The Best Albums of the last 10 years (2000 - 2009)

A decade has come to an end as we enter the 10's I wanted to introduce you to what I thought were the best albums of the last 10 years. As I have been working on my album for about 5 years now, the following albums have inspired me emotionally and creatively. Although there are different genres here, these albums are all brilliantly and/or beautifully captured. They are filled with songs that accomplish much more than a top 20 radio hit. These seem to stray from the norm, speak from within and deliver a pure art.

1. Private Radio - Billy Bob Thornton (2001) I can't recall an album where I felt someone was baring so much of their soul through song. At first listen, it seemed as though I was invited into a living room with the artist as he told stories. At second listen I felt the same way. A journey through a fun song like "Forever" and then into a dark story like "Beauty at the Back Door" felt like seeing the light and shadow of a person. I found a perfect balance on this album that I have yet to see repeated on any album. Truly the most inspiring album for me of the last 10 years.
2. Orchard & Ire - Wax Mannequin (2007) This Hamilton Ontario artist never ceases to amaze me. Chris came to me years ago for guitar lessons. I'm pretty sure it was for theory because he had his own mad creative guitar skills. I also used his talent as an actor in a short film Marshmallow. Orchard & Ire is powerful, odd, heavy, dynamic and full of brilliant arrangements, vocals that come from within and incredible guitar playing. Every time I listen to this I get a dust storm of colours racing through my head, and I don't use drugs. One regret I have in 2009 is not being able to find the time to shoot the video for Animals Jump, but it does live in my head.
3. Death Magnetic - Metallica (2008) On first play it felt like a punch in the gut. It hits you like a train that refuses to slow or stop. Even when it does slow, it never stops. I was with Metallica (as a fan) from the "Kill em All, Ride the Lightning" days on cassette. It almost feels as if they've returned to their old stomping grounds older and wiser but without being nostalgic. Killer riffs, longer arrangements, James sings like a wild animal...HUNT YOU DOWN WITHOUT MERCY. That seems to be the promise if you don't own this album.
4. Elephant...Teeth Sinking into Heart - Rachael Yamagata (2008) The majority of this album is light piano and soothing vocals and beautiful string arrangements. I play it often and it slowly takes over. With any song I like, I hear the music first. I rarely catch the words on a first pass but for some reason, when I listed to the title track her voice was impossible to ignore. Almost like someone too tired to sing but they sing anyway, exposing their true emotions. Almost an out-of-breath style but managing to get all the melody out in time. Her lyrics are much smarter than I am so I try to understand them. Sometimes I succeed. My absolute favorite tracks are "Elephants" and "Don't."
5. American IV: The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash (2002) I have all the American series albums by Johnny Cash but this one captured something special. As I listen to this album I feel like I am at a reading where a poet reads his favorite works, telling us how HE sees it. This recording is so intimate you feel like Johnny is sitting right next to you. Like a Grandfather singing you his wartime songs. With meaning, like he was there.
6. Raising Sands - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (2007) I was in Chapters and I heard "Killing the Blues" over the soft-speaker. I was listening to the radio and I heard the song again. I waited to hear who it was by. "Killing the Blues" by Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. Huh? Most people had the same reaction. After buying the album as soon as I got home (iTune) I listened and thought "this sounds very T-Bone Burnett and sure enough it was him. Raising Sands got the attention that it deserved, I feel I would not do it justice to review it with my limited vocabulary. This album is the result of three great artists from different genres colliding. The stand-out tracks here are "Killing the Blues" and "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us."
7. Sahra Featherstone - Sahra Featherstone (2003) I am not into "relaxation" CD's. This peaceful album is not that, although it could be marketed and played that way, but this harp / guitar / fiddle album is so much more. On a technical note, Sahra finds the perfect chord tones to create her melodies that seem to weave in an out of arpeggios flawlessly. On an visual note this album could easily be the soundtrack to any season. For some reason weather conditions appear in my mind as I listen to this album. Clergyman's Lament always shows up as a low hanging fog. I bought this CD from her during a performance in a Sears furniture store. She should be on world stages and I'm sure that will happen. "Joshua's Song" and "Clergyman's Lament" are in my most played list.
8. Zodiac: Soundtrack - David Shire (2007) One of my all-time favorite soundtracks is "The Conversation", also by David Shire. I read that the makers of Zodiac used tracks from "The Conversation" as temp music to edit with. Then they decided to use the actual composer to score the film. Personally I think that Howard Shore nailed it with the drama-thriller score and I couldn't imagine what other direction someone could go for a mainstream film. David Shire delivers an almost experimental quality to the dissonant padded string section with the introduction of a solo trumpet or twangy "Morriconesque" guitar. This is true film composition at it's best where it doesn't serve the record company in hopes of sales, it serves the scene and the tone of the overall movie. I still can't hum any melody from this soundtrack as it seems to be written as a complete thought rather than a single idea. Highly recommend this for soundtrack collectors. Note: The only place I could find the The Conversation, was online at Intrada. I bought Zodiac on iTunes.
9. A Mighty Wind: Soundtrack - Various (2003) I love funny, I love music, I love SCTV and Christopher Guest films. This album is made for me but don't think that this is just a comedy album. There are beautiful songs sung by Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara. In every song the music and vocal arrangements and album production are worthy of some study. These are songs done by people at the top of their game. I'll laugh at a song like "Blood on the Coal" and then be impressed by the song as a whole. The cord progression is simple but it sounds so full. This album always comes on vacation with me. It is great for a car ride. When you get home, get out your guitar or piano and study the arrangements. This is another T-Bone Burnett production. The majority of the songs are written by the film's stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, John Michael Higgins. Annette O'Toole also co-writes some of the songs with her husband Michael McKean, including "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow."
10. Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter (2009) With thanks going to iTunes for the free download of the week "Don't Get Hung Up In Your Soul", this album made it's way onto my list before I even heard the whole album. I knew there was something special about this recording. Instantly the slow plucking, bassy guitar grabbed my ear and then the voice put you in a state of calm. After adding this album to my collection, each song did the same for me. It is such a quiet sounding album, rare for a guitar based recording. I can't quite think who his voice reminds me of. The distant theremin is perfectly mixed. I can really see his songs working well in films. I hope more people discover this album.

