Recording Challenge #4 (@VomitHatSteves Cross Genere Siamese Twin Cover Song Abomination))

[vomitHatSteve]

***UPDATE***
We're changing the parameters. The challenge is now to record one song in the style of any other song with the same name.

Perform the lyrics and melody of one song with the production and arrangement of another.

For example, I'm recording They Might Be Giants' "AAA" in the style of Strapping Young Lad's "AAA"
But you could also do Cheap Trick's "Surrender" in the style of Stryper's "Surrender", or Toni Braxton's "Yesterday" in the style of The Beatles' "Yesterday", or Vixen's "Cryin'" in the style of Aerosmith's "Cryin'".

Origintal post remains below

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So a year or so ago, I was talking about contributing a song to a They Might Be Giants Tribute. I realized that both them and Strapping Young Lad have songs entitled "AAA".
I thought it would be funny to cover the two songs in the style of the other.

Then I discovered more songs named "AAA".
A lot more.

So the challenge is to take one song named "AAA" and cover it it in the style of any other song called "AAA".
I've got the playlist linked above to start off, but if you have other examples feel free to use them.

Second post will include descriptions of all the songs in the Spotify list so you don't have to listen to obvious bad matches.

[vomitHatSteve]

Strapping young lad - industrial/extreme metal (ffo Dethklok)
They Might Be Giants - circusy, nerd rock (ffo They Might Be Giants)
Grandpaboy - jangly alt rock (former Replacements)
jasper the colossal - pop-punk (ffo tsunami bomb)
The holloways - jangly alt rock (ffo The Pillows)
Double Experience - modern alt rock about video games (ffo I Fight Dragons)
Courtney Act et al - jokey dance pop (ffo Ru Paul's Drag Race)
AJ Tracey - dubby rap (ffo that "Man's Not Hot" guy)
the protagonists - chill, melodic hip hop with guitars
danilla - smooth, lounge pop (in Hindi I believe)
Bart Peeters - traditional european folk/dance (ffo gogol bordello)
Soran/lil boi - kpop (ffo You know who you are, weeb)
Trey Triple A - soundcloud rap (ffo audio watermarks, autotune, badly-mixed beats)
jackie frank russel iii - ambient instrument (ffo enya but loud)
axion - dark electronica (ffo Future sounds of London maybe?)
Cash paid elway - aggressive rap (look... I wouldn't risk using the n-word if I were you)
myke bogan - low-energy weed rap (again, it's n-bombs from here on out)
PlayThatBoiZay - a mediocre death grips-type beat with an even worse rapper

[WhiskeyJack]

Strapping young lad - industrial/extreme metal (ffo Dethklok)
They Might Be Giants - circusy, nerd rock (ffo They Might Be Giants)
Grandpaboy - jangly alt rock (former Replacements)
jasper the colossal - pop-punk (ffo tsunami bomb)
The holloways - jangly alt rock (ffo The Pillows)
Double Experience - modern alt rock about video games (ffo I Fight Dragons)
Courtney Act et al - jokey dance pop (ffo Ru Paul's Drag Race)
AJ Tracey - dubby rap (ffo that "Man's Not Hot" guy)
the protagonists - chill, melodic hip hop with guitars
danilla - smooth, lounge pop (in Hindi I believe)
Bart Peeters - traditional european folk/dance (ffo gogol bordello)
Soran/lil boi - kpop (ffo You know who you are, weeb)
Trey Triple A - soundcloud rap (ffo audio watermarks, autotune, badly-mixed beats)
jackie frank russel iii - ambient instrument (ffo enya but loud)
axion - dark electronica (ffo Future sounds of London maybe?)
Cash paid elway - aggressive rap (look... I wouldn't risk using the n-word if I were you)
myke bogan - low-energy weed rap (again, it's n-bombs from here on out)
PlayThatBoiZay - a mediocre death grips-type beat with an even worse rapper

All these artists have a song called AAA? And for this challenge you somehow take two of them and mash them together? Like, the lyrics of one song put to the music of the another?

