♥
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:34 PM on July 3, 2008

Flapjax, on the play issue: I think it has a lot to do with the organization of the site. It's been a lot busier of late and songs fly off the front page awfully fast. I personally think a longer period between posting rights -- say once a week, like AskMe -- would be a lot better. It might make things quieter but it would give songs more time to garner listeners and comments. Songs that are sidebarred because they've been in a podcast do a lot better, not just because they've been heard... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:33 PM on July 2, 2008

Ack, sorry for the poor editing, but I think (hope) my meaning's still clear.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:36 PM on July 2, 2008

Oh! And damn it, I forgot: I've made a point of sending links songs I really like to other people (both on and off Mefi) I thought might like them too, and I think that's an easy-peasy way to be supportive. It's also something you could do on a personal blog -- I've meant to do that in the past, even if it's just a "listening to X" kind of thing.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:42 PM on July 2, 2008

True flapjax, but if it's clearly spelled out that there's a once a week posting limit people can plan accordingly, as they do in AskMe.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:59 PM on July 2, 2008

Thank you all for the kind words -- I really needed some. ira.metafilter, that cover version you linked to is just beautiful. I love the way those women sing together and their visible joy in it and in each other.

micayetoca, there are so many people I love in the Land of the Dead that I wish I could invite them over for a singalong and maybe a massive game of Scrabble. Don't stay a ghost for too long.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 2:04 AM on May 28, 2008

I can't stop thinking about this song. Thanks so much for posting it.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 5:33 AM on April 15, 2008

It's beautiful, honey. Well damn done.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 10:58 PM on March 7, 2008

I love Magnetic Fields and I love micayetoca and I love sleepy pete (no duh) so I am sorry I couldn't do more. I will definitely to do another song for you someday, especially if it's from the point of view of a girl who hates her ISP.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 3:25 PM on March 6, 2008

I also love your guitar playing, and the bolero style -- and your singing too. If you have the lyrics easily on hand, it would great to read them even though my Spanish is pretty damn rusty.

I do love a good love song. Some cheese is pretty delicious, you know.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 3:10 PM on February 11, 2008

Freckles as guiding stars? I've got to go with snsranch here.

/fans self

And even my crap Spanish tells me that it your imagery is much more finely expressed in the original. Thanks very much for providing the lyrics. I'm singing along with you now, in my even worse accent.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 8:48 PM on February 11, 2008

Damn -- that was really beautiful, honey.

But the LAUNDRY isn't going to do ITSELF, you know.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 7:59 PM on February 2, 2008

I think you should keep it just the way it is. The lo-fi, off-the-cuff quality works just perfectly with the meaning and feeling of the song.

3-4 and 6-8. It always makes me happy to see those guys hanging out together somewhere other than a jazz club.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 4:21 AM on February 2, 2008

I like the layered vocals here a lot. I'm fairly charmed by your style: lyrically, vocally, generally.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 8:03 PM on January 31, 2008

I agree with micayetoca that a little more natural reverb on the vocals would be great for a nice roomy song like this, even if it is lo-fi. Just a little, though -- this song has a nice rough quality I'd hate to see lost. You have a very nice singing voice, dirtdirt.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 1:24 PM on January 15, 2008

Well I kind of overniced there. Sorry about that.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 1:25 PM on January 15, 2008

Whoops, Stewart does sounds good (but so do you back there).

Not to get highbrow but I think of roughness as an aesthetic choice, not necessarily a byproduct of how much time you spend refining parts. I try to tighten the hell out of things until they are practically nerve memories and once that happens I can loosen back up again, confident that no matter what direction I take it in I've got it whipped. I hope that makes sense, because whoever said writing about music... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 2:11 PM on January 15, 2008

Ah man, this is a crystalline recording and so very well played. I'm looking forward to hearing the vocals. That poor guitar -- !
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:39 AM on January 14, 2008

Thank you so much, saul, that is exactly the feeling we hoped for -- and thank you all so much for taking the time to listen and say what you thought. It means a lot to me.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 4:25 AM on January 12, 2008

I like this very much, including the guitar at the end, actually -- I think your instinct is correct that there's got to be more layering there, because the lyrics essentially require it. If you aren't familiar with it already, you may want check out Roy Harper's "Hey Francesca," which is the one song that's probably taught me the most about what you can do with a very short song and this kind of elegant simplicity.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 4:20 AM on January 12, 2008

I just can't imagine what a migraine-inducer it was to work with so many tracks recorded at different levels. I'm really impressed -- well done.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 3:13 PM on December 31, 2007

This just couldn't be any lovelier. The singing is beautiful, and "intimate" is the perfect word to to describe its quality.

I grew up listening to my grandparents speak Yiddish and it's been many years since I got to hear it at any length, so it was also personally moving to me to hear this song, with which I was totally unfamiliar. I would love to get my hands on the songbook you mention so if you know of a link or resource and would post it I'd be grateful.... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 9:18 AM on December 18, 2007

Bless you guys. We just played a show that was the greatest trainwreck in all of human history so your kindness is beyond appreciated. I'd kiss you all if my breath were better.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:53 AM on December 8, 2007

Holy shit, I never knew those were the words. Yikes. You guys were high every second of life.

"I don't love you since you ate my dog" is still the best country lyric ever, though, and it still brings a tear to my eye that all the percussion came from kitchen implements.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:30 AM on December 7, 2007

Aw! You guys sound like you had a blast. I love the mouth percussion, man. I would hyperventilate and die if I tried that, I think. Nicely done, fellas.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:13 AM on November 29, 2007

That is a sweet way to say goodbye. This is a great song. I want to dance now!

