Rate My Band II

I see arena shows in your future, with lots of groupies.

I want those 4 minutes back. Whats the deal with the noise on the song Sunday? Don't quit your day job.

Hate to tell you brother, but (other than the horrible harmonica player in your last band), I liked your other band much better.

As a general in all these songs, I kept waiting for the music and the singing to ramp up in emotion, and it never happened. Compare these songs to that Mile High song from your other band, and it's no comparison.

Specifically, Mexicali has weird percussion though I like the singing best on this one. The percussion makes it sound like a record is skipping...it's distracting. The singing isn't loud enough on A Sinner's Hymn. Sunday has weird (keyboards?) that are too loud (and you KNOW it is if a keyboard player is telling you that). Loaded is boring. Living is its boring twin. Don't like the vocal effect on Last Song...tone that down a bit and it's an ok song.

Music is whatever moves you, so if this is you deal, then more power to you brother...just doesn't do it for me. Musicians have to keep playing though, so keep on keeping on brother.

Bruce, I've got a different take - I like a lot of these songs better than the original Bruce Hyde Band ones. With those, there was a lot of noise. The sligtly more folksy feel to these makes them more appealing, in my opinion.

My major critique would be that there is a lot of background stuff going on that doesn't always add to the music. There is something to be said for the beauty of simplicity - more instrumentation isn't always better.

On the first track, "loaded", the looping background sound could get distracting. Similarly, on A Sinner's Hymn the "chck" noise (made by mouth?) got a little distracting. I think that just the tambourine for percussion would have sounded fine. Besides that, I really liked the song.

I'd also say overall that there could be more variation in the melody - just as far as the register you use goes. If you got up some higher notes now and then it might help with that emotional build up that Flagpole was talking about.

I like Loaded a lot actually, but the blues guitar doesn't fit, in my opinion. The blues riffing doesn't sound like it is even meant to convey the meaning of the lyrics, it's just tacked on there and takes away from any potential poignancy. For an opposite approach, relisten to U2's With or Without You. If you're bent on the blues lead, then at least try to be intentional about it and match the mood of the song; i.e. actually play the blues not just shred pentatonics blues-style. "Living" sounds like youre might have accidentally ripped off a Kings of Leon song, "Knocked Up," so you might want to think about that. I know it sucks to hear.

But good stuff.

See the good advice you can get here? I would never of noticed the KOL similarity in living unless you mentioned it. I'll definitely arrange the loops differently to not sound so similar. Granted, I think we have a 4 chord vamp rather than a two in that particular song.

In addition, i think you're spot on about the blues style playing in loaded. I'll try some weirder/more atmospheric things in the future

As for the added noise in the tracks. We're really trying to experiment, like i said these were live. I think that in a project like this you need to be playing/writing in a way that challenges your sensibilities. I've been interested in noise rock for a long time. We recently opened for Health here in Ithaca and it was a really significant experience. They were almost tough to listen to but at the same time there was a lot of beauty in the noise. I've always shunned indie rock as being for over thinking hipsters but im starting to reconsider.

We'll be recording an EP in dec/jan and we'll focus on a lot of production while keeping things lo fi. I posted this hoping to see how the average music listener would react hearing this stuff in their local coffee shop/venue. We've been getting a lot of work but i feel like we're too palatable for the hardcore indie people and too weird for the bar crowds. There's this weird attitude from some people who feel that for something to be good it has to be incredibly challenging to listen to. Lately, I'll see or hear a band thats rated high on pitchfork and cant decide whether they're genius or horrible...

If i could get enough work playing the blues, I would. UNfortunately, in a college town you have to be keeping a lot of things on the stove. Just another project.

Flagpole wrote:

Specifically, Mexicali has weird percussion though I like the singing best on this one. The percussion makes it sound like a record is skipping...it's distracting. The singing isn't loud enough on A Sinner's Hymn. Sunday has weird (keyboards?) that are too loud (and you KNOW it is if a keyboard player is telling you that). Loaded is boring. Living is its boring twin. Don't like the vocal effect on Last Song...tone that down a bit and it's an ok song.

Oh, and Flagpole. Like I said, everything you're hearing is produced by two guyson stage with two guitars using loop pedals and my effects setup. Obviously its great only having to split the money 2 ways but we also get some wow factor out of having just the two of us on stage creating the sound live.

In_Ithaca wrote:

Oh, and Flagpole. Like I said, everything you're hearing is produced by two guyson stage with two guitars using loop pedals and my effects setup. Obviously its great only having to split the money 2 ways but we also get some wow factor out of having just the two of us on stage creating the sound live.

Yep. I get it. Keep on doing it if it's your passion. I just liked your other band better...just a personal taste thing.

Apologize for shameless bump. We just finished mixing our EP. You can listen to a few tracks here. myspace.com/blowexclamationpoint

If anyone would like a copy of the full EP, shoot me an email or pick it up on itunes feb 5th.