Boys Of Putworks
The Rocking Ransom Notes - 13

For the year 2013 Carla the cover girl, and Porchia in the back got company. The cover girl 2013 is Silvia from Czech. 

Initially thought, that Jingle Bells would be added to the old back. 

But the cover arts are rather important of the song releases, so we decided to construct a new system for "SD media" and Web releases. First you get the original covers, then you get separate covers for the add-on songs.

The quality of the 2013 cover photo is a bit poor. Just enough for standard 700x700 cover photo. If you enlarge it, you start to see color errors on Silvia's skin. 

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xMas Show

Jingle Bells -13
Composed : James Lord Pierpont [USA] - 1857 

Originally planned, that we would not release a traditional Christmas greeting song for the year -13. Jack's move was in progress, and we thought, that we will hinder commercial music makers with a Christmas Song. Then Jack started to build a new audio system, and he put our music making systems on-line. For testing the new system. After few days from that we were working with a traditional Christmas Greeting Song. And also with Everyday cover, which was released earlier, November 2013.

The version for the year 2013 was much like the earlier version. Replaced the drums with bongos. In the top, the bell is played as high as you can with common MIDI instruments. The instrument palette was changed so, that there are Ghost Boxes playing old random synth backgrounds. Pulse Pad was left to this song.

Jack wrote a new long ending to the song. It is uses the background sequences. It was very difficult to get nice sound to the simple background tones without melody. One nice tone combination sounded so poor, that it was not possible play it alone in the song.

During process the song was extended. Doubled the length to the full length over 2 minute song.  The new 2nd second section has slightly modified melody. The new section got real drums and lots of changes to other background tracks.

The part which divides the 1st and 2nd section is almost the same as the end. Had lots of difficulties with the start of the 2nd section. Struggled almost one week with it. Made small changes to it every day. And wondered how it sounds in the next session. Nothing seemed to work.

During the workout there was another and more difficult sequence in the new 2nd section of the song. Eventually gave up from too ambiguous attempt, and converted it back to almost original form.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Boys, Girls and Jack.

- - Album Introduction -12 - -

We were planning on Christmas decorations for our site. Took and played the old Christmas Songs. Initially planned to play one new song for the Christmas time. 

But it turn out, that the old Christmas Songs were hastily done, and we did not like them. Didn't sound very well after Nursery Rhymes and other later releases. So we decided to make an EP.  With one new song, and new versions from three other songs.

Tried to choose the additional songs for the leading single, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree so, that they fill the whole emotional palette of the Christmas time. Rudolf is not very special song. Here Comes Santa Claus for rejoicing the presents you get from the Santa. O ' Tannenbaum goes to the noble moments, like the rest after traditional dinner.

We ignored all religious songs and concentrated on Santa's Christmas. Near North Pole and Santa's residence the difference between religious Christian Christmas and commercial Santa's Christmas is always emphasized to you. 

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
Composed : Johnny Marks [USA] - 1958

Rocking around the Christmas Tree is the leading song for the EP. Completely new to us. In work lists the song is next to the Nursery Rhymes. Followed the Nursery Rhymes sound in the song. 

In the middle of the song there are few variations from the theme. First the middle was too simple, after we made the variations, we noticed that there aren't very many original themes in the song. During the tests variations sounded a bit strange during first time you listened the song. The strange feeling from the variations vanished very quickly, so we decided to leave them to the final play. 

Rudolf "Rednose" Reindeer
Composed : Johnny Marks [USA] - 1949

Worked quite a lot with the arrangement before we accepted the play to the Ransom Notes. The old version had been on the site almost every Christmas, the original play had lost most of it's attraction. At least in the ears of the regular visitors and listeners.

Added Jingle Bells and Ghosts to the song. Thought quite a many times if we should make a "mind blowing" new version from the song. But eventually we decided to leave the song to the EP as an ordinary song. 

Here Comes Santa Claus
Composed : Gene Autry & Oakley Haldeman [USA] - 1946

Here Comes Santa Claus is not as worn as Rudolf Reindeer. It hasn't been on the site every Christmas.

Initially played the song with original arrangement, with minor changes, without Ghost Boxes. After we got other songs ready for the first plays, we returned to this and decided to make a whole new version for the Ransom Notes.

O'Tannenbaum
Composed : Ernst Anschütz [GER] - 1824

Old German waltz praises Christmas Tree or Christmas Fir. Song has a very short theme, which is repeated many times under the lyrics. You get bored with the instrumental version from the song rather quickly. Just like we did with the old arrangement.

Added Ghost Drums and Boxes to the song. Took some elements from the Ghost Opera and our arrangements from the National Anthems.

With this song, and after rather long thoughts and talks, we dropped one power track from the final play. It was in the middle of the song. It wasn't that good and in the long run the song sounded better without the track.

BONUS TRACK
Here Comes Santa Claus
[Space Covers mix]

This is the original Ransom Note version from the song.  Arranged to the Space Covers sound.

The song was ready made and practiced. Not very likely that there will be a day when we return to the Space Covers sound again. So we decided to add song in to EP.

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? Bonus song : If the EP ever has commercial distribution, you pay only for the four songs, if you bought more than one song from the EP, you would get the bonus song for free. 

- - Few words about the releases - -

One thing in our plays have traditionally been the over reactors. 
When a person who is new to our music,  hears the music for the first time, there is a danger that the new listener over reacts to the music :
You start to do things, you do not usually do. The bonus song leads you out from the most powerful emotional stages.

If you want to keep your really good thumbs up feelings, you do not have to listen the bonus song.