad
well then maybe I can help
I have stories to tell
so take a seat
and rest your feet
and I will put you through hell
no-one
literally no-one
absolutely no-one
me:
I wanted to offer you a choice
but got lost in the sound of my own voice
If you find yourself thinking
I’ll just stop drinking
how hard can it be?
just wait and see
you have no idea
until you’re done with me
your life in boxes
imperfectly labelled
so you’ve no idea
which one you need
so it’s agreed
to fill
this hole
the highest bidder
takes your soul
Lovely precision guitar here contrasting nicely with the crunchy bits. Such wonderful driving energy! Really great collaboration, folks!
Brilliant. Punk vibes with a manic energy something like System of a Down. Dig it.
At :50 it sounded lie the beginning of “Whole Lotta Love.” Way cool!
Wow. I need a cigarette.. and I don't smoke. But this song certainly does. Fabulous collab boys.
This is such a totally cool song! I love all of the riffs, the driving beat, the cool motifs, the awesome guitars, the attitude, the awesome vocals and vocal effects. And what a great title/hook. Perfect! One of my FAWM faves this year!!! Kudos on a brilliant collaboration!
This is so cool, very math rocky and angular but also tuneful and hooky. All the different parts are interesting and compelling, and the vocals fit into the odd rhythms very naturally. Love the harmonized guitars and the chugging snarling ones. I had to immediately listen again!
I'm loving the raw energy and the punk vibes in this - it reminds me of dancing at a rock club many years ago.. the guitars are great, the vocal delivery is spot on as well - great collab!
This is fun, and brutal. Great job. I was in Corp with Ad’s, properly in Offbeat or Joseph’s Well with this one. I love the twin lead guitars.
This is just brilliant! I don't know who did what, but it all comes together beautifully. The lyric has such attitude. I actually laughed out loud a few times. This is the kind of song that's weirdly catchy and worthy of repeat plays. I don't even understand how this sort of thing is possible
A lot of great riffs and it's got some of the classic VV contrast between sections. Excellent musicianship all-around, both of you, I especially love the section at 2:20 through the end. Staple on!
Oh what an intro! I was like okay nice little riff OKAY LET'S GO oh nice riff ALRIGHT! Great energy and dynamics, this composition is so awesome. You both do good on this track, there's so many riffs and yet a solid melody is done over them! I was just jamming along, enjoyable listen.
ooh this is both a fun title and fun song. The fuzzy guitar and the lyrics are so awesome. Love how this one came together as a song.
Ah yeah, this is bags of fun - I don't think I could ever imagine what a Vom and Paul song would sound like, but now I'm hearing it, it just makes total sense. Anyway, this is bags of fun - you balance each other out quite nicely... Paul's angular guitar work against Vom's pop sensibilities really go hand in hand beautifully.
That was a lot of fun to listen to. Especially the meme chorus. I love the arrangement, all the quirky odd-time rhythms, the starts and stops, the guitar outbursts, the melodies in contrast with the dissonances ... so, yeah, effectively everything about this.
OMG ok when I saw the title, I knew this would be good and it is...somehow better than I could have imagined. SUPER fun. Love how mathy this is, yet very musical. The different bits and how they're stitched together work really well, better than they have any right to, honestly. The lyrics and vocal delivery are great and match the guitar and different rhythms wonderfully. The chorus made me laugh, that "me: " going straight into that nice chunky riff is just so good. This...basically rules.
Cool! I love the idea of just fleshing out a song from other riffs.. you two sure nailed this; I wanted to offer you a choice but got lost in the sound of my own voice ... respect to the lyrics here; so much VV genius all over the place. Man that riff is killer
Yeah, this really is loads of fun! Great combination of Paul's trademark guitar work and the Vom trademark catchy pop. Nice work guys!
Haha this is great. More memes as song lyrics please. Vocals are great on this, and Paul's trademark "why come up with one riff when I can come up with five" style is at it's best. Especially love that high guitar part coming in right at the end.
Moves all over the place until it gets stuck in the chorus, very effective. Digging the Rawk to Quirky interplay.
This is one hell of a roller coaster ride, the shifts between light and heavy are really nice. I love what you have done with the vocals, Paul doesn't like to make things easy for this and you nailed it.
I absolutely love the stop/start of this song and many shifts in mood. That directly goes with the way the song was written but wow did it work out well. Very cool lyrical story and just great playing throughout, however it came together. By the way, I am super impressed with the stitching here. It is s very cool cohesive song!!
This is so cool. Paul's insistent loopy guitars that finally have been covered in distortion (I've only been asking for that for about 10 years), and on-point lyrics so close to my heart that I'm looking for the spycam in my room. This is the first song I heard this year that made me really want to see it played as a live band. Did I mention that ending is *chef's kiss*?
I don't have a lot to say on this except that it's a lot of fun. Very post-rock.
Great collaboration! I love the interplay between the vocals and guitar in the verses. There's so much variety that keeps things interesting the whole way through. Very fun!
This is a great idea, brilliantly executed. I was charmed from the start with the fantastic idea of taking a weird meme and turning it into a song. The guitar riffs going into each verse give me a Stone Temple Pilots vibe (which I mean as a compliment lol), but the rest of the song is miles away from that, making it hard to categorize-- other than that it's superb. Nice work, gentlemen.
Really dark exploration of themes in the lyrics here; I do feel old looking at my face these days. The imperfectly labelled boxes really stuck out to me, and quite the ominous highest bidder taking your soul at the end. Music: Riffy, noisey rock; heavy guitars and drums, loads of fun riffs here. Fast vocal delivery matches well with the music. Kind of heavy punk almost metal vibe here. I like the pattern on the drums in the end (is it 5/4? I'm bad at theory), it gives it a helter-skeltery off kilter feel that works well.
Ja, rockhands in the air here!
Love the rough guitar (+ride) alternating with the quieter parts. The lyrics are thought-provoking. Great pace and energy!
Cool transitions between rockin' and surfin' :) I bet Frank Zappa would have been grinning widely!
Came for the title, stayed for the quirky stop-start loud/soft contrasts. Great collaborative work, folks!
2021-02-10 @ 10:28pm
tags: synthpop tape-hiss retro get-a-load-of-the-nerd
Didn't think I had a song in me tonight, but then I played a two-note bassline and SUDDENLY THERE IT WAS. Drafted in an idea from my ideas document (which is named "ideas") and SUDDENLY THERE THE REST OF IT WAS.
After a guitar-heavy first week, it's fun to synth out. Also I added loads of tape FX again, trying to make this sound like some lost 80s track found at a car boot sale or something I dunno, I just like tape hiss.
you used to fire me up
and stare at me for days
I’d shimmer and rotate
at the mere hint of your gaze
all of my power
would divert into my brain
as I satisfied your needs
over and over again
but now I shrink down to an icon
on the taskbar of your life
when I meet your eyes
I minimise
we were compatible
that’s what they said
I guess things change
I guess you upgraded
I’ll force you to admit
you don’t know how to quit
I won’t concede defeat
CTRL+ALT+DELETE
I shrink down to an icon
on the taskbar of your life
when I meet your eyes
I minimise
Man, this is so good. Love that tape production (I’m a tascam user myself!). Great melody and vocals, it’s like some lost classic from a distant decade
Ooooo, I like! Cool synth, etc., etc. Awesome vocals!
So many awesome synths, I especially like those deep quacky solos, everything sounds amazing together! Love the idea of the lyrics, the double meanings all work perfectly and the short last line in the chorus is very effective.
Wow. Just wow. The metaphor works so well. And the synths are outstanding.
the arrangement is fantastic, there is so much space for the song to breathe, lyrics really frame the synth well
This feels a lot like early Pulp! Great sound and I love that bass. Tape hiss is life.
Love that groovy bass synth line opener and it slaps when the snare-y beat comes in. The chorus melody is especially great, along with those backing vocals. And the delightfully wonky solos are awesome! Lots of great synth sounds. The lyrics are clever and work great on this -- the whole thing has a v kinda sexy feel that you wouldn't get from just reading the lyrics without the music.
Into it right away. That bass sound with the ever so slight bit of reverb gets me no matter what. Nice drum programming, good variation when the different vocal parts come in. Lovely pads. Mix is wonderful in my headphones. Lyrics are clever and interesting, I'm digging them. Very cool concept. This is great listening for me. I'm a sucker for all these sounds and vibe. Yeah that was quite nice.
I shrink down to an icon on the taskbar of your life...Utter genius. I can hear this done by the Pet Shop Boys. Very nice indeed.
such a nerd I don't think I've heard a song from a discarded piece of software before; this is the future :) Like when the AI goes "Why won't you talk to me anymore?" .. brilliant stuff like only you can do... just gotta respect your genius
Love the minor feel of that minimise section, and that sbare that comes in mid verse is so satisfying. Your ideas folder is like the tardis, I swear.
Love the minor feel of that minimise section, and that sbare that comes in mid verse is so satisfying. Your ideas folder is like the tardis, I swear.
"I shrink down to an icon on the taskbar of your life" is a terrific line. Yeah, I totally get the 80s synthpop vibe. There's definitely something a bit Soft Cell or early Pet Shop Boys going on here, although it's very much all its own thing. Love the little squelcy lead synth line - perfect for Top of the Pops to zoom in on the keyboard player's hands just when they stopped playing it. Great stuff.
Oooh, early Human League sorta vibes. That snare is so cutting, such a great snap to it. It pushes up the danciness eight fold with that alone. I do love a good sad banger, and you've nailed that vibe here.
I feel the love in your voice. This really does play like a deliciously sad look back at a lost love. I guess CAD could be a metaphor for all the little things of our youth that now seem like distant memories. Anyway...it's a lovely song. The synth breaks are especially tasty, as is that chorus
As Ad says, early Human League sounds about right. Melodically perhaps a touch more of New Order actually - ditto the vocal delivery. Enjoyed this one!
The synth break after the first chorus (?) is awesome and it sounds authentically like you could have picked it up from a car boot sale in a job lot of lost classics. Really love the chorus melody, it's very uplifting, and the whispering! Wonderful. Should I feel worried for your computer - is this a confession to a discarded laptop or an app?
Dtsss Dtsss Dtsss Dtsss! That’s the snare I’m mimicking there. Not convinced I got the letters right but can’t think of any better ones. Love this anyway, duo meaning FTW. Sounds like an absolute corker dude!
Look at Mozart here showing off with his two note bassline. Come back to me when you've made a song with a one note bassline. Anyway, this is great, especially like that little post-chorus synth solo, and I like the lyrics a lot especially that chorus - "when I meet your eyes I minimise" is great.
oh wow i love these lyrics! 'the taskbar of your life' !
Oh I love the feel of this track! Great instrumental and excellent vocal performance. All the instrumental bits are super cool. The lyrics work really well with this electro music. Awesome song!
This works!
As an '80s music nerd, it's odd to hear late '80s bass with early '80s vocal stylings and drums - not to mention '90s computer references :p
It's great when a song comes together on its own like that! This has a sultry little vibe. Fun song, and fun, original lyrics!
Yea! The lyrics to the chorus are just fantastic not to mention that cheeky synth line right after. Really killer stuff that all centres around that cool synth bass!
I clicked on the title because I'm an optimization nerd and then I though that most people wouldn't write a song about optimization. Still I wasn't dissapointed, I loved the computer references in the lyrics, specially the Ctrl+alt+delete part. I like the bass and the synth after "I minimise" definitely some retro vibes.
Clever, clever, clever those lyrics. And yes, the bass is soooo effective. I just loved hearing all that synth love. Like a lot of people have already mentioned, it took me right into the 80’s. (Honestly, I’d love to see a video for it).
