They Beat Out A Rhythm (and they chant)

[StephenM]

UM.... I sold both sets of digital drums and so I have been listening to some of Blooby's and Lurkers tunes and somehow that inspired me to do this (it's not their fault at all).... I have a cardboard box bass drum in the first minute or so (I set the box on top of the mic and tapped on  the box).  Then I used the computer chair for one of the other drums and the music stand banging away with some insulated pipe foam on it... all mic'd with the MXL and recorded with the Zoom L20.  10 tracks total I think.  I used my Epiphone Hummingbird acoustic with the MXL mic, the bass I mic'd a powered speaker that I ran the bass through my Behringer $20 bass distortion pedal I almost never have used yet... then I added the vocals(if that is what this is), and my grandpa's old Hohner accordion and a key of A harmonica.  Also had some Casio keyboard tracks (2).  oh yeah, guitar picks rubbing together also at times
I had no idea where I would go with this project other than starting by banging on the box.  I attempted to keep each main area at only 1 minute and was going to limit to 4:00.  I have to work with parameters like that otherwise I will go and go and go...then it's a night mare to do stuff with.

As I went along it turned into sort of a tribute of the drummers at Atlanta Braves baseball games and their fans that chant along throughout the games... it's very cool to hear, unless you are the opponent I suppose when 40000 people are participating.

I may do a complete remix of this over the next days.... I fear that my hearing loss my cause some pain to listeners with good hearing...perhaps too much harmonica toward the end... and a few of the transients too high in spots...  ?

[cuthbert]

I'm a big fan of these improvised "drum kits" - I usually end up using some variation of it in most of the songs I've posted here.

This is an interesting piece - I dig the staccato guitar and bass, and the accordion and harmonica are a really nice touch.

Nice one, man.

[Zoltan]

This is like somekind of a lo-fi hi-fi alternative song where the invention is the king.

The "drumkit" sounds great and the accordion and harmonica add a lot of color. The spoken voice parts have a shaman like vibe. Near the end it feels like you're starting to channel Perry Farrell  ready to jump into the campfire.

The mix sounds remarkably clear when listened thru headphones.

Next we'll be hearing this song on the soundtrack of a indie film about a wienerdog lost in the woods.

[Ted]

You think you know a guy, and then he throws down some nutty experimental thing you never would have guessed. Seriously. I went back to the jukebox to make sure this was really you. Respect!

I'm a sucker for accordion too. (Check out Planet Squeezebox, for a great world tour of accordion ethnomusicology.). There's an accordion tradition here in Madagascar, but I don't personally know any players. I need to ask around.

[Redler]

Very interesting piece of music, unique indeed. You've captured so wide stereo recording here and it sounds fine via phones. I'm on my second listening...

[guitarron]

feels hypnotic. enjoying this with morning coffee

[Ray Brookes]

Love your experimental stuff, Stephen. A lot to admire in this quirky track, in particular the feeling of space in the mix and that acoustic guitar sounds great. Nice touches with the accordion & harmonica and that vocal track sounds otherworldly. At first I thought you had swallowed the harmonica LOL.