New Song - Lost In Texas

[Chili]

Here's another Texas song.

I've been traveling a lot for work in the last few months and haven't had time to write songs or develop ideas. So, it's a miracle I was able to get this together. I know I owe Heatmiser some contributions for a song from Sept, but it's probably not gonna happen. Sorry brother.

This is kind of a slow to mid tempo song in the Americana/Folk/Country vein. I call it the Amerifolktry genre.

All comments are welcome. Thanks for listening.

SoundClick artist: IrishPirate - page with MP3 music downloads

Lost In Texas

Went out to Houston just for the day
I tried to find you, but I lost my way
Went out to Houston
Just for the day

Drove up to Dallas to spend the night
Without you there, it didn’t feel right
Drove up to Dallas
Just to spend the night

I am lost within
The great big state of Texas
If I had one wish
You’d love me more than this

Thumbed down to San Antonio, didn’t want to be alone.
But when I got down there, you were already gone
From San Antonio
Ya didn’t want to be alone

Hello El Paso such a long way to go
How many days out there, I don’t know
Hello El Paso
You’re a long way from home.

I am lost within
The great big state of Texas
If I had one wish
You’d love me more than this

Don’t want to lay awake each night
Wishin I could hold you tight
So I’m drifting through every Texas town
Hoping you would come around

Solo

Back here in Austin. back home again
Sitting on the front porch with family and friends
Back here in Austin
It’s good to be home again

 

[heatmiser]

I think it sounds great chili. The guitars in particular. It sounds really focused and the melodies are nice.

The country vibe threw me at first but I listened several times and really enjoyed it.

I thought the bridge section sounded less tight than the rest maybe. Like you weren't as into it - that's what happens to me anyway.

Texas is amazing. We came down from Sante Fe once and took route 10 across from El Paso to Houston heading for Florida.

The Western third was like New Mexico - vast desert with mesas and windowless vans getting pulled over by border patrols on desolate roads.

The central third of the state was like grasslands, and the Eastern third was all semi tropical and humid and kind of lush once you got close to LA. It is massive. Like a country unto itself.

 

[rayc]

Sounds good. To my ears the bass tone isn't right for the song - it's a bit bright/growly/proggy. I'd prefer a trad Fender P sound.
A really good song Chilli - & well done all round!

 

[JimmyS1969]

I think it sounds great Chili. Well done!

 

[Washburn100]

Wow Chili, I just thought administrators were nerds Great song.
My only critique - needs backup vocals. PM me if you want me to add some. I'll be humming this all day!

 

[Track Rat]

Great tune. Sounds very tight. I do agree with Ray on the bass but that's a VERY small nit. The doubled lead is a real nice touch (one of my fav tricks). Outstanding.

 

[joeym]

Beautiful song, Dave....but we know of your great song-writing qualities!
Very nicely performed and the mix is crystal clear. Love your voice and the harmonies. I can't find anything criticize here, this is a totally enjoyable listen.
Well done!

 

[Greg_L]

I think the mix sounds good overall. The instrumentation all sounds great. The vocals are kind of weird to me. They seem really compressed and "hot". Kind of harsh. The vocal performance is great. The vocal processing is what's bugging me. But overall it's very good.

 

[dahlbaker]

Good song. I'm hearing a little more bass (yes Fender P), and some sparse high lonesome harmonies. The take away is that if you hit the road in Texas (I was born in Houston) you can let those memories of her drift away.

 

[Chili]

Thanks everyone, for the great words.

I think it sounds great chili. The guitars in particular. It sounds really focused and the melodies are nice.
The country vibe threw me at first but I listened several times and really enjoyed it.

Thanks Heat. glad you liked it. I'm trying new and different stuff.

Sounds good. To my ears the bass tone isn't right for the song - it's a bit bright/growly/proggy. I'd prefer a trad Fender P sound.
A really good song Chilli - & well done all round!

Cool, good call on the bass. I think it's simple enough to roll off the top end. I usually use templates, so the bass is the same tone I used for my rock-type stuff.

I think it sounds great Chili. Well done!

Thanks much, Jimmy!!

Wow Chili, I just thought administrators were nerds Great song.
My only critique - needs backup vocals. PM me if you want me to add some. I'll be humming this all day!

Sorry, I'm not a mod anymore, but maybe still a nerd. There are background vox in the song, but I'm going to add more. My neighbor sings great and she wants to do some bgv's for me. Thanks for listening.

Great tune. Sounds very tight. I do agree with Ray on the bass but that's a VERY small nit. The doubled lead is a real nice touch (one of my fav tricks). Outstanding.

Thanks TR. The double lead is just one guitar through a bit of a chorus.

 

[Chili]

Beautiful song, Dave....but we know of your great song-writing qualities!
Very nicely performed and the mix is crystal clear. Love your voice and the harmonies. I can't find anything criticize here, this is a totally enjoyable listen.
Well done!

Wow Joey, thanks so much. After listening to this song all week, I've got to flush it out of my ears with some good heavy metal. I'll be checking out Flesh and Blood in a few minutes. Cheers!!!

I think the mix sounds good overall. The instrumentation all sounds great. The vocals are kind of weird to me. They seem really compressed and "hot". Kind of harsh. The vocal performance is great. The vocal processing is what's bugging me. But overall it's very good.

