My new song with help of Airgigs and BandLab

[Slugworth]

I like all those guys, especially John Anderson.

 

[Slugworth]

Laura said she's moving from Argentina to Costa Rica soon. She didn't specify when, but said she can record this week. I gave her an option of three songs yesterday. I thought about it this morning and I wrote her a song for the occassion. I had the guitar melody for many years now, just never wrote lyrics to it until today. My wife and I moved from Florida to North Carolina about four years so we had some of he feelings reflected in this song. I'm not sure if Laura does, but I hope she wants to record to it. I intend to keep it as is (acoustic guitar/her vocals). The song title is Renew

Renew

I'm glad I can sing so amazingly well that I can crtique others

 

[shredd]

Gewd tune. I'd bet either Laura or Elise could really bring this one to life.

 

[Slugworth]

Thanks shredd. That's what I am thinking too. I intend to stick with Laura as much as possible. Though I'm not sure what her availability will be like in the near future. I think Laura and Elise would sound great together.

 

[-mjk-]

that type of (uneventful) singing is popular today with artist like Billie Eilish (whisper singer extraordinaire), Taylor Swift

To my knowledge, I have never heard anything by these people. If I have, I was not interested enough to find out who they are.

They are trying to do "dispassionate" vocals like Todd Rundgren did back in the day but they end up being a cheap imitation.

 

[Slugworth]

Did We Get It Right (final mix)

Mariano just sent me this mix of DWGIR. How's it sound, please?

Seems like the lead guitar is too loud?

 

[Slugworth]

Was this his Bowie phase?

 

[Slugworth]

My son lives in NYC and he said that he's hearing a lot of new bands that play retro 70's funk and r&b are getting played in restaurants, bars, cafes. Maybe the Gen Z'ers are getting tired of the fluff in modern music and wanting to get back to some basics?

 

[-mjk-]

They are probably going through Grandpa's record collection and asking themselves what has been passing as music all this time?

I actually asked Todd (on a rare occasion when he had free time and no one else was around) about the way he does this dispassionate vocal on some of the most emotionally charged lyrics, and how that gives it special meaning because it sounds like he's been hurt so bad by it that he has no more feelings left in his heart. He replied that he didn't realize he was doing that - he just sings it how he feels it.

Amen. Soul is soul.

I have a secret: I have a project going of my own version of Can We Still Be Friends. It's about 60% there and would take about 3 weeks to finish it. When I'm done with the day's work I love to play around with it and tweak the 70's synths. Such a fantastic song. I played it at a club in South Taiwan with an acoustic guitar.

This is my favorite version of it:

Todd says that Daryll taught him to sing. Amazing.

 

[Slugworth]

I'm not sure BI is trying to sing dispassioantely or simply doesn't have the range to do anything else. Breathy, whisper-singing!..personally this shite puts me to sleep.

Todd Rundgren could fart with more than range and emphasis than her voice.

 

[shredd]

Todd Rundgren could fart with more than range and emphasis than her voice.

Now THAT is funny!!!

But it's more accurate than the humor suggests.
I realize that the 'breathy', flat delivery is perhaps her personal style, and perhaps is her way of 'emoting' her feelings of the lyrics, or perhaps is the result of record company demands to fill a market demographic that wasn't yet being sucked dry of every last nickel...

But - like many of us - one my favorite things about music in general is its' ability to evoke feelings. And that can take SO many forms - whether it's the purity and power and delivery of a Freddy Mercury; or the angelic, soaring delivery of a Jon Anderson; power & passion like Ann Wilson; or the sheer beauty of an amazing voice, like Whitney Houston; or those voices that are just once-in-a-lifetime/ever, like Elton John or Bono or Paul McCartney or Robert Plant. Even Ian Gillan's delivery in most of JCSS makes my arms bump up, 50 years after it was recorded!!!

Dennis Miller joked about it in a comedy special: "yeah, I know for a fact that Axl Rose can still belt out the tunes...I hear him every day when he's cleaning my neighbor's pool."

Bottom line: if it stirs your feelings, makes your butt move, or touches your heart, that's good singing to you. But the Billy Ilish's of the world don't spin my beanie...

 

[Slugworth]

Dennis Miller joked about it in a comedy special: "yeah, I know for a fact that Axl Rose can still belt out the tunes...I hear him every day when he's cleaning my neighbor's pool." Lol.

But - like many of us - one my favorite things about music in general is its' ability to evoke feelings. And that can take SO many forms
Bottom line: if it stirs your feelings, makes your butt move, or touches your heart, that's good singing to you. Very well put shredd.

I have two examples of singers that I like that a lot of people (including my wife) can't stand.
Billy Corgan. Yes, he of the whiny voice. Yet, he has a lot of listeners just based on the Smashing Pumpkins album sale alone. Dude can write and create (or at least the earlier stuff). Also a very good and underrated guitarist. I know SP isn't for some people just based on his voice alone. The album Melancholy & the Infinite sadness is a rollercoaster of emotions. As a side note their drummer Jimmy Chamberlain is outstanding.
I would say that BC is not much different than a Bob Dylan, Neil Young or Tom Petty for the same reasons people like these artists. I like Neil Young, don't listen to Bob Dylan, and I personally think Tom Petty is boring and overrated. However, a lot of people would disagree with me on that (including my bother and his wife) but it always boils down to what you stated above.

