[yaniv297]

Hello, I’m Yaniv and welcome to my workshop!

You can now find all the songs I’ve ever released (or collaborated on) in a neat, ever-growing Spotify playlist!

Right here!

New releases are on top, and below you’ll find all the songs I’ve done neatly organized for your enjoyment ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

Have fun!

Andrew Bird 3-Pack – Out Now!

Yaniv and Kamotch presents – Pavement 18 (!!!!) Pack!!

Arcade Fire “One Song from Each Album” pack, out now!

Kendrick Lamar “To Pimp a Butterfly” 3-Pack, out now!

Radiohead 3-Pack, out now! Plus a bonus song from Mac DeMarco.

 

 

Pulp’s “Different Class” 3-Pack, out now!

 

 

A pack full of classics by the great Frank Sinatra, including “My Way”, “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Somethin’ Stupid”. Many thanks to BornGamerRob who did vocals on all three!

 

 

Violent Femmes 3-Pack, right here!

 

 

 

Lorde – Melodrama 3 Pack. Right Here!

 

 

Radiohead – In Rainbows 3 Pack. Right Here!

 

 

 

 

A tribute to the late great David Berman, of Silver Jews and Purple Mountains. 4 Pack Out Now.

 

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading the original thread to enjoy the full Primavera experience:

Day One

Day Two

 

Once again, many thanks to everyone who was involved!

 

For your convenience, I’ve collected all the full band songs I was involved in, to one simple list with direct download links:

 

• …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead – Relative Ways
• 16 Horsepower – Nobody ‘Cept You
• Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire – Two Way Action
• Andrew Bird – Manifest
• Andrew Bird – Pulaski at Night
• Andrew Bird – Skin Is, My
• Angel Olsen – Shut Up Kiss Me
• Arcade Fire – Awful Sound (It’s Never Over)
• Arcade Fire – Crown of Love
• Arcade Fire – Everything Now
• Arcade Fire – Intervention
• Arcade Fire – In the Backseat
• Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels). Collab with egead
• Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #2 (Laika)

• Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #3 (Power Out). Collab with MrBurpler
• Arcade Fire – No Cars Go. Collab with Kamtoch
• Arcade Fire – Put Your Money On Me
• Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). Collab with MrBurpler
• Arcade Fire – Suburban War
• Arcade Fire – Wake Up. Collab with Kamtoch
• Arcade Fire – Windowsill
• Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• Arctic Monkeys – Fire and the Thud. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• Arctic Monkeys – If You Found This It’s Probably Too Late. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• Bauhaus – She’s in Parties
• Beach Bunny – Sports

• Big Star – September Gurls
• Big Thief – Paul
• Blur – Beetlebum
• Blur – This is a Low. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• Blur – To the End. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• Bruce Springsteen – Badlands. Collab with Spindoctor and MrBurpler.
• Bruce Springsteen – Backstreets – collab with ejthedj.
• Bruce Springsteen – Candy’s Room – collab with ejthedj.
• Bruce Springsteen – Downbound Train
• Bruce Springsteen – Darkness on the Edge of Town
• Bruce Springsteen – Growin’ Up – collab with AJFOne23
• Bruce Springsteen – Incident on 57th Street – collab with AJFOne23
• Bruce Springsteen – Kitty’s Back – collab with AJFOne23
• Bruce Springsteen – Jersey Girl
• Bruce Springsteen – Land of Hope and Dreams
• Bruce Springsteen – Loose Ends
• Bruce Springsteen – No Surrender
• Bruce Springsteen – Prove it All Night
• Bruce Springsteen – Roulette
• Bruce Springsteen – She’s the One – collab with ejthedj.
• Bruce Springsteen – Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out – collab with ejthedj.
• Bruce Springsteen – The Promised Land
• Bruce Springsteen – The Rising
• Bruce Springsteen – The River. Collab with bsbloom.

• Bruce Springsteen – Thunder Road – collab with ejthedj.
• Buffalo Springfield – Flying on the Ground is Wrong
• Camera Obscura – Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken
• Cass McCombs – That’s That
• Chris Bell – I Am the Cosmos
• Commodores – Easy. collab with FujiSkunk and drummerockband
• David Bowie – A New Career in a New Town
• David Bowie – Always Crashing in the Same Car. Collab with MrPrezident and HighFlyingBirds
• David Bowie – Be My Wife. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• David Bowie – Blackstar. collab with CUTstudi0s.
• David Bowie – Breaking Glass
• David Bowie – Five Years. Collab with MrPrezident
• David Bowie – “Heroes”. collab with ejthedj.
• David Bowie – Lazarus
• David Bowie – No Plan
• David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
• David Bowie – Sound and Vision. Collab with Grubextrapolate and Jimi369
• David Bowie – Soul Love (custom by MrPrezident, I did drums)
• David Bowie – Speed of Life. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• David Bowie – What in the World
• Elbow – One Day Like This
• Elvis Costello – (I Don’t Want To) Go to Chelsea
• Elvis Costello – Lipstick Vogue
• Elvis Costello – No Action
• Elvis Costello – The Beat
• Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model
• Fastball – Out of My Head
• Five – Keep On Movin’
• Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon. With BornGamerRob
• Frank Sinatra – My Way With BornGamerRob
• Frank Sinatra – Somethin’ Stupid. With BornGamerRob
• Gilbert O’Sullivan – Alone Again (Naturally)
• Grandaddy – The Crystal Lake
• Grinderman – No Pussy Blues
• Inspiral Carpets – This is How it Feels
• John Grant – GMF
• John Grant – JC Hates Faggots
• John Lennon – God
• Kendrick Lamar – King Kunta
• Kendrick Lamar – The Blacker the Berry
• Kendrick Lamar – Wesley’s Theory
• Lorde – Green Light
• Lorde – Perfect Places
• Lorde – Writer in the Dark
• Mac DeMarco – Chamber of Reflection
• Mac DeMarco – Freaking Out the Neighbourhood
• Mac DeMarco – Let Her Go
• Mac DeMarco – My Kind of Woman
• Magazine – Shot By Both Sides
• Manic Street Preachers – If You Tolerate This
• Manic Street Preachers – Revol

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – The Ship Song

• Manic Street Preachers – Yes
• Manic Street Preachers – You Stole the Sun From My Heart
• Manic Street Preachers – Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
• Mark Lanegan – Borracho
• Morrissey – First of the Gang to Die
• Neil Young – Barstool Blues
• Neil Young – Comes a Time
• Neil Young – Don’t Let it Bring You Down. Collab with BansheeFlyer
• Neil Young – Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
• Neil Young – Harvest
• Neil Young – Harvest Moon
• Neil Young – Heart of Gold. Collab with SpinDoctor and Sideshow
• Neil Young – Lotta Love
• Neil Young – Mellow My Mind. Collab with MrPrezident
• Neil Young – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
• Neil Young – Powderfinger. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• Neil Young – Revolution Blues
• Neil Young – Walk On
• Neil Young – Winterlong. Collab with Mr Prezident
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Henry Lee (Feat. PJ Harvey)
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Get Ready For Love
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Loverman
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – O Children
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Stagger Lee
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – There She Goes, My Beautiful World
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Where the Wild Roses Grow (Feat. Kylie Minogue)
• Nick Drake – Northern Sky
• Paul McCartney – Calico Skies (with farottone)
• Paul McCartney – Every Night
• Paul McCartney – Mr. Bellamy
• Paul McCartney – No More Lonely Nights (with farottone)
• Paul McCartney – Off the Ground (with farottone)
• Pavement – Frontwards (with Kamotch)
• Pavement – Gold Soundz
• Pavement – Harness Your Hopes
• Pavement – Here
• Pavement – In the Mouth a Desert
• Pavement – Kennel District
• Pavement – Major Leagues
• Pavement – Range Life (with Kamotch)
• Pavement – Shady Lane
• Pavement – Silence Kid
• Pavement – Spit on a Stranger
• Pavement – Stereo (with Kamotch)
• Pavement – Stop Breathin’
• Pavement – Trigger Cut
• Pavement – Two States
• Pavement – Unfair
• PJ Harvey – Big Exit
• PJ Harvey – C’mon Billy
• PJ Harvey – Down by the Water
• PJ Harvey – This Mess We’re In

• Pulp – Babies
• Pulp – Bar Italia

• Pulp – Disco 2000
• Pulp – Like a Friend (with AJFOne23)

• Pulp – Mis-Shapes
• Pulp – Something Changed
• Pulp – Sorted For E’s and Wizz
• Pulp – Underwear
• Purple Mountains – All My Happiness is Gone
• Purple Mountains – Darkness and Cold
• Purple Mountains – Maybe I’m the Only One For Me
• Radiohead – A Wolf at the Door (with Sideshow)
• Radiohead – All I Need (with TheOreo)
• Radiohead – Burn the Witch
• Radiohead – Faust Arp (with Sideshow)
• Radiohead – Identikit
• Radiohead – Jigsaw Falling Into Place (with Sideshow)
• R.E.M. – At My Most Beautiful
• Red House Painters – Grace Cathedral Park
• Richard Dawson – Jogging
• Richard Hawley – Tonight The Streets Are Ours
• Robbie Williams – Come Undone
• Robbie Williams – Strong
• Silver Jews – Punks in the Beerlight
• Silver Jews – Suffering Jukebox
• Simon and Garfunkel – America
• Suede – Animal Nitrate
• Suede – Beautiful Ones
• Suede – Filmstar
• Suede – Life is Golden
• Suede – New Generation
• Suede – Outsiders
• Suede – Saturday Night
• Suede – So Young (with theSheepQueen)
• Suede – The Drowners
• Suede – The Wild Ones
• Suede – Trash

• Sufjan Stevens – Chicago
• Sunny Day Real Estate – Guitar and Video Games
• Talking Heads – This Must be the Place (Naive Melody). Collab with atruejedi
• Teenage Fanclub – The Concept
• The Beatles – Sexy Sadie (collab with IMMCTNTJK)
• The Beta Band – Dry the Rain
• The Boys Next Door – Shivers
• The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)
• The Cure – A Night Like This. Collab with grubextrapolate
• The Cure – Disintegration
• The Cure – Last Dance
• The Cure – Pictures of You. Collab with grubextrapolate
• The Cure – Plainsong Collab with grubextrapolate
• The Cure – Push. Collab with grubextrapolate
• The Cure – The Same Deep Water As You
• The Cure – Untitled
• The Cure – Want

