**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 14
Written Monday 21st February 2022
****
This is it ... FAWM's all finished for me... time for a lie down now.
There's still nearly a week to go, but I'm done, 14 songs written in 16…
Well sir, you smashed this challenge - and ended up with a stunning unplugged album. It's made me want to hear some of your established tracks with similar stripped-down arrangements, leading the listener to concentrate on the sheer artistry of your words and astonishingly soulful vocal. Next challenge for you is the 24 hours album. 24 minutes of original music in 24 hours. I believe it originated on alonetone. Off you go.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 13
Written Saturday 19th February 2022
****
UPDATE: 8 Hours after posting I just spotted that I listened to and favourited a song called... um... "We're Done" by oldfolks2 - check it out…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 10
Written Wednesday 16th February 2022
****
I've had the little guitar bit in the middle for years and years and years.
Even my wife recognises it, I play it so often.
Yesterday while…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 9
Written Tuesday 15th February 2022
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I decided it was time I wrote a song that wasn't so hard to sing and play!
****
**Once Again - A A J Russe**
Every day
You keep asking…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 7
Written Saturday 12th February 2022
****
This one was easy to write but hard work singing and recording.
I'm fairly certain this one is high on the list of "arrange me later" - I kept…
Great song writing - loving the sentiment and your tender vox here. I love it when the FAWM and RPM parameters draw out his kind of track, any more of an arrangement would detract from the message - IMHO.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 6
Written Friday 11th February 2022
****
I was meant to be resting and chilling.
In fact, I was resting and chilling.
But then I got a message from Lala saying she was listening to the…
I Hope I Love Them - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1989
Recorded 2nd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This one has tugged at me for many many years.
I absolutely adored it from the moment I wrote it in 1989... But I thought…
I Hope I Love Them - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1989
Recorded 2nd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This one has tugged at me for many many years.
I absolutely adored it from the moment I wrote it in 1989... But I thought…
Foolishness - A A J Russe
Written 3rd January 1988
Recorded 1st March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
While writing and recording songs for FAWM 2022 I discovered that I can create acoustic demos of nearly any song I've ever written…
Hehehe... there's LOTS of youthful angst is these Songs from the Shoebox... possibly an embarrassing amount... You wait... let's see if I'm brave enough to record the ones from 1978/9!!!
Foolishness - A A J Russe
Written 3rd January 1988
Recorded 1st March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
While writing and recording songs for FAWM 2022 I discovered that I can create acoustic demos of nearly any song I've ever written…
Foolishness - A A J Russe
Written 3rd January 1988
Recorded 1st March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
While writing and recording songs for FAWM 2022 I discovered that I can create acoustic demos of nearly any song I've ever written…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 5
Written Thursday 10th February 2022
****
What can I say? Mrs R likes it.
I knew she would.
Scheduling-wise, songs per day, I've now caught up with having missed the first 5 days of…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 1
Written Sunday 6th February 2022
****
OK, this is a bit of a departure for me - posting songwriting demos.
This is a one mic recording made this morning in the living room, touch of reverbs…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 5
Written Thursday 10th February 2022
****
What can I say? Mrs R likes it.
I knew she would.
Scheduling-wise, songs per day, I've now caught up with having missed the first 5 days of…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 15
Written Wednesday 23rd February 2022
****
I wasn't able to stop! I really meant to, but... Oh well.
It's still February, so it can go with the others.
IT IS MY FIRM INTENTION TO…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
I've been missing in action for ages - apologies to all, I'm about to start listening again too.
For ages, I'd been considering a move away from my trusty Boss BR1600 on which I've recorded and mixed nearly everything…
I saw your comments on my site. Thanks. It sounds like you’ve got this recording process figured out. I’m still learning as I go. Thank God for YouTube. 😎
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 15
Written Wednesday 23rd February 2022
****
I wasn't able to stop! I really meant to, but... Oh well.
It's still February, so it can go with the others.
IT IS MY FIRM INTENTION TO…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 1
Written Sunday 6th February 2022
****
OK, this is a bit of a departure for me - posting songwriting demos.
This is a one mic recording made this morning in the living room, touch of reverbs…
This is kick-ass! You have a great voice and I love your guitar playing. When you have great ingredients like that, you don’t need much more than good material, of which there is plenty here! I am very inspired listening to this. I appreciate you sharing it and I look forward to delving deeper -bjk
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 6
Written Friday 11th February 2022
****
I was meant to be resting and chilling.
In fact, I was resting and chilling.
But then I got a message from Lala saying she was listening to the…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 13
Written Saturday 19th February 2022
****
UPDATE: 8 Hours after posting I just spotted that I listened to and favourited a song called... um... "We're Done" by oldfolks2 - check it out…
Didn't know the name Lalo Schifrin... but I knew the song... oh of course! (Dean Martin, I have his version)... Anyways, cool version for us rockers :)
Last weekend we did this oldie
Hans Nooitgedagt Jr - drums
Erwin B - bass, recording
Bingsolex - lead guitar
KC - vocals, guitar, keys & mix
--------------------------------------------
Saturday nightlife, hot and swell
In the lower…
Here is my contribution to the Minnesota Association of Songwriters challenge: Write a song titled "Mississippi Moon" and use this chord progression somewhere in the song (adjust for the Key you are in) "C, G, Am, C, Dm"
You will find D…
My latest Soundscape hopefully evokes an atmospheric evening in the desert, as outside the tent the girls make their mournful cries before the local musicians strike up a dance beat.....
