Day of the Grateful Dead

Serving your weekly Odd Time needs...

New this week...

Day of the Grateful Dead
from Go To Heaven
Easy to Love You 15/4, 4/4
Don't Ease Me In 10/4, 4/4

The Beatles - St. Pepper
Good Morning, Good Morning 9/4, 6/4, 4/4

Special Requests...

Balkan Folk Music
Philip from Norway pointed out that there wasn't any sign of Balkan Folk Music on this station or website. And yes Philip you are absolutely right, and I appreciate all feedback, and I listen.. so here you go ... this is just the start of the journey into the Balkan Folk Realm..

Celebinisko 9/8 Trakia, Bulgaria
from the site Dunav.com.il and here is what they have to say about it:

Celebinsko is a choreography by Belco Stanev with great music in an interesting meter. It's 9/8 divided : 2 3 2 2. In the vocal part, the steps are exactly on the meter: QSQQ, but in the instrumental refrain, half a bar is added 2 3 (QS). The steps are in 2 2 2 3 (QQQS) and the missing half bar 2 2 (QQ) is added at the end so that is missing (mathematically).

Two requests from Guy via email: The Look People & The Mars Volta

The Look People
Guy suggested that I check this band out, and that they are a cross between Zappa and the Muppets. Sounds like something to obsess about. So I looked into obtaining some of their music - no luck at Ameoba or online. The only info I have is from their page on MySpace and I was able to download one song.

Heres a diddy from their MySpace page MySpace.com/TheLookPeople:
"LOOK PEOPLE were a Canadian alternative rock band in the 1980s and 1990s. They were the most outlandishly quirky band on the Canadian music scene of their era, known for their “cuisinart fashion statements”, “turrets syndrome time signatures”, and high energy live performances."

Gotta love the Turret Meters....

"Really Mean Guy" from Crazy Eggs 4/4, 5/4, 9/8
Prior to this suggestion, I've never heard of this band. Therefore I am assuming that this is one of their most straight ahead songs. Its mostly in 4/4, with one or two bars of 5/4 & 9/8 as transitions, maybe not on purpose. If anyone can lead me to some more of their tunes, it would be most appreciated. I wrote to the band, we'll see what happens there.

And my favorite song from...

The Mars Volta
"Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus - Sarcophagi - Umbilical Syllables - Facilis" from Frances the Mute
This song uses Zappa Meters 17/16, 13/16, 5/16, 5/8, 11/8 and so on - when I retire I will do a thesis on this song.
all night... I want you... let me show you what I mean...
are the only lyrics I can understand, but atleast this one is not in Spanish, then I wouldn't understand anything, only manana, arro, beno, hola, uno, dos....
This song brings about the coolest energy and every time I hear it I want to be there with them playing bass - especially during the first section... funky.
This 13 min song has been on rotation a few times, and glad to play it again.

Thanks for the request Guy..

Odd Enough,
-Countess B
Odd Time Obsessed

New This Week! Cubanismo! Amon Duul II

Get outta town!!!!! okay lets go to Cuba - these guys are amazing!
(upsidedownexclaimation)Cubanismo!

From their album - Reencarnacion

"Jamming In Nijmegan"
you are not going to believe me when I tell you this
15/4 - yes a very fast 7/4, 8/4

"Donde Esta Coto"
now you really got to listen to this
you might think I'm just testing you to see if you are paying attention...
14/4 - again a very fast 6/4, 8/4


Amon Duul II
from their collection - 3jahrzehnte 1968-1998
"Archangel Thunderbird" - 6/4
This is the sh*t, now you really have to listen

when four is a bore,
Countess B
Odd Time Obsessed

Huun Huur Tu Concert - Witnessing Natural Musicians

Huun Huur Tu
Walt Disney Performing Arts Center
October 13, 2007

Odd time is natural.

Huun-Huur-Tu are real natural musicians, “throat-singers” from Tuva, a Russian republic on the Mongolian border. These four channelers of nature, three string players and one percussionist all share in the over-tone singing, and make their own instruments igil, khomus, doshpuluur, tungur and others.

This concert took place on a Saturday morning at the Children’s Amphitheater as part of the World City Art program, geared towards children. They only played 6 songs with vocal solos which lasted for about 25 mins and I had wished that it went on for about 2 ½ more hours. Their songs are in 4/4, 7/4, 10/4 and other meter types. There is never a “back beat” type of groove. One song about a horse was in 10/4 and you swear you were right there on the horses back. See nature doesn’t always move in 4/4.