My wife and I have been married since 1992, and we both realize that we each do this to each other; cause each other to feel small. It’s on our watchlist for attention and permission to call it out. Your lyrics bring that tendency to light in a new way that will help me to be mindful of it every time I look at my keyboard.
the bass, the synths, it's a jam all alone and then you add the lyrics and it's just...brilliant. clever, poignant, and still a slick danceable pop. "I shrink down to an icon on the taskbar of your life" Truly Iconic.
HNNNNNGG, that chorus is FAWMgasm material. Just a killer, killer idea. Perhaps I could borrow your brain for a while sometime lol?
Love the new wave feel to this this track. The computer references in the lyrics are excellent. That solo is ace too. FYI any time you hear tape hiss on one of my songs, its completely an aesthetic choice and not my shoddy recording techniques. Honest.
Great lyrics and sounds. This all brings me all the way back to the 80s Britpop/NewWave era. Some fond memories here. Thx.
Love these clever lyrics!! Fun synth accompaniment. Really nice!!
So deliciously 80s--those synths are perfect! I love the POV in the lyrics. Everything fits together so well around that bassline. I'm glad you followed up on that first inkling of an idea, it came out great!
Yeah, tape hiss makes me nostalgic, too. These are awesome lyrics - you created a unique and delightfully odd breakup story. And what nifty synth sounds!
Lovely synths to get lost in. I'm really feeling the nerdy lyrics, very clever. How did you make the tape hiss FX?
2021-02-12 @ 07:29pm
tags:
FC: Bit of a weird time of my life I suppose. I'm trying to date again and I suppose I was having a bit of an existential crisis about it—not being worthy of love, etc. But then about 2 days later I had an amazing date so who knows?
Because I'm so busy (haven't even had time to song-comment this year, which I feel shit about) I sent the extremely basic demo to Vom and to @thelowestbitter (who has done a separate mix - https://fawm.org/songs/116846/).
VV: Seeing that Jed got his mix up first I felt a little anxiety about being the second version of this song that a lot of people will hear! But having now checked out the other version, they're SO different that hopefully people can get totally different things out of each one. I kinda wanted to try some dubby stuff on this but I don't really know what that entails so I think this actually ended up as something entirely different and I've no idea how to tag it. It was a lot of fun though, I love Anya's lyrics and melodies and I tried some unusual stuff with my arrangement.
Wired to the world
In its dismal sound
Unsleeved records
On broken ground
Under dust-light
Brushed with certainty
I know I’m compromised
Just like the city
Don’t let go
Not for any reason
Just don’t think about forever
At the beachcomb beach
I’m the hollowed out husk
of the burnt-out pier
With a concert island
of wooden spears
Big retail blossoms
Outside of town
Making my peace here
And I guess I’ll see you around
Interlocked
I’m fucking scared okay?
Little fingers of hope
Wow, this is pretty different from the other version! This would be a great tune played with a ukulele around the campfire, but I could imagine it being remixed forever. I'm not sure what to say, except that both versions have "hit" written all over them. There's something really haunting and poignant about the song, which takes if above the traditional pop tune, in my view. Kudos all around
Wow I suspected we’d have different takes on this but this is completely different. Did you slow the tempo down a little too by the sound of it? Anyway, some great stuff here, love that chunky synth bass, and that echoey guitar (is that the part I wasn’t allowed to listen to?). Love that acoustic too. Also your vocal coming in on the final chorus is ace! Great work
This has a darker, moodier feel than @thelowestbitter’s mix and both are beautiful settings for @frenchcricket’s lovely vocals/lyrics/melody. I love the breakdown thing at “interlocked...” and the kind of detuned sounding stuff and echoing acoustic guitar sounds. Really wonderful!
Woah! Two completely different takes and different songs. Something almost folky coming through in this melodies and arrangement of this version. In fact a lot of folkiness which is a really interesting sound as it’s mainly synths. Awesome!
Wow you two are one perfect friday evening listening combo for my ear. I haven't heard the other version, but i adore this. so really want to know how this came about. Its almost like i have no idea what genre i'm in. Such a groove but so melodic and the breakdown is to die for. Top work guys. Now i gotta delve and find the other version
Love this arrangement, such great effects that just bring it all together brilliantly, love the bass sound, the chorus is great. Super set of lyrics and you have done them proud, well done both
Love how dark and groovy this is! I also want you to know that I am listening to this Vom mix FIRSt, because I'm *different.* Anyway, this is very cool. Love how the "At the beachcomb beach" lines build -- I keep expecting it to *DROP* right after, so I extra love when the acoustic comes in after the second time, it's a neat subversion. Very cool lyrics and vocal melody that take on a neat sort of paranoid edge against this production.
Well you have said it, they (below) have said it, but i would like to also confirm that this is very difficult to @thelowestbitter's version too. IS THIS A BIT SLOWER? No but really, I love this one as well, so great how Anya's vocal works so well in the two styles, and I love how it's come together. The bass guitar (?) and bass synth paired together is great, and that acoustic in the bridge is really great too - love the whole watery feel of everything.
Woah, this really is different! Really like this version too. It's a testament to Anya's melodies that it works so well in two completely different styles - I imagine it'd work a thousand other ways too! Loads of cool little production flourishes. Enjoyed this!
Was thinking, "Why does this sound familiar?" And then saw the note/realized we listened to the other remix. It's always so cool to hear how different people work with a track that is already so awesome and interpret it their unique way. This has a completely more subdued and dreamy vibe than the other one we listened to, but is just as wonderful. Awesome stuff.
I love how you drop everything out for the beachcomb beach section. This version feels more almost steampunky somehow. Please don't ask me how. I like the sort of tape-y saturated feel, I think? God - I'm out of my commenting depth...
That was very nice, I really enjoyed the 80s style bass with all those floaty acoustic guitar sounds, that was a lovely contrast. The vocals really sit nicely in the centre of the mix and kudos for putting how you feel into word so nicely, good luck with the dating. This was my first listen of the remix, bet you can guess where I am going next.
I like this version. Good job done, both.
2021-02-13 @ 07:03pm
tags: four-people-video-collab
Go here: https://fawm.org/songs/117338/
Go here: https://fawm.org/songs/117338/
Comment here: https://fawm.org/songs/117338/
Thanks Tom for stitching this all together!
2021-02-15 @ 06:31pm
tags: chamber-pop indie-folk
VV: Woo, first Vowl Sounds song for a while! I played the piano part for this in one take and I'm very proud, I guess the lessons are starting to pay off.
owl: This is the poem referenced in the lyrics, I found it really moving: https://www.frontierpoetry.com/2019/04/19/poetry-brandon-melendez/
I love all the weird chord changes Vom wrote into this! Although it made it hard for me to find the right melody sometimes, I did a lot of taking my headphones off and humming the starting note before punching into sections! I added the pile of weird instruments (harpsichord, mellotron, cello, guitar) I've been in a mood for psych/60's chamber-pop stuff.
It's so boring to tell a story
With myself as the main protagonist
This plot doesn't move, these characters are useless
It would be easier if I didn't exist
I'll save it for my therapist
Waving to the cosmos, surprised when the cosmos waves back
A secret message in this blockbuster soundtrack
The sharp deja vu when you enter a room that you'd only seen
In forgotten dreams
I read a poem in which the phrase "I hate myself"
Was replaced with the words "I forgive myself"
It felt like a bird taking flight
So now it's a thought that I try
At least some of the time
Waving to the cosmos, surprised when the cosmos waves back
A secret message in this blockbuster soundtrack
The sharp deja vu when you enter a room that you'd only seen
In forgotten dreams
I held it in my mouth
Touched my tongue against the pain
Thought about how much of me I hate
If I tear it away
I could start changing
Waving to the cosmos, surprised when the cosmos waves back
A secret message in this blockbuster soundtrack
The sharp deja vu when you enter a room
That's heartbreaking blue with the sun shining through
Just like you'd seen
In forgotten dreams
Uh. Wow. That chorus is one of the best things (if not THE best thing) I've heard so far. What an incredibly beautiful song. I'm blown away by how good this is.
Stunning. That vocal leap in the chorus is beautiful. Really nicely put together - excellent.
Gorgeously dreamy! Vowl Sounds does it again. Absolutely love this. It has so much soul.
Oh, wow—those harmonies on “I could start changing”. I also love the sly, self-deprecating last lines several verses: “I’ll save it for my therapist” & “At least some of the time”. They really provide a slight accent and pause until the next section kicks in. It’s a beautiful collab—I love chamber pop. Also, the sound of the piano is so warm and dreamy. I just love this.
Yay, new Vowl Sounds! And this is GORGEOUS. Love the piano melody and the interesting, semi-baroque changes. @owl's voice sounds *LOVELY* on that high jump on the vocal chorus, and love those echoes of the "sharp deja vu." The melody on the verse ending couplets is especially pretty (and love the cello!) The whole arrangement is definitely dreamy -- the harmonies and layers on the bridge is great. The lyrics are really beautiful and hit v close to the bone. Very poignant, and love the glimmer of hopefulness. A lot of great lines, but the chorus is especially wonderful with the idea of being surprised when the cosmos wave back and that sharp deja vu line. Stunning stuff, you guys!
This sounds really good. Beautiful chord changes and oh so nice harmonies.
well you two, was always going to be good! Wasn't mistaken! very Belle and Sebastian ! excellent all round! one of my favourites!
‘ I held it in my mouth Touched my tongue against the pain’ oh man that kin of lyric slays me. Unfortunately the player won’t give me the audio, I’ll see if the wi fi is better somewhere else in the house.
Yes to chamber pop! This is lovely off the bat. I love the wistful lyrics and that chorus is top notch chamber lushness. That middle 8 is awesome... Beautiful work.
I’ve just realised how ruddy beautiful that title is, too!
Always love your collaborations. Beautiful dreamy chord journey that goes so well with the vocals and lyrics. Does definitely have a 60s chamber pop feeling. Great work, you two!
Adore the stately rumination of the numinous in this song. It has this wonderful drifty feel to it, bedded on that beautiful expansive EP sound. There's lots of room too for the cellos, harpsichord(!) and mellotron which are perfect for that 60s psych vibe you're looking for and make the listening experience so textured and continually interesting. It's a lovely melody too, perfect for such reflective lyrics. Great song, it really is.
such a great matching of voice and lyrics. deceptively simple. music and harmonies weaving dream like quality. owls voice really accentuates lyrics as does the beat of the music! great job!
Ooh, I'm really digging that progression and melody. I'm a sucker for a bit of Rhodes / Wurly piano so I was sold from the off. Lovely vocal work as always. Lyrics cracking too (I've just checked out the poem - I love that concept). Great work here.
This may shock you but I love a bit of 60s mellotron led chamber pop. Who'dve thought it! I really like the idea of writing poetic lyrics about a poem. Meta! The "sharp deja" bit is awesome and the section it leads into has a bit of a Brian Wilson feel to it. Loving the Vowl Sounds album, by the way!
The section from the "sharp deja vu" into the "I held it in..." and on till the end is wonderful. The whole song is great but that bit really stood out to me.
Love these lyrics That second verse is my favorite by far. ❤️ The arrangements got an updated-60s-hippie-rock feel to it that really really works with the message and is beautifully executed. Major props to both of you.
Wow, this is some crafty songwriting...there's so much going on. I confess that the lyric made me chuckle mordantly at the outset, the way Morrissey does sometimes...especially that line about the plot and the characters. The "sharp déjà vu" section takes an already strong song into the stratosphere. It's so beautiful, and I love the way the vocals overlap. So good!