Honourable Mention: Jon Dee Graham - FULL (2006) I saw Jon Dee Graham perform a solo set at the Corktown in Hamilton. Club was pretty empty and yet here was this guy with incredible guitar skills and original songs with great hooks, melodies and lyrics. After the set I bought his CD FULL. I listen to "We Remain" all the time. Such a sweet song for this groggy voiced axe master. This CD should be added to any singer/songwriter collection. If he is playing near you, see him.

Music is very personal and speaks to people for different reasons and in different ways. I hope some of these albums find their way into your collection. iTunes has em, you can get them on CD online and some of them are in stores. Do let me know if you like my selection or recommend some albums that found you.

Check back in 2020 for the next installment. Have a very Happy New Year - Nathan

Custom Guitar Tone - Crybaby modification

I recently got a Cry Baby modification (mod) done from a company called Custom Guitar Tone. customguitartone.com

As you can see from the photo, there is a control knob on the side (Mid control) and a switcher on the base at the front of the pedal. These do not come with the pedal, they are the "mods" I had done.

I got a business card from a guy handing them out at the world record attempt, in Hamilton, for largest guitar ensemble playing Smoke on the Water. I figured the guy made a smart marketing move by targeting over a thousand guitar players in one place so I decided to look at his site, contact him and eventually send in my Wah for a mod. He modifies several pedals but I was interested in the Wah.