Tuvan are nomadic people and through their music they create sonic “maps” of their topography. By imitating or aesthetically representing the sounds of nature, human music-makers seek to link themselves to the beings and forces that most concern them: in the case of the Tuvans, domestic animals, the physical environment of mountains and grasslands, and the elemental energies of wind, water, and light.
To sum it up here, they are just a different breed of musicians than in the Western sense. In this day and age, we can barely fathom the value of their expression. There are no egos apparent and how could there be? They are playing nature, not for bling, stardom but just to be with their land. So what does that teach us in 4/4 land here? How are we mimicking our environment? Stuck in mainly one 4/4 time zone? What does that say about this (Western) culture?

Huun Huur Tu, has much to teach us. The are fascinating to watch and to listen to. They are an experience to be witnessed whether they wander through your town, iPod or computer screen don't miss them.

HHTMusic.com

Naturally ODD,
BetZe
Odd Time Obsessed

Prong at the Whisky - Sunset Strip 10/14/07 Concert Review

Prong at the Whisky A Go Go
(Club on Sunset Strip, West Hollywood 10/14/07)

You gotta pick up the Broken Peace…

because its… Unconditional

Prong performed on Sunday night at the Whisky Club
Prong is the Industrial Metal Hardcore band on its 5th studio album (I think)

The Venue
Okay let me just get this out of the way… The “famous” Whisky really needs to get over itself. I haven’t been there in a while and they have completed some renovations and boy are you gonna pay for that. Seven dollars for a cup of beer, thirteen for a mixed drink and one hundred dollar min just to sit in a booth… What? to see some crappy bands that had to pay $250-300 to play for 35 mins? Its venues like these that really know how to kill a good time, let alone good music. Some place not so pretentiously Nazi, such as a underground industrial warehouse would have been much more fitting. But I am only here for PRONG ! They did not have to pay to play… cash that is … they have already paid their price…. years of being under-rated.

The Band
Prong is Tommy Victor. With many different line ups, he is the common denominator. Tommy Victor is a pioneer who has successfully invented a genre. He is a style – I haven’t heard anyone quite like him, they can try but no cigar my dear. As far as guitar players go, he is in my top five. By using unconventional intervals (lots of 4ths), chord progressions and song structures along with grooving hardcore rhythms he proves to be one of the most creative guitarists around. You can tell his creativity has not been washed by conventional means (music school, wannabeism, too many lessons and shoulds). He is a true raw artist, this is his soul. He has no choice but to create and play this music.

The Show
They played for a good 90 mins that covered much of their new album along with the requisite classics – Broken Peace, Unconditional, Whose Fist is it Anyways?, Beg To Differ, Snap Your Fingers Snap Your Neck, Prove You Wrong… They sounded great throughout, tight and together. I would have never guessed that the bass player, Monte Pittman was Madonna’s teacher and guitarist, talk about switching gears. He kinda looks like he would be in Kyuss. He was good, although it erks me when guitarist double like that, don’t know why. The drummer, Aaron Rossi was just a little “bouncy” for me. His kit was just a little too small for some reason and I don’t think it would hurt him to hit the woodshed a bit. But he did the trick. About 5/8ths through the show Tommy asked how the drinks where here… are they expensive… is that why no one is buying us them? (yes, $11+ for a shot) So someone bought them Jager – Tommy said “Finally” and his voice immediately grew some more balls. I wanted to buy him the whole bottle – what would he sound like then?

Anyways, it was a great show and I am glad that I went despite the sucky venue. It was good to see them again. The last (and only other) I saw them in SF around 2003 – with a completely different line up and look (Hawaiian shirt, dirty blond hair) after his hiatus (ie. incubation, darkness) from music. I have been digging Prong since the early 90s and their songs have helped me pick up the Broken Peaces along the way. But what does all of this have to do with odd time? Well, some of their songs are in odd time – mostly 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4 type of groove. Damager has some – once I get it I will write a diddy. It is in alignment with their style – I doubt that Mr. Victor sets out to write a song in 7/8, but writes what the song dictates.

If you are looking for something different, heavy, original… you can’t go wrong with Prong.

Countess B
Odd Time Obsessed

Ten Sixteen

10/16 can not be reduced to 5/8
In 6th grade math its okay and even expected, but not when we are talking about the fine art of hearing, creating and analyzing odd metered music.
You can be so crass as to assume 5/8 & 10/16 are the same, but it would technically be an odd time lie. (It happens ya know.)

oneeana twoeana threee onee twoeana threeeana oneeana twoe threeeana

Truly ODD,
-B
Odd Time Obsessed

Whats Your Signature?

