End Of The Affair - Ben Howard

This track is from Ben Howards second album I Forget Where

We Were. Ben Howard started as a light acoustic folk artist
accompanied with a session band and has released lots of
uplifting tracks, however he can also write some very deep
chilling tracks. The Burgh Island Ep which was released in 2012
had 4 tracks that were completely different with electric guitars
were appearing with a strong droning organ. This dark style
appears in I Forget Where We Were too, and the End Of The
Affair is a great example of this.
The Guitar tuning for the track is in C F A# D# G C
with a capo on the 7th fret covering F A# D# G C with the 6th string left open C.
The track starts with Ben on lead an acoustic guitar with separate pick up attached, playing the
vocal verse line using the open C to create a bass line with the electric guitar. The guitar has a
reverb pedal producing a slight drone through the track. Just before he starts to sing at 0:52 in a
soft gentle husky voice with some reverb to give the vocal track its own ambience to fit and
support with the guitar. The guitar and vocals build up through the track shortly being
accompanied with an Organ Piano and Double Bass.
The track goes into a light chorus and fades out, slowing then gaining more energy around 4:10,
with a small amount of controlled guitar feed back played on an electric guitar with a copper slide
gives the natural ambience in the track. The small amount of wet reverb helps to build up to the
main lead riff accompanied by back up vocals singing the guitars ideas. This part of the track is
quite chilling, the bass helps dig that little deeper giving the track is Dark Eerie presence. Slowing
introducing more delay into the guitar licks the piece then dropping at 4:45.
Ben then uses a pick and go method which is a finger picking style on guitar commonly used in
folk and different slapping techniques on the strings. The delay pedal used for the guitar drives
the track with a moving feel to it. The harmonics bring a interesting sound the track, the delayed
notes play alongside with the drums. Having the drums coming in towards the end of the track
helps show the transitions from the rest of the track making the strength/power of the song more
apparent. Backing vocals are also in this section, and Ben is playing guitar licks almost like a solo
before hearing Ben sing in a more shouting vocal style, singing the words this is desert and
What the hell love. At 6:09 the track then drops out to Ben shouting into a SM57 with a filter
and delay effect added. Accompanied by a the organ and a drone styled note from his guitar the
track then drops back into the wild delayed guitar idea, the ending bass line, organ and drums.
This then fades into the backing vocals almost like a response to Bens last words with the
instruments ringing out underneath to finish the track.
Live Performances of this show Ben Howard playing both Alone and With the band. However
when Ben shouts the vocal line towards the end of the track he shouts into his electro acoustic
guitar which is captured through the guitars pick up. The guitar with the delay pedal effect
running through it gives Ben the delay on his vocal that suits both the tempo and the style of the
song.

