The triumphant return of The Nells

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Test drive the new My Handsome Nell track here today. You won't be disappointed!






... probably because you don't give a shit!

Anyway what is wrong or right with it? Let me know please...

P.S. If you are a violin player, have a home studio and want to make three Scottish guys very happy give me a shout.
 
I'm sure I've posted positively about a track of yours in the past. I really like what you are doing. There is some room for improvement in this one tho'

The lyrics need some thought - I haven't got them written down but at one point I think I counted 3 cliches in a row. Writing good lyrics is VERY hard work.

There's something wrong with the guitar sound, I hope somebody who knows more about this than me stops by me and helps.

The song kind of lacks direction, I do love gentle stuff but this needs a bit more backbone.

Sorry if I haven't explained myself very well, and I don't want to be discouraging, I like the style and the voice is great. Just more work needed.

Garry
 
you'll need to tell me the cliches the lyricist is sitting right next to me... lol
 
Your lyricist should be able to work them out. A guy from Liverpool kind of bagged the "can't stand up for falling down" line a long time ago.
 
Bwaahahahah your 8.1mb mp3 is no match for my new 1mbps ADSL!!! :D:D

Um, right.

I don't think I like the reverb on the vocals. Either find one that sounds nice, or be brave and leave it drier. I think the Damien Rice sound of very bare would work better without it anyway.

I really like the whole thing again, but I agree with Garry that a bit of work is needed on the lyrics.

The bass is a little 'big' for me, it kinda blows everything else away. I don't think the volume is the problem, maybe some eq-ing to find a bit of its place in the spectrum?

I'm on a 2.1 PC speaker set at the moment though, so take my listenings with a pinch of salt!! :)
 
Defence of my cliches.

Hullo there Garry, Dougal who wrote the words here.

I did a wee google on "I can't stand up for falling down" and can reveal that the mystery scouser is Elvis Costello.

I didn't nick his line though. I haven't heard the song but I looked at the lyrics and was delighted to see he's dabbled with a few cliches himself.

Not that I'm comparing myself to Elvis Costello you understand ....

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. It's a constant battle not to use cliches. I thought I'd got away with it on this one but I may tweak it a bit. And I'll see Elvis in court.
 
Handsome Dougal said:
Anyway, thanks for the feedback. It's a constant battle not to use cliches. I thought I'd got away with it on this one but I may tweak it a bit. And I'll see Elvis in court.
Click to expand...

Back in the mid-80's there was a country singer (Vern Gosdin) who released a boatload of songs that were all cliche's. He made quite the living back then doing that. He even bragged that he had many notebooks FULL of cliche's that he had written down and would just go through them until he found one that touched his fancy and he'd set about writing a song.
 
Elvis Costello wouldn't be able to launch a career from a base of lyrical clichés today, though. Times have moved on to the point that even the lyrics of 'She' sound a bit cheesey.

That's not a swipe at you - I'm just saying, be careful who you doff your cap to. Even if he ain't a scouser! :D
 
It's a good line, fuck it.

I do like this song quite a bit, but probably not as much as the other 3 I've downloaded - not as much polish or drive.

I like the bass line and how you took some chances vocally, but I would agree you could scale back the reverb at the beginning some.

Thanks for sharing. By the way, does Dougal write all the lyrics? I like the lyrics in the other songs... and while we're at it; what the hell does "Nell" mean? I think I have the right to ask at this point.
 
Good song, well performed. Like the guitarist's sense of harmonization. Some of the directions the guitar takes are unexpected and very expressive. The tone of the guitar is a little muddy on the crap desktop comp spkrs here though, so looking forward to listening tomorrow in the studio.

Anybody else affected as much as me by the vocal? There's something about it that makes the lyrics have a heightened impact on me. Maybe it's the Scottish accent and my Celtic ancestry calling to me... dunno. No, it's something else... it feels more like... this is weird but I'll say it anyway... it makes me think for a moment that my suburban-American-Starbucks-Shopping Mall-retirement fund way of life has robbed me of something that I can't see except through the song. That's pretty weird, so never mind... just a reflective moment I'll be embarrassed of later no doubt... So I'll change the subject by adding the minor critique that the vocal's just occasionally flat on high long tones. There... I'm in safe territory again.

Great song.

Tim
 
swatsds said:
Thanks for sharing. By the way, does Dougal write all the lyrics? I like the lyrics in the other songs... and while we're at it; what the hell does "Nell" mean? I think I have the right to ask at this point.
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All three of us Nell's: Handsome Al, Handsome Dougal and Reasonable Looking Gav write the songs. Dougal and I share the singing duties. On this record I can be heard coming in at the end but Dougal wrote the song and takes the lead vocal.

For those who haven't heard the other Nells stuff here are some links and some info...

Southern Road
Written by and Al, sung by Al
Something to Strive For
Written by Al, Sung by Al
Lay Down My Love
Written by Dougal, Folkified by Al, Sung by Al, should be sung by Dougal
I Found You
Written by Al, Sung by Al, should be sung by someone who can sing it better than Al.

I have to say I like the lyrics to Rough Diamond... all this talk about cliches and ripping off Elvis Costello is nonsense...

okay some of the words might seem a bit overly used but i think he just about manages to hang them together in a new way...
 
Timothy Lawler said:
occasionally flat on high long tones.
Tim
Click to expand...

Well done Dougal you were just occasionally flat!

... and I've got a feeling that this guy knows what he's talking about.... all that stuff about how excellent the guitarist is!

What about that fiddle player as well eh?
 
Oh almost forgot...

A Nell is a small mountain dwelling goat that can be heard throughout the Scottish lands especially during mating season where their distinctive yodeling has inspired many traditional Scottish folk tunes including Auld Lang Syne and the theme fom Braveheart...

And it's also a girls name...
 
Reply to Timothy

Thanks for your kind words Timothy. Such was their uniqueness that we may have to use them in future marketing campaigns. We don't have to attribute them to you though, we'll understand.

As for the flat vocal, you're damn right! I was gulping for air whenever I could and still managed to run out of puff on occassion. Hopefully after a summer of heavy practice and when the track comes to be laid properly my voice will be stronger ... and I'll have a wee word to myself about stopping the smoking.

Thanks for your sentiments.
 
'suburban-American-Starbucks-Shopping Mall-retirement fund'

On second reading we may not use this exact phrase ... it contains some of my least favourite words.
 
There's as much chance of Dougal stopping smoking and regaining the ability to breath as there is of me learning to play guitar like Timothy Lawler!
 
ma i suggest a high cut on the vox reverb?
i think that would help the, all be it minor, sibelence problem.


some pops at about 2:30, i've no idea what they're from though.
also some lip smacks you may or may not beable to cut out (that can be a bitch)

the pops need to go though

i like it, screw the haters. :D
 
giraffe said:
some pops at about 2:30, i've no idea what they're from though.
also some lip smacks you may or may not beable to cut out (that can be a bitch)
Click to expand...
Thanks Giraffe

The pops are in the audio for the guitar riff (2.36 - 2.55)... i knew about them but haven't got round to re tracking the riff yet..

I'm not too worried about the lip smacks at the moment cos we will be retracking the vocal in the year 2055 once Dougal has given up smoking...

Also, in reply to those who have rightly commented about the muddyness of the guitars, they will be retracked as well...

I'm always making these excuses I know, but at this stage we are really just trying to write the songs rather than win awards for the sound engineering...

That said all mix advice is welcomed, and as soon as I get a decent pair of monitor speakers I might have a clue what you are all talking about...
 
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