Yes? No? Maybe? Artist in Confusion!

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crawdad

crawdad

Dammit, Jim, Shut Up!
This is one of those songs that I have no clue about, so I figured I'd fish for some feedback. I don't know if its terrible or decent. There are some mix issues left ot iron out, but I've reached a point where I don't know whether to fine tune it or delete it from my hard drive! I can't see the forest...

Any input is, as always, very much appreciated--even if you hate it! Thats OK!

"She gives me the brutally frank version, and I kind of tart it up for the others." :D

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1522&alid=-1

the song is Ain't Goin' Back Again
 
Crawdad.... I'd fine-tune it, man! Definitely a keeper. As you say, there are a few mixing issues; lead solo could definitely come up a bit... overheads seem hot...I like the canned horns toward the end. It definitely needs background harmonies during the chorus! Maybe even a few lines during the verses... the synth pad sounds nice. Most importantly, though, it's a good song. It has a nice bluesy, laid-back feel - and I like it... keep it!:D
 
"Yes? No? Maybe?" or as Sluice would put it:
:D ? :mad: ? or :confused: ?

Professional arrangement; nice emotion...

:cool: ZZ Top comes to mind; both your voice, and the bluesy feel :cool: Yeah, grow a beard, attach your fur-covered guitar to a belt-buckle swivel, and twirl it around a few times :)








(Uh... that's what ZZ did at one of their shows... once... :o so sleepy...)

crawdad I'll give a better lissen tommorry when the ears have had sleepy time :D


Chad
 
Hmmm ..... sounds OK. I don't like the synth additions. Voice and git sound good. I'm not sure about the snare sound ... maybe a fatter sound is more appropriate ? Overall I think it's worth spending more time on it.

There are some funny timing issues ... I reckon these slow songs are the hardest to get right. There are patches where it sounds like it's slowing down.... sort of stuck in the mud ? I'd be pushing the hi-hat esp to stop the song ceasing up. Perhaps some creative percussion might help...or Lt. Bobs sax even ?

Don't delete it though... it doesn't deserve that !
 
DO NOT scrap this tune...........please:D


I can only offer crude mixing advise and it is as follows.

Lower the bass. It takes up too much headroom. I'd boost the rhythm gits cause they are a tad lost (plus, they're tastey and define the rhythm section more the the bass track that now dominates). This should help in giving those keys more of an impact as well.

I kinda think you should back off on the vocal level as well. It is two shakes away from being crispy and a lowering in volume by 1.5 db isn't gonna cause any injustice to the track.

You've got yourself a very soulfull blues feel coupled with strong ass writing!! Slipping some decent git chops in there to boot......

Nice song crawdad.........

Hope I helped you decide to keep it:D ..............you are gonna keep it, aren't you?:)



Theron.
 
Bass is a bit too loud and the leads should come up. i like the voice hot like it is. Rhythm gits should have a bit more presence and isn't one of those rhythms keyboards? It needs to come up too. It's definitely a keeper. Why the synth horns when all you have to do is ask and I'll be there yes I will. :D
 
Interesting advice, everyone. I swear that everything that was brought up crossed my mind at one time or another (just before I got so overwhelmed with too many details!) This thing started with me and a piano and a distant recollection of a Moby tune I heard at a pool. Maybe it was the rum or the sun--not sure...anyway, beyond the mix, I wondered about the lyrics and subject. I know what I'm trying to say, but I don't know if I'm saying it. Its all in the ear of the beholder I suppose.

caretaker9--I like all your ideas. harmonies, turn down the overheads, etc. I will work with all of that and see what happens! Oh, don't tell my daughter those are canned horns, because they were live trumpets played by her! If you say they "sound too good to be real" she'll be thrilled!

participant--its funny, but at one point, I was ready to go "Sharp dressed Man' on this one, but I stuck to my original idea. I do love ZZ at times, though! My last exercise at beard growing was a dismal failure, but the rotating guitar--now thats a possibility!

dres--I think those funny timing issues could be the half assed fool that played drums on this track. Some people say that Crawdad can't record drums worth a damn and is a lame player too. Wait! Actually, everybody says that! I'm wearing the shoe and it fits. I could go to sampled drums again, I guess.

Theron--For you, I'll keep it--and turn the bass down too! I like your ideas and I will try them all. I appreciate your input. Every bit helps at this time cuase I'm losing my perspective lately.

Lt Bob--some sax would be cool! If you are offereing, I'm game!
 
This is not a throw away by any means....Im not gonna comment on the mix because I know this is just a rushed up mix to get on the net for people to check out......it has the foundation of a good song but lyrically I think you are forcing words....you're saying the right words that get your point across but it doesnt seem like they are singable words that have been well crafted....am I making any sense?.....maybe Im analyzing it too much but it just seems like the major frustration you are having with this song stems from the lyrics not flowing free...I could be wrong.(I am most of the time)......Im sure you'll work this out to be another crawdad hit.Dont be mad at me man,Im a fan!:eek:
 
I just listened to the tune again and maybe what I was hearing is that you havent actually sung the lyrics enough before you recorded them to sing them with confidence.....is this a brand new song that you've never worked on?Like brand new?maybe thats what Im hearing.....the hook it's great.."Ain't Goin' Back Again" is a killer hook.......My ears wanted to hear guitars instead of the horns......the horns seemed to take it away from what it's starts out to be....ok,im shutin the hell up crawdad!Time to hit the bed.;)
 
Just listened again and I realized you're way out of my league man.Just disregard what I posted previously.Im an idiot.:(
 
You already have a lot of good advise. I just wanted to chime in and say this kicks major ass. Kind of a Robert Cray sound. Very, very, very cool. Did I mention that I thought this was a cool tune?
 