• The Dismemberment Plan – I Love a Magician. Collab with Nolan

• The Dismemberment Plan – Memory Machine. Collab with Nolan

• The Dismemberment Plan – Spider in the Snow. Collab with Nolan

• The Dismemberment Plan – The Jitters. Collab with Nolan

• The National – Conversation 16

• The Dismemberment Plan – 8.5 Minutes. Collab with Nolan
• The Dismemberment Plan – A Life of Possibilities. Collab with Nolan
• The Dismemberment Plan – Girl O’Clock. Collab with Nolan
• The Dismemberment Plan – Gyroscope. Collab with Nolan
• The Dismemberment Plan – The City. Collab with Nolan
• The Dismemberment Plan – You Are Invited. Collab with Nolan
• The Easybeats – Friday On My Mind
• The Last Shadow Puppets – Sweet Dreams, TN
• The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of the Understatement. Collab with HighFlyingBirds
• The National – Afraid of Everyone
• The National – About Today (Live)
• The National – Apartment Story. Collab with egead/lore
• The National – Don’t Swallow the Cap. Collab with egead/lore
• The National – Fake Empire
• The National – Graceless
• The National – Mr. November
• The National – Rylan
• The National – Secret Meeting
• The National – Slow Show. Collab with egead/lore
• The National – Sorrow
• The National – Terrible Love (Live)
• The National – The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
• The National – Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

• The Replacements – Kiss Me on the Bus

• The Replacements – Can’t Hardly Wait
• The Replacements – Color Me Impressed
• The Replacements – Favorite Thing
• The Replacements – Swingin’ Party
• The The – This is the Day. Collab with grubextrapolate
• The Undertones – Teenage Kicks
• The Veils – Not Yet
• The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work
• The Waterboys – The Whole of the Moon
• The Walkmen – Heaven
• The Walkmen – The Rat. Collab with egead.
• Tom Waits – Downtown Train
• Tom Waits – Make it Rain (collab with BornGamerRob)
• Violent Femmes – 36-24-36
• Violent Femmes – I Held Her In My Arms
• Violent Femmes – Kiss Off
• Wilco – Either Way
• Wilco – Hummingbird
• Wilco – Jesus Etc. (with mrcoupdetat)

• Wilco – I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (with mrcoupdetat)
• Wilco – I’m the Man Who Loves You (with mrcoupdetat)
• Wilco – Heavy Metal Drummer (with mrcoupdetat)

 

Artist breakdown:

Bruce Springsteen – 20

Pavement – 16

The National – 15

Neil Young, David Bowie, Arcade Fire – 14

Suede – 11

The Dismemberment Plan – 10

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Cure – 9

Pulp – 8

Wilco, Radiohead – 6

The Replacements, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, Manic Street Preachers – 5

Mac DeMarco, PJ Harvey – 4

Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Purple Mountains, Lorde, Violent Femmes, Frank Sinatra, Kendrick Lamar, Andrew Bird – 3

Tom Waits, John Grant, The Last Shadow Puppets, The Walkmen, Robbie Williams, Silver Jews – 2

Plus singles from 44 different artists.

Overall: 260 songs, and counting!

 

If you’re interested in full write-ups, visualizers and the rest, it’s all in here:

 

 

 

 

 

So, after the obscure indie singles, time for some guilty pleasures! Two songs from my childhood hero, and a pretty great pop musician, Robbie Williams!

 

 

“Strong“ is the opener and one of the lead singles of Williams 1998’s album “I’ve Been Expecting You“. It was inspired by some of his most hardcore fans, who, Williams confessed, “scared the living daylights out of him”. “I just wanted them to understand I’m not being rude, but I’m feeling a bit scared of everything,” he said. It’s a great rock-pop ballad, full of epic guitars and vocals, and a catchy sing-along chords.

The singalong potential was not wasted – on the final night of Williams’s 2003 Knebworth House concerts, 125,000 ticketholders sang Strong to set the world record for Most Karaoke Participants. Williams and his audience held the record until 2009. It remains one of his most well known songs and a concert staple.

 

 

“Come Undone” was the second single from his 2002 hit album “Escapology“. It’s fairly dark in nature – Williams wrote this is about his days of doing cocaine and the effect it had on his mom: “They’re selling razor blades and mirrors in the street,” “Because I’m scum and I’m your son.” It says a lot about it being high one minute and low the next, and the influences of fame. It was also equipped with a rather controversial music video, in which Williams is shown having sex with two models while unsettling images of snakes, rats and bugs are spliced in. It’s controversial nature might have limited his MTV/charts success, but it remains one of his classic tunes, and it’s great fun to play on all instruments.

 

 

I had this one in the works for a while – in fact it was supposed to come out as an opener to The National Festival for C3X, alongside “Either Way“, but for whatever reason it wasn’t finished in time. So recently I’ve came back to it, and here it is.

 

“Hummingbird” is a Wilco classic, from their brilliant 2004 album “A Ghost is Born“. Gorgeously arranged, with different musical detours along the way, it quickly became a fan favorite. It’s quite complex musically, with a lot of chords, scale changes, and the whole song transposes halfway through, and yet it sounds simple and sincere. The song clearly means a lot to Tweedy — in concert, he can’t keep still when he sings it, often breaking out the dance moves, like a hummingbird himself. Gameplay wise, it’s fun and entertaining on all instruments. Hope you like it!

 

 

 

So hmm, hey? Maybe you remember me?

I took a break from charting, and it ended up being quite a lengthy one. But now I’m back! Maybe not to the scale I worked in before, but I’ll definitely continue doing some charting work when I feel like it, in my free time. So I’m happy to present:

 

Yaniv’s 2020 Discoveries pack

 

It’s been a while, and while I wasn’t charting for most of it, I was (as always) listening to loads of music. And discovered a lot of cool new stuff. So the theme of this pack is my recent discoveries – and specifically, all of the 4 songs released today where songs I’ve heard for the first time in 2020 (which means I didn’t know them at the time my last releases came out). So… here we go!

 

Full release post here!

 

 

Guitar by HighFlyingBirds, thanks!

 

One of the standouts on a standout album, and certainly one of the most English songs on this very English album. “This is a Low” is one of Blur’s most beloved tunes. It’s been a mainstay in the band’s repertoire and history; frequently a concert climax, closing among others their legendary 1995 Mile End show; voted by fans to be included in Glastnbury Anthems DVD; Was the only non-single to be included in their “Best of Blur” compilation. It also featured very heavily in their reunion, performed in their first show at NME awards, in the Brits awards, closing the main set in their legendary Glastonbury 2009 concert, as well as both live DVDs released since, “All the People” and “Parklive” (documenting Hyde Park performances in 2009 and 2012 respectively). It was described by critic Rob Harris as a “key masterstroke” and “close to perfection“.

 

Musically, it’s an epic ballad, with a rousing chorus and epic guitars all over. There’s a guitar solo – two solos at once, in fact – and it’s a classic anthem. Musically, it’s extremely British – The song’s lyrics reference a low-pressure area of weather hitting Britain. The lyrics are based on the Shipping Forecast, with references made to the various areas in England, such as Biscay, Thames, Dogger, Tyne, Forth, Cromarty, Forties, Blackpool and Malin – all in two verses, which is pretty impressive!

 

 

Thanks HighFlyingBirds for charting guitar, drums and helping with bass!

 

“And it looks like we might have made it, looks like we’ve made it to the end…“

 

A fitting tune for my last Chart-a-thon song! “To the End” was the second single from the “Parklife” album, and another one of Blur’s signature tunes. It features Stereolab member Lætitia Sadier with some French spoken words, and an entire orchestral arrangement (charted here to keys). It’s a beautiful, epic, ballad with a rousing chorus by Damon Albarn, and it’s one of the band’s most emotional songs. Lyrically, it takes a break from the English themes and focuses on a relationship falling apart, reminicisng on the good times while documenting the bitter end. “Been drinking far too much, neither of us means what we say”. There’s also another version on the song, sang fully in French, but here is the English original. Hope you like it!

 

 

Thanks egead for starting this custom and letting me finish it! The guitar and drum charts are heavily based on his work.

 

“One of the greatest songs of the century” -Rolling Stone Magazine

13th best track of the 2000’s – NME

20th best track of the 2000’s – Pitchfork

 

I could go on and on. The Walkmen are a great band (and NOT a one hit wonder), and this is their trademark song for a reason. Pure anger, fury, energy, nastiness, and those drums – man, those drums. They were the ones who began it all, as apparently drummer Matt Barrick just messed around with quick disco beats, resulting in a jam which created this song. The lyrics were written on the spot, in five minutes. And that jam has changed the fate and the lives of this band. It became huge, and only got bigger in time. It’s featured on the soundtracks of Major League Baseball 2K7, Dirt 2, and True Crime: New York City. Simply speaking, it’s pretty much the ultimate indie-rock banger.

 

Challenge for drummers: play this one and Springsteen’s “Roulette” in a row for a serious disco beats stamina test.

 

 

Bruce Springsteen 11-Pack!!

Another huge project finally out there. Thanks ejthedj and AJFOne23!

 

 

 

An all time punk classic, this is the debut single of Northern-Irish punk band The Undertones. Ever since it’s release, it became a hugely popular song, a lot of it thanks to legendary radio broadcaster John Peel. Peel loved that song so much, he awarded it 28 stars on the scale of 1 to 5 (which he otherwise never broke). He played it twice in a row in his show – another thing he’s never done before or since – with the explanation that “it doesn’t get any better than this”. And eventually, he asked for the opening line of the song – “Teenage dreams so hard to beat” – to be engraved on his tombstone, which it was.

 

The EP was supposed to be the band’s swan song, as they were on the verge of breaking up – but the huge success kept them together up until 1983, and they made 4 full-length albums. True classic right here.

 

 

David Bowie “Low” Pack + a special Ziggy surprise!

Thanks HighFlyingBirds and MrPrezident!

 

 

When “The Whole of the Moon” was released, it wasn’t initially a big success. But gradually it worked itself to a legendary status, and now it’s not only The Waterboys best known song, it’s a huge classic – covered by everyone from Prince, to the Killers and Fiona Apple (whose version appears in the show “The Affair”).

 

The Waterboys are a very interesting band, with a sound that ranges from Celtic-tinged folk-rock to widescreen alternative anthems – this song definitely belongs to the latter category. An epic song inspired by Prince (who ended up covering it), “The Whole of the Moon” mixes a classic but not cheesy 80’s sound, with trumpets, saxophone and musical layers. Nobody’s really sure who it was written about – Songwriter Mike Scott said “It’s not a specific person. It’s more a type. The point of the song was to illustrate how much more there could be to learn than we had ever guessed. And so, I used that format of songwriting, as if addressing a more knowledgeable or wise being”, but later said it “might be” about Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barrett, so who knows?

 

Anyway, it’s a classic song and an absolute blast to play in RB. So have fun with it!

 

 

Now out – Neil Young 8-pack!

It’s been a huge project for me so it’s great to get it out there. Thanks Banshee, HighFlyingBirds and SpinDoctor for assisting. Hope you like it!

 

 

Completing “Disintegration” by the Cure project – FULL ALBUM AND POST HERE!

 

 

So, after previously charting “My Kind of Woman” and “Freaking Out the Neighborhood” from his “2” album, it’s time for more Mac – and this time we’ll move to the next album, “Salad Days”!

