[Jambrains]

First things first: Boydie was so very kind and mastered this song and did a splendid job. Any remaining imperfections are solely to blame on the mix he was given to work with <3

This song was the first I wrote for my solo project Jambrains after leaving my band. I wrote it in a period of my life when I was not feeling very well at all. A lot of things happened that I could not control and one consequence of this was me leaving the band even though I really did not want to. So the verse and chorus was actually a call for help, don't listen to me I don't know what I'm doing, Don't Let Me Go.

Eventually I came out on the other side of all this stronger than before and by then I could complete the song with the last part which turns a rather dark and desperate mood 180 degrees around into a triumphal outro.

DON'T LET ME GO

The walls keep staring back at me
They offer me no clue
The ceilings falling down on me
I’m lost, what can I do?
The floor rise up to meet me
As I’m heading for the fall
I started running long ago
And I’v been running ever since

I am fighting all my demons
They come in every shape and form
But don’t let go
Don’t let me go
I'm your Cain, I am your Judas
I'm that thorn deep in your side
But don’t let go
Don’t let me go
Don’t let go

There's a place within my soul
where my heart refuse to go
where darkness reigns
where nothing grows
and fear is all I know
My dreams keep whispering fairy tales
of who I could become
if I just had the guts to face
the enemy within

I am fighting all my demons
They come in every shape and form
But don’t let go
Don’t let me go
I'm your Cain, I am your Judas
I'm that thorn deep in your side
But don’t let go
Don’t let me go
Don’t let go
 
But I'm still alive
I'm still kicking and screaming
I won't lay down and die
Yes, I will survive
All I can I see
is an endless horizon
it's waiting for me
time to moved on
to be free

https://soundcloud.com/jambrains/dont-let-me-go-boydie-mastered

[digger72]

Hi,

I think this has really good dynamics - excellent arrangement. The different elements work well - especially the drops in to the piano parts. The outro reminded me a little of Holy Man by Dennis Wilson when it began, then moved off towards a bit of Iron Maiden guitar before resolving itself nicely.
The vocal i 90% liked. there was just the odd bit that sounded a bit not quite there, but i liked the gruff tone to it - thought it worked well with the musical backdrop.
Good job by Boydie.

Nice one.

Digger

[montydog]

Hi,

Instrumentally this is very competently played and it sounds great from a production point of view. Lyrically it's solid and the vocal has plenty of grit and authenticity. I thought it was a little similar sonically to American bands like Aerosmith and Kiss. This isn't my sort of music at all so I am biased when I say it lacks subtlety. It's painted in big, bold strokes and it seems to bludgeon it's way along. This may be your style so forgive my prejudice  but it doesn't leave enough space for me to get into the song and savour what's on offer.

Would sound great on the radio and as a live track.

M

[benjo]

 yeah man i liked that


 great production, and musically really good quality
 a good strong lyric too

 nothing to pic at for me i really enjoyed it in every way

     good job

[Jambrains]

@digger72
Thanks! Glad you liked the arrangement; I worked pretty hard on it until I ended up with the current version. Never heard Holy Man but the Maiden reference is spot on, I grew up in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and from time to time I guess that shines though. What makes me most happy however is that you are 90% happy with the vocals, that is more than I could ever hope for 
And yes, Boydie did a marvelous job mastering the track.

@montydog
Getting feedback from someone who is not at all into this kind of music is more valuable than you might expect. Thanks for taking the time to pay a visit into my world. Though I’m not a very big fan of either of the bands mentioned I do understand what you mean and since that is pretty much my kind of music I take that as a great compliment. “Big, bold strokes“ is a wonderful way to describe it and is spot on. And yes, that is pretty much my style I guess but also partly due to me limited vocal resources that simply does not cut it in more spares arrangements. And without even knowing it you have solved a problem for me as well. You see, every time people ask me what kind of music I make I have not been able to give them a good answer. Until now! From this day I official announce my music style to be: bludgeon rock! Simply love that, thanks!

@benjo
Thanks for the very kind words!

[retrononomusic]

Hi!

OK, this is really good production, nothing to add. Your voice is strong and I wish I could rock like you. :-)

There were a few times where your voice seemed detuned/strange/desynchronized but this is fixable I think.
With a voice like that, you can do what you want!

The little piano melody is a killer one, love it!

Nono.

[beckylucythomas]

From this day I official announce my music style to be: bludgeon rock!

Love it! The world needs more bludgeon rock!! 

it's not really my kind of thing normally either, but yeah I also am envious of the ability to totally rock out like that. it's all about the swagger of the music. I think you nailed it.

