EuroAussie Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Its been a while since I posted anything from the 'mancave' so I thought Id share something i put together this morning. Was rehearsing for a gig tonite (bank holiday in town) and was practicing / exploring in recent weeks more higher register material and this song is something I put together this morning. I would imagine most of you would not know it as its 80's British angst pop I guess, however listen to it with an open mind. As always great to get your feedback. Dont intend to play it out yet, still a work in progress but would eventually like to give it a run. https://soundcloud.com/euroaussie/small-town-boy-cover cheers, EA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 From about 2 minutes to 2:30 you were in pretty good pitch. Try to emulate that. Guitar work is pristine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Wow, interesting choice of cover! I do remember this song from the 80's. I can't comment on specifics as far as your version, but I do think your vocals improve as the song progresses. I can hear that vocals are off at times, but I can't give any advice other than keep going. I think this early version shows that you can get it right. I do appreciate your range of covers. You must have a pretty broad set list by now. Impressive. Another thing that struck me is the equalizing power of simple acoustic music, just voice and guitar. The original version of this particular song is stuck in a moment in time, defined by its production and genre (synth pop, I guess), of the 1980's. What your version does is to strip all that away and leave what really matters the most, the melody and the lyrics. I noticed the same thing when I did my Smiths song recently. It had the simplest chord progression and strumming pattern of just about any song I have ever attempted, but in the end it did not matter. The song was good enough to stand on its own (despite my simple strumming and shakey vocals). I find that very, very cool. I look forward to hearing this song again, when you have worked some more on it. I'm confident your audience will appreciate this one! Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Don't know the song.Sounds like a good song - but not an easy one to cover.You are kind of near vocally most of the time but not spot on- which makes it a bit of a frustrating listen.Not sure whether it's a bit high for you. I think it has challenging phrasing too, if you are not fully confident in pitch etc. Guitar sound great as usual. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 I remember hearing that song back in the day Lars, you are right - many of those 80's songs had simple progressions going that when stripped back to just strumming or picking you can take wherever you like - I recall having fun doing some mournful vocal melodies to "Girls just wanna have fun'' for example EA, you actually have quite a nice voice in regards timbre and 'light and shade', however to be frank it's not on the note much of the time - if you hear that too as you play then it's something to build on, but if you hear it as being OK as you do it, then I don't know what you can do about that. Thanks for the song though - I don't know who the artist was but it was nice to be reminded of it after many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 Thanks for the comments guys, it is a work in progress and a way to explore high register numbers. I ran it past Mrs EA who has a very good ear and my old singing partner and their comment was that i was a bit off in the first verse (which i could definitely tell), but then it was pretty much in tune, which was my feeling also. This is the referance point i was using if you want to compare, and also the original - Its Small Town Boy by Bronski Beat, 1984 Its one of my all time favourite songs. I know i can lower the key by quite a margin but i just really like it in that key so will keep working on it. I did actually sing it on friday nite and it went down well, but i did use a pitch corrector on that one , so cheated a bit. Referance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ttpI7WXAO4 Original http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7-q1WRaKNg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Man, that's high. I could never pull that off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Cool Ozmeister. Had been thinking of working up a version of this song, as we've had the original on our car stereo a lot, back-to-back with Brandon Flowers's 'I Can Change', which sampled it fairly comprehensively and slung it back into the charts last year. Seeing as you've already done it, I think I'll shelve that project. Even more inclined to shelve it having heard it done by Dido. I'd far rather hear your less on-key moments than any of her soulless singing. Best thing she ever did was let Eminem sample 'Thank You'. 