Just a little cover tune I did in preparation for last year's live RPM Challenge album "Letters."
Nylon string Yamaha travel guitar, vocals, and one mic... Missed notes and all.
Just a little cover tune I did in preparation for last year's live RPM Challenge album "Letters."
Nylon string Yamaha travel guitar, vocals, and one mic... Missed notes and all.
Just a little cover tune I did in preparation for last year's live RPM Challenge album "Letters."
Nylon string Yamaha travel guitar, vocals, and one mic... Missed notes and all.
Just a little cover tune I did in preparation for last year's live RPM Challenge album "Letters."
Nylon string Yamaha travel guitar, vocals, and one mic... Missed notes and all.
Just a little cover tune I did in preparation for last year's live RPM Challenge album "Letters."
Nylon string Yamaha travel guitar, vocals, and one mic... Missed notes and all.
FOUND IN THE MOVEMENT
She moves in a spinning reminder
A violent link to the past
Don't you dare try to define her
She might not be big, but she's fast
A release of God-given aggression
An arm near her head in defense
Somewhere just short…
Andy Samford kicking ass on guitar, Brian Martin on bass, and Jim Garn (MTC) on drums... A song that was assembled bass-ackwards.
I'M FIGHTING TIME
Sitting in the movies back in 1985
The first long weekend in July
With Doc and Einstein…
LOST IN THE GRAY
Never ran into the water on a summer day
Never had the time to find a better word to say
Never tried anyway
Never thought I'd ever try to find another way
Never even thought I'd ever really want to stay
Never knew how…
Arrangement by Jana Persson (Strummindude)
Accompanying vocals by Andrea Szirbik
CIVIL WAR
Holding down the borders
What's mine is yours
Folding down the corners
Of pages meaning more
Walking on the wire
Never thought to look for…
Thanks to Colin Garvey for giving his energy to this little duet... And to Genevieve for making good on a promise.
BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME
Born at the right time
Underneath the summer sky
Always walked a fine line
Making good and barely…
My first completed 2013 RPM track. Thanks to Kavin for turning a simple acoustic song into what you hear today.
ONE LAST DANCE
I never got to tell you what's been on my mind
It might be just as well now that we're running out of time…
This track brings me to my knees everytime I listen to it. I could fave this thousands of times if alonetone would let me. One of the most beautiful tracks around.
TURN ROUND
All your turns
All your pain
Lessons learned
Will remain
Hiding in the silence of a footstep
Some familiar sound
Walking toward the east before the sunset
Turn round
Lost in thought
Troubled mind
All you’ve fought…
OUSTANDING collaboration with the great Gary Fox.
ONE AND ONLY
How many times have you been
Captured by a camera
With no one really knowing who you are
Caught in the sight lines
In the background
In the corner of their eyes
Never…
JUST AS WELL
Why is youth so beautiful
And why’s it always wasted on the young
When did my days go flying by
So many passes of the sun
There’s so much I could tell you
So much I’d like to say
It might be just as well
You never heard…
FOUND IN THE MOVEMENT
She moves in a spinning reminder
A violent link to the past
Don't you dare try to define her
She might not be big, but she's fast
A release of God-given aggression
An arm near her head in defense
Somewhere just short…
Andy Samford kicking ass on guitar, Brian Martin on bass, and Jim Garn (MTC) on drums... A song that was assembled bass-ackwards.
I'M FIGHTING TIME
Sitting in the movies back in 1985
The first long weekend in July
With Doc and Einstein…
Arrangement by Jana Persson (Strummindude)
Accompanying vocals by Andrea Szirbik
CIVIL WAR
Holding down the borders
What's mine is yours
Folding down the corners
Of pages meaning more
Walking on the wire
Never thought to look for…
Thanks to Colin Garvey for giving his energy to this little duet... And to Genevieve for making good on a promise.
BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME
Born at the right time
Underneath the summer sky
Always walked a fine line
Making good and barely…
My first completed 2013 RPM track. Thanks to Kavin for turning a simple acoustic song into what you hear today.
ONE LAST DANCE
I never got to tell you what's been on my mind
It might be just as well now that we're running out of time…
DANCING IN THE LIGHT
Got you on my mind
Like every other day
From now until the end of time
I haven’t found a way
To take you dancing in the light
And take you running in the night
I’m thinking you just might
Like to go dancing, dancing…
Lyrics influenced by a conversation with a friend whose daughter was in a really bad way. Kind of set the mood for large parts of the challenge for me this year.
