Home Guitar Song Recorded using Propellerhead Reason Record - March 2011

Rumble Through Coahuila  - (completed on 8/3/2011)

About this Track - A couple of firsts for me on this track, 1 first time I've played bass guitar on my home recordings and 2 the first time I've sung on my home recordings. I based the idea of Speak Park on my memory of a walk I took on my way to my Gran and Papa's one day over the last few years to visit them in Newton Mearns. The image of the pole appealed to me on many different levels and was taken in Eastwood Park. I would like to dedicate this song to the memory of my Gran Janet Sinclair Buchanan Davison.
lyrics
Speak Park - Lyrics. 

Goin on a visit the other day, 
I chose to change my journey in a really cunning way. 
I cut through Speak Park, down through Speak Park 

Let me tell you let me say that I know parks 
and Speak Parks a special case 
its where conkers grow and leaves drop true 
streams trickle, grass sways and the wind talks. 

Let me tell you let me say I've been to many parks 
and Speak Parks a special place 
Let me show you let me sing of how I 
sometimes cut through Speak Park 

If you've gone to the top of the hill and through the woods 
slipped past the schools outhouse and walls 
no doubt you've cast your eye over Speak Park, 
over Speak Park.

Speak Park - (completed on 30​/​1​/​2013)

About this Track - I developed this song around the idea of a would be Captain who designed & built his own Paddle Steamer. I liked the idea of exploring the ideas of craftpersonship and adventurousness as well as exploring the similarities & parallel's drawn up between my own song writing & the Captains engineering endeavours. The aesthetics/style of Paddle Steamers as vessels appeals to me & I discovered that some paddle steamers(including this one) are sea faring so decided this type of vessel would be ideally suited to both my own and the good Captains ambitions! 

About the Drawing - ’P.S Providence’ I wrote the song ’P.S Providence’ and decided to give drawing the paddle steamer a go using a 2 point perspective approach. I had a lot of fun drawing this, spending time over Xmas 2013/New year 2014 sitting with my family while the TV was on amongst other times/places. I constructed the song and designed the drawing from imagination & had fun stylizing some elements of the drawing, earning myself a few weeks use of the steamer courtesy of the Captain in appreciation & recognition of my efforts! ;)
lyrics
Lyrics: 

The noise of its engine alive in the air, the skipper guides his steamer on down 
river to firth with care. 
Moving forward into the cold morning, clouds embark across the bright sky. 
Hear the creak of the deck and salt wind whip over the paddle wheel 
see flotsam awash on the tide, see jetsam in gentle waves abide. 

Rollin hills beyond the shore, course set for the coast 
- magnetism in his compass 
- the proud captain is tuned to the call of the seas. 

And with P.S Providence in commission & brought to bear by his craft & design. 
He ventures upon a life on the waves, steaming off into the maritime, into the maritime. 

The noise of its engine alive in the air, the skipper guides his steamer on down, 
river to firth with care.

P​.​S Providence (completed on 21​/​3​/​2015)

About this Track-When I was in primary school I heard about a cave called Meisers(I made this spelling up)not far from school. Some friends & I went to visit. I cannot confirm that the cave actually exists as I cannot remember confirming absolutely at the time that the cave existed. However the idea of the cave, the name, the experience/journey to the cave are strong early memories that have stuck with me. I developed the song & lyrics(part fact, part made up by me)around my memories and would like to dedicate the song to my primary school days, friends & acquaintances. 


About the Drawing - ’Meisers’ another drawing inspired by the recording of a song - ’Meisers’. I wanted to convey some of the sense of the song through the drawing whilst at the same time keeping things simple and employing pattern, motifs, textures, distances/depths + surreal/abstract aspects of the song/music to develop the drawing. I wanted to move away from the perspective approach used in my other drawings basically to try a new way but also because the approach I settled for is what I envisioned.