Direct text from his site: Wah Custom Mods Changes to component quality and values for smoother sweep and better gain control as well as improved, more vocal Wah tones. Also 100% true bypass to eliminate tone sucking and an LED indicator to indicate when the Wah is on. Add a DC Jack for external power supply on the Vox Wah. Optional mods include external volume/mid control, which adjusts the level of volume and mid-range and a 3 way bass select switch to select between 3 different bass levels. Also add an output buffer to allow for full range in to a high impedance dirt pedal. Currently, we can mod Your: Dunlop GCB95, Dunlop Hendrix JH1, Dunlop Hendrix JH1-B, Dunlop Zakk Wylde, Vox V-847, Vox V-847A, Vox V848 Clyde McCoy. (You must include 15 for the return shipping of your Wah in Canda) © 2009 Custom Guitar Tone

I ordered the Wah Vocal Mod ($25). After explaining to Doug, the owner, what I used it for he recommended a few other mods. Not to up-sell, but to compliment my desktop venture. He wasn't pushy but was sincerely interested in my uses for recording the wah. On his advice I went for the 3way Bass Switch ($30) the Mid control Knob ($30) He also offeres a True Bypass with LED ($40) and a DC jack ($30). You can get the whole package for ($95). I didn't need the LED or Bypass since I only use it when recording so it is always on. (prices in Canadian Dollars)

The photo shows you the wave file that corresponds to the audio samples. You can actually see the difference in the waves as I alter the settings. Look at the photo while you listen to the Wah Demo. (note: when

I say mid control knob "off" I mean to say "zero", when I say "on" I mean to say "10")

Wah_Demo.mp3

I used my Gibson Les Paul Studio, Bridge Pick-up, a custom setting in Garage Band for my sound TTTM (Talk to the Machine) going directly into my external audio interface. Different settings will obviously enhance or diminish the effect of the Wah regardless of any mods. I picked the settings that would best display the sounds.

Truly you need to personally play through any effects with your settings before putting down any kind of money. I took a chance on Custom Guitar Tone and I was extremely pleased all around. I hope the audio samples give you an idea as to what you will get out of your mods.

Do let me know if you get anything done.

customguitartone.com

Customer service 5/5

Sound quality 5/5

Price 4/5 (if you get the full package plus shipping it is almost as much as buying another wah so it may not be an option for you financially)

This blog post originates from:

http://nathanfleet.blogspot.com

If you read this post and only see text, follow the link for photos, audio and video samples.

From the Desktop to the Big Screen

This weekend LET HIM BE opens in Hamilton, my hometown. A shameless plug..I know...so let me work this into the blog.

I was hired as the arranger on this film which meant that the songs were written by another person (Writer / Director / Composer Peter McNamee) who would deliver the songs in raw form, like an mp3 recorded with one mic. Usually it would be Peter singing and strumming a guitar. From that I would figure out the tuning and chart out the chords and structure. My job was to add guitar(s), bass, programmed drums, and backing vocals. (Michael Blazer arranged all the amazing piano / clavinet)

First thing I did was load the demo track into Cubase onto a track. I would turn on the metronome within Cubase and determine the closest tempo since the scratch drums would be midi. I would then turn off the demo track and based on Peter's notes, add some basic drum beats. Then I would begin by recording rhythm guitar parts based on the charts I created when listening to the raw demos. Since the bass would be replaced with an actual bass (Performed by Gerry Gregg) I used my M-Audio Keystation and entered midi bass lines using the Virtual Instrument bass that came with Cubase. I would send these to Peter for his approval, or disapproval and go from there.

The real fun for me was writing the guitar solos which I usually saved for last. Peter was a fan of my solo work so I always added them last. The icing on the cake.

I would then send Michael the song's tempo and a stereo mix. He was working in Garage Band so he was able to send me the Garage Band project and I exported the track on my end to load into Cubase as an aif file. Now the tracks were complete and ready for Peter's vocal tracks. Peter would record his vocals, I would harmonize them, and harmonize them.

