rust bucket - an original oddity

[heatmiser]

Hey,

This one is pretty strange. I like it, but am second guessing everything and could use a little feedback...

Here we have: rambling stream of conciousness lyrics, psuedo rapping, robotic vocal doubling, various abrupt breaks, warbling kazoos...

Now if that doesn't pique your interest...

Mix-wise I'm thinking lo-mid buildup plus maybe too much of the very hi-end.

Arrangement-wise I am all over the place from it's fine as is, to scrap the whole thing...any thoughts?

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=660667&songID=9767954

 

[PDP]

Great I loved it, the verses sound very "Beck" alot like "I'm a loser" I thought the mix was good too. The only thing I'd say about the arrangement is that theres really only one part to the song. You could add something or expand on the part where the acoustic comes in, which BTW is a great change that still stays with the song, (or just leave it all as is) Great Job! Enjoyed it.

 

[heatmiser]

Great I loved it, the verses sound very "Beck" alot like "I'm a loser" I thought the mix was good too. The only thing I'd say about the arrangement is that theres really only one part to the song. You could add something or expand on the part where the acoustic comes in, which BTW is a great change that still stays with the song, (or just leave it all as is) Great Job! Enjoyed it.

Hey thanks for checking it out. Yes, I thought I was doing something pretty original to start, but the vocals and lyrics did wind up on the Beck-ish side of things to be sure.

Only one part? There's a bunch of parts, but really no chord changes or chorus or bridge or anything like that. The changes revolve more around adding and removing elements. This is the kind of thing I was worrying about. I am not necessarily sold on this the way it is and further tinkering could send it in other directions. Thanks again!

 

[sharonclowe]

I enjoyed Rust-Bucket. I'm not qualified to comment on the mix, (and I may be equally unqualified to offer up the following opinion, but you did ask !)...as far as the "arrangement" goes I really liked all of it except for the first few seconds. Maybe just a little less of the rumbling sounds at the beginning? For me, it was like listening to my husband start up his Harley in the garage and thinking "just get goin' all ready!!". My ears prefer the song starting at :18 mark. The acoustic part is really cool.

 

[heatmiser]

I'm not qualified to comment on the mix...

That never stopped me .

...I really liked all of it except for the first few seconds. Maybe just a little less of the rumbling sounds at the beginning? For me, it was like listening to my husband start up his Harley in the garage and thinking "just get goin' all ready!!". My ears prefer the song starting at :18 mark.

I think you may be right. The intro is kind of long and obnoxious. I just fell in love with that sound. Maybe I'll try sort of fading into that intro a good ways into it. That might be better. Thanks .

 

[rayc]

I like the noise BUT would have kept the distorted bass (?) for at least the 1st bars of the "tune".
I LOVE the pic. of the Combi!
THis is good, the acoustic change is refreshing but could use a bit more emphasis on the melodic/chiming chords.
Kazoo reminded me of a lot of stuff - it's a fun thing that isn't over done - well restrained Heat!
All in all a good track - I listened to the whole thing & kept an ear open for newness & detail - the tambourine at the end worked well too!
Good one!

 

[heatmiser]

I like the noise BUT would have kept the distorted bass (?) for at least the 1st bars of the "tune".
I LOVE the pic. of the Combi!
THis is good, the acoustic change is refreshing but could use a bit more emphasis on the melodic/chiming chords.
Kazoo reminded me of a lot of stuff - it's a fun thing that isn't over done - well restrained Heat!
All in all a good track - I listened to the whole thing & kept an ear open for newness & detail - the tambourine at the end worked well too!
Good one!

Thanks for checking it out ray. So why is everyone putting things like "arrangement" and "tune" in quotes . Are you all trying to tell me something? Obviously I am a little melodically challenged, and tend towards these simple sort of things. I don't want to go too simple though if I can help it.

I'd love to add some element(s) to the quieter parts and noisier parts (everything but the verses), but more or less ran out of tracks and ideas around the same time . I'm still open to drastic revisions at this point.

