It's June

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montydog

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« Reply #15 on: January 15, 2019, 02:36:30 PM »
Hi Peeps,

A big thank you for the (largely) positive feedback. Quite a relief I can assure you. Before thanking individuals who commented, can I point out that the sax on this track is not played by me. If I was that good, I'd be earning a fortune as a session player. The part was originally played by a guy called Mark Douthit and I have edited it to fit my song. Don't worry, there are no copyright issues.

Hey Alan,

I always love how you arrange these songs of yours. They are very rich! Great stuff!

I enjoyed this mate! Great job! No nits.

@LostBoy Glad you liked it!

Hi Alan, very nice imagery in the lyric, good vocal too as always. Can't really fault the song overall without being picky, so on that basis my only negative comment would be it is a little 'too' easy on the ear, maybe? Geoff

@Furry61 Fair enough Geoff - can't please all the people all the time. Thanks for the positive words on the lyrics which I know you are the master of.

Hello Alan
Very good played and sung. Love the sax. You have that talent of storytelling. I always see the whole scenery wich about you are singing in your songs.
Thanks for sharing. Nothing to criticise.
Alexander

@fischermans You are too kind Alex.

I just love that banjo is there @montydog !! It fits the song like a glove and stands out for me from an arraignment perspective.. Lovely song and as always, beautifully sung.. Very very slick production all around .. Sounds like a professional radio-ready song to me. Particularly like the last line pattern you've got going on (no idea what to call that! But I'm hoping you know what I mean)

Very fine and lovely work!

@MonnoDB Thanks. Not sure about the radio friendly - I don't think that's possible for someone as old fashioned as me :-(

Alan,

your songwriting gets better and better.  You clearly have your own unique sound.  The instrumentation sounds great. I could imagine going to see your band play live and then walk away, having thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  This is simply delightful!  Sax is good but  wonder if it was really needed in the context of the rest of the instrumentation.

Paul

@Wicked Deeds Lovely comments coming from one I admire so much. The comments about seeing it live are fab - made my day. I think the sax works - think of Clarence Clemons of the East St Band!

My favourite of yours by a country ( :P) mile.

I think you would have knocked the lyrics out of the park with lines 3 and 6 of the verses rhyming too...quite an undertaking, I suppose...keeping the excellent story going too...although I doubt it's beyond you...it's very very good lyrically anyway...I just might have obsessed over it if I'd been on the ball enough in the first place to have written it.

Loved the drums and the kick that comes with them. Banjo was fab. Reminded me of a time on holiday when an Italian coach driver and an English tour guide had a heated argument on a heated coach with my wife very pregnant and very heated too. I got out of my seat, went to the front of the bus and "had a quiet word with them" as I walked back to my seat amid a stunned silence...a cockney fella said to me "ho ho, Geordie...I thought you were going to banjo the pair of them" As if  ::)

It didn't feel like the saxophonist had wandered into the wrong studio...which I'd have likely put money on after 30 seconds or so  ;D

Anyway...I really enjoyed this one, Alan.


@PaulAds Wow! so relieved you liked this one as you were lukewarm about "Bridges" and that came 2nd in the Novemeber SOTM competition! Just goes to show what an unpredictable beast personal taste is.

Unlike the other reviewers, I didn't think the sax worked. I love the mondolin, and I would be interested to hear a more bluegrass/country sounding solo, maybe with a fiddle instead. The sax made it more jazzy, which I didn't like, even though you obviously play it extremely well, and it obviously appeals to most of the other reviewers (so feel free to ignore my opinion). I thought you voice sounded great and liked the lyrics.

Lynn

@redrhodie Hi Lynn. I did try this with a fiddle but it just wasn't working. Thanks for the +ve comments on the lyrics and singing

It might be becasue I'm listening on a different set of headphones to usual but this doesn't seem to have quite the layer of polish as the recent productions I've heard.

Not a critiscism, just an observation...this has a ruggedness about it that I think fits the song.

Melodically and lyrically well crafted as usual from you.

The sax sounds great in it's own right but I'm in two minds at the moment as to whether it fits int he context of the track. It kind of feels like two worlds colliding. We've got that rugged, raw banjo led side and then the 80's power ballad sax. It might just be a stroke of genious that needs me to catch up.

I think it may be a combination of the sax and the lyrical storytelling/themes in your lyrics but I'm being reminded of  Bruce 'The Boss' Sprinsteen with this one.

Well done Monty.

Yodasdad

@Yodasdad It's definitely a work of genius!!! Thanks for the Bruce Springsteen comparison. I hadn't noticed the similarity with his style but now I hear what you mean.

Excellent stuff. The banjo-batics and the sax are just ace (wasn’t expecting a sax either so that was an eyebrow-raising moment).
I thought your delivery, the phrasing and some aspects of the melody were very Dylan in this one.
There’s something very powerful about songs where the message is ‘I’m outta here’ isn’t there.
I really liked this. :)

@PaulyX Lovely comments Paul - glad you liked the banjo/sax combo although some others didn't. it's that personal taste thing again.

Yo Alan.

The song has the feel of Ralph McTell and David McWilliams.(Days of Pearly Spencer) Intimate and warm.

Cool sax work.

It's a lovely song which richly rewards repeated listens. It's one of those songs the listener feels they have always known. Your music tends to bring that familiarity. Neat trick.