Ah, great to hear you two collaborating again after the massive and ugly fall out following the tense recording sessions of Message Received. Love @owl's melody, here, especially the big jump in melody on the "sharp deja vu" line (not to mention the clever repetition of it). The progression on the bridge is especially great.. it might be reminding me of Mercury Rev or something, or maybe it isn't, I'M NOT SURE. You really do make a great pairing and can tell you work to each other's strengths so well.
This is a song that deals with important things that need to be said and shared. It's in listening to songs like this that I meditate on the power and importance of poetic writing - how it carefully chooses what to and what not to say, how it distils the very idea of ideas and hits us with just enough that we think and feel something - maybe. Looking at this, it seems to be made up of the same component parts as a hundred years of dry articles, cliches and the pat diction of everyday speech. I know these words. I've seen them before. I've even seen some of them arranged in a similar fashion. But I can't think of a single thing I would change here. Everything sits in such an authentic and beautiful place. This is a gorgeous song. The backing track is sublime, and effortless for all the new ground it is breaking. A perfect accompaniment for the words, they come together to create their own little microcosm, one in which I can disappear and engage with these thoughts and feelings, brought into the spotlight through your little co-creation. The poem itself was an interesting and suprisingly interactive piece, and I'm glad you linked it directly. But that's for another discussion.
The music is gorgeous and I love the arrangement. (Great use of the piano, too.) And the melody is just as gorgeous. I love your vocal here, Owl.
VOWL SOUNDS! This is really nice, love those keys and the harpsichord in the chorus is great. Awesome lyrics, particularly that chorus. Lovely chamber pop
Yay for Piano, as Owl said, some of the chord choices are great here. The chorus is just a superbly written section of lyrics from start to finish - I love how it totally retains a hooky chorus feel without being simplistic or formulaic at any point.
I like the layered, laidback arrangement, with the chord changes pulling the song along. Very cool!
You are having piano lessons and you haven't come to me!! ;-) . Took me a while to see you guys had collabed but I am rather happy you did. REally chilled but classic feel to this. Again i'd like to be hearing this on my beach in my hammock, but in my barn will do. The interwieving vocals on such a stunning melodic chorus is the winner for me . Well done guys
Vowl Sounds! You guys are so great individually; combine forces and ... cosmos waves back :) Love the echo in Deja Vu-bit; clever... Of course, the lyrics are incredible. Ahhh.. so good!
Niiiiiiiice! You all need to collaborate more often!
Wonderful world-weary and sophisticated progression, that epiano sounds so smooooth. "Sharp dejavu" round is absolute genius and the vocal melody for that part was fire. Very tasteful layering with the mellotron & cello, chamber pop aesthetic was a cool choice, fit really well. The lyrics ride a nice fine line between relatable and cloying/poetic
I love the first line of your chorus. I agree, there are some great chord progressions in that piano line, and there's just the right amount of that 60s chamber-pop flavor. I always enjoy your collaborations!
That’s a lovely melancholy track. I like the melody at “sharp deja-vu” and the backing vocals. I like the arrangement. The bridge is really good and builds up to the last chorus nicely. The additional inner rhyme/assonance in “That’s heartbreaking blue with the sun shining through” in the last chorus is really effective.
Ooh, what a lovely song. The choruses are really nice and pick up so well. The backing vocals really work well and the production is slick. Awesome
I'll echo the "lovely" sentiment. I particularly like the backing vocals on the "sharp deja vu" line. It's creative wordplay, but more than that it is just beautiful. The whole piece creates a lovely mood that it maintains throughout. Thanks for sharing!
The opening stanza's micro, the macro of the poetic chorus, the realization of the chorus. Well done. Great collab.
Love the chords you've used on this one, the chorus melody is great, but I think you need to pull back on the production as it doesn't allow the melody to shine and sounds a bit busy. Just my opinion of course... Ohhhh, nice bridge, especially the way it falls into it, very classy. I enjoyed the words too, it really felt like you were working through something in the verses and almost surprised that it was paying off in the chorus with the cosmos waving back. Enjoyed it a lot!
I am currently doing a tribute to the hippy ideal on the Seasons of the Ukulele on Ukulele Underground. Add a Ukulele and this would fit in perfectly. This would have been a massive hit in 1968. Gorgeous vocals and arrangement.
I listened to this one several times during FAWM but apparently each time was during a work time and I didn’t leave a comment. This is such a stunning song, but the instrumentation which is wonderfully dark, as well as the incredible vocal melody and lyric. I love the style of this song and am already looking forward to the next VS album!
2021-02-18 @ 04:34pm
tags: songfight indie-rock post-rock
VV: from the collaborators you may assume this to be a Vowl Sounds song, but it is NOT. This is a three way collaboration between the two of us and our off-FAWM-friend Mo (who guested on my 'Four Corners' last FAWM if you have an exceptionally good memory).
Mo: Bass, Drums, Bowed Acoustic Guitar, eBow Electric Guitar (+mix)
owl: Vox, Guiro, Synth, Piano
Vom: Vox, Electric Guitar, Lap Steel (+lyric)
Not sure if there's anything else in there. Might be.
owl: this came out cool, I'm quite pleased with it! I really like the lap steel and the fuzzy guitar parts and the bass and I think the harmonized vocals throughout worked surprisingly well.
I didn't think until it was too late
I might have known it was absurd
The two were tied together, so I can confirm:
My actions were no louder than my words
I let down my defences
with potential consequences
I didn't know until after the fact
but the pieces were all there
the unknown is better left alone
lest the darkness be laid bare
I let down my defences
with potential consequences
I let go of my senses
with potential consequences
between the event and the aftermath
lies the wrecked remains of me
not broken by the backlash
but the possibility
I let down my defences
with potential consequences
I let go of my senses
with potential consequences
I was not prepared for this. I don't know what I expected--but this is much darker. The drums are amazing. The whole thing goes around and around, gaining power all the while. So much of the music seems to be sort of subterranean, something you feel more than hear--and it certainly feels good (in an ominous way). I could ramble on, but I'll just hit play again. Before I go, let me note that great guitar and the elliptical lyric. I love a lyric that hints at things and does not explain. Actions no louder than words, ha!
There’s an interesting dynamic between the gloominess of the verse parts and the somewhat bright, maybe positive chorus—as if there’s a sense of acceptance after a period self-reflection. I like that switch back and forth. It feels like a release. ❤️
Firstly love the three part harmony right from the off and that drum rhythm is immense. I love the positive uplift as it arives at the chorus but guys musically everything just fits so well. Its a brilliant production to boot.
The chorus is so pretty, I'm not sure what that sound is but I guess it's one of Mo's parts (ebow or bowed guitar?) That kind of droney sound, it's lovely, and the melody is beautiful. I love how every time the chorus hits there's a little bit more there - more texture, then another arpeggio the next time. The tripled vocals are also a treat. Great song as always
What a fantastic production. Great lyrics and the layers of supporting music and voices fit so well together.
you cant go wrong when you have owl delivering the vocals. and it doesnt hurt that the lyrics are ace. i especially like the chorus,..then there is the depth and richness of those musical minds manipulating thier indtruments. so many fantastic sounds in e song.
Great job on the shared vocal duties. Somewhat passive delivery, but allows the listener to fill in their own emotional boxes hinted at by the lyrics. To me it feels like loss. Listened twice.
The solo and ebow guitar parts are awesome and the chorus melody (Let down my defences) really lifts the song off. And I really enjoyed the gradually added parts. If I was going to try anything with this song I would maybe play around with having some of the singing to be just one of you for a bit which would mean you could come back in onto a chorus with both and really go for it.
All the layers you've added together are beautiful. Such a rich sound. The lap steel is great!
The bass/drum combo is so good here, it does so much heavy lifting here but leaves wonderful space for the great vocal duo in the mix. There is a certain deadpan to the delivery of the vocals which works superbly against that. Great lyrics - love the line 'not broken by the backlash but the possibility' especially.
Loving the harmonized vocals makes It feel like it could be a song by the decemberists.
Love the male/female lead vocals and you're not wrong about the lap steel and fuzz. I think the live drums bring a really nice feel to this track. I also enjoyed the solo which seems to have come directly from 1967!
Loving that lapsteel again - it really does sound lovely. I'm also a sucker for a bit of eBow and it's deployed to great effect here! The tom heavy, almost tribal beat is another highlight. Finally, the two of you sound great together - but we already knew that! Nice work 😊
You really can't go wrong with a boy/girl shared vocal. Well ok, you can sometimes, but you two don't need to worry about that. This has such a lovely post-rocky vibe to it, it's equal parts light and dark in a weird kind of way. I hate to compare FAWM songs to other acts (ok, fine I do it ALL THE TIME), but it reminds me a little of Mogwai or The Album Leaf (LOOK, I just don't have the vocabulary to explain my thoughts in a more sophisticated way). I did NOT see how a lap-guitar would work, but alas it really does, allowing the chords to meld into each other beautifully.
Beautiful work, finely crafted and sweet production - love that frog/guiro , guitar solo at the end is killer. And of course everyone loves a bit of harmony the whole way. The chorus is just beautiful and catchy and warm, yep, stuck in my head now!
Lap steel comeback! Great collab... This is a really sweet song. Nice guitar breaks and great performances throughout. That chorus lyric is very cool.
Post-rock vibe (hints of the XX and the National), prominent melody (the two-vox guy-and-girl vocal works well) over an instrumental base with a relatively simple progression but lots of different activity happening in that space thanks to the really effective layering on layering on layering... (the tom fills, the different chorded instruments like the lap steel guitar, and that deeeeeep bass). I like. Muchly.
I really liked the overall vibe of this song, the drums, the touch that it gives the female-male vocals at unison, the guitar and how the song builds without sounding repetitive.
This is fantastic. I hope there will be more from this trio in the future!
Superb. That chorus is properly catchy - a lovely melody with a great rhythmic delivery. Vocals sound great together and the elongated guitar is awesome (presume the ebow..?). Excellent collaboration!
Incredible, the first thing that caught my attention was the how well your vocals sit together, Voms vocals sit so well in between owls harmonies in the centre of the mix. The second thing that struck was the shift in lyrical style, not the usual witty observation style but it felt more like you are getting something off your chest, which was really healtfelt and powerful. The music is brilliant from all of you and I love me a bit of ebow.
This will get my Songfight vote. Just great.
That drum part is super tasty. Listening to this song on headphones is interesting. The stereo image is SO wide that it's almost disconcerting. I kept trying to find the center of the image and I still don't know if there's ANYTHING in the middle. Very ear-grabbing production choice.
Oh dang, y'all, this is right in my post-rocky, shoegazey feelsy spot. The layered vocals and the blend of voices sounds so good, and when it brightens up at that chorus, it's so friggin pretty. The lyrics are great, but the chorus in particular is, in a word, perfect, as is that "between the event" section. The production is delicious, love the lap steel, the sustained guitar, the synth riff toward the end, and the off-kilter guitar/drum breaks -- just so many great touches make this so lush and dreamy. Gorgeous stuff, you guys!
Love your voices together. There are some really great sounds in this tune--the driving drumbeat, fuzzy guitars, lap steel, e-bow, and guiro are all distinct, but blend so well together. It's a dark, catchy, and lush. Really enjoyed this one,
love the dual vocals through the entire song, it works really well. So much cool stuff in this song - good to see that lap steel getting a proper workout, I love that ebow electric, and the synth textures throughout are cool and really well placed - especially that little fuzzy figure that comes in around the 3 minute mark. Great collab from the three of you
the vocal performance and harmonies are superb but that drum beat on the toms is top drawer. a really great example of minimal instrumentation and vocal perfomance bringing a song to life
Great harmonies and that steel guitar being put to very good use. Love it.
It has a nice Porcupine Tree vibe throughout, and a nice spring-y feeling with a bit of rain, a bit of sun, and a whole lot of mood.
