The RPM Challenge is not for everyone. It is actually only for a few special people. In order to even consider it one must have discipline, dedication to the craft of songwriting and no when to say "Stop." Sure, that sounds easy. Anyone can have discipline. Anyone can write a song. Anyone can say stop! Oh, really. I think I can name a few people who don't have at least one of these. Notice, I did not write patience as one of the characteristics. You can't have patience. There is no time for patience. There is no time to relax. There is no time to say," I'll work on it tomorrow". There is no time to argue. There is only time to write and record. It maybe the hardest thing a musician would ever have to do: Create an album of at least 35 minutes of music and record it in 28 days.
Where do you start? How do you write a song? Do you come up with the words or the music first? How do you know when a song is finished? How long should a song be? What chords should you use? How do I know if the song is good enough to put on an album? What "sound" do you want for the song, for the album, for yourself? How should the song be sung? Tempo? Falsetto? The good news is that it can be done and it can be done well.
I recently came across an RPM Challenge album called "Taking Over the World (How, is not Important)" (2010) by Ray McNamara. This album proves that good music can be made and recorded in the span of a month and can be worthwhile and actually enjoyable to listen to.
This album for me stands out as a perfect lesson in songwriting. Songwriting is just like any other craft: It's about putting things together. In the opening track of the album "Oppenheimer's Dream" McNamara starts the album off with some jazzy drums that go into an almost Anton NewCombe slur calling someone out for their wrong doings and then he goes into a cool early 90s grunge chorus, but then suddenly the song goes from folk rock into a psychodelic epic speech. Sounds crazy, right? McNamara's voice is unmistakable from his Dylanesque phrasing throughout the album to his sweet americana twang. McNamara has a voice all his own among all these influences and it stands out on every track. His voice is actually the most enjoyable part of the album. In his song "I are. You am! We is?" he shows that he can write choruses that you can sing along to with hooks that are not forced and seem to come naturally. The upright bass is a nice touch. In "'D' Train" his story telling comes to the forefront and contains delicate boy/girl harmonies.
All his songs have transitions and things change and don't stay the same. An example of this is the song "Longevity." A song that starts with a simple bass line and evolves into drum swells and harmonies of brilliance that build as the chorus comes through. "Maybe we should drive to Argentina, or at least drive until the car dies, maybe we should make a documentary because there is no longevity. All you need is sunshine." It's fantastic and creates rays of light with sound. It is the best track on the album followed closely by "Serena" a song of heartbreak and loss.
The recording is very humble. You can hear the creaking of hands over guitars and room noises like people hammering nails into walls and the hiss of a tape deck. The harmonies on this album are as lush as any recording that someone would spend thousands of dollars trying to make. It shows that in order to make something good all it takes is a good ear, some dedication, talent and time not auto tune. - A. Polk
Listen: "Taking Over the World (How, is not Important)" (2010) by Ray McNamara.
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