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Two Seconds by Nolan [Email]
Genre: Rock

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 825
Comments: 24
Votes: 9
Plays: 191
Last Played: Oct 01, 2008 - 05:39:11 PM
Downloads: 4
Fans: 15
Uploaded: Sep 24, 2007 - 06:52:23 AM
Last Updated: Sep 29, 2008 - 08:23:02 PM



Keywords:
Nolan (10)acoustic (477)guitar (879)harmonies (24)Australian (5)male (7)vocal (150)
Description:
Hello my old MacJammer friends. I've been surfing the forums tonight for the first time in ages and realised I've missed the whole MacJams "experience"...it's been a while. So, as a way of saying "hello" again, here's a song off the EP I finished a few months ago. As always, thanks to Pooey for the brilliant bass track on this. And to Jim Bouchard for mastering it.

Lyrics:
We’ve been here a while now
But things are being built around us
The view has changed, the horizon’s left in tatters

I’m two seconds from falling for this
I’m too close for the second time
I’ve been romanced by the lies and the myth
But I’m alright, I’m alright
I decline

We knew everything once
But questions rise from fertile beds around us
Look at me and tell me I’m your answer

I’m two seconds from walking away
To the edge of my second life
I’ve been seduced by the bright photographs
But I’m alright, I’m alright
I decline

I can hardly recognise myself
Draped in these fallen curtains
The sky above, it brings me down to earth

I’m two seconds from floating away
Looking down from the second floor
I’m taken aback by the strength of her words
But I’m alright, I’m alright
I decline

And here we are, this is the other side
We made it through unscathed
But you are an hour late

And here we are this is the other side
The beacons that guide us down
They light up this sacred town


Hardware:
eMac, Maton acoustic, MobilePre USB, Behringer B-1 condenser mic, GarageKey keyboard, Pooey's bass

Software:
GarageBand and whatever Jim uses.
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That's quite a 'hello', Nolan... &mdash 09/24/07 - 07:03:54 AM
Great songwriting, for starters...One of those ones where you think you know where it's going, both lyrically and melodically, and then it doesn't quite...

And on top of that, those vocals are terrific...Your singing is really strong, and the production, whatever bit of compression and whatnot you're using, is also great... Very clear and silky...

Well mixed...Sometimes pretty perfect on my speakers...A lot of MacJams tunes are better mixed for headphones, but this sounds awesome on speakers...

Best post that 'how to get the EP' info...

Ed

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Thank you &mdash 09/26/07 - 06:31:23 AM
Thanks Ed. Your comments over the last few years have definitely played their part in me deciding to have a crack at an EP. Very much appreciated.

Yeh, I hooked up the old eMac to some speakers and had a few "mixing days". There was a fair bit of moving and lugging and plugging and dragging involved in these couple of days so it was really nice that you noticed the sound. Thanks mate.

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First thing I noticed was the &mdash 09/24/07 - 09:59:32 AM
picture! Nice indeed!

You have a terrific voice, I know i've said that before, but your resonance is really striking. Great to have that gift. You have a lot of expression in your voice too.

Way to go!
Nice pop style and that seems would be perfect for national radio!

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Thank you &mdash 09/26/07 - 06:16:43 AM
Hey Bill. Thanks so much for that. My friend Sarah did the art for me. I love it too! I appreciate your comments on my singing. I never considered myself a singer until I got into MacJams and started getting some feedback. I always wondered where I was going to find someone to sing my songs. Then I got GarageBand and I got sick of waiting. I don't think I would have recorded an EP myself were it not for this site and comments like yours. So thanks.

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Excellent song &mdash 09/24/07 - 01:09:10 PM
I really enjoyed it - great all round. Thanks for sharing.

Peter

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Thank you &mdash 09/26/07 - 06:18:47 AM
..and thank you for listening, Peter. Appreciate your comment.

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Beatle'ish &mdash 09/24/07 - 04:25:20 PM
I think that you have several vocal harmonies that bring my thoughts to the Beatles in here. Also there is the chord progression that reminds me of them.

Very nice to see you post songs again Nolan:) You are one of my top favorite macjammers:)

Very cool song art, great playing and singing. The sound is brilliant and I guess Jim's hand on the mastering has something to do with the tight good sound.

And yes, another great Nolan song:)

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Thank you &mdash 09/26/07 - 06:24:37 AM
Beatle-ish? You really know what to say to a bloke, Thoddi. It was during my no-one-but-the-Beatles phase, when I was sixteen, that the idea of writing songs jumped out of the speakers and slapped me in the face. It's really nice to hear that they creep through in my songs sometime. Thank you very much for your words.