Muchas Gracias, Greg. I think I'm slowly working up your rating scale. It used to be decent, then pretty good, now it's Very Good!!! I'm getting there. For the vocals, good ears. I use different mics for my acoustic and vocals and this time I forgot to switch. So I sang into my guitar mic which has a hyped high end; the Studio Projects C1. It came out better than I expected. I also always run my vocals through an 1176 plug, but maybe that's too much for the softer, more open type songs. I'll work with that and see if I can improve it. Thanks again!!!

Good song. I'm hearing a little more bass (yes Fender P), and some sparse high lonesome harmonies. The take away is that if you hit the road in Texas (I was born in Houston) you can let those memories of her drift away.

"Women. Can't live with 'em ... pass the beer nuts."
(Norm Peterson - Cheers sitcom)
Thanks for listening, man!

 

[Chili]

I thought the bridge section sounded less tight than the rest maybe. Like you weren't as into it - that's what happens to me anyway.

Meant to say, you're spot on with this. The bridge was an after thought. I felt the lyrics were kind of ambiguous and not focused, so I added the bridge later. It feels forced and I've gone back and forth whether to leave it in or not. Still undecided... I mean, who listens to the words anyways???

 

[PDP]

Great tune, really nice guitar work, great recording.

Really enjoyed it!

 

[ido1957]

Great tune - good mix I wouldn't change anything. I did feel the vocals were a little "different" like distorted or something before I read any comments about the mic/comp. They have a distinct flavour so "different" is how I would describe them. I guess like the telephone sound it is a new way to treat them. Love the lead running through this - nice beefy sound there... Where did you get the 1176 is it UAD - I want one but I don't think I have the right computer for it...

 

[toad_uk]

Great to relax to on the porch, feet up, the sun going down, beer in hand, or maybe a Jim Beam. I like growely basses, but I think not for this track, but like you say that'll be easy to fix with some different EQ. I noticed the snare seemed over to the right. Not really a problem, just an observation.

 

[Chili]

Great tune, really nice guitar work, great recording.

Really enjoyed it!

Cool. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for listening.

Great tune - good mix I wouldn't change anything. I did feel the vocals were a little "different" like distorted or something before I read any comments about the mic/comp. They have a distinct flavour so "different" is how I would describe them. I guess like the telephone sound it is a new way to treat them. Love the lead running through this - nice beefy sound there... Where did you get the 1176 is it UAD - I want one but I don't think I have the right computer for it...

Thanks much. Yes, the 1176 is the UAD freebie that comes with the dsp card. I have two old UAD-1 cards. I'm willing to bet there is a UAD card for your computer. Over the last few years, I bought a plug here and there and now have pretty much all I need. The EMT-140 reverb, Fairchild compressor, Neve 88RS channel strip and one more I can't think of. The rest are the freebies that come standard with each card. I can't say enough about the UAD plugs. So worth the investment.

Great to relax to on the porch, feet up, the sun going down, beer in hand, or maybe a Jim Beam. I like growely basses, but I think not for this track, but like you say that'll be easy to fix with some different EQ. I noticed the snare seemed over to the right. Not really a problem, just an observation.

Hmm... funny, early on the snare was to the left unintentionally and I thought I centered it up. I'll double check it.

Yeah, we sit on our front porch a few nights a week. The neighbors usually come over and we drink and chat and watch the kids play in traffic (no traffic, we live in a cul-de-sac). I'll usually have the guitar out and strummin somethin. The weather has been beautiful lately, so we've been out most every night I'm home. Thanks for listening....

 

[Clam Soup]

Very nice production. Clean on both ends with a nice fade at the end.

I have a whole project for Alaska and understand that sense of "home" that Texans know.....great lyrics toward that end.

Id like to hear a more enrgy or passion thrown at it vocally - but that has got to be a "taste" issue.

 

[Chili]

Thanks for listening Clam Soup, I appreciate the comments. I'm not even from Texas, I'm a yankee. But I do love living down here. The wife loves the heat (She's a tropical girl) and the Austin suburbs are a great place to raise kids.

I made some changes and uploaded a new version. I rolled off the top end of the bass, took off a tape saturation plug from the vocal track and turned down the compressor a little. Aaaand, the snare was all the way to the right!! What the Flock I've been having some small problems with automation lately. Not sure if it's me or Cubase is buggy. And I'm wondering why I didn't catch that before uploading. I listened to it a thousand times.... getting old sucks.

Anyways.... same link as above or this link here:

SoundClick artist: IrishPirate - page with MP3 music downloads

Thanks again ya'll.

 

[Clam Soup]

That sounds richer - more full.

I'd still raise "yell" at it a bit more.... not yell, but push on the vocals for more intensity from the story-teller..... again "taste." ... but sing it "into the face" of the person you wrote it for. Not to be in their face, but to be that certain of your feelings. Imagery helps me a lot with that stronger sense of conviction.

 

[robgreen]

Really nice Chili. I like songs that take me somewhere and this one definitely does. The vocals are very much out in front, but I think it works - not sure I'd be brave enough to do that.

Mix sounds good - only thing I thought was maybe the backing vocals could come up in the last verse. They're so lush that they seem to me a great bed for that ending section to lie on.