 

[Bulls Hit]

Hey I like the rap vocal, very effective with the echo too. Not so sure about the noise parts, they don't have enough of a rhythmical quality for mine, although granted they do sound very much like a v-dub. I like the junky tone on those guitar stabs. The tune's got a great driving groove that I'm digging a whole lot. Ah there's the kazoo. The arrangement hangs together well - my only nit there is the intro is a little too long for my liking, otherwise good pace and changeups. Yep the only part I'd really change would be the noises - maybe replace them with I dunno...is scratching too overdone? A scratch break with that drum groove would be cool, but I've always been a sucker for the scratch

edit...just read the other comments re the melody. That's what I like about this one - you've resisted the urge for the big chord change. I wouldn't go changing anything there

 

[Greg_L]

I think it's great as-is. I loved the noise bash intro. It does sound Beck-ish, but that aint a bad thing. It's better than sounding Bieber-ish. The kazoos are great. They're one of my favorite oddball throw-em-in-for-a-laugh instruments.

My only nit is that the instrumentation seems a little crammed in the middle. A little wider panning might open the mix up some more, but it's pretty good as it is.

 

[kcearl]

great stuff, and a heat original for sure....like all the arrangement, Id liked to have heard some old skool scratches and maybe even a daft vocal sample from a some b -movie or something in there...load of influences in here and all good....i was getting fun loving criminals collide with beck

mix sounded great to me...and great fingernails down chalkboard intro


kazoo rock, rocks!

 

[kcearl]

oh yeah...and it sounds heavily influenced by the classic "yo yo bitch"

 

[thebigredhotdog]

i like it. i agree with you a little on the low mid stuff (in the vox and bass), not sure about the highs.....i think maybe that's in the reverb. as is, sounds pretty damn cool. i want to hear that desctructo guitar get a little raunchier, but that's just my preference. it does sound beck'ish.

 

[IndustrialOkie]

Like the overall mix, and the instrumentation is spot on and interesting. I personally don't care for the beck/cake/talk-sing vox, but thats just a personal bias.

Really cool blend of organic/pretty and raunchy'distorted instruments tho- def has a unique sound here.

Have to wonder if you have any Murder Inc. (the band) or Damage Manual influence. The more I listen you seem to be channeling Chris Conelly whcih could be a really cool thing.

Overall, very origina; and unique track my man!

 

[Chili]

This is so in line with everything you do. Don't change ANYTHING with this song.

Okay, maybe I am hearing a little of the low mid build up you referred to in the first post. I think notching the bass guitar in the area will fix that.

Cool as always.

 

[heatmiser]

Hey I like the rap vocal, very effective with the echo too. Not so sure about the noise parts, they don't have enough of a rhythmical quality for mine, although granted they do sound very much like a v-dub. I like the junky tone on those guitar stabs. The tune's got a great driving groove that I'm digging a whole lot. Ah there's the kazoo. The arrangement hangs together well - my only nit there is the intro is a little too long for my liking, otherwise good pace and changeups. Yep the only part I'd really change would be the noises - maybe replace them with I dunno...is scratching too overdone? A scratch break with that drum groove would be cool, but I've always been a sucker for the scratch

edit...just read the other comments re the melody. That's what I like about this one - you've resisted the urge for the big chord change. I wouldn't go changing anything there

Cool. Thanks man. I hear ya on the intro and the noise sections. I just haven't come up with anything that really does it for me yet.

I have mixed feelings about scratching. I like some of the actual scratch dj stuff, but when inserted into a white guy alternative type song I worry that it would sound desparate or something. I don't have a scratch set up either, although I suspect there are new ways of getting that sound without two turntables...(I only have one!) ?

Thanks for listening and the ideas - love your new one!

It's better than sounding Bieber-ish.

Ha! you must be familiar with my other work - I get that comparison a lot.

I think it's great as-is. I loved the noise bash intro. It does sound Beck-ish, but that aint a bad thing....The kazoos are great. They're one of my favorite oddball throw-em-in-for-a-laugh instruments.

My only nit is that the instrumentation seems a little crammed in the middle. A little wider panning might open the mix up some more, but it's pretty good as it is.

