Taken from the album ‘The Weight Of Water’, from 2007. (This is a new mix, for 2014.)
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
Sometimes I challenge myself to write and record a song from scratch in a single day. This is a story song which…
An old favourite from a record I called 'The Great Erotic Novel'. I've put a new vocal on it (a bit loud I think now), at some point I'll do a fresh mix/master of the whole record.
A cover of the Laura Veirs song 'Jailhouse Fire', which originally appeared on her excellent album ' The Triumphs & Travails Of Orphan Mae'. I recorded this in 2008, around the time I started demoing songs for what became 'The Anxiety Bomb'.
My 2013 Christmas single! A bluesy reading of 'Santa Baby', written by Joan Javits, Philip Springer and Tony Springer in the early 1950s.
I haven't changed the gender. That would be silly.
Taken from the album 'Reverse The Sun', recorded in February 2013 for the RPM Challenge.
Written and performed by Rog Hildreth.
A long one, something of a centrepiece for the record. Open tuning and ebow fun.
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.
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.
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.
A dark take on the Christmas classic, written by the Reverend John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857.
Stick around for the synths.
All instruments and voices: Rog. Recorded November 2012.
Another festive cover, this was recorded in December 2010.
Written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan.
(Please let me know if there is a copyright issue here and I will happily remove the track. Thanks.)
Chris sent me the the track this afternoon and i took to it straight away and threw it down the cellar to see what would happen and Frankie Zee quickly scribbled the lyrics and Reg sang it or should i say spoke it straight in one take because…
This is a cover of the Wings song 'Bluebird', written by Paul & Linda McCartney and recorded by me back in 2009.
(Please let me know if there is a copyright issue here and I will happily remove the track. Thanks.)
Thanks very much for your comments. I went to see McCartney live last month, absolutely brilliant. He didn't play this, but he did do plenty from Band On The Run.
Written by Rog Hildreth.
Copyright 2010.
All instruments/production by Rog Hildreth.
Taken from "The Anxiety Bomb".
Video: Filmed in Manchester, 2010/11.
It was busy down the cellar tonight.....someone slipped something into Reg's and Jim's drink........now their out there trying to find the gold for the mind from the other side..........we tried to stop them but you know what their like when they…
Written by Rog Hildreth.
Copyright 2010.
All instruments/production by Rog Hildreth.
Taken from "The Anxiety Bomb".
Video: Filmed in Manchester, 2010/11.
Written by Rog Hildreth.
Copyright 2010.
All instruments/production by Rog Hildreth.
Backing vocals by Jen Howell.
Video: Filmed in Amsterdam, 2010.
Taken from "The Anxiety Bomb".
Here's another one with the honkey tonk style of piano. I wrote this song some time ago using my usual mix of guitars, then decided to see what it might sound like using the piano. The new instrument gave the song an entirely different sound…
Sam did a great job on this song. Both the lead and backing vocals are hers. The song could use a little editing, but I thought you'd all like to hear it anyway.
Enjoy.
ER
For the lyrics I tried to "paint a picture" rather than tell a story or make a clear point. I was thinking of Caroline No by the Beach Boys about a girl who suddenly lost the glow of youth. The lyric is not quite succesfull but... it will have…
Comments on Rog Hildreth's stuff
Just going through your tunes, you have a lot of good stuff in here. I look forward to hearing more of it!
Nice upbeat song for the holidays.
Nice :)
Great Song!
Excellent cover of Santa Baby Rog!
:)
Great sound on that acoustic. It's fantastic. Cool chord prog and cool song all around. Nice...
Nice guitar work, Rog. Cool song.
Great chorus...good movement on this.
Great work on your RPM album this year!
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.
very good
Well done, I know it's not an easy one to attack :)
Comments made by Rog Hildreth
Really like this.
Like it! Nice artwork too.
Great stuff.
Thanks very much for your comments. I went to see McCartney live last month, absolutely brilliant. He didn't play this, but he did do plenty from Band On The Run.
Thanks very much for your comments and for listening. Alas, I have a few paving stones of my own, but Manchester City Council own the greenery here!
This is excellent!
Thanks very much!
Thanks very much, I've just got to find the right vocal balance somewhere between being too quiet and loudly annoying my neighbours :)
Really like this one.
Very nice.
Thank you very much! I'm new to this site but so far I like it a lot. I see you're a fellow RPMer, I did one this year too. Just having a listen.
Very very nice!