There was a preview in the Vic Chesnutt thread but in this thread we are going to post the final mixes of the Nic & Hon project. I don’t know if any of you remember a thread in which Miguel posted a list of the best covers ever (an issue that pops up now and then on our beloved forum). I included on my list the Ry Cooder version of the traditional Mexican tune “Canción Mixteca” for the “Paris Texas” soundtrack. Nicolas told us that he loved that tune and he sang it at home that night. I replied that I could play it on guitar… et voilà! The Nic & Hon project was born.
Two or three years after that conversation I could finally find the time to record the instrumental backing in Ontinyent (Valencia) at “La Casa de Jesús” (my brother’s home) in two brief sessions on 10/12/09 and 11/06/09. Nicolas recorded his vocal part in another two sessions in Paris at “Chez Antoine” (a Nicolas’ friend home) on 01/02/10 and 02/20/10. I did add some new instrumentation (including an accordion part played by my friend Esteve, the rest of the instruments and voices were played by Nicolas and me) in Valencia at “Estudios La Sala” on 03/04/10 and 03/11/10 and finally yesterday (03/15/10) we did the final mix.
Yes, we did it together finally, we are now having the official fifth AM meeting after the ones at Valencia (Henrik and me), Paris (Greg and Nicolas), Sydney (Moonbeam and Moeboid) and Stockholm (Henrik and me again). Nicolas and his (charming) family came to my house during the Fallas celebration (just like Henrik the year before) and we’re having a great time together. Like the Marley song, “sun is shining, the weather is sweet, make you want to move your dancing feet”. And, in less than three days we have already shared not only the studio but even the stage, Nic joined The Tweeters (one of the bands I use to play now and then) for some songs in a live performance on the street.



(with the African instruments and Cyann, Nicolas' daughter playing the djembe)

So here is the first NicandHon song, that “Canción Mixteca” that ignited the project. I played two Spanish guitars parts and an acoustic guitar one and my friend Esteve recorded an accordion part (with a traditional diatonic one, not the more usual chromatic accordion). And Nicolas recorded an excellent vocal take (including backing vocals) with a delicious accent. Nicolas is a great singer, you’re about to realize it…

Hi, Nicolas speaking now. Great time here in Spain with Honorio and his family in their beautiful house. Sun is shining, yes, after the harsh French winter. We´re also enjoying the Fallas celebration in the city and its surroundings. The kids get along very well although they don’t speak the same language. And of course we finished the demos.
See you tomorrow for another song, en Français this time.

Canción Mixteca

I've just heard the song, and it's really wonderful!. Both the instrumental and vocal parts is great. And I think I can be proud of being, in some way, the starting point of this project.
¡Enhorabuena, chicos!

Wow, really good.

beautiful! great stuff, guys

Maravilloso!

I'm sure you have a wonderful time in Valencia, Nicolas. I'm really longing back to last year and the wonderful days we had!

Now Hanna comes and wants to look at the smileys.

Hi

Live from Honorio´s house where everyone had a lot of sleep after a day spent walking in the streets of Valencia. It is Fallas week, a big holiday, and big colorful statues are planted everywhere: beautiful and lively, because everybody´s going out.

Here is another song we recorded: Vic Chesnutt´s "Guilty By Association", a different mix from the one we posted earlier, with my vocals (Honorio didn´t want to keep his although I found them quite good).

Finally, thanks to AM, life is not only about making music lists but also about meeting wonderful people !

Guilty By Association

A discography of the "Acclaimed Music label" would be fun. Something like

ACMU001: Nic & Hon - Canción Mixteca
ACMU002: Nic & Hon - Guilty by Association

However, these aren't the first songs, maybe they are ACMU005 and ACMU006 or something. There are at least solo projects from both Nic and Hon, and I think someone else also recorded a song a long time ago. Anyone who's got a better memory?

it really, REALLY was long overdue...



upthumb you, guys!

Good one, nj!!

When I was a child the kids on my school used to have fun about one of our teachers that resembled a lot to Mortadelo. And now I realize that year after year I look myself like Mortadelo too!!
But the thing that surprises me the most is how did you get to know about that Spanish comic book of Mortadelo and Filemón? They are very popular in Spain but (I suppose) not in Germany…

They have been published in a lot of countries, I know them too but as "Paling & Ko", the Germans know them as "Clever & Smart".

Excellent songs Nicorio!

Beautiful song "Canción mixteca"

Congratulations to the artists Nicolas, Honorio and Esteve.

You can not say "sentimiento" with more sentimiento.

I do not know the original version, but your version of "Guilty by Association" is great.

Tim Buckley is not dead! He is in Valencia.

As a falla?

Time for a third song. Moreover, that’s my favourite. It’s a cover of Georges Brassens, a song that was selected in our Top 10 for 1953, “La Marine”. Une belle chanson about one-night love affairs comparing it with loves that last forever only to find that they are the same, with the same joy and the same pain but in miniature.
This is the song I’m more proud of. I recorded two tracks of Spanish guitars, one rhythmic and other with little flourishes and I’ve recorded a part with the midi guitar of my brother that sounds like a music box (but it’s really a guitar too!). My brother Jesús made a great work arranging my arpeggios, he took out most of the notes that I’ve played letting only some notes as replying to the voice (many thanks, Jesús!!).
And Nico recorded a beautiful vocal part on his lower register with a soft voice that only rise beautifully on the last verse. Congratulations, Nic!! He told that he was quite uncomfortable with that voice (like seeing you naked on You Tube, he said) but I think all of you are going to agree with me that he made a great work.

