2 Odd Meter Songs - What do you think?

[Aaron Cheney]

I recently got a jones to try my hand at writing in odd meter.
The songs are posted here:

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/213/aaron_cheney.html

The first is "If You Say Were Through". It's in 7/8 during the verses, and then it switches between 4/4 and 7/8 every other bar during the chorus.

The second is "Bad Luck...Good Story". It's in 7/8 except for one bar in each pre-chorus that is 9/8 (I think).

Anyway, I would love any criticism I can get on any aspect of these songs: melody, hook, arrangement, or even (gulp) my singing.

Thanks,
Aaron
http://www.aaroncheney.com

[pvolcko]

If You Say We're Through - I really liked this song rhythmically and melodically. Instrumental and vocals are good. I did not like the "woo" sound in the background during choruses... It detracted from the overall feel of the song I thought. Well done otherwise.

Bad Luck... Good Story - Again the rhythm and melody and overall arrangment were very good. I didn't dig the vocal work on this one as much as I did in the first. No annoying background noises this time, very good! I liked the pre-choruses on this a lot. Your instrumental work is very strong.

I could see paying money for this. Has a kind of Dave Mathews feel to it. Accenting and general groove remind me of stuff off Under the Table and off Crash.

[drstawl]

Beautifully recorded. The vocals sat really well in the mix.

I didn't like that monkey noise percussion patch, either.

Not my favorite use of 7/4, but it works.

Was that a miced nylon string guitar on the lead? Very Nice.

If so: What'd you use to mic it?

On Bad Luck I thought that pre chorus stayed in 7: 123, 123, 123, 123, 12 = 14.

I think both of these are the best vocals I've heard of your stuff.

[Aaron Cheney]

Thanks, guys.

The monkey noise is a sample of an african or latin percussion instrument, but I can't remember the name. It is like a drum with a rubber head that you draw a tube through. As you move the tupe in and out it makes that weird squeeky sound. It's the same instrument you can hear on "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" by Paul Simon, or "Englishman in New York" by Sting. I really liked it, but now I'm getting scared. Maybe just in the bridge?

As far as the nylon string goes, it's a combination of mic'ed and direct. I have a Yaman APX10-NA. I ran one signal direct from the built in pre-amp, and then I mic'ed it using a AKG C3000B. For the leads I just blended the signal to taste (mostly mic'ed). For the rythm I panned the direct hard L, the mic'ed hard R, and then I used Cakewalk's "Slide" command to slide the direct signal forward a few ticks to create a wide chorused sound.

I'm curious, did anyone notice Satan's voice in "Bad Luck...Good Story", or was it just too subtle? Where S8N when you really need him?

Thanks again,
Aaron
http://www.aaroncheney.com