Anthropocene - new tune by SavantSyndrome

[Bubba po]

I wrote a new song. It's called "Anthropocene", and it's about how human activity will now be showing up in the geological record. anthropogenic global warming, a mass extinction event, radiogenic elements in the strata due to weapons testing, nuclear accidents and atomic warfare etc.

A new geological period has been proposed on the strength of these factors.

The vocal is by my wife Manda and is not the final version yet, she's still practising.

Bob Harris - Guitars, Rhodes piano and synth cello, lyrics, production and mixing
Frank Harris - Drums
Adam Denny - digital strings
Manda Harris - vocals
Robert Smith - saxophone
JDOD - concept.



Updated version with improved vocal:



Anthropocene

Trapped in the Earth
Laid in the rocks
Guilt is recorded
And for all time;
Blood on our hands
Glorious sixth
Mass extinction
Global crime

Scorched earth from green
Anthropocene
Melting ice
Technofossil bed;
Glacial chlorine
Anthropocene
Atom test
Radionuclide spike


Reservoirs found
Torn from the ground
Fossil sunlight
Is disinterred
Acidic storm
Oceans grow warm
Bone-white coral
Ivory mount

Trophies obscene
Anthropocene
Species conflict
Caused by Human hands
No longer pristine
Anthropocene
Science denied
Apathetic god.

10,000 years
Ten billion tears
Plastic bottle
Seven miles deep.

 

[Robus]

I like it. Bass sounds great but a little loud for me. Who is playing? Keys and sax good too. Vocals could come up.

 

[Bubba po]

I like it. Bass sounds great but a little loud for me. Who is playing? Keys and sax good too. Vocals could come up.

Cheers, Robus. I'm playing the bass and granted, it may be a little loud, the mix is in its infancy! The vocals are being buried a little because they're not totally on point, yet.

 

[Robus]

That's a great P bass tone, and good playing too. You're well on your way with that vocal melody. I like the chorus and particularly the part that goes high on "melting ice" and the corresponding part later in the song. Overall the song's got a Dark Side of the Moon vibe, but I can hear some Magazine as well.

 

[JDOD]

LOL - I don't need a credit for this one, mate!

To be clear to everyone - I mentioned the word used for the title in conversation with Bubba - he then ran with it and wrote a whole song!

 

[Armistice]

LOL - I don't need a credit for this one, mate!

To be clear to everyone - I mentioned the word used for the title in conversation with Bubba - he then ran with it and wrote a whole song!

You're his muse JDOD.... you can't escape now.

Sent you some feedback via Faceplant Bubba... sounding good so far!

 

[rayc]

VERY promising Mr Harris. Also very enjoyable.

 

[Bubba po]

You're his muse JDOD.... you can't escape now.

Sent you some feedback via Faceplant Bubba... sounding good so far!

Thanks I'll be happier when we have the vocal properly sorted out. I may end up doing a small amount of pitch correction. There's still plans for some Aussie chuntering at the beginning, by the way!

VERY promising Mr Harris. Also very enjoyable.

Ta very much, Ray. Another departure for me, style-wise.

 

[Bubba po]

That's a great P bass tone, and good playing too. You're well on your way with that vocal melody. I like the chorus and particularly the part that goes high on "melting ice" and the corresponding part later in the song. Overall the song's got a Dark Side of the Moon vibe, but I can hear some Magazine as well.

Thanks - for the first time I played it with fingers rather than a pick. I really enjoy the sound of it!

I've just put up a new mix - I tinkered a little with the pitch correction. Manually and with a slow attack so the whole thing sounds very natural. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

 

[JDOD]

Cool. Not listened to it yet, mate. But try and get manda to do a few takes with the pitch corrected version as a guide. I find it really helps

 

[Robus]

Big step forward on the mix. Bass is more in scale with the rest of the ensemble. I'm hearing the vocal more clearly, though I would bring it up still more. Something I noticed before but didn't mention is the snare. It's pretty forward in the mix. I wonder if it could sit back a little more?

 

[Bubba po]

Something I noticed before but didn't mention is the snare. It's pretty forward in the mix. I wonder if it could sit back a little more?

Perhaps slightly - most of the snare is in the overheads. Frank was playing his new Black Panther machete snare and it's as loud as fuck!