 

“Let Her Go” (which, by the way, is completely unrelated to the Passenger hit) is one of the highlights of this record. Mac pleads and advice with a friend not to mislead his girlfriend – “Tell here that you love her, if you really love her/But if your heart just ain’t sure, let her go”. Musically, it has everything we know and love from Mac – great guitar lines all over, funky bass, some grooving drums and his great melodies. It’s another one of those catchy, fun and beautiful songs Mac is known for.

 

Authored by grubextrapolate & yaniv297

 

 

 

“Alone Again (Naturally)” is a special song. It’s one of those touching songs that means so much to so many people around the world. It tells a rather sad tale of a lonely, suicidal man being left at the altar and then telling the listener about the death of his parents. The lyrics are absolutely simple, direct and heartbreaking, and musically, this is one of the most beautiful songs I know. It is – quite surprisingly maybe – not autobiographical, as in fact O’Sullivan’s mother was alive when he wrote this song, and he barely knew his real father, who also mistreated his mother. But despite that, this song have touched millions around the world, and it’s a privilege to bring it to Rock Band.

It was also a big commercial success – the single spent six weeks, non-consecutively, at No. 1 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 2 song for 1972. In Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 of the 1970s, it ranked as the fifth most-popular song of the entier decade. And it’s been known as a classic ever since. Even if you don’t recognize the title, give it a listen – you probably know it.

It’s also amazing to play in rock band – maybe surprisingly for such a sad song. It features amazing – absolutely amazing – classical guitar playing by Big Jim Sullivan, a little legend in his own right who played with Donovan, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones and many others. The arpeggios all through the song are beautiful and challenging, and the guitar solo is amazing. The chord progression is surprising and beautiful and you’ll love playing it on keys – with a bit of french horn and strings thrown in too. Bass and drums are basic but solid. Just watch the video preview here (thanks MrPrezident for the preview video!).

 

 

 

It was a pleasure to chart it!

 

 

 

“Out of My Head” is a classic 90’s ballad from Fastball (also known for “The Way”). The second single from their 1998 album “All the Pain Money Can Buy“, it’s a full-band piano ballad with some gospel influence and some creative drumming. The song has a rather unusual structure – starts with a traditional verse-chorus, but there’s never a second verse. Instead, there’s a beautiful guitar solo and than a repeat of that infectious, brilliant chorus.

 

In 2016, Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello has adapted the chorus of this song for a pop hit named “Bad Things”, with the line “I never wanna do bad things to you”, changed to a sexualized “I only want to do bad things to you”. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that’s how I discovered the song – but I liked the chorus a lot, which led me to dig up this beautiful original. Hope you like it!

 

And this time a super-team of dedicated charters – FujiSkunk, drummerockband and myself – have teamed up to bring you an absolute all-time classic that was somehow missing from our DB. We’re proud to present:

 

 

This all time classic R&B ballad is now available in all it’s glory!

 

So Lionel Richie was taken aback by the initial resistance of pop radio to the Commodores single, “Just to Be Close to You.” He decided to write a song that would be a hit on the R&B, pop, adult contemporary, and country charts. Co-produced by arranger James Anthony Carmichael and the Commodores, “Easy” went to number one R&B and number four pop in the summer of 1977. The song became an all-time classic and one of Lionel Ritchie’s signature tunes. We hope you enjoy singing and playing along!

 

Preview video right here:

 

 

Just be advised that a few problems in the video were fixed in the finished custom – most notably the ending on vocals (we changed the alternate ending but at that time I didn’t update the vocals yet…). On the custom itself it’s fixed, along with other minor issues.

 

 

 

One of the biggest hit singles of their career, “Your Love Alone Is Not Enough” is a rousing, catch duet between lead singer James Dean Bradfield and Nina Persson of The Cardigans. It’s fun, catchy, a blast to play on every instrument, and ideally sung with a partner!

This song also references a fair share of classic rock hits:

 

-“Trade all your heroes in for ghosts” – Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”.

-“I could have seen for miles and miles” – The Who’s “I Can See for Miles”.

-“You’re as blind as a man can be” – The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man”.

-“Your eyes stayed blue, baby blue” – Badfinger’s “Baby Blue”.

-“I could have placed us in exile” – The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street (well, that one is stretching it a bit)

 

And also references a previous hit by the Manics – “You Stole the Sun From My Heart” – which I also charted in the past and can be downloaded here.

 

Despite all the fan references, this song – like any Manic songs – has a dark side in it. The title “Your Love Alone is Not Enough” is apparently a direct quote from a suicide note written by a friend of the band, while some lines – specifically “I could have shown you how to cry” – references the disappearance/suicide of former band member Richey Edwards. The song itself is a bit of a “honeypot” to get into the band – as Wire magazine noted, it reels listeners in with something fan, uplifting and glorious – “And by the end of the year, they’ll be listening to ‘Archives of Pain'”.

 

 

 

The Verve are one of those great Britpop 90’s bands. And “Urban Hymns” – which kicks off with the huge hit “Bitter Sweet Symphony” – is up there with “Different Class” “Parklife” “Dog Man Star” and “Definitely Maybe” as the great Britpop albums.

“The Drugs Don’t Work” was the second single from that album, and it’s a big one. It debuted ,at number one on the UK Singles Chart, ranked number seven on Channel 4’s list of the 100 Greatest #1 Singles, and chosen by NME as number 78 on its list “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years” in 2011.

A sad and beautiful ballad, that might actually be about drug abuse, or might refer to the death of a sick relative, the song received a different meaning when it was – coincidentally – released a day after Princess Diana has died.

Despite the sad nature of this song, it’s actually great top play in Rock Band. Drums alternate between a disco beat and regular beats and end with a beautiful repeating pattern, guitar plays all sort of lead-slide parts through the song, in keys you get to play a whole strings arrangement, and vocals, goes without saying, are brilliant and emotional.

 

 

8/25 – The Beatles and John Lennon!

 

 

 

Sorry for the lack of descriptions this time around – this song probably needs no introductions!

 

It’s the f***ing Beatles and one of their most essential missing songs. Hope you enjoy it!

 

Many many thanks to IMMCTNTJK for charting drums and helping in several other things in this custom!

 

 

 

On his debut solo album John Lennon closed the book on many aspects of his past. Much of the record was devoted to his troubled relationship with his parents, but The Beatles – in many ways his surrogate family throughout the 1960s – still loomed large in his life and career. On the song God he finally broke the spell, telling the world that the dream was over with his stark revelation: “I don’t believe in Beatles”.

 

“God” is one of Lennon’s finest solo tunes, it includes an amazing vocal performance, two pianos played by Lennon and Billy Preston (which is why the keys chart have some “missing” piano licks – I couldn’t chart both all the time), great bass by Klaus Voormann and drums by none other than Ringo Starr. I hope I did this masterpiece justice!

 

 

 

7/26 – Suede 6-Pack and Manic Street Preachers!

 

Hello, time for a new release! A single by Manic Street Preachers, and a 6-pack by the magnificent Suede!

Check out the whole thing here ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

Also, song list and Spotify playlist updated!

 

7.19 – Pavement 3-Pack, The Walkmen and Mac DeMarco!

 

The Walkmen

 

 

 

The Walkmen are one of the best and most underrated indie bands of the 2000’s. Mostly known for their song “The Rat” – they were dubbed a “one hit wonder” for a while – they are actually a great band. They broke up in 2012, but ended up scoring another huge hit after their breakup – when the hugely popular sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” chose their song “Heaven” as the ending track of the last episode of the hugely popular show. So whether you liked the ending or not (I hated it), that song is pretty damn good. It’s a sweet, happy and nostalgic song, with a soaring chorus – “Remember remember, all we fight for!”. Great song by a great band!

 

Mac Demarco

 

 

Mac DeMarco at it’s finest in one of his biggest classics. An epic, memorable guitar riff, great fun on all instruments, and Mac apologizing to his mother about being a naughty boy – this particular song was written after Mac’s mother found online a video of him sticking up drumsticks up his, well, backside. Here’s Mac himself explaining this song:

 

“That’s about the family. A lot of songs are about the family on the album. I did a karaoke set in Montreal last spring, and I ended up getting really, really drunk. All my clothes came off, beer got poured over me, percussive instrument tools found their way into my butt and my friend took a video of the thing. I thought it’d be funny, but it goes on YouTube and my aunt sees it, and my whole family. And they were not too pleased. My mom was like, “Mac—what’s going on?” My aunt freaked out and thought I was smoking bath salts. I didn’t present some song to say, look, I’m sorry… it was all clear before. They understand that I’m just a bit of a goof. But I thought it’d be a fun thing to write a song about, so I did.” So, hmm, yeah, thankfully we got a great song from this!

 

Pavement

 

 

 

The opening tune from their masterpiece “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain”. “Silence Kid” includes some awesome guitar riffs, entertaining drums, great melody, provocative lyrics, a tempo change and a time signature change – all in a short, neat package of about 3 minutes. It’s a legendary opening and one of their most coveted songs.

 

 

From the same album, this is a beautiful, darker and slower tune with an epic guitar climax. The song itself – whether it’s about war or tennis – is beautiful, nuanced and (excuse the pun) – breathtaking. Singer Stephen Malkmus is very emotional – as he sings “dad, they broke me…”, and the song eventually evolves into a rousing climax of guitar arpeggios and brilliant buildup. In my opinion, one of their best songs.

 

 

It’s a sweet, beautiful and nostalgic love song – whose hook just happens to be “I could spit on a stranger”. Full of contradictions – not unusual for Pavement – it’s a song with amazing melody, a huge range of emotions and sweet instrumentation that you’d love to play. Malkmus himself has named it as “one of the 15 songs of my life”, and he said: “This song has a Beatles feel to me. It’s a pretty song in the standard tuning, which, as Rolling Stone readers know, means tuning your guitar to EADGBE, in the way that the Lord told us to do it. And it has that Nigel Godrich production — he can make the average guitar sound so good. But in Pavement fashion, the singer has to say, “I could spit on a stranger,” which is a slightly bizarre hook. Kind of dark and fucked-up.

 

 

 

 

6.21 – HUGE “The National” project!

 

The post is probably too long to copy here so I’ll just link it.

Featuring 13 new tunes from The National, including some huge hits and fan favorites. Among the songs released: Fake Empire, Terrible Love, Mr. November, Graceless, Slow Show, an epic 8-minutes live version of About Today and many more!

This has been my main charting project for a while now and it’s good to get it out there. Amazing band and I hope I did them justice!

 

Also, some really great openers by Wilco, Big Thief, Silver Jews and Cass McCombs!

Thanks again Egead, BornGamerRob, Derek and Zombie Capone for working with me on this project!