2021-02-21 @ 05:54pm
tags: indie-rock rock ska baritone-guitar
VV: I received a track from @zecoop and used my exciting new writing trick (as developed on my collab with @paulh1237) where I basically recorded a few lines at a time of scratch vocals and then listened back and thought "where next?" like a lyrical exquisite corpse with only one participant. And the end result was this ridiculous lyric, with which I made myself laugh out loud at least once so realised I was probably on to something. I also added the bouncy organ and some extra fuzz guitar on the instrumental section. Thanks John for another inspiring track to work with!
Ze: SO glad to be able to work on a song with Vom again as he always brings a real sense of fun with a unique twist. And this song started completely differently than it ended up. I wrote the intro baritone guitar riff at 160bpm. Yep, this was going to be a loud fast burner...... and then the second guitar part showed up and everything changed. All of Vom’s additions are so good and just took to an absurd level if fun (and absurdity). Thanks, once again, for upping the game and having a go with my music! Whatever that method is, it is working!
Eastwood Sidejack Baritone guitar into a 1960's Traynor YGM-3 (with just a touch of Lovepedal Eternity Burst overdrive)
Epiphone Les Paul into a 1973 Traynor YGL-3
Harley Benton P bass into a YYZ pedal
1973 Ludwig Hollywood drumkit
(plus the cool organ and guitar solo that VV played)
I know you're tired, but hear me out
I've got a lot of things to be mad about
there's a bunch of stuff I need to get off my chest
I'll start you off with something small and then pile on the rest
if you're equal to the test
then may I please request...
I know you're bored, but wait a while
there's a ton of other grievances on the pile
your eyes are rolling and you can't disguise
that nothing that I've said is a shock or even a surprise
and you wish you'd got supplies
a milkshake or some french fries
anything to keep you conscious
while I keep on cracking wise
and I know I sound obnoxious
but I won't apologise
you took my hand, led me away
said you had plenty of time, just not today
I couldn't protest, you had the right
I know my tales of woe would have kept you up all night
so I didn't put up a fight
and before my thoughts could scatter
I headed home to write
surely my opinions matter?
I am large and strong and white
and you must hear my insights
and so it ends, as all things must
a book deal and a signing tour. it's only just
with my new earnings, a brand new car
to park outside
maison de you know who my parents are
cinema room, private bar
at the front door a gold star
from the advance for my memoir
and I know it makes you bitter
but you won't get very far
if you’re not verified by twitter
then you're not on my radar
does it make you feel even shitter
that you don't have your own brand of cigar
or employ your own outfitter?
well I bid you au revoir...
wow, this is great- a smart and snarky and fun lyric,perfectly delivered with so many great rock/pop hooks- love the whole vibe of the piece! great stuff! great guitar work, production, and singing as well!
This is the best fun! What a groovy guitar riff, and love the organ and the breaks. And wow, the instrumental in the middle! The lyric writing works!
Cool riff...I know your're tired but hear me out....things to be mad about....get off my chest....sounds good. break now...works well...guitar riff and vocals....plenty of time just not today...guitar...sounds good....riff...book deal...signing...love the vocals...okay it's over. Yes, it sounds good and when the follow the lyrics it's even amazing. Solid backing track....nice demo
Super catchy stuff here! That groove/lick is really contagious and a bit of a head-nodder. Put a big smile on my face, thanks!
Great stuff here! All around very well done song. It's great fun to hear
Great production and really cool track guys. Could totally imagine finding this off of a dusty basement LP from the 70s.
such a fun bounce with this. That guitar riff is gonna be stuck in my head for days.
Excellent. Really cool tune and a great riff. Love the off-beat organ part - gives it such a cheeky feel. The words are cracking and delivered beautifully. Really enjoyed it!
Love that baritone riff. Stacked vocals so nice and lush. Fun lyrics. I like when the parts really push and become a little frenzied and then drop off and then start the build again. Perfect collab.
I love how the melody sort of subtly goes up in the chorus line by line? That baritone delivers such groove at the slower pace and the guitarist great. Love how the story ends in the lyrics aha, a chuckle as always.
Oooh I think I like baritone guitars, what a great riff. Great song overall and I find it so amazing to hear how these collabs work out. Excellent stuff.
The guitar work on this is so good, I love it. Lyrics are amazing! I'm def going to try this trick at some point, brilliant stuff. Killer collab wow.
So bloody cool! Love the riff, love those half spoken verses that possibly shouldn't make sense, but somehow do. Lots of fun!
Best riff so far this year.
"if you’re not verified by twitter then you're not on my radar" Some of my favorite FAWM lyrics yet lol!
This is terrific. Love the riff, it grooves along like a boss. And I LOVE the lyrics and the vocal delivery!
This is an amazing match. Vom's acerbic storytelling and THAT riff from ZeCoop go together perfectly. You are really taken on the journey. Interesting creative process on the lyrics. That instrumental break is GLORIOUS. And that slightly demented Beatles ending :o This is crazy good. One of my fave collabs of 2021!
Ooh ska! I LOVE that baritone riff, so hooky and it works so well with the off-beat rhythm guitar. Reminds me of “Money” a little bit! The organ and extra fuzz guitar add a lot of richness and attitude. The lyrics and delivery are fantastically nasty and funny, I absolutely love the weird ascending BV’s at the end. Great collab guys!
Ooh, I like this! I love the concept for the lyric writing and it's obviously worked a treat as these are great! Magic guitar work throughout (as you'd expect!). Enjoyed this one - nice work both 😊
This is cracking. The music is pumping and your vocal delivery is awesome. I think I need to quiz you and @paulh1237 about this songwriting trick, I was googling scratch vocal throughout listening to this but not sure I got the jist of it. Do you basically just record a line, get it right then move on to the next and let it build up into a song? Do tell.
I listened to this yesterday, and must have forgot to comment hah! Such a fun song, and really crisp recording. The tension building moments and release just mega (on 'apologise' and 'insights'). The baritone riff gives the song a real unique indentity; not sure I've knowlingly come across a baritone guitar before.
That is some outstanding riffage, especially juxtaposed with the organ and crunchy ska guitar. Those parts where you're holding the same chord (I think) and throwing out lots of words are great. That verse about the book deal and maison de...made me laugh. This is damned good, and different from anything I've heard from you before. The lyric is deliciously biting
Oh, that baritone guitar riff is really rather lovely. The emphasis on the offbeat in the verses is nice, and the move into the chorus a bar early is equally as nice. Some excellent lyrics here, lolling at "does it make you feel even shitter / that you don't have your own brand of cigar / or employ your own outfitter?"
This is very cool indeed.
This is excellent - I love the groovy rhythm in the track and you both took me back to the great era of bands like madness. I loved line like ‘if you’re not verified by twitter then you're not on my radar’ - so true and a great bit of social commentary - ‘ surely my opinions matter?I am large and strong and white’ was another great one! Fantastic collab - wildly original :)
That baritone riff is fantastic and I love the ska groove of the verses. It really takes off when I moves to into the next section though. I often use that scratch vocal technique when I'm still writing the lyrics while working on the arrangement. I love that using it has sent the lyrics in such an unexpected direction.
Really cool new wave kind of sound that you have going on here. Yeah these lyrics are super fun and sucked me in, for sure. Hilarious how you came up with them. You guys do have a certain sound when you collab and I’m always into it. Great playing and song!
I'll second, or third, or whatever number we've got to, the love for that baritone guitar. Some awesome lyrics in this. "surely my opinions matter? I am large and strong and white and you must hear my insights" is great. Sweet collab
And I'll +[x] to love for that baritone guitar, that riff absolutely rips! Super digging the whole feel of this and that ska rhythm on the guitar and organ -- I may or may not have been very gently skanking at my desk. The kick-up into the chorus is fantastic, as is that friggin' sweet noisy breakdown. The lyrics are great with some utterly brilliant lines, and @vomvorton's delivery is fantastic, just spot on (love the sound of the layered vocals, too.) This collab, in a word, ruled.
"surely my opinions matter? I am large and strong and white and you must hear my insights" DYING!! Another fab collab here. Has a Cake feeling, but much better. Better than cake. Like, it's ice cream cake with extra sprinkles and frozen whipped cream topping, not that nasty sugary frozen frosting crap they've been using lately, not that I eat a lot of ice cream cake to know or anything IT'S JUST THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT IT, OKAY??? 🍰
The organ between the verses is really awesome! Everything comes together really well. Love the doubled up vox on this!
Absolutely wonderful lyric (I love Vom's humour and unique perspective) and vocal performance. The music is fantabulous! That growling riff throughout is truly dangerous (in a good way)! Superb collaboration. 😊
Ah you two this is superb. I love the lyric on this one. so creative. and that verse chug rhythm works a treat. too much good stuff going on here. The move to the more driving chorus almost evokes 60's spector type build. That riff on the verse so totally unique and then the vocals with those delivious harmonies works a treat. Well done guys
Guys! The funk. The funk! THE FUNK! It's here. Right here! This is so badass. That guitar riff is the king of all the hills. The middle section is killer. Lyrics are flippin' ace, as is Vom's vocal (the bv's are doin' the do as well). This is a winner.
Great song. This has a great groove and great melody. Strong lyric too. It's got it all.
Guys this is a SUPER collab. I love every element - the lyrics are delightfully funny, dark, tongue in cheek, full of bitterness and awfulness haha. There’s something of Zappa here; and some Say Anything. Brilliant work. Musically, wow - that baritone guitar intro is just such a great lick. Then the drums and the offbeat rhythm part - instant stank face. The changes come sooner than you expect which is brilliant, it jumps in and out of sections with gay abandon. Lovely. As expected, the drum parts are spot on and full of great touches. Culminating in that great wig out instrumental stretch with Vom’s fuzzy additions. Can I hear a whole EP of this please??
Inspired collab, and I love the story behind it, too. That is one awesome and rocking combo of instruments. Sharp lyrics, some real bite to them. Good stuff!
2021-02-23 @ 07:45pm
tags: country-pop indie-rock ba-ba-ba
VV: When we were paired together for the video collaboration challenge Ashley mentioned that it'd be cool to do another collaboration together too and I was extremely keen also! I love the song that she sent over to work on and I had great fun putting together an arrangement and then also adding a ton of fun harmonies later on! I hope I did the song justice, I love it so much.
LOM: In the spirit of FAWM 2021 being the year of me being the collab I want to see in the world, I was so thrilled Tom was willing to collab with me and was into the song! He's another person I'd been wanting to collab with for a few FAWMs now, and this was so fun to work on. I sent him the demo as just vocals and acoustic with the idea of having his voice serve as the kind of "conscience" of the lyrics/narrator. He then spun it around with all of the great instrumentation and the harmonies that really gives it such a rich, fun, shimmery vibe. I can't say *for sure* that my inner voice sounds like a harmonizing Wall of Voms, but let's just say I wouldn't be mad if it did! Thanks again for working on this with me and bringing it to life!
I took a long ride
To the short cut
Straight up the 5
Yreka or bust
And all around me were
Red light flashing
And Mercedes crashing
(In blazes of glory
Raining down money)
And I was thinking
“What am I thinking?
If anything’s missing
It isn’t behind you
So why’re you driving
Yourself up the highway
Yourself up North
Yourself up the wall?”