Yep... didn't comment, did I? "Cool sounds" :) But now I've heard the lap-steel addition on Kavin's remix, I appreciate this one more than I did at first... very cool sounds. Raises an interesting thought for me... how we can see/hear through others eyes/ears, we can have ours "opened" by someone else's re-expression of a thing... when I first listened to this, it was "OK" for me, I saw Newbold's comment and thought "yeh, well" ... but hearing Kavin's addition gave me an "in" to this track... listening now I can hear/experience what he and Newbold heard first up.
That works. Nice one. I like the sounds on Casting Ballots (might not have commented?) the lap steel adds a really effective contrast... the two together - very nice
A bit of a 'kitchen sink' one... It's another one I play beginner's guitar on tentatively (the lead break & rhythm)
The are no vocals (I'm amassing a large amount of songs needing vocals!) but it does feature some more epic 80s synths…
Nice one. Yep, we bought some of ours from one of my wife's favourite Cornish clothes shops... and much to my surprise they said "Made in China" on them when they arrived... The instructions had some interesting phrases too (or was that some other product from someone else? Everything seems to be a bit of a blur nowadays)
I acquired some amazing 80s synth plug-ins for this one - the Prophet 5, ARP2600 and Yamaha DX-7 are all over this track.
It started life as a 90 second instrumental for a video I'd produced to promote my business; my wife hated it so I wrote…
Yep, when the bass kicks in at 0:40 or so, it's a really cool bass line, but it's possibly a bit sinister sounding for a business promo (mebbe depends what business you're in?!! lol)
FIREFLIES. capo @ 2
F walk down
We (C) spoke of them as (C/B) sweethearts
There (Am) in the Southern (F) sky
(C) Saturn, just a (G) twinkle, bold (F) Jupiter near (G) by
I (Am) guess we didn't (Am/G) notice
as they (Am/F)drifted a…
For no. 3 in this soundscape compilation, I have imagined strolling along the waters edge, contemplating life on a blissful calm day with the relaxing shoreline sounds all around me....!
Yeah, nice one. We were meant to have a holiday in St Ives at the end of March. Luckily, the timing of everything worked out (just) that we got all our money back, trains and everything. But we didn't get our shore reflections... and watching on a Cam at the time, some buggers keep sitting in "our" seat! LOL
Here's the band version of this song
Hans Nooitgedagt Jr - drums
Bingsolex - lead guitar
Erwin b - bass, recording
KC - guitar, vocals & mix
The moon comes up
The sun goes down
The circle of life
Going 'round and 'round
Living…
How's that for some word salad, eh? Throw a little Italian dressing on this one and you've got yourself a healthy meal!
I've been trying to challenge myself vocally with more complicated melodies and lots of lyrics and things like that, even…
This is another that benefited from a second listen. What I've got to do is STOP reading your blurb on the first listen! Anyways, that's actually a really clever vocal melody. Keep challenging, don't actually kill yerself, obviously, but falling down after the vocal take is a good sign!! (ish!) LOL
A couple of months ago I came up with a couple of things that used polyrhythms. The drums were in one time signature and everything else was in another. I had some fun with it then and tried it again and... well, I got pretty bored with it really…
I wasn't sure about this one on first listen (your stuff about polyrhythms was making me think too much... then I remembered I'd forgotten something with work, so I had to deal with that while the track carried on)... when I got back I couldn't think of anything to say... so I hit play again and, woah!, it really grabbed me... then I realised I wasn't counting trying to figure out the funny rhythm - I'd just accepted it and it sounds really cool. Sounds like the hand's recovered too?
I'm really tired right now so this mix might sound awful and I won't know. Also, 50/90 might be hitting a snag in that I have a bit of an injury to my left hand. It's not getting better and while recording the leads on this puppy it was affecting…
A couple of unusual things with this one. There's an overdrive pedal in there that I've never used before. Meaning, I had never even plugged it in before. I bought it like six months ago and it sat on my dresser just waiting for me to play…
A song that I wrote this week
So much suffering in the world
I did this one on my own
KC
------------------------------------------------------
River of tears – I see people in need
River of tears – They're all victims of greed
River…
Written Last Century....Every Word Holds It's Own Today.
Always someone out there judging shit they know nothing about. As it will be till the end of time. In the meantime, my simple response has always been, "Who Asked You"
Lyrics…
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
Well sir, you smashed this challenge - and ended up with a stunning unplugged album. It's made me want to hear some of your established tracks with similar stripped-down arrangements, leading the listener to concentrate on the sheer artistry of your words and astonishingly soulful vocal. Next challenge for you is the 24 hours album. 24 minutes of original music in 24 hours. I believe it originated on alonetone. Off you go.
