Critical Listen
Ok, I'm rolling for the first time now.
Opening guitar is unique sonically, hooks me, tickles the listener.
I'd open up that intial guitar sound with a touch more volume and a little more delay, but only in the beginning, becoming more focused when supporting the vocal.
Maybe 'sidechain' compress the guitar so when the vocal comes in, the guitar level goes down automatically. It's a complicated technique, I'm studying that. It's an outboard hardware solution.
Vox is great, you are zappish but sing better. Great pronunciation, I really appreciate that.
Keyboard is stepping on the vocal a little, instrumental levels are a touch to much. Decide to let either the keyboard or guitar be the primary instrument during the fill, allow your listener to listen to just one instrument, so their ear can get back to the vocal quickly. Don't force the listener to break away from the more complex listening to two instruments, back to the vocal.
I'm at the break ... into the next 'song ???' ... I'm going to rewind.
Second listening from the beginning:
pull back on the chorus on that initial guitar, more delay, it's already very crisp ...
then less delay, more chorus to support the vocal, let the guitar flower around and under the vocal, volumes coming down in the guitar.
Vox is great in the beginning, perfect.
Keyboard level is great when it comes in.
Gotta bring the keys down a touch later, the guitar fill level is fine.
The vamping keyboard second fill IMHO should be very distant ... delay, let the guitar shine here and let the keyboard support the guitar fill ...
Maybe a tiny bit too much high mids on your voice ... but that's a good pro mix, that's expected for radio because you lose so much mid and high on radio. Hot is better, because you can master some of that out, lot harder to put in what you don't have.
Harmonica is very sweet ... well-mixed, very well-mixed and well played, never overblown.
More bottom end on the guitar.
Keyboards coming back in now.
Too much delay on this vox re-entry.
Bring the instruments down a little, your voice is very good, very unique, it's a hook unto itself.
Bring that background vocal up some, it's nice, slather it in delay, peak the volume in the middle, it's a fill really.
This next hook is stepped on by the instruments a little bit. Bring the instruments DOWN around the vocal when trying to bring the vocal up out of the mix, don't be tempted to bring the vocal levels UP. What the instruments are DOING is already very aggressive, doesn't need to be loud also.
Starting for a third time:
Yes, less chorus on the guitar in the beginning, let the chorus effect flower the guitar out around the vox when it comes in.
The vox level on the first lyric hook is PERFECT. Duplicate that throughout the song, your listener will expect it then, and they will be listening for that.
I need more bass overall in this song, and not keyboard bass, real bass or bass samples, just a little bit, so we are fed some bass bandwidth at some point in the song.
Cello would work. Just some long, low pedal cello notes, no vibrato, fading in and out. Half notes in the cello to accompany the hook.
Double those low bass notes in the keys with cello samples ???
As we stagger to the jukebox, I'd make this vamping guitar a little more crisp, that could be playing style rather than mix, to match the light energy of the harmonica, just a touch more crisp.
So I'm pretty nitpicky, overall it's a great song, your vox is a hooker. Just the natural sound of your vocal is great.
Bring up the background vocal a little and slather it in delay, it's pretty, and you need a little pretty to counter the rawness of your bluesy semi-gravel vox.
See now, I'm on the third listening, and I know the lyrics, so the lyrics are starting to sound better, cuz' I know them ...
the instruments need to let the vocal jump out some more please.
Fourth listening, my brain will force me to hear it the way I want to now.
Piano's still a little heavy in my mind, make it distant, an afterthought, just a little volume, it's a fill, not a solo instrument.
Check your meter levels, it should come nowhere close to the vocal levels, otherwise ... it's louder ya know. Meters are your friends, ears are your ... ears.
. Well there was a few seconds of Aaaahs anyway. Overall I liked it-havent heard anything by you I don't like--(I only have time for my sure bets this evening and you is one). Take it easy.
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