Again, I like the vocal delivery, it’s got real soul.
A few nits, sorry.
Are you side-chaining the drums or doing something similar to them?
Especially evident over the intro where the hats and cross-stick get sucked down.
Not sure if that’s what’s wrong with the X-stick, but it sounds unhealthy.
The snare is getting lost, too, quite a distance away…but that’s another thing.
I like the bass lines but all the treble content is creating a few problems for me
as a listener. It’s putting the bass right up front…but then again maybe the distant snare adds
to that overall impression…and adding some noise, especially @ 0:22 and 0:27…and clashing with
the vocals on the beat at those spots.
Which brings me to the vocal alignment in a few spots, where I think the song might benefit
from some snipping into place, such as @ 0:19 “hateful”, 0:43 “cracked”…and 1:54…where
the “up” is off from the beat. A few others, but these are the main ones.
It is an odd-sounding x-stick (to me)…and later on sounds like a tennis ball being hit.
Finally, have you considered introducing some other sonic elements for more variety?
I like the organ, but was anticipating other things too.
But I do really like this song, one of your best I think. It will resonate with many.
The voice and the lyric engage me, but the song itself needs a lunar soundscape to be effective. Less is more on the bass (even though it fits) - listen to Bach.
Thanks! …and I’ll have a word with my drummer - Jamstix 3
CHeers Phil! I see Jet has made the same snare observation.
Always a good place to start! Thanks.
Generally it would seem I need to revisit the drum mix. No surprises there! (by the way, only the kick is sidechained with the bass).
Which brings me to the vocal alignment in a few spots, where I think the song might benefit
from some snipping into place, such as @ 0:19 “hateful”, 0:43 “cracked”…and 1:54…where
the “up” is off from the beat. A few others, but these are the main ones.
Mostly symptoms of first ‘composing’ vocal takes I suspect. As mentioned in a previous song thread I think what I need to do is give this one a good airing live first and then come back and do the vocal again. As I’ve discovered previously singing, thinking and reading at the same time is less than ideal for best delivery! Meanwhile I can probably quickly tweak the offending words/phrases easy enough. Well spotted!.
Finally, have you considered introducing some other sonic elements for more variety?
I like the organ, but was anticipating other things too.
Well, no… one of the reasons being that our initial intent for these Stragglers tunes was to keep them reasonably simple and uncomplicated arrangement wise, less ‘studio sounding’ and more reflective of what a four-piece might sound like live. As it happens Shayne already thinks I’ve veered well off that path with past productions as it is! We wanted to avoid too much ‘ear candy’ - though I personally like lots of it!
But I do really like this song, one of your best I think. It will resonate with many.
Cool… AND, if I/we decide to do another 5-song session at Roundhead sometime in the future… based on peoples apparent liking for this song here, I think this will definitely be part of that selection!
Cheers for your thoughts. Not quite sure what a lunar landscape would sound like though? or what Bach has to do with 21st Century retro alt pop/rock? I’ll pass on comments re: bass. He hears that occasionally about his bass lines, but they’re his ‘signature’ so highly unlikely to change! And as you say it fits…so why change it anyway?
I’m not fond of the rim click in the intro, it sounds muffled;
The overal sound is a bit ‘middy’, if you know what I mean. I think there is too much going on in there, maybe EQ the bass and the piano to take away some of the mids and see what happens.
Hi Wim! How’ve you been dude!? Aint seen you for a while!
It’s funny how us folks get particular about simple little things like a sidestick on a rim for example. A piece of wood tapped on the steel rim of a snare. So what is that supposed to sound like anyway? F*cked if I know! As it happens I actually automated in this recent mix a bit iof 1Khz EQ in an attempt to ‘un-muffle’ it, but clearly that failed!
So, you think it sounds a bit mid-rangy overall eh? That’s interesting. Hadn’t really noticed myself… but sure, I’ll play around with a bit of mid-EQ - I know you have a pretty good monitoring system and a good set of ears!
All that aside though… glad you liked the tune! It seems the song itself has been quite well-recieved, so thats encouraging.
I liked it, I think it retains the style that you’re shooting for in your songs. really cool lyrics in this one, I found myself reading them a couple times, only cause I can’t sing, lol.
promise I won’t get retentive on the mix, lol, actually I never do, just always find myself listening to the song.
I haven’t addressed this yet. I seems like Jamstix is completely losing the hats over the sidestick … it does that sometimes - drops notes. I’ll have to manually insert them…won’t take long.
Cheers . My wife things I’m completely mad when I start fussing over the nit-picky details. Things always sound the same to her… even the raw unmixed version compared to the ‘polished’ mix sound mostly the same to her ears! She doesn’t understand why I spend hours and hours on a mix when it sounds the same as it did when I started!
Nothing like a ‘real-world’ reality check now and then!
)
I see Jet has made the same snare observation.
(by the way, only the kick is sidechained with the bass).
As mentioned in a previous song thread I think what I need to do is give this one a good airing live first and then come back and do the vocal again. As I’ve discovered previously singing, thinking and reading at the same time is less than ideal for best delivery! Meanwhile I can probably quickly tweak the offending words/phrases easy enough. Well spotted!.