Hope you like it! Check out the post, it’s quite nice ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

On an unrelated note, I’ve also collaborated with AJFOne23 on Bruce Springsteen‘s masterpiece “Incident on 57th Street“. One hell of an epic song. Check this one out right here.

 

 

25.5 – Singles by Suede and Bruce Speingsteen!

 

Suede – Outsiders

Download

 

Suede first appeared in 1989, but by 2003, they were ready to call it quits. Like many bands, though, Suede just couldn’t stay broken up, and by 2010 the band was together again. At first the reunion was only to play a few concerts, but a few became a few more, and then Suede found themselves back in the studio, recording new music. Six years later they were still going strong and still coming up with new tunes, with 2016’s Night Thoughts garnering some of the band’s highest critical accolades. “Outsiders” was that album’s lead single.

 

Bruce Springsteen – The Rising

Download

 

Springsteen had been “The Boss” for nearly 30 years when he released The Rising in 2002. With his finger still firmly on the pulse of blue-collar America, Springsteen wrote and sang about the subjects that weighed heavily on every American’s mind that year, specifically the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, how it changed America’s place in the world, and how Americans themselves should respond. These thoughts and verses resonated well with Springsteen’s listeners and critics, and the title track in particular was deemed one of Springsteen’s best in recent years.

 

 

5.17 – “Rylan” by the National on release day!

 

As you may know, The National – one of the biggest bands in Indie Rock – are releasing their new album, “I Am Easy to Find”, today. And I’m very happy to bring you a track from this album, as a full band custom, on the day of release.

Just to be clear: this song was not available as a single (or in any other way) beforehand.

It is not a live version, or any of the previously available versions. It is the studio version, released today, and this version was not released on any platform before today.

So here we go!

 

 

Download Link

 

“Rylan” was only officially released today, but National fans would have known it for a while. It was premiered 7 years ago, and played live fairly often – even as part of an official KEXP set – but never made it to the records, until now.

It’s a big anthem, that’s both joyous and sad at the same time, as per usual for the National. The story of a quiet, shy, introvert child, who wants to be special (“Rylan you should try to get some sun, you remind me of everyone”), some suicidal thoughts (“Rylan you could take the quick way out”), classic National lines (“If you want to be alone, come with me”), before exploding into an emotional climax.

It’s already shaping up to be a career highlight, and makes a great band song. You can listen to it here:

 

 

 

So hopefully that keeps you occupied for a while until leg 3! This is not only a special opportunity to play this song on release day, but also a teaser to a full National pack – who’ll be released as a part of leg 3! So if you like the band – there’s a lot more to look forward to ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

More from the National, and many, many other great artists, is waiting for you in Leg 3 – which beings in Friday, May 24th. So stay tuned!

 

5.14 – Paul McCartney 5-Pack!

 

Thanks farottone for sending me some of his old stuff to complete – hope I did a good job!

 

 

 

By yaniv297 || DOWNLOAD ||

 

Going all the way back to 1970, this is a lovely tune from McCartney’s debut album, whose release pretty much led to the official announcement that the Beatles broke up. It was actually briefly rehearsed by the Beatles for the “Let it Be” sessions – with John playing a slide guitar that wasn’t included in the final solo version. It’s another lovely acoustic love song, this time with full band and some tricky instrumental parts. Another great classic by McCartney.

 

 

 

By yaniv297 and Farottone || DOWNLOAD ||

 

yThis one probably doesn’t need too much introduction. This ballad from 1984 is one of the standouts of McCartney’s solo career, a beautiful single with a great melody, and two guitar solos by none other than David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. A huge song and we’re so happy to finally bring it to Rock Band.

 

 

 

By yaniv297 and Farottone || DOWNLOAD ||

 

The title track to Paul McCartney 1993’s album, a nice, melodic, rocking tune. The guitar chart is very interesting, with 2 solos and a lot of leads and licks spread all through the song. There’s also some really nice 3-part harmonies. Great song and a classic opener to a great album.

 

 

 

By yaniv297 and Farottone || DOWNLOAD ||

 

yaniv297 writes “Nice, beautiful acoustic love ballad from McCartney’s 1997 album Flaming Pie. Even thought that particular song was recorded way back in 1992. Guitar is fairly tricky, and vocals are really nice. A great one to chill between the rocking tunes.”

 

 

By yaniv297 || DOWNLOAD ||

 

Taken from 2007’s “Memory Almost Full”, “Mr. Bellamy” tells the story of a gentleman standing on top of a building and threatening to jump. A curious, jumpy and fun song, it’s a favorite of many, and absolutely great to play in Rock Band.

 

Fun fact: McCartney invited Thom Yorke of Radiohead to play on this tune, but Yorke declined; he said he “really liked it”, but feared he’s simply not good enough at piano to play the required part (“the piano playing involved two hands doing things separately. I don’t have that skill available”, according to Yorke).

 

Thank you, see you next time!

 

 

4.26 – Two songs from John Grant!

 

So, when I’ve heard there’s an LGBT week happening, my first thought was “awesome, I can do some John Grant for that”. And most of you are probably thinking – “who the hell is John Grant?”.

So far that I would answer, imagine Elton John, but if Elton John was a pathetic, troubled, self-hating alcoholic, who grew up in a ultra-conservative Christian family and was raised to hate and hide his sexual identity. He’s an extremely honest and talented songwriter. And the songs charted here are named “JC Hates Faggots” and “Greatest Mother Fucker”, but they’re not humorous or outrageous or purpusely controversial – they’re honest, brilliant and true personal pieces of songwriting. So hopefully, that was enough to garner some interest!

Here we go!

 

 

Download Link

 

“GMF”, stands for “Greatest Mother Fucker”, is more of a traditional piano ballad. It’s Grant’s most popular song, and for a good reason – it’s beautiful, catchy and has some awesome lyrics. “I am the greatest mother fucker that you’re ever gonna meet” – declares Grant in the chorus of a touching personal ballad, that analyses his personality and lack of self confidence. “Go ahead and love me while it’s still a crime” – slyly referencing his homosexuality – “And don’t forget, you could be laughing sixty-five percent more of the time” – sings Grant, as this number slowly drops in the final chorus, mirroring his shattered, fake self confidence he puts on for this song.

It’s a beautiful tune to sing and entertaining to play, with some awesome vocal harmonies, cool drums and bass, and really interesting melodic ideas – give it a shot!

 

 

 

 

Download Link

 

So yeah, after “No Pussy Blues” and the lyrics of “Stagger Lee”, it seems like I’m competing with myself for the least politically correct lyrics!

But seriously, this song is extremely dark, troubling and personal. Grant is an homosexual that was raised in an extremely conservative house, and the title is a direct quote form his parents. “I can’t believe I was considered taking my own life, cause I believed the lies about me were the truth” – sings Grant, in one of the most honest and heartbreaking lines I know. The choruses are sung from the perspective of his parents, who explain how Jesus hates faggots, Jews, sitcoms, parking fines, “men who cannot tame their wives”, and “pretty much anything you want him to”. It’s personal, touching and just brilliant.

Musically, it’s based on some heavy synths and piano, so key players how there should have fun. There’s no guitar, but the bass is totally awesome all through the song, and there’s even a bass solo – yes, a bass solo! And drums are pretty cool as well with all kind of fills. It’s one of the most unique tunes I’ve done, musically and lyrically, and it’s just brilliant.

 

 

 

4.12 – Singles by David Bowie, Tom Waits and Buffalo Springfield!

 

Super happy to assist CUTstudi0s on finally bringing in the already legendary “Blackstar” by David Bowie to the game! 10 minutes of pure bliss.

 

David Bowie – Blackstar

Authored by CUTstudi0s and yaniv297

[Download]

 

 

Easily Bowie’s most groundbreaking and interesting feat, Blackstar is a final breath of sorts (figuratively and literally) for Bowie’s 50+ year career, and, clocking in at just under 10 minutes on the record, it’s easily one of his longest. The song takes you through a psychedelic rock/neo-jazz infused journey inside the mind of a dying man, exploring themes of death and his acceptance of it (hints that also appeared on other songs on the record like Lazarus), before culminating into a rocking finale reminiscent of his most popular days. -CUTstudi0s

 

Also, two more classic singles from me:

 

Tom Waits – Downtown Train

Authored by yaniv297

[Download]

 

“They say that I have no hits and that I’m difficult to work with. And they say that like it’s a bad thing.”

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Tom Waits – fittingly, he said this during his Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

And indeed, Tom Waits have no “hits”, and he never really seemed to attempt any either. His arguably best work was done right in the middle of the 80’s – the height of synthesizers and drum machines – but Waits was busy recording accordions and marimbas instead. He would spend hours trying to achieve the sound he wanted organically – in various methods, such as hitting the bathroom door with a two by four to create percussion – much to the frustration of his studio engineers, who claimed they could achieve anything he wanted with modern technology. But Tom Waits is pretty stubborn.

But if he ever came close to having a hit – it’s probably this song right here. It took 17 songs, but right at the end of his magnum opus “Rain Dogs”, and after going through many different genres, “Downtown Train” is the first song that have any resemblance to the decade it was released in. It’s still quite far from an actual 80’s pop tune – but the snare drum, the melodic chorus and the smooth guitar line in it definitely have their potential. Which Rod Stewart realized several years later, when his infamous pop cover of this tune became a major Billboard hit. When asked about his opinion of the cover, Waits said he liked it, because “it paid for my swimming pool”.

 

The Tom Waits original, charted here, is widely beloved by music fans. Rock Band wise, the guitar track is the definite highlight – smooth rhythm, a catchy riff that’s inseparable from the chorus, a great solo, and a sweet outro too. Other instruments are more basic, but are all entertaining and ever present. Waits is an unique vocalist, and you get to sing along with him, and the brilliant ways in which he reinterprets the verses and the chorus. It’s a classic from a legendary artist.

 

 

Buffalo Springfield – Flying on the Ground is Wrong

Authored by yaniv297

[Download]

 

From one music legend, to another – but this time we go early, really early. In fact, this album is the first time the songs written by Neil Young (and Stephen Stills) would ever be released on an album. So early that Young doesn’t even sing most of his songs yet – this tune here, while being written by Neil Young, is sung by Richard Furay, while the duo of Young and Stills contribute their harmony voices, who will become legendary in the future.

Despite being written extremely early in his life, “Flying on the Ground” shows the obvious insane talent Young had, and in my humble opinion would rank (at least) among the top 20 songs Neil Young has written. He would later transform it into a slow, aching acoustic ballad – as heard on the brilliant “Live at the Riverboat” album – but this original version is upbeat, and extremely entertaining to play on all instruments. The lead guitar is everpresent through the entire song, with large amounts of nice riffs and licks, while drums and bass are similarly active and varied. Furay does a great job of delivering this beautiful melody, while the Young-Stills harmonies are already as beautiful as they would ever be. This is a fascinating glimpse into the early years of a musical legend, but most importantly, it’s an amazing song that’s extremely fun to play on all instruments.