Glad you didn't bin it! Liking the driving feel - immediately hooky also.
A sweet almost-lullaby - glad this one found a home in your February. So very pretty.
Really love this melody and the breezy feel. Some gorgeous little acoustic guitar runs in there too.
Great song writing - loving the sentiment and your tender vox here. I love it when the FAWM and RPM parameters draw out his kind of track, any more of an arrangement would detract from the message - IMHO.
Woohoo! Logged in and back from Brighton. <3 Can now fave this utter classic.
Hauntingly sad and beautiful
Great tune Andrew. we held back on a few old ideas too. i'm glad you put it out there
Hehehe... there's LOTS of youthful angst is these Songs from the Shoebox... possibly an embarrassing amount... You wait... let's see if I'm brave enough to record the ones from 1978/9!!!
That's rather wonderful ...... a bit of youthful angst ??
You've been a writer / poet for so many years!!! How delightful to put these songs out. I'm glad you found the shoe box.
Another beautiful piece of storytelling through haunting voice and gentle music
You sing these words perfectly … I am just in awe of your story telling
So lyrical
Intrigued … who is this written for? Whoever it is is a lucky person … love this
I saw your comments on my site. Thanks. It sounds like you’ve got this recording process figured out. I’m still learning as I go. Thank God for YouTube. 😎
Another little gem ......
This is kick-ass! You have a great voice and I love your guitar playing. When you have great ingredients like that, you don’t need much more than good material, of which there is plenty here! I am very inspired listening to this. I appreciate you sharing it and I look forward to delving deeper -bjk
Good stuff. I'm always amazed at how versatile you are.
That's a good song. I like the "acoustic demo," but do you also envision this as a rocker (2 guitars, bass, and drums)? I think it'd kill.
Comments made by Andrew Russe
Didn't know the name Lalo Schifrin... but I knew the song... oh of course! (Dean Martin, I have his version)... Anyways, cool version for us rockers :)
Wowsers. Yes, the band's killing it... but the vox - and those harmony vox - take it to another level
LOVE the sound you guys are making together. You were all in the same room? If not, even more wow. Cool song, and what a groove.
Awww... fabulous. This has got the dulcimer on it too? I love the textures you create with this and the guitar. And the song... gorgeous.
Playing catch-up here... Oh yes, this was the right place to start. Cool sounds.
Wow. Liking this a lot.
Very cool guitaring on a very cool song. Nice one guys.
Yep... didn't comment, did I? "Cool sounds" :) But now I've heard the lap-steel addition on Kavin's remix, I appreciate this one more than I did at first... very cool sounds. Raises an interesting thought for me... how we can see/hear through others eyes/ears, we can have ours "opened" by someone else's re-expression of a thing... when I first listened to this, it was "OK" for me, I saw Newbold's comment and thought "yeh, well" ... but hearing Kavin's addition gave me an "in" to this track... listening now I can hear/experience what he and Newbold heard first up.
That works. Nice one. I like the sounds on Casting Ballots (might not have commented?) the lap steel adds a really effective contrast... the two together - very nice
Nice one. Yep, we bought some of ours from one of my wife's favourite Cornish clothes shops... and much to my surprise they said "Made in China" on them when they arrived... The instructions had some interesting phrases too (or was that some other product from someone else? Everything seems to be a bit of a blur nowadays)
Yep, when the bass kicks in at 0:40 or so, it's a really cool bass line, but it's possibly a bit sinister sounding for a business promo (mebbe depends what business you're in?!! lol)
Short but very sweet. I love these short ones with the almost throw-away lyrics that are SO full of meaning to the listener.
Yeah, nice one. We were meant to have a holiday in St Ives at the end of March. Luckily, the timing of everything worked out (just) that we got all our money back, trains and everything. But we didn't get our shore reflections... and watching on a Cam at the time, some buggers keep sitting in "our" seat! LOL
Yep. Classy stuff. What a groove you guys generate.
This is another that benefited from a second listen. What I've got to do is STOP reading your blurb on the first listen! Anyways, that's actually a really clever vocal melody. Keep challenging, don't actually kill yerself, obviously, but falling down after the vocal take is a good sign!! (ish!) LOL
I wasn't sure about this one on first listen (your stuff about polyrhythms was making me think too much... then I remembered I'd forgotten something with work, so I had to deal with that while the track carried on)... when I got back I couldn't think of anything to say... so I hit play again and, woah!, it really grabbed me... then I realised I wasn't counting trying to figure out the funny rhythm - I'd just accepted it and it sounds really cool. Sounds like the hand's recovered too?
Wooo! Another fab chorus.... oh crumbs, hand problem?? It's two days later now... hopefully it's healing.
You're creating songs faster than I can keep up with them!! Loving the rhythm of the vocal line on the chorus ("Nothing like a...")
Gorgeous sounds and groove.
Hehe - another "big smile on my face" track. I nearly choked on my sandwich when it went "Now Listen To The Angels"