Thanks. I think you broke the kazoo barrier for me a number of tunes ago - trend setter!

Yes, I've struggled a bit with panning on this one. Harder for me with a song where the parts build up like this. Very different at the end with all the different guitar parts vs. the beginning with just drum & bass. I will definitely play around with it some more as it is a little jumbled in the middle. Thanks!

great stuff, and a heat original for sure....like all the arrangement, Id liked to have heard some old skool scratches and maybe even a daft vocal sample from a some b -movie or something in there...load of influences in here and all good....i was getting fun loving criminals collide with beck

mix sounded great to me...and great fingernails down chalkboard intro


kazoo rock, rocks!

Thank you Keith - Hmmm...who do I know that could add daft vocal samples and other old skool sounds to my recording...hmmm...I'm drawing a blank....

Seriously though, I was watching King Gidorah the Three Headed Monster on Saturday and it was filled with great, crazy poorly translated one-liners and I thought about trying to record some and use them here, so we're kind of hearing the same thing I guess.

oh yeah...and it sounds heavily influenced by the classic "yo yo bitch"

Sweet - mission accomplished!

 

[heatmiser]

i like it. i agree with you a little on the low mid stuff (in the vox and bass), not sure about the highs.....i think maybe that's in the reverb. as is, sounds pretty damn cool. i want to hear that desctructo guitar get a little raunchier, but that's just my preference. it does sound beck'ish.

Hey, thanks man! The content of your posts belies your relatively low post count. Maybe I just like the fact that you liked it. Yes, other than doing something totally different during the noise parts, another idea was to build on it with more noise, feedback etc. - total chaos! I may still try that. Thanks again.

Like the overall mix, and the instrumentation is spot on and interesting. I personally don't care for the beck/cake/talk-sing vox, but thats just a personal bias.

Really cool blend of organic/pretty and raunchy'distorted instruments tho- def has a unique sound here.

Have to wonder if you have any Murder Inc. (the band) or Damage Manual influence. The more I listen you seem to be channeling Chris Conelly whcih could be a really cool thing.

Overall, very origina; and unique track my man!

Thanks dudener. The juxtaposition of seemingly incronguous elements is my thing. I don't know why - but that is what I like to do. Totally cool about the vocals. I hope it is more of a taste thing than a matter of execution. I think this deadpan sort of vocal technique is one of the few styles I do well (not that it's difficult), but if it's just done poorly - I can take it and I need to know.

I've never heard of any of the people or bands you mention but will try to look 'em up (I don't get out much).

This is so in line with everything you do. Don't change ANYTHING with this song.

Okay, maybe I am hearing a little of the low mid build up you referred to in the first post. I think notching the bass guitar in the area will fix that.

Cool as always.

Awesome, thanks Chili. So, notching as in reductive EQ? The bass is kinda big here. Always is though...

I didn't really dare post this one. Was embarassed about the lyrics and lack of melody, etc. It does seem to be mostly ok with people thus far which is encouraging for me. Thanks for all of the great ideas so far!

 

[Seafroggys]

Haha this is so awesome! Love it! Don't have really any other comments!

 

[TripleM]

Really creative use of sounds. I loved it. Great tune.

No nits.

 

[Chili]

Awesome, thanks Chili. So, notching as in reductive EQ? The bass is kinda big here. Always is though...

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly. I can hear it, but only because you pointed it out and it was towards the end of the song. I don't think it's that big of a deal. By notching, I mean a deep narrow cut around 300hz - 400hz on the bass track. Try sweeping in that range and see if it cleans up. Is there a distorted guitar playing along with the bass during the verses?? Maybe try the same thing there so you get better definition on the bass.

 

[trumpino1]

I've listened to this several times and I have to say I like it better every time I listen. It does sound a little like Beck, but I like that sound real well. The beginning to me is cool as hell. Everytime I hear it though, I feel like the song Magic Carpet Ride is about to kick in. It isn't dead on that tune or nothing, but it has the same feel as that intro. Great song. I say keep it the way it is.

Trump