konalavadome

Hold Me Tight

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MonnoDB

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« on: August 22, 2019, 10:57:11 PM »
Hello all...

It's been a while - struggled to get anything out my DAW.... it's littered with unfinished productions but this one seems to have escaped out the other end...

I read the feedback thread and though I'm fairly crap at reviewing myself, I do invite as much in the way of feedback as possible.. As always the extremely patient @Jambrains has lent me his ears for feedback on arrangement / mix but I've spared him later mixes on this as I (largely) seem to have moved the level of the whistle up and down  ::) ::) .. I suspect it's too loud in this version but, well, be brutal please... I could spend another week tweaking this but I'd prefer at this point to get some feedback from your good selves..

K

https://soundcloud.com/monnodb/hold-me-tight

If you ever smile, will it reach your eyes?
You play the serious, the grave
It’s a cover you create
Something’s hidden in the way
You take me gently with such care
Like I’ll break if you let go
What is it I have not been told
Have you been on this earth before?
How did it end, or should I know?

Please hold me tight tonight, my love
And tell me what you fear
I promise I will fight for you
Tell you what you need to hear
Whatever demons threaten you
Must reckon first with me
Cos I won’t let you go before
The darkness disappears

I know your laughter it can ring
And your lilting voice will sing
If your darkness ever lifts
As you cast the past adrift
I’ll be right here to k eep your place
As you float through time and space
To where you finally are free
To come back home to me
Cos you’ve been on this earth before
This time the ending’s one I know

Please hold me tight tonight, my love
And tell me what you fear
I promise I will fight for you
Tell you what you need to hear
Whatever demons threaten you
Must reckon first with me
Cos I won’t let you go before
The darkness disappears

We can miss or we can score
The time is ours to take and hold
The past is gone, our future clear
If we dare to promise what we dream

Please hold me tight tonight, my love
And tell me what you fear
I promise I will fight for you
Tell you what you need to hear
Whatever demons threaten you
Must reckon first with me
Cos I won’t let you go before
The darkness disappears

Whatever demons threaten you
Must reckon first with me
Cos I won’t let you go before
The darkness disappears

cowparsleyman

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« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2019, 08:04:06 AM »
Good morning @MonnoDB - Nice to her from you again, some folk struggle to get anywhere near a DAW, so don't do yourself down...

Just taking another listen now...You definitely have a style of your own, the vibrato on your held notes is certainly a feature of your style.

To my ears the mix is fine, the whistle is lovely, (harmonies work well with whistles, just for a few notes though, pick the hook you have established earlier, and re emphasize it in the next place it's used but with a harmony) it might be better to hang it out wider, during the Verse so it doesn't get in the way of the LVox (it might just be these earbuds...)

Nice idea to use vibrato electric guitar instead of acoustic, and no drums, this was one area that I wondered about, what is the keying element for the rhythm? a gently strummed acoustic gtr or a deep military snare playing very short fills during the later choruses might works...(just ideas)

Plenty of space given for the LVox, as this piece is a really about lyrics and their meaning

Mid8 very nice.

A very original piece of work Karen/Johann

Hope this helps...

PaulAds

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« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2019, 12:21:18 PM »
There must be demons out there in force as I started to write something about them coming for me yesterday...

This is really lovely...the "demons" line is the highlight for me...but the whole thing is very sweet. Lyrics are super. Love how it gently makes its exit too... Remember how the blockheads used to just put their instruments down and wander off-stage one at a time at the end of the gig? Very cool.

When the bass started that ascent, I'd have put my house on drums or percussion coming in...so you sold me a dummy there!

I often think you have a very special almost spiritual sound to your voice and the music supports that feeling too.

Listened several times and enjoyed it more each time 😃
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MichaelA

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« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2019, 02:02:26 PM »
Hi Karen, this is quite theatrical for you, quite a dramatic offering.

The sustained notes of the chorus really soar after the busier rhythmic verse, and those harmonies then cut through in a gorgeous and powerful way.

There is something very beautiful in this mash up of Celtic / folkie influence with a pithy vocal delivery seeped in contemporary soft rock that you have woven here. Confident vocals and super tone.

