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WeeklyBeats.com / Music / NWSPR's music / They Call Me Winner

They Call Me Winner

By NWSPR on June 25, 2022 8:29 pm

This song is linked to last weeks The Hated sharing some guitar phrases I recorded intentionally to bridge into this week thematically. Currently I am quarantining in a hotel room (Kimpton Dewitt) in Amsterdam sick with Covid so I recorded the vocals using my cheap travel earbuds on my laptop.  The rest of the instruments are virtual with the guitar parts I prepared in advance of my trip.  The fever, sore throat, and chest congestion changes the quality of my voice.  I left the vocals dry with some flange on only one of the four vocal tracks. All other effects are natural phasing from the cheap mic and multiple layers.  At one point in the mix it sounds like I'm laughing in the background but it's actually a covid coughing fit during recording one of the tracks so I left it in as a souvenir.

This song is about an aging gambler that loses so often, he's used to pick winners by betting the opposite odds, earning him the ironic nickname. The instrumental bridge is the delusion that keeps him betting, followed by the  slowly descending guitar chords dragging downward.

After the decision of the Supreme Court to reverse Roe v. Wade, I would naturally prefer to be working on a song that reflects those feelings but could not pivot that fast due to my circumstances. Hopefully next week.  Would be curious to hear your thoughts on the subject though.  Sad but not 100% surprising given the circumstances and trajectory of this country.

Hope you are all well! BTW, I will be fine.  Wish I could say I was feeling better but by the time you read this, hopefully I will be.

that's the big daddy of all sexy saxomophonez!

WOW, it is amazing you got a song out under the circumstances you are in. I can hear the feverheat in the saxsolos. the voice damage suits you very well, gives a lot of character to the lyrics. hope you get well soon and savely back into your home. I hope there will be no crazy riots or civil war, because of the decision.

I used to like to record my vocals when I felt sick because I liked how it changed the sound of my voice, but lately when I've been under the weather the idea of singing has felt unbearable.  Kudos to getting this track done and having it sound as full and energetic as it does.  I can't say I'm surprised by the Roe vs. Wade decision, but it's still maddening.  I'm not sure if anything would surprise me anymore at this point.  The last 6 years or so have really lowered the bar in terms of my expectations.  I realize that it was probably always like this to some extent, but people really feel emboldened to be proud of their anti-intellectualism and hate. The unthinking fealty displayed by so many to the ruling class is disheartening.  I guess I am still a little flabbergasted by how many people seem to be fully on board an indeed gleeful over making this country a more fearful, hateful, and oppressive place. It makes me feel disgust and disappointment and anger to varying degrees.

Damn I woulda been speed trashing so hard.  Had you not said you were sick totally wouldn't have known.  Love the sax and the delay on it.  Nice use of recording your vocals too.  The dark pad at the end ooooh yais i like.  Hope you're feeling better!

Oh snap, you're in Amsterdam? Hit me up when you're feeling better. Unless you're gone already.
This song sure is a fever dream.
- Spider

aw no sad

dig the saxaphone
wishing you a speedy recovery!

I hope you had a quick recovery! What sucks worse than getting sick is getting sick abroad and being stuck in an hotel room.

That being said, you delivered a fantastic track as a result of this. The originality of the story, the surreal saxophone lines, all these elements combine into a very cinematic track, with a noir touch.

RajaTheResidentAlien wrote:

that's the big daddy of all sexy saxomophonez!

Nothing sexier than a gorilla in a sombrero playing sax!  This now haunts my dreams:)

Q-Rosh wrote:

WOW, it is amazing you got a song out under the circumstances you are in. I can hear the feverheat in the saxsolos. the voice damage suits you very well, gives a lot of character to the lyrics. hope you get well soon and savely back into your home. I hope there will be no crazy riots or civil war, because of the decision.

Yeah, this song is a fever dream smile I made it back and on the mend.  The entire family got sick... ugh! We're all testing negative now. 

CosmicCairns wrote:

I used to like to record my vocals when I felt sick because I liked how it changed the sound of my voice, but lately when I've been under the weather the idea of singing has felt unbearable.  Kudos to getting this track done and having it sound as full and energetic as it does.  I can't say I'm surprised by the Roe vs. Wade decision, but it's still maddening.  I'm not sure if anything would surprise me anymore at this point.  The last 6 years or so have really lowered the bar in terms of my expectations.  I realize that it was probably always like this to some extent, but people really feel emboldened to be proud of their anti-intellectualism and hate. The unthinking fealty displayed by so many to the ruling class is disheartening.  I guess I am still a little flabbergasted by how many people seem to be fully on board an indeed gleeful over making this country a more fearful, hateful, and oppressive place. It makes me feel disgust and disappointment and anger to varying degrees.

My lungs felt like paper bags... don't think I want to try that again.  You got it right about lowering the bar over the last 6-years.  It's like democracy limbo... how low can we go.  What a shit show.  We'll be okay.  The pendulum eventually swings back (hopefully).

Ipaghost wrote:

Saxy horse play. This one made me laugh.  Thanks!

Tone Matrix wrote:

Damn I woulda been speed trashing so hard.  Had you not said you were sick totally wouldn't have known.  Love the sax and the delay on it.  Nice use of recording your vocals too.  The dark pad at the end ooooh yais i like.  Hope you're feeling better!

Thanks! I'm feeling better but not yet 100% even though it's been a few weeks.  I probably spent as much time on this song as I did because I was locked up in my room with few options.

Devieus wrote:

Oh snap, you're in Amsterdam? Hit me up when you're feeling better. Unless you're gone already.
This song sure is a fever dream.
- Spider

Are you in Amsterdam? I'm back home in Brooklyn now.  Fun trip if you like quarantining away from home sad

emily wrote:

aw no sad

dig the saxaphone
wishing you a speedy recovery!

Thanks! Almost all better.

Kedbreak136 wrote:

I hope you had a quick recovery! What sucks worse than getting sick is getting sick abroad and being stuck in an hotel room.

That being said, you delivered a fantastic track as a result of this. The originality of the story, the surreal saxophone lines, all these elements combine into a very cinematic track, with a noir touch.

Yeah, not the vacation I had hoped for sad Thanks for the comments.  I did feel very "noir" in my fever dream suite with view of the dark alley and street lamp out the window.  Helped set the mood.  Good to be back home!

NWSPR wrote:
Devieus wrote:

Oh snap, you're in Amsterdam? Hit me up when you're feeling better. Unless you're gone already.
This song sure is a fever dream.
- Spider

Are you in Amsterdam? I'm back home in Brooklyn now.  Fun trip if you like quarantining away from home sad


We're close enough to it anyway.
- Devieus

Saxy good song telling a cool story. It's a whole vibe, I like it. Voice sounds rough, and that works in the track. Sorry you got the covid. Quarantining in Amsterdam sounds unique.

I just listened to my bandmate Monstrosus song and it reminded me of this, good back to back listens actually. https://weeklybeats.com/monstrosus/music/this-swamp-will-leave-you-stumped

This is brilliant, the early-NIN sound profile / hip-hop production / a fuckin' sax mixture is genius.

(Sorry to hear about COVID, hope you're well and the recovery's complete.)

Recovery accomplished!  Thanks!  But not before the rest of the family got it.  I was a super spreader but everybody is happy and healthy now smile

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