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Yes.... &mdash 09/25/07 - 02:53:10 AM
.....you are quality, Nolan

A songwriter of true class. You *should* have a proper record deal that pays you hard cash (maybe you do?).

It's a great song, great hook ('...seconds from falling...')

I suppose The Whitlams is too obvious a comparison - but I'm going through a Whitlams fixation at the moment so everything good has to sound like them :-)

Nice tension build at the end where your vocal stretches a bit.

Just good.......

Phil

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Thank you &mdash 09/26/07 - 06:39:05 AM
Thanks heaps for that, Dolby. No, no, no record deal, I'm afraid. In fact, so far I've sold three EPs (including my mother and sister! Thanks LeDeb!) But hey, it's only been available for three months.

Thanks for listening and I really appreciate you comments. As for the Whitlams...I love them! Hmm...it was probably the accent.

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Ah, what the heck... &mdash 09/26/07 - 11:04:30 PM
...make that 4. It's worth £3.95 of anyone's money - and a musician's gotta eat!

(it's a great e.p. btw :-)

---
Same Same, But Different

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Thank you &mdash 09/27/07 - 01:31:01 AM
Phil, you're a gent. Thanks for that. I hope you get your four quid's worth!

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WoW ! Great Song 10's &mdash 09/25/07 - 11:19:18 AM
The Quality of this song more than clear, nice mixing between the acoustic and the electric .. The Vocal is superb, all the sounds here are great ! LOVED THIS PIECE SO MUCH ! Great Work .. Thanks for sharing ! EXCELLENT

Take Care
==============
Yeman Auf Al-Rawi

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Thank you &mdash 09/27/07 - 01:27:08 AM
Thank you sir. I really appreciate that.

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This... &mdash 09/25/07 - 01:38:56 PM
...really made my day.

Thanks, Nolan!

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Thank you &mdash 09/27/07 - 01:29:23 AM
And you've really made mine.

Thanks Joseph

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Wonderful song. &mdash 09/26/07 - 08:47:14 AM
Wonderful artwork.


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Finally... &mdash 09/27/07 - 09:41:52 PM
listening to this again, it's really pretty strikingly great. I listened to this a lot (boy, is than an understatement!) as I was mastering it, and it totally stands up over time. People should buy this EP! Solid!

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what else to say &mdash 09/29/07 - 02:20:25 AM
Production is ace, but what really impresses is your voice, the sweet harmonies and smooth vocal melodes. Smart structure, smart lyric ('the sky above), an impassioned little gem.
Welcome back.

steve

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I had to &mdash 09/29/07 - 01:59:37 PM
get my guitar and check out that chord progression.You must have an amazing ear to come up with a progression like that and make it work.You have a capo on fret 2 right?
You have a great voice-I love this song!

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sounds &mdash 09/29/07 - 10:54:24 PM
like the E.P. is rolling along....sounding great......congrats!

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Great song Nolan! &mdash 09/30/07 - 08:04:25 PM
The first surprise was the excellent sound on this (dare I say it) typically Nolan song. Your vocals do sound like Tim Freeman - mainly in phrasing and accent - but there''s also a touch of Neil Finn in the melody/chord departments and The Beatles in the harmonies. As I listen, this is a REALLY good song - it seems a shame that the EP sales aren't happening.

Great playing from you and Pooey, and a lovely broad sound stage created by Jim. One thing I'd adjust is that the vocals seem a little too far back in the mix - especially the lead vocal. It's only a very minor thing, but your vocal is definitely the focus of the tune, and just seems (maybe less than 1dB) further back than it should be.

Bloody good stuff - great to see a new post from you. Let me know if you're heading up this way for a holiday won't you!
Cheers,
Neil

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Really Well Done &mdash 09/30/07 - 08:13:55 PM
Very nicely arranged, performed and produced.

Warm lead vocal with rich harmonies and the instrumentation is tasteful and complementary.

Unlike ejh, I AM listening on my studio headphones. Wearing these cans, the vocals sound a wee bit soft, but not enough to lose the impact.

Great job, Nolan. Good luck with your EP. ;)


--- Joe

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Hi Nolan &mdash 10/11/07 - 03:49:28 AM
Hi Nolan,
Cold December, came up in my random iTunes player today. Suddenly I became aware that I haven't heard you for a while (have had a very low activity on MJ). So I went to you page and found that you have posted this one I hadn't heard before. Great. Always welcome to hear another song of yours. I especially appreciate the last third of it.


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