‘Cause after all of this time
Somethings
Somethings
Still stick in your mind
You rob yourself of a
Fresh new start
The more you let
Collect in your heart
So kick off your cement shoe blues
Your magnet pointing true North
Only weighing you down
And pulling you back
It’s time to finally
Make a break for it
Break away
Easy for you to say
Eternal recurrence
That’s one way to put it
I’d say it’s more like
I never can learn
And all my edges are frayed and jagged
Running myself ragged again and again
(You look like you’ve been dragged
Through a hedgerow backwards)
And my ma said “follow your compass”
But I think mine’s busted
It keeps pointing back
Instead of ahead
So I just keep going ‘round
And around
This roundabout
And can’t find the exit
‘Cause after all of this time
Somethings
Somethings
Still stick in your mind
You rob yourself of a
Fresh new start
The more you let
Collect in your heart
So kick off your cement shoe blues
Your magnet pointing true North
Only weighing you down
And pulling you back
It’s time to finally
Make a break for it
Break away
‘Cause after all of this time
Somethings
Somethings
Still stick in your mind
But you can still forget
Your patterns aren’t set yet
Get some new programming
And just hit reset
And rip off your bandaids
Your wounds have healed anyway
You’re only still wearing them
For sentimental reasons
So wipe off the sticky stuff
And greet a brand new day
Easy for you to say
Easy for you to say
Easy for you to say
I took a long ride
To the short cut
Following my busted compass
What a great melody and your voices go so well together. Wonderful arrangement and it just flows so naturally! Wonderful song and just a classic that I would love an album of. I guess the steel guitar was what put the country tag in? Certainly more 60's pop to me combined with modern indie - whatever - genre are for losers, right? It is just great.
This is so beautiful! @loveonamixtape you sound a lot like Jolie Holland at moments (but always very much yourself!) Super beautiful melodies and the free-rambling road trip lyrical reflections are complemented perfectly by the flowing production. Great collab, really gorgeous!
Folks, this is so much fun. Those lyrics are brilliant and keenly observed and the whole thing is delivered with panache and aplomb. Absolutely brilliant, instant download. And for some reason I'm now thinking of the Jasper Carrott sketch: "My mother in law's never had an accident. She's *seen* loads..."
So ... I put this on, then got a little distracted for a minute by a work message, and I completely forgot I was listening to a FAWM song. Easily one of the best things I've heard this month. Amazingly complete recording/arrangement/production, but it's super catchy and the lyric flow there, too. It just hits on every cylinder.
Guys I’ll just start with , this is superb . It has such a classic feel to it but love the detail in the lyrics . You guys harmonise so perfectly . This is my last tune before bed and I can now sleep with a massive Fawm smile on my face . Superb
Strong Chrissie Hynde vibes? Great arrangement, excellent vibe...Good Show All Around!
Wow! Love it. Amazing lyrics amazing arrangement amazing performance. Would add to my driving playlist :D
Americana from across the pond. Nicely done!
This is awesome! Love how the lyrics keep sliding into each other, even between one singer to another. And the whole structure and arrangement is a complete delight
Some excellent Americana feels on this one, love the ramshackle feel of that loose rhythm, really fits the vibe beautifully. Ashley's vocal is once again so captivating, and Tom's BVs come and go at perfect times. The jump into falsetto in the choruses is especially cool, love that. The return of the lap steel is always welcome.
Cool collab! Love the way the bass pushes this along and that backing vocals are lovely. "Dragged through a hedgerow backwards" made me smile. Its cool how you've included such a quintessentially British expression in a song that otherwise feels like you're driving down an American highway!
Very nice feel to this right from the get go. The song just moves with nice changes in dynamics. Great ending too.
LOVE the pretenders vibe in this collab - great flow through all the sections. the lyric/vocal melody/duet vox really help drive that a lot. great work!
This has a great easy loping feel. That eternal recurrence verse had me laughing. It's all so sweetly melodic and hopeful. You guys sound great harmonizing together. I love the "easy for you to say" part. I guess it's not really an optimistic song after all, but it makes me feel good
Ah yes, what a pleasant sound. The hook works wonders. And the layers of orchestration embrace you like a warm blanket. Everything so jaunty and still chill. Like a brisk walk when you're not in a hurry to anywhere. Your wounds have healed anyway... what a great idea!
Oh yes, lots to admire here again. Fabulous arrangement and some great vocal work throughout. More of that wonderful lap steel too - yes! Nice work.
Cool choice to make the title line a response to the backing vocal. My favorite lyric was the bandaid stanza. Nice tune!
This feels Scottish to me! In the fact so much Scottish indie has had a country tinge. Great to hear more slide guitar and really enjoyed this. 2021 has been a year of absolutely stonking collabs!
This is a warm hearth fire of a tune. It's so cool how it builds up to the crescendo with all the piano, and the sliding guitars and vocals. The "Wipe off the sticky stuff" line made me double-take, great line, that.
This is such a cool collab, love the driving bass line, and those acoustics sound great. Ashley's vocals are great as always and I love the extra BV/harmony parts from Tom. Great lyrics too. That lap steel is really cool, you should keep chucking in on everything. That chorus is so stupidly catchy
There is a lovely blend when your vocals come together, I can almost see you on stage together. The first melody line on the chorus is killer, great note you end on with that one and you deliver the song title really well. It made me wonder why I hadn't heard it as a song title before. Backing vocals are coming though a bit Coxon-like to my ears :) This song has a lovely bouncy quality!
2021-02-26 @ 11:00pm
tags: songskirmish skirmish ss022621a synthpop
Damn, I've not done a skirmish in a while. This was intense. Mix is probably a big old mess...
(edit - fixed a couple of timing issues post-skirmish just so I could live with leaving this up here)
I want to know my name
will it remain the same?
I guess I can adapt
though it will be strange
please confirm the facts
so I know how to act
we have to keep looking forward
now that there’s no way back
I’m not the man you know
I’m not the man I used to be
All my senses
declared mutiny
No offence
This whole thing’s new to me
Can you please help
with my new identity?
will I be recognised?
still something in my eyes
or will I be a stranger
with all that that implies
will nobody remember
me in my former splendour?
will everything be erased
will this be forever?
in a funny way its a bit like my story /lyric excellent production in such a short time, great guitar and lovely pace change. Nice!
Production sounds more than fine for skirmish. The questions are deep and searching. Great work for a skirmish track!
Makes me think of someone facing marriage. Or wondering what you'll be like when you get old. I like it!
I had no idea where this was going, but it ended up a delightful El DeBarge meets Pet Shop Boys meets deep contemplative meditation. Can't believe you got this all out of a skirmish!
ooh i love the echoey spacey sound of this! it kind of sounds like it could be a david bowie song. the chorus is so cool with the panned voices. really great sound and the lyrics are so intense and cool.
That is phat synthesiser... favourite part is the double speed chorus - rapid fire delivery and the lyrics. Cool skirmish! Also I see this skirmish = FAWM 2021 win. Bravo Tom, bravo.
I like the echoes in the vocals. They give a nice sense of space and possibilities.
These are some amazing lyrics - I really love “will nobody remember me in my former splendour”. Seconding the praise for the echoes in the vocals. The chorus particularly is just really cool and catchy. Beautiful production too - this is so cool. Thanks for skirmishing with me today!
Strong lyric. It's descriptive without being specific so we can make up our own "facts". The double time chorus/bridge is very cool. Requires a listening gear shift. Good work.
I love this very much, listened twice. The synth pop is strong, and I love the line “or will I be a stranger with all that that implies”. Great skirmish
Very interesting, questioning and the music matches the vibe perfectly. Great take on the theme. Kudos :-)
Love the echo-y vocals in the verse, and the harmonies. The back of the mix back faster pace vocals are an absolute treat too, that's clever!
The music here is nice soft synthpop goodness. Warm mix that really fills up my headphones quite pleasantly.
Great result! Nice bit of synthpop. That chorus is catchy and great feel.
I'm in from the off here - that sweet guitar over the gated synth with the clicky percussion. That bouncy bass line is cool too (gated again maybe?). My first skirmish comment for the year (probably my only one at this point let's face it!) - enjoyed this one!
If it weren't for the Pure Shores-y synths this would sound like Yo La Tengo, but the mix of twangy guitars and ethereal synths give it a walk on the beach feel for me. The dystopian direction that the lyrics go in give an interesting contrast. If this was made in an hour (I'm assuming that's still the rule for your average skirmish? correct me if I'm wrong) then this is incredible
Love that wub wub wub bass and the general echo-y atmosphere that you've got going on here, like it was recorded in a canyon.
that stuttering synth bass sounds so cool, this is strong skirmishing. The guitar stuff is neat too. Love the vocal treatment on this - really great production, especially for a skirmish
This sounds great, I can’t believe you came up with this in a skirmish! The vocal rhythms in the chorus are just fantastic snd I love the insistent but airy instrumental. The guitar/synth combo is lovely.
2021-02-27 @ 02:45pm
tags: emo album collection short-songs sad
My relationship ended recently. We got together before my first FAWM in 2008 so this was a weird one for me, whenever I sat down to attempt to come up with any lyrics I just wrote down heartbroken, wallowing bullshit that I didn't really want to admit to, or inflict on anyone else.
But... in the spirit of catharsis, or something, I figured I'd dump it all into one song and get it out of the way. I was going to do a 10x10 but it ended up not being that focused or disciplined. Unfortunately. You might want to... not listen. But if you do, when you're thinking "fucking hell, this is pathetic" - yes, I know. But my "song ideas" document is nice and empty now so I guess some good came out of it.
1.
all I wanted was to grow old with you
that ship has sailed
my life is littered with the things I tried to make you happy
I guess I failed
2.
I was empty for a while
Completely hollow
And now I've filled back up
With sorrow
And I'm not sure which is worse
3.
I know the future's gonna suck
Yeah it's gonna be rough
You're not coming back
Except to maybe get your stuff
4.
I've done all the things
That I'm supposed to do I think
I've grown out my beard
And I've had too much to drink
I've tried to reconnect
With friends I haven't seen
I let the house get dirty
because it hurt to make it clean
5.
It was inevitable
And yet unexpected
Now I'm miserable
On top of dejected
And i don't know how to act
I didn't even realise those things stacked
6.
it’s time to admit it
I’m a mess and
it can’t wait another day
I can’t make it through
a piano lesson
without being asked if I’m okay
no matter how well I play
7.
the tick turns blue, but nothing
I guess everything ends
but despite the situation
I hope that we’ll stay friends
8.
There's a fog in the air
And a wave of despair
Covers me for the tenth time today
There’s ice in my head
and I’m staying in bed
till the frost in my veins goes away
but I can’t blame the weather
forever
my whole life will take a beating
I guess it’s time I gave into peer pressure
and turned on the central heating
9.
it’s a cliché but it’s true
I could get through anything as long as I had you
you were the parachute
I pushed my hopes toward
but in your absence nothing happens
when I pull the cord
10.
Things will get better, they say
Before long it will all be okay
Right now I'd settle for feeling
a little less worse than yesterday
That opening line hits pretty hard. I love pathetic songs, though I don't usually have a connection to the person who made them. There are lots of gems here, though it's tough knowing that there is real pain behind these little vignettes. The last line hits pretty damned hard too. I hope you're okay. Your idea file isn't empty. You have ten song seeds waiting to be planted. I really like the low key production here, the way different acoustic guitar lines frolic in each ear. I need to up my drummer game. You've told me before, I think, but how do you do it?
Great tempo changes...and chord progressions. Wonderful job.
Bravo on your catharsis and sharing with us. I like miserable ... and there are lots of cool ideas here!
this is brutal—but in a really satisfying way (for us). It's great that you used a similar setup for each of the songs as it has a strange unsettling continuity through theme and timbre. So many brilliant lyrical observations—'the tick turns blue but nothing'. A small thing but quietly devastating. I'm glad your piano teacher is nice. I let the house get dirty / because it hurt to make it clean is a fantastic metaphoric transference. Just some absolutely brilliant writing. I'm sure it was painful as heck for you to write this stuff, but I really appreciated your vulnerability and I'm sure others did too.
