A musical essay of the daily intake of regular households.


SoundCloud link:
https://soundcloud.com/user-963416123/the-ups-n-downs-by-pygmy-beat-extended-feat-gene-pensari

Written by ray cochrane 2022
This is a rebuild of an earlier piece that existed in a different frame of a thoroughly perpendicular reference.

Performed by Gene Pensari - LEAD GUITAR
Bandhi Nahbox - DRUMS & ORGAN
with ray doing the other bits.
MASTERED by
FRAN ASHCROFT

Lyrics...
Ups n Downs

Frenchman's gift
Beans ground sniffed
Cuts of cane
Toke back down again.
Rhythms clocked by pain

Nicotine
Caffeine
Sucrose
Cannabis
Put the mind in order

Smoke guillotine
Drink routine
Poison we chose
Oblivion knows
DNA predisposed

Nicotine
Caffeine
Sucrose
Cannabis
Mind upon the border

solo

Nicotine
Caffeine
Sucrose
Cannabis
Experience re-order

Take you up
Loving cup
Called your own
Personal touchstone.
Needs must is chaperone

Nicotine
Caffeine
Sucrose
Cannabis

Any/all comments welcome and, in fact, encouraged as I will store them for use with the next faux psych project.
I think the narrative is fairly obvious and the vocal, whilst buried, has a bell attached.

Excellent tune Ray. Very creative lyrics. Very interesting to what we ingest to get through each day. Loved the vocal. Guitar was excellent. Well done...

I like it, Ray. The vocal is indeed buried. Without the lyric sheet I couldn't really make out the words but the vocal melds nicely with the musical backing. Gene's guitar is very good.
Regards,
Leon

Ray, you are so refreshingly different than most of what I hear. Love this (as you already know), and the video is outstanding and has your signature creativity throughout. Man, your lyrics are always quite clever and this one opens a whole new realm of clever. Yes, bring out the vocal. That guitar is perfect. An yes, I listened to the whole minute-plus ending, and loved it.

One guilty confession for caffeine here Ray! The rest of it, no way...at least not these days!

It's certainly a different type of tune but a cool production! I always like your chord progressions and melodies! Guitar parts are great...don't know if the rhythm parts were you or not, but I like them! Good job arranging all of this!

Thanks, Torrey

Hi, Ray.

Out of sheer obstinateness I refused to read the lyrics while listening.

Sonically interesting - guitars do some cool stuff. Harmonies are neat as well. Some unexpected chords in there.

Sounds great Ray
Interesting vocal and video
super mix

Two thumbs up

PS - since you didn't have beer on your list I going to assume that it is still OK to drink. Well even if it was on the list I'd still drink it

Hi Ray ...

Your music is always an adventure (meant in a good way). I'll join the chorus about bringing the vocal just a bit more foe=ward in the mix.

There's a lot going on in the overall soundscape ... but it all fits. I'm sure that took a buit of time!

Cool stuff!

Alan

Thanks Scott, most of us consume something unhealthy..most of s are moderate about it.

Thanks Leon,melding was the aim.

Thanks Marty,
Lyrically it results from my bemusement with the routine daily intake of stimulants and how the edge is taken from that stim by downers even while still consuming the uppers. I know many people for whom this is normal...a few who add booze to the mix as well.
It spins me out as I have one up of coffee in the morning and whilst munching on biscuits or other sweet things, occasionally, through the day I don't have a constant recharging plan.
I know a couple of people who plan their week around outings to acquire the necessary provisions of gaspers, tea, sugar for the tea, milk for the tea and bread. Rarely does a resupply of the addictive ones coincide and the lack of any one causes agitation. Clearly for many cannabis & alcohol are interchangeable or companions.

Hello Torrey,
not much of it on my shopping list either.
BIAB did drums n organ, Gene played the lead lines and the rest is me.
Thanks

Hello DC,
From sheer obstinate curmudgeonliness I approve of your obdurate stance.

I'll take interesting anyday!
Many of us are in a position to pick our own poison and pickle ourselves as we see fit.
I bought my old man, (90 next year), a bottle of Chivas Regal for Oz Fathers' Day knowing that hell enjoy it, he'll imbibe moderately and, at his age, it's the least of his worries.

Thanks Alan,
it was fun to make...that's the main thing.

Creative song and video. Interesting as well.

Charlie

Ray

Liked how the video followed the lyric.

Song was good, almost dream like which suited the topic.

