The album is out. Streaming links here:

https://music.imusician.pro/a/ohDz3fR4/

My Pet Sounds😁

https://anyversionofme.com/album/summer-after-all

I haven't visited this section in ages. But I certainly came up trumps this time. These are sensational, Guillaume. The one that sticks in my mind the most is the stamping "Reverberation", although every track is pretty blissed out.

Good luck with those vocals! That said, the tracks sound fantastic in themselves, so I hope you leave them up after uploading the vocal versions.

Thank you!

https://youtu.be/NBg965GkuF4

Reverberation with vocals… is now titled " Do you remember?"

(Two months later) Thank you! I thought I would finish the album before the end of summer. But I still have to record a couple of horns. And I’ve got a problem with a song, The vocals are a bit to high for my range, and I sound a bit like Michel Polnareff (for those who know, Lettre à France)
Anyway, i will find a way to fix it. I’m really proud of half of the songs. The other half is ok.
So October is the next goal!

Hey!
The album is coming soon... This one is complete.
a "That's not me" vibe on this one 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOvN5Rn7zOQ

How are the vocals coming along?  Shall I get Tony Asher on the line to help with the lyrics? 

 
You know I'm french, so those damn  lyrics don't come easy.
This one has words...

https://themajikrainorchestra.bandcamp.com/track/rosa-2

I wasn't satisfied with the result and I'm still not satisfied. I still hear some flat notes here and there.
But I'm really proud of the backing tracks.


I should have plagiarised Ronny & the Daytonas, it would have been easier?

I think I will sing them myself...It’s too complicated to find some other singers and they won't be as invested as i am right now. It’s a lot of work to make things perfect and I can be quite picky sometime.

To answer your question, I start with a basic programmed drumbeat or simple percussions and the I add the organ (Elka Panther) or the guitar (telecaster, jazzmaster, jaguar and Gretsch 12 strings)

Very nice! Glad to have found it recommended on another thread. What led you to relase them as a work-in-progress? Do you have all the vocal melodies written out or are you still composing them?

How did you build up the tracks?

Kudos for a great job

Thanks, I work on my own and sometimes I need to know whether i'm still going in the right direction. I have almost all of the vocal melodies written. I’m beginning the work on the vocals this week. I need to complete some lyrics. I know the vocals are gonna be a hard task... I really like what I have already done but sometimes the melodies are hard to follow. I know where they have to go but I can’t sing them. It’s frustrating. Like these high falsetto on I get around or Let him run Wild, the melodies can’t go anywhere else.
Anyway, I can sing them but alas, I’m not Carl or Brian.

Usually, I write the chords and the vocal melody together avoiding the obvious choices. I try to find something interesting in the bass with my left hand and then I find a smooth modulation to change the key within the song and when the chorus ends I try to lend on my feet again.

Thank you.

I’ve played everything except  a couple of drum tracks and the strings, woodwind and brass  parts.

As I’ve said before, it’s nothing but a great challenge. I won’t do it a second time so it has to be perfect to my ears.

I’ve always wonder why there wasn’t more soundalike Pet sounds songs. You can find dozens of beatlesque tunes for any of their albums. Even Brian changed its style after 66. The song Jill by Gary Lewis is a rare exception. Same musicians, same studio, almost same year...

I will probably use pre-sales to help press some records.

Thank you! Track 6,10 and 12 are instrumentals. I think 12 is more 67 Smile than 66 Pet sounds. Three instrumentals is a bit too much. If you already like this, You will like the melodies,, it’s always the toughest part of the game, finding  good vocal lines over complex chords sequences. Brian was so good...

Oops...

Thank you!  It’s a fun project, an impossible task. I’ve already done the Beatles . This one is for me.

Thank you!  It’s a fun project, an impossible task. I’ve already done the Beatles . This one is for me.

My Pet Sounds... 


https://themajikrainorchestra.bandcamp.com/releases

I’m working on these songs... I still have to record the vocals.

Cheers

Guillaume