Album Review - Paul McCartney's Egypt Station

By now you have probably read all the reviews, describing McCartney's 18th solo effort as either his greatest album released in decades or just another generic entry into his lengthy and impressive catalog.  My personal opinion is that it is a mix of both.

Generally speaking, I have found his last three albums (excluding Kisses on the Bottom) to be very good, and in that regard this album is no exception.  Through a first listen, I found myself enjoying the sounds of each track, some more than others.  There were times where I would think to myself that some of the songs were too McCartney-ish.  The lyrics felt superficial and forced but McCartney pulls it off because he knows how to craft a song with catchy melodies and rhythms.  I believe his co-written tracks stand out on this album and in my opinion his collaborations are wonderful exercises at reigning in all that Macca fluff. 

The Good:

I originally pre-ordered the album off of Amazon when I heard of the release but when I read a couple days ago that Target \got an exclusive with two additional tracks I initially balked, but when I was shopping the other day I couldn't resist when I saw it was on sale.  A quick listen in the car had me wondering why McCartney left perhaps his two best tracks off of the wider release.  Even my 5-year-old son was singing along by the time we got home.  One of the tracks, "Get Started," was a solo effort that is not risky but a wonderful pop tune, but "Nothing For Free" was a pleasant surprise and made me searching for the writing credits when I got home.  While it was one of the few co-written tracks with Ryan Tedder, it sounded modern yet uniquely Paul, and I personally would have led with this as one of the first singles, along with "Fuh You," which once you get past the novelty of the controversy is quite catchy.  Collaborations tend to reign McCartney in (see works with artists like John Lennon, Youth, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, etc.)  For some reason the final track makes me think of his Press To Play album and his single for "Spies Like Us," and that's a good thing.

"Back in Brazil" has some catchy rhythms and features some typical McCartney story telling lyrics but definitely stands out.  The synth line is catchy and the beat is fun.  For some reason I find this track reminiscent of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana."

"I Don't Know" and "Come On To Me" are great in their own right and also make wonderful A-Sides, although I find the ending of the latter to sound a bit forced while still a little fun to sing. 

"People Want Peace" sounded very formulaic but catchy and fits well with some of his earlier peace-related songs, like "Pipes of Peace." 

"Happy With You," "Hand In Hand," "Who Cares," and "Do It Now" are also fine songs that are very complimentary to the rest of the album and do not feel like filler.

"Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link" is also another good title but the sum of the parts does not equate to a great song.  I found that it opens up to a great rocker with a great beat but it abruptly enters into the slower paced "Naked," which in turn awkwardly flows into "C-Link."  While McCartney is known for playing with medleys, this one felt a little unfinished and rough around the edges.  Had those parts been fully developed into three separate tracks I feel that they would be stronger additions to this album.

The Bad

I really don't believe any of the tracks to be categorically bad.  I didn't really care much for the instrumental "Station" tracks but found them pleasant when I realized they were playing and was too late to skip to the next song.  I would more accurately describe the rest of this album as just "okay."

"Confidante" is one of those songs where I enjoy listening to it until I start to listen to the lyrics and I find myself questioning the author.  The song is heartfelt but feels silly at the same time. 

"Dominoes" is also an okay song but after a few listenings did not stand out.  I am sure it will be one of those songs that will pop up on a future random playlist, I give it a listen, I enjoy it, and then it goes back into the vault for next random encounter.

"Caesar Rock" sounds food but just kind of generic.  After hearing it sung you can hear the play on words - "She's a Rock" - but it doesn't sound as groundbreaking or original as many of his other songs.  I would probably classify this as "filler."

"Despite Repeated Warnings" is also another fine entry.  A medley of sorts, this song has gotten attention as being a shot at President Trump.  I love the song and some of the hooks.  It has some points where I am reminded of his past medleys like "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" but like the other medley on this album I find the transitions to be a bit abrupt for my liking.  Still a great listen.

