My fourth album (and the rest)

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thepopeofpop
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My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by thepopeofpop »

I don't just listen to EC. I write my own stuff, and have been doing so for a very long time. Don't expect it to sound like EC - because that would be a bit obvious - but it does fit into the "grand songwriting tradition", I think.

My brand new "Last of the Old Fashioned Rock Stars'' CD will start shipping now so that you will receive it before the release date if you order it now. (This also applies to any orders already placed). The release date is 25 October.

Two free bonus tracks have been added to the download version of the album to be released on October 25 on Bandcamp and will also be available for download to anyone who purchases the CD on Bandcamp.

The album will also be available on all the other major streaming and download services (but the bonus tracks are exclusive to Bandcamp).

Go to my website:
https://paulinglis.org/

Or stream/download it here:
https://songwhip.com/paulinglis/the-las ... rock-stars

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Last edited by thepopeofpop on Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
--Paul--
Now put on your ironic dancing shoes
And dig my brand new rhythm and hues:
https://www.paulinglis.org
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Ymaginatif
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Location: Paisley Park

Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by Ymaginatif »

"You're half-awake and half-undressed"

I don't think you can get more Elvis Costello than that line?! :D

the samples are short, but they give the impression that you go to inventive (but not outrageous) places in melodies and arrangements. Very clear and elegant. Your vocal takes a second or two to get used to, but like many other singer I think you turn its limitations into a definitestregnth. Bit of a Talking Heads vibe perhaps.

Excellently recorded by the way - all you, or do you have a band? If anything lets it down it's perhaps the drum (which sounds a bit machine-y to me).

Your site wasn't clear about shipping costs to the UK?
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thepopeofpop
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Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by thepopeofpop »

Thank you for your kind words!

The shipping cost to the UK is £3.73 and the cost of the CD is £7.45

Yes, that's all me, and yes the drums are not completely real, as you note. It has been suggested that I use a real drummer, and I do have one that can do it, but the pandemic made mincemeat of those plans. Perhaps next time. I do throw in some subtle (and sometimes less subtle) tempo changes to at least make it less mechanical. A friend of mine (a world class recording engineer) is recording an album, and he has a drummer on tap. The idea is that I'll do some lead guitar and keyboard work for his album and he will record the drums for one of mine.

I might throw together a band now that (perhaps) things are returning to quasi-normal. I do have some people in mind (some of whom I used to work with).

Now, on to my next album! I have a title, I just have to write the songs (fortunately I'm on fire at the moment - 3 albums since March 2020)
--Paul--
Now put on your ironic dancing shoes
And dig my brand new rhythm and hues:
https://www.paulinglis.org
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Ymaginatif
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Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:14 am
Location: Paisley Park

Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by Ymaginatif »

It's certainly a much better quality recording than what I can achieve!
Still, I'm sure that real (and well played) drums will make a big difference. These drum pedals or -machines are a lot of work to get right, but I find that they are usually instantly recognizable as such. A friend uses them, but I don't have the patience for them ..

Anway, a copy of your CD is now ordered for the UK. I'm looking forward to this!

I've listened to the full 'Don't Sing It Summer Long' --- with choruses in a slightly faster tempo (another person's mistake is your deliberate choice, it seems) and some very sour notes in the singing. But for some reason I like those: they shouldn't work, but just like some good lemon drizzle they make a cake more interesting :wink:
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thepopeofpop
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Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by thepopeofpop »

Yes I like "interesting" singers. Talking Heads is a good example, David Byrne is fairly brave to sing the way he does - hitting all those notes with *that* voice.

The vast majority of new albums now feature completely autotuned vocals, and quite frankly it's killing music. It's unnatural - nobody really sings like that - and it can't be replicated live, so why bother?
--Paul--
Now put on your ironic dancing shoes
And dig my brand new rhythm and hues:
https://www.paulinglis.org
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Ymaginatif
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Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by Ymaginatif »

I agree - a good unusual voice is an asset in pop (or as they now call it rock) music. Otherwise we wouldn't be on this site I guess.

The puzzling thing is that nowadays you begin to have a younger generation who is singing in imitation of autotune effects. And some of them can even pull it of! Weird!
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thepopeofpop
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Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by thepopeofpop »

I had a listen to your songs. They're quite good. Miss Divinity and Too Many Minds have the best mixes, but if you want some assistance there I could help out.
--Paul--
Now put on your ironic dancing shoes
And dig my brand new rhythm and hues:
https://www.paulinglis.org
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Ymaginatif
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Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by Ymaginatif »

Ha! Thanks for listening!You might be the first person ever :lol:

In any case, nobody's ever offered me help before, and I#m all making it up myself. So any tips would be much appreciated!
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thepopeofpop
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Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by thepopeofpop »

You've got the balance of the vocals right ... they sit nicely against the music. A lot of people get that wrong. But - listening to "Too Many Minds", for example, although the mix is clear enough it just doesn't have any punch or any sense of space. I could fix that, assuming that you've still got the original tracks/stems.

Is that little riff in the intro (and other places) meant to be an homage to EC's guitar riff on (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea?
--Paul--
Now put on your ironic dancing shoes
And dig my brand new rhythm and hues:
https://www.paulinglis.org
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Ymaginatif
Posts: 512
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:14 am
Location: Paisley Park

Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by Ymaginatif »

thepopeofpop wrote:You've got the balance of the vocals right ... they sit nicely against the music. A lot of people get that wrong. But - listening to "Too Many Minds", for example, although the mix is clear enough it just doesn't have any punch or any sense of space. I could fix that, assuming that you've still got the original tracks/stems.

Is that little riff in the intro (and other places) meant to be an homage to EC's guitar riff on (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea?
I'm probably a living, breathing hommage to Elvis Costello! :D
Quite possible - but it wasn't intentional ...

If you like, I can send you the separate tracks and you could play around with? Add and take away even if you like? One thing I thought about this recording is that it is too slow - and that it sometimes sags in places. But my unsteady sense of rhythm is probably also an hommage to Elvis Costello ... :lol:
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thepopeofpop
Posts: 414
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Location: Newcastle, Australia (& Citizen of the World)

Re: My fourth album (and the rest)

Post by thepopeofpop »

Ymaginatif wrote:
thepopeofpop wrote:You've got the balance of the vocals right ... they sit nicely against the music. A lot of people get that wrong. But - listening to "Too Many Minds", for example, although the mix is clear enough it just doesn't have any punch or any sense of space. I could fix that, assuming that you've still got the original tracks/stems.

Is that little riff in the intro (and other places) meant to be an homage to EC's guitar riff on (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea?
I'm probably a living, breathing hommage to Elvis Costello! :D
Quite possible - but it wasn't intentional ...

If you like, I can send you the separate tracks and you could play around with? Add and take away even if you like? One thing I thought about this recording is that it is too slow - and that it sometimes sags in places. But my unsteady sense of rhythm is probably also an hommage to Elvis Costello ... :lol:
Sounds good. Do you have Dropbox? If not there's other ways to send the tracks.
--Paul--
Now put on your ironic dancing shoes
And dig my brand new rhythm and hues:
https://www.paulinglis.org
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