Peter's recording background goes way back and deserves it's own blog. For now, I'll just say that he is a brilliant mixer. He mixes quickly, loudly, quietly, while lying on the floor half asleep and that's it. Export the song as a stereo mix and burn it to CD. A day would go by and he'd send me brief mixing notes until he got the mix that he was happy presenting.

When it came time for removing Peter's vocals and recording Mark's (He plays Noel in the movie) I just muted Peter's vocals and created a new track for Mark which would be the versions heard in the film.

Gerry would come into the studio after listening the tracks with midi bass and put his bass mastery onto the tracks. Again, just mute the midi bass.

Since all this was done on the desktop we needed an option for going into the studio to record the live drums. I had to solo EACH track and export it. I would end up with about 12-20 individual instrument and vocal tracks , called STEMS, all the same length so that they could load into Pro-Tools (I think, I didn't attend the drum sessions) at the studio, line up all the tracks and have the drummer (John Cheesman) add the live drums.

Why did I export STEMS rather than exporting an OMF (Open Media Framework) file? Cubase SX1 doesn't offer that option which would have been much easier.

Now we had the final tracks that would be heard on the big screen. After seeing it at the AMC in Toronto I was blown away by the music even though I had spent years working on it. It was HUGE.

All the years working on the film's soundtrack from the desktop essentially cost us our time. We could work any hour of the day and communicate via the internet to achieve our goals.

I hope that you get a chance to see a screening this week (Sept 19th, 22nd, 24th) in Hamilton. I believe that this is the last North American screening before it heads overseas.

I have a personal favorite, ROCK AND ROLL. I really like the Ebow solo. I also LOVE Michael's clavinet work on I WAS THERE. You can hear that mix and more at lethimbe.com/music. These are the versions that Peter sings, not what you hear in the movie. While he often dismisses his performance as mediocre, they are beautiful and full of meaning.

It is amazing what you can achieve with a Desktop computer, an idea, some good gear, a great team and a dream

A very special thanks to Peter McNamee for his amazing songs and all the great things I learned about recording / mixing that you don't read about in a book.

This post originates from

nathanfleet.blogspot.com

HINDU SCALE: Take a break from D to G and use Gm

Lesson #1

The Hindu Scale.

I have no idea what level you are at so the lessons I post will be in no particular order. I just hope to add some tools to your belt so that you have some options.

Video example at the bottom of this post using the Hindu Scale in the solo for "Song Worth Singing" that will be a track on my Talk to the Machine album.

You'll here this scale in so many genres of music. I hear it often in John William's scores which is probably why I enjoy using it.

For this exercise I am using the key of D. Those with some theory knowledge will be able to move this into any key. If you don't know theory I've created a beginner lesson near the bottom.

One of the most widely used chord progressions is D going to G. At some point you may want a change. I am suggesting that you try a G minor chord instead of G and I want to show you a great scale, Hindu, you can use with a D to Gm chord progression. I will use the guitar scale/solo as the example but you can use this for vocal lines, horn harmonies, string orchestrations etc...

The Theory

When you use a D chord going to a G chord (D being your key/tonic) the chords are in the same key (the I and the IV chord) built using the notes of the D major scale D E F# G A B C# D.

Triads: a chord with three notes

If you use a Root, 3rd, 5th starting on D you get D F# A, the notes of the D chord. If you use a R, 3rd, 5th starting on G you get G B D, the notes of a G chord. On the guitar many of these notes are doubled or tripled in a chord but they still only contain 3 note names.

Sub G for Gm

If you substitute G with G minor, certain notes will have to change.

The G minor chord contains the three notes, G Bb D. The G minor scale (the relative minor of Bb major) contains the notes G A Bb C D Eb F G

Alter the D major scale

Now if you alter your D major scale to contain a Bb and a C (from the G minor scale) your scale will look something like this D E F# G A Bb C D. This is the Hindu scale in D.

