Summer 2024

Daily Drops

Jeff Roberts Artist Station

LITTLE LIES WHILE SUMMER IS COMING

[UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

Tradacoustic series no. 370

Music, mostly recent, a few days, a few months...

created: 2025/04/03

hk_tradacoustic_370

Mix 6

Vocals + lyrics: She's Excited! (https://soundcloud.com/she-s-excited)
Keys, bass + initial backing track: Greg (https://soundcloud.com/g-c-ess)
Aleatoric method, guitar, beat + production: Wou-Wou & The Wormling

Chords, tempo, time signature and lyric themes were all picked out at random using dice, coin flips and pulling prompts from a hat.

Artwork by Wou-Wou & The Wormling (https://www.instagram.com/wouwouandthewormling)

0304: Plastic or Steel (feat. She's Excited! & Greg)

PS Perkins: Guitars, bass, lyre, vocals
Ron Thomas: Autoharps, Drums

Production notes:
---------------------------------------------
Very early on we wanted to use autoharps on this song to create a sort of swirling backdrop, reminiscent of the harps in Indian/Bollywood soundtrack songs of the seventies.

Right away there were challenges because the song is in B flat and is not wholly diatonic to begin with, utilizing a chord built on the augmented lydian scale in the choruses. So rather than transpose the song to a more amenable key (since the chromatic bits weren't going to work no matter what key we used) we instead re-tuned the autoharp. Moving through the strings one by one we tuned them either up or down a half step where applicable to bring them into key. Where the augmented chord hit in the choruses, we excluded those notes so that the autoharp was filling the diatonic parts of the chords and omitting the accidentals. It took us several tries to get it right. In the end we arrived at a chord progression that could be strummed on the autoharp and the modified chords could be played with existing dampers.

We also tuned the lyre so that the top half of the strings included the chromatic augmented notes while the lower register of the lyre was tuned using the diatonic, so the lyre could play the melody all the way through both parts of the song.

The inspiration for this song was essentially fourfold:
--------------------------------------------------------
First, H.P. Lovecraft's terrifying necromancer Joseph Curwen (from "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward") who masked his true identity in order to thwart suspicion from his fellow townsfolk. He has many secrets lurking in his underground catacombs where he performs acts of necromancy most foul, extracting the "salts" of the dead in order to raise them at will and learn the secrets of ancient eldritch deities.

Second, a poem by Rudyard Kipling titled "En-Dor" which was a warning against the rise of spiritualism and the cost of communion with the dead in the early 20th century.

Third, the biblical Saul who traveled in disguise to visit a witch at the city of Endor in order to summon Samuel from the dead and garner advice on defeating the Philistines, but who only prophesies doom for Saul. Saul dies later the next day in the battle of Gilboa.

Lastly, the story of Odysseus communing with the underworld where he enlists the help of Tiresias to have a chat with the dead and secure for himself a safe journey home.

They all seek communion with the dead for one purpose: to gain knowledge which only those who have crossed over between realms might possess. 

Lyrics:
-------------------------------------
A mask may reveal what it’s meant to conceal
From those who are standing beside us
Armor of pride, so we learn to abide
By the monsters which hide deep inside us
The monsters which lurk deep inside us
Oh, how they scratch and they bite us
The monsters which lurk deep inside us

Only to know what the professor knows

Eating black bread, wearing clothes of the dead
The soil soaked in honey around us
For fear if we failed, leave the ogre unveiled
And it’s back in the grave where they found us
Back in the grave where they found us
Freed from the ties which had bound us
Back in the grave where they found us

Only to know what the professor knows

In the catacomb vaults, we extracted the salts
From cadavers to lengthen our youth
Chanting the names at the edge of the flames
And a mirror to show us the truth
A mirror which speaks only truth
See how it seeks not to soothe
A mirror which speaks only truth

Only to know what the professor knows

In the underworld maze, in the night of no days
Concocting the plan we’re devising
Much to endure on the road to En-Dor
And to snatch from Elohim arising
To snatch from Elohim arising
Snatch from Elohim arising
Snatch from Elohim arising
Snatch from Elohim arising
Snatch from Elohim arising

BARDS:Of The Shimmering Seraphs

The Professor

I enjoyed a lot to collaborate with Synline https://soundcloud.com/synline ( Composition and Sampling collage) and mozawa_* https://soundcloud.com/user-174681242 (Beat) on this one. 
A great honor and pleasure for me to write and sing along.


