[Neil C]

Hi everyone,
Here's a tune I wrote for lasts years FAWM challenge. The idea came from a torn note I'd left on my bed. I have had a simple acoustic demo lying around and I sent it iff and it came back from the very wonderful Mr Paul V fully formed and all I had to do was sing!


So hope you like it and look forward to comments and observations

 :)

Neil

In Shreds

Lying there still on the bed
I'm all torn up and in pieces
Love letters have feelings too, have feelings too

Shadows crossed my path
Bitten off more than I can chew
Of that bitter pill that's me and you, me and you

Better be hung for a sheep than a lamb
Let's get on with whist we still can
And what to do with those I’ll gotten gains?
Without the time to make amends

Pen upon paper as love turned to hate
Written in anger, delivered in haste
Shame on the pillow, too easily led
Whilst I'm lying here torn and in shreds

Better be hung for a sheep than a lamb
Let's get its on whist we still can
And what to do with those I’ll gotten gains?
Without the time to make amends

c 2017 N Connor

[PaulyX]

The second Wicked Deeds collab I've listened to this evening... you're on fire Paul.
The transition from verse to chorus and back is really quite striking. I think you just about get away with it... it still feels like the same song, although the sections have quite a different vibe - your voice is the glue that makes it work and hang together Neil.
I like the sheep / lamb line, not really sure what it means but it sounds deep!  And the acoustic picking towards the end is a great way to end it.

[nooms]

love this guys
that chorus is a killer kind of explodes specially second time round,
the od guitar if thats what it is is a masterstroke
superb work on the mix paul..more textures than carpet right and all in contrast
real good vocal neil comes across.. really going for it
wasnt sure about 'sheep and lamb' line at first but its oddness becomes its crown
real good collab chaps well played sirs

[Movin Flavour]

Good collaboration.

At first I thought it was going to be a Sunday Morning mellow tune, but then those guitars take the song into a whole new dimension, which is really cool, almost hypnotic.

Great contrast between the different sections,but they all come together really well.
Top lyrics and well sung.

Sandeep

[Jack_Diamond.]

I really like the song as a whole, but damn that outro is just delicious. Keep it up.

[Neil C]

PaulyX, thanks Paul, 'The transition from verse to chorus and back is really quite striking' the chorus guitar was all Wicked's I'd have never gone there. I think it was an Oasis moment! And agree about the acoustic at the end, Paul had an earlier version which was even better but it seemed to disappear...

nooms -  And yes I love the depth of production and arrangement too. And thanks for feedback on the vocals, I was a bit unsure and they're fairly up in the mix.
Re 'Better be hung for a sheep than a lamb' is a thing as in a phrase I've heard all my life a bit like in for a penny in for a pound.

Movin, 'Great contrast between the different sections,but they all come together really well.
Top lyrics and well sung' thanks for that. I think often when you are collaborating well you push each other slightly harder than you would do on your own.

Jack, Jack Cheers, that outro is all Paul check some more of his stuff out.

[Skub]

Yo Neil.

This is a little different for you. That nasty guitar in the chorus comes as a shock,but after a few listens it works so well in the context of the song,giving that light/shade,sweet/sour when set against the sweet sound of the verse instrumentation.
This is a song that will endure.

Good to see you out of your comfort zone,I'm too chicken to go there! 

Paul's touch on the track is unmistakeable and quality stuff.

[Wicked Deeds]

It's strange that I ended up producing this song.  I remember when the lyrics were posted in the lyric section of the forum. I read them over and over but didn't comment on them. I think Neil was looking for suggestions re their development.  I spent a little time working on them and then got really busy with life so I never did make those suggestions. 

Neil is always very courteous, taking time to leave soundcloud comments on my page.  I know he's on the look out for lyrics from time to time so I sent him lyrics to a song called 'Through The Fall' and of course, Neil produced a fine song from them.  Well it was my turn to return the favour and so I went to work on 'In Shreds''

I've never met Neil but I get what he's doing and I feel at ease sharing my ideas with him. That's essential for a collaboration to work in my opinion. 

Neil sent a nice mouth organ intro that was very pretty and would have been used In a different production.  Sometimes, it pays to consider all of the musical parts of a production and even though something is lovely, it pays to let it go for the benefit of the song. 

I've been neglecting my guitars for some time as I love to experiment with Piano and the options it offers to play orchestral instruments.  Lately, I'm deliberately including more guitar in my work.  Not just acoustic, my telecaster is beginning to see the light of day again. I decided to make the guitar come in with a bang to wake things up a little bit. It's unexpected and I think, ideal to help keep the listener's interest.

 Neil is spot on when he says that we raise our game when we collaborate. I threw the kitchen sink at his song and tried several different approaches before settling with this version. Neil wanted to include some Beatle like strings but again with my production hat on, I thought it would be a shame to incorporate them and went for something that was more instinctive to me.

I have two regrets: I lost a much better rhythm guitar take and the acoustic fingerpicked guitar and acoustic lead on the outro, which I think was once stunning, One day, I'll have access to a bigger recording space. At the moment, I'm struggling for space. I have a tiny desk and a million studio toys on it.

This was the first time that I had used The Revelation bass that I bought on recommendation from John  (Pompey jazz).  My favourite part is the bass section leading up to the chorus :-)

I'm sure that there will be more songs  from Neil and I. Thanks buddy. You have written a fine song my friend. 

Wicked Deeds.

[Jamie]

Hi guys, an interesting concoction! Lots of little idiosyncrasies with the chord changes, arrangement and instrumentation. Something new seems to be happening all the time. I like it!
Interesting listen
Cheers
Jamie

[Paulski]

Intro sounds good - then it morphs into a slightly different vibe for the verses, then morphs again for the chorus.
It's all good but a challenge to keep up with for an old f@rt like moi. Second and subsequent listens will reduce the shock of these transitions I'm sure and the vox does tend to glue them together as someone said. I think the lead vox are a little too loud in the chorus and it could use a 30 sec trim but I enjoyed the ride 

Paul