Sort of live drums...They are samples of live drums, different kits, mic'ed low, high and in different rooms. Then i use fruity loops to create the beats. I wish i still had room for a live kit..i miss playing drums.
Just a little instrumental.
HYGGE
/ˈh(y)o͞oɡə,ˈho͝oɡə/
noun: hygge
A quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).
The seeds of this song were sown years ago. If only those who left knew what they were headed for.
BACK TO SHORE
The sky was so high when you set out from shore
The sun at your back, you were longing for more
When it started to pour…
There's a line in an Indigo Girls song that says, "If you need to know that you weathered the storm of cruel mortality, a hundred years later I'm sitting here living proof." For me, ever since hearing the words "cruel mortality," they have always…
before I disappear
I form a fossil shaped by fear
fresh thoughts have gone up dry
yet old habits still multiply
my waking life is said and done
I'm just this script I have become
no good solution can be found
let's burn this whole thing…
If I just slip the car in drive
I'll meet you on the other side
Or maybe I could turn back time
And we could both pretend to fly
Losing feeling inside out
No sense kneeling, no such doubt
Failed at saving, nothing lasts
Just repaving…
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
This is an experimental one, I recorded it mostly using Android synth apps.
You Asked For an Encore, and You Got It - Lots of keys and synths here, tastefully played, very art-rockish. Would be great for a trip, if I did that anymore. Floydian, kind of Gentle Giant.......just lots of trippy goodness!
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
A little song about various superstitions. With an organ solo.
Starts out with another monotron line - and an acoustic guitar rhythm, and a sixties-style electric guitar makes it's way in too. This tune addresses the myth that a picture taken can steal your soul, but with a twist. A short, to the point tune that really sounds like it could have been written in the 1960's. Nicely done!
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
I guess this one is the ballad. Based on a very simple piano idea. Goes big at the end, so stick around.
Starts out with steady hi-hats and sustained piano chords, a cool and funky bass line and guitar line. "There is a love from which you never recover, spend the rest of our lives circling each other". yet another very well written line of lyric. I remember when I had a love like that, from which I thought I'd never recover, sooo many years ago! Thankfully I did, and much faster than I thought, but this really brought me back to those intense, young feelings I had, so I thank you for that. Great tune!
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
A short break between songs, with a Korg Monotron.
I'm going to assume that this was played on a Korg Monotron synth. This makes for a different feeling than the previous four tunes. It sounds very cool, very old-fashioned sci-fi like. I might have to buy one of these!
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
Synths. Ebow. Or course, a little piano too.
This starts with a very ambient, almost circus like organ sound. It's a very interesting sound, and really draws you in. The double tracked vocal adds a mysterious, pretty element to the tune. This is almost like a dream-state tune.....somewhat a Beatlesque quality.
Lovely.
Too Many Answers - Lovely, warm, funky LA sounding rhythm guitar groove here. Also, a very understated, melodic bass line going on. This is also a good time to mention that Rog's melodic ideas are very strong, in my opinion. Same with this song, which seems to be about someone that the singer is just about fed up with - did I get that right? Solid tune.
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
Fancied trying some fast piano. This one sounds like the single to me.
The Truth Game - Rog, THIS song bears lots of repeated listening! Excellent, excellent writing here. Reminds me of one of my faves, Supertramp, a little bit. Great lyrics, concise accompaniment. I love the insistent piano part. The drums are doing what they need to do for a good pop tune. Everything is in it's proper place. The only quibble I have is that the vocal is sounding really bassy on my speakers, and these are some fairly good quality Yorkvilles. The only reason I bring it up is because it makes some of the lyrics a little hard to make out. But you know what? This is one GREAT tune Rog!
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
This is the opening song and also my favourite on the record. Wrote it from scratch on Feb 20th, recorded entirely…
A song about infatuation and people who take advantage of it. Lovely guitar picking. Rog's voice is very suited to the subject here, sounding fragile and pleading with the subject of his infatuation. A lovely tune, a sad tune, but very well written and executed.
RPM 2013
I'm not who I was
don't judge me
on memories and dust
they're nothing
but footprints in my past
forgotten
never coming back
I've lost them
but I'm searching pretty hard
for new life
step out from the dark
into light…
Wow.....I am impressed! I love the honesty in your voice and lyrics. I also love how this song sounds like conversation, almost. Beautiful voice, great bgv's, love the cello.
I picked this because I wrote an electronica song named ether a few years back. I love the synth textures you have used here, and that noise and the ethereal sounds really add a sense of mystery. Cool track!
from the album "Uniform"
she hides her heart under the pillow
waiting for the good fairy to come
replace this worn and broken thing
with a heart that can feel again
she's never sure which night will be her lucky one
but she anticipates…
One of the first songs I ever wrote... When we bought our first house, we had a nice big back yard on a 1/3 acre lot... With the train tracks just on the other side of the back fence.
