Better Vampires (Dog and Pony Show)
by @danxduran
NSFWLiner Notes
We have the laziest prime minister in the world - everything in this song is 110 percent factual.
So, I actually started this tune in June last year - the basic musical bones, anyway - and completely forgot it existed until a few weeks ago when I was going through all my byzantine folders and snippets to see what I had to work with this FAWM, and came across this bizarrely upbeat (for me) rock'n'roll tune.
Gave it some love the past couple of days, including writing FAR TOO MANY WORDS (goddamn, I just want to cut and paste the chorus vocals but I've written three entirely different variations?! you've got to be kidding me), juicing up the DI guitars and the mix and making it kind of dirty, and - here's the killer feature - actually playing the bass rather than just using the programming. That violin bass absolutely monsters anything in its path, Paul McCartney knew what he was doing, eh? Gives the recording a kind of messy vibe, so to match I went with the 'Underground' EZX drumkit to add to that tumbling, almost falling-over-itself feel, which is tricky to pull off when you're programming drums.
Rough vocal again - it's too many damn words and my voice wasn't agreeing with those high notes, so it is what it is. I gotta record the guitars properly one day and add some more handclaps and shit.
I also mixed the vocal slightly louder than I normally would. That was a mistake, but ah well.
Pretty stoked with the song though - to think, I'd forgotten it even existed! On a roll now.
#punk #poppunk #indie #grunge #newwave #political #powerpop
Gear: Drums: SD3/EZD 'Underground' Bass: Epiphone violin bass via Guitar Rig 7 Guitars: Karina LP copy into Helix Native (processed to get sounding close to my actual Orange amp) Keys: Jup-8000, UA Minimoog Vocals: Shure Beta 58a mic, Ovox, Replika, H-delay
And plenty of processing plugins! Love the Abbey Road and UA stuff.
Feel free to download. For my proper, finished stuff: koshrecords.ne
Lyrics
i took a break, yeah what can you do? fire me? i took a break, yeah it's not like i do anything important
i can't be held responsible if i don't have a portfolio i only wanted a photo with obama rid me of this pony show you're right to think i'm a lazy fuck i coast along on my pale luck i only wanted to trigger a deja vu get rid of this dog and pony show
dog and pony show dog and pony show
i got this job by pledging to fix economy instead i showed off the gap between my thoughts and reality
i can't be held responsible that i don't need a clock radio i didn't need a star on wikipedia rid me of this pony show you're right to think i'm a lucky dude i got this far without value i will be so happy padding out my CV get rid of this dog and pony show
dog and pony show dog and pony show
yeah, i don't know if i should give it another go gimme the cushy job being a total knob get rid of this dog and pony show
dog and pony show dog and pony show
i'm flying around the world, around the world around the world, around the world
yeah, i've achieved all i wanted to my eyes are red and my veins are blue i never wanted fame, got it 'cause i'm so lame rid me of this pony show you're right to think i'm an imitation wrong to know i'm a simulation of better vampires, sicker than barbed wire
get rid of this dog and pony show
dog and pony show aotearoa
Comments
Wow - just leapt out the speakers jamming, this one does. Production is top shelf. I'm taking a few notes on how you've produced your vocals, too. I appreciate the way you approached this subject, lyrically. There's a cleverness and bit of restraint about your sentiment but the music conveys the sentiment and emotion. Nice work.
Thanks! But if this is showing restraint, I shudder to think what no showing restraint would be!
This has a lot of subtle power. I particularly like the occasional delay on the vocal.
Your “rough” vocals are way better than my most polished attempts. You always have dope production and such great chops on every instrument. Your writing and execution are impeccable. You remind me of Devo if they were badasses instead of dorks…the guitar in this is so great and the song as a full piece sounds so huge!!!
What you call 'chops' I call '64 takes spliced together' lol
that's impressive in its own right. splicing makes us more like painters in a way (i know that's pretentious af...i'm sorry a said it) i stand by it though, your music fucks so hard.
Awesome.. head nods going for me, right from the first beat. Love the reverb on "pony show" and "deja vu". I'm going to have your base line in my head all day - so cool. Now going to listen again. I like how you've made a commentary that could be political or could relate to other chaos. Very well done.
Tight! The composing is flawless. With that said, the sounds are sonicly spot on, all of them. Guitar tones, vocal prosessing, claps, even the synths! I'm extra picky about em usually.
dude. amazing. you write songs this good and just forget about them? haha show off. i love this one. don’t change anything. this is done. i’m listening to this song twice in a row. that’s how god damn good it is
Thanks! I had a rough year last year, the vibe was all wrong so I probably subconsciously locked it out. The arrangement and lyrics etc are all new for FAWM - sometimes you don't know if a song is good right away!
The opening riff is killer and so is the sound! I really appreciate the use of FX on the vox. Nothing wrong with them btw. After the second listen the melody really stays in your head, despite its surprising turns. I've listened to so many songs of yours by now and they never disappoint.
Hearing some 90s Suede here. Awesome guitars. Love the intro riff especially. Vocals sound on point to me. Selling yourself short. Nice work
Really nice production man! Your vocals and guitar riffs sounds great! Yeah the world is a dog and pony show for sure and we've all got a front row seat
Dang! this song is RAD! Great production. And I love a song that can blend synths and distorted guitars. Well done.