The lyrics were off the top of my head so if you're wondering how I really feel, or what I'm talking about... let's just say there's a lot of stupid out there right now and a lot of it has important jobs. Dig?
Kinda funky. Not bad. Maybe…
This is one of only two songs from this year's 50/90 that was started on guitar rather than bass. It's also one of three where the vocals were recorded on a day where I couldn't sing in tune to save my life. It's also one of three where the…
I managed to work on 16 songs for this year's 50/90 before I did something strummy in 6/8 time. I've started working on another 21 songs since and I've yet to do another one. That will likely change before today ends. Sorry, strummy songs in…
I like this one, even though there's not a lot to it musically. Mix wise, there's tons going on. Four rhythm guitar tracks, five vocal tracks, four lead guitar tracks, and (really) two drum tracks. Oh yeah, and one lonely bass guitar.
I…
I like this one, even though there's not a lot to it musically. Mix wise, there's tons going on. Four rhythm guitar tracks, five vocal tracks, four lead guitar tracks, and (really) two drum tracks. Oh yeah, and one lonely bass guitar.
I…
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…
Another in an endless string of recordings that would have been saved by a competent singer. Maybe. I like the individual pieces of this song, but I don't think I like the song as a whole. Okay... maybe I don't like the chorus at all. I don…
Another in an endless string of recordings that would have been saved by a competent singer. Maybe. I like the individual pieces of this song, but I don't think I like the song as a whole. Okay... maybe I don't like the chorus at all. I don…
Another in an endless string of recordings that would have been saved by a competent singer. Maybe. I like the individual pieces of this song, but I don't think I like the song as a whole. Okay... maybe I don't like the chorus at all. I don…
Another in an endless string of recordings that would have been saved by a competent singer. Maybe. I like the individual pieces of this song, but I don't think I like the song as a whole. Okay... maybe I don't like the chorus at all. I don…
I kinda like this one. The melody in the hook is kinda fun, and having the guitar play a melody of its own was something fun that I don't do often. The lyrics are stream of conscious garbage, meaning they are probably about the idiot in the…
Do you know where the title comes from?
One of the Disney Parks (I don't remember which one), as part of it's Covid-19 re-opening plan, suggested to patrons that screaming on a ride is a good way to spread the coronavirus, so instead they ask…
Oh yeah LOVE those guitars... the drums, bass and guitars just gel so gorgeously. And that title makes for a superb chorus. Makes a lot more sense to me here in a song than it does as a theme park motto!! lol
Round two of what?
I'd tell you if I had even the slightest idea.
I'm pretty pleased with this one. Well, I don't completely hate it at least. I think it could have benefited from some rehearsing, which during 50/90 is asking a lot…
Nice one... I do like that "Here comes round two" hook... And I've just looked up 50/90... you're a crazy man!!! Crumbs, a song every two days for 3 months solid!! I could probably write the songs, but I could never record them in that time frame! Anyways - mighty cool, I shall keep listening and cheer you on from the sidelines.
Do you know where the title comes from?
One of the Disney Parks (I don't remember which one), as part of it's Covid-19 re-opening plan, suggested to patrons that screaming on a ride is a good way to spread the coronavirus, so instead they ask…
I tried to do something a little weirder rhythmically and ended up with something that feels just a little off. Just a little out of time, just a little ragged. I don't know. I don't think the song is bad, it's all just a smidgen off.
I…
Overall this one seems okay to me. The performance is pretty awful, but this song is all right. I don't like the transition from the first hook into the first verse. It feels awkward, but the second time seems better. Weird. Is it just a…
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.
Another song that doesn't really stand out to me. This one is a little embarrassing though. The tempo is set at 85 beats per minute. Originailly it was 95 beats per minute. Why did I change it? Because I couldn't pick the guitar part in the…
And here we go - Edith FINALLY gets it...
Actually, she's been getting it ever since I wrote it on the 29th May. I thought it would take a week or so, but it proved to be more of a fight than I was expecting.
On top of struggling to sing…
RPM 2k15
vocal by Gregg Todt
is it the medication
that makes her stare off into space?
those little pills in the bottle
grab your collar
smack you in the face
i want to make an appointment to see
that drug, so he will give her back to…
I thought going into 50/90 that I would need to do some quick recordings of really simple arrangements. Maybe just acoustic guitar and voice. Nope, not really.
