I had your FAWM playlist going and sort of forgot I was supposed to be active listening, but this one pulled me right back into it... then I saw your liner notes. I know the feeling of not being happy with something but needing to get it out, but this is great. I'm curious to see what you do with it, because I think it works far better than you it seems. You better close the stadium with this one, because all those lighters and voices in unison are going to violate some sort of by-law.

I'm a little perplexed at the narrative, but oh what a great narrative it is. That second verse paints a pretty vivid picture, although I'm a little unsure that being denied pastries is an apt consequence, but then Ive never had a Chelsea Bun.

Congratulations on the FAWM "win", especially with only 23 days to do it. A great start as well. I share the sentiment on production. Part of me wants to do RPM next year because I wonder if I had too, could I move fast on production? It sounds a lot more exhausting than FAWM, that's for sure.

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 ......

I'm with witzelsucht on this, "Good as is". Classic Reg.

Cool stripped back version.

Mrs R has pointed out that she knows of at least two other Londons... and that it might not be obvious I mean London UK!

Like it. Love this: "stage is dusty / my strings are getting rusty". We had to look up corn hole, though, doesn't get played a lot in South London...

I started with the comment "allotropic"... but having listened to it, and let it wash over me, that seems a bit flippant now...

I love this version.

LOVE those sounds.

Oh yeah, smooth sounds.

And this gives me some release - but not loads! I was going to ask if it's an ebow, but it's not is it? Sounds like a real bow?

I find this one a slightly more challenging listen!

This one follows Hopey Changey really well

I listened to these the other day while I was doing something else... I forgot to come back and comment. This is a gorgeous sound.

Wow. Amazing track. Starts all fairytale-like, then it evolves into something entirely different - can't make my mind up whether it's threatening or "hey let's party whether you like it or not"... but it's certainly insistent... And then I'm back home to fairytale land... but I feel slightly changed and not quite the innocent I was before... The tinkly little theme that I enticed me earlier sounds a little more sinister now.

Cool chorus on this one... but you're right there's something... It really shines later on after the bridge- I like the interaction between the vocal, bass and guitar - really bounces. But earlier it doesn't have the same effect and I can't really spot the difference - except the later one is surrounded by instrumental and maybe feels looser? The earlier ones feel a bit "held back" and "correct", and they don't draw attention to themselves like the later one. They also leads straight into and out of a verse section that doesn't sound a lot different - maybe you're right, maybe volume? Maybe take the drums down on the sung verses? Something to make the chorus stick out more? But yeah, this is a cool one.

Foot-tapping and exotic. Loving those p90 vibes.

Oh yeah, nice one.

Aha! Can't beat a falling bass line (I'm working on several things at the moment, and they've all got falling bass lines) ... Nice one, like it.

Intriguing sounds, quite a ride.

I agree with Guest (47.189.109.204) - "you're not done with this one" - I think there's another version, somewhere between the original and this one. It's a gorgeous song.

And a new verse! I listened to all three versions again - this is the one (which is probably a good thing, as it's the latest!!)