Hugs <3 this is really heartbreaking, I’m having a hard time commenting on it because I keep saying things that imply things I don’t mean. Like “it’s hard to hear you being so sad” but it’s actually more that it’s hard to know you have to be in a situation that makes you feel this way. But it helps me sometimes when I write a song that lets some of those painful circular thoughts actually exit my head, I hope it helps to get these out! I think the format works really well, but if you wanted to expand any of these mini-songs to full length they’d be a masterpiece as well. #1 and 3 really capture the despairing feeling of running back into all those bits and pieces of life together. Beautiful use of metaphors and little details, the blue tick, the parachute, the slow freezing. There are a lot of great details in the guitar parts and rhythmic changes but they do all feel like they fit together in a way that I guess a “standard” 10x10 doesn’t. I’m sorry that you are full of grief but I do also appreciate the vulnerability and hope the catharsis of expressing it helps.
So many lyrics really hit home here. Especially the whole of song 2, alongside the parachute imagery. I have a real case of the feels. From a musical point of view this is just a masterclass, honestly, the acoustic guitars pile up and pull back wonderfully and I adore the little tweaks in timing and rhythm between sections to keep them completely cohesive but each unique. The vocals are wonderfully raw.
There's a lot of great lyrics in this and I really feel the emotion you've channeled into it. It's beautifully put together, engaging all the way through. That last 'track' is heartbreaking. It's definitely some of your best work this year and does justice to the meaning behind it. Thanks for sharing this.
This is pretty heart-wrenching, and I do hope you found some catharsis at least in getting the words down on the page. Impressed with how you've stitched together all this vignettes into a cohesive piece. Let's go visit the orb together one day x
Blimey, some of those lines are just heartbreaking. I really hope you did find getting it all out there cathartic in some way. As has already been said you've done a great job in making this actually feel like one coherent piece of work - a journey if you like. I always think the breakup of a long term relationship is similar to grief and the feelings come in waves - which in my mind is what the different little sections are - distinct snapshots of grief. It's a really powerful piece of work is this x
Wow, this is really gutting and really brilliant. Full disclosure: I tried to listen to this yesterday and couldn't get all the way through because it was all hitting me a bit too hard -- this is powerful stuff. There's such beautiful and impressive guitar work throughout and wonderful melodies and just heartbreakingly well-rendered observations. As @owl said, every single one of these could be expanded into a brilliant full-length song, but the whole thing works really well as a cohesive piece as-is, too, and captures a slow progression through stages of mourning and processing a loss. Like I said, a lot of brilliant and heartbreaking observations throughout, but for some reason the piano lessons lines really got to me, and then the slight hope of the last lines. *hugs* I'm sorry you're going through this. I hope it helped in some way to get it out into these brilliant bits of music, but I know it doesn't always. But I appreciate that you were able to, at least, since you've managed to spin your feelings and experiences into some powerful music and an act of generosity by letting us hear it. <3
Great lyrics and some awesome muscail swings. Love No 8...that's a full song in the waiting
genius.
A Vom song without puns?! My dad always used to say that Dylan wrote his best albums when he'd mess his life up. Dare I say it but the seeds of songs here may be amongst your best work, the subject seems to lend gravity to the guitars and drums. The transition from the slow beauty of 5 into the taught and frenetic 6 is a particular highligh, but it's all really cool. Also, maybe giving PAndAz album Soz a spin might help, cos nobody sucks at relationships and dealing with breakups more than Dave.
I didn't know what a 10x10 was and I was pleasantly surprised by how different all the sections were from one another. There's so many good ideas in here that could be developed into songs in their own right. A couple of the highlights for me were the "piano lesson...no matter how well I played" and the "grown out my beard... had to much to drink" parts.
Listened to this a few days ago but didn’t have time to leave a meaningful comment at the time - but wanted to make sure I did. I think Fawm is the perfect place for these kinds of songs/emotions. One of my previous Fawm’s took place directly after a breakup, and in hindsight, it was so unbelievably helpful to have something to pour myself into and get things out - plus the community was so supportive. I hope you’ve found it to be helpful In some way too. Sometimes life can be real shit, and then it inspires something awesome - like this.
Really sorry you're going through a tough time right now, as others have said hope you felt some sort of release from getting this stuff out there but I realise that's not often how it works. From a FAWMing point of view, all of these songs are great and fully worth exploring further, but that may be my emo biases showing through. I always love a bit of emo. I also think these songs are great if you don't do anything else with them - you could've easily posted this as ten separate short songs and I wouldn't have felt short changed and would have found stuff to comment about each one. Some of this reminds of Mallard on Miserable Fuck, track 5 in particular feels like it could slot in right between Competition Man and Sugarcoat. I'm really enjoying all of these acoustic songs a lot - it's not something I hear you do a lot but you're really good at it. I also like how - like Dave - you've written all these heart-wrenching songs but can't resist the occasional wry, darkly humorous line like "I guess it’s time I gave into peer pressure and turned on the central heating". Anyway, I really liked all of this. I'm glad it made it out of your song ideas document
What an amazing piece of work, the album idea itself completely saves it from any accusations of self pity. Pop music wouldn't exist without breakup songs, they're it's food and drink. But they are such starndard fare it's possible to hum them quite happily and not connect with any emotion. I can't say that here. After getting through three songs of different tempo in 60 seconds I'd discovered the turmoil in your head. Some lovely music here, and a lot of stark reality, shades of Jarvis. I hope it did you good writing this, it is a brilliant piece. And with music you will always have contacts and opportunities to move on after your breakup..
Man, breakups are tough, but they also provide sparks and kicks - to change, to tap into emotions, an outlet for creativity. I absolutely love what you’ve done here. The short sharp blasts of ideas, feelings, memories, bitterness, reflection, it perfectly encapsulates the emotions of that immediate post-break up mentality. There are some really gems in here too that could easily be fully fleshed out, but this works as a piece all in itself. Some great lyrics too, but my favourite section is “my whole life will take a beating I guess it’s time I gave into peer pressure and turned on the central heating”. Thematically, I love that the acoustic guitar runs throughout to connect it as a whole. I’m sorry for your heartbreak but also really appreciate you being able to share it through your musicality. Good luck with the future- I’ve no doubt positive times lie ahead!
I’m sorry to hear about your breakup. Well done putting it in writing and making a song of it, that definitely can help with getting over it. And apart from that I totally enjoyed the listen, there are absolutely good ideas in there and you could work them out as complete songs.
One description of art I’ve related to in the past is that artists are pain eaters who consume hurt and transform it into art. For what it’s worth, this is some beautiful pain eating. Not a stem in here I wouldn’t consider worthy of expansion. I sincerely hope it brought you as much peace is making them as it brought us fulfillment listening to them.
I've listened to a few 10x10s this FAWM - never tried it myself. I really like what you've done here - each one is different but still you. And they all hang together to tell a story and to capture all the conflicting feelings and weirdness of a breakup. A lot of musical catchiness and great lyric lines in here.
2021-02-28 @ 04:56pm
tags: shoegaze songfight
VV: More Vowl Sounds! Situations out of our control forced some concessions on this one but I think we got away with it, shoegaze is an excellently forgiving genre ;)
Poolside
1989
He said
You've got the look
Divine
In Calvin Klein
A handshake
And that was all it took
I was a child model
Candy
My closest friend
On film
Illumination
Flat chest
Gap tooth
A smile
That swept the nation
Backstage
Getting our makeup done
She says
If I weighed ten pounds less
I'd be beautiful enough
To ruin the world
I was a child model
This is the most shoegaze thing I've heard so far this FAWM and has that perfect refreshing cascadey feel to it. Love those guitars and how the vocal is mixed just that but quieter for that authentic sound. This is absolutely adorable.
This is great. You pulled it off for sure, I love the scene you’ve set up here with the lyrics.
Really cool vibe! The energy keeps me rolling along...
I've already listened twice. This is one of my favs from this crop of fawm songs by anybody. Those guitars and dreamy vocals are perfection. Love the guitar hook. Maybe you could tab it for me :) Beautiful enough to ruin to the world! Ooh...love that! This is my second "shoe gaze" song of the day. I don't do genres but it seems clear to me that I like shoe gaze, if this is what shoe gaze sounds like. I always pictured it as being more plodding.
This sounds awesome! Not sure what those concessions were
this is very good! you know just from the build intro! You guys work so well together. No finer collaborators this year! a real life lyric tops it off. This is perfect
This is some first rate shoegaze. Loving the guitars and dreamy vocals. There's an economy of words in your lyrics that I really admire, especially because they paint such a complete picture. Great work, both.
Fun California guitar sounds here. Obviously, the "ruin the world" line is amazing. What wreckage a little i in those three words creates! Great innocent vocal, even though one guesses the former child model no longer is innocent.
Lovely indie/shoegaze feel and @owl ‘s vocals almost give you chills on this one. Not sure what concessions were made but this is dreamy and wonderful.
Oops accidentally hit post on my phone but wanted to add I love the harmonies. So light and spot on for the genre.
Ah you've gone for the more Twisterella-style shoegaze here. I love a bit of upbeat and ethereal indie-rock and this is boner-poppingly good. The bassline changing over that repeating chorus guitar riff is a high spot for me, and when it goes cathedrolic for the post-chorus/outro part, that's the money right there. I would never have written a lyric set as good as this had I attempted it, so I'm glad I didn't bother. "Poolside" is not a word I hear often, and yet the Nu Shooz album of the same name happens to be my most played album of this week. What a coincidence. I think this is my favourite VS tune this month.
Hooray for Vowl Sounds! I'm well into the clean jangly guitars living alongside the dirty, distorted guitars. A great pairing as also, and I love @owl's vocal here, it's probably a mixture of performance and production values, but it sounds so different to usual. The power-pop vibes on the choruses are really great especially.
Aw, this is a great tune to put out right at the close of the month! Love the guitar work throughout. The lyrics are really cool. So sparse but they paint the picture so well. Loving the VS album, btw!
Oooh I love when the big chords come in and it just lets go at the beginning. That offbeat guitar riff is killer tool, and the slight distance in the vocals is super fitting. Did I mention that @owl is quite good at the vocals thing?
That guitar is so yummy from the get-go, especially when the fuzz comes in. Giving me tinges of the peppier Yo La Tengo and just all the 90s indie good stuff. @owl's breathy vocals are so perfect on this. That ascending build at the end of the verses is gorgeous. The harmonies at the end and the holding out of the last lines right back into the main riff *chef's kiss*. Dreamy af, you guys!
Dreamy, spacey, thick, sometimes all at once. That ethereal voice sings somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. Images are blurred and burnt through. I have no idea how many days have passed.
Love how the words on this are both minimal and full of details, like peeking into a diary of bullet points. I really enjoyed reading the words, particularly the bridge (?), which really conjures up a visual image as well as an emotional feeling from both characters. Maybe they had never thought about losing 10 pounds, but now it plays on their mind, a great evocation of lost youth and innocence. The exit from the bridge is a real high point for me, Vom's vocals start to pop out of the mix complimenting the lead vocal and it skyrockets up into the clouds. Great tune, the music works so well with and lifts off when it needs to, masterful!
Wonderful imagery in the lyrics and the guitars are perfect. A fine blend. Good stuff.
This is just magic! Reminds me a little of Alvvays. The vocal treatment is a bit different here right? Really liking the result. Some great guitar work throughout too. Loved this one.
This is lovely. Superb vocals, lovely music. Spot on!
These lyrics are great. Very cool concept. Wanted more bite and then 1:15 gave it. Diggin the shoegaze. Be cool to hear this beefed up - loads of potential
The backstage verse is sad but I wonder if it isn't a dominant thought. I love the shoegaze vocal. Reminds me a little of the singer from pinkshinyultrablast which is probably my fave shoegaze band.