I always love your voice, micayetoca.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 4:24 PM on November 26, 2007

The sleepy one (who is actually asleep right now, ha) loves your voice, too. So if you weren't counting him it's all the way up to four!
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:07 PM on November 26, 2007

This is great, and I cannot frigging believe how much you sound like Tom Waits just on a lark.

I'm also wigged because there is some chick in your crowd who laughs after that quonsar line exactly like I do. Was I there when you did this but drinking? On second thought, don't answer that.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 5:20 AM on November 5, 2007

I like it a lot. The low-fi ad hoc feeling is perfect for taking a little Polaroid this song.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 5:13 AM on November 5, 2007

I just dig you, micayetoca.

Yes, please, please post more songs.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 8:05 AM on November 3, 2007

Yes, the one on your site is much cleaner...

...and you used a fucking GLOCKENSPIEL...

...and I tend to like genderbendy covers a lot...

...and I've adored this song in all its livejournalistic glory since I first heard it...

...which all equals: I love this to pieces. Smooch!
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:33 AM on October 23, 2007

I bet this was tough to record. It sounds great. I'd love to see the lyrics, if you've got them written down somewhere.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 10:19 PM on October 19, 2007

Awesome, potch -- thanks!
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:19 PM on October 21, 2007

I agree with flapjax's comment about lightening the snare (it'd be nice to hear what a percussionist or a jazz drummer could do with this), but mostly I just wanted to comment about how beautiful your voice sounds here. Really nicely recorded.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 8:50 AM on July 21, 2007

That's *your* granny. We will not lol bad editing, either.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:22 AM on July 8, 2007

I've listened to that whole record a bunch and I love your voice and music so much. What a great song this is. Hooray!
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 7:45 PM on July 5, 2007

Original, innovative, fantastic. Thanks for this.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:03 PM on July 5, 2007

Your wife's voice is lovely and ethereal and perfect for this song.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 11:50 AM on July 5, 2007

Really, I don't think your vocal sounds bad (though it could be better balanced with the backing vocal). I love the samples; they are really well chosen. Man, I can't write about music to save my life so forgive me if this is unclear, but what I like best about it is that it simultaneously sounds compressed and open. It's the very simple dirty guitar line combined with all those swirling samples, I think. Or maybe it's all the water. In sum: vocals not shitty, samples ace, song good, me... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 11:35 AM on July 5, 2007

This is lovely. I also really enjoyed the footage of you playing the steel drums. I also followed the new links and am really liking "Failure". I'm impressed by how layered and rich your sound is.

I don't generally compare musicians to each other because it's lazy, but I'm very sharply struck at how much Christina reminds me of Lauren Hoffman and I mean that as a very high compliment.

Thanks for posting.... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 7:02 PM on July 3, 2007

Oh kimyo, Truman Capote had a wonderful line for situations like this: Honey, don't let me commence.

Our contribution rate is much like yours. We know from our logs that people frequently download records -- sometimes, all of the free content on our site -- without paying. If we get a positive mention in a highly trafficked blog, the ratios improve a bit, but it doesn't last. Other musicians with similar systems that we've talked to about this have... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 3:42 AM on July 4, 2007

maybe the answer is something like amie street...

I haven't checked out amie street, but I will. I've got a bit too cynical and downhearted about this stuff in general, I think. We've tried quite a few other collective site models before and it hasn't really done much for us, but hearing someone else's optimism about a new altenative helps.

I abhor the 'bitter end' (local club) model...... [more]
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 10:38 PM on July 4, 2007

Damn skippy. I could listen to you read posts all day, with or without a backing track. However, I mentally added cortex at the end saying "LOL." It's a filthy habit I'm trying to shake.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 4:36 PM on May 24, 2007

Your lyrics and music both are lovely. I can see strings, but I like the simplicity and restraint of it right now -- I'm focused on your voice and words and I find that's exactly right given the subject here.

I find political songs are just so tough to pull off with artistry and that's truly what you've done here with real subtlety and beauty. I really admire this song. Thanks so much for posting it here.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:09 AM on April 29, 2007

I'd should say, too, that you've gotten to the heart of what I've been feeling lately. I've been looking for the words without success and you've found them. I'm genuinely moved. Again, thanks.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:12 AM on April 29, 2007

You're a wonderful musician, and your lyrics even in translation are lovely. There are few feelings that equal hearing a beautiful song that's been written for you. I'm glad you got the girl.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 2:34 AM on April 21, 2007

I found this oddly poignant and lovely, IRFH and cortex, not least because I just learned that there's basically no limit to how much I can dig you two.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:32 AM on April 9, 2007

I made him post it because I love this song and that band so damn much. It's from Haunted Hungarian Sauna which may be my favorite record of theirs. I hope he'll post more from them. (Tea Parties On the Ceiling: hint, hint.)

Actually, that song and others still live on a page on our site -- if you liked this feel free to check them out there.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 12:13 AM on April 9, 2007

Ooh, drezdn, I'm glad you posted this -- I've been lately obsessed with trying to find and use music boxes in a similar way. I'm curious: what's the original tune, if you know it? Thanks very much.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 6:07 PM on February 24, 2007

It's a beautiful song and micayetoca is right: you've got an amazing production talent and it would be great to have a rundown of your gear and methods, if you ever have the time or inclination. The Cuatro sounds great -- and how great is it that this place and your music made you guys collaborators and good friends? Pretty great.

Thanks for posting the song and good luck wrapping up the RPM challenge, chococat.
posted to MeFi Music by melissa may at 2:06 PM on February 24, 2007