Excellent performance, singing on top, but I'm not so crazy about the writing, music and lyrics. Something a bit obvious, well, relatively to your other tremendous posts, I mean. Very subjective point of view, certainly, but, at the height you're flying, I can be a bit demanding ! :))

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OK: Youra didn't like the music, lyrics, writing...anything else? Jeez.... OK,I can take it. High expectations.

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-Philip

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Sorry to express, maybe awkwardly, the fact that I like better the direction you took in the two other songs you posted. I'm not anymore a great listener of rock (I was), but I love the way you re-invent it. I didn't find this in that song, more common for my taste, while excellently played and sung. But, hey, just my point of view, and I'm probably going to be the only one to say that (which I really don't care).
High expectations, as you say. And eager for watching your next move !

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The secret's out - you're one hell of a geat performer. What a killer tune. Very Frankenstein - love it. Racerat - you're setting the bar very high with these new tunes. This totally rocks.

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This is like making Audio Slave look bad. And I've thought six times about whether I should make that comment. It is.

This song is HUGE. It pulls you in, draws pictures in your head, you feel the message, it stays with you, its a sound track for spending your day. Its the lost music from the sound garden days... MORE MORE!!

The best I've heard on MJ to date. I don't feel worthy of commenting on the production values here. Uh you need to find like a rep.

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Chris Cornell has one of the greatest set of pipes around. Matt will be flattered by the comparison. The band: former members of Rage Against the Machine--also a top notch powerhouse unit. Thanks for the raves. You dudes ain't no slouches yourselves!

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-Philip

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outrageously cool, sweetly hip, funkadelicious. if this is obvious then I need calibration badly. Passion & Power

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now this one is my fave. excellent guitar, rythm and leads. a right in your face wah. has some of the early 70's hard rock that i grew up and learned with. this is what makes me want to plug my guitar in and wail away. but i constrained myself to listen all the way through.
Nice

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Vic, Thanks again. I love it when that happens. That's what I love about MacJams, totally inspires me. Other folks tunes I can rock out to and get pumped to strap on my axe and do it again. I'm gonna need it. Since I joined my musical productivity has dropped--due to all the time I spend listening and cruising around.

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-Philip

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Wicked guitar tones and blast drums. production is top quality. I like the breakdown with the wah peddle. It sounds too good to be electronic music.
Joel

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Love the effects and style of the guitars. The harmonics in the rhythm are a really nice touch and the pedal-driven solo bits are right on the money. I like your stereo spread as well - wide, but you don't lose power or placement. Your vocalist does a great job - very stylish with killer harmonies.

The balance of the tracks is great, but the mix overall sounds a bit top heavy - meaning a lot of very high frequencies that become a harsh on the ears after a bit. A nitpick to be sure, but this track is groovy and I'd be remiss if I didn't risk honest feedback.

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Hey, Thanks for the strokes and also more importantly for the honest feedback.

I agree with you. The high end on the vocal is a little harsh. This was the result of some rushed re-mastering on my part as I scrambled to upload some new stuff. After my first upload I noticed that much of my stuff was not a compressed, bass heavy, or mixed as hot as some others. So I mixed a hotter version to upload. My mistake.

But thanks for the courage to critique. There seem to be a little too much stokin goin on on this site and not enough growth provoking criticism.

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-Philip

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I can go with the Audioslave comment earlier, he really sounds like Chris for sure.

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Keep 'em coming, bro!

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Classic Rock all the way, man. Very fine production. Deffinately felt what the lyrics were trying to say. Very well done.

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I totally dig the vibe. The opening pulls me right in, which makes me think that the song could have used a break, a moment to step back, maybe even an audible breath/gasp like your are coming up for air, and then another start-up, kind of a hitch moment where you can restart the groove and be dramatic. Also, the ending is kind of sudden and could use water down the drain sounds and some sort of echo-repeat that makes me visualize you going under. (It would be great when the video comes out!) About the EQ problems, there is always a worry when distortion high end combats with vocals. Thru my studio monitors, the whole track is too bright, but not bad in headphones (I always listen in both when mastering a track). I'd boost the bass drum, the bass, the depth in the guitars, and consider using less effects on the vocals (reverb often adds too much high to the vocal track, be sure and add depth by dialing down the high end reverb, pushing the mid-low reverb, if you want that much reverb to begin with). Totally dig the wah lead, even tho it also is a little shrill when it goes high in the end, and dry in comparison (but if you dial back on the vocal reverb that won't be so incongruent). A fun, solid tune and energized performance. Very cool.

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Thanks for the in-depth critique Tobin. I really appreciate it when someone of your producing caliber takes the time to "dive in" (don't drown!...) I always check my mix in both my Mackie 824's and my Sony MDR-7506 cans. There are elements that are too bright, I agree, in retrospect....

I was unfortunate to have created this song in BIAS Deck, which I can no longer run due to System software and CPU upgrades, so I couldn't go back in an remix it, otherwise I would have. I could only remaster the EQ levels a bit. Definitely learning more about carving out EQ ranges for different instruments and elements so as not to have the "conflicts" in competing tonalities. That's why I'm here, to get another pair of ears on my music so I can improve. Thanks again.

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-Philip

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But the lyrics seem a bit obscure and or cryptic; and drowning - "healing" - hopelessness would seem to constitute an oxymoron in this case making one curious as to what is transpiring here. More than kinda curious as to why the subject of the song feels this way. Just a thought...

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Painting a picture, like writing lyrics is a struggle between what to show and what to suggest. By leaving images undefined, we leave the landscape open to others populating it with what they bring along with them. Drowning, leaving, can wipe away hopelessness and in a sense heal the pain by release.

SonnyJim performed the vocals, and (as is usually the case) wrote the lyrics while I tracked the bass and drums. Sometimes things just happen. Sometimes those things are the most telling of all.

Thanks for listening and thinking and caring enough to share.

P

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-Philip

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Man, your old stuff sounds truly great. I wish I had 1/10 of your music skills. Great vocals from Matt (as usual) and killer guitar work (you and your bro.). This is really excellent on all levels... Keep up the great work my friend!

Take Care
- Yeman A. Al-Rawi

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