Return... didn't get kitschy soon enough

[Paulie]

Thought this was a decent track for the listing.

Velvet Lapel

KITSCHY, 1960s Style INSTRUMENTALS are needed by an extremely busy Music Library with a tremendously long list of killer placements in Hit TV Shows!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This Library is open to hearing both Vintage recordings from the 1960s OR recently-recorded tracks that sound like they could've been recorded in the '60s.
This Company is looking for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumentals in the general ballpark of these references:
"Wave" by Antonio Carlos Jobim
"Ebb Tide" by Ray Conniff
"And I Love Her" by Santo & Johnny
"Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones

Quoting the Library: "I'm looking for stuff like the music heard in all those old '60s films and documentaries. Tracks would need to sound authentic to the period, so no modern elements mixed in, like EDM or Electronica or whatever. Just pure '60s cheese." Please send in well-crafted Instrumentals that could transport the listener back to the 1960s! Your submissions should have memorable motifs, solid arrangements, and nostalgic instrumentation that's generally similar to the references.


396 said "I like the use of flutes and strings to get closer to the era ... but they come in a bit late in the song. With these submissions we need to hit the 60's kitsch sound early (and unmistakably) in the cue.There are good ideas here, but we need to introduce them right of the bat to make that quick connection to the sound that the client is after."

Of course, I disagree... the track builds over time, the first 16 bars is straight out of the Jobim songbook, similar to the first references. Guess I should have added a four bar intro with flute ands strings to announce "Kitsch coming up!" Seems a little picky to reject based on thinking the first 16 bars is not kitschy enough. (even more puzzling after watching last weeks Taxi TV.)

C'est la vie.

[stansongman]

Hey Paulie, nice tune. The beginning does sound like a standard Jobim-style track as you said. I felt it really sounded more 60's kitsch when the flutes come in. I felt like I wanted to hear the flutes as part of the basic groove right from the beginning and maybe continuing throughout. Changing up the instrumentation 2nd time through the head and maybe having some kitschy thing take over the lead (organ, accordion, vibes?) might be cool. Or, those big syrupy string counterlines they used to use. Also, your mix seemed dry to me. They used to use quite a bit of plate reverb on these tracks back then. I especially noticed that on the piano.

That's just my take. But, my submission was rejected too, so what do I know?

[Casey H]

I don't really have an opinion on whether or not this should have been a forward. But one thing we learn in this business is the people we pitch to are going to make 90% or more of their decision in the first 15-20 seconds. So we generally have to get to the meat of what it is pretty darn fast. It's a bit of an aside but I've made production decisions on songs because they are Film/TV targeted that I wouldn't have made otherwise... Something as simple as putting more harmonies in the first chorus that I would have reserved for the 2nd chorus build up, for example.

As with all listings and returns, the good news always is we now have a track that with or without some edits can be pitched to future listings and/or libraries.

Best,
Casey

[Paulie]

Good feedback from both of you, thanks. Don't flinch, get to the kitsch?

[stansongman]

Yeah. I really want to do some space age bachelor pad music. Talk about Kitsch!

[mteezykeys]

wow, I thought your track was pretty close to the Jobim reference. They returned my https://www.taxi.com/members/v1k5aJDrSG ... schy-bossa track as well.

What I like most about this song
I like the sound of this bossa track ...
I think you could improve this song by
... but I can't say I really agree with the title here. 'Kitschy' has different definitions I suppose ...
I returned or forwarded this song because
... but the one they use in the brief ('cheese') is the one we need to be focusing on to meet this client's needs.
Screener 396

[Casey H]

It's sounds like they were ultra picky on this one, I'm assuming based on knowing the client. One factor could be whether the production sounds too modern- they wanted authentic in every way. But i really don't know. I'd like to hear what they did forward.

Kitschy kitschy ya ya
Casey

[cosmicdolphin]

Don't flinch, get to the kitsch?

Itch for the kitsch - Throw the kitschen Sync at it.

It's a decent stab at the genre, if I was being picky I thought the mix sounded a little too modern/bright and the perc at the start ( bongo's ? ) seem to throw the rhythm off for me. Strings didn't sound real enough when they came in.

Mark