[Wolfini]

Hi everyone!

My new project is to write and record a few acoustic songs. Since I often use happy melodies with sad lyrics, this time I want to do it the other way round: sad melodies, happy lyrics. Apart from a western guitar I lately also added a new midi keyboard and some software synths to my setup, so I will also throw in some not so acoustic sounds to spice things up a bit.

Here is the first song in this project. It would be great to get some idea if this concept works out for you guys.

The cabin

5'o clock on friday evening
we get in the car and leave the town
we are driving to the cabin
it is dark when we get around
and I open all the windows
breathe and smell the summer night
as I listen to cicadas

sometimes my life just feels alright

birds awake me in the morning
we drink our coffee in the sun
talk about the chores that are waiting
we'll just do them one by one
as I stand between the bushes
cut them back just a little bit
I feel sweaty hot and thirsty
but so very much alive
yeah my fingernails are dirty

sometimes my life just feels alright
sometimes my life just feels alright

for lunch we have some cooked spaghetti
with bolognese from a jar
then we have to heat some water
to wash the dishes with a soap bar
I take the blanket to the garden
and we lie there on the ground
wind is rustling through the grasses
as we doze there until five
noone knows where we are hiding

sometimes my life just feels alright
sometimes my life just feels alright

Thanks, Bye Wolfi

[PaulAds]

hi Wolfi

happy and contented...what better feeling is there?

the shaker percussion thing made me feel a little seasick when it came in...not sure if i'd change it or drop it back a bit personally...loved the guitar and thought the lovely sentiment was captured very nicely.

a tiny bit long, possibly...but great 

[pompeyjazz]

Hi Wolfi,

There is a slightly Dylanesque feel to this song. Lovely acoustic guitar. It's a very chilled vibe. I thought it was a little too long as well though.

Nice relaxing song - Well done

John

[tboswell]

There is only so much contentment a guy can take!

Lovely song that I agree goes on a little long but I enjoyed it very much. Love the detail in the lyrics, you really paint a picture of what was happening that draws in the listener.

Personally I would have added a bit of grit in there, something that needed to be escaped from, to allow the general sense of escape to be earned more. Storytelling wise I think that would emphasize the mood.

Overall a very nice listen. Wish I had your w/e 

[shadowfax]

Lovely guitar and a nice image created, just felt like I was sat outside my log cabin looking over the lake...nice work, agree with PaulAds..it's just a bit long...

best, Kevin

[olivergearing]

Guitar sound is simply beautiful, however the shaker doesn't perfectly fit as per Paul's comment...

Have you thought of adding some other instruments? Perhaps the additional of drums/bass would stop the song feeling a little long?

Nice vibe, like the others, I wish I had you weekend!

[giitlesriddles]

I'm not so sure about the shaker, but the guitar is restrained, tight, fits perfectly. Love the lyrics, great imagery, and overall great song. Maybe make it a tiny bit shorter, as the verses dragged a little in my opinion, but that didn't take away from the song that much at all. Great Work!
~Nate

[diademgrove]

Hi Wolfi,

the shaker sounded like crickets and seemed to go with the lyrics. I think the synths work well apart from the ones at the end, they didn't seem part of the song and I'd have not used them.

Really liked the last verse, brought a smile to my face.

A good song all round,

Keith

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

Nice guitar sound.

I like the verse melody and the way it builds to the pay-off line. The line itself is one that encapsulates the feeling of the lyric well.

I wouldn't call it acoustic pop really. More of folky thing what with there being no real big chorus and the hook being the 'sometimes my life just feels alright' line.

Perfectly nice sentimental song, which makes a change.

[crystalsuzy]

I echo the sentiment of the other reviews, Wolfi A lovely laid back weekend at the cabin...time ceases to exist  What more could anyone ask for I felt like I was right there with you, with all the explicit imagery in the lyrics
Nice clear guitar and vocals, and I liked the addition of the keyboard effects...some drums and bass might add another dimension
the shaker was a little distracting at first, but then I got used to it...I like the idea of adding some crickets...maybe even some other nature sounds, sparingly in the background 
A little on the long side ,but a really enjoyable listen

[hardtwistmusic]

All I know is that I really liked this.  Loved the guitar, and the vocal is just right for the song.  I was too focussed on the sound to listen hard to the lyric.  I'll take another look later. 

[mondobongo]

Love the guitar sound, it's very well recorded. The initial synth blends in sympathetically as does the cello later on. Am liking the sentiment of the song and the "sometimes my life just feels alright" is memorable. Good stuff.

[Wolfini]

Thanks a lot everyone for the nice comments. Sorry I did not answer sooner, but I had a busy week.

@PaulAds: yeah, I think I will have to look into the shaker again. It was played on a midi keyboard, and I tried to use some quantization but I guess there is more work to do.

@pompeyjazz: Great, a folky sound is what I was going for so Dylanesque makes me happy here.

@tboswell: I thought the lyrical tension lies in between the simple, basic living and the work (sweaty, dirty etc.) and the fact that this still can make you happy. I know it's a little cliché but for me personally sweaty work and happiness usually don't go together. ;-)

@shadowfax: (and others) mh, yeah, a little long... the solo turned out a little longer than planned and probably I could shorten the verses a little... I already cut an additional pre-chorus, and so I guess I will leave it as is.

@olivergearing: I was trying to get away from my usual sound, so I used no drums and bass on purpose here. I wanted to concentrate on the guitar sound, so I am glad you liked that.

@gittlesriddles: thanks!

@diademgrove: hah, I like that crickets association for the shaker... gives me something to think about what I could do about the shaker

@viscount cramer: yeah, folk sound is what I was going for, but usually when I use another moniker than pop for my songs everyone tells me they are pop. But I do not really have an idea what constitutes a genre.

@crystalsuzy: okay, nature sounds. I will look into it.

@hardtwistmusic: thanks, glad you liked the vocals, too. I often have problems with those...

@mondobongo: The guitar was a Yamaha A3M recorded on two tracks simultaneously: one Rode M3 pointed at the 14th fret and one direct line using the built in mic sim of the guitar preamp in the "wide" setting. I really love that guitar!

So thanks again everyone,
Bye Wolfi

[digger72]

Hi Wolf,

Very nice track.
The interplay between the synths and acoustic are great. Wasn't keen on the shaker either.
Did feel a tad long, but not to the extent where i thought - "I've heard enough."

Nice one.

Digger

[adamfarr]

Great detail in the lyrics here - very personal and real. And the saddish feel works well to set off the happiness of the sentiments. The short chorus is memorable and singable. Different instuments coming in at different times. All working really well. (Shaker needs a bit of fixing up).

I think it was as long as it had to be - possibly if there were a way of varing the dynamic of the vocal a bit more (it seemed very constant all the way through) that might add some interest but that's being very picky.

A high quality song indeed.