'Stan' is the mark of true genius, because it turns something exceedingly dull into a masterpiece. But I digress - soon we'll be onto the question of whether Eminem will ever win the Nobel. Remarkable how bluesy Jimmy Somerville can be, and how much growl he can get into falsetto, btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted November 2, 2016 Author Share Posted November 2, 2016 Remarkable how bluesy Jimmy Somerville can be, and how much growl he can get into falsetto, btw. Have you heard this version, its rather mindblowing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNhLOfUPHa8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 I have a memory of him being on top of the pops , which I would insist on watching when I was a kid much to my dads annoyance I remember him saying amongst all the tuts and eye rolling and mumbling under his breath at whoever was on that week , when Jimmy Somerville was on the old man piped up ' how can a voice like that come out of such an ugly little sh1t' I seem to recall his nickname was the singing potato What a great song though Hey Aussie what about a 'dont leave me this way' ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted November 2, 2016 Author Share Posted November 2, 2016 What a great song though Hey Aussie what about a 'dont leave me this way' ? Lord, that would really get Hogey out of his cave again, i think ill pass BBG... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Have you heard this version, its rather mindblowing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNhLOfUPHa8 Not normally my style, but boy, that was GOOD!! Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Never heard this before, I don't think. Didn't listen to a lot of the music that was "current" in the 80's. Was then and still am living-in a time warp. I like the lyrics and I like what you're trying to do with it. Pushing your vocal limits is how you find out what your capable of. Beyond that, perhaps the guy who originally sang it is singing in a key that is natural for his vocal range. I'm all for testing one's vocal range and abilities, but I'm more into people making a song their own. I'm not big on tribute bands, etc. Can't stand a band doing Cash songs and the lead singer is trying desperately to sound like Cash. Can't stand a folksinger trying to do a Dylan song in Dylan's voice and the range is not natural for him. It's just my opinion and doesn't make me right, but I'd like to hear you do this in a key comfortable for you. The video of the gal singing this song is really good. Not only is she "in key," but I can understand what she's saying. The original singer was "in key" and on pitch, but without the lyrics in front of me, I wouldn't know what he was saying most of the time. Your own vocals get stronger and better as you go along, but many of the words remain unclear when one is straining to hit the note. No doubt, much of my opinion is based on generational differences, personal likes and dislikes, and just being a human who can recognize his own flaws. ..........All that said, I think the second video of Somerville singing this song is much better than his original record. He's singing in a high key, but he's singing it a bit slower and his words are not cluttered-up with noise of a band. Just a lone instrument and his voice make the song very personable and easy-to-listen-to. If I were at a performance, I'd prefer hearing you sing this in a more comfortable key for you......I do understand you're just trying-out different things. [thumbup] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Have you heard this version, its rather mindblowing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNhLOfUPHa8 Hadn't heard this version, but found a faint echo of it the other night on a recording from the One Show on the BBC. Crappy digital piano and poor acoustics limited its power. Like an OK rehearsal for this, much better, take. I agree: stunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 The video of the gal singing this song is really good. Not only is she "in key," but I can understand what she's saying. Fair enough, MP, but I still don't get the massive appeal of Dido, I'm afraid. She sings as though she's crying over a penthouse in Kensington. That or a latte from Starbucks. Like the old parodies of 1980s blues singers which had them singing about losing their annual bonus. She's in tune, but she's not really got a special voice to my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 Fair enough, MP, but I still don't get the massive appeal of Dido, I'm afraid. She sings as though she's crying over a penthouse in Kensington. That or a latte from Starbucks. Like the old parodies of 1980s blues singers which had them singing about losing their annual bonus. She's in tune, but she's not really got a special voice to my ears. In all sincerity, I have no idea who Dido is. Never seen or heard her (that I'm aware of) before the video above.....just saying that on this song she sounds better to me than the original recording of the song. I can understand what she's saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 In all sincerity, I have no idea who Dido is. Never seen or heard her (that I'm aware of) before the video above.....just saying that on this song she sounds better to me than the original recording of the song. I can understand what she's saying. She's a multi-million-selling recording artist, MP, but my hunch is she's better know on our side of the pond. I find her bland. She did provide the backing to Eminem's finest moment, though, his Like A Rolling Stone perhaps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMhN-hfMtY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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