 

[TripleM]

I thought the drums sounded very good. I liked the clean electric guitars. Vocal was good, but a bit buried in the guitars.

Bass is a little boomy. Low end is a little too strong IMO.

The strings didn't sound too bad. The saxes did not sound all that good to me.

I generally don't like much reverb. But I thought what you used on this mix was good - very appropriate for the mood you were setting up.

 

[JDOD]

The saxes did not sound all that good to me.

Mate, have you even got ears? No offence if you're deaf - I'm not meaning to be discriminatory here.

Listened to it a few times now - I think the snare is loud enough, maybe it could do with a touch more crack but its alright.

The bass is very thick - I don't think thats a bad thing though, in a punkier track it might turn to mush, but it suits this.

This version of the vocal actually sounds much better - what sort of rate have you got on Reatune? You can probably go to about 50ms before you start getting weird artefacts and sounding like Cher. If you're gonna get her to re-take it using the Reatuned version as a guide, stick it down to about 20ms.

 

[TripleM]

Mate, have you even got ears? No offence if you're deaf - I'm not meaning to be discriminatory here.

I thought the saxes sounded cold and sterile. Am I allowed to have an opinion that differs from yours?

 

[Bubba po]

Mate, have you even got ears? No offence if you're deaf - I'm not meaning to be discriminatory here.

Listened to it a few times now - I think the snare is loud enough, maybe it could do with a touch more crack but its alright.

The bass is very thick - I don't think thats a bad thing though, in a punkier track it might turn to mush, but it suits this.

This version of the vocal actually sounds much better - what sort of rate have you got on Reatune? You can probably go to about 50ms before you start getting weird artefacts and sounding like Cher. If you're gonna get her to re-take it using the Reatuned version as a guide, stick it down to about 20ms.

Cheers, JDOD. I tried it on 50ms and I could tell it was being interfered with - I hate that sound! So I increased it to 80ms. It seems to strike that happy balance between being in tune but still sounding very natural and human.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Anyone else having issues with the SC links? I had to pull the url directly out from the iframe.

You might like the psychedelic band I play bass in. They too love singing about mass extinction events!

The big thing in the mix that sticks out to me is the warbly guitar (autowah? phaser?) I wouldn't mind it coming down a lot. On headphones, it feels like the songs is oppressively throbbing against my head.
The "lead" saxaphone seems to dominate a little when it first comes in in the intro. I'd bump it down (and maybe put similar 'verb on it to the backing sax) until the solo.

Otherwise, it seems like a pretty solid mix.

 

[Bubba po]

The saxes did not sound all that good to me.

I thought the saxes sounded cold and sterile.

I must confess, I find these two comments quite baffling. I suppose what you find to be "cold" I would describe as "pure". My opinion of them is that the tones are beautifully sweet and the playing is utterly top class. But, they're your opinions and you're entitled to have them.

 

[Bubba po]

Anyone else having issues with the SC links? I had to pull the url directly out from the iframe.

You might like the psychedelic band I play bass in. They too love singing about mass extinction events!

The big thing in the mix that sticks out to me is the warbly guitar (autowah? phaser?) I wouldn't mind it coming down a lot. On headphones, it feels like the songs is oppressively throbbing against my head.
The "lead" saxaphone seems to dominate a little when it first comes in in the intro. I'd bump it down (and maybe put similar 'verb on it to the backing sax) until the solo.

Otherwise, it seems like a pretty solid mix.

Hi, Steve - the soundcloud links are working fine for me .

The tone you find oppressive is probably the Rhodes piano patch in the left ear. It's quite a thick tone and does push the ear in a little on headphones. I've put a bit of low shelving on it and checked with my 'phones (they're open-backed, so the low end is quite "open" on them) and it seems to have improved the situation. I've put that sax up and down several times, can't make my mind up with it! The tones are quite different as the lead sax at that point is a soprano, whereas the soloing sax is an alto.

 

[TripleM]

I suppose what you find to be "cold" I would describe as "pure".

I don't mind people disagreeing with any of my opinions. But I don't recall ever insulting JDOD, and I didn't see a reason for him insulting me ("...no offence if your'e deaf...") as he disagreed.