Wish - Basement
This track is the last track from the album
Colourmeinkindness by the band Basement who are an
English Melodic Rock band, inspired by the early 1990s Emo
Hardcore scene the band has elements in their music like the
bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Soundgarden, Nirvana
and even the Pixies.The band includes : Vocalist - Andrew
Fisher, Guitarists - Alex Henery and Ronan Crix, Bassist Duncan Stewart and Drummer - James Fisher.
The Guitars are tuned to Drop C# (Drop Db) which is C# G# C# F#
A# D# or Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb the bass is tuned into the same
tuning however having only 4 strings makes the tuning C# G# C# F#. The track begins with the main riff of
the track, being played by both guitarists. The rhythm guitar plays panned to left and the lead guitar to the
right. The band use a rest while the Lead guitar is present in the right ear, the lead guitar uses short bends
on the chords which raises the note up a semi tone and back down again. The Bass plays the root note of
the track which is C#, filling in the track with a strong bass line. The Bass is also panned to the right but is
positioned more to the centre than the Lead Guitar. The Drums accompany the riffs playing with use of the
Hi Hat pedal keeping the pace of the track, playing the whole kit with drum fills on the floor tom and
cymbals hits including the bell of the ride cymbal. The track then rolls into its swing going into the verse
using the notes D# C# and G# ,the rhythm guitar starts to plays a melody line starting with C# and going
down to B whilst the lead guitar harmonises this playing from B sliding up to F and back down to C#. This is
repeated 4 times before the Vocals are introduced. The vocals are sung in a gentle style through out the
verse while the electric guitars including the bass playing over the lyrics. The Drums are at a slower pace
from the beginning but get stronger in the Pre Chorus. The bass plays the same notes as the rhythm guitar
and changes to suit the lead in some parts. The Pre Chorus introduces both a heavier guitar line playing a
bar chord of E and the single note of C# in between. Then the open first 3 strings C# G# C# moving to a F#
Bar chord. The Pre Chorus is powerful with the vocals now shouting Turn Low, The Radio . and the drums
pounding louder with more drum fills sends the track into the main chorus. The Vocals Green eyes on a
blue eyed child, please can you stay a while bring the relationship to the rest of the album, focusing on the
struggles of Love. The constant Stay reference is heard through out the album and in the track Comfort
that runs before Wish the last lyrics are : The picture frame, Has seen far better days, But on the wall it's
going to stay. This gives Wish its power as Comfort is the shortest track on the album with no distortion and
an overall the gentle track. The Guitars in the chorus play D# C# and G# but instead of separate notes like
at the start of the verse it is played as a chord with the low note of C# then moving to F and then to G. The
Chorus plays through 4 times and then goes back into the verse instrumentation with no vocals, slowing
building up to the chord of the beginning of the chorus played twice and then the chords A to B to C#. The
rhythm and Bass play in unison C# with deep chilling vocals maybe il wait, until my thoughts about you
change, and the love that i once had returns again. The vocals in this part have a slightly more reverb this
brings a darker feel to the track, the syllables are more prominent making the vocals more chilling than the
rest of the track. The lead guitar plays single notes over the rhythm guitar whilst the toms of the drums
bounce though out slowing building a stronger sound for the ending of the track. As the band bring the
different elements of the track back the song builds up with the open C#, gradually getting louder with the
pounding toms. Then dynamics suddenly race up at 4:16 bringing a huge sound for the ending crescendo
of the track and the album.

Spanish Radio - Biffy Clyro

This track is from the album Opposites by Biffy Clyro who are
a Scottish rock band. With tracks that are heart pounding and
great mellow mood and soulful like songs.
The three piece band consists of Lead Guitarist and Singer Simon Neil, Bassist - James Johnstone and Drummer - Ben
Johnston. Now although this Northern rock band sing with
their beautiful Scottish tongues, the band actually decided to
record there album in Spain. Why not ? Once the album was
recorded they flew back to London to add the special sound
that make up Biffy Clyro, which in this album include, choirs,
bagpipes, tap dancers and even a kazoo to accompany
Simons guitar in the track Little Hospitals.
The track begins with a trumpet playing , the trumpet sounds
bright and likely to have some hall reverb. Which is then joint by the band playing in 5/4 , the
drums playing a fill from the toms to the snare and then reversed , working with the support of the
light electric guitar and bass. The Guitar is tuned to Drop Db (Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) and the bass
tuned to the first 4 strings of the lead guitar. When the guitar goes down in notes the drums
follow the same pattern this works well to give the track its odd pace. As the vocals start the
trumpet is not playing instead the band plays with short pauses where the guitars are left to ring
out before the part of the verse.
In the chorus the drums are similar however a Hi hat being hit and then closed is added to the fill.
The vocals in the chorus are sung by the whole band, this makes the chorus vocal line strong as
you can hear a stronger sound than just Simon. Simon is centred when singing and when the
backing vocals are heard its panned so that they are side beside. This stops the backing vocals
from creating a blanket over the lead vocal and instead making it more fuller. In the second verse
a Keyboard is introduced followed by the trumpet which accompanies the vocals. The trumpets
help move the track, building up with backing vocals singing in harmony the ahhhs get stronger
and are carried by the trumpets. Such as when the trumpets get higher so are the long vocals
notes. This gives the track the time to build energy falling back into the chorus but now with all
instruments present in the track. The chorus drops out at 3.05 with just an atmospheric wind
sound, a drum fill and clean guitar. Before slamming into a heavy distortion guitar and the rest of
the band including the trumpets. Simon shouts Heyy !! at the transition and sings strongly whilst
the trumpet sings between him acting like a response. The track then builds up even more with
violins bringing an orchestral styled ending to the track, ending on three sudden hits of the
drums.