[adamholden]

New song and first go at recording on IPad with Irig pre. Written in great tuning I've learnt from new Martin Simpson album. CGCFCD. Wrote it round my birthday, but I guess it's about the scene of music and audience.

https://soundcloud.com/adam-holden-1/blessings-and-blues

 Blessings and blues         

The world has stopped at the station      
I’m sitting up top               
Sunshine streams through the windows      
Until the air feels hot            

There's something cold at my shoulder    
All the green leaves have turned      
I'm just another year older         
I wonder what I’ve learned?      

Siting down at this table I've got nothing to lose
Given all I'm able                   
I’ll sing these blessings and blues            

The bus is full and it’s leaving      
Heading down ‘cross the Tyne             
In a blaze of glorious feeling
That I want to make mine      

So I sit down at this table with nothing to lose ...      

What’s a celebration if you don't make it count?       
If you will not examine the font and the fount                 
So bless yourself twice and then do it again          
Once for your mother, for your family and friends,      
For those other people on whom all life depends                  
Then at last for your lover and the way that it ends      

And every road leads to this space
A guitar and a chair
I'll keep a light by the fireplace
And hope to find you there

Sitting down at this table we've got nothing to lose
Given all I'm able
I’ll sing you blessings and blues             
Given all I’m able
I’ll sing these blessing and blues

[Jeremy]

Hi there Adam,
Sweet! I like the way you got some pretty decent sound out of simple recording gear.
The song has a Springsteen-ish feel to it and chords and your voice go well together.
One thing I missed was an element of surprise. Some fresh or even dissonant chords, at least in the bridge, would fix that. Also, by the sound of it, your voice probably has more reach, so you could maybe octave up somewhere.
Thanks for your post.
Cheers,
Jeremy

[hardtwistmusic]

I'll second what Jeremy said, and it's a real good vocal too.  You have a very pleasant and listenable voice.  Great sentiment and well presented.

[adamholden]

Thanks both. Glad you get the Springsteen feel. I guess that was I was aiming at. Not sure about going up an octave. I can sing it in C (the recording is capo 2 in D) but either way it's at the bottom ("friends") and top of my range. I don't have much falsetto beyond that. Maybe if I cut out the Stout.

Anyway, thanks.

Adam

[adamholden]

Any more?

[Dogmax]

This is really lovely Adam, has a lovely feel to it like im sitting in a old fashion bar and you're singing this, its just the way your vocals and guitar sounds and please take this as a complement this is really really nice.

Lovely lyrics just right for a windy night like tonight, Thanks for that and cheers.

Oh and you got a wonderful round of applause        

[jamesh]

I really like this song too. It works so well with just the guitar and vocal.

James

[adamholden]

Hi James and Dogmax. Thanks for the kind words. Although there's some hiss on the preamp and one of the strings is flat, it does sound like me in the room I practice and write in. So I'm glad that works. Cheers

Adam

[beckylucythomas]

I love the intro!

Very gentle sounding song and lovely vocal. Great on that high note - think it was "nothing to lose" - great work, sounds so natural and comfortable.

If i were to suggest something maybe i would say have a play around with a few more embellishments on your long held notes (vocal) just a few different thing to see what works.

[adamholden]

Thanks caco. The guitar figure is fun. Only works in that tuning; to get the sound across the strings. I'll give it a go at being more confident to pull around on the falsetto notes. Cheers

[Neil C]

Adam,
Lovely guitar and tone on what sounds like a live take, although personally I'd like to hear your vocals without the 'room'. 
Nice and circular in terms of resolving itself, melodically and lyrically.

Neil
 

[adamholden]

Thanks Neil. Yes just live and into single mic in a room. So pretty limited even as a demo. I think I added large room into garage band too. But to be honest I did two takes while the kids were out delivering Christmas cards and before we went away on holiday. Otherwise I'd have had time to tune properly! Am hoping to have more time to record soon.

Adam

[Paulski]

Really liked this - good write! You've taken the effort to make the lyrics really work, structure is great, and the guitar pull-offs and trills make for a super-nice listen. For me, the vocals go slightly off pitch on some notes and sometimes seem distant in the mix, but that is a small nit-pick in such overall good work.
Paul

[benjo]

 this works so well

 very relaxing really liked your vocal good quality to it
 and that simple guitar was lovely

 a cracking job well done on this

                    tony

[tina m]

you sound so far away youve either got a very big kitchen or bathroom?
is that a map of your bathroom behind you on your soundcloud page!!! wow !
nice guitar playing & triffic vocal but you do sound so far away...come a bit closer i wont bite!....ive just eaten