A little how to on the bass for our 'fake plastic trees'

At a guess I'd say this is for Greg, Ads, or Zoobs, but don't write off Anna, you've seen those France videos, she plays a mean SWSBOF.

We Aerotxx

To the collapse

This is a piece most of you will be familiar with in some form or other, it's one of only two things I play every time I'm within earshot of a piano. Thought I'd make a demo whilst I was here with the very piano on which it were wrote.

Have a listen, say what you think, any ideas for bits or pieces, how things should be?

There's a new percussion idea I had for the first section but I've largely forgotten it; something involving bass drum and claps. Jeremy and I worked on the end bit, after the collapse, and managed to make it sound like a proper section rather than a transition or a build up to something. To note about that last section is that the piano chords change on the second beat, that beat pause after the collapse is the first beat of the bar, tricky but essential.

Merry Christmas all, and I'm having a look at flights to get the for the 30th, and who knows, maybe even the big NY.

Txx

I, Absent-naut

I miss you all.

Can't wait for the 3rd.

x x x x x

Once more unto the breach

Dear friends,

Here are some recordings of the gig we played at shunt last Friday. I already left a little excited blog on the myspace about it, so this is just the songs.

The recorder was at the back of the room on the sound desk (which is why you can hear the sound man telling someone the name of the band). Unfortunately there were people talking all around the mic, so background noise is high, but it's still good. This is the first live version of Distance Learning and it sounds ace. For anyone reading this who isn't in the band, these songs are more vanity pieces than legitimate live recordings.

The order of the night, minus the tuning:

Fleet River

Boatswain's Cry

Distance Learning

Alpe d'Huez

Chalon Valley House Band

The House on Ash Tree Lane

Little Magician

We Aerotom x

'Ow Queer

Queer, the title of this post, is a synonym of strange which is one of the few words in the title of the song Thames and I recorded this afternoon.

It's more or less the same as the other demo but higher quality and a better and more complete sound. The chorus is less out and out happy and more just sweet.

Before it cuts to the last chorus from the middle bit there might be a cut to the 'I guess it's just faces...' line with just drums but all voices then launch into the last section.

The last double chorus is pretty indicative of what it will be like with more people.

Have a think and write something amazing to go with it please, we're going to give it an overhaul. Thanks.

Tom & Thames

Strange Sign of Life

This video is a good point of reference re the middle

This a minimal readership post, as it's only for yous lot who haven't heard the new distance learning yet.

Greg and I did a rough sketch of it a couple of weeks ago partly to test out the new digital recorder I bought (sadly, not the wind instrument).

High quality demos here we come.

distance learning

We Aeropop?

That song that Thames and Tom just put up is so lush, I'm a big fan....

...Kids, I wrote us a pop song (I can hear loads of instruments doing fun stuff in this). Actually I didn't really write it, it wrote itself in my head when I was trying to sleep one night which has never happened to me before. Anyway, I've popped it up here for y'll to have a listen. (Obviously it is skype-mic-recorded again...)

toothbrush song

Ps: Ray informs me that this has a 'chromatic scale' in it...which I thought sounded pretty cool.

who is 'the winter'?

How do all,

Thames just left the new Aerobode in east London, he and Greg DJed at KOKO last night, would have been nice to join them (except for the angry scottish people telling Greg he was 'SHITE!' a lot) but work took precedence. However, before he left we recorded a quick demo of a song that's been knocking around since we were in France in January. It turned out pretty well given the conditions. The front room is good for vocals.

On record, or so the idea goes, it would end there, with not much else added at all. However, played live we throw in a lovely big sing a log [sic] at the end full of great richness and depth*.

Thames is currently writing lyrics for the second verse and end bit, no doubt he will update accord(ion)ingly. HA.

A song about winter recorded in May

*This one's for you Anna and Ads:

http://www.oxfordbands.com/2009/05/23/the-oxford-punt-13052009-various-venues - we played the cellar.

NB. Tom linked to the wrong file, probably because he should've been working. I've just changed it at 12.15pm Sunday Morning. Thamez x

Vally Fruits

Yo...

As most of you know, Thames came to visit me in little old Valencia (yes!) and whilst he was here we did a bit of work on a song I had in the pipeline.

We had to record it using my skype-mic so as per yooosh it's a dodgy recording BUT! It gives you an idea...

A song without a title

Here are the lyrics too if you're interested:

She built pretences like walls just to keep suspicion out
And then like a flash they're gone
Her words were a fence just to guard the yard of blossoms she knew she should be happy about
Her defences weren't so strong
She built foundations on conversations it was all that she could do
But the rocks of talk are thin
She had a roof made of crevices filled with promises, long since made by you
A roof hides what lies within.

And you caught her off guard
She'd found solice in a house built up of cards
And it only took one whistle and the whole thing fell apart
Now she's sitting in her broken comfort; piles of clubs and hearts.