Overall

I find this to be a great album with great replay quality.  There are instant personal hits that I will be singing for years and I would definitely love to see some of these tracks performed live.  For being in his mid-seventies, McCartney keeps a busy schedule and it feels like eons since his last solid release.  Albums like Kisses on the Bottom are pleasant surprises but take a bit to warm up to.  I personally love his collaborations, both past and present, and hope that he does more in the future, in part hoping that doing so will help keep a healthy output of McCartney material for years to come.


   

Instrument Review - Fisher SC-310 (with SCK-30) a.k.a. Sanyo KBX-7

As a child who grew up in the eighties there were two main electronics that I had in my bedroom - a keyboard and a stereo cassette deck a.k.a. a "boom box."  The keyboard I had in question was a Casio PT-87.  As for the boom box, I couldn't tell you what I had.  It most likely was a hand me down from my brothers as they upgraded their equipment but there is one thing I can tell you - I used those two things almost daily, sometimes in conjunction so it is only logical for electronics companies of that era to combine the two and make the ultimate device in home recording and playing - a stereo deck with a built in musical keyboard.

I have found three different examples online of this amazing yet forgotten piece of synthesizer (and stereo) history - the Casio KX-101, Casio CK-200 & CK-500, Sharp MR-990, and the Fisher SC-310 (with SCK-30 stereo music composer).

Casio KX-101

Casio CK-200

Casio CK-500

Sharp MR-990

Fisher SC-310

All of these keyboards each have some distinctions in sound (although not much being that they are early-to-mid eighties square wave synths) and they have some varying features, although very little information can be found about these suckers.  The Casio KX-101 comes with a keyboard attached to the bottom and provides for 4-note polyphony, some rhythms, arpeggios, and chords.  From my understanding, the Casio keyboards also allow for the playing to be recorded onto the internal cassette deck (although I have read on some websites that this is not true).  I am uncertain about the Sharp mode but will be reviewing the Fisher SCK-30 because that is the only keyboard currently in my possession, however I will not be able to review the cassette deck features because I have only acquired the keyboard.  

Build

Unlike the Casios, the Fisher keyboard is detachable, which is nice.  For a small generic keyboard it feels relatively solid and possesses a decent weight (especially with the 5 AA batteries added).  The mini-keys sit close but feel responsive to the touch, the sliders feel firm, and the buttons on par with any other kind of toy keyboard of that time.

Cosmetics

This thing definitely has the aesthetics from a nineteen eighties stereo company.  The glossy black plastic that covers the top is definitely a change from the drab gray boxes Casio was dropping on the market (whatever happened to those cream-colored or wood-grain Casiotones?)  The features are clearly labeled and the LCD display is nice enough to even display a staff so that you know what note you are playing and where it is located.  My only complaint is that on the far left of the keyboard are nine bullet points describing the features of the keyboard.  I could understand if Fisher decided to eternally emblazon onto the face of their keyboard directions, being that they were not known for making keyboards and the memory play features of these early keyboards can be somewhat confusing, being that they require a sequence of buttons pressed, but bullet points that could be best left for the back of a box or a magazine advertisement?

Sound 

The sounds of the voices are that of an inexpensive analog toy keyboard but are slightly different than some of the other keyboards like this out there and considering some of the features, these sounds can be welcomed into one's synthesizer orchestra.  I wouldn't be surprised if under the hood this thing had some early Casio or Yamaha circuitry.  While they may not be the first chair, they definitely can provide some dynamics or accents to a song.  The rhythms are especially nice - particularly the several rhythms with added arpeggios.  As a fan of vintage rhythm machines, I find these numerous rhythms to be fun and enjoyable and after several minutes of playing around with the features I came up with several ideas for some songs (I had to stop myself being that I have countless unfinished projects already).

Features

This is where this keyboard shines.  While this instrument is monophonic with sounds that sometimes make a Casio VL-1 sound warm, it comes with 8 preset voices, 18 different rhythms, chord function (in a typical organ set up and not integrated into the keyboard like later home keyboards), and when the chord buttons are played along with a rhythm you get kind of a walking bass.  Personally I like the chord section resembling that of an organ versus occupying an octave on the lower end of the keyboard.  For an individual like myself who is not a trained pianist, having these non-conventional setups helps facilitate the creation of music in an easy and recognizable way.  While there is no fill option for the rhythms, it is easy to change rhythms mid-song to provide for some variation.  I also thought it interesting that one of the rhythm options is "enka," which presumably references the Japanese musical style, although I am not sure.  I was just surprised to see this option as I have never seen it appear on any other keyboard in my possession.

