Alright, man. I was refraining from joining in, but this thread keeps popping up so here goes, and this is truly objective. My comments are from the standpoint of a seasoned musician/songwriter/novice engineer:
A WOMAN NEVER FORGETS
critique: vocal melody is very flat in general(this may be your intent but I think a small bit more variation may bring out more emotion); background vocals (sometimes lead) stray from key in several places and are strained at the transition into higher notes; many of the key changes are disjunct; drums sound too dry for a standard kit...recommend a little reverb to help thicken the sound
what I like: the xylophone is a fresh instrument to hear; the 'ba-dump, ba-dump" rhythm flows nice in the beginning; I like the traditional Middle East vibe you are evoking, whether intentional or not; the bass is tight and good tone; the monotone talking part beginning around 1:55
YOU LIED TO ME
critique: the overall tonality of guitar is too muddy to come through audibly in the mix and gives the impression of sounding 'garbled' (except on the muted break part occuring around 1:42 or so...on that particular change it fits nicely); drums don't sound like they fit the energy or groove of the guitar/bass and would again, at a minimum, suggest adding some reverb to 'expand' the recorded sound
what I like: I suspect the instrument you mainly played in the past has been bass guitar because on all three songs the bass parts are tight; though not what I would call 'refined', the unbridled vocal melodies are a welcomed change from the monotonous melody of the previous song and convey a certain painful emotion I think you are trying to create for the listener; very catchy part beginning around 1:42 (occurs later too, I believe)...guitar/bass/drums/vocals all pull together nicely at this point and sound very in-sync.
YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN
critique: drums should be mixed louder; as with the previous two songs, this one has a muffled sound due to tonality which could easily be corrected thus making the recordings much more listener-friendly
what I like: the low keyed, monotone, evil-sounding "this is your place in the cycle..." part; succesive drum roll parts beginning around 2:13; 'hook' beginning around 2:58; creative theme of 'children's voices' to portray innocence
In general, I can hear very skilled bass guitar tracks (possibly guitar but it is too muffled to understand clearly in most parts). Yeah, the style is out there a bit, maybe not my favorite genre in terms of taste but I'm not judging your style, only your recording/playing/producing skills as you requested. Seriously, though, I would chill out on the ego stuff like "the truth, the legend" at the end of your posts, at least on this thread. People here, I've found, accept you for what you are and what you know. Even the vastly experienced guys will treat you fairly and do not hold their noses up to anyone (unless you piss them off). Arrogance is only going to taint the site. Anyway, hope you found this helpful.