Fine work as always Alan.  8)

@Skub Many thanks Davy - you are too kind.

Hi Alan
Wish it was freakin' June - dealing with minus 15 ATM. Brrr  :D :D
This smooth sound warmed me up a bit though.
Lovely vocals as usual and I liked the chord change in the Part B sections (bridges?)
Seamlessly goes back to the verses too - well done.
The sax fits nicely here and like Vicky says shades of glen campbell  :D :D
Keep penning 'em  ;D
Paul


@Paulski Lovely comments Paul - that means a lot. The chord change is from A7 to Fmaj7 and then from Am back to a C G F run.

Don't we all wish it was June hey Alan. I really liked this. You spin a good story with the lyrics and for me there was a lot of drive to it. Its quite an upbeat number from yourself.  I got a sort of early Springsteen vibe from this. You are a master at this type of song. Sax stuff is exceptional. Hats off to you for being able to play one of those beasts. I had clarinet lessons at school which is pretty surprising for a comprehensive in inner city Coventry in the 70s but could never quite get the reed right. I know that all songs are very personal but I'd love to have a shot at a rocked up remix with some dirty guitar and some wailing bv's. Let me know if you're into that. Cracking stuff

@pompeyjazz Thanks for the songwriting comments and the Springsteen comparison (swoons). See my comments at the top about the sax. It would be great for you to have a go at a remix. Just let me know what you need from me.

Alan,
Fab lyrics as ever. Liking the guitar, mandolin and banjo. Its got a loverly roots feel to it. Voice sounds just right.
And sax solo really tops it off.
Thoughts: I think early on the drums are a bit to prominent in the mix, I think I'd build it a bit more gently till its a full blast by the middle. And I think I might have a little more dynamics in terms of arrangement, maybe strip a verse back to the intro style later on to introduce a little light and shade.
However these are small points, going to have another play.
Classy and pro sounding
 :) :)
neil


@Neil C Thanks for the great feedback and advice on the drums - I think you're right BTW.

First reaction as I listen...shades of Glen Campbell. It reminds me of "Gentle on My Mind".

From your description I would call this an unstable theme, which is supported with an occasional near rhyme, the uneven line lengths and a lack of tonic resolution at the end. There are stable elements, as well--especially all the perfect rhymes. What does all that mean? Ummm...that I am congratulating myself on recognizing these elements? Probably.

I noticed a couple tiny issues with timing/rhythm (like pronouncing the car COR-vette instead of how I think of it: cor-VETTE).

But mainly I noticed how pleasant this is and I just want to relax and listen to the mellow sound flowing through my headphones.


@CaliaMoko Well "Gentle On My Mind" is one of my all-time favourites so that's a great compliment. I don't understand the technical stuff about instability that you talk about - I just write what sounds right. Some say CORvette, others say corVETTE....some say potAto some say potarto....

Once again, many thanks to all who commented. It is much appreciated and keeps me going.

M

Furry61

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« Reply #16 on: January 15, 2019, 02:44:41 PM »
Your songs and lyrics are always of a high quality Alan, I am very glad that you have collaborated with me on one of mine (so far) keep doing what you're doing :-)

PaulAds

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« Reply #17 on: January 15, 2019, 03:25:43 PM »

[/quote]

@PaulAds Wow! so relieved you liked this one as you were lukewarm about "Bridges" and that came 2nd in the Novemeber SOTM competition! Just goes to show what an unpredictable beast personal taste is.
[/quote]

Yeah...i'm afraid to say I'm way off the pace when it comes to figuring out SOTM.

Each to their own...
heart of stone, feet of clay, knob of butter

Martinswede

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« Reply #18 on: January 16, 2019, 10:32:23 AM »
Hi Alan!

I think it's a great song, but I think there are too many things going on at the same time. Maybe the banjo, nice addition, could be focused on a few parts, like the verses. No big fan of sax outside of jazz, but the melody line really fitted the song.

Sorry for putting you in the top spot  ;)

Martin

adamfarr

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« Reply #19 on: January 16, 2019, 04:39:25 PM »
There's something really "right" about this one. The drive is quite inexorable - you know the character is definitely going. But he's not excited, he just knows he has to. And when the sax hits it's really like he has hit the streets of a new town (not quite leaving behind the small town banjos, but at the same time meeting something out of the norm). I think the addition of the sax - that also distances this from a pure country style, which for me helps (sorry) - is really a spectacularly fine choice to contribute to how this story is told.



Jambrains

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« Reply #20 on: January 19, 2019, 08:12:56 PM »
Holy cow! @montydog doing drums!!! I was just getting comfortable in my chair during the intro expecting to enjoy yet another fan acoustic number from you and just when I got set the drums comes in and changes this into a more country style number. And boy, did I like that!
Nice build up, love the organ, vocals fab, hate the sax (sorry! ::) )
All in all top drawer stuff, my only suggestion would be to loose the sax and bring in@Skub or @Neil to lay down a nice guitar solo instead. A nice twangy Tele to balance the organ and you off to Nashville with you  ;)

Movin Flavour

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« Reply #21 on: January 21, 2019, 06:13:50 PM »
 A great little country song.

Has the feel of the beginning of a road movie. I like the banjo, wasn't expecting the sax, perhaps a harmonica.  That said what I wasn't expecting, still works.

A story well told, and sung. Great guitars and drums

Well done Alan.

Sandeep