Bodies Swaying

Smooth,
Into the groove…

Step by step
That is a romance
Meet me on that spot tonight
Tune by tune
That is a romance
Hoof by hoof
That is the moon dance

Sometimes it’s one ahead and then three to back
Then swinging round and returning on another track

And ancient lanters wander across the sky again
Singing old songs in a language we’ll never understand
And they go…

Meet me under the moon tonight  
Let us dance into the morning light
I promise I will not step on your toes
Just swaying bodies in the silver light

Smooth, 
Waving in the silver groove

Sometimes it’s one ahead and then three to back
Then swinging round and returning on another track
Into the distance and then out of mind
Then slinging round and appearing on the other side

While our bodies swaying to the music
And they go…

Meet me under the moon tonight  
Let us dance into the morning light
Oh, bodies swaying to the music
Our bodies swaying to the music

Bodies Swaying (wt Synline and mozawa_*)

Bolero's sands ✞*:･

A big Thank You to https://soundcloud.com/mike-krath for providing this wonderful instrumental, mixing and mastering. I enjoyed a lot to write and sing along

One Thing

Oh, ohh
Well, well,
There are many things, that we can talk about
And there are lots of things
And there are lots of things that we don’t talk about
And there are some things
There are some things completely covered out
And there are not many things
And there are not many things that i would sing out loud
Not so many things

And when I close my eyes
It's nearly out of sight
And when I plug my ears
the words are barely to hear
And when i shut my mouth
There’ll be no coming out
Without a mouth
There’ll be no coming out,		(3)
No…

Well, there’s so many things, we can’t talk about
And there’s so many things we’ll never figure out
But there is one thing, i love to sing out loud
But there is one thing,

But there is one thing,
I’d love to sing out loud
I love to sing out loud…

One Thing (wt Mike Krath)

Infinity

L-Prefetching

Vidéo YouTube :   https://youtu.be/Xq99Dfdztyw

La Fableuse 

Texte : Say M
Chant : Karine
Musique : Alain Illos

Qui es-tu ?
Toi que je ne connais pas 
Qui refuse les maux de tête 
Qui s'amuse des mots de soi 

Je suis la Fableuse
J'aurais pu dire la Fabuleuse 
Mais je ne bois pas

J'ai donc ignoré le «u»
Qui ira où il voudra
Je n'ordonne pas les lettres 
Mais je ne les laisse pas 
S'installer comme on sème 
Les mots ne repoussent pas 
Déjà qu'ils changent à peine 
Oui mais, voilà... 

Regardez, au moins ceux qui s'aiment 
Les mots, ils ne les cherchent pas
Ils fabulent parfois, peut-être
Mais de chaque instant, ils croient 
On les croisera le nez en l'air 
Respirant celui des sous-bois 
Ils rentreront saouls à tue-tête 
D'un amour qui, in fine, finira

Qui es-tu ?
Toi que je ne connais pas 
Qui refuse les maux de tête 
Qui s'amuse des mots de soi 

Je suis la Fableuse
J'aurais pu dire la Fabuleuse 
Mais je ne bois pas 

Car le «u» parfois s'entête 
dans rupture, se place deux fois 
Je n'ordonne pas les lettres 
Mais je ne les laisse pas 
S'installer comme on sème 
Les mots ne repoussent pas 
J'écris des maux
Des morceaux d'êtres 
J'écris des mots 
Qui parlent d'émois
 La Fableuse, c'est moi

La Fableuse avec Karine

Mediterranean Connection (For three guitars)

