ian melvin

The Corvid’s Last Dance (A song in nineteen verses)

This is a performance work in progress, a marathon of sorts, filled with challenges to the guitar player and the singer. The words were offered to me by Nick Nolan who took inspiration from my interest in Corvid's and wrote a few (sic) verses in response to my postings online! All Nineteen of them!!! I accepted the challenge and hope I have done his words a justice. 

Martin 000-15M, Martin SP Custom Light, recorded with an SE R1 Ribbon Mic, vocal Rode NT2-A. iMac and Logic Pro 9. Remastered in Logic Pro X September 2013.

Words and story by: Nick Nolan https://soundcloud.com/667sounds
Set to music and performed by: https://soundcloud.com/ian-melvin
Artwork: Christian Schloe

1
When I was a young man, in a time long ago,  Being bitter and wicked, I sowed naught but woe.  My father, being pious, bade me work on his land,  But I laughed at his piety, and defied his command.
2
So I stole my inheritance, and with one final grin  I cursed all around me, & took to the wind.  I travelled to far lands, barbaric and wild,  And fell in with wastrels, the tainted, defiled.
3
We drank all around us, and belittled the poor,  These cut-throats and hooligans, these brigands and whores.  But their friendship was pretence, & when I was abed,  They stabbed me and robbed me, & left me for dead.
4
I awoke in a clearing, my bones on the freeze,  All broken and bleeding, encircled by trees.  And I, being godless, no prayers could I say,  But my thoughts turned to family, & my home far away.
5
And all of my past sins, returned to my mind,  All the greed & the gluttony, all the sloth & the pride.  So I whispered one last word, to the sun and the sky,  And settling my thoughts, I readied to die.
6
When high in the branches, a shape I did see,  As dark as obsidian, as old as the sea.  And one more, and another, until the blue sky turned grey,  Their clamour was deafening, as the light left the day.
7
These Ravens and Magpies, these Corbies and Crows,  Jackdaws and Morrigans, these corvidae foes.  Their black eyes were on me, boring into my soul,  And the wickedness they found there, was the price of my toll.
8
And then all at once, an unearthly quiet fell,  I heard a sound near, like the peal of a bell.  An apparition appeared, like none I’ve yet seen,  And towards me she walked, to where I lay on the green.
9
High in the trees, with heads bowed in awe,  They greeted their empress, with feather and claw.  She was perfect, unsullied, graceful & proud,  Her presence ethereal, her carriage unbowed.
10
She was fluid as a river, this herald of the lost,  As soft as sweet grasses, as fragile as frost.  She knelt down beside me, laid a hand on my brow,  And whispered sweet sorrow, that I should not go.
11
She lifted her head, and started to chant,  And the crows in the gallery, let their music decant.  At first a bare whisper, on the edge of all hearing,  Now louder and louder, the music grew searing.
12
She moved to my legs, all shattered and broken,  Yet sensation returning, nerves now being awoken.  The same with my arms, she healed them anew,  And turned to my chest, where the knife ran me through.
13
At this she tarried, and let out a great sigh,  And the carrion screamed in protest, so loud was their cry.  But she stilled them again, a hand in the air,  And the clearing fell silent, the birds held their stare.
14
Her hands felt my great wound, she cried out with pain,  And fell back in a swoon, as if she’d been slain.  I remember no more, a miasma took hold,  But for dreams of black wings, and a numinous cold.
15
When I opened my eyes, there was darkness all around,  And no trace of my redeemer anywhere on the ground.  I surveyed my body, now I had been spared,  My wounds were well healed, my bones well repaired.
16
For three days I stayed there, for I could not let go,  Without seeing one last time, that mistress of woe.  But she never again, appeared in that wood,  And my hunger compelled me, to leave ere I should.
17
So I made my way home, across many strange lands,  And reached my father’s house, on the edge of the sands,  As he ran to greet me, I fell at his feet,  And begged his forgiveness, of a once foolish cheat.
18
And from that day forward, I turned only to good,  And toiled on the land, as a righteous man should,  Yet I never forgot her, my corvidae love,  I am always a-watch for wings far above.
19
So now I am old, as old as can be,  And I have carried my tale, far o’er across the sea,  Beneath the night sky, unbroken by rain,  I oft paint her picture, the colour of pain.

The Corvid's Last Dance (A Song in Nineteen Verses) ReMaSteReD

Here is a ReMastered version of this song of mine but not including on this occasion Daniel Lockhardt's midi sounds...just me and the guitar. It is a free download for celebrating Sauin.

Northern Lights

I've never seen the Northern Lights
Shining in a northern sky
I'd like to see them one time
Reflected into your eyes

I've never seen the Reindeer
Running through a forest clear
I'd like to chase them once down
In this one and only lifetime

With you, with you

In northern latitudes
Where winters endless hush
Is woken by Northern Lights

I've never felt a lava flow
Beneath me on a basalt bowl
I'd want to feel that sometime
Iceland in the winter time

I've never flown on Sauin
Agaric flowing through me
I'd like to chase it one time
Through northern skies at night time

With you, with you

In northern latitudes
Where winters endless hush
Is woken by Northern Lights

Northern Lights (Free download for Samhain)

Recorded this song today in a two mic, one take sort of way. I will probably revisit this for a better performance over time. Until then I thought I would share this raw as it were.

