NUR EIN
Elks of the Economy
Summer RobotNur Ein XVII
almost 4 years agoeliminated
3:54
Summer Robot
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Elks of the Economy

Entry from Summer Robot in Nur Ein XVII.

Sonic palette comprised of instruments/sounds/timbres not used in previous rounds

LyricsShow lyrics

Summer Robot
by Elks of the Economy
Chord Chart and Instrumentation
We decided to write a very slippery jazz tune instead of the usual pop fare for a different "sound"
Here are the changes for the curious:

A section
Bb/D Dm7#5 Bb/D Dm7#5
Bbm6 Bbdim Bbm6 A7
Bb/D Dm7#5 Bb/D Dm7#5
Bbsus/C# G#/C
B6sus/G# G#6sus/F F6sus/D

B section
Ebmaj7 Dm7 C#maj7 Cm7 F7 Bmaj7 Dmaj7

Bridge
Gmaj7 Gm7 F#m7 Fm7 Em7 G#9 Adim D7b9 G+ A7

Instrumentation
Vox is JB (but he had get real creative to melodize over our extremely jazzy changes)
Piano is me on a real baby grand (keys, but different instrument)
Guitar is mo on finger-picked nylon-string acoustic (guitar, but different timbre from the usual electric)
Marimba and Vibes are soft-synths, but might be sample based (instruments we've never used)
Percussion is a little latin kit of congas, cowbell, guiro, and woodblocks (instead of electronic drums)
Addl percussion of chimes, a few cuica squeaks, and a rain stick (mmm, flavor)
Bass is played on the Rhodes but EQ'd to sound like a fretless (typical lead instrument used in a different way)

There are days that change everything
Summer days as easy as breathing
Turn a page in the giant book
Turn your head baby maybe you shouldn’t look

A sunny day on a sunny beach
On an island just the right amount of out of reach
I was sipping tea
And reading quietly

To my surprise
He arose on a jet
Standing tall like a bro
Who just hasn’t failed yet

There are days that change everything
Summer days as easy as breathing
Turn a page in the giant book
Turn your head baby maybe you shouldn’t look

Cocked his head, like he couldn’t believe
Like I was the strangest thing he’d ever seen
I said “Are you looking for a heart?”
Thought he didn’t get the joke

He said “Have you any oil? I’m in a sorry state
I’m afraid I’ll start to squeak
I can’t lubricate”

As I watched the sunset with that metal man
He wiggled his metal toes in the chilly sand
Turned to me and shook my hand and said
“Enjoy it while you can”

There are days that change everything
Summer days as easy as breathing
Turn a page in the giant book
Turn your head baby maybe you shouldn’t look

I coughed and stuttered, choked and spat
I didn’t know what to think
Then I saw his shoulders quake
And one red eye winked

There are days that change everything
Summer days as easy as breathing
Turn a page in the giant book
Turn your head baby maybe you shouldn’t look

Reviews

4 posted notes

Evermind

Forum post

I appreciate all the work that has gone into making this sound different, and it surely does. Elks of the elevator! Also, wow. That chord chart. Concept is meeting a robot on the beach. I can tell JB is trying his best to keep up with the chord changes and does a very good job, but some of the vocal timing feels rushed, like "turn a page in the giant book". The timing gets a tiny bit loose in the percussion past the three minute mark, but only slightly.

furrypedro

Forum post

Haha nice. I'm not exactly sure what genre this sits in (lounge jazz, samba?) but as I've recently become a bit of a bossa nova fan it does raise a smile, especially the (albeit sparse) inclusion of the cuica, which is surely one of the greatest instruments ever created. The instrumentation generally is pretty great, in particular the various percussive elements. One thing that's prevented me thus far from dipping my toe into attempting this style is I have no idea what chords are appropriate to use. I imagine it's mostly major 7ths, but whoever's in charge of piano here seems to have a pretty commanding grasp of the style. Indeed everything seems to fit together so well it sounds like you've all been doing this for years.

vowlvom

Forum post

so smooth, the performances and production here are superb. Love the lyrics as written, although hearing them over smooth jazzy pop is an unusual experience, not necessarily good or bad, just something that makes my brain itch a little bit. Mostly the toes-in-the-sand verse. This isn't a genre I'm particularly familiar with but I really enjoyed the relaxed vibe and melancholy undercurrent.

sailingmagpie

Forum post

Definitely getting the Steely Dan vibes shining through here. The genre specific instrumentation is cool and has a real Space Age swinging bachelor pad exotica feel to it. Plus you've got the best use of the word "lubricate" that I think I've ever heard in a song. There are a couple of awkward bits in the lyrics, "...like a bro," for example but that's made up for by having ALL the chords going on.

Elks of the Economy - Summer Robot | Nur Ein