This is not about anyone in particular just a story..thanks for listening

Don’t be afraid, it’s only shadows
The distant sounds, are merely echoes
It’s all a dream nothing can hurt you here
You’ll feel your heart begin to heal

There is no rhyme or any reason to be found
We will in time get our feet back on the ground
So promise me

Go easy on yourself Take some time to breathe
It’s natural to feel the way you’re feeling
Just remember who you are,
You are light that’s made from stars
And in the dark you’ll go on gleaming
Shine on for you, shine on for me
And know that you are loved

It seems unfair how different lives unfold
Those with no cares do as they please
While we are here with such a heavy load
More than we could bear brought down to our knees

But what we’ve had is so much more than they will know
So dry your eyes, there is someone here to hold you!

Go easy on yourself Take some time to breathe
It’s natural to grieve the way you're grieving
Just remember who you are,
You are light that’s made from stars
And in the night you’ll go on gleaming
Shine on for me, shine on for you
And know that you are loved

Go Easy On Yourself

If I can stop one heart
from breaking
I shall not live in vain
If I can ease one Life the Aching
Or cool one in pain

Or help one fainting Robin 
Unto his Nest again
I shall not live in Vain.

— EMILY DICKINSON 
“Further Poems of Emily Dickinson" published by Little, Brown and Company of Boston, 1929.

65 bpm
DAW Apple Logic Pro X
MIDI Akai Pro MPK 
E-instruments:
Studio Grand
Steinway Grand Piano 
Boesendorfer Grand Piano
SoCal Ballad Piano
Clarinet Solo+
Harp
Upright Ballad Bass
Rolling Chords Synth
Electronic Drum Kit - Platinum Dreams 
Latin Kit
Hip Hop Kit
Studio Brush Kit

Audio of bird chirps recorded live Jun. 15, 2024.

Photo of children splashing water via public domain, Wikimedia Commons 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Happy_children_splashing_water.jpg

Happy Endings

Watch the video on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/fS2Lip2tG24

The Hero´s Journey

random gossip

Gossip

The song-part recorded in 1999, the instrumental added in 2017. 

English / Italian lyrics

like thoughts
containing heat
as if forming
thunderstorms of words
and then you stop to look for
something important to say
something special
unlikely treasures to safeguard

Do you see these images 
of fleeting clouds?
Do you see these evenings 
that spend lonely?
When for a moment you regain
your usual good mood
I climb into your hair
I rest on your multicoloured gaze  

like thoughts
containing heat
as if forming
thunderstorms of words
when for a moment I think back
to your multicoloured gaze
you will already be sleeping
hugged at my words 

----

come pensieri
che contengono calore
come se formassero
temporali di parole
e poi ti fermi a cercare
qualcosa di importante da dire
qualcosa di speciale
tesori improbabili da custodire 

le vedi queste immagini
di nuvole passeggere
le vedi queste sere
che trascorrono da sole
quando per un attimo ritrovi
il tuo solito buonumore
mi arrampico fra i tuoi capelli
mi poso sul tuo sguardo multicolore  

come pensieri
che contengono calore
come se formassero
temporali di parole
quando per un attimo ripenso
al tuo sguardo multicolore
starai già dormendo
abbracciata alle mie parole

------

Lyrics and music by Michele Ansani (1999-2017).
Posted on SoundCloud: 2024, June 27.

Temporali di parole (Thunderstorms of words) *

When I need to lay my troubles down about things beyond my control, I take a stroll across the Indigo Bridge for safe passage over the Big Blue. The only toll required to crossover — temporarily letting your worries go. And, hopefully, you enjoy a songbird serenade on the trip to the other side. 💙✌️

70 bpm
DAW Apple Logic Pro X
MIDI Akai Pro MPK 
E-instruments:
Steinway Grand Piano
Boesendorfer Grand Piano 
SoCal Ballad Piano 
Deep Organ
Cellos
Upright Ballad Bass
Studio Brush Kit 
Studio R&B+ Kit
Lo-Fi Remix 
Latin Kit 

Audio of bird chirps recorded live June 29, 2024.