Guitar: Unn the Deep-Minded (Walden Baritone) tuned C, F, A*, D*, G, C through an AKG C1000S
Vocal: Rode NT2A 

Thanksgiving

I came down from Detroit
I walked there were no cars
I could have hitched a ride
On a passing Thunderbird
But the Chief said, "It's not time"
"The chains they wear are too tight."
So we waited through the days
Made our move at night

There are unresolved conflicts
Over words and territories
It's a curse upon those tribes
The ones with faith compelling
So nothing ever grows
Bar the list of dying
And the song their children sing
Indistinguishable from screaming

She was the one who cut my hair
My very own Delilah
She cast me to the wind
And through her I expanded
Oh! How our children grow
Like a river ever flowing
They generate their light
Over pebbles, overflowing

Thanksgiving (click for lyrics and information)

This is a newly remastered version of this song with added effects from a while back.

Artwork copyright of Andre Zharov

Coming out the blue
Like a sonic boom
Pulling me to you
Gravity’s rainbow
Always lets you know
When it’s time to fall

And I’m falling now
Down to your ground
Zero hour
Here I go

Arcing ‘cross a sky
Brighter than my eye
Coming from on high
Gravity’s rainbow 
Always makes a show
Of the come and go

Is it coming now?
Beyond the zero? Toto?
Is extinction silent?
Well! There you go

Focused in the zone
'Twix flesh and bone
We are analepses
Gravity’s rainbow
Bridges the unknown
To the unknowable

Is it falling snow?
Melting on your tongue
In silent extinction
zero zero zero zero zero

Gravity's Rainbow (click for information & lyrics)

New tools have allowed me to re-imagine the soundscape on this little piece.

The Geiger counts a low level
There's burning but it's still stable
I still got, half a life

Still beating, as this heart decays
I'm wounded but the love remains
Though it radiates, away

When I go
When I go
I will go
Like the sun
And when I go
When I go
I will go
Like the sun
Like the sun

Coda (Halflife)

Revisited an old recording made on a little Boss portable digital recorder, made a few adjustments. 

Oh! Come The Night (2015)

This song began life a few years ago at a remark someone made. As a result, the basic verse chorus was formed, and was developed further with my lyrical co-writers @emma-shanley & @emma-scott-2

I hoped this song will become a Seal Skins number but time and no tide awaits for man. :-)So I have revised the original demo and added a little polish.

Guitar "Sophia" ~ Walden B1-E tuned B E A D F# B DI'd into GarageBand. Vocal ~ Rode NT2A. Remastered in Logic X

The Listening Man

I am a listening man
Shaped by the tales you tell
With your voices like the wind
Blowing sand against my skin

I am a listening man
Standing out in the furthest reach
I will hold your heart to light
Through the darkest of your nights

I am the listening man for you
Speak me false… or tell me true
I await… with open ears
I am the listening man

I am your listening man
Hearing all of your hopes and fears
I cannot fix that man for you
But I can navigate your tears

I am the listening man for you
Speak me false… or tell me true
I await… with open ears
I am the listening man

I am your listening man
Worn through by the words you bring;
Your voices like the seas
Echoing… eternally

I am the listening man for you
Speak me false… or tell me true
I await… with open ears
I am the listening man

I am your listening man
I've been shaped by the tales you've told
With your voices like the wind
Blowing sand against my skin

I am the listening man for you
Speak me false… or tell me true
I await… with open ears
I am the listening man

The Listening Man (2015)

Listening through some old recordings I have noted how basic some were in the early days (two or three years ago) so I have decided to 'fix' some of the issues that I now know how to address.

This piece was developed from a poem by @luche007
Luche and I developed the poem into a song form, which I then set to music and have demo'd on this track with "Sophia", my baritone acoustic guitar. Originally recorded on GarageBand this version has been remastered in Logic X

Words: Luche & Melvin
Music: Melvin 
Artwork: MiMi

All words, music and art copyright 2013.

Colourful Angels (original poem ~ Luche)

Centuries ago,
We were young and naïve.
Centuries ago,
We could truly believe
In affectionate love
Given to us from above
By the angels –
Blue Angels of springtide.

Many years ago,
We were adult and strong.
Many years ago,
We were singing a song
Of our passionate love
Given to us from above
By the angels – 
Green Angels of summer.

Just a year ago,
We’re mature and wise.
Just a year ago,
We could see in our eyes
The reflection of love
Given to us from above
By the angels –
Red Angels of autumn.

Just a day ago,
We were old, we were sad.
Just a day ago,
We were gone, we were dead,
With the memories of love
Taken from us to above
By the angels –
White Angels of winter.