[JD01]

This soubds interesting.. I'll have to reread this later

[vomitHatSteve]

All these artists have a song called AAA? And for this challenge you somehow take two of them and mash them together? Like, the lyrics of one song put to the music of the another?

Yeah, I put them all in a spotify play list:

So the idea is to use the tones, instruments, and production from one song with the words and melody from another.

So I'm gonna do They Might Be Giants in the style of Strapping Young Lad.
My plan is: The organ part will be played on a palm muted OD guitar
The drums will probably be sequenced to match the TMBG arrangement but on Audio Assault's "Hevy Devy" settings
The vocals will be the Johns' lyrics and melody but I'll be doing my best Devin Townsend imitation.

[Greg_L]

Man you guys and your deep dives into weirdness. Lol.

[vomitHatSteve]

That's what makes it a challenge!

[JD01]

my best Devin Townsend imitation.

If you pull this off the word Impressed won't even begin to cover it.
I'm not really into DT or SYL...But the guy is a fucking amazing singer.

[vomitHatSteve]

my best Devin Townsend imitation.

If you pull this off the word Impressed won't even begin to cover it.
I'm not really into DT or SYL...But the guy is a fucking amazing singer.

Right?! It'll be an adventure!

[vomitHatSteve]

Ok! It took a full day, but I've got the arrangement for my cover put together.

Obviously, there is a lot of work to go, but I'm excited for how this will turn out (and also to destroy my voice)

aaa - scratch.mp3

[vomitHatSteve]

Anybody else made any progress?

Do we need to relax the parameters a little? Maybe cover any song in the style of another song with the same name instead of just this selection?

[JD01]

Hmmm... Steve - I've listened to you first mix... eh, not up to your usual standards, mate!

No, I've not done anything yet.
Even if you just change it to song names being the same and let us choose any song.
I haven't got time/inclination to listen to loads of songs that I don't like called AAA to try and come up with something.

[musicturtle]

Anybody else made any progress?

Do we need to relax the parameters a little? Maybe cover any song in the style of another song with the same name instead of just this selection?

That is a good idea to widen it up some. I already have a few ideas. As I do with JD's challenge.

Unfortunately I have been busy as hell with school and have a sinus infection that has latched onto to left side of my face for about six weeks.

No one wants to here me sing with that going on.

[vomitHatSteve]

Hmmm... Steve - I've listened to you first mix... eh, not up to your usual standards, mate!

Oh definitely. This is just trying to get the arrangement down so far

Even if you just change it to song names being the same and let us choose any song.

Yeah, that's probably the best way to to do it.

No one wants to here me sing with that going on.

Depends on what you're doing. Tom Waits?

[vomitHatSteve]

aaa - scratch2.mp3

Made some progress on it today.
TMBG-esque vox - tracked
SYL-esque vox - tracked
Bass - tracked
R-guitar 1 - tracked
Drums - sequenced

Still to do
R-guitar 2
Lead guitars
SFX
And dialing in tones/FX chains on everything.

[JD01]

That's more like it.

So, to bend the new rules (only slightly). I'll do Bad Religion by Frank Ocean in the style of Bad Religion.

[vomitHatSteve]

Nice! I approve of this turn of events!

[Tadpui]

I think the change is a good move. Surely I can find a fun way to do this now. It'll be another week or so until I'm up for bashing drums, but I'm looking forward to it.

[vomitHatSteve]

Alright!

Got the rhythm guitars done (tracking, not fully dialed-in tone-wise yet) and the misc SFX sequenced

aaa - scratch3.mp3

Still a lot of mixing to do, plus a few lead guitar parts.

Edit: I'm pretty happy with this mix. I might tweak the mix a little, but I'm about ready to stick a fork in it.

Aaa 4.mp3

[vomitHatSteve]

So how's everyone doing? Any progress?