Yeah that chorus is really something! Different and marvellous!
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PaulyX

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« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2019, 07:04:09 PM »
Cracking lyrics.  The demon line and the ones about being on the earth before.  Deeeep, man, without being pretentious.  Super stuff. 
Cracking track overall in fact, I really liked it.  I thought the mix was fine - the vocals are very prominent but that felt like a totally valid choice for this kind of lyrics-led ballad.  You have that excellent Celtic / folkie vibe weaving its way through this one too (sometimes I remember bands like Clannad when I listen to your stuff; this one also put me in mind of late 60s divas like Bridget St John or Nico... I think that's the strong, unique presence of your vocal style).
I'm afraid I don't have any crits to offer, anything I would suggest would risk making it more conventional (like adding drums) but it doesn't need that.  Bravo.
It's all too beautiful.

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2019, 07:11:31 PM »
The lyrics are stunning and so personal. My favourites are the final piece "Whatever demons threaten you
Must reckon first with me Cos I won’t let you go before the darkness disappears" Sums up the whole piece. Well performed and arranged and love the whistle and the harmonies. A super piece of music Karen  :)

Skub

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« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2019, 10:18:36 PM »
Yo @MonnoDB

That whistle,man that's hairs on the back of the neck stuff.

The piece is loaded with melancholy Celtic vibes and packed to the gunnels with heartfelt emotion.

Lyrics are wonderfully intimate and intense.

To be honest Karen,I listened multiple times just for the sheer pleasure of listening,not thinking of the mix or anything else. I read a lot and I always like a book which takes me away from the notion of reading a book and immerses me in the story and the characters. If I was to begin thinking about the author or how this book compares with previous novels,then I've lost something. I'm no longer along for the ride,I'm a bloody book critique.

I know you asked for comments specifically about the mix,but that's not where my head was at while listening!

Anyway,now I've stopped,I don't recall hearing anything out of place. Yeah,I know,I'm a shit critic.  8)

CaliaMoko

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« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2019, 11:23:14 PM »
Since I can't tell the difference between a good mix and a bad mix, I'll just skip that part of the review and say...this is totally lovely. Anything I add will just be repeating everyone else's praise, so read them all again and put my name at the end. :D

RealKevM

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« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2019, 11:25:45 PM »
Really good feel to this. I would really slow down the verses, I feel that you are rushing through them and it would sound a lot better if you allowed the verses to breathe.

crystalsuzy

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« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2019, 03:46:17 AM »
I've listened to this several times now K  :) I loved it the first time, but it just seems to get better and better with each listen. I don't know if you've watched "Highlander" on netflix, but it reminds me of the music that's played on that show 8) Very cool indeed. I love the whistle and your vocals and lyrics are supper :) I'm sorry but I have nothing to nit pick about this track. It's just lovely  :)

shadowfax

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« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2019, 09:28:01 AM »
If you told me this was a song from a west end play I would accept it 100%...it's fab, everything about it works, singing ..lyrics..arrangement..maybe the whistle is a touch loud..maybe not, don't fret it 8)

this is class work and you should be very chuffed my friend!! :) :) :)
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rightly

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« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2019, 03:03:31 PM »
A very enjoyable listen, it came across as quite heartfelt
Dramatic, really quite accomplishment.
It's either this or that, then again it might be the other. 

I can promise you a future of slow decline.

Don't eat the yellow snow

And there you have it. 

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nooms

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« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2019, 03:13:53 PM »
brilliant song
great vocal and words
love the way it builds momentum.. before you know it your on a wave and the chorus rears up undeniable and defiant..
compelling listening..
really striking

i may not believe this tomorrow...

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redrhodie

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« Reply #13 on: August 24, 2019, 08:31:09 PM »
Hi Karen,

Wow, so powerful and intense. Sent chills down my spine. Really dark sounding. Your voice cuts like a knife. Sounds like you mean every word. Beautiful song, and once again, I stand in in awe.

Lynn

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« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2019, 09:31:21 PM »
This is fabulous @MonnoDB :) The intensity in this is so powerful and it flows through the entire song. You definitely have a style of your own, and I really like it! I must say I enjoyed this very, very much! :)