The Song-a-Week Podcast

This week's SAW represents a number of firsts for Chris. Inspired by the psuedo-retro sounds of bands like Franz Ferdinand, the song is the first he's ever written about sports ... specifically, soccer. Even more specifically, Sunday's MLS Cup game between the Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution. Instrumentally, you get some Irish bouzouki, some bass guitar (rare in Chris's songs, it's true), some retro keyboards and a decidedly Franz Ferdinand-like drum loop. As another first, the lyrics and vocals were almost entirely improvised, which goes a long way to excusing lines like 'Taylor Twellman, take me home and do what you will'. Ahem. Anyway, Chris favored the Revs in the game, which is, of course, why they lost.

Erik is at it again with the digital delay: *Alligator Pan LR* with a bit of distortion. Anyway, this started out as an attempt at some soul flavored R n' B (and still could be, with the proper production) but turned into something more early '70s Rolling Stones inspired.

Erik is at it again with the digital delay: *Alligator Pan LR* with a bit of distortion. Anyway, this started out as an attempt at some soul flavored R n' B (and still could be, with the proper production) but turned into something more early '70s Rolling Stones inspired.

Like a forgotten track from Springsteen's Nebraska, this number captures the raw emotion of an unfortunate--yet undeniably American--situation. For all the latest from Dick Newhard and the Mad Saxons, visit: http://www.myspace.com/dicknewhardandthemadsaxons

Richard writes a song! Then he plays it! And records it! And it is good! Yay Richard! Go, Richard, Go!

Chris sets a new personal best with this song, cranking it out in slightly over one and a half hours. Don't ask. He's had a busy week. This all-electronic extravaganza owes a debt of gratitude to a lot of the over-the-top synth-pop of the '80s, and was inspired by the recent glut of Republican hooker scandals. At first, though, it sounds like a typical '80s relationship-trouble pop song. Oh, and any resemblance you notice between the verses of this song and the verses of his previous SAW contribution, 'This Human Race', are completely in your own head.

Chris sets a new personal best with this song, cranking it out in slightly over one and a half hours. Don't ask. He's had a busy week. This all-electronic extravaganza owes a debt of gratitude to a lot of the over-the-top synth-pop of the '80s, and was inspired by the recent glut of Republican hooker scandals. At first, though, it sounds like a typical '80s relationship-trouble pop song. Oh, and any resemblance you notice between the verses of this song and the verses of his previous SAW contribution, 'This Human Race', are completely in your own head.

Erik scales down the production and goes bluesy (again), but with the added touch of a nice warm delay on one of Mr. Devine's acoustics. (For those wanting to know the specific guitar specs, it was run through a Dean Markley Promag acoustic pickup into the good ol' Digitech DSP 21 Legend -- specifically, preset #24 by Steve Morse: "Morse Chord Snd"). And, like Erik's last submission, this one qualifies for "Song-a-Day" status.

Erik scales down the production and goes bluesy (again), but with the added touch of a nice warm delay on one of Mr. Devine's acoustics. (For those wanting to know the specific guitar specs, it was run through a Dean Markley Promag acoustic pickup into the good ol' Digitech DSP 21 Legend -- specifically, preset #24 by Steve Morse: "Morse Chord Snd"). And, like Erik's last submission, this one qualifies for "Song-a-Day" status.

Richard returns with a case study in procrastination. This intricate interweaving of bass, delayed distorted guitars, drums and many-layered vocals clocks in missing more than half of the instrumentation and stealing lyrics from TS Eliot. Other than that and a resultingly lackluster instrumental bridge, it's a great song! Keep it up, Richard!