There are sliders for master volume, rhythm, and chord, transpose and tempo buttons, and perhaps the most interesting aspect of this keyboard - memory recording which allows for the playing of up to 508 notes into 8 different sections that can be stored on a cassette loaded into the accompanying stereo.  It is also believed that you can record your playing directly onto the cassette.

While not a part of the stereo, the keyboard only has a left and right RCA jack and no plug for external power.  While there is a battery compartment for 5 AA batteries, it appears this is because the keyboard is intended to be used in conjunction with the stereo.  From researching, it appears that when docked into the stereo the keyboard consumes less of the batteries and has a longer life but it I am uncertain if the batteries are required while docked.  While this is unfortunate, having the keyboard detachable is a positive, being that should the stereo component die you do not also lose an instrument and modifying the keyboard for external power or expanded audio out features would not be terribly difficult to perform and would be possible by a novice technician.

Overall

Overall I think this keyboard is a must have for any collector.  Personally I would choose this one over the Casios (although the KX-101 would make an excellent shelf piece since the keyboard is forward facing).  The sounds may not make this as desirable to some but the features packed into this small keyboard are a plus.  It may not be a centerpiece of a band but it can definitely provide for some interesting music or some level of variation should one choose to utilize the rhythms and while the audio output options are limited, having RCA outs does provide for a nice clean sound.  The portability is a positive for this keyboard.  While the battery life could pose a nuisance, as mentioned above it could be easy to modify, and even not, I do not see this keyboard being used to draft a symphonic masterpiece.  Intermittent use may prove the battery issue a non-issue.

Looking at just the SCK-30, I would recommend if you can find this at a low price (somewhere under the $30 range), or with the SC-310, possibly somewhere under $100.  Since this is not a Casio, you may be able to find this relatively cheap (I got my keyboard $20).  Personally, I love the forward facing KX-101 with all of its buttons, dials, and sliders.  A close second in aesthetics would be the Sharp with the retractable keyboard (those buttons and sliders again do it for me).  The problem is that those keyboards, while similar, tend to go for much more.  The Fisher can get you into the ballpark for a fraction of the price.

Gallery

Instrument Review - Stylophone 350s

The Stylophone is a peculiar instrument.  A buzzy lo-fi gimmicky toy that is operated by a stylus.  Many famous musicians have used it and it has had a kind of resurgence of late with the reissue of the original plus a new beat box version as well as a high-tech modern version.

But what about the forgotten big brother of the Stylophone - the Stylophone 350s?

It is as if someone decided to get serious about the original and turn it into a big boy instrument.  In addition to added voices (using foot length like a home organ), it also featured simple decay, vibrato and reiteration (controlled by a second stylus!) as well as perhaps its most interesting feature - the photo control.  That clear plastic bit above the volume knob allows a player to use the photovoltaic cell to adjust volume or vibrato giving the instrument some versatility.

The 350s also has a tuning dial and has 3 1/4" jacks for the input of external sound, a pedal, or for output to connect directly to recording gear.

The sound can get scratchy and punctuated with the stylus and its simplicity may not be enough for some but it does have a surprisingly warm tone when compared to other simple instruments like an cheap Casio keyboard from the 80s.  I credit its warmth to the fact that it is an analog instrument and is definitely worth having if you are looking for a unique and vintage sound.

Instrument Review - Bontempi X-451

This review is on the classic Bontempi X-451!

Is this keyboard a classic?

Possibly not.  Little information is out there about this keyboard.  Actually, the only mention regarding this keyboard I can find is really other people looking for information regarding this keyboard.  The closest thing I got to finding out about this piece is from the Table Hooters website discussing the Bontempi Minstrel Beta.