Colourful Angels (2015)

I have re-visited my improvised version, https://soundcloud.com/ian-melvin/heart-shaped-hole-live-demo,  to make some sense of the lyrics, made a few changes, tidied the structure and then re-recorded it. 

I have tried to keep the feel of the original. 

If anyone would like the guitar track to do their own version drop me a message?

Vocals recorded with Rode NT2A. Logic Pro 9. Guitar Walden B-1E Baritone, recorded DI from the output.

HEART SHAPED HOLE

So I lost my heart
Somewhere in the dark
Somewhere over there
Tell me is me
Cause I can't find my key
Or broke it in the lock
Believe it, or not
I can't find my heart
I can't find my heart
I can't find my heart
I can't find my heart
Just a heart shaped hole
Just a heart shaped hole
Just a heart shaped hole

And I can't find my soul
It blew away whole
It faded with the dawn
Tell me, was it you
That took away the glue
So I would fall apart
Somewhere in the dark
Cause I can't find my heart
I can't find my heart
I can't find my heart
I can't find my heart
Just a heart shaped hole
Just a heart shaped hole
Just a heart shaped hole

I can't find my heart
I lost it in the dark
Somewhere over there
At the foot of our stairs
Fuck, is it just me
That never had the key

I couldn't find the lock
With two hands in the light
I couldn't turn it left
I couldn't make it right

I couldn't find my heart
Even in the dark
I couldn't find my heart
I couldn't find my heart
Just this heart shaped hole
Just this heart shaped hole

Heart Shaped Hole (ReDuX) free to download - click for lyrics

Original poem in Russian by: Maria Petrovykh
Translated by: https://soundcloud.com/luche007 (Ludmilla Chebotarev)
Set to music and performed live mic by: https://soundcloud.com/ian-melvin

Luche asked me to review her translations of Maria's poems and I heard this song as I read this particular piece.

Confession
F            G         C        Em    Am 
Don’t be hard on my abrupt confession.
      F            G                         C---
It’s alike my fate, all black and blue.
F           G          C            Em Am
And my lips are parching in obsession
F                     G                             C
From the very constant thought of you.


I, within my power, have to render
All my life beseeching for a clue.
I am short of breath and I surrender
From the very tender thought of you.

Though my garden's cindered by a lightning,
I am fighting with myself anew,
Therefore my bitter tears are lightening
From the very simple thought of you.

Don’t be hard on my abrupt confession.
It’s alike my fate, all black and blue.
And my lips are parching in obsession
From the very constant thought of you.

I am short of breath and I surrender
From the very tender thought of you.

Therefore my bitter tears are lightening
From the very loving thought of you.

_______________________________________

Мария Петровых

Не взыщи, мои признанья грубы…

Не взыщи, мои признанья грубы,
Ведь они под стать моей судьбе.
У меня пересыхают губы
От одной лишь мысли о тебе.

Воздаю тебе посильной данью -
Жизнью, воплощенною в мольбе,
У меня заходится дыханье
От одной лишь мысли о тебе.

Не беда, что сад мой смяли грозы,
Что живу сама с собой в борьбе,
Но глаза мне застилают слезы
От одной лишь мысли о тебе.

1967

Confession (after Maria Petrovykh) Logic Pro X ReMasTeR

https://soundcloud.com/ian-melvin/audiobiography-ian-melvin

All the songs on this cloud are original compositions of mine.  Sometimes in collaboration with other SoundClouders.

Music is a kind of kaleidoscope, although it manifests itself on an incomparably higher level of ideality. Music produces beautiful forms and colours in ever more elaborate diversity, gently overflowing, sharply contrasted, always coherent and yet always new, self-contained and self-fulfilled. Eduard Hanslick 1854

I am a married father of two, grandfather of four, fine arts graduate and polymath.

I had been asked to commit my songs to recording for the benefit of my offspring, and also I guess before I go completely deaf (Yes. I am one of the 1 in 7 severely deaf people in the UK) so begins this project. 

However, as I have gotten into it I realize that I have a lot of new stuff bursting out all the time, much of it inspired by you good people on Sound Cloud. 

Collaborating has been a revelation and I want to do more and as much as I can, so if you hear anything of mine you like and/or have any ideas about production etc just drop me a line anytime.

My collaborative name is Eight Zeros and can be found here: http://soundcloud.com/eight-zeros and on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/eight8zeros

I would at some point like to work with someone to develop my own and hopefully your songs as an acoustic vocal duo so if you are geographically near and interested please get in touch.

Recordings were made first on a Boss Micro BR, then on an iMac running Garageband'11, inputting through a Behringer 1204 USB mixer and using a Rode NT2A for voice (Behringer C1 condenser mic for voice up to April 2013) and an AKG1000S for guitars. From January 2013 I have upgraded software to Logic pro 9. My weapon of choice is a Martin 00015M, with Martin SP Light's mostly recorded open though sometimes via Fishman Rare Earth Blend. 

All Material is Copyright © 2012,2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.

Gravity's Rainbow (click for information & lyrics)

Ian Melvin