Cover art: Derived from a public domain photo of the Golden Gate Bridge via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Gate_Bridge,_San_Francisco,_California_LCCN2013633353.tif

Indigo Bridge

Untapped IPG1 & Paploviante
This is an open invitation for a collab from Ian Greaves aka (IPG1)
Vocal and Lyrics:
Ian Greaves aka (IPG1)
https://soundcloud.com/ipg1/untapped-voxes-92-bpm
Music:
Paploviante
Lyrics:
Off the top ———-is where it’s at unwrap this —————-gift RAP hitting the streets—-it’s ——pure crack Stone cold —-this trap ——TRACK! Pool of knowledge ——-untapped going —-in —-hard——we do that  Better —-tighten up —-them bootstraps  ———SAY-——-“what the hell ——did Lou snap!!!” swag baby —-The recap  no snags—nah—we stop that!!!
Break the game down--it's a new map Flow so rich--- better check that NASDAQ Eyes on the prize---go the full lap concrete jungle---stuck in the trap
[Verse] From the alleys to the skyline---watch us elevate Living large in the boroughs where we demonstrate Every word a heavy weight--- every rhyme we detonate New York state of mind---watch the Empire State
We on a mission---ain't no intermission, snap back Murals on the walls--- street art on the subway track Ambition in the air, we the kings--- claim the throne Spittin' bars like bullets--- in this zone--- we at home
Icons of the asphalt--- legends in the flesh Droppin' beats so heavy--it’s poundin' in your chest From the 5 boroughs--anthems——- on full blast Queens to the Bronx-- Brooklyn —-movin' fast Elevate the hustle---the spirit never cracks Struggle in the verses —-resilience on the—— tracks

Untapped - IPG1 and Paploviante

This song sounds like it could be in one of those bad 60's Elvis movies.
A late night jealousy motel song.
From the Album: "Arrhythmia & Blues" 2024

Lyrics:
Don't leave me lonely
I love you only
We're playing the blame game
Every night

Ahh, well, we go out
Almost every Saturday night
And it always ends up
Ends up in a fight
Because I see that you're making eyes
With every man in sight
(You're manipulating me, Baby!)
(You're really pushing all my buttons)
Don't leave me lonely
I love you only
We're playing the blame game

I'm out for a walk
A woman comes up to me
She says: I want to take you back to my secret sanctuary
I see you're looking for a thrill
Come back to my Bastille
I'm gonna do bad things to your body
And bend you to my will
And you say with those crazy eyes of yours
"Oh no, that man is mine!"
(Oh, baby)
(Baby baby baby)
( I don't even know who this woman is)

Don't leave me lonely
I love you only
We're playing the blame game

You're waking up the neighbor
Saying things that you can't take back
We've got to stop playing this blame game with each other
Gotta gotta gotta gotta gotta
Stop playing
The blame game

The Blame Game

Watch the video on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/cWoWGl3O2zg

A Century Of Loneliness

SitnThere

Black Cat Daylight

Composed, arranged, performed, and produced by:
Carlos Vivanco
https://youtu.be/5C7fqVJRxxI

Èr, Wǔ, Yī

Have Much

Mostly Sunny

Remix Free for all , please remix , if you feel like having fun with it please do 😉👍💖🎶🎧

The Great Awakening vocal

The Great Awakening (vocal stem 124 bpm)

Para escuchar la versión cantada por Dazz Deva  https://soundcloud.com/juan-fco-bueno/y-me-parece-mentira
Para escuchar la versión original https://soundcloud.com/juan-fco-bueno/y-me-parece-mentira-version-original-ver-texto
Para escuchar la versión instrumental  https://soundcloud.com/juan-fco-bueno/y-me-parece-mentira-version-instrumental
Para escuchar la versión a capela  https://soundcloud.com/juan-fco-bueno/y-me-parece-mentira-ac

Y ME PARECE MENTIRA

Te veo y no lo puedo creer:

detengo mis ojos en tu cara

intentando encontrar la mirada

que ayer tanto me hizo padecer

y descubro al instante el presente

que penetra con fuerza en mi mente

destrozando tu imagen de ayer.