 

 

 

3.23 – Elvis Costello “This Year’s Model” pack

 

Let’s start with the obvious: Elvis Costello is a legend of music. But for most of us RB players, he’s mostly known as “the Pump It Up guy”. This pack has 5 more tunes from the same album. However, it’s my honest opinion that while “Pump it Up” is a good tune, it’s not even among the best on this album, let alone his career – I would rank all 5 songs here above it.

 

So if you liked Pump It Up, great! Here’s more and better. But if you didn’t – don’t go into conclusions and still give those tunes a shot. They’re easily among the most entertaining charts I’ve ever done – drums and bass especially.

So here we go!

“This Year’s Model is one of the most distinctively brilliant albums ever to be released. For fans of rock music bursting with wit and character, it really just doesn’t get any better than this” – Pitchfork, 10/10.

Elvis Costello was always too much of a geek for punk. His voice is too high, his background is too high class, not to mention his affection for clever geeky word play. But that’s why he’s so interesting. “This Year’s Model” is the essential “angry geek” album, full of raw emotions and anger, but also cleverness and brilliance. It’s one of those unique album where every song is better than the other one. It’s a joy on all instruments, and I’ve loved every minute of working on it.

You can also say it’s fairly well regarded:

 

But Costello is only half (or really, a quarter) of the story – this is an album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions, so let’s talk a bit about those Attractions. AKA one of the best backing band in rock history. They are 3 incredible players: Pete Thomas and Bruce Thomas, are, in my humble opinion, the best rhythm section in rock and roll history. Yes, I’ve thought this through. Yes, I know Led Zeppelin and the Who and the rest. Those guys are better. I wish I could find a way to describe the genius of the drums and bass on those tracks, how absolutely tight and groovy they are, carrying the songs while never eclipsing them. But I can’t. You’ll have to play those yourself to find out.

Traditionally, the third player would be a guitarist, but here we have Steve Niece, whose brilliant organ and keys are all over this fucking record. It’s really the last twist in it’s brilliance, a completely unique sound – the tightest rhythm section imaginable, a genius songwriter at the front, and this unique, colorful, brilliant organ giving this record it’s unique vibe. And than there’s Costello’s guitar, which is mostly fairly basic and sits in the back – which is why I recommend vox-taring this album (playing guitar and singing at the same time), just like Costello himself.

And now, for the songs:

 

No Action

 

 

Link: http://dl.c3universe…63e255.03639895

Video Preview:

 

“I don’t wanna kiss you, I don’t wanna touch.

I don’t wanna see you cause I don’t miss you that much”.

Could there possibly be a better way to open this album? With those timeless words of rage and contempt, Costello kicks off the record with an absolute bang. Not wasting any time on build up, the might Attractions come in with full power, Pete Thomas banging those drums, as Costello shoots one of his masterful creation, a song about conflicting emotions. Starting as a simple “fuck you” song to an ex, “No Action” slowly unmasks more, and evolves into a song of jealousy and burning emotion. In one of his most breathtaking verses, Costello moves from his “I don’t care about you” opening stance to something else entirely:

“Knowing you’re with him is driving me crazy,

Sometimes I call you when I know you’re not lonely,

But I always disconnect it in time”.

It’s one of those sprawling beautiful songs Costello is known for, while being an absolute banger and killer rock tune. It’s a perfect opening to a classic album, and now you can play it yourself.

Also, those drums!

This Year’s Girl

 

 

Link: http://dl.c3universe…204e72.61435349

Video Preview:

 

After the blistering “No Action”, it’s time for this half-title-track (don’t worry, the other half of the title will appear too). Lead by a steady drum beat – a tribute to the Beatles “Ticket to Ride” – it is soon joined by a great synth line and beautiful melodic bass. This is another chance for the Attractions to shine, while this time the bass is the star of the show, with an absolute classic bass line, as Costello delivers another classic. A steady, brilliant tune, this is probably the easiest song from this pack, but it’s not one you want to miss!

The Beat

 

 

 

Link: http://dl.c3universe…9c21e0.28457250

Video Preview:

 

The title already says it all, doesn’t it?

 

Track 3 of this album is another masterful tune, once again brilliant drums and bass (seeing a pattern here?), this time with slight disco influences. Costello once again demonstrates his lyrical mastery, creating a complex, funny and clever tale with his lyrics. Instruments are all an absolute blast to play, the beat (see what I did there?) is infectious, and the song climaxes as Costello delivers an absolute classic verse over a naked drums and bass arrangement with one simple keyboard line:

“I keep thinking about your mother/No I don’t wanna lick them

I don’t wanna be your lover/I just wanna be your victim

I don’t go out much at night/I don’t go out much at all

Did you think you were the only one who was waiting for a call?”

Pure perfection, this one is.

(I Don’t Want To) Go to Chelsea

 

 

Link: http://dl.c3universe…7dc303.80439149

Video Preview:

 

One of the most famous tracks from this record, Costello brings in a reggae influenced vibe (but in the coolest way possible!) as he delivers yet another brilliant tune. I know I’ve been hailing the drums and bass this whole time, but for those last two tracks, they’ve really are unbelievable. The drum track on this one is absolutely amazing – not devil tiered difficult, but it’s so clever, and has an unbelievable amount of small changes and variations, as the beat seems to change almost every line. While the bass line is absolutely groovy and fun to play. Oh, and did I mention this song has 3 keyboard solos? Because it absolutely does.

 

The song itself is unsurprisingly great as well, and it also includes the second half of the title (“She’s last year’s model”), as Costello rejects the over romanticism of the Chelsea area (“Oh no, it does not move me/Even though I’ve seen the movie”). It’s catchy, cool, classic and fun.

Lipstick Vogue

 

 

Link: http://dl.c3universe…ae6505.07843190

Video Preview:

 

Last but not least, a Costello classic, straight from this genius drum pattern, to the ultra-tight (even more than usual!) drums and bass. This is one of the Attractions hardest rocking tunes, and it’s pure virtuoso – from this epic bass line, to the drums solo, to everything in between. According to AllMusic, this song “serves as a showcase for the new group’s extraordinary energy and impressive skill, while Costello plays the role of the scornful cynic, spitting bitter words of one who has suffered third-degree burns at the hands of love”.

 

Costello is indeed in top form – shooting gems like “Sometimes I think that love is just a tumor – you’ve got to cut it out”, “You say I have no feelings – this is a good way to kill them”, and the classic “Sometimes I almost feel just like a human being”. Instruments wise, it’s probably the best in the pack. And it’s always been one of my favorite Costello songs. I wanted to chart it for ages, but took me a while to believe I was good enough to do so! So here it is, and hopefully you’ll love it as much as I do.

 

3.1 – Singles from Teenage Fanclub and Andrew Bird!

 

 

DOWNLOAD /

 

Teenage Fanclub, the brilliant power pop band that Kurt Cobain called “the best band in the world”, finally make their Rock Band debut! Initially lauded for the sonically dense, guitar-driven anthems that heralded them as unexpected stars of the alternative rock era, the perception of Scotland’s Teenage Fanclub transformed over time, eventually earning the group a reputation as pop craftsmen famous for a distinctive brand of classicist ’60s- and ’70s-style power pop and folk-rock. Originally centered on the talents of three singer/songwriters — Norman Blake, Gerard Love, and Raymond McGinley — Teenage Fanclub emerged in the late ’80s mixing sludgy guitar riffs and memorably hooky choruses that drew inspiration from iconic guitar rock bands like Big Star, Badfinger, and the Byrds.

 

 

“The Concept” is the opening song of their 1991 masterpiece “Bandwagonesque”, and it’s one of the band’s finest moment and a brilliant showcase of their talent. It’s filled with the beautiful, catchy melodies the band are known for, with brilliant harmonies and several guitar solos – making it a great fit for Rock Band.

( *** note that the drum animations have been fixed from the preview )

 

 

 

 

DOWNLOAD /

 

Since the turn of the millennium, few pop artists have established such a distinctive aural identity as Andrew Bird. A virtuosic violinist, singer, songwriter, composer, and expert whistler, his career has undergone a wide variety of stylistic shifts from his early days playing jazz and swing music to his mid-2000s reinvention as a savvy pop sophisticate and instrumental looping pioneer.

 

“Two Way Action”, the opening track of his brilliant record “The Swimming Hour” with his band Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, is one of his rockier tracks, full of guitar and violin riffs. The song is sang almost entirely in unison with singer Nora O’Connor, the melody is complex and changes scales and yet very catchy, and it’s a perfect demonstration of Bird’s abilities as a songwriter, and the magic of his band.

 

2.14 – 11 Songs of Love… and One Song of Disappointment!

 

A Valentine’s Day pack… with a slight twist. Featuring: Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Pulp, Mac DeMarco, Suede, Alex Turner (Last Shadow Puppets), Nick Cave (Grinderman), Elbow and many more!

 

Full Post Here

 

26.1 – Nick Cave 6-Pack!

 

Full Post Here

 

 

20.1 – Four new tunes! 90’s Alternative Rock pack!

 

 

A track from the iconic 90s britpop band Blur – known for having a bit of a feud with a certain other britpop heavyweight – and whose frontman later went on to start Gorillaz. This track, the lead single from their 1997 self-titled album, was released as a cover version during the early days of Rock Band DLC (and was a bonus track on the European version of the game). Now you can finally play the original studio version of the song!

 

 

Mark Kozelek is a strange dude. An indie cult figure, and now well known as the frontman of Sun Kil Moon, his 2014 album Benjieven got some mainstream success (even though IMO, it’s very far from his best album). And he generally quite lost it, including being involved in a one-sided public row with indie band The War on Drugs, which included him releasing a special song with the delicate title “War On Drugs: Suck My Cock.”

 

But before all that, he was the frontman of one of the best, and most underappreciated bands of the 90’s – Red House Painters. Their music was usually slow, extremely emotional, personal and hard-hitting, and they had a golden run of records in the 90’s, including my favorite one, a self-titled album usually referred to as Rollercoaster because of the album cover. I’m very happy and excited to bring this band to Rock Band for the first time.

 

“Grace Cathedral Park” is the opening to this album, and it provides a great introduction to the album and this band. It’s fairly upbeat – by their standards, anyway – and includes interesting parts for all instruments, so it’s fun to play. And it’s also an extremely beautiful song, that’s widely regarded as one of the band’s classics, and just an amazing song.

 

 

The Beta Band are also quite a strange breed. Their style is described in Wikipedia as “‘folktronica,’ a blend of folk, Scottish, electronic, rock, trip hop, and experimental jamming” – and yes, this is as weird as it sounds. Through their career they’ve made several strange and wonderful records and songs, all extremely curious and creative. But really, one tune stands above them all.

