[The Estuary (SWE)]

Hello!

The Estuary is a band with no particular ambitions except to enjoy the process of creating and to share and connect with others with the same interests. It’s really just me and my cat/co-producer Pippi, who supervises the music-making from a small cardboard box.

This one, “Track one”, is a typical angry song, “don’t tell me how to live my life” etc. There are tons of those. The title refers to people with one-dimensional minds, people who can’t see beyond themselves. The idea, or rather observation, behind the song is that people who criticize others’ life choices often don’t seem so happy themselves. So why should we listen to them?

Musically this is a rather clumsy attempt at some kind of electronic pop. I played around with a microsynthesizer called PO-16 and this is what came out of it.

I’m hoping for honest feedback. I realized, after having spent some time on this forum, that you guys are VERY good. I have a lot to learn.



TRACK ONE

You know what life is like
Enough to tell me where to go
You know what it means
To be comfortable and free
So you can tell me
What to do and who to be

You’ve got your mind made up
You figured out all that stuff
Long time ago
And there’s no going back
All kinds of trouble comes
From changing tracks

Maybe you missed a spot
On your shiny white lot
When you’re so miserable
Ungenerous and dark
Why should I try to be
More like you are

A short reminder
I’m not you
We’re not alike
Save your sermons
for some other
Poor guy

[PaulyX]

Hey, welcome to you and Pippi.  I liked your track... It had the "spirit of punk" to me - lyrically and in the melodies and also structurally.  I like some of the synth effects (those ascending little bleepy synth runs were nice) - although I could also imagine this delivered with some big crunchy guitars, a little faster and shoutier... that might suit the "angry" vibe of the words too.  Your baritone voice has lots of character.  Hope to hear more of your stuff.  Pauly

[adamfarr]

Hi there - very nice song theme and lyrics. Good melody well delivered. Perhaps it's the voice or the guitars but I thought this could sound good as a rock track than a pop track - maybe in the style of Bob Mould / Hüsker Dü (fake Nordic name?).

But to me it's a good honest well written song, so which direction it goes is just taste thing.  Nice harmonica too!

[5 guys named Lars]

I like the twiddly-diddly keyboard & the harmonica sounds really good amongst the digital background. I might have been tempted to do a middle bit that took it "off piste" but what do I know? Its great as it is.

[Grubstar]

H, I really enjoyed your song, I too thought it has a bit of a punk/new wave  influence it reminded me a little of  Joy Division/ early  Devo.I really liked the drums and guitar with the synth sounds and  electroic bleeps and would have personally liked them  mixed  a liitle higher. not sure about the harmonica though. You also have a good powerful  voice that very well  dlelivers your thoughtful lyrics. Great job and worthy of  an extra saucer of cream for Pippi.

[cowparsleyman]

@The Estuary (SWE) - Absolutely loved this one, took a few listens to get it, but yip, it's now on my playlist, loved the production and the overall naievte' of the whole thing, very very effective, nothing more to add, except brilliant.

Keep 'em coming

[Binladeda]

 Hi,

 Yep, I'm liking this too . Nice driving guitar, gives it a punky edge.  Everything comes together very well.
 I think a fuller production might help, especially with the drums, but it does have a certain 'raw/honest' flavour
 that might change if you do that.......handle with care

 Great song...regards to Pippi

[Jamie]

Hi, enjoyed the song, could have used a bit more muscle in the guitar department ( but that's just my opinion, which of course is worth 9/10ths of nothing!) )
Nice one guys!

Cheers

Jamie

[The Estuary (SWE)]

Thank you all for your very generous and inspiring comments! It feels a bit unreal.

@PaulyX : I can easily imagine this song in a harder, faster, more in-your-face version. I doubt if I could pull it off, though. But I would have loved to hear it.

@adamfarr : Bob Mould, exactly! That would punk things up. (Trivia: Hüsker dü is actually Danish for "do you remember". With some extra German dots...)

@5 guys named Lars : ”Off piste”? Sounds exciting. If you have any ideas I’m all ears.

@Grubstar : I’m really glad to get some pointers on the mixing. I find it so difficult! But I suppose even the pros do. Luckily, Pippi comes through for me...

@cowparsleyman : Amazing! I’ve never been on anyone’s playlist.

@Binladeda : Thanks! I am a bit of a crap drum programmer, but on this kind of song it might not show that much. I mean Joy Division, did they even have a crash cymbal?

@Jamie : I think you’re right about the guitar. I tried a couple of different things and none of them worked, so I settled for a a tiny bit of acoustic guitar. Maybe I’ll give it another try.

[cowparsleyman]

@The Estuary (SWE) - Don't you have a line through an O as well? and a little o on top of a capital A, just fascinating, didin't the lead singer of Husker Du leave and form Husker Don't

[The Estuary (SWE)]

@cowparsleyman : That is so true! As my former countryman Yngwie Malmsteen once said: 'How can less be more? More is more.'

[kevysc]

Great melody and really catchy. Agree with previous comments about loving the punk vibe ( and the "twiddley diddley" keyboards) and would just add that you have a fantastic voice.

Cheers,

Kevin