The Song Fight Bulletin Board

I have an album out now over here. It's [mostly] a lot neater and generally better put together than most of my Songfight stuff. It includes everything from folk-shanty-cautionary-tales (Eels Will Kill You pts. 1-3) to educational arena rock (Simile) to dance club hits (Hit Me In The Face) to sweet little love songs about Pokemon and dictators (Transform and Crazy For You) to a revamped SongFight entry (Disco Tony.) Also, a little ditty called Box of Babies that can't really be described. Give it a listen. Maybe even a download?

Schlimminy,

Eels Will Eat You is a lot of really great fun. I wish I could write quirky songs like this, but with that nice dense underbelly here and there.

You often use a really great effect for your voice, what is it? (cf., Crazy for You and Simile). It seems like a delay or particular reverb; or are you just singing it twice and slightly off-setting the tracks?

Thank you for the kind words.

The effect is just me singing the same thing twice and panning the tracks to opposite channels. Sometime's I'll put a little reverb on one of them.

Nice group of songs there, Schlimminy. I especially like "Transform". Good sense of melody in your songs.


This is my cover of "My Lovely Horse" by The Divine Comedy:
http://soundcloud.com/deetak/deetak-my- ... orse-cover

If anyone is curious, this is the original:

The first single, "Heart Once Lay" from my upcoming album is out:

http://noahmclaughlin.bandcamp.com/albu ... lay-single

The album, "Secrets Replete" will be released on September 13. Keep and eye out for more singles - and be sure to download the single for a small secret of its own.

Second single, "So Long Shuffle" :

http://noahmclaughlin.bandcamp.com/albu ... fle-single

Huge thanks to Manhattan Glutton for helping me out with the mix on this a few weeks back.

I'm gonna PWN this thread! The new album is out, folks! Go get yours:

Check out "Secrets Replete," my labor of passion and a little obsession this summer: 12 new tracks (with a few Song Fight! and SpinTunes reworks) about Greek myths, Renaissance poetry, Alabama islands, bourbon, sex, psychopomps and surrender. FREE DOWNLOAD. Includes a lyrics booklet and liner notes! http://noahmclaughlin.bandcamp.com

This is my new song, sort of 80s style pop.

I really like that song, nice work.

I wrote "Laboratory Rat" in 1981, when I was 19. I recorded it on a cheap handheld cassette recorder. As part of a local music radio show, I sent it to the station and it got played, and actually started to get some airplay and garnering requests. The DJ at the station called me up to say he wanted to hook me up with record studios. But I was too insecure to follow up. I still regret that. But I've always thought of Laboratory Rat as one of my "hits".

Thirty years later, I have finally recorded a NEW version of "Laboratory Rat", for my wife for Christmas, and in honor of my turning 50 tomorrow. Here they are for anyone interested:

"Laboratory Rat" (1981)


"Laboratory Rat" (2011)

Jim! Very happy to hear both versions, and honestly can't pick a favorite

Lunkhead wrote:I really like that song, nice work.

second that, wish the lyrics were stronger, but otherwise dig the tune.

deetak wrote:This is my new song, sort of 80s style pop.

Best song I've heard from you yet. It drags a bit after two minutes or so, but other than that it's perfect.

deetak: this is very interesting and well done. I like your singing. I learned a bit technically listening to this because it is unlike me; but it was also emotionally compelling, your performance - so it had Much Familiarity about it.

and Jim, the song is charming and I always enjoy the layering of your work.

Thanks! Hmmm... what do you mean by layering?

Jim
Basically I mean a well stacked, sounding-organized-interlocked, mindful-of-entrances approach. As someone who has studied orchestration/arranging either formally or informally (with eiher and/or yes...? ear training/scoring).
It's good to hear because I'm doing it now and it's not my strong suit. I am very much locked into a murky-bleedy kind of style. You sounded very clean to me. It's good to hear all sorts of influences and VERY pretty stringsWOW!