The second guy is Harvey Danger's singer Sean Nelson. I know what you're thinking ... Harvey who? The one-hit wonder band of the late 90's song Flag Pole Sitta
It's easy to write them off as a one-hit wonder and him as another whiny singer that's not that good. I would say the same at first glance, but for me digging deeper led to, to my ears anyway, a very good "conversatioinalist" style writer and a solid band. I would even gesture some Beatles influence comes through. His voice is whiny in parts, but also very good in others. Maybe similar to Neil Young's in that way.

This is their hit song

An example of a bit whiny in parts mixed with a strong voice in others

I hear Beatles influence on this one

 

[shredd]

You kinda nailed it - the appreciation of some singers is VERY subjective.
NO ONE is gonna argue that Freddy isn't freekin' ossum...but even guys who write the most amazing music (Dylan, TPetty, YoungNeil) aren't necessarily the most agreeable voices to listen to...yet in a case like TP - it's JUST right for what he sings...

That said - it's my personal opinion that Bob Dylan (while deservedly one of the most renowned songwriters of this era) can't sing or play guitar well enough to win a middle-school talent contest.

And that's coming from someone whose lifelong favorite band (after the Beatles, of course) is RUSH - who everyone knows is an incredible band with a singer some people just can't bear to listen to.
So - as mentioned - VERY subjective...

 

[Arjan P]

Wow, this is quite a topic... for the General Chat section

But seriously, I cannot really find the songs or 'tracks for review and critique' anymore, with not only several different songs in several different versions, but also discussions about Billy Eilish or any other singer, with some tinnitus inbetween.. All very interesting (and personally I see a lot of quality in what Billy Eilish does and certainly originality and atmosphere) but this topic is quite chaotic all in all...

 

[shredd]

Wow, this is quite a topic... for the General Chat section

Sigh...yeah, he's right.
For one, this topic should have separate threads for each song/project...and stay on topic.

And I'll take at least some of the blame for this thread having wandered all over the place...I just put forth wherever I can, since (beyond a handful of regulars) most of my posts don't get much attention/response anyway.
Sorry guys -

 

[-mjk-]

@Arjan P said:

but this topic is quite chaotic all in all...

I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Mark Richards]

I have to agree with Arjan. Scanning quickly it seems very few of the posts in this thread actually address constructive critiquing of individual mixes.

But at this point, parsing 116 posts into the most appropriate multiple sub-forums (General Chat, Songwriting, and Recording 101 all come to mind); and then, in this forum, parsing the remaining on-point posts into separate threads for each song, would be undertaking a lot.

Best perhaps to just let it be?

 

[Slugworth]

Mark, "Best perhaps to just let it be" You are speaking words of wisdom!

Look Around You (updated)

Elise sent this to me recently. This is what I told her in between her initial demo and prior to recording the full song "Looking back on my feedback I may not have been fair in my assessment because maybe your intention was to start slow and build your range throughout the song. I may have mistakenly assumed that you inteneded to sing the whole song the way you sang the first verse. If I did I apologize. That aside I have full confidence in you and look forward to your tracks."

I love what she did with it and now most (if not all) her range is on display. I say most becasue I believe she has an even another gear that even gets into more raspiness/grit as demonstrated on Out My Mind. After I listened to this full version this is what I told her
"Just a side note..in the 1:06-1:08 marks "Wading in the past" and throughout most of this version starting with the second verse and espcially the last verse your voice reminds a lot of an early Michael Jackson (Jackson 5 era). Have you been told that before?

Even when the backing comes in it sounds like something they would have done. Vey cool!! whether intentional or unintentional.

I don't know if your band does covers, but if you do and with your horn section and harmonies you guys and gals could likely nail a Jackson 5 song (if that's a band that insterested y'all?..I live in NC where y'all is still used..lol)
Love the way you built your range throughout the song and I am so glad you brought the backing into the section where I intend to add lead guitar. I like short, poignant guitar leads and this gives me opportunity to shorten the version I made prior.

At this point I am not sure if I will need a revision and I currently don't have any suggestions for a change because already like where it's at . Generally, on songs with Laura I like to have a couple of days to listen to the initial recording and then after several listens I get a better idea of potential changes. If I do I can wait until after Christmas if that works better for you?"

Another side note is her band-mate (other lead/backing singer) is Vince Gill and Amy Grant's daughter Corrina Gill.

 

[Arjan P]

I'm open to suggestions.

Now, for this topic it's probably too late, like @Mark Richards says, let it be. But please keep at least one single topic for one song. I don't mind if then a discussion wanders about - it happened to some of my contributions too and that's perfectly fine.

But I cannot contribute to any of the songs here in a topic like this. If you're away for a few days it's impossible.. Skimming through, I think it's about at least 3 or 4 of @Slugworth's songs - and then in various states of creation, not to mention different mixes and masters!

 

[Slugworth]

Maybe shift just the finished songs into a new thread and delete this one and go from there?
I can start one if that's better? Or just the latest song in a new thread and delete this thread. I am open for whatever works best.