Nuku Nuku Nurmilintu is traditional Finnish Lullaby. This track is my attempt to arrange and reharmonize this tune.

Nuku Nuku Nurmilintu (Finnish Lullaby)

During my recuperation after illness, I wanted something lightweight to create music with that didn't require breathwork, which counted out my newly-bought Native American flute. I'd hankered after a lyre, ended up buying a 22 string harp because I thought I wanted more strings. I was wrong. My beautiful lyre came from the States, is made from spalted red oak and maple and I'm rather in love with her. As energy returns, I'm looking forward to doing more with her. Here's her first outing - a 12th/ 13th century tune from the Orkneys.

Nobilis Humilis

Crow Hill Company have made another beautiful instrument - "Dulcet Voice" - using the lovely vocals of Dot Allison. It's been much anticipated and was indeed worth the wait. This my first track using it. I find her voice mesmerising, hence the title!

Hope you enjoy it. :)

There is a video to go with this track at: https://youtu.be/QT1WJVBBmYk

Mesmerised

This track was composed in response to a challenge from the Crow Hill Company to create a piece of music in whatever style was personal to the composer, but using only the 6 free instruments currently available in Crow Hill's Vaults Beta collection, those being:
Drum studio; Chorus synth; Attic Grand; R + D strings; Celest-a-Tone; Shimmer Guitar.

Anyone who knows my previous compositions will realise that I have a wide musical taste and don't stick to any one genre. However, as I have been working on tracks under the "Clutha Project"  heading for a while now, I decided to re-visit a theme already used twice in that collection, namely "Lichen & Rust". These tracks are all linked to my childhood memories and family connections in the area of the River Clyde in Scotland; trying to capture the essence of them before they (and my memories) fade away.

There is a video to go with this track: https://youtu.be/dLP-CKVlxtc

The images used in this video are all stock images and none (as far as I know) link directly to the Clyde, but the decline and fall of the old industrial ports and shipbuilding yards is much the same no matter which country you take the images in. The feel of something lost, something departed, or something slowly ebbing away is the same in any language.

Enlimila - Lichen & Rust Reprise (Clutha Project)

Things To Learn

This is my version of "Famous Blue Raincoat", written by Leonard Cohen. It was released in 1971 on the album "Songs Of Love And Hate"
I tried to keep the arrangement as simple as I could with just two guitars and strings. Cohen is a great inspiration for me, and I hope that I'm able to make some justice to this masterpiece. 

Lyrics:
It's four in the morning, the end of December
I'm writing you now just to see if you're better
New York is cold, but I like where I'm living
There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening
I hear that you're building your little house
Deep in the desert
You're living for nothing now
I hope you're keeping some kind of record
Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair
She said that you gave it to her
That night that you planned to go clear
Did you ever go clear?
Ah, the last time we saw you you looked so much older
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder
You'd been to the station to meet every train
You came home without Lili Marlene
And you treated my woman
To a flake of your life
And when she came back
She was nobody's wife
Well I see you there with the rose in your teeth
One more thin gypsy thief
Well I see Jane's awake
She sends her regards
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
I'm glad you stood in my way
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me
Well your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free
Yes, and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes
I thought it was there for good so I never tried
And Jane came by with a lock of your hair
She said that you gave it to her
That night that you planned to go clear
Sincerely, L. Cohen

Famous Blue Raincoat - Leonard Cohen cover

My latest composition with vocals, piano, bass, percussion, erhu and synths. 
Mastered by my lovely Sander. 😊❤️🎶❤️

Not A Moment Too Soon

Mark says - 
In the 5 years I have been working with Rod, I have been encouraged to reach as far as my experience allows me to, with complete support at all times. So far we have completed 11 songs and have experimented with several others that made for a great learning curve for me, with several more at other stages of development... Watch this space, however as we are methodical and patient, therefore it may take some time to get them off the ground.

The subject matter of this song may be based on a different scenario but it is also a token of my gratitude to my inspirational collaborator and friend Rod, who has given me much confidence to rise to the ambition of his musical creativity and meticulous arrangements. Thank you all for giving this song your time.

Rod says - 
This song was conceived a long time ago to be sung in Spanish, but Mark did a magnificent adaptation with his English lyrics, and the meaning is 100% faithful to the original spirit, even though he hadn't heard the original song in Spanish. Technically, there are three voices together, consolidating a multi-vocal performance. The synth sounds emulate my old analog and FM synths, and the guitars were routed through an old console to achieve the vintage sound I was looking for.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix - @rplanes
Me - Vocals and lyrics
Image by Douglas Corrance

Thank You (Rodolfo Planes/Mark J Bennett)

I would like to tell you just how grateful I am,
And also how important you’ve been here in my life.
I know I don’t need to draw you a diagram,
Thank you for being there all this time as my wife.
I have to tell you just how good you’ve been for me,
And I hope that I have also been there for you,
When you needed me through all this trouble and strife.
 
No need to show me all of your gratitude,
I already know how much you show that you care,
When you were prepared to move to my latitude,
Then I was convinced I was ready to share,
My life with you whatever it threw at the both of us.
I know that it’s true, no matter what you care to say.
I’ll always need to express all of my thanks to you 
This will always be true on that I swear.
 
I would like to tell you just how grateful I am,
And also how important you’ve been in, in my life.
I have to tell you just how good you’ve been for me,
And I hope that I have also been there for you,
When you needed me through all this trouble and strife.
Then I was sure that I was ready to share,
My whole life with you, whatever that meant for the both of us.
I know that it’s true, whatever you say.

This song on Continental Collision's own cloud - https://soundcloud.com/user-517923604/thank-you

Also available on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/5pfvPjop9XCJPrVL9a60U0

Thank You - Continental Collision (Rodolfo Planes & Mark J Bennett) on Spotify

It Changes

Vainer

Here's track 7 from the album "Congeries," featuring Marty Lucas on piano. 
Mixed and mastered by Jon Huxtable.

Lyrics:
Whispers 
The wind on the plains 
Restless 
The eternal remains 

They all will rise up at the omen 
Snow-covered kings, yearly frozen 
Sprung from the hills like new children 

From the stone-laden tombs long forgotten 
Clad in a cold fallen cotton, 
They’ll emerge to the fields that they fought in

Congeries

Whispers with Marty Lucas

Singer songwriter from the mountains of North Carolina

www.josephhouckmusic.com

Whispers with Marty Lucas

Joseph Houck