She fashioned curtains of smiles to pull over her eyes
Blinds only blind you from the facts
The fears that she felt were cement that she created and then hid under kitchen tiles.
Cement shows through the cracks
She made a carpet of her heart and laid it out for all to see
Floors are for treading upon
She painted hopes onto all the walls in colours and bright shades so openly
In time, brightness moves on.

And you caught her off guard
She'd found solice in a house built up of cards
And it only took one whistle and the whole thing fell apart
Now she's sitting in her broken comfort; piles of clubs and hearts.

Helloooo,

I'm in France looking after myself on the lonesome (being looked after by my family who are here). We really need to come here again this summer. Anyways, I'm here to work, as you have been helpfully reminding me, but I'm only going to work 7 hours a day, leaving plenty of time for things like this.

I am aware it looks like both Belle and Sebastian and Feist but oh. well.

Ultramarine Recording Step 2

So we went back.

On Tuesday Jeremy and Tom went back to Transmission studios with dear Ali in the afternoon. Jeremy hit some drums. He hit them surprisingly well so it didn't take as long as his previous inferiority complex told him it would. He enjoyed the standing up crash cymbal track the most. Tom directed and pepp talked suitably. Tom Jeremy and Ali had some ice cream in the sun. James C and James M arrived. We recorded James M's guitar part. It was beautiful. Then we went to Fiddlers and didn't win the pub quiz.

On Wednesday evening we recorded Greg's guitar part and James C's accordian and microkorg parts. They were very nice. Then Ali roughly mixed the track a bit. It is here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ym3t2ltuevn

We will go back to finish mixing it properly next week. There are a few things we will definitely change, so consider that, dear reader. But the music is finished. I think we're quite happy with it. We spent most of last night touching ourselves about it anyway.*

Here's some pictaz of us doin it like:

*only a bit true

Ultramarine Recording - Step 1

Step 1: Record some piano and bass to click track so reprobate half of rhythm section can keep time.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mmmoymgiwzx

(levels and such might be a bit off and such because I VERY roughly mixed it on Audacity, and just because it IS Audacity).

Special prize if you can give the time of the tempo change. You win an evening with Greg Aeronaut (see above). FACT.

Step 2: Next week

Gramps and Didi

Come one, come all, well.

This is a relic just found on Anna's computer. Jez, Anna and myself wrote and recorded this pre Anna Log gigs - so at least 2 1/2 years ago. The guitar sounds horrible and is played badly, the drums sound wicked and the chorus was chatchier than Babe Ruth.

It fades out because it really falls apart in quite a bad way, but you get the idea.

Enjoy,

Tom

Die di (those are not actual lyrics)

Supermarine

So here I am again. I feel like crap- off work today. Promised Tom, Zoobs and Jez I'd get this up before tonight, so here it is. Anna and Tom did a little bit of playing around with an idea for that Green Emissions thing. I recorded it, and then after Anna had gone, Tom, Zoobs and I played around some more. It's labelled in my computer as "Supermarine". Probably because it sounds like 'Ultra-Green'. Anyway, I'm sure Anna and Tom have a better title.

Anyway, so Tom on Bass, Anna plays main Piano, Zoobs is on Shoegaze Guitar and Melodica, and I do a little bit of tinkling Piano and a little bit of Melodica too.

There are currently slight latency problems with my computer, so that is why it's not 100% in time with itself. I'm working on fixing this.

I have also had to turn down some parts that I didn't want to- the Bass at the beginning was flooding the mix, so it's quieter, and both piano parts are quieter too- due to the aforementioned latency. I left the 'bonus bass' at the end louder because it gives it a nice kick. I also realise that the melodica is a bit loud- but you get the idea, right?

Here it is:

Supermarine

A monologue of Thames watching snow fall in Oxford

Hi Everyone.

I done a song. It doesn't really have a name at the moment but is labelled as 'Granite Sky' because I was reading a book which used that as a description of winter (Daphne DuMaurier's 'Jamaica Inn').

It's alright. Again, I'm not very confident about it. Lyrics are as follows:

I slept a little whilst the snow began to fall but peering from my curtains I lost the will to sleep at all. The world was iced in ten minutes as I calmly slept away. The street was buried and I was sure the snow was here to stay. My tired eyes won't sleep tonight thanks to all the daydreams. I've been to places I've never seen through my own projection of me. When morning came it was apparent that the world was at a standstill- but the back garden was still alive with both plants and animals; heavy branches shattered ice onto diamond blades of grass. I spent my time looking for greenery that escaped the night's frost. My tired eyes won't sleep tonight thanks to all the daydreams. I've been to places I've never seen through my own projection of me. My tired eyes won't sleep tonight thanks to all the daydreams; wide open until morning breathes light and snow covers everything.

word.

Granite Sky

Haiku

The fruits of an afternoon spent in the living room at castle tallant.

Here it is!

Haiku

Greg played main guitar. Jez played drums. James played additional guitar and additional drums.