New version uploaded 12 Dec 2010.
Man... As the playlist runs down into the 2010 RPM submission, I realize that I need to hit the stop button or I'll be up all night listening to Strummindude's incredible music... I'LL BE BACK!!!
To conclude the album, here is the title track in a full band setting, featuring the great Rob Wirensjo on a riveting piano and also Hank Johnzon doing a jazzy pedal. The arrangement is a little reminiscent of turn of the 19th century can-can…
Soooooooooo good, Jana. Really a brilliant album. I will be playing this beautiful song over and over in the coming days. Anyone who listens to this album and doesn't come away with a smile (especially after hearing this sweet closing track) needs to get their heads checked... or kicked... their choice. Just outstanding, Jana, truly outstanding!
The Cacaphony of the Kaleidoscopy, and a nod to 70's progressive rock. Brace yourself - this is a long one!
Falling Is Never
(Lyrics by Aaron Strebs, Music by Jana Persson)
Years between life, between panic, a lie
between she who would…
Oh, now this track is just amazing... And I love the fact that you've taken the 8:48 to say what really needs saying lyrically and musically... And that guitar at around 2:20... Wow. I wish more artists would be more willing to return to a time when eight minutes of great music can be so damn good, and should NEVER be cut short if the song tells the artist that it NEEDS to be just that long.
A couple of ornate melodies on a string that Will worked really hard to decorate with words. Since the song has basically two different melodic themes, the idea is to portray a relationship from two perspectives.
Over You
(Words by Will Gough…
Jana, this is one hell of an album whether or not it was produced under the time constraint of RPM (and the fact that it was makes it all the more impressive).
Well done!
A funky track, featuring Amanda Persson, the 15 yo Daughter of Strummindude, on lead vocals. Amanda is currently competing in the 2011 Swedish Idol finals. (Oct 2011)
Take Me Dancing
(Words & Music by Jana Persson)
Take me up
Take…
This track is just incredible... Put together a music video and this will be HUGE in the states... And what a voice on that kid of yours!... I have a feeling it won't be very long until we'll all be saying, "and I heard her when she was only fifteen."
Top notch songwriting, arranging, performance... Just first rate all the way you two!
Next stop, Nashville.
Time to Let Go (Song for Ramona)
(Music by Jana Persson, Lyrics by Jana Persson and Will Gough)
Feel the hurt
Feel the pain
Aching heart
Not again
All the pleas
On my knees
Where's the cure for emotions like…
The window to the world opening. Have a listen, if you will!
Kaleidoscopy Overture
(Words & Music by Jana Persson)
Who will get it if they want?
You will
Who'll prevail as is their wont?
You will
Who will have a look
In my kaleidoscope…
"I Was Born"
Lyrics and Music by Daniel Parkhill
Greetings to my only friend, sacrifical lamb.
Ask me where my mind has been, ask me where I stand.
Guess it isn't real, guess it doesn't matter much.
Ash to ash and dust to dust, etcetera and such…
"Fail"
Lyrics by Daniel Parkhill, Music by Daniel Parkhill and Keith Landry
There's a price to pay to be the boy who popped out from a storybook
And every single day I find the jury's giving me the alibis.
So let me tell you:
I'm so-so tall…
A song about the five stages of grieving, as devised by the (late) Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Unfortunately knowing these stages does not help you get over them.
You've been managing expectations
Consultations end in tears
Even if you're optimistic…
Oooh... It's been a while since I heard this all-time-great... This is the best thing about RPM... I'm reminded of the incredible talent that I haven't listened to for so long!
All right... Last comment about this masterpiece... A full day of any songwriting course should revolve around this song... I'll shut up now and just listen to the perfection.
Just back to listen to this outstanding song... I'm so partial to the quickly played piano... and then the harmonica that comes in... Just outstanding!
Final version
it needs a fiddle but it has a mandolin, a chicken banjo and some excellent backing vocalists
my third demo for RPM 2011
The cat's in the window and
the rabbit's in the hutch
goat's in the meadow just
a-chewin on the…
This celtic folk piece is a collaboration with lyricist Donna Devine.