The lyrics and the English translation:

La marine
Poème de Paul Fort

On les r'trouve en raccourci,
Dans nos p'tits amours d'un jour,
Toutes les joies, tous les soucis
Des amours qui dur'nt toujours!
C'est là l'sort de la marine
Et de tout's nos petit's chéries.
On accoste. Vite! un bec
Pour nos baisers, l'corps avec.

Et les joies et les bouderies,
Les fâcheries, les bons retours,
Il y a tout, en raccourci,
Des grands amours dans nos p'tits.
On a ri, on s'est baisés
Sur les neunoeils, les nénés,
Dans les ch'veux à pleins bécots,
Pondus comm' des oeufs, tout chauds.

Tout c'qu'on fait dans un seul jour!
Et comme on allonge le temps!
Plus d'trois fois, dans un seul jour,
Content, pas content, content.
Y' a dans la chambre une odeur
D'amour tendre et de goudron.
Ça vous met la joie au coeur,
La peine aussi, et c'est bon.

On n'est pas la pour causer
Mais on pens', même dans l'amour.
On pens' que d'main il f'ra jour,
Et qu'c'est une calamité.
C'est là l'sort de la marine,
Et de tout's nos petit's chéries.
On s'accoste. Mais on devine
Qu'ça n'sera pas le paradis.

On aura beau s'dépécher,
Faire, bon Dieu! la pige au temps,
Et l'bourrer d'tous nos péchés
Ça n'sera pas ça; et pourtant
Toutes les joies, tous les soucis
Des amours qui dur'nt toujours,
On les r'trouve en raccourci
Dans nos p'tits amours d'un jour.

© 1953 Ed. Intersong-Paris
Musique G. Brassens


The Navy
Poem by Paul Fort

We find in miniature
In our little one-day love affairs
All the joy and all the pain
Of loves which last for ever.
That's the fate of us sailors
And of all our little loves
You dock, quick a mouth
For our kisses and a body too.

And the pleasures, the sulks,
The quarrels and then making it up,
All this you'll find in miniature
Great love affairs in our little loves.
We've had a laugh, we've kissed each other
On the eyelids, on the breasts,
And in her hair, plenty of kisses
Laid there like warm, new-laid eggs.

We do everything that can be done in a single day,
And, as we stretch time out as far as possible,
More than three times in a single day,
Happy, unhappy, happy again!
In the bedroom, there is a scent
Of love and of tar.
It floods your heart with joy
And with pain as well, and that's a good thing.

We're not here to spend time chatting,
But even while making love we think
That tomorrow another day will dawn
And that's a calamity
That's the fate of us sailors
And of all our little loves
You chat someone up, but you've guessed already
That it can't be paradise.

It's no good trying to hurry,
Trying to leave time standing still,
And packing it full of our little sins.
It just won't happen; and yet,
All the joy and all the pain
Of loves which last for ever,
You'll find them in miniature
In our little one-day love affairs.

© 2000 Dr. Ted Neather (with changes from Nicolas Lejeune)
This translation aims to convey meaning and not attempt poetry or song.


And the song, of course: La Marine

I will try to embed an audio player as soon as possible so that you can hear all the songs in a row.
I can't use my usual player because it is Java Script and it doesn't seem to work here
Anybody knows of a player we could use here ?

Last song is a Springsteen cover from “Nebraska” album, the album closer “Reason to Believe”. It includes acoustic guitars, slide, harmonica (played by Nicolas), finger-snapping, hand-clapping and tambourine. Hope you liked our demo.
Comments are welcome, especially the positive ones.

Reason to Believe

Reason To Believe is hands down my favorite Springsteen song. I'll be listening to this when I get home!

Have you heard the last 2 tracks or what ? No reactions ?? Do the links work ?

I hoped there would be more comments...

I'm back in Paris now after a fantastic week in Valencia. The 5th AM meeting was, as the others before, a great one...

Those last two are brilliant. Who sang them? "La Marine" is very haunting, while "Reason To Believe" is great as well. Sounds like you had a great time!

Merci, Nicolas. Yes, it was great for me too being for a while le roi du chateau and enjoy the company of le p’tit chevalier de l’épée bleue Basile and la belle princesse de la maison rose Cyann.

Many thanks to the compliments so far, still waiting for more!!

And now ACMU005, another cover but this time from my band, Bordes Libres. A demo that we recorded two years ago for a project with other 3 bands as an homage to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (although we chose songs from Young solo career) that finally was left unissued. The first song (that we recently posted on You Tube) was recorded with me on guitars and percussion, Pepe Mallent on vocals and the special collaboration of Jesús (my bro) on mandolin and Miquel on harmonica.



Hey, Nicolas, we should make You Tube videos of the songs! It enhances it a lot. But I’m not good at making it, any volunteers?
In fact, why not make an AM Forum official video? We can send images or videos of us to a mail address and some volunteer could do the editing. Why not? Is someone willing to do this?

That's some really good stuff guys. I especially like the Springsteen cover and La Marine. But that Neil Young cover is just spectacular.

I finally listened to the songs. Excellent stuff guys!
I liked a lot 'vocals by Honorio' version of Guilty By Association but to be honest this new version is even better.
The midi guitar in La Marina sounds just like a music box. I want guitar like that too The vocals are incredible in that song too.
I hadn't heard Canción Mixteca before. Great almost two minutes long instrumental intro. It seems that Nicolas speaks (and sings) good (well in) Spanish too.

I learnt spanish at school, so I can pronounce it, but I don't speak it very well, i need practice, but I love this language so I'll work on it.
And I was also in favor of Honorio's vocals on "Guilty" but he prefered the other version.