You both have such a knack for writing what sound like effortless pop tunes. I love the way the noisy intro gives way and fades into the more airy verse. Some really pretty melodies both in the vocals and the guitar lines, plus the lyrics are very evocative
The indifference and coinciding fixation on the world. Wanting to beautiful enough to ruin not rule the world. Setting off the glamour imagery of instant and fleeting fame.
Hit that random button and stranded here. Interesting topic and great music. I like that dreamlike feel the effects on the guitars, these high vocals. This reminds me so much of Asobi Seksu! Downloaded!
Same story - once again, another song that I loved but due to circumstances out of my control, was unable to comment. This ticked a ton of boxes for me. Great style, awesome dream pop /shoegaze and this vocal hooks are awesome. That was all it tooooooooook. ❤️ Fantastic top to bottom
2021-02-28 @ 06:33pm
tags: disco indiepop dance-pop
VV: Party on, FAWM! This year has been all about collaborations for me and I'm glad I got to finish off on the last day with two of my favourites. Anya sent me this as a pretty-much-complete instrumental, and said "it's in B Dorian". So obviously that steered my lyric writing, and the result... was very fun indeed to make. I also added the fuzz solo!
FC: all of the magic in this is down to VV! I just sent him a daft disco track and said 'what can you do with this?'
you work out
exercise
you diet
and compromise
I sleep in
stay out late
drink too much
dehydrate
you declare
it isn't fair
debauchery
gets you nowhere
the secret
of my good looks?
Oscar Wilde
audiobooks
we can weigh up our lifestyles
but who is keeping score
were my tales of corruption
more than you bargained for
behind your yoghurt and yoga you’re shielding
but there’s a secret weapon I’m wielding
you relax
meditate
yoga class
exfoliate
I deep fry
socialise
bloody mary
dirty fries
you're uptight
it isn't right
caffeine
keeps you up all night
what keeps me in
such good shape?
Oscar Wilde
books on tape
everyone makes their choices
we have suffered, we have sinned
we scale back our excess
or throw caution to the wind
you display the discipline I lack
I have a different definition of six-pack
you work out
meditate
you diet
exfoliate
I deep fry
stay out late
bloody mary
rehydrate
you declare
it isn't fair
debauchery
gets you nowhere
I'll change your life
lead you astray
with my recording
of Dorian Gray
JAMMING THIS OUT MY TOYOTA and winking at people the grocery store parking lot! FIRE
This is great! love the whole concept, and the lyric and music are a perfect fit! What a blast! Oscar Wilde, would approve, i think! excellent job all around on everything!
This is such a fun quirky upbeat song! Love the contrasts and contradictions! Delightful delivery! Fantastic music and spectacular vocals. Kudos to you both!
Well, naturally I couldn’t resist “Disco. Fun? Yes. Quirky? No doubt. Hilarious!
Well this hit me blindside and made me smile. I love the off the wall lyric and the upbeat disco gem. Great collab
This has an 80s Madonna vibe to it, and sorry if that isn’t a compliment for you but it is in my book. Love the lyrics/concept and is definitely something I want to dance to. Someday we need to make a FAWM greatest dance hits compilation where this surely belongs.
Right from the funky percussion intro I am so on board with this one. Awesome bassline. All the twinkly bits dancing around in the left and right sides are magical. This has a very SFA-like playfulness in both the music and lyrics of which I am a huge fan. In fact I even feel a bit of Ian Durie in the vocals too. All round brilliance.
This is wild! It's just so..... high spirited. Must have been lots of fun putting together, this is unlike anything I've heard either of you make I think, so I'm very impressed. You want a comparison? FINE!! US Girls. Ok?? Happy now?
Great collab. Love how jaunty and 80s this feels! Very witty lyrics (particularly the six pack) and the backing has such a great groove to it.
I feel like if the Pet Shops Boys had more of a sense of humour, it would sound like this. Love the short stabby verse lyrics to match the disco feel. Bloody Mary - Rehydrate is the key message I've taken from this. So. Much. Fun.
You two really are a match made in poptastic collab heaven. its so insanely upbeat my morning brain is confused ;-) . funky 80s but with so much more. Suuuuperb
OOOOH I recognise that beat. One of my favourite from the ableton disco pack. Of course you had to go and make disco all complex and clever clogs and full of stuff like "Chord Progressions" and "Chords" and "Progression". Anyway, this is great, the bass in particular sounds fantastic in this, but all the synth stuff is super cool too, especially the chorus synths. That fuzz solo is just the right amount of ridiculous for this song, it's ace. Love the vocal delivery in this too, very NEW YORK LONDON PARIS MUNICH
This is such fun! Love the robotic/pet shop boys-like chorus, I particularly like the Oscar wilde audiobooks association - love the idea that listening to audiobooks can keep you young! A count in a song is always grat too, adds suspence and anticipation. Great solo, and the I like it when the guitar hangs out in the song after the solo to back up with the vocal. Congrats on smashing FAWM again!
Super lyrics and the great delivery serves them up perfectly. Backing is brilliant and gives it a lovely bouncy feel. Guitar solo took me by surprise and was excellent too. Vocal adds loads of personality and steals the show...which is quite something with lyrics this good. This is top drawer!
Loads of fun to be had here! Lyrics are great of course. Some of the plinky plonky synthwork is very cool. The bass line stands out for me as well. Those ‘list’ vocal sections remind me of something - I can’t work out if it’s something by the Pet Shop Boys or Vogue by Madonna! In any case - this was an unexpected delight. Well played both of you.
Fun lyrics! I try to read something of every famous author, I haven't read Oscar Wilde yet, but he is on my list (although I prefer Olivia Wilde).
Haha, Oscar Wilde/audiobooks. The disco track is already a lot of fun, and the zany lyrics really amp that. I dig the spoken/sung alternation too - true to the genre, and entertaining. Now I want a bloody mary and dirty fries, dammit!
Oh this is tasty. Serious new wave feels. That guitar solo is great! I love the rhythm of the choruses. Great job, you two!
These lyrics are so goofy and wonderful! I want some dirty fries now. Love the inspiration. The instrumental is cheery perfection, love the bassline and the bright synths.
Oh this concept is clever and cheeky. Nicely done VV. Love the bouncy instrumental arrangement behind it too (B Dorian indeed). The percussive elements in particular feel especially tight/refined, of Which I’m only a LITTLE jealous.
Oh, yes, mundane post-existentialist synth disco, my favourite music genre. BRAVAE for you two pop geniuses! <3
‘Sup ‘sup ‘sup! Hope you have a goodie this year! Lemme know if you need any swears :D
Oh, it's you.
Hey hey hey.... So glad to be back here and see you. Excited for the wonderful music you'll be making (and hope to make some together!)
Hi VV, happy FAWMing.
Hey Vom! Thanks for the compliment, I really enjoyed yours too! :D
Vhomas!! Hope you're both pumped and psyched for this. I know I am.
I’ll have an earful or two round here this year. Have a happy time, the coming month and the rest of time as well.
Hey, I'm sorry you've had a crappy year. I have a childlike faith in the power of FAWM to heal all wounds. And to be honest, I have a similar faith in VV's ability to make great music!
oi geezah! what do you mean nothing has been good lately? have you seen The Mandalorian?
Vord up, Vom! Looking forward to more of your tunage!
Yo!
oh season 2 had some ups and downs, but the last episode? whoa!! so worth it!
Thanks, re the profile pic! A doodle self portrait I made in college at my library job that I at some point had the foresight to put on the computer -- and now that I have bangs again it's once again a more accurate likeness. And yesssss re collabing! 🎵This will be our year / took a long time to come🎵 My main goal this FAWM is to be less shy about reaching out (as well as the forever "better production this time!") We'll see how I do! Looking forward to your tunes, as always!
Judging by those tracks you posted, you're in fine form already. Surely you could make a small playlist of good GBV songs? I don't always love them, but they've made a lot of songs. You don't find any wheat among the chaff? Game of Pricks? Best of Jill Hives? Do you remember Rick Karr? His band did a good cover of Jill Hives https://soundcloud.com/search?q=box%20set%20authentic%20best%20of%20jill%20hives
Rick is my old friend who was going to do something with A Different Kind of Magic. He started but lost interest :)
I woke up with your "covered in it" song in my head today. It's an earworm! :D
Hang on a second! I was planning on retiring on that DX21... ;)
Hey Vom!
What it do on your side of the globe, brochacho?
I dig. This will definitely be an oasis of sorts for yours truly. A lot going on in the world no doubt, but I'm looking ahead to something much more rewarding. Make music and keep the party moving, man. It's gonna be beautiful!
Is your jumper comfortable?
Hi Vom! Thanks for reaching out. It's an honor (and a bit of a surprise) that a songwriter as talented and as prolific as yourself remembers me from so long ago!
Hey Vom! Looking forward to hearing your witty and insightful tunes.
Depressing is my forte, I'm up for hearing a bit of that too. Knowing you, you will probably somehow manage to put some wit into it. I hope everything is ok.
Hey man! Glad to see ya again :-) totally looking forward to hearing what ya do this year, and definitely want to hear some fuzz sounds from ya haha
Vom, are you an Eurofan? 😍
I chose it as my influence for this year because I've been doing a podcast about ESC with 2 friends of mine (one is @fabiomrbarbosa) in Portuguese and I wanna begin my journey to Eurovision as an artist as well.
Have a Great FAWM!
PEAK DISTRICT MASSIVE!!!!!!! good to see you matey. I'll be able to shout to you this year being stuck in glorious Bakewell ;-)
Welcome back, friend! Happy FAWMing.
Hmm I’m a bakewell pudding man myself and I would be indulging my already lockdown growing belly with those to counteract lack of hammock and water melon joins Thai thrills but even the pudding shop is closed 😵. Pies it shall have to be 😂. Bring on the bakewell fat boy
Thank you! Doing the final mixing and mastering right now, so we may get a little bit of a late start to FAWM, a couple days to recuperate. Hope we find a way to collab again. That was fun!
Happy FAWM squared, Vom. Have a great month.
Best of luck to you Mr. Vorton! I can't wait to hear this years' CATalogue.
Hey Vom! I wish you a lovely and productive February! Happy FAWMing!
I adore that kitty !!!
Thanks so much for your comment and putting my song in the recommended thread!
Haha, the only plasticine characters I'm familiar with are Wallace and Gromit... care to write a song about them? ;)
Thanks for commenting on my song! :-) Happy FAWM!
Same hat on the drums - I've been using real drum samples and loops as a bit of a crutch for a while now, this was refreshing!
Thanks for listening Out Of This World and for your kind comments. Much appreciated!
Thank you for the comments on "Strato-FAWMing".
Thanks for the comment!
Wow ! 14th FAWM ! Thanks for the feedback on my song
You know I haven't look at SongFight in years, has it stayed pretty much the same? I really should head over there again...
Hey again brother! Thanks for the kind and perceptive words on ‘Further North’. I will check out your newbie shortly!
Haha yeah it looks the same! Crazy. The music archive is kind of amazing. My 4 embarrassing entries from 2010 and 2011 are still there! Under "backward binoculars." I think I had only been "making music" for like a year at that point, pretty cringy stuff lol.
Hey Vom Vortron, many thanks for your comment on Charlie Went Fishing I appreciate it! Kurtis did an awesome job on it!
C’mon... What’s the benefit of WFH if you can’t dance?
I am guessing that Shellac is a band? Are they from the 90's?
I vaguely remember hearing the Shellac-Albini connection from some article now. I have not heard them, but that's the story of me and most 90's music, haha
That's my cheapo (<$300) Danelectro "Dead on '67" Hornet reissue that I bought like 12 years ago. Funky little guitar, so glad I never got rid of it. That's a pic I found on the internet but mine is exactly the same, just lots of additional wear.
