The Wagtunes Corner (Featuring My Best Yet)

[wagtunes]

Chorus from Still out of sync is very similar to Ariel Pinks <Time to meet your god>:

Yest, it is. Amusing as I've never even heard of this group before. Goes to show you that with a limited number of melodic intervals, there's bound to be something out there that sounds like something else by pure chance.

I always found that fascinating.

[Stanoli]

Yest, it is. Amusing as I've never even heard of this group before. Goes to show you that with a limited number of melodic intervals, there's bound to be something out there that sounds like something else by pure chance.

I always found that fascinating.

Hypnagogic Pop. Listen to Ariel Pinks PomPom album, if you get the chance.
Sometimes reminds me of your music :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Pink

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Stevie_Moore

[wagtunes]

Yest, it is. Amusing as I've never even heard of this group before. Goes to show you that with a limited number of melodic intervals, there's bound to be something out there that sounds like something else by pure chance.

I always found that fascinating.

Hypnagogic Pop. Listen to Ariel Pinks PomPom album, if you get the chance.
Sometimes reminds me of your music :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Pink

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Stevie_Moore

Well now I'm gonna have to. Thanks.

[jancivil]

I have only the sketchiest of notions about what is popular.

However yesterday I was in Starbucks and it was indie rock for a while, then they kinda returned to it after a long set of old jazz vocal numbers, Ella, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday. I'm pretty sure from the production the indie rock was newish at least.

Wow! No Starbucks around us plays that stuff. Must be the location.

This was pretty anomalous. Berkeley CA is the worst in my experience; this is out in the sticks, I wonder if the personnel in the venue determines what playlist. I usually have to leave right away, in fact I don't even use Starbucks typically behind it.

if it's anything like the way supermarkets choose music, areas of high turnover they like to play faster music to keep the staff motivated.

Well at one time I wondered if they [Berkeley] played the worst possible music available on the planet earth to make sure you don't hang out and drink your 1 small coffee with the 50¢ refill all day long. And did real research to that end to come up with that shite. (Berkeley is the kindest city to the homeless. Starbucks there removed all the electrical outlets some years ago. Peets across the street had them but eventually followed suit, because this crowd which lived outside there were constantly in and out recharging their cell phones. I'm talking homeless youth with the remittance payment from their parents to keep them gone, homeless with credit cards who don't buy coffee but never run out of high grade weed. Unbelievable assholeness.).

But in Hayward this beeyotch who ran that one would crank up this ungodly EDM-ruined pop like she was at De Club; which only made ME bail, people fugging hung out there.

Tuesday I need to be out of the house for a bit and I was able to hang there for almost two sets. From my observation it would tend to have something to do with the personnel at the time. There is no good commercial reason for playing music I can enjoy.

[mindstuff]

I barely feel qualified to offer advice to the only member who comments on almost all my posts. However here it goes. I would have liked to hear some sort of twist or drama in the music to pair with the apparent dark lyrics. "No one seems to care For the dreamers in this world"....have some dark chords then bring me back to the sweet melody, feels to happy. Its like sweet all the way through for my ears. I guess you have a taste of it after: "If only my dreams could meet reality"
...and I can't believe I listened twice. Get me some deep bass house quick.

[wagtunes]

I barely feel qualified to offer advice to the only member who comments on almost all my posts. However here it goes. I would have liked to hear some sort of twist or drama in the music to pair with the apparent dark lyrics. "No one seems to care For the dreamers in this world"....have some dark chords then bring me back to the sweet melody, feels to happy. Its like sweet all the way through for my ears. I guess you have a taste of it after: "If only my dreams could meet reality"
...and I can't believe I listened twice. Get me some deep bass house quick.

That's a fair criticism. I wasn't thinking in that direction. Sure, there are lots of ways you could have gone with this. That is absolutely one of those ways. Though I'm not exactly sure I'd characterize the song as "happy" given that it's in a minor key to begin with. That alone, by it's nature, takes it away from the realm of happy. But like I said, it's a fair criticism, especially if you were expecting something even darker.

I'd have to give this one a great deal of thought to even figure out how to make it darker than it is. But I'm sure it's possible.

Thanks for the listen and the feedback.

[layzer]

Ha keep us guessing...and keep us listening. I know your tricks!

theres some good ass grabbing going on there

[Hezekiel]

Great melodies which is most important in a song imo. Nothing is missing here. Good production all around

[wagtunes]

Great melodies which is most important in a song imo. Nothing is missing here. Good production all around

Thanks for the listen and the comments.

[Allomerus]

Commenting on Still Out of Sync. If you have changed your way of doing things then keep doing it this way. This is the best I have heard from you. Guitars sound good for virtual guitars!
Well done!

[wagtunes]

Commenting on Still Out of Sync. If you have changed your way of doing things then keep doing it this way. This is the best I have heard from you. Guitars sound good for virtual guitars!
Well done!

Thanks. Yeah, I take a lot of time working on this stuff now. And of course that doesn't guarantee that something is going to end up good. Sometimes you just write a crappy song and nothing can save it.

[wagtunes]

2nd track from my upcoming tribute CD "Still Out Of Sync"

Lyrics:

Doctor Doctor

Doctor, doctor please
Make me better, make me better
Doctor please don't tease
Make me better, make me better

The pain it's all around
When my knees hit the ground
There's no peace to be found
Doctor, doctor

Medicate me make me numb
Educate me cause I'm dumb
You will be the only one to heal me
Doctor, doctor

Doctor, doctor you
Are my healer, blackjack dealer
Doctor, doctor who
Be my Tardis, be my artist

I cannot feel my toes
The pain it grows and grows
The only one who knows
Doctor, doctor

Repeat Chorus

Instrumental Break

Repeat Verse 1 and Pre Chorus 1

Repeat Chorus

Doctor, doctor

To Fade

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim/doctor-doctor

[aaron aardvark]

wagtunes,
Thank you for the reviews! Now 'Doctor Doctor': the title reminds me of the Thompson Twins song with the same title, but sounds very different, of course. I'm digging the intro guitar riff: the guitar tone reminds me of David Bowie's song "Sufferjet City" (probably spelled wrong). Singing is pretty good, and the vocal melodies are rather good. The bass riffs fit in nicely. I like the lead guitar. Sounds rather 70's, which is fine by me. Audio quality is good. Good job! Try out Arturia V-Collection 7 yet? I have. OK, I owe you another review, let's see what I find.

[wagtunes]

wagtunes,
Thank you for the reviews! Now 'Doctor Doctor': the title reminds me of the Thompson Twins song with the same title, but sounds very different, of course. I'm digging the intro guitar riff: the guitar tone reminds me of David Bowie's song "Sufferjet City" (probably spelled wrong). Singing is pretty good, and the vocal melodies are rather good. The bass riffs fit in nicely. I like the lead guitar. Sounds rather 70's, which is fine by me. Audio quality is good. Good job! Try out Arturia V-Collection 7 yet? I have. OK, I owe you another review, let's see what I find.

Thanks for the review Aaron. Appreciate it. Boy, it's hard getting feedback around here. LOL.

As for V 7, no, haven't tried it yet because I'm not in love with the upgrade cost. I might wait a year until price goes down to $99.

[aaron aardvark]

wagtunes,
'Still out of Sync': I like the way you layered and panned the vocals during the chorus. Singing during the verse is OK; sounds more impressive during the chorus. All melodies are pleasant. Violin and lead guitar sounds nice. Drums and percussion are catchy. Vocals at around 3:40 sound pitchy, or the melodies are odd for me; my only significant gripe. Otherwise it is a nice song. Your brain is fine.