In relation to the major scale use this formula to move it into any key you want, R 2 3 4 5 b6 b7 8 or TTSTSTT (Tone, Tone, Semi-tone, Tone, Semi-tone, Tone, Tone)

Now try this scale under a D to Gm chord progression. I personally love this scale / chord combo. I may have over used it on my album but I guess that will just be considered the "style" I used.

FOR THE BEGINNER

Play this scale:

---------------------------------------------8--10-

------------------------------7--8--10--11-------

---------------------5--7--9-----------------------

--------4--5--7--8--------------------------------

--5--7---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------

Over these chords:

D / / / Gm / / / D / / / Gm / / / repeat

/ = additional chord strum

What will you do with your Hindu?

Comment & post a link so we can all hear what ya did.

This post originates from

nathanfleet.blogspot.com

Writer's Block

Since 2000 I have written about 18 songs. That's it. Not due to writer's block, I just don't commit issues / topics to song if I can resolve them with a bit of thought. If something sticks in my head and I can't really work it out by thinking it through, I'll write a song about it. The songs that you will eventually hear on Talk to the Machine will be songs that are extremely important to me. Since I am an independent, no one has been waiting around for my stuff so I just let things come when they are ready.

I can't churn out a song a day because I can't and I don't want to. Don't try to be like another writer because you read that they wrote a song a day, or that they recorded 30 songs but kept 10. Let your writing style match who you are. I mostly use nature as my inspiration whereas someone else might get inspired by a gritty city. I wrote a song back in 2005, hated the lyrics so I waited...till 2009 and they finally came to me and the lyrics poured out. (The song is calledDo Not Feed the Wolves). Another song, The Vulture or the Raven, came all at once in about 5 minutes. I've learned not to force the creativity. Let it strike. That doesn't mean be lazy. I still sharpen my tools.

I've been studying music since I was 15 and my advantage is that I have been exposed to so many styles of music and that I can analyze them and figure out what is going on quite quickly, so I can usually implement several ideas quite quickly to see if something will work or not. If you get blocked musically, you may want to take some time to study a style / arrangement that you really like.

I remember in college when I first learned the chord progression Aminor--Aminor(maj7)--Aminor7th--Aminor6th (sounds like Stairway to Heaven intro, but it was a latin piece that I heard it in) I inserted it into about three songs right away.

For those interested I used it in a song called "In Silence" that is on iTunes under Nathan Fleet. I still use it. If I had not concidered studying music (read previous post Self Taught or Learned Theory - you don't have to be schooled to study) I may have never discovered the mechanics of that chord progression. I also use it on the new CD in a track called "The Devil is Coming" and in "The Staircase."

You may not have years to ponder what your song is going to be about so I recommend that you always add tools to your belt, a new chord, a new style, tempo, genre, technique, instrument, accessory etc...Then when the idea hits you have more resources to draw from.

I was trying to think of a clever way to end this post but I got writer's block.

This post originates from

nathanfleet.blogspot.com

Aren't CD's dead?

I've been running a poll on my website nathanfleet.com and decided to check in on the results. I am writing a larger article on this but thought I'd touch on the matter a bit now.

I was really surprised to see that the majority of pollsters 52% buy CD's, 27% pay for their downloads and 20% are pirates.

I assume my current 122 pollsters are clinging to the old school "I like the packaging" or they think I can track the fact that they might be pirates. Yes it is a poll but I disagree with it. CD's are dying. The CD section in any music retailer is mostly a ghost town. Between Jan and June this year only 2 of my students brought CD's in to let me hear their music. MP3 players and phones currently rule. I buy on iTunes all the time. I don't need packaging anymore. I am not attached to a format anymore. In the end it is the music I love and if something comes along that removes the current delivery of it, so be it and I am in. Much, much more on this when I finish my article.

So don't YOU think CD's are dead?

This blog originates from

nathanfleet.blogspot.com