When someone says my music is dreamy, that’s all the validation I need. Thank you so much for such a detailed and affirmative take on my little soundtrack. Your words are sincerely appreciated. 🥰
The orginal rhythm of the Odd Groves midi drums are probably meant for a much more laid back tempo :)
Thanks for the comment - good to see you're still around the traps here. I find myself coming back to 'After the World Has Ended' and 'Dennis' quite often - particularly since they're on Spotify. Looking forward to hearing more from you this month!
Vom! Thanks for your kind words on "Country-song"! This would be great! :-)
Thank you so much for buying our album and helping us spread the word! Hope you enjoy. Will start FAWMing from now! Can’t wait to hear your tunes.
Yay we’re so glad!!
Appreciate your comment. Thx
No problem on the order and kudos for your delivery window. It literally just came through the door. Thanks for the bonus gift too!
Thank you for laughing at that "crème de LA crème/vegan" couplet in "Sabrina Says" -- I was unreasonably amused with myself when I wrote that, so glad it made someone else lol! 😄 And thank you for the offer of some drums on it! I put on my big girl pants and finally posted in the Collabs Classified, so I may see if that comes to anything before I both you. 😉
Hey Vom! I added you as collaborator and upoaded the link. This is really soooooo cool! I love what you made of "country-song", perfect! Great tune and superb singing! downloaded it and simply can´t stop listening to it... Thanks so much!
Good ears! Yes, it's a tenor recorder and a melodica.
Thanks so much for your generous comment on "Shoot me in my heart". I would look very, very forward to it!
Done! :-)
Hey Vom! This is F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!!! I LOVE the rhythm and the energy here, what a catchy tune! Your performance is top-notch! And it is amazing how fast you can manage to create something excellent like this one! Thanks so much for this wonderful song, downloaded and just can´t stop listening to it!
Haha, I like mittens too. I picked that one up from the ever reliable urban dictionary. Thanks for the feedback btw, definitely appreciated and good to know. I will have a jiggle about with the lines to see what fits.
Exactly, it's all about painting a gender with the same brush. We're all individuals, and we express our nature in different ways.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment on "the Hessians"! I love Bedhead, "Transaction De Nuevo" is another great record of theirs, recorded by Steve Albini, considered their masterpiece– I definitely recommend that as well. I'm looking forward to checking out your songs!
Thanks for your Wanderlust observations. So fun!
No worries. We get it and you’re definitely not crazy!
Next song title: Cocaine Hippo
Hi Vom, good to see you smashing FAWM as ever!
thank you for commenting on Rosie. It is the most thoughtful comment I've ever received here or anywhere! I appreciate you.
Way, way, way behind on my listening this year, but going to catch up here and wanted to ask if you wanted me to send something your way for a collab. I always love writing with you, so just let me know!
Sent you a song. I am pretty excited about it. 😎
Just realized I didn’t tell you the bpm, so I will get that to you soon
Update: It is 160bpm. When I wrote that first riff I was certain it was a ripping fast song, and then I wrote the second guitar part, haha. And remember, if it doesn't work for you, no worries and no pressure!
Thanks for commenting on my forum thread and on Partir!
Your very kind comments are really appreciated. Not to mention energizing! Thank you. ❤️
Ah, "irrelevant", - so, you had to go ~ that far ~, and therefore invalidate what was otherwise quite fine opinion. Oh well. - I love discussion, (prima facie) You like fights? - What that's supposed to do? Pile on effect? What else? Be - helpful? You think I do anything here, "light hearted" or otherwise, - like hunting things to find "here", and didactically instigate a, "pile on effect"? Virtue signaling? I am pretty sure the warning you refer to includes what you do, did. - My intent, music, FAWMing Maybe if you took the time to get to know me?, - you'd see how relevant several words, any, or as you choose to dissect, can be. I see you're from the UK. So, possibly you are unaware that not getting someone's point, as clear as it can be, from my "Culture", - does not invalidate it; not even then with your additional "straw man" personalized insult? Tso, since you *asked, - derUgo. Happy FAWM2021!
I knew you would, that's your template. I see your pattern in this. This is not what FAWM is for. So, you are welcome to continue for as for how you feel you need to go. - Cheers And, derUgo, since you asked, - again. - I'm looking at yours under the feed, no way to escape your personal, unsafe, unnecessary words to me for what reason? It's not clear, - no, not at all.
Hey there! Just checking in to see if the music started any artistic percolation. Hope so but let me know! I’ll be digging in to your music more. Loved the vowl song (but hadn’t commented yet)
Sounds great! :)
Gosh, thanks, I couldn't be more chuffed. (I hope I'm using that word right; I learned it from Thomas the Tank Engine.) There's a weird alchemy in that song, for sure, something very pleasing that seems to arise from nothing. I just repeat three chords over and over (vi, IV, I). Incidentally, I was initially trying to rip off the the little "chorus" I wrote for Champion of Something: I wanna go where the marquee knows my name. I was trying to find that song the other day. I probably have it on my old old laptop, as opposed to my new old laptop
Dang, time flies! I can hardly believe you reached out to collaborate with me back then. I was a total music-making newbie...and still am to some degree. Anyway, bits of melody never die, to wit: I wanna go where the marquee knows my name (2012) My aim is only true when I'm aiming at the truth (2021) I will just keep recycling myself
Haha - I was commenting on yours as you were commenting on ours!
You know I do get the Pet Shop Boys thing. The vocals are reminiscent of Neil Tennant's spoken bits I once pronounced, with great authority, that the Pet Shop Boys would definitely be a one hit wonder. That did not age well as a prediction.
I also wish I had his money :)
Thanks a lot for taking the time to listen and comment on all the songs!
Hahahahahahahahaha. Glad I could oblige!
I don't know how to explain the trouble you had playing my file! It's playing on my end, both from my PC and from my phone. I did have to re-up the song to fix a small glitch, and there's the slightest possibility that you clicked on it in the ten seconds in between when I deleted the old file, and when I updated the URL here on FAWM. At any rate-- is it playing for you from the FAWM page now? Thanks for your comment! Yeah, I wish things had gone a little more as planned this year, but I'm actually really glad to have stumbled across OS, because I think it may allow me to write more intricate arrangements than I've managed to do in the past. The real test will be whether or not I'm able to recreate those arrangements with my limited musical abilities once the time comes to record the 'real' versions. But I'm certainly not above piecing things together from multiple takes, so I'm hopeful that I'll find a way. Thanks again, Vom!
I never knew about felt picks!!!! They sound like finger picking! So cool... And search EBay for BM800 mic and you'll see the $20 large condenser that Dragondreams and TimFatchen recommended. It's pretty great!
cheers, and thanks for the comments! Been enjoying your tracks!
I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence. I am not a bad influence.
Cheers for the comment, Vom! Incidentally, I nabbed the Vowl Sounds album, and it's really soothing the savage beast right now :D Excellent work from both of you
Yeah, no, I think you've got it right, haha. Just like the clouds of hiss emerging from that shiny silver microphone. ;)
Thanks so much for your Francis feedback. I've been avoiding difficult subjects for about a year so I totally hear you!
Hey, if you're actually interested, there's a video https://www.twitch.tv/videos/929576596 🤣 Thanks for listening. I kinda hate that thing. It's so awkward and messy.
Thanks for checking out "Kill'd By Several Accidents"! It was a fun one to write ... I've uploaded a demo now if you want to hear it! Thanks again!
@vomvorton thank you for your kind comment on 'Identity' :-)
I am amazed by your ability to comment so rapidly. Do you get alerts or something? But yes, even the name balance lost is an allusion to the imbalance of spread on my bread
Hey Vom, thanks for all the support! I found out that, like an idiot I've been replying tot your messages in the wrong place. In the comments for the songs instead of here. That has happened to me every year so far 😅 Too bad we didn't get to collab this year. I like your the stuff you did! But who knows maybe the next one right?
You would OF COURSE be welcome if I make a synth group. I always have these ideas at the beginning of FAWM I never get to but this year my goal is to actually do some of those things before next February lol. Hope we find time to collaborate next time. Always love your music. <3
Tom you bloody hero
Yeah he is...for now.
Thanks Vom. Congrats on reaching the finish line.
Thank you so much for your comment on Follow The Water and the mention on the recommendation thread (it was my first time being recommended). The first time I listened to @carleybaer's vocals when we were working on the song I also had tears in my eyes, and I felt very lucky to be able to collaborate with such a talented group.
🤣 @ampersandman has every right to be mad at me for that one :D not only the spin camera that I didn't know was that spinny until I saw the finished product I wasn't about to watch 5 minutes of that LOL, they had to get the audio from that camera and from a seperate file I sent that was coming through one of the mics on the ground that was full of all sorts of feedback. There was some real magic worked on that. @reklove and @complexissimple had a really nice duet going on I had to find something to do LOL.
Thank YOU for the kind words on "36 Years Dumb" about my FAWM output this year! It's definitely the proudest, I think, I've been of a set of FAWM songs overall, and it's almost entirely due to convincing talented folks like you to collab with me -- which has also led to this being by far the most FUN FAWM I've ever had, too! And thank goodness, lort knows I needed it this year.
Yeah I think it was a weird FAWM for all of us! We did our best. 😊
Glad you liked 1010. It was the one I spent most time on I think. I almost never sit down anymore to write a bridge for a song or anything like that. Forgot how much fun that can be :)
Thanks I'll check that sample pack out
Very nice library, thanks for the head's up
Sweet: https://fawm.org/songs/111722/ :)
Thanks, I never wrote a country song before so I was quite proud of that one.
Hey, dropping by and listening to a few tracks, in readiness for hearing you over at SpinTunes. I know you said the other day you weren’t yet feeling it. I reckon you’ll pull something pretty special out of the bag from what I’ve listened to here.
Awwww, I think it’s filling the post-fawm slump for me! 9 days is a long time to sit with a song though... long enough to love then loathe it, ha ha!
Hey thanks so much for your comments - you chose two of my absolute favourites this year! Been a great year for collabs!
Thanks for all the listens this year. I'm a big VV fan, as you probably know, but I never want people to feel that they have to reciprocate. Did you ever see that documentary about Vivian Maier? FAWM seems to be full of Vivian Maiers. Maybe we'll get a Finding Vom Vorton doc one of these days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er8-Vq__cRE
Hey! Just catching up on the listening party in dribs and drabs through today, and just heard your song! Absolutely love it, really answers the brief but in a interesting way, I love the whole 12 months change thing...
Hey there’s a though... in a sea of guitars the harp might look like a shark fin!!! (Not sure that’s the best thing lol!!) Agree totally, there’s a great collection of songs there! I’m about half way through between work stuff.
Vom, I didn't get back to you on your joke about Harry Kane on our song Ode to Kane. I appreciated it a lot and enjoyed it, brough back memories of lasagne-gate and the mess up Spurs made of that year... great times! Thanks for all your comments this year!
Loved your SpinTunes song - really good. Those gang vocal choruses are inspired!
Thanks for the links to the tape FX vsts! I have Klevgrand's DAW Cassette and while it sounds fine, it sucks the bottom end out of the mix something fierce. And now I realize I could maybe sidestep that with some sends and returns.
Thank a lot for your comment on "Promise". I hope somebody unfolds that potential. Still noone came for a collab on that song so I think it won't be finished :-/
Hope you’re doing okay Vom... I’m still working on my round 2 song.
Aw that sucks re work... glad you’ve got something to work with song-wise though - fawm will stand you in good stead to pull something out of the bag that I’m sure will go down well!
Glad you liked my "Do Not Delay" 👍