 

“Dry the Rain” is one of those once-in-a-lifetime tunes. For me it’s a strong contender for the “best song of the 90’s.” It starts of as a chilly, beautiful, folky tune with acoustic and slide guitars, than slowly evolves into a true epic. The song truly takes it up a gear around the 3:18 mark, where my favorite bassline in music history kicks in – and I’m not just saying that, I spent a solid 10 minutes looking for a bassline I liked better, and couldn’t find any. The bassline leads the song into an amazing climax, with horns, harmony vocals, and overall it’s just a beautiful thing.

 

The song gained a bit more attention after featuring in the 2000 movie High Fidelity – where John Cusack’s character announces “I will now sell five copies of The Three EPs by The Beta Band, before playing the climax of the song in his record store. The filmmakers knew why they chose that song – it’s a brilliant gem that’s still fairly unknown, and an absolutely brilliant piece of music.

 

 

 

When looking for a fit opening band for Radiohead, really I couldn’t come up with a better fit than Grandaddy. IMO, they’re the real “American Radiohead” – an alternative rock band with an experimental edge, falsetto vocals, and lyrics about technology and the anxiety of modern life. In that case, The Sophtware Slump would be their answer to OK Computer, or some sort of the sequel Radiohead never made – as Pitchfork wrote, “If Radiohead captured a feeling of pre-millenial tension, The Sophtware Slumpcaptured the feeling of disappointment that came afterward.”

 

Despite the similarities, The Sophtware Slump is a brilliant album on its own account – described upon release as “a work of rare and precious qualities, a collection of emotional, richly melodic songs” (from the Daily Telegraph review). “The Crystal Lake” is the lead single, and it’s one of the catchiest songs on the band’s repertoire. Kicking off with a catchy guitar line, it’s beautiful to sing along to, fun to play, and builds into the anxious chorus statement: “I’ve got to get out of here.” It’s a great rock song and a great introduction to this fantastic band.

 

 

28.11 – “Emergency & I” by the Dismemberment Plan, and a Suede single!

 

The Dismemberment Plan – Emergency & I, full album release

With Nolan, GreenPanda and Meta123

 

I know for the big majority of you, your first reaction to this post was: “Who??”. But really, trust me, I know everyone says this about their customs, but really, you absolutely want to check those guys out. And here’s three reasons why:

 

–It’s a masterpiece. That’s not just me saying, that’s pretty much the consensus. Here’s just a few major opinions:

Pitchfork have given this album their ultra-rare perfect 10.0 rating (I’m pretty sure only 3 albums received this grade rating since 2000). Their review simply read: “If you consider yourself a fan of groundbreaking pop, go out and buy this album right now. Now. Get up. Go” (yep, that’s the entire review). Rolling Stone magazine called it a “a game-changer for indie rock fans“, Glide called it a “landmark masterstroke”. PopMatters gave it a perfect 10, saying they “just can’t get enough of it” and proposing to revise the rating system to give it a new rating: 11/10. Allmusic called it a ‘firecracker’ and gave it 4.5/5. Consequence of Sound gave it 5/5 and called it “music that first opened our eyes to worlds unseen“.

I could go on and on, but you get the point: I’m yet to hear of somebody who heard this record and wasn’t left astonished.

 

–There’s nothing else like it. Usually, when describing smaller artists, you do it by comparing them to bigger bands. But here, I honestly have no idea. This record is unique, it seemed to exist in it’s own vacuum. I have no idea what it was influenced by. It doesn’t seem to belong to any genre or movement. I suppose it’s alternative rock – well, it’s rock because they use electric guitars and drums, and it’s alternative because it’s so damn weird, but it doesn’t really sound like what you associate with ‘alternative rock’. We have a lot of customs on this DB, but I’ll easily bet this record is among the most unusual customs in the entire DB. It’s fascinating.

 

–It’s perfect for Rock Band. This is still a game after all, and not every masterpiece fits it – but this one does. Guitars are soaring and brilliant, bass is melodic and groovy, and drums – oh my god, those drums. If you’re a drummer, prepare to discover your new favorite customs. I can’t quite describe the absolutely unbelievable drumming on this record. They’re extremely challenging, but not in the usual “let’s abuse the double bass pedal” way, or Keith Moon’s ‘extremely fast messy fills’ way. It’s challenging because it’s honestly original, unusual and super cool work. And if you want an example, just check out “Girl O’Clock” – the first 30 seconds will give you enough of an impression.

 

So yeah, just check it out. It’s thanksgiving, it’s weekend, you have some free time. Just download it, choose an instrument (I recommend drums, but they’re all great) and give it a go. It starts off normally enough – opener “A Life of Possibilities” is probably the most orthodox song on the record – but it will reveal itself, it will surprise you and it will take you for a ride. Especially the second side – from the pure weirdness of “I Love a Magician”, the disco groove of “The City”, the complete, bat-shit insanity of “Girl O’Clock”, the groovy apocalyptic vision of “8.5 Minutes”, the emotional rock/rap fusion of “Back and Forth” – there’s nothing like it.

 

So here you go:

 

 

And finally, here’s a playlist I made of all the charts of the album, so you can conveniently preview it and get an impression:

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjsgbCV94k89D2hVJB77HL3AiRWov8E9Q

 

 

Hope you love it!

 

 

Normally my charting choices are pretty methodical: choose a pack/artist and work with that. But once in a while there comes a song so special, that I like so much, I just decide to quit everything else and push it to the top of the queue. The release of “Life is Golden” was never planned. It was not on the schedule two weeks ago. I’ll do a Suede pack at some point, but I didn’t even want to wait for that. I just found myself so addicted and excited about this song, I charted it so quickly when I should have been studying, and added it to the nearest date I could find. So on the song itself: Suede are mostly known as a great 90’s brit-pop band, with hits such as “The Beautiful Ones”, “Animal Nitrate”, “Trash” and many more (shameless self promotion – I charted “Trash” and “The Drowners” before, look them up in the DB!), and for their absolutely amazing first two albums (seriously “Dog Man Star” is a top 20 album for me). Since their comeback in 2012, they’ve released three albums that are more ambitious, experimental and instrumentally varied than their old work.

 

Those are all great albums, but this tune – “Life is Golden” from 2018’s “The Blue Hour”, released just two months ago – is special. There’s just something about it – forgive the pun, but Suede have truly hit gold with that one. It’s been insanely well received (Clash Magazine has called it “arguably their best song in twenty-two years”), it’s only been out for a few months and it’s already used as the climatic closing songs to their concerts, chosen over their wide range of hits. It’s a huge, emotional, catchy anthem, and is already a huge favorite and among the band’s best songs. Rock Band wise, it’s not extremely challenging, but it’s fun on all instruments. Guitars and bass are melodic and ever changing through, with a variety of parts to play and a soaring guitar solo at the end. Drums are basic but fun, keys have some nice strings parts, and vocals, as always, rule them all – belting out this chorus is an absolute joy, and there’s some nice falsetto too! This song will probably never be as popular as it deserves too, but I’ve been fairly obsessed with it recently, and I’m very happy to bring it to you. Hope you give it a try.

 

 

Thanks, see you next time!

 

 

22.10 – Primavera Sound Festival

 

Full release here!

Day One

Day Two

 

12.10 – Arcade Fire 9-Pack!

 

Full release here! (Second post)

 

28.9 – PJ Harvey 5-Pack and a Camera Obscura single!

 

I’m very glad to present my first major contribution to a C3X tour date!

 

So here she is, making her long-overdue RB doubt, one of the best, most consistent, creative and brilliant artists of the last 30 years – PJ Harvey. This modest 5-pack isn’t nearly enough to showcase all her brilliant work, and many of her best moments (from the stellar punky ‘Rid of Me’ to the 2011 political masterpiece ‘Let England Shake’) aren’t represented, but it’s surely a good introduction to her dark and brilliant work, with three of her own songs, and two very high profile duets.

 

PJ Harvey and Friends 5-pack:

 

 

 

1995’s “Down by the Water” was PJ’s breakthrough the mainstream, and a surprise hit. The song reached number 2 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart and received extensive rotation on MTV and college radio stations. Which was quite a surprise, seeing how it’s a fairly dark ballad about a mother murdering her own daughter. It’s very blues influenced, but at the same time quite modern with synthesizers and electronic instruments, and no guitars. Based on a great drums and synth-bass groove, it also includes some great call-and-response backing vocals, some great keys parts and a dramatic conclusion.

 

 

 

Yet another single from the same album, “C’mon Billy” never quite reached the success of “Down by the Water”, but it’s still a brilliant, fun song. Based on a classical guitar and a snare groove (no, I did not forgot the disco flip event – it’s all snare really, and accents are played on yellow), and a string arrangement (faithfully charted to keys), but the real star of the show is PJ herself – delivering a brilliant, desperate vocal performance, that by the end will have you jumping up and down octaves at will.

 

 

 

The 2000 album “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea” is to this day, PJ’s most direct, mainstream work. It shows that when she wants, she can deliver a rock album as solid and rocking as anyone else. And “Big Exit” opens this album in this exact same spirit – simply speaking, it’s quite a banger! Kicks off with a guitar and keys riff, with bass strategically dropping in and out of the song and a relentless drum beat, it’s the most rocking song in this pack. And PJ herself, as always, is brilliant and delivers the big chorus with so much passion. Just a great song (and hopefully a great custom) all around.

 

Now, time for the duets:

 

 

 

According to PJ, she was always fascinated by the idea of having someone else sing on her records. “The Mess We’re In” was written by Harvey with quite a specific voice in her mind – Radiohead’s singer Thom Yorke, who she met in 1992 and kept in touch since. Yorke’s own band, Radiohead, at that time we’re quite busy neglecting guitar for their electronic, brilliant but polarizing “Kid A” (their best album IMO, but that’s a different discussion). But thankfully Yorke could still recognize a great rock song when he hears one, and he took a break from the bleeps-and-bloops to deliver a straight forward rock vocal performance, with some signature falsetto in the chorus. The result is an absolute charming, romantic breakup duet, with PJ taking the backseat on her own song and allowing Yorke to take the lead.

 

 

 

For a short while in 1995-1996, Nick Cave and PJ Harvey were the power couple of alternative rock. Both extremely talented songwriters of dark blues, rock and gospel, with much more sex and violence than usually found in those genres – it made too much sense. That relationship didn’t last too long (the breakup and the aftermath are all over Cave’s next album, “The Boatman’s Call”), but it did produce one musical souvenir: the deadly duet “Henry Lee”.

 

Taken from Cave’s “Murder Ballads” album., “Henry Lee” is the due’s take on the traditional folk ballad ‘Young Hunting’. While the cover to the single presented the due kissing passionately, the actual content of the song is a lot less romantic – it features Henry Lee (sung by Cave) rejecting Harvey’s unnamed character for another girl (who he ‘loves far better than thee’), and than Harvey murdering Lee in revenge by throwing him down the well. It’s a brilliant song musically, and an amazing duet to sing, with Cave and Harvey trading verses and harmonizing in the chorus. It’s been a fan favorite for years, and my personal favorite from this bunch.