The Minstrel Beta had many of the design features of the X-451 - pull-out handle, keyboard cover, detachable battery compartment*, and basically overall design.  I am not sure if this is normal but where the detachable compartment is on the Minstrel Beta, the X-451 has a strange detachable proprietary power supply that has a brown un-polarized two pronged plug coming out of the gray box.  I thought this was strange because the keyboard features a DC 12v input on the side that accepts a standard jack and no place for batteries anywhere, which leads me to believe the back power supply was an upgrade option at the time this thing was on the shelves.  Since this thing has a couple more voices and features, as well as a couple more octaves, it leads me to believe this was a kind of Minstrel Deluxe.

So, with that being said, let me get on with the description of the features, starting from right to left so that I may finish with perhaps my favorite feature of this keyboard.

So this keyboard has 10 voices: organ, brass, oboe, violin, piano, harpsichord, guitar, banjo, space, and vibes.

According to Table Hooters, the Minstrel Beta featured some complex analog multi-chip electronics and so when comparing this keyboard to other inexpensive brands at the time, like Casio, it comes to a surprise that Bontempi (which is kind of like the Italian equivalent of cheap Casio keyboards) has a somewhat warmer sound than what you might expect.  Piano through vibes are kind of standard fare and offer some nice sounds but I find the organ, brass, oboe, and violin to shine - especially in the lower registers where you can get some nice bass square waves.  The brass has that "brill" sound upon playing a note that quickly subsides that does not appear again until you lift up on all the keys and play again.  The Bontempi's brass has a tone slightly reminiscent of my Siel Orchestra - another Italian gem from the same era.

Each tone also has two parameters that can alter the sound - vibrato off and sustain.  Personally I find the envelope on the sustain to be quite long and can sometimes cause the sounds to become overwhelming but you can switch this function on and off while playing so that it is possible to get some nice effects from it.  The vibrato is pretty subtle and adds some nice variation to some of the voices.

Basically, while the sounds may seem dated, they have a nuance to them that differentiates them from a Casio or Yamaha of the time.  I find them to be more dimensional than an early Casio.

The rhythm section features 8 rhythms - waltz, tango, march, swing, slow rock, disco rock, bossanova, and samba.

The rhythms have that nice analog sound and are slightly different than the early arranger keyboards and rhythm machines of the era.  There is an "intro fill in" that offers an unimpressive fill, in my opinion, but can be used in the right circumstances.

There is also a "rhythm start" button and a "rhythm synchro."  having a rhythm button depressed the start would immediately play where as the synchro button activates the rhythm as you play a note on any of the keys below the split.  Hold down a key and the rhythm continues but if you strike a key quickly you can get a pretty nice drum hit with the note played allowing for some interesting arrangements.

The following section is where I believe this keyboard shines - the easy play buttons.

   

The first three buttons are "full keyboard," "free bass & chord," and "single finger chord."

"Full keyboard" allows for the playing of the voice on every key of the keyboard.

"Free bass & chord" seems to split the keyboard but it does not seem as though the notes played are bass notes but offer a different voice for accompaniment similar to that of the organ sound.

"Single finger chord" allows for the keys below the split to play chords much like the old chord organs Bontempi was known for and many of the early electronic pianos and organs used to help familiarize themselves with home audiences.

The next section features "arpeggio," "walking bass," "memory," and "single finger orchestra."

The "arpeggio" offers pleasant accompaniment.  The mix can be altered by both an "arpeggio volume" slider and a "balance" slider, with the latter making giving either the arpeggio or rhythm greater prevalence.  When the volume is lowered it still leaves the rhythm note playing.

"Memory" allows for you to press a key and keep the note playing until you press another note.

"Single finger orchestra" pretty much extends the "single finger chord" feature to the entire keyboard, seemingly playing the notes depressed on the left with each key on the right but allowing you to only play one key at a time.

I was not certain what the "walking bass" function did since the keyboard seemed to respond the same whether it was on or off.  It is possible that it provides a subtle difference in how the rhythm is played or sounded but my ears could not tell the difference.