Ah, ok, thanks. I went to music school in college but that was a really long time ago (think Thriller and Boy George) and I didn't really enjoy it. I just finished a film scoring program which taught me a little bit about orchestration that I needed, but otherwise again very little, unfortunately. And those strings you like were a splurgey software buy. Worth it though.

I'm a strong believer in leaning really heavily on what your ears are telling you. Not just in your own work but in everyone else's. As in "I love this! (How come? Can I do that too?)" and just as importantly "I hate this! (How come? Do I do that too?)"

Also, the rules of music theory, for arranging and harmonies and all that, are really valuable, but once I learn a rule, it only sticks if I can hear the difference when I follow it vs when I don't. Otherwise it's just some dumb rule.

If you start with good clean sounds, there's no reason you can't tweak knobs to make them sounds awesome. Do you do all your arranging-writing-playing? Meaning, do you have total control over the process? Because you kick serious talent ass and what you're doing absolutely deserves the perfect forum for its expression (meaning arrangements and engineer etc.).

Jim of Seattle wrote:Do you do all your arranging-writing-playing? Meaning, do you have total control over the process?

Your compliments are highly regarded. I did not do well in music school (by and large. at least not in a uniform way) and it was both unenjoyable and traumatic. That's a book, actually.

I do my own arranging and playing, unless I am i a collaboration, which I usually do because it provides me with something I cannot do myself.

The things you have said about theory and process sound familiar, like the ear-oriented way I do things. I always write about stories or characters. Even if I am not supposed to there is a story both fictional and factual in every song and I tell it with lyrics and/or instruments. It's nice to try on different things with lyrics and / or pianos; orchestrations.

Working with people who give me things I can't make or provide is like getting to be in a free shoe store that is made of sounds instead of cute strappy sandals.

RangerDenni wrote:Working with people who give me things I can't make or provide is like getting to be in a free shoe store that is made of sounds instead of cute strappy sandals.

I really need to learn to see it that way. I like working with people on THEIR work, but when it comes to my own, it's always been strictly don't-touch-it's-mine, though I'm not proud of that. I've had people contribute to my songs before, usually when I just need a REAL guitar, which I can't play, but even then "It's like this: I tell you exactly what I want you to do and then you do it like that." However,, sometimes someone has said "What about this instead?" and before I can scream "NO!!! Dies IST MEIN SONG!!!" they do their idea, and if I like it better I'll instantly say "Oh yeah. That's way better. Do that instead." It's as if the joy of the discovered sound is so powerful that it lulls my control-freak to sleep momentarily. (But still, _I_ have to be the one to say it's better, not him/her. Again, not proud of it..)

I'm sending my wife to your blog now. Yours was one of only 2 Carpetners covers she liked besides the one she sang on.

And you are familiar with Sondheim, right? He's right up your alley and I'd be shocked if you weren't already a big fan, given your lyric style.

I used to be far more protective over my material. Now I am fine with ripping it, or having it ripped to shreds. I credit the contests for this.... and Song Fight! over all of them because it is so exacting here.

I have heard of Sondheim. I have done a few things that are more musical-oriented. I thought of actually writing musicals, once. I am highly ignorant about that part of the canon, I'm afraid!! :/

Ps. Niveous once tweeted about another little contest called omgsongclub.tumblr.com ... It's really tiny, just a couple friends. They had a three-chords I-IV-V (opt bridge) sort of challenge quite a while back and I used my "naked viola" on it. No keyswitches. It's a silly little sad song I'd maybe put in an audience friendly part of a musical.
http://denisehudson.bandcamp.com/track/ ... e-my-leave

Thanks, folks.

Lunkhead wrote:I really like that song, nice work.

drë wrote:second that, wish the lyrics were stronger, but otherwise dig the tune.

jast wrote:Best song I've heard from you yet. It drags a bit after two minutes or so, but other than that it's perfect.

RangerDenni wrote:deetak: this is very interesting and well done. I like your singing. I learned a bit technically listening to this because it is unlike me; but it was also emotionally compelling, your performance - so it had Much Familiarity about it.