 

 

And another kickass single:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7UhK18IQPA

 

Lead by the brilliant singer-songwriter Tracyanne Campbell, Scottish band Camera Obscura has been one of indie music lesser known secrets for years. “Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken” is the opening track and lead single from their highly-acclaimed 2006 album “Let’s Get Out of this Country”, and simply speaking, it’s indie-pop perfection. A reply song to Lloyd Cole’s 1984 (also brilliant) tune “Are You Ready to be Heartbroken?” (hence the unusual title), “Lloyd” kicks off with some beautiful organ, and than goes into an ultra-catchy guitar riff. The song itself is brilliantly written, touching and the chorus is huge and fun to sing along to, along with some great harmony lines. It’s not hugely well known, but if you like indie pop or rock, I highly recommend giving it a try.

 

 

21.9 – David Bowie’s original “Heroes” with ejthedj!

 

Together with the great ejthedj – David Bowie’s Heroes! The original, full version.

 

 

How can you begin to describe a classic like “Heroes”? For all of Bowie’s amazing works, this is the one that always stood out for me. The title track of his 1977’s album, written and recorded in Berlin, “Heroes” is an epic, emotional masterpiece about a (possibly gay) love story, with the Berlin Wall standing between the two lovers. It is groundbreaking and genius in almost every way – from Tony Visconti’s extremely creative production, Brian Eno’s synthesizers and effects, to Robert Fripp’s unique use of guitar feedback, and Bowie’s himself gave one of the best vocal performances of his lifetime.

 

Since his release, “Heroes” was widely regarded as Bowie’s best work, or close to it. It made countless ‘best songs ever’ lists, used in lots of movies and TV shows, covered by countless artists (from Coldplay to Depeche Mode, to King Crimson and Motorhead), it’s been adopted by Bowie’s himself as a staple of his live shows, usually as the set closer, and it’s currently Bowie’s most streamed song on Spotify – ahead of his many other hits. It’s been a staple of popular music ever since the song was released.

 

A pretty-weird cover version of “Heroes” (or actually, the single cut of the song) was released as early RB1 DLC, but now you finally get to play the original, full song, in all it’s 6-minutes epic glory, and join Bowie himself in delivering those classic lines. All instruments are varied and fun to play, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy playing this absolutely classic tune in his original and best version.

 

That custom is mostly the work of ejthedj – I’ve only done tempo map and drums, and went through the other charts.

 

Video preview:

https://youtu.be/1jMz8YkmCJ8

 

 

2.8 – Neil Young 4-pack!

 

This Neil Young deep cuts pack allows you to go a bit further than the “Heart of Gold”s and “Rocking in the Free World”s you already know. Containing 4 brilliant and very different tracks, from 4 different album (Actually one of them isn’t even in a studio album), I cherry picked some of the best least known Neil tracks and made this pack! Three of them are upgrades of existing drum customs, one is brand new. Hope you like it ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

 

Download Link

 

There’s so much to say about “Tonight’s the Night” – the bleakest album Neil made in his life, dedicated to do friends (including his former guitar player) who died from heroin use, and recorded when Neil was regularly drinking a bottle of tequila a day. It’s also, in my opinion, the best album of his career. And Mellow My Mind is my favorite song from it.

An heartbreaking ballad with Neil’s voice constantly breaking, it’s actually a really good Rock Band track as well. None of the instruments are too difficult, but they’re all varied and fun to play. No pro keys for that one, sorry.

Many thanks to MrPrezident for charting the very drunk vocal track to this one! I recommend doing a few shots before attempting to sing this. Haven’t actually tried this, but it sounds pretty awesome.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hNrGBOMB-U

 

 

 

Download Link

 

From saddest Neil to angriest Neil. “Revolution Blues” isn’t Neil heaviest, distortion-wise, but he’s rarely been this angry. Based on the character of Charles Manson, who Neil knew before his terrible crimes and was deeply impressed by, this song was written when Neil discovered he was a terrible murderer.

Easily the best fit to RB in this pack, this song has 2 guitar solos, tricky and ever-changing drums, and bass guitar that sometimes seems to solo over the whole song. You’ll have a lot of fun playing any of those instruments.

Technically there’s also a keyboard in the song (well, at least the credits say so) but it’s barely audible most of the song so I couldn’t chart it. Also, video preview shows a slightly old version of the charts, so it’s been improved since. Thanks to MrPrezident for his assistance with charting vocals to this one!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIL1KpjTqeU

 

 

 

Download Link

 

So we’ve done angry, sad, not it’s time for one of those chilled, relaxing and achingly beautiful tunes Neil is known for. “Lotta Love”, a highlight from his 1978’s “Comes a Time” album, is one of those beautiful, honest and touching songs Neil tracks, and makes a great custom too! If pro keys players felt left out with the two previous songs, this is the one where the keys shine, and you get to play some absolutely beautiful piano. Hope you like it!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DybTjzf1Ib0

 

 

Download Link

 

Last but not least, this is just as classic Neil as it gets. Written as early as 1969, recorded in 1974 and only released in 1977 “Decades” compilation album, Winterlong has made a name as Neil classic tune despite not appearing on any album. It was even covered by Pixies, who play the song live pretty often to this day.

It’s not difficult but it’s fun on all instruments, and includes some classic, CSN&Y style, vocal harmonies. A big fan favorite and for a very good reason!

Many thanks again to MrPrezident for charting vocals to this song!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b83BDGonhvI

 

Huge thanks to Nolan for all video previews!

 

 

19.7 – Singles from Tom Waits, Simon & Garfunkel and Magazine!

 

Three new singles today!

 

 

Download Link

 

 

I’m so happy to give one of my favorite artists in the world, and certainly the coolest human being on this planet, Tom Waits, his rock band debut!

“Make It Rain”, from his 2004 album Real Gone, is an hellish bluesy song, with an absolutely brilliant and unique vocal performance from Waits. So unique, that I had no idea how to even start charting it, so I turned to one of the pros… and he didn’t disappoint!

So thanks to the brilliant BornGamerRob for charting vocals on this!

 

 

Download Link

 

 

Legendary post-punk band Magazine with their most famous, and one of their best, songs.

Legendary guitar riff, great solo, and lot of fun on all instruments. One hell of a rocking number – check out the video!

Thanks Nolan for the video preview!

 

 

Download Link

YouTube Video

 

I’m sure this one needs no introducing.

Not only a classic, but one that fits Rock Band perfectly. Lots of little guitar lines, brilliant bass that feels like it’s soloing all over the song, insanely difficult keys parts (including sax parts charted to keys), and of course those famous vocal harmonies.

I knew it’s a big one, and felt quite a responsibility when I decided to do it, so I was sure to give my absolute best to chart it and get it as good as I can. I’m extremely pleased with how it turned out – hope you liked it too!

Thanks Nolan for the video preview!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed those!

 

14.7 – Wilco “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” 4-Pack!

 

So, today it’s (finally) the time to release a pack that me and the great mrcoupdetat have been working on for a very long time. A tribute to one of the greatest albums of the 2000’s, Wilco’s masterpiece “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”.

 

And a huge thanks to Nolan for the preview videos!

 

 

Download Link

 

 

The epic opening song to this masterful record, this is a Wilco classic and one of their most beloved tunes. At it’s core it’s a fairly simple folk ballad, but the instrumentation and the production are masterful. Drums are original and entertaining, bass is fun and changing, keys are varied and include a few great piano melodies, and there’s even a drum solo! Before it eventually climaxes with long synth drones and a final, higher-octave verse.

 

 

Download Link

 

 

Not quite what the name implies, Heavy Metal Drummer is a fun, catchy and probably the most poppy song on the record. Pretty straight forward on all instruments, it’s a great one to relax and sing along to.

 

 

Download Link

 

 

If you’re looking for a challenge or some insane charts, this is the one for you! With no less than 3 guitar solos, and one of the most unique drum tracks I’ve seen (actually it’s a combination of several different percussion tracks), this song definitely delivers great entertainment on all instruments. And it’s a freakin’ great song too!

Oh and mad respect to mrcoupdetat for charting that guitar track – wonder how long this one took!

 

 

Download Link

 

 

Finishing with the prettiest one, Jesus Etc is a stone-cold indie classic. A beautiful love ballad full of string instruments (here charted to a pretty busy keys track), this is in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful songs written in the last decades. A classic.

 

19.6 – The Replacements 4-Pack!

 

 

Download Link

 

Kicking it up with a classic (but honestly, they all are!), “Favorite Thing” is an ultra fast, furious and brilliant punk-rock masterpiece, from the all-time classic album “Let it Be”. This one will get you sweating and screaming!

 

 

Download Link

 

“Kiss Me on the Bus” is a brilliant, catchy, jangle pop/rock track. An all time classic and really a fun song!

 

 

Download Link

 

My personal favorite of the pack, “Color Me Impressed” is a fast-paced and brilliant punk classic from the band. An early classic, one of their defining songs and biggest classics, this one will make you sweat and test your stamina – especially on drums! And it also has a pretty tough guitar solo.

 

 

Download Link

 

Representing the more quiet side of the Replacements, “Swingin’ Party” is a gentle rock masterpiece, with brilliant lyrics, from the classic album “Tim”. It’s beautiful to sing, includes an incredible melodic bass line (especially the chorus) and should be a nice way to chill after rocking out to the other tunes. It’s now regarded as a classic, covered by artists like Lorde and many others.

 

12.6 – Two more!

 

 

Download Link

Video Preview

 

Amazing song by one of the world’s best current bands, The National.

From their 2017 album “Sleep Well Beast”, this song quickly became one of their biggest hits, and even appeared on the FIFA 18 soundtrack. Like pretty much every National song = it has absolutely brilliant drums. But quite rarely for a National song, it includes a brilliant guitar solo (in fact I believe it’s their first guitar solo ever).

A great song from a great band, and fun to play on all instruments.

 

Download Link

 

(note: it shows solo vocals and not harmonies, but the custom has harmonies. Also drums are outdated version and been changed a lot since).

 

The brilliant 1966 hit from the Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” is a rock and roll classic. With a surprisingly complex chord progression, cool three-way harmonies and nice guitar lines all over, it’s an absolutely brilliant song to play and sing!

Thanks doa for the preview videos!

 

11.6 – Singles by Suede, Big Star and Chris Bell!

 

 

Download Link

 

 

Another brilliant tune by Suede. Guitar, bass and drums are absolutely brilliant on this one – guitar is just riffs all the way through, bass is ultra melodic. And singing that chorus is just huge! “You’re taking me over…”. And keys are, well, they’re there for completion sake but I don’t expect anyone to actually play them. But the rest just rocks.

 

 

Download Link

 

(note: it shows solo vocals and not harmonies, but the custom has harmonies).

