[MonnoDB]

Hi All!


It's taken me an age to get this one out the door - not sure why.. It's a simple 1+1 (well and BVs).. All feedback welcome.. pick it apart please. I'm happy to do retakes of both parts .. I'm publishing now as I know I'll go around in circles until I have a version live. I thank you in advance

Karen

https://soundcloud.com/monnodb/every-path-1


Not fair, I shout inside my head
As I hear your news and sense your dread
The harder you try to fake the ease
With which you throw your words at me
The stronger my muscles tighten

The battle ground was laid before
You took your stance with ever more
Than the dignity that I can find
I'm mute of words, blank of mind
Cos I am really frightened

We are here, we are here,
We are everywhere you want us
Anytime you need, we'll take your lead
We are here, we are here,
We are everywhere you want us,
Anytime you need, we'll take your lead
Cos we are here

Every path will be paved
With all our love which we will save
For every encounter, every day
We get to hold your hand and say
We'll walk this road beside you

But that's no use to ease the pain
That grows in force as it turns again
To ravage you, and all you've built
While those who thrive are wracked with guilt
Cos only luck divides us

We are here, we are here,
We are everywhere you want us
Anytime you need, we'll take your lead
We are here, we are here,
We are everywhere you want us,
Anytime you need, we'll take your lead
Cos we are here

[pompeyjazz]

Heartfelt lyrics Karen and I think you have captured it brilliantly.  For me this is the perfect way to portray a song like this as it's raw and full of emotion and works so well. The gaps just add to the whole effect of the song like you've got 3 seconds to get yourself together and come up with all the answers. A song of the highest quality and a song to make you cry. Wonderful @MonnoDB

[Mikey]

Hi Karen

Beautiful voice, the song works very well in its simplicity, and has some nice lines in the lyrics, and the parts with the backing vocals make your voice sound even better.

Cheers, Mikey

[crystalsuzy]

So nice to hear a new 1+1 from you Karen I'm always compelled to listen several times. It's a gorgeous melody and very catchy chorus 
I really like the way you pause, and then carry on...it's become kind of a signature of yours...which is a good thing, because it's very effective
Your piano playing is stellar, as are the vocals and of course the poignant lyrics 
Loved every 2:42 minutes of it...could have been longer, but sometimes short and sweet is the way to go...something I have yet to learn

[shadowfax]

A beautiful song and presented so well..for me, the gaps were just too long but hey..no biggie

[adamfarr]

Love what you've done with this one. BVs really good too. I can see why you might be unsure but this song has its own unique DNA and I loved it the way it is.

[PaulAds]

Really good moody piece... Voice suits it perfectly... I just somehow felt that it fell short of being awesome and had to settle for very very good. Couldn't say why though...all the ingredients are there...

Really enjoyed it anyway!

[MichaelA]

This is quite a poignant song Karen, there's a heavy seriousness in the lyrics that you have approached with delicacy and subtlety, but with power too. The first stanza vocals are very fragile, but then overtaken by punchier output that carries the defiant attitude of the narrator well - and the helplessness of 'only luck divides us', wow what a line!

The 'we are here' chorus is almost cheery, by contrast to the rest, yet somehow feels like mock cheer, as the narrator tries to support the subject character of the song.

With such long verses it seems you have just gone for two choruses. Not many for the listener to catch the hook, but I naturally wanted to go back to listen again anyway. Maybe after your final piano flourish you could somehow repeat 'we are here once or maybe even twice' to seal the deal? Just a minor thought, but I really enjoyed this, long pauses and all. A very moving, lovely song.

[Movin Flavour]

Wow.....what an amazing song.

I love piano ballads, your vocals are amazing. Such amazing production.

I like the pauses...

Truly inspiring.

Sandeep

[Jambrains]

Karen, you already know what I think of it but I must cheer in. LOVE IT   
And yes, I agree, a tad short...

[Yodasdad]

Niiice!

I don't think there's much I'd change about this.

I might ever so slightly brighten the piano and maybe add just a touch more reverb to match up with the vocal..which by the way was stunning.

Loved the chorus!

I wasn't a huge fan of the pauses in between the sections, but then I can't say I've really listened to much folk this may be the done thing.

If you do change this song, don't change much, it's pretty muxh spot on as it is.

Yodasdad

[cowparsleyman]

@MonnoDB - Really dig this, Love the pauses, really adds to it, also love the choice and qty of BVox, very slick indeed.

Piano and Vox, hmmm,  leaves one really exposed, performance and production wise.

My only ideas would be..

1. A more fuller tone piano (I don't know what you used, it sounds great but a bit bass light), the Vocal range is more towards the mid to upper range, so the bassier tones of a bigger piano might work to balance out the frequencies, and as Yodasda said a tad more verb on the keys, as a guide go up till you notice it, then pull it back a couple of dB. The type of verb is also crucial.

2. As you have made pauses a positive and deliberate feature, maybe stop it dead @ 2:20, the slowing of the keys kind of contradicts the skilful use of pauses, and waters down their punch, as it were.

Just an idea....

Hope this helps

Rich

[MonnoDB]

Thanks all for listening and taking the time to comment - I really appreciate it..

@pompeyjazz @Mikey @Yodasdad @crystalsuzy @shadowfax @adamfarr @PaulAds @Movin Flavour - thanks a mill.. such lovely comments.. thank you so much..

THe pauses are dividing opinion !

@MichaelA thank you - yes it is definitely short. I actually doubled the initial chorus already and it's really got 4 verses but they kind of hang together in pairs so I couldn't see a natural way to lengthen it so I kept it short.. interesting point re repeats after the final piano.. I'll stick that in the melting pot! Thanks!

@Jambrains - yes, short it is.. and thanks again for the background "sounding" and steering...as you know, this one almost ended up in the bin!

@cowparsleyman - thanks so much for the detailed critique... Hmmm re piano - I'm using Logic presets .. this is a Steinway but I haven't given much thought about it tbh - I'll have a look into it.. thanks so much. Interesting re the dead-stop too.. I will play around with that..

Again my thanks all..

K
 

[cowparsleyman]

@MonnoDB - Hi Karen, I thought it was a Steinway sim, most folks default to that if it's available, you might be able to get around it with a plugin like Waves MaxxBass or LoAir.

Regards

Rich

[MonnoDB]

@cowparsleyman Rich - thanks a mill for the advice.. Haven't used plugins outside of Logic before but I'll have a look at that.

Much appreciated!

Karen.