[montydog]

Hello peeps,

Many thanks to all who took the time to listen and comment. It is much appreciated.

Great orchestration and production as usual Monty, really nice blend or sounds with clear story telling.

Not my go to genre but I could happily listen anyway due to the embers I've experience of the above.

Loved the gob organ!

A polished product as expected.

Yodasdad

Thanks Yodasdad, my mouth organ playing is really very basic but it's such an effective weapon on this sort of song. Lovely comments.

Alan

I think your musical output is really excellent, but I’m afraid this one didn’t do it for me. It just didn’t seem to go anywhere musically. It is very well sung, and played, and the production is top notch. It’s probably a genre thing, I’m not big on country generally so feel free to ignore.

Hey Bill,
You can't like 'em all and if country is not your thing, then that's not going to help. Keep your ears out for the next one.

Beautiful song! Just about the mixing, the low-end of the whole mix could be a little bolder.
Regardless, brilliant...

Thanks so much - appreciate the kind words.

nice vocal, all around good song, genre? traditional country?  like the "harp in this.

Thanks Lane. I guess you could call this traditional country. Good that you liked the harp - it's one of the few instruments I can make sound half decent!

Nice song.
Excellent, professional sounding production.
Really good lyrics, thought provoking, good arrangement.
Well done.

Thanks, Rightly - great comments.

Alan,
Neat mid pace country. You've really upped your production and arrangements.
Lulls you in and nice contrast with the lyrics.
Nice touches with your doubles vocals on the chorus and the sensitive guitar and harp.
 
Neil

Thanks Neil. Especially pleased with your comments on the production & arrangements. I have been at it for 6 years so something has sunk in. My harmonica playing is no match for yours but I'll take the compliment.

Hi Alan,

good song, up to your usual high standard.

Keith

Thanks Keith - your support is valued.

Lovely song, well sung. The harmonica made me miss my dad. That was his instrument, although he didn't play as well as you (sorry Dad, haha). The lyrics and melody flow nicely together.

Thanks redrhodie. I'm sure your dad was a much better player than me - it's amazing what a bit of reverb can  do!

Yo Monty

This has a great country feel,

I have been listening to some later Mark Knopfler recently and this reminds of that vibe.

Your vocal sounds a lot like Marks...Bloody smooth and low, of which I am insanely jealous of BTW.

I don't get too knit picky about lyrics but overall a nice easy listening tune.

Sounding great here
Cheers
Andy

Thanks Andy - great comments. Singing is the easy bit - it's everything else that takes the effort and time....

Nice song mate.
I'd change the lyric 'Like he's hurt you before' to 'Like you've been hurt before' as the way you have it now got me distracted from the flow of the song if that makes any sense at all.
 

Hello Kev,
Can't agree with your lyric change I'm afraid. The point is that it's the guy she's with that's hurt her and that's what I'm trying to emphasise. Your version means it could have been anyone else hurting her. Thanks for listening just the same.

Every time I listen to you I think I'm listening to the radio, maybe it's because of your voice and the good sound of the music that accompanies you.
I like a lot "And we'll light up the world
With the bridges that we burn"
That's good!

Thanks. Great that you got the whole jist of the song. I'm pleased that you thought it sounded half way decent.

Hi Alan. Another well performed and produced song but not quite up there with some of your other output imo although it's pretty damn good. I guess that's a compliment to the high standard you have achieved. Don't send the West country boys down, pleeeeze 

Pompey - the boys won't go past the somerset border so you're safe :-)

Hey Alan

Such a great idea for a song.  A fine contrast between verses and chorus.  Very uplifting.  Love the instrumentation.  Everything in it’s place, supporting the song.  Great to hear your songwriting journey as you explore new  avenues over time.

Paul

Lovely comments, Paul. Much appreciated.

Hi Alan, the strongly matching rhymes really cement those languid verses so that they really click into place.

Quite a sad tale, made all the more dramatic with that upturn in the chorus.

A very good example of a narrative song delivered in a confident and understated style. I never thought about 'burning bridges' giving off light, but that is a compelling image you conjured up there.