I know that lots of tracks of this genre (you know, all those bludgeon rock tracks  ) do the fade out over the big guitar solo.... but i always feel a bit sad for the guitarist (which presumably is you?!)..... plus it cuts me off in my prime when I'm just warming up my air guitar 

Great fun to listen to - so cool that something like this came out of a bad time for you - i love that you get the feel in the track of turning things around....facing your demons and stomping all over them!

[Neil C]

Liked the piano, this has an epic feel to it which go with the lyrics. It has a touch of springsteen to it especially on the verses. And I'm ok with your voice, it has a earthy honest to it.

What I'm less sure about is the key changes that go on in the chorus and whether they belong with the verses and make a coherent tune? Anyway that personal observation aside you've obviously spent a considerable time on it and it shows.
 
Neil

[Jambrains]

@retrononomusic
Thank you so very much for your very kind words! My confidence with my vocals are pretty low so these kind of comments are very much appreciated. I guess my biggest enemy is living in my head. I do try to improve my vocals but the mental bit is a bit more difficult...

@becky nee caco
Yep, it's a shame to fade out during a nice guitar solo (and I don't like fade outs in general) but for this song I found it very appropriate. Sort of, the tide has turned and the hero rides off into the sunset :-)
Thanks for the comments and I hope you will pay a visit to the world of bludgeon rock in the future as well.

@Neil C
You are probably right about the key changes in the chorus. I remember that I got the melody while sitting in my car and when I got back home it took some time and thinking before I got the chords right. I have listened to it som much that I don't even think about it anymore but I guess a first time listener will react to it, for good or bad I don't know. Hopefully it's odd in a good way..

[TheButcher]

Hi;

a straight forward rock song - i  like that.

With powerful vocals and a great instrumental / mix / master.

The piano parts are great.

I m really not sure bout the synth around 2:50 - like the guitar solo that comes after it a lot better.

The outro vocal around 3:20 are my favorite - really digging the melody there "I am still alive"

great

[nooms]

top track & performance all round plus big up to boydie as well..
a cracking listen
vocal sounds natural to me and full of expression..
you mean it and that travels in a song..
love the cunning change of gear in the final section.. very nicely navigated..works a treat..
never been moved by an iron maiden track, has anybody ? for me this has a lot more substance to it and reminds me of waterboys mike scott, touch of geldofs boomtown rats with the punch of thin lizzy..
great stuff..

[James Nighthawk]

Big and brave!

A cross over of musical and rocksmithery that works more than perhaps it should!

Some of the drum fills are disjointed - perhaps too straight or slightly misprogrammed - which bother me some, and a couple of the notes ending phrases are slightly dud. Otherwise the performances and programming are great.

The instrumental break down is perhaps my favourite section. Very solid playing here and clever ideas.

I like this despite having not much love for either of the genres it references

Good stuff!

[seriousfun]

Well written piece this. Lovely dynamics in this, the quiet piano breaks off some respite from the driving track and serve to strengthen the focus on the guitar part around the 3 min mark.

Nicely put together and well suited to the lyrics. Only crit is that the fade out did not seem suit the track.

Allan.

[Boydie]

I really liked this song when working on it

The key for me was to retain the lovely textures you had built up

We lost a bit of bite from the guitars to push the low end a bit - and listening with fresh ears I think this was the right decision as the bass really drives the track for me after the delicate piano intro

I particularly like the backing vocals on this one - they have a really authentic "70's rock vibe" for me

I also like the really lively drum groove

I think you could "let go" more with your vocals - I would love to hear a version where you just let rip

The change up at 2.42 works really and I like the harmony guitars to complete the 70's flavour

[Jambrains]

@TheButcher
Thanks! That synth seems to be one of those things you either love or hate, I have had very divergent reactions to it. Can't even decide myself if I like it or not...
@nooms
Thank you for the very kind words, geldof, scott and lizzy... wow. And your right, I do mean it. It's by far the most personal lyrics I've written (yet!) I must admit I have been known to have been moved by a maiden song or two but then I'm a bit a an oddball 
@James Nighthawk
Yeah, big and brave seems to be my style even though I'm not so sure about the musical influence... Regarding the fills and the dud ending phrases I think I know exactly what you mean. Should have been taken care of but I decided to let go less I would have never been able to complete it. One of these days I'll go back and iron out the remaining issues..
@seriousfun
I not a big fan of fade outs either but for this song I actually found it appropriate. A little bit like the old western movies where the hero rides off in into the sunset....
@boydie
Seems we like just about the same things about this song and that is probably one of the reasons why you were able to do such a terrific mastering of it. A big thanks once again! <3