... so he said his middle name was MathRock....

.......did I believe him???

... I wanted to...

...and then he asked...
Whats your favorite meter to play in?

(finally, finally, someone finally asked)

I thought you would never ask...

why 13/8..... 123,123,123,12,12

his was five - five four five eight five sixteen he did not say....

Ms. Mathrock,
-B
Odd Time Obsessed

Ten Eight

10/8 - 2 bars of 5/8? no

10/8 - really 5/4? no

10/8 has a distinctive feel with variations which is much different that 10/4.

Some examples:
"Necro Feel" by MindRape uses the meters 7/8, 5/8, 10/8, 4/4. The 5/8 & 10/8 sections are two distinctive sections both with eight note themes.

"Wandering Child" by Gov’t Mule uses the meters 10/8, 4/4, 8/8, 4/8, 9/8 (+). Over the 10/8 section there is an eight note theme which dominates the first part to the song.

Check em out..

-BetZe
OddTimeObsessed.com

My Dad

My Dad
is a rocket scientist
(aeronautics engineer for MIT)

He suggested that I write in 9/11 - he said that would really screw up the orchestra. Yes he does realize that I would have to invent my own system..... I might need his mathematical help - can it be done.....???? nothing is impossible right???
God love him...
so instead of eighth, quarter half notes it would be just eleventh notes..... where is Zappa when I need him....

let me think about this..
-B
Odd Time Obsessed

Ten Four

ten four - Message Understood - Affirmative - OK - Understood - ten four

Usually 10/4 to me is really 5/4, but if the phrase is carried for the ten count, then it would be in 10/4 - not five.....

Here is a few examples from OTO's playlist:

Gluey Porch Treatments (New and Improved) – Melvins - 10/4, 4/4
Kill Switch – The Fallen - 10/4
My Ass is on Fire - Mr. Bungle - 4/4, 10/4

And some examples from Wikipedia -
I'll have to add them to my collection.

1968) "Wanderlove" by Mason Williams
(1971) "Playing in the Band" by Bob Weir and/or the Grateful Dead (4+4+2)
(2000) "Everything in Its Right Place" by Radiohead
(2004) "Destroy Glass Castles" by Venetian Snares
(2004) "Bonivital" by Venetian Snares
(2004) "Looks Good (But You Looked Away)" by Helio Sequence
(2004) "Vida" by Venetian Snares
(2005) "Storm" by Björk
(2006) "Grammy Family" by DJ Khaled featuring Kanye West, Common, John Legend, and Consequence

Oddly yours,
Countess B
OddTimeObsessed.com

on.... the .... radio....

This week on .... the ... radio........

.....did the internet kill the airwave star???

can't wait until they get these cyber stations portable.....


Shard Villa - who what where when????
This is a very cool progressive metal band from Washington State/Vermont/Montreal. How do they rehearse? The Internet is magic. Don't know too much about them but I think this is their second demo w/a new line up. But one thing I heard, which I don't find too often is that the singer is a true musician. He understands and is comfortable singing in odd time a member of the band - not the just the face. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually writes some of the music. Some singers don't really know what to do over 7s to 15 to 9s - its not natural to them. But to this singer, he feels it, he's in it, he lives it. Plus he's got a wide range and is creative with his cords. Can't really understand the lyrics but
In their music you can find hints of Estradasphere, Malmsteen, Queensryche, many time changes and killa bass riffs/sound.
Have a listen - They are on MySpace too.

The Gathering
Ancient Geometry
Time Now

Steve Vai - from Flex-Able
Okay I am going to be honest, (Aries Rooster can't help it) I don't like SV. Period. I think he takes himself way too seriously. He needs to get over it. But I do have some of his music and here are some odd time examples. Not sure of the meter because I can't bare to repetitively listen to it.

Little Green Men
odd odd odd

Bledsoe Blvd
more odd odd odd


Rush
Leave that Thing Alone (Counterparts) - Geddy tops himself with this bassline - he's so funky.
6/4, 4/4

RUSH not in ODD TIME (barely)
Natural Science
I just have to say.... Natural Science is one of Rush's coolest songs and the verse is almost in 15/16 (3,3,3,2,2,2) but nooooooooo they had to hold that one note a sixteenth longer (3,3,3,3,2,2).... why do they do that???

Subdivisions
Starts in 7 for a few measures, but I am not going to play it just because of that... cool song though.... reminds me of junior high.... (how original of me).

Oddly yours,
Countess B
OddTimeObsessed.com