Te observo y no consigo entender:

creía reciente aquel verano

salpicado de amores tempranos

teniendo la luna como juez

y la llama de mis ilusiones

que forjó mis primeras canciones

en los más profundo de mi ser.


Comparo, y me parece mentira, 

la frescura que en estos recuerdos

aún perdura y la inadvertida

pero brutal distancia que el tiempo,
 
con su vuelo, ha puesto en nuestras vidas:

todavía conservo el perfume

de aquellas mañanas de estío

y el sabor amargo del desprecio

socavando el alma de un crío.


Recuerdo y soy tu esclavo otra vez:

navego en los mares de tus ojos

inundando la noche de gozo

sembrando esperanza por mi piel

pero arribo a tu puerto y zozobro

y mi gozo se torna en sollozos 

al oír que no hay nada que hacer.


Comparo, y me parece mentira,
 
la frescura que en estos recuerdos

aún perdura y la inadvertida

pero brutal distancia que el tiempo,
 
con su vuelo, ha puesto en nuestras vidas:

¿quién no guarda la risa o el llanto

de aquel primer beso de ensueño?

risa para el que apuró buen vino

llanto el que brindó con veneno.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LIE

I see you and I can't believe it:

I fix my eyes on your face

trying to find the gaze

that made me suffer so much yesterday

and I instantly discover the present

which penetrates my mind with force

shattering your image of yesterday.

I watch you and I can't understand:

I thought that summer was recent

spattered with early loves

having the moon as my judge

and the flame of my dreams

that forged my first songs

in the depths of my being.

I compare, and it seems like a lie,

the freshness that still lingers in these memories

and the unnoticed

but brutal distance that time,

with its flight, has placed in our lives:

I still retain the scent

of those summer mornings

and the bitter taste of contempt

undermining the soul of a child.

I remember and I am your slave again:

I sail the seas of your eyes

flooding the night with joy

sowing hope through my skin

but I arrive at your port and capsize

and my joy turns to sobs

when I hear there's nothing to be done.

I compare, and it seems untrue,

the freshness that still lingers in these memories

and the unnoticed

but brutal distance that time,

with its flight, has placed in our lives:

Who doesn't remember the laughter or the tears

of that first dreamy kiss?

Laughter for the one who drank good wine

Crying for the one who toasted with poison.

Y me parece mentira

Caligo Paean is a 1 hour long sound piece installed on river front property in the town of Franklin, Tasmania as part of the exhibition "When The Fog Clears". It formed part of the Ten Days on The Island Festival March 2025. The intro features the Nocefresca Choir - an impromptu group formed of artist residents I met in Sardinia in 2024. The group (none of us singers) were asked to vocalise in an ancient roman antechamber on a field trip by Sardinian Composer Gaia Aloisi. I recorded it on my zoom for hopeful future use - and here it is making up the intro to this 'song of praise' to the goddess of fog, mystery and chaos. 
The work was installed in several locations across the property including a stack of subs under an old bus, in the main exhibition space and in an abandoned shed some 40 metres from the main area (pictured). The speakers were tuned quite differently depending on their location and the sound was not delay corrected with the result of each mini-installation merging with each other in odd sonic ways  - kind of calling the listener from one spot to another. The the work features field recordings, percussion, piano, bass guitar and Intonarumori as well as this special one off choir : ) 
Big thanks to everyone involved!!
Official press release below. 
Every day, the mists of the Huon Valley perform a seductive dance, gently obscuring and revealing contours of the fertile land and waters. Situated in The Watershed Franklin, When The Fog Clears features six artists from lutruwita / Tasmania exploring the region’s iconic mists through a variety of mediums including installation, sculpture, illustration, sound, and video. 