Lyrics: 

I went to settle it with Meiser, bolt cutter to cut the fence wire. 
I braced my chin upwards against my heartbeat ablaze. 
Expectations apart apace, on a trip to see Meiser in its cave. 

Cos I lost all my 'the's', all my 'the's', all my 'the's', lost. 

I went to see Meiser because not that long ago, hair wet towel round my waist, evening shower I had fearful electricity I did taste 
A bare wire shocked me as I shufted a bundle of cables. 

And I lost all my 'the's', all my 'the's', all my 'the's', lost. 

I pushed on in wet bracken socks and feet damp. 
High flats stood tall westwards, night flies whacked my face. 
Underfoot twigs a crackin, no time to waste. 
On a trip to see Meiser in its cave. 

Cos I lost all my 'the's', all my 'the's', all my 'the's', lost. 

I then approached a darkening of the land. 
A gravelling, dust brushing caught my ear, syllables, muttering and gibberish also reached me before 
suddenly the activity ceased, affecting a breathy din and an inimitable voice from the darkness chased away the wind. 

And the voice spoke thus... 

(Attempted Imitation of the Meisers voice) 
Come forth pal lets converse see I'm known as the Meiser 
and I'm in the business of utterance would you believe 
I take to do with lost and broken words, take from the day to day. 
My stock can be said to traverse the ages, so for wha reason friend do you disturb me? 

Gathering myself I told the Meiser my tale. 
Of how electricity got the better of me. 
Of how since said evening my speech had suffered. 
I told the tale of how id lost all my 'the's' and how I wanted to get my lost words back. 

(Attempted Imitation of the Meisers voice) 
I understand young man and can help you out but there's a price to be levied. 
One Sunday a month midnight till three come round to the cave, to tidy and tend my annuls this for your 'the's' you shall pay. 
One qualification I might tho add your attendance is obligatory lest in canny ways my benevolence turns bad... Turns bad. 

I said I understood, made the deal and trooped home looking forward to a sleep that would, I was assured, see my 'the's' returned to my vocabulary. 
I was not disappointed, the next morning I had my words back and as I stirred in the morning quiet my thoughts turned to the Meiser, my trip and our understanding.

Meisers (completed on 21​/​3​/​2015)

Samba lê lê

Home Guitar Song Recorded using Propellerhead Reason Record - May 2010

Mosquito - (completed on 27/5/2010)

Over at the Pines  - (completed on 14/5/2010)

Home Guitar Song Recorded using Propellerhead Reason Record - Sept 2010

Sloe Gin - (completed on 17/9/2010)

Home Guitar Song Recorded using Propellerhead Reason Record - Sept 2011

Rustling in the Bushes  - (completed on 2/9/2011)

Home Guitar Song Recorded using Propellerhead Reason Record - Feb 2012 - Originally titled Orangedrink-Lemondrink (a phrase happened upon in Arundhati Roys book The God of Small things) has been changed out of respect and in fairness to the Author Arundhati Roy.  

The phrase Orangedrink-Lemondrink has a certain poetic right and its own individual character.  I wouldnt be doing it or myself any justice if I were to keep this song titled as such.  Upon completion of this piece of music when the time came to name it I (having read the book around the time of development of the song) selected the phrase as I felt (amongst other feelings) it had a special resonance what with the sweet timbre of the tabla combining with the smooth flowing guitar lines.

I have recently however decided to change it.  Having matured and if I'm honest revisited the piece and reflected upon its title in light of other work I have completed, I decided this was best.







Ode to Tea  - (completed on 2/2/2012)

My name is Bruce Vallance and I am a 30 year old guitarist, bass player and songwriter/music composer. I also draw, do Capoeira and love to read, watch Films & TV, socialise and spend time with friends and family.

Please feel free to browse my music(you'll find music Ive made/help make from different times & under different circumstances under the 'playlists' tab of my home page)

Happy Surfing!

Bruce :) 

Bruce Vallance 1985