This is Donna's explanation:
===============================
Background: In earlier centuries, young men were captured by "press gangs" - often literally torn away from…
Vocals: Eric Savoie
Acoustic Guitar: Dan Clancy
Electric Guitars: Bobby Clohessy
Bass: Trevor Tillotson
Drums: Gerald Langenfeld
Composed by Steffen Offermann & Eric Savoie
Arranged & mixed by Steffen Offermann
Vocals: Tricia Dovidio
Lyrics: Bob Beckley
Composed, arranged & mixed by Steffen Offermann
This one was tricky to do because the piano does not play at a fixed tempo, and it was an online collaboration (like all my collaborations).
A pop/rock tune in the veins of the 80s. At least that was the goal.
UPDATE: This is the Jan 2017 version!
Lyrics: Casia
Vocals: Jessica Rasche
Solo Guitar: Bobby Clohessy
Bass: Jean Lui Toudou
Drums: Jay Carros
Composed, arranged…
Comments on Keith Landry's stuff
lovely
Very nice! ER
Very nice vocal.
I love the sound of nylon strings! Schweeeeeet!
Sweet! Love the sound of that nylon string!
Absolutely gorgeous track! Keith, what a truly awesome album! Bravo!
A rocker!
This is excellent too!
Love this track. Love he harmonies!
Really nice tack!
This track brings me to my knees everytime I listen to it. I could fave this thousands of times if alonetone would let me. One of the most beautiful tracks around.
I love the simplicity of this track.
What a fabulous track!!!
Superb!
Love the swaying sound and the deep drone of the acoustic. Nice closing tune to your best record yet. Excellent collection of songs...
Kick ***. Great song, great collab.
The harmonies are perfect. The feel on this song is really warm and intimate. Excellent.
Excellent song.
This song sounds like a hot sunny day in big sky country. Brilliant...
Again with the excellent movement. Great blend of vocals and guitar, fun song. Nice...
Comments made by Keith Landry
Man... As the playlist runs down into the 2010 RPM submission, I realize that I need to hit the stop button or I'll be up all night listening to Strummindude's incredible music... I'LL BE BACK!!!
Soooooooooo good, Jana. Really a brilliant album. I will be playing this beautiful song over and over in the coming days. Anyone who listens to this album and doesn't come away with a smile (especially after hearing this sweet closing track) needs to get their heads checked... or kicked... their choice. Just outstanding, Jana, truly outstanding!
Oh, now this track is just amazing... And I love the fact that you've taken the 8:48 to say what really needs saying lyrically and musically... And that guitar at around 2:20... Wow. I wish more artists would be more willing to return to a time when eight minutes of great music can be so damn good, and should NEVER be cut short if the song tells the artist that it NEEDS to be just that long.
Jana, this is one hell of an album whether or not it was produced under the time constraint of RPM (and the fact that it was makes it all the more impressive). Well done!
This track is just incredible... Put together a music video and this will be HUGE in the states... And what a voice on that kid of yours!... I have a feeling it won't be very long until we'll all be saying, "and I heard her when she was only fifteen." Top notch songwriting, arranging, performance... Just first rate all the way you two!
Such a professionally produced piece of excellence!
Faved at 0:15... Great track, Jana!
Great opening track... Faved at 0:12!
Hey Daniel! Good to hear this one in its completed form! Thanks for letting me come along for the ride! Keith
Oooh... It's been a while since I heard this all-time-great... This is the best thing about RPM... I'm reminded of the incredible talent that I haven't listened to for so long!
You really MUST post the lyrics to this!!!
All right... Last comment about this masterpiece... A full day of any songwriting course should revolve around this song... I'll shut up now and just listen to the perfection.
Where's the "all-time-fave" button? We really need to have that installed.
...And back for this all-time-favorite!
Just back to listen to this outstanding song... I'm so partial to the quickly played piano... and then the harmonica that comes in... Just outstanding!
Listening to this track right now with my daughter... Outstanding track!!! She says "it's silly, I like it, it makes me giggle!"
Looooove the celtic music! And again with the incredible vocals!
Another outstanding acoustic guitar track! This might be the best track here, Steffen!
Another fine mellow track. Where are you finding all these incredible vocalists!
Excellent track! Love that vocal from Jessica. Outstanding production quality on this one all around... Really tight arrangement and performance.