This isn't meant as filler. This idea is something I noodle on almost every…
So 50/90 is an unnatural forcing of a crap ton of songs in a relatively short period of time. We're half way though and I've learned one thing. I've learned how easy it is to repeat something you've already done. This one sounds a LOT like…
I appreciate wanting to bring the vocals out in the mix more but that would mean someone might hear my awful voice and nonono we can't have that. Not to mention the terrible lyrics. Urgh. Bury those vocals!
I also like having the excuse that as I am a guitar player first and foremost, I naturally want the guitars to overpower everything else.
In all seriousness, I agree the vocals need to come up... I just can't bring myself to do it.
Opening song by Kent Good. We played pretty good in Feb. We are not "chops" players, but i think we rocked this one pretty good.This song will evolve a bit as we break it in live.
Apologies to Peter and the rest of Genesis - from back when they were good - 1974
And the lamb lies down on Broadway.
Early morning Manhattan,
Ocean winds blow on the land.
The Movie-Palace is now undone,
The all-night watchmen have had their…
"Stupid Punk Song" is... well... stupid. I woke up one morning and the entire song, lyrics and all, was stuck in my head. I let it rattle around for a few days before putting it down on my new 8-track. I played it for Break Even once but they…
This is a pre-release of a song from my new album. The song still needs some polish and rubbing. I will change it out once i get done with the final version. The lyric was written a long time ago, of what could or couldn't have been:) Thats the…
Comments on Robert James's stuff
That says it perfectly in a nutshell!
Amazing!!!!
6/8 is good :) ... cool set of songs in this batch. Keep going!!! :)
Oh yeah this one stands out big time. Love the build up. Love the space under the lead.
Very cool! I like the build up indeed.
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...")
Yeah, the more I listen to this one, the more I think you're being hard on it/yourself... and the guitars are fabulous.
I dig those guitars. Great tone KC
Ok the 335 is tapped at enough treble to really bring out that special tone . The Vox is one of my personal favorites. Wish I had one again.
Some very very cool guitars though!
Yep, I like this one too. Gorgeous guitars, cool bvox, and the groove just works on this one.
Oh yeah LOVE those guitars... the drums, bass and guitars just gel so gorgeously. And that title makes for a superb chorus. Makes a lot more sense to me here in a song than it does as a theme park motto!! lol
Nice one... I do like that "Here comes round two" hook... And I've just looked up 50/90... you're a crazy man!!! Crumbs, a song every two days for 3 months solid!! I could probably write the songs, but I could never record them in that time frame! Anyways - mighty cool, I shall keep listening and cheer you on from the sidelines.
nice tune and great guitar! indeed - that is a weird emotionally social distancing instruction.
Love the looser feel. And some gorgeous guitars. It seems a little cymbal heavy in places at the moment?
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.
Wow - those leads! Nice one
Comments made by Robert James
Love the slide! What a great song. No one warns us that vowel sounds matter when writing lyrics, but you nailed it.
Damn it man, each song is better than the one that came before. Nice work. Really loving it.
The acoustic bass sound comes from GarageBand. I haven't been using it much lately, but every once in a while I feel the need.
I appreciate wanting to bring the vocals out in the mix more but that would mean someone might hear my awful voice and nonono we can't have that. Not to mention the terrible lyrics. Urgh. Bury those vocals! I also like having the excuse that as I am a guitar player first and foremost, I naturally want the guitars to overpower everything else. In all seriousness, I agree the vocals need to come up... I just can't bring myself to do it.
I love everything about this song.
Live music! Sounds great.
Have I mentioned that this is the BEST! SONG! EVER!!!!? Because it clearly is the BEST SONG EVER!!!
BEST! SONG! EVER!!!!!
Syd would be proud. Thanks!
Put on a fox head mask and channel Peter Gabriel. Nice!
Hey Steve, I don't think you were there that night. I know i played it for at least Jeff and Dave and they both sort of looked at me funny.
I like both of these songs a lot. Thanks!
Great song! Here's to hoping you add some more.
Some excellent guitar playing! Thanks
I'm so impressed that I can't think of anything complementary to say. Thanks!
Wow!