C3X World Tour: Leg Two Week 16 – Duos Week
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GREETINGS FROM THE HAMPTON COURT PALACE IN LONDON, ENGLAND
Bands have an average of 4-5 members, usually one for each instrument (yes, Chicago and Lynyrd Skynyrd are exceptions!). This however isn’t always true. Many bands have found success with only three members and many others with only two. The bands with two main members are those that really shine. How two people came together with the same desire to make music is easy, but maintaining a relationship and going on endless tours with just each other for company? Incredible. The synergy between these pairs is nothing short of inspiring. For today’s show we bring you a selection of some of the world’s most renowned duos!
Tonight we open up with a Canadian rock duo, Japandroids!
Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built
Authored by Kamotch
From the author: There were a few packs, both in the past and future of C3X, that this song would have fit nicely in. But it’s important to recognize that this huge sound is coming from just 2 guys (well, with some overdubs). This Canadian duo’s sound has been described as “one part classic rock, one part punk”, so they’re pretty much a combination of both my music taste during high school and my music taste after high school. Anyway, I’m honored to be the first to author this band for C3 and hopefully not the last!
The guitar part is fairly simple. There are a couple “solo” sections that break up the monotony a little bit, but don’t expect any shredding. The drums are possibly the true star of the show here. You’ll need plenty of endurance to master the many 2-handed sections of the song. A lot of alternating between cymbal, snare, and tom rolls, especially during the outro. It’s a blast to play if you can hit it! And finally the vocals. They shouldn’t be too hard to replicate the tone if you know the song, but just know it’s best sung at the top of your lungs. “And if they try to slow you down, tell them all to go to hell!” That lyric wouldn’t be the same just mumbled into the microphone…
Up next is a New York-based duo with a rather unique sound described by them as “street beat, psych pop”. Please welcome Phantogram!
Phantogram – Funeral Pyre
Authored by CUTstudi0s
From the author: Funeral Pyre is the first song off of Three, Phantogram’s third album. A shoegazey wall of sound that doesn’t set the bar too high for the dream pop/electronic rock duo, this song was originally written for Voices, the band’s previous album, and given extra lyrics. When experienced for the first time, Funeral Pyre is essentially the last remaining bastions of Phantogram’s original dream pop sound, before it’s figuratively sent off in a funeral pyre of its own, traded in for a more mainstream electro-pop sound heard on the rest of the record (and the duo’s further music).
The biggest highlight of this song is the drum track, which keeps things varied and challenging throughout. Be on the lookout for monster fills and hi-hat 16ths on this song, as an unprepared soul will be sure to trip up.
Guitar really wraps the whole shoegaze mentality together with a nice space woosh ribbon. You’ll usually be playing the hook through the first half of the song, while the psychedelic guitar solo ushers in the true shoegaze mentality of the second half.Bass keeps things in the spirit of threes with triplet bass synths being the main foundation for the bassline on this track. Nothing too fancy, just some pitch changes here and there.
Keys is… sort of repetitive. But hey, I managed to hear a solo in there! Seriously though, while keys on this track is repetitive (droning out a OOOO BBB RRR GGG pattern each time), it’s varied enough to SORT OF keep interest.
Finally, we come to vocals. Sarah Barthel really nailed the shoegaze atmosphere of this song, with her almost wailing voice somehow penetrating the sheer amount of noise going on. While Barthel doesn’t have as much to offer in range, she makes up for in breath; be prepared for LOOOONG notes as she belts out “YOUR EYYYEESSS”.
Next is our first British duo, Royal Blood!
Royal Blood – Little Monster
Authored by capta1n_guitarhero, submitted by RealCheese
Now comes in a well-known duo that quickly climbed up the popularity ladder as one of the best-known modern-day blues bands, The Black Keys!
The Black Keys – Little Black Submarines
Authored by RealCheese and Atruejedi
From the author: Pretty proud of the guitar chart on this one, hope you all enjoy it.
Finally we have our second and last British duo that made it big in the early 80s, please welcome Tears For Fears!
Tears For Fears – Pale Shelter
Authored by Bansheeflyer
From the author: Along with “Suffer the Children”, “Pale Shelter” was one of two demo songs that landed Tears for Fears their first record deal with Phonogram in 1981. The song began life as a sequence of two chords that Roland Orzabal had been repeatedly playing on acoustic guitar for weeks. The rest of the music and lyrics were eventually written in a single morning’s time. The original demo of the song was recorded at musician Ian Stanley’s home studio in Bath, after a chance meeting led to a working relationship with the duo. The original version of the song did not chart when it originally released in the UK but would later become a Top 20 hit in Canada and a Top 75 hit when it was reissued in the UK in 1985. The generally better-known version was a re-recording from 1983. This version eventually became the third UK Top 5 chart hit from The Hurting, peaking at number 5. Very impressive songwriting, beautiful guitar with a powerful drive, and incredible vocal work from Curt Smith.
The duo were only 20 years old when the song was demoed in 1981.
This was a short but great show! There were many excellent duos from many styles that put on a great performance tonight. Thank you all for coming and we look forward to seeing you at our final show of Leg 2!
thank you and hosting from my neck of the woods
dont get lost in the maze 
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />Nicely done everyone
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />Keeping the content Canadian since 2017!
SomeOldGuys: https://db.c3universe.com/songs/all/__user/someoldguys
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