Developed exclusively for Franklin, this exhibit extends from the waterfront itself into the chambers, kilns, and rafters of the shed, inviting visitors to consider fog as an atmosphere that can cloak us in unexpected ways.

Featuring:
Amber Koroluk-Stephenson
Nadège Phillipe Janon
Joshua Santospirito
Rosie Hastie
Mat Ward
Ursula Woods

When The Fog Clears is curated by Loren Kronemyer and Produced by Constance ARI

This project is supported by Arts Tasmania and presented in partnership with Ten Days on the Island.

Caligo Paean (Intro)

Original composition by Neno J. (song for my little grandson)
Nylon electro-acoustic guitar Cordoba Studio GK, recorded directly using multi effect Hotone Ampero 100.

Bossa for little Noah

Enjoy the summer!
Spotify Playlist Curator Shania Wagema:
„The beats give off strong vibrant and summer vibes…The production is amazing and quite admirable.“

Sommerhit

Songster version was a little ‘copla’ about not being able to be with, nor without, a loved person.  As usual, I’ve ‘upgraded’ it, process from which you only get the final result, normally. 

But, following lyrics’ contradictions, I not only serve parts with different levels of (dis)order in heavy rock - flamenco sauce, but raw vs very cooked parts as well, starting with the improvised phone recording of the very first idea I had to develop the song, so please excuse my failures and noises.

Letra  /  Translated lyrics:

Te veo venir (No te vuelvas a ir)  /  I know where you're coming from (Don’t you leave again)

Te veo venir,                                                 /  I know where you're coming from,
cuando vienes con esa carita de pena,        /  when you come with that sweet sad face,
te veo venir,                                                  /  I know where you're coming from,
cuando vienes llorando sin que te duela,     /  when you come crying without any pain,

te veo venir (x3)                                            /  I know where you're coming from, (x3)

Te veo venir,                                                 /  I know where you're coming from,
cuando dices que quieres hablar conmigo,  /  when you say that you want to talk to me,
te veo venir,                                                  /  I know where you're coming from,
cuando quieres estar al lado mío,                /  when you want to be by my side,

te veo venir (x3)                                           /  I know where you're coming from, (x3)

Te veo venir,                                                 /  I know where you're coming from,
cuando vienes con esa carita de pilla,          /  when you come with that sweet sly face,
te veo venir,                                                  /  I know where you're coming from,
cuando vienes con esa sonrisa, chiquilla,    /  when you come with that smile, little girl,

te veo venir (x3)                                            /  I know where you're coming from, (x3)

ER33FI03 RUIZZO©1996 – FRANCÉS RECORDS®2016


Factor Integrante

Te veo venir (No te vuelvas a ir)

Have a listen to my album "Curiosities Of Outsider Art" (Sept 2025). Quirky and interesting tunes.
Thank you for listening!

I try to write with rich lyrical details and self-deprecating humor about the human condition. Plus, that unique Shade Structure sound!  It sounds best with headphones. Thanks for any comments, reposts or likes.

Discography: Available under Album tag on my Soundcloud main page. 
* Curiosities Of Outsider Art (Sept 2025)
*All this Useless Beauty (2025)
*Rockers (2024) 
*Arrhythmia & Blues (2024)
* The Curse Of A Good Looking Ghost (2024)
* Low Profile (2024)
* Smilers (EP 2023)
•Short Songs For Tall Minds"  (2022)
•Friends, They're Gonna Get Your Story Wrong (2021)
•A Suburban Dadaist With Some Store Bought Beats (2021)
•All Feel and No Technique (2020)
•This Is How I Spend My Nights (2019)
•California Songs (2018-2019)

All sounds contained within are home-made/DIY recordings. Most songs are short stories, as I am influenced by Musicians & Writers like Raymond Carver, Warren Zevon, Mountain Goats, Tom Waits, Mark Eitzel,  Randy Newman, Destroyer, Steely Dan, Captain Beefheart, Loudon Wainwright III, Leonard Cohen & The National. Most songs have the lyrics on the song page. Thank you for listening!