[MonnoDB]

Hey all.. myself and the right honorable Swede @Jambrains are kinda on a turbo drive at the moment.. Here's our latest... A ballad - I don't think we've ever actually done one like this before so it was an interesting experience for us .. and as always, invigorating and a lot of fun..

Apart from the fact that the vocal is high - which is not my natural home :-) - the biggest challenge was the chorus lyric, which I rewrote a few times as I was was convinced it should be empowering but in the end we went with the original lines, which are sad and desperate reflecting  the situation that drove the song in the first place, rather than a reflection of how I think I would react in the situation. I think I’d be packing his bags myself!! Although you can never tell I guess....

The process I've explained on the last two so I won't bore you with that again..  But if you have any questions on the song or the production, please holler!

As always we invite all and any crits, Suggs, comments, anything... we're all about making it as good as we can so please don't hold back.


We built a life, just you and me
We needed nothing more
Closed the curtains to keep the world away
Turned down the lights, locked the door

Your words spoken gently
Were they meant to deceive?
Your promises made sweetly
Were they broken with ease?

Don’t leave, please stay, you owe me
Stay, don’t leave or I’ll destroy you

I thought you were protecting me
Now I see that I was locked away
While you broadened your horizon
I lost every hand you played

Don’t leave, please stay, you owe me
Stay, don’t leave or I’ll destroy you

Rain pours down darkened windows
I throw them open to get some air
Let the water wash over me
As I try to clear the pain

Don’t leave, please stay, you owe me
Stay, don’t leave or I’ll destroy you

Step gently, tread with care
Don’t do something you’ll regret
If you leave, you can’t come back
A
re you ready for that?

Don’t leave, please stay, you owe me
Stay, don’t leave or I’ll destroy you

[MrBouzouki]

@MonnoDB - Interesting track lass.

Singing in the higher register is effective but up that high your voice doesn't cut through the mix as well. Either some lower harmony support or making it louder in the mix might help.

I'm still not sure about the line "or I'll destroy you" being up high like that. Emotionally, might it be more effective to bring that line down it pitch to hit home the message  "I'll Destroy you" ... if you leave I'll destroy you ? The contrast might be interesting if you could make it work ;-)

Maybe you are going for an angelic "I'll destroy you" but it would be great to hear an alternative version to compare against or failing that a harmonised version.

It's a hard slog doing a slow ballad without it getting a bit tedious after a while, but the track rings the changes well enough to keep the interest of the listener. 

Not sure if my idea would fly, but worth a punt ehhh ?

Good Job Overall :-)

[PeteS]

Another great track guys.  Karen you have a lovely voice and I think it's great to hear it in the higher register, makes the song for me. 

The gaps feel too long, one bar would be enough I think, especially as there are a lot of them.  The one at 1:40 is perfect.

And there's a percussive sound a1 1:30 and further into the song.  I can't tell exactly what it is but I'm not convinced it adds a great deal, having said that it feels better when it's there at 2:10 so what do I know. 

Great effort!

[Sebandme]

This is a really really cool song! Love the high pitch chorus!! And the line"or ill destroy you" bloody great! @MonnoDB great job! Im becoming a real fan of yours!

[pompeyjazz]

Hi @MonnoDB and @Jambrains You sure are in turbo mode at the moment, knocking out top quality songs by the bucketload. Top class as usual. I love your use of space and the stops and starts. No nits from me whatsoever.  Beautifully written, played, sung and produced

[MichaelA]

Now that one takes me back! When I first heard your collab AFD I thought there would be more of this. A fusion of rock and Celtic balladeering that wrings out every ounce of emotion. I love your collection of material, but stuff like this is an extra bit special.

You even won me over to your higher pitch offering Karen, due to the dramatic punch you put into it.

This track wins for me because it is all about control of passion. The stop start nature teases the listener to expect an explosion that keeps subsiding. But then it has exploded by the end in the most beautiful of ways.

Much respect!

[moraamarolaloba]

Ay @MonnoDB @Jambrains

Maravillosa canción!!! wonderful experience to me!!! I can't add nothing more, just I enjoyed it atmosphere, delicacy... the piano, the guitar, so well balanced, your voice... everything is great. Felicidades, it has made me nostalgic on this cloudy Sunday morning!!!

Muy buen trabajo!!!!!!!

[Kafla]

Loved it from the opening chords😍 great sequence...

You guys really are something else...professional in every respect...great arrangement and production

But it really takes off with those higher register vocals...absolutely magic 😍😍

[jacksimmons]

Another great track guys. This one sounds gorgeous. I have to say your vocals @MonnoDB are really gorgeous and there's just the hint of eccentricity about them that makes your tunes a pleasure to listen to. They have a Kate Bush vibe here.

The production is really great, too. I don't know if it is because this one is more stripped down but it sounds the most professional I have heard from you. It builds perfectly, and when those drums come in it all slots together well. Sometimes when a stripped back tune brings in the full band the balance is all off, not here.

Part of me was hoping for a bit more of a chorus after the "Don’t leave, please stay..." section. I did get used to the structure after two verses though I think there is room for another tune here, maybe a post-chorus.

Also, if I were nitpicking, I'd say there's a little bit of an issue with the compression on the lead vocals. They almost 'fade in' at times, particularly at the start of the verses. Could be worth looking at. I may have diagnosed it wrong but there's definitely something off there.

Overall though a great tune.

[Paulski]

Really liked this one @MonnoDB and @Jambrains 
Love the pauses in the arrangement - even the full stop before where the end builds.
Great vocals and the piano chords remind me of an Adelle song or two..
Something mildly disturbing about the high sweet voice singing "I'll destroy you" 

Good work guys - very commercial sounding!
Paul

[PaulAds]

Blimey...it seems like it was only five minutes since I was last trying to think of interesting ways to say how excellent you and JB are.

That high vocal part is fantastic. Hit me like a glimpse of stocking-top. I don't even know if it's actually particularly high...it's just that there's something very visceral and vulnerable about it.

Made me realise even more what an amazing gift you were given with that voice of yours.

Cold shower time for me...

[adamfarr]

Fantastic song, amazing presentation. Some very bold (in the English sense of the word) choices which for me paid off. I really like the sound of the piano and vocals (including the BVs which sound like another instrument).

I do have a tiny comment which is the last line of the bridge "Are you ready for that?" - it sounds a bit prosaic compared to the rest and I reckon there was an opportunity there to bring in "are you ready to pay your debt" or similar to rhyme with regret and refer back to the title.

But then that could be a whole different song and feeling, and really it doesn't need any tweaking at all.

Loved it.

[Unclenny]

Fantastic song @MonnoDB  .....and seriously good production. I love how your voice comes in so delicate and almost fragile and then builds to strength and confidence as the song progresses.

I love how that first guitar comes in. Typically pro mix from @Jambrains .

[rightly]

what a lovely voice you have
difficult for me to write objectively about the song
I seem to be very into ireland these days
very good!

[5 guys named Lars]

I like the way you often throw in a couple of unexpected chords & with this one I love the chords at the end of the chorus. You nail the higher register @MonnoDB . The sound is perfectly mixed too. Very nice.