Good guitars throughout.

Nicely done.

Peter

Ray,
"intake of regular households." LOL
Very creative track. Wild instrumentals and some very cool use of FX. Fun video, especially the girl with ball and cigarette dance. Ending is an icing on the cake. The only thing, I believe vocals are way low.
Thank you for sharing.

Misha.

Hi Ray
Cool song
Sounds really extraordinary good
Great work from all involved
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

I must have said this before to one of your songs, maybe this one:
This has the early Pink Floyd song vibe!

I would take that as a serious compliment

Rob

This is musically so engrossing. Wild! I would go so far as saying bloody genius in the way you put all this together. I enjoyed it much!

I am tea man myself. (Not a Rutles reference)

Video complements the song. Love the dancing cigarettes.

Man, your stuff has a SERIOUS 1970s Downtown NYC vibe to it!

And I mean that as a huge compliment.

I feel like I just wandered into a Velvet Underground show.

Thanks David, I fear the plastic balls explosion is inevitable.
Next vid I'll find film of Malanga & Woronov to superimpose.

Cheese & Onions for me...Dylan's tea dalliances aside.
Thanks,
It was fun to do and I'm most please with the little Am hcime I pulled off.

Phanque Rob,
I rather enjoyed early Floyd so long as Sid wasn't doing gnomes and such.

Thanks Andy,
Great playing from Gene & BIAB made this work.

Misha,
Many thanks.
I knew where I wanted to go with the video one I found the ball.

Thanks for getting it Peter.

Thanks Charlie.

We loved the song in its earlier debut and still love it.
Your and Gene's performance, the arrangement (love the outro) and the mix are all high bar.

Your choice of video clips is outstanding in the manner they support the lyric which is obviously the objective -- but often by many not achieved in our FWIW opinion.
BTW the girl with the bubble is a delight! And how can you go wrong with Mae?

Your video got us reminiscing about old commercials and tv ads that touted the health benefits of cigarettes and other drugs.

Well done!

J&B

PS. We smiled when we realized we were drinking afternoon coffee as we watched the vid.
——————

I actually believe you are mixing your vocals higher than you used to despite so many saying they are still buried. Certainly wouldn't hurt to turn them up a little more, though. Nice work as usual and I liked the ending quite a bit. Guitar was very enjoyable. Lyrics quite novel as I've come to expect.

You are correct sir. Louder than a year ago even if this one isn't out front.
Thank you.

Thank you Sir & M'am,
Gene's very, very good.
The vid clips were fun to compile & the lovely ball lady really is an amazing flip back to the days of variety.

As someone who has a cup of coffee in the morning and a cup of tea at "afternoon tea" time I'm not immune to the popular poisons...the fact that I took a walk to the one & only local shop/general store and ate a small package of Red Frogs on the way home attests to my sweet tooth as well. Mind you, I walked to the store to buy raw sugar for my love's everfull tea cup.
Thanks for you very kind words.

Hi rayc,

Nice suite of chords always very well thought out and well orchestrated. The voice is pleasant and the video enjoyable. Well done.

Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash

ray,

A TRULY interesting write. I like it.
The first verse descriptions of the chorus list is outstanding.

The guitars sound good.
Organ is well used.
Bass sounds good. Like the tone.
Drums are a bit "muffled" for my taste (they are "right" for 60's psychRock, though)
Vocal might do with a touch more clarity, but they are well balanced in the mix - particularly after multiple listens.

Classic PBEx sound. Applause to that.

fj

rayc,

Cool song!
As usual, I'm nervous and excited about your chord progressions I don't know at all where they are going.
However, I've listened to your songs a lot, so I've gotten used to them.
Your musical personality is wonderful.
The overall sound, guitar playing, mix are great!
Enjoyed my listen and watch a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Thanks JJJ,
I'm pleased you like the progression.

Thank you fj,
I was trying for a more era appropriate rhythm section this time though I couldn't help but push the bass a bit.
I tried adding some clarity/presence to the vocal but that sweet spot is where my vocals sound least appealing so had to leave it...good ears as always...thanks.

Thanks Shigeki,
Ah, it does amuse me that folk approach my idea of chords that work together with a touch of the same guarded manner an heretic would receive.
Luckily only a few are openly hostile.
I'm glad this one worked for you.

I like it. It's weird, but in a positive way, a bit like early Pink Floyd.

I would un-bury the vocals, the lyrics are too interesting to miss half of it