 

A power pop masterpiece and one of the best songs in this genre, September Gurls is just poor fun.

Drums are full of fills and an absolute blast to play – one of my favorites. Guitar and bass are pretty and melodic. And those harmonies are gorgeous! Just a blast all around.

 

Download Link

 

(note: it shows solo vocals and not harmonies, but the custom has harmonies).

 

“Every night I tell myself, ‘I am the cosmos,

I am the wind’.

But that don’t get you back again”.

Where do you even start with a song like this?

One of my favorite customs I’ve made and songs I’ve authored, “I Am the Cosmos” is a hugely emotional, devastating and purely beautiful masterpiece. Written by Big Star member Chris Bell, it’s a devastating ballad of loss, one of the best songs of the 70’s and one of the best I’ve heard, honestly.

It also works really well in Rock Band. Drums are full of fills, bass is melodic and fun, there’s a nice guitar solo in the middle, and those harmonies are simply gorgeous. Also, watch out in the outro, for one of this song’s hidden secret – a slight lyrics change near the end. Originally it’s buried in the fade out, but here’s the fade out is reversed and it’s hard in it’s full glory.

 

Thanks doa for all video previews!

 

10.6 – Singles from Bowie, Sufjan Stevens and Trail of Dead!

 

 

 

Download Link

Video Preview

 

An update of one of my earlier songs, another brilliant song by Bowie, from his masterful “Low” album. This one has groovy bass, guitar lines all over the place, cool drums, and, well, a really easy keys part. Have fun!

 

 

Download Link

Video Preview

 

From indie hero Sufjan Stevens, this is just the second Sufjan custom in the database.

“Chicago” is one of his greatest anthems, from his masterful Illinoise album, it’s ultra catchy and really beautiful. It includes really cool keys part (piano, trumpet solos, strings) and it’s brilliant for vocals. Rest of the instruments are fairly standard (guitar is pretty nightmarish at times), but it’s a beautiful tune and one that was really missing from Rock Band IMO.

 

 

Download Link

Video Preview

 

It’s OKKKK I’m a saaaaaaaintttt I forgaaaveee your mistaaaakesss

Even if just to sing this one line, I knew this song had to be in rock band!

From the brilliant Trail of Dead and their 2002 masterpiece “Source Tags & Codes”, this is a brilliant rocking song. Guitar and bass are fun but not too difficult with lines all around, drums will definitely test your endurance a bit (especially the chorus), and vocals will have you screaming that huge chorus. I’m a saaaaaaaainttttt!

 

I’ve also done drums for a custom by ‘Soul Love’ by David Bowie, a custom by MrPrezident – get it here.

 

Thanks doa for all preview videos!

 

17.4 – Manic Street Preachers three pack!

 

thanks doa for the videos!

 

 

Download Link

Video Preview

 

The opening track from the Manic’s masterpiece, “The Holy Bible”, and what an insane opening. Not a subtle opening, the song (right after an opening quote from a pimp), jumps into a tight guitar riff with alternating 7/4 and 4/4 time signatures, before kicking in with the not-so-subtle opening line “For sale? Dumb cunt, same dumb questions” and proclaiming that “All virgins are liars honey”. It than explodes into a huge, and hugely NSFW chorus, before a rather calmer bridge with nice harmonies.

It’s a huge, rocking explosive song, that gets pretty emotional near the end (“There is no part of my body that has not been used”, exploring themes of sex trade and abuse. If “The Holy Bible” has been described as a “voyage into the depths of the human psyche”, this song is the album in a nutshell, and it’s a must for your library.

 

Download Link

Video Preview

 

Another track from the brilliant “Holy Bible”, “Revol” is probably the most rocking song I’ve done yet. The second single from the album, it’s full of explosive guitar riffs, a huge chorus, tricky lyrics which uses names of Russian leaders (and others too) to establish a point about the writer’s own sexual frustrations and fears, while throwing in a few Nazi Germany references in the chorus (in German too!), because hell why not. It’s the catchiest song in the Holy Bible, and manages to be a big anthem while being as f***ed up as the rest of the album. Have fun.

 

Download Link

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Our final track of the pack finds the Manics 4 years later. Guitar player and Holy Bible lyricist Richey Edwards now isn’t a part of the band, after his mysterious disappearance.

This is the Manics biggest anthem, most successful single and big show-stopper. It’s a lot more anthemic and accessible than the Holy Bible tunes – even though the lyrics aren’t particularly lighter (“If I can shoot rabbits, than I can shoot fascists”). It’s probably the song you know from the pack, and it’s a brilliant fit for Rock Band 3, using full advantage of the harmonies system. It’s one of the most iconic rock anthems of the 90’s, and it’s here now for you.

4.2 – David Bowie 3 Pack now fully updated!

 

 

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Many thanks to atruejedi for helping out on those tricky harmonies!

 

 

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Many many thanks to:

grubextrapolate for charting guitar and bass

Jimi369 for charting vocals and harmonies.

 

 

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Many thanks to:

Spindoctor – guitar and bass

MrBurpler – pro keys and keys.

 

 

 

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Many thanks to the great bsbloom, who did guitar, vocals, pro keys and keys!

 

 

 

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Bruce Springsteen – Darkness on the Edge of Town (YouTube)

Pavement – Gold Soundz (YouTube)

Pulp – Disco 2000 (YouTube)

 

Bruce Springsteen – Thunder Road

 

If you’ve wondered why Thunder Road, one of Springsteen’s best songs (and my personal favorite) was suspiciously missing from 3 different Bruce packs… well here’s your answer. A full band custom was in the making, collaboration with ejthedj, and now it’s ready! Make sure you get it!

 

I would like to say a huge thank you to ejthedj, who done the majority of the work, including an absolutely insane (seriously, insane) pro keys chart. I’ve had a blast charting the drums (all difficulties) to this one.

 

 

Drum only songs:

 

Bruce Springsteen – “Sherry Darling“

The Millennium – There Is Nothing More to Say (YouTube)

Big Star 3-Pack

“Kizza Me” (YouTube)

“Thank You Friends” (YouTube)

 

 

 

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more!

[DrJewge]

Wow! Some awesome tracks!
All I play are drums so it’s great to have another dedicated drum charter about.

 

Any clues as to what future tracks we can expect?

[yaniv297]

Wow! Some awesome tracks!

All I play are drums so it’s great to have another dedicated drum charter about.

 

Any clues as to what future tracks we can expect?

 

Thanks! There’s much more to come, a lot I’ve already charted actually and just testing now. I really wants to make them good, so the testing sometimes takes a bit…

I’m new to this so I would love to hear any feedback on the charts ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

More from those artists, also a lot of other bands on my waiting list. So far I’m testing some Springsteen, Pavement, The Replacements, and many more bands are on the list.

 

In the meantime, here’s a new 3-pack I just finished testing:

 

Suede 01

“So Young“

“The Drowners“

“Trash“

 

The best britpop band in the world (Sorry Blur and Oasis!) with this great three pack. Two classics from the first album, both really fun on drums, and my favorite Suede song – the huge anthem “Trash”. Have fun and make sure you sing along!

[BornGamerRob]

Suede!

 

RE Your Expert Only:
You can use CAT reductions to at least get off the Expert only. I know there are a lot of people here who do like reductions, and at least using the automation gives them an option, even if it’s not your handcrafted preference.

 

I’d definitely be willing to exchange some vocals for Suede for some drums. Been looking to chart more Vapors, so maybe that’s up your alley. If you like Suede, it’s up your alley.

 

Anyway, thanks and welcome!

[yaniv297]

I’ll look into the cat thing, maybe I’ll do the harder and the more popular songs.

Of course, if anyone wants to collab to make a full band song, I’ll handle all difficulties by the book.

 

I’m ashamed to say I don’t know Vapors – feel free to PM me some songs you wanna do! If I like them we can do them ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

And if you want to do Suede, PM me and I’ll send you the RPPs and everything you need. I plan on doing more Suede sometimes too. I also want to do some Pulp who are similar, if you’re into them.

[rcale]

Oh wow. You have great taste! Ive been desperate for some Suede (especially from Suede and Dog Man Star), so I really hope someone adds bass to your work. ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

E: Pulp too!

[yaniv297]

Oh wow. You have great taste! Ive been desperate for some Suede (especially from Suede and Dog Man Star), so I really hope someone adds bass to your work. ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

 

Next Suede pack will definitely have Dog Man Star tunes too ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

Anyway, just finished testing more customs! and it’s more Neil Young! So many of his classics are missing, I had to do some of them ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

NEW! Neil Young Rock Classics Pack

“Everybody Knows This is Nowhere“

“Powderfinger“

“Walk On“

 

A three pack of great classic rockers by Neil. None too difficult, but fun to play! And Powderfinger chart keeps changing all the time (Seems like the drummer is figuring out his parts live…), which makes it quite annoying to chart but nice to play ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

Edit: Replaced Ohio with Walk On!

[yaniv297]

Another day, another pack!

 

Bruce Springsteen Classics Pack

“Badlands“

“Backstreets“

“The River“

 

A pack of 3 absolute classics from Bruce. From the rousing “Badlands”, to the chilly and beautiful “River”, to the epic, amazing “Backstreets” – those are absolutely essential tunes IMO.

 

As noted, it’s a shame those are drums only – if anyone wants to help me turn them into full band ones, I’ll be so happy to do it!

[AJFOne23]

finally someone else doing Bruce

[yaniv297]

There’s a lot more Bruce coming, some very soon ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />.

 

Once again, if you want to chart guitars and other stuff for those songs, or at least some of them, it would be amazing.

[AJFOne23]

make sure you check my WIP. I have lots of Bruce in progress

[yaniv297]

Yeah I know, I’m not doing any of the first two albums because of you! I’m doing some later stuff.

[BornGamerRob]

Hey Yaniv! Thanks again for the contributions. Was just playing some of your stuff and noticed there is no drum fill sections so there’s no way to initiate overdrive. I think that’s because in Phase Shift, you author differently and they aren’t necessary. Just thought I’d drop a note in case you hadn’t realized you needed it for RB authoring.

[yaniv297]

Hey Yaniv! Thanks again for the contributions. Was just playing some of your stuff and noticed there is no drum fill sections so there’s no way to initiate overdrive. I think that’s because in Phase Shift, you author differently and they aren’t necessary. Just thought I’d drop a note in case you hadn’t realized you needed it for RB authoring.

 

Oh thanks man! I honestly had no idea. I played it all in Phase Shift and was able to initiate overdrive easily. I’ll go through the songs and fix it, thanks ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

What did you think of the charts otherwise?

[BornGamerRob]

 

Oh thanks man! I honestly had no idea. I played it all in Phase Shift and was able to initiate overdrive easily. I’ll go through the songs and fix it, thanks ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

What did you think of the charts otherwise?

 

Played your Suede charts. Really good man. Awesome work!

[Author]

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