Your strumming arm is like a piston on this one! The lyrics could be appreciated by anyone who works for a living. Another delightful tune, wonderfully performed!
Comments on albinoSQUIRREL (Todd Larsen)'s stuff
Nice little acoustic gem. Your singing as a certain Spanish touch. Would sound great with a Spanish folk guitar style IMO.
Another great track by the way. You vocals and guitar work are really nice man!
Sort of live drums...They are samples of live drums, different kits, mic'ed low, high and in different rooms. Then i use fruity loops to create the beats. I wish i still had room for a live kit..i miss playing drums.
Amazing track! stunning playing, a great way to open up an RPM album.
EXCELLENT!!!
Excellent tune! Nice Guitar playing.
Dude that is some beautiful guitar playing...I'd love to put some somber words to that one! Your the best Todd, your fan for life, Brando Quin
Todd you are awesome my man! Play on...Brando Quin
~will follow the light~
Stunning. You do some wonderful things with guitars.
I didn't realise it, but this is just what I wanted to listen to... I put it on and just laid back.
Zappa your meant top be dead ??? Great stuff
Wow, this is incredible. Hope she liked it!
Oops commenting previously and forgot to sign in, enjoying the album.
Heehe, cool, Frippish guitar. Delightfully strange.
Like all the acoustic gtr treatments you did throughout the album.
Nice spacey good. Cool gtr.
Oh my, this transported me back to Nerja. Beautiful guitar work for a beautiful lady, that's nice.
Outstanding guitar work again here. Perfectly arranged, performed, and recorded... Well done!
Outstanding!!! I can tell right from the start that this is going to be one hell of an album.
Comments made by albinoSQUIRREL (Todd Larsen)
Thank you so much warpcanada, I love Sigur Ros!
Thank you so much A Beautiful Scene!
Thank you Kavin!
beautiful
You are a great lyricist
I really love this
Sparse instrumentation. Really good vocals. I like how you say alot with few words. Really Good stuff!
Excellent. I really like this.
You Asked For an Encore, and You Got It - Lots of keys and synths here, tastefully played, very art-rockish. Would be great for a trip, if I did that anymore. Floydian, kind of Gentle Giant.......just lots of trippy goodness!
Starts out with another monotron line - and an acoustic guitar rhythm, and a sixties-style electric guitar makes it's way in too. This tune addresses the myth that a picture taken can steal your soul, but with a twist. A short, to the point tune that really sounds like it could have been written in the 1960's. Nicely done!
Starts out with steady hi-hats and sustained piano chords, a cool and funky bass line and guitar line. "There is a love from which you never recover, spend the rest of our lives circling each other". yet another very well written line of lyric. I remember when I had a love like that, from which I thought I'd never recover, sooo many years ago! Thankfully I did, and much faster than I thought, but this really brought me back to those intense, young feelings I had, so I thank you for that. Great tune!
I'm going to assume that this was played on a Korg Monotron synth. This makes for a different feeling than the previous four tunes. It sounds very cool, very old-fashioned sci-fi like. I might have to buy one of these!
This starts with a very ambient, almost circus like organ sound. It's a very interesting sound, and really draws you in. The double tracked vocal adds a mysterious, pretty element to the tune. This is almost like a dream-state tune.....somewhat a Beatlesque quality. Lovely.
Too Many Answers - Lovely, warm, funky LA sounding rhythm guitar groove here. Also, a very understated, melodic bass line going on. This is also a good time to mention that Rog's melodic ideas are very strong, in my opinion. Same with this song, which seems to be about someone that the singer is just about fed up with - did I get that right? Solid tune.
The Truth Game - Rog, THIS song bears lots of repeated listening! Excellent, excellent writing here. Reminds me of one of my faves, Supertramp, a little bit. Great lyrics, concise accompaniment. I love the insistent piano part. The drums are doing what they need to do for a good pop tune. Everything is in it's proper place. The only quibble I have is that the vocal is sounding really bassy on my speakers, and these are some fairly good quality Yorkvilles. The only reason I bring it up is because it makes some of the lyrics a little hard to make out. But you know what? This is one GREAT tune Rog!
A song about infatuation and people who take advantage of it. Lovely guitar picking. Rog's voice is very suited to the subject here, sounding fragile and pleading with the subject of his infatuation. A lovely tune, a sad tune, but very well written and executed.
Wow.....I am impressed! I love the honesty in your voice and lyrics. I also love how this song sounds like conversation, almost. Beautiful voice, great bgv's, love the cello.
I picked this because I wrote an electronica song named ether a few years back. I love the synth textures you have used here, and that noise and the ethereal sounds really add a sense of mystery. Cool track!
Avant-punk? Very cool, the beautifully dissonant guitars really contribute to the hopelessness she might feel at times. This is a awesome track!
Your strumming arm is like a piston on this one! The lyrics could be appreciated by anyone who works for a living. Another delightful tune, wonderfully performed!