The "easy play" features provide for great versatility and ease of use.  For instance, while the rhythm may be limited, one could use the synchro feature and depress or lift up on the keys at varying intervals to create a unique rhythm or sound, or switch from the various easy play modes to give variation to the notes played.  Also, if you become familiar with the rhythms, you can let go of the keys and switch notes starting the sequence of notes all over again.  This "feature" is kind of mentioned in the Minstrel Beta review and I suppose someone patient enough to deal with a limited arranger from the early 80s can take this keyboard the distance.

This keyboard features 1/4" aux out, expression pedal, and earphone outs on the right so it is possible to hook this up to external recording devices or amplifiers with ease.  I had found that the speaker on this keyboard was sufficient and achieved a good volume when pushed to the max.  No rattling or distortion like with the Seiko DS-202.  

The build on this keyboard appears to be pretty sturdy.  It definitely has a good weight and appears as though it can take a beating.  While my keyboard lacks the keyboard cover, I suppose having that shield in place can prolong the life of the keys.  The feel of the keys also is not that bad.  I have found that some of the keyboards with longer keys have a different feel depending on how far out the plastic comes from underneath.  For instance, in many Casio keyboards with full-sized keys, while the surface of the keys are full length, sometimes the keys hang out almost 1.5" from where they  meet the keyboard shell giving it a less natural feel.  Another nice feature is that the keyboard features note names on a sticker stretching the length of the instrument. 

Overall, I would think that if one was searching a Bontempi keyboard this one would be the way to go.  While they were known for cheap sounds, as keyboards moved away from analog and more towards PCM or sampled sounds, the unique sounds of the early synthesizers was lost and instruments started sounding exactly alike.  Just think of the countless small Casio keyboards from the 80s and 90s - you only need to find a select few to give you a full assortment of sounds from those manufacturers.  Bontempi was no different.  Their later keyboards seem standardized but the early ones had character, with the X-451 possessing all the positive qualities of the various Minstrel, MB, HB, and X models.  

I suppose this would be an interesting keyboard to circuit bend as well, seeing as though there are plenty of analog components and plenty of room for some well-placed modifications.  

Here is a preview of the sounds of the X-451 in a song I was working on:

Instrument Review - Seiko DS-202

Update 9/23/2016!

I had recently acquired a second DS-202.  While all the rhythms and sounds work, the presets are rather generic and the speakers still rattle when the volume is increased, especially when accompaniment is added to the rhythm.  

Also, looking at the serial numbers, some of the keys have a slightly different color stripe, where instead of being greenish they are bluish in color and some of the yellow stripes are white.

The 1980s were an interesting time for synthesizers.  Not only did you have the rise of things like MIDI and digital processing, but new manufacturers entered the fold too, like electronic watch makers Casio and Seiko.

Seiko?

That's right.  The Seiko Corporation got into the synthesizer game back in 1983 and released several
odd digital synthesizers.  They were the DS-101, DS-202, and DS-250.  They also sold three add-on modules - the DS-310, which was an additive synthesis attachment, the DS-320 which was a sequencer, and the DS-1000 MIDI Digital Sequencer, and the SIB-1, with capabilities unknown at this time.  All of the add-ons attached via a very short ribbon cable into two ports on the back of the synthesizer.  There were also several cartridges that plugged into the DS-320 that added various sounds.  They were the SRC-10, DMC-2, and perhaps some others that may be floating out there.

There really isn't much information on this synthesizer but from what little there is known, it appears that the sound generation technology for this line was originally developed by Gray Laboratories, the additive synthesis engine was eventually sold to Seiko.  What makes this interesting is that at the time additive synthesis, a method in which timbre is created by adding sine waves together, was used by highly expensive synthesizers like the NED Synclavier, which retailed for five figures.  The Seiko DS synths were released for a fraction of the cost and had some very interesting features.

Let's start with the DS-202 -

The DS-202 has several sections labeled on the top panel of the keyboard - EFFECT, INSTRUMENTS, AUTO BASS CHORD, RHYTHM, and FUNCTION.

EFFECT

This EFFECT section features 3 sliders that can alter chorus, vibrato, and sustain, with a button to add delay to the vibrato.  One peculiar thing, in my opinion, is that on all the sliders of this synthesizer, the minimum is located at the top and the maximum is located on the bottom.  The same goes for rhythm tempo, with one pushing up to decrease the speed.

