[PopTodd]

I figured that this was really a pretty nothing composition, so I wanted to "play" the studio to make the arrangement more interesting.
So, I worked out a crazy arrangement in my head before even heading into the studio: a sort of theoretical studio experiment--where I pieced together "rounds" of drums in ProTools that built on each other for some little polyrhythms. Hell, my drummer didn't even have any idea what I wanted until we started piecing it together in ProTools.
http://hoponpop.bandcamp.com/track/hey

Then, at one point, I could actually see the light bulb go on over his head, when I finally understood what the hell it was that I wanted to do.
Certainly one of the more fun and more-challenging things that I've done, recording-wise.

Wound up using Oblique Strategies to help guide the way. Good times.

[jimwix]

I really like this and it appeals to my own 'sod the rule book' side.  It has Flaming Lips-esq individuality which is a very good thing.

I love the industrial drone-iness of it but on it's own most of the last 2 minutes seem unnecessary, but I can see how it would fit in and work as the last album track.  I wasn't sure about the Little Drummer Boy rum-pa-pum-pum reference (joke?) though, seemed a bit at odds.

Anyway, it's fired my interest enough to go back and listen to some more of your album.

Thanks,
Jim.

[PopTodd]

I really like this and it appeals to my own 'sod the rule book' side.  It has Flaming Lips-esq individuality which is a very good thing.

I love the industrial drone-iness of it but on it's own most of the last 2 minutes seem unnecessary, but I can see how it would fit in and work as the last album track.  I wasn't sure about the Little Drummer Boy rum-pa-pum-pum reference (joke?) though, seemed a bit at odds.

Anyway, it's fired my interest enough to go back and listen to some more of your album.

Thanks,
Jim.

Thank you, Jim!
I agree with you that the last couple of minutes drone on and, if I were to re-record it, I would probably trim it a bit. But, the thinking at the time was twofold:

• I wanted to deconstruct the song; strip away and expose the layers of the arrangement as the song wrapped up.
• As we mixed, we got a little bit lost in the drone and zoned our on it all, and thought that it was kinda nice. Especially since I had never done anything like that before.

But, in the end, in hindsight, I do think that it went on a little long, yeah.
Thanks so much for listening and for your feedback!

PS - I should warn you that nothing else on any of my albums sounds anything like this. But I hope you like whatever you hear, if you do go exploring!

[Skub]

60s

Acid

Free love

Hippies

Pirate radio

Beatles

This evokes that era for me. I'd liked it to have ended/faded around 3.50,the levels were very low too,that aside it was a nice trip...geddit?...Trip...

[PopTodd]

Thanks, Skub!
And did either of you check out that Oblique Strategies link in the initial post? It's pretty cool.

[Jathon Delsy]

Straight away caught by the unusual combination of distant strumming, rapid toms, some kind of weird drone, and reverbed vocal. It all works together beautifully, and the song itself almost has a Beatlesque, classic sixties pop feel. The instrumentation and arrangement has just the right amount of quirkiness, and is totally congruous with the psychedelic vibe and feel of this catchy, nostalgic, colourful song. As a graduated space cadet with a penchant for diatonic dreams I love this sort of thing,,,,,
The end section is inspired too, just breaking orbit and slipping into musical space, leaving us with grounded with the toms and a few stray sonic twirls.
Inspired,,,,,,

[PopTodd]

Thank you so much Jathon!

[Jamie]

San Francisco, flowers in your hair, acid, Maharishi, Charles Manson , very evocative of that period. More of a west coast American sound than from Liverpool to my ears. Interesting! I liked the vocals and harmonies.not sure about the outro though?
Cheers
Jamie

[timeforheroes01]

I really like this! Not a big fan of the drum rolls however, they sound a little hollow or something and the rest of the sound is so big and I find them a bit distracting from the rest of the song. It's a very cool song though and I really like every other aspect of it!
I also love the name "Chicken on a Bicycle".

[shadowfax]

yeah..flower power revisited.an evocative listen but a little to long and repetitive..

enjoyed it for 4mins though..

best, Kevin

[PopTodd]

Thanks, Jamie, Heroes, and Kevin!
Yeah, I will totally admit that it got a bit indulgent, time-wise. Again, I direct you to the first post of this thread to see what my thinking was in making it this long.
Also… smoke a joint and see if that changes how it sounds.

[Sing4me88]

There's very little not to like about this one. It had a really dramatic intro kinda similar to the big intro in Bryan Adams' 'Everything I do'. Spot on references to the Beatles though I also got  slight Doors bible from it to - could easily imagine Jim Morrison off his nut belting this one out while licking the mic stand. The organ sits very nicely with the 'hey' in the bridge/mid 8. The drums are unusaul but they are fresh and I thought they worked really well in the mix. I actually LOVED the Little Drummer Boy refernce.

All in all an effortless listen from start to finish.

[adamfarr]

Original and therefore cool! I'm still not sure whether I enjoyed it but I enjoyed the experience and the way it made me think about things that I could not have come up with myself. A bit like the Oblique Strategies I guess... Hmmmmm!