Hi Michael,

Well it could be sad; it all depends if she leaves or not. Thanks for your kind words.


Once again, thank you everybody. Love you all.

[shadowfax]

We were in the car eating fish and chips while looking at the sea , we live near the coast now, which is nice and played this song and it just seemed to make the moment much nicer than it already was.. nothing more need be said i reckon..

best, Kevin

[Movin Flavour]

A really enjoyable listen.

Love the sentiment of the song, something that I can relate to.

Some well crafted lyrics, love the harmonica sections especially

Great production

Sandeep

[Jenna]

Really draws you in with the beautiful musical production. I'm in love with your guitar playing. I am a country fan and this harkens back to the traditional 50s style roots until the chorus comes and it moves on into the 70s. Wonderful vocals, guitar, harmonica. All just lovely. Great hook phrase. The only stumper for me was the lyrics are a little confusing. It wasn't clear to me who should be doing the leaving. Is the speaker the one leaving or is the speaker asking her to leave someone else? Maybe I'm just slow in the wee hours of the morning, or just in general.

[Jamie]

Hi Alan, as you know,country is not my thing but the playing and singing are spot on and I particularly like the contrast between the verses and the chorus. Nicely done! Nice lyrical idea too.

Cheers
Jamie

[Paulski]

Hey Alan

Where's the bridge? Let me guess - you burned it 
Seriously though, a cool country tune.
Nice flow to it - really like how it jumps into the chorus with whatever that chord is... 
And that's a great hook line - packs a punch.

Good work
Paul

[mickyplankton]

Not really my genre but its such a professional production, you sing so well and the harmonic and acoustic guitar work so well it's great to listen to. This is how to do subtle songwriting really well.

[adamfarr]

Fantastic song concept and realisation here.


I love that chorus and that verse with the wedding dress and photos.


Perhaps a little harmony in (one of) the chorus parts would give it an extra lift? Lovely song all round.

[MonnoDB]

Creamy vocal teamed with vivd storytelling and a lovely country arrangement.. just lovely! Top class stuff @montydog !

K

[crystalsuzy]

You area amazing story telling poet Alan, and with that velvety smooth vocal and the pro production, what's not to like about this.
Right up there with your best 

[Mikey]

Very well put together track, some very nice playing and a really good sounding mix, and a great velvetty smooth vocal too.

Cheers, Mikey

[Skub]

Yo Alan.

Fine lyrical ideas going on here.

I love the 'light up the world' concept,nice twist.

The song itself has a lovely,lazy country feel which is very easy to latch onto.

Impeccably performed and recorded. 

[PaulAds]

This one was a bit tricky for me as I don't like to comment when I have any negative feelings...but because you have such a well-earned position of respect here which is reflected in the success your song have...I hope you'll allow me to stick my neck out a little?

Firstly, I really love the drums...they tootle along perfectly for the song. Mouth organ is sweet too. Vocals are excellent as always. Playing and production is spot on.

I just felt it was a bit like painting by numbers somehow. Your a super lyric writer, and there are a couple of great images in here too...but overall it felt a little jaded to me. It's never easy to tread such well-worn themes as skilfully as you generally do, and I'm perhaps being more harsh because of the very high standard of lyrics you produce. Also, I thought the second line of the verse could have moved the melody along a little. The chorus seemed a little unsure how to proceed...I used to have a drum machine back in the 80's and it only worked around a set 4 or 8 bar pattern...and sometimes I had to wait for the drum machine to catch up and stuff wouldn't flow as it perhaps should have. Reminded me of that, slightly, in parts.

I'm off the pace with this one with my comments, I can see...and I hope that you don't mind me being totally honest about it.

Everyone else seemed to love it...so please take my opinion with a pinch of salt! I'm a voice in the wilderness, as ever.

I feel kind of awful even saying this...because it seems unnecessary in some ways. The reason I have is that

A) I think and hope you're confident enough in your undoubted abilities to take a couple of well-meaning negative comments
B) I wanted to try to be able to be more honest about reviewing stuff that I wasn't quite so keen on.

best wishes

Paul

[fischermans]

Hello Alan, I always like your style. Nothing to criticise on this. Well done Alexander