Anyway, these features seem to offer very little to the tone.  The chorus effects are nice and provide a little variation to the various voices but the vibrato seems almost negligible.  Same goes for the sustain, but than again that may be because my DS-202 appears to have some malfunctioning buttons, which leads me to the next section.

INSTRUMENTS

The INSTRUMENTS section features ten voices: piano, organ, harpsichord, flute, strings, electric piano, jazz organ, vibraphone, clarinet, and brass.  Pretty standard fare for a synthesizer of this time.  The sounds generated aren't spectacular and are reminiscent of a Casio from this era.  Sadly I can only seem to get sound out of half of my buttons and what comes out is clean.  Having the ability to add the effects mentioned above is a nice feature but the quality isn't anything to write home about and would probably have been disappointing had this keyboard been purchased at its full original retail, which I have read floated around one thousand dollars.

AUTO BASS CHORD

Like its fellow Casio keyboards, this featured a little accompaniment section that gave the four different modes: normal, simple finger chord, key split, and sound mix.  There is also a slider called "ABC VOLUME BALANCE," which would seem to work with the sound mix option, where one could mix two of the instruments together, although that feature does not appear to be working on my synth, or if it is, works very poorly.  Then there are four buttons - hold, variation, chord off, and tone set.

Personally, I found this section to be pretty much useless.  The chords are lackluster and dull sounding, and when played in conjunction with the rhythm feature no variation whatsoever.  Press a key and a chord is just repeatedly played with the beat.  The hold feature would hold a note below the key split but that is it and I can't quite figure out the other buttons.  Again, I do not know if this is because my synthesizer appears to be broken, but from what is coming out of the speakers I am not that impressed.

RHYTHM

This is the only section of the keyboard that I actually enjoyed.  The beats have that analog drum machine sound, and who knows - the drums may be analog.  I peaked inside the synth and saw a bunch of resistors and such on a board so it is quite possible that Seiko utilized some analog features in this keyboard.  I personally enjoy analog drums and found the rhythms to be nice.  The accompaniment doesn't really add much and I would probably recommend sampling the rhythms for use with a more capable synth, like the DS-202's big brother, the DS-250.

If you were curious, here are the various rhythms: 8 beat, 16 beat, waltz, Latin, Latin 2, swing, 2 beat, and slow rock.

FUNCTION

The final section features just one button and one slider: a key transpose button and the total volume.


Another feature of this synthesizer are the speakers.  I would probably rate these higher than a standard Casio synth.  When played to the fullest, the sound came out clear but some notes seemed to rattle the case.  While some people have complained about the construction of these keyboards, I have found them to be pretty decent (except for mine, which features a giant hole on the bottom where someone may have dropped it on the edge of a table, and perhaps causing the issue surrounding my non-functioning buttons.

Another odd feature of this synthesizer is that the outputs and power are located on the side.  I like having these to the side of a keyboard for the sake of accessibility.  I'm sure they are on this one because the back is occupied by the add-on modules but I wouldn't complain if this became standard on other synths.  On the side there is a pitch adjustment, RCA audio out (for stereo) or a 1/4" jack for mono output, as well as 1/4" jacks for sustain and expression and perhaps the most hated thing about this synthesizer - the proprietary power supply jack.  Not only does this synthesizer use a 4-pin DIN male plug, it also requires a 13.8v 1a supply.  I was able to find parts to manufacture my own but many people seem to cannibalize auctions and sell the power supply piecemeal for a profit.

To sum up this synthesizer, Mercury is to Ford as Seiko is to Casio*, but here is the sad part, where Seiko seems to have tried for the high-end home keyboard arranger market, the synthesizer (at least the DS-101 and DS-202) seem to be the equivalent of a cheap Casio manufactured a couple years later with some editable features but overall an interesting synthesizer.  I am sure the DS-310 adds plenty to this synthesizer but I would much rather utilize those add-ons on the DS-250, which will be featured in a separate review.

Here is a preview of the sounds of the Seiko DS-202 in a song project I was working on: