listening diary

12 ‘Bleeder’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:29:34 +0000

ac gtr plucked on changes / delayed
sliding bass, keys enter
vox; close mic / a little reverb
strings enter and build

KEY IDEAS to plunder

add string section
ac gtr plucked on changes / delayed

11 ‘Dead Duck’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:28:41 +0000

loop of ac gtr
click of edit used as beat
3/4 + 1 beat
(C) 123 / 123 / 123 / 123
(Em) 123 / 123 / 123 /12 / 12
the 2 and 3 of the waltz on alternate pan sides
woody bass enters
then replaced by buzzing synth bass
drums, keys, synth and strings
vox: 4 line nursery rhyme;
‘brick, brock, tick, tock, stone the dead duck, dead’
a word on each 1
change: no vox, drops odd beat, straight 3/4
Dm, Am
first section repeats
2nd change: rapid note repeats (digital loop) with clicks, hard pan action
delayed gtr solo over the top
breakdown: ac gtr, verbed keys, panning elc rhythm
drums return – theremin solo
big low bass gong
elc sfx – effected gong?
simmering metal – ends with this alone

KEY IDEAS to plunder

edit clicks used as beat
odd beat by adding an extra repeat

10 ‘Beggar’s Prayer’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:58:45 +0000

ac gtr – 2 or 3 harmonising, wide stereo
subtle piano?
dry vox – small room sound or double?
bass enter during 2nd verse
drums enter in 3rd verse but only for 2 lines
last word gets extended into ‘ooh’
bvs (choir) enter – verbed
bass only inst. -maybe distant wailing organ
all fade out
return to original instrumentation for last two lines
gentle ac number between el trks – bookends ‘gun’

KEY IDEAS to plunder

drums enter in 3rd verse but only for 2 lines
last word gets extended into ‘ooh’ and choir

09 ‘Gun’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:57:45 +0000

big verbed clap start – sets reverb tone
verbed elc gtr – rhythmic
finger snaps/vox breath ‘ha!’ – alternate on the 4. stops for singing
vox – big ‘essy’ verb
7 verses, no chorus. same chord sequence
2nd elc gtr noises in 3rd verse in back ground
end of 4th verse; drums enter – distant, stop start – maybe just verbs?
wailing background elc gtr
6th verse: low bass rumble – sounds like a truck
after final verse vox plinky gtr action on top
false ending: big bass rumble swamps everything but when it fades rhythm is still going

KEY IDEAS to plunder

finger snaps/vox breath ‘ha!’ – alternate on the 4. stops for singing
6th verse: low bass rumble – sounds like a truck

08 ‘Hold Heart’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:55:19 +0000

ac gtr – subtle verb
vox – verbed but close miked
structure: v1 ch v2
ends with close mic lip smack ‘defeat … ed’

KEY IDEAS to plunder

close mic lip smacking
short ac song between big electric numbers

07 ‘Jungle Drum’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:50:21 +0000

shuffle snr
bass and gtr rhythm
‘drill’ elc sfx
vox
chorus: C G D (Bm)
stop except for low gtr rhythm and scat vox
middle: hold Em chord. ‘drum solo’, no snr, big elc gtr, panning action, scat vox
key change: up a minor 3rd (Eb, Bb, F)
sudden stop

KEY IDEAS to plunder

‘drill’ elc sfx
key change: up a minor 3rd

06 ‘Big Jumps’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:49:06 +0000

ac gtrs, drums and bass
triangle rhythm
vox
chorus: vox doubled
middle: all the same except different chords and melody
pause: strums and vox
back into verse
final chorus repeat backwards sounds
‘doop doodoop’ ending builds
tripled vox harmonies
elc gtr rhythm

KEY IDEAS to plunder

triangle rhythm
‘doop doodoop’ ending builds

05 ‘Ha Ha’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:46:52 +0000

no drums, no bass
ac gtr or elc/ac gtr rhythmic – verbed, delayed, emphasising fret squeak
vox – verbed
chorus: distant high keys, ‘strums’ and vibrato elc gtr chord strums
v2: keys augment – verbed, distant, pan movement
v3: just strums, no rhythm
subtle woosh, left to right
chorus: minimal rhythm continues

KEY IDEAS to plunder

vibrato elc gtr chord strums
inverted song arrangement: ac low key verse/chorus at end of song

04 ‘Heard It All Before’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:29:31 +0000

starts suddenly
drums, bass, organ stabs
claps and bongo percussion, wide
vox verbed
keys, high
gtrs join organ stabs
chorus: mandolin rapids
gtrs more prominent in chorus
verse 3: builds toward middle
middle: no beat, just vox and bits and bobs of gtrs
chorus: builds from start again
ending: other material enters , gtr and piano
textural gtr solo
all fade out
vox: oohs

KEY IDEAS to plunder

claps and bongos percussion
mandolin rapids

03 ‘Birds’ – Me and Armini (2008) – Emilíana Torrini

nat — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:28:30 +0000

ac gtr picking (2 gtrs?)
vox
bird sfx
chorus: ooh oooh verbed
piano enters
no drums, no bass
transition into one chord jam: elc gtr wail, verbed and delayed
drums & bass fade in
2nd gtr, reggae offbeat, delayed
off key jazzy piano
organ build
war of the worlds theremin
back to verse with full band, including theremin
band fades out
‘ooh ooh’ verbed out
ac gtr and bass meandering end

KEY IDEAS to plunder

song in 2 halves;
1. ac version = instrumental transition = 2. band version
theremin
chorus: oohs only