Crawdad,

This is one powerful song. I haven't yet read the other comments on purpose, to try to get a 'first impression' of it.

At first, I heard a troubled soul, who had been through many ups and downs. Sounded passionate about not going back to the bad times. But who was it being sung to? Lost love? religious feelings?
The actual subject was missing for a long time.

Then, after the 3 minute mark, all became clear. Nice!
(Love is where it's at, and the talk about kids)

Don't delete this. It's a great song. Performance is superb. I like it a lot!
 
crawdad - this is "decent" and then some. I thought the song was very well written. Writing is your biggest strength, though not the only one.

This is a song that someone is going to listen to all the way through just to see how it ends up.

Musically it was well played. I liked the little subdued guitar part on the right side. It had this little "snap" to it - but it wasn't over done.

I thought the main lead guit part could be brought up just a tiny bit. I didn't care for the horn patch at about 2:45. I liked the strings a lot though.

Excellent job.
 
Hi crawdad,

I really liked it. It had a nice organic feel to it. The only thing I felt the production was a little rough, and the bass souded a little off center (maybe that's what you wanted).
I liked the guitar solo too.

As you can see, I'm a newbee, so what do I know ;)
If you want to hear something different from most in this group check out
my thread at https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59248

Thanks
 
Haven't read the above posts...(at work)...but listened to the tune a few times. Sounds damned good to me "as is," but I'm kinda distracted at the moment.

Sort of reminds me of that cool phase Clapton went through when he decided that Don Williams was the greatest artist of all time.

Now I'm gonna' have to post a blues tune. (bar....raised....higher).

Keep writing, I'd like to reserve the opportunity to comment more substantively later...just wanted to give the quick DON'T TRASH IT speech.

-chris
 
Shades of William Blake's "Songs of innocence and experience."
(...to see the universe in a single grain of sand...)
Mix has been addressed, so I won't comment there except to say it really sounds very good in that respect, as you know probably needs minor tweaks.
The song itself is powerful. I especially like the natural imagery (see Blake quote above). Your vocal delivery is, as usual, flawless in execution, and passionate.
This is most definitely a keeper. Very cohesive and imagistic writing...don't second-guess yourself concerning this one, my friend.

Mark
 
Kramer--actually, you might be picking up on some stuff there!

Track Rat--Lt. Bob says he hears some Robert Cray in my stuff, which I take as a supreme compliment. Man, he can write, can't he?

TomD--I think you're getting the gist of what I was saying--or trying to. Ever read the "Doors of Perception" by Aldous Huxley? Well, his "doors' did not do very good things to me and thats where this song starts! Thank you for the comments!

TripleM--I take note on your mixing ideas and will try to emply them. Thanks!

Blue Cyberia--Hey, every time I start something new, I'm a newbie. Its like a blank piece of paper. What worked yesterday might not work today, etc. I have a tendency to focus on whatever track I am putting down at the moment. Its hard to see the whole at those times. Solo recording is trying, lonely and difficult. I'd much rather have a band around. Its so much easier to try different ideas, without having to re-record the whole damn song every time!

Chrisharris--write that blues tune for me!

mkg--I know I read some Blake a long time ago--I think! I was outside one afternoon gazing at the grass and a dandelion, and all these connections started coming into my head at once. Thats where the last verse came from. Thanks for that reference. How cool!

Everybody--thanks for all the ideas. I must finish this thing and get it polished up, then I will re-post it, OK? I've got to say that everyone who hangs here has such class, heart and compassion. I have seen the worst of the internet, but this place is like an oasis. It really validates my faith in people. I love ya all!
 
This is excellent. The vocal performance is very strong, and the song is cool too.

Definite echoes of Robert Cray and Clapton, as others have pointed out. I can also hear Wildwood-era Paul Weller.

I'm pretty new to all this, so feel free to ignore the following:

Bass is too much - maybe too loud, or maybe just need some EQ cut?

Lead guitar on the left could do with coming up slightly. Lovely tone, though. Nice playing too!

The cool syncopated rhythm keyboard/guitar on the right should definitely come up a wee bit.

And as someone else said, some nice BVs in the chorus, and the odd verse line, would be cool.

Personally, I didn't like the string sound that comes in on the left at around 1:33 - too synth-y.

I'd make more of the trumpet, and leave the sound pretty dry and hot, so you can really hear it's a real instrument, not a synth.

Drums are pretty good (and 10 times better than anything I could come up with) but maybe need a bit of a "lift" somehow?

Very, very good. If you're chucking anything else, feel free to throw it in my direction... ;)

Cheers

Alastair
 
crawdad,

i like the song. don't throw it away please. i don't like the synth. please replace with a B3!

also, i concur with the other comments about the drums. if you wanna post a track without drums i might be able to help.

still love your singing voice. it's so professional.
 
I thought I told you to fire the drummer :D... I can't belive you kept'im man... :D

I just think it's all musicianship... this is great... you got good taste and good ear ... cool song .... it might be a little bit on a trivial side but you do it well so I don't realy start thinking "oh it sounds like this or like that" I just enjoy the listen...

cheers
 
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