[PopTodd]

I'm going to rehearse this will a full band for the first time next week and was curious as to your impressions as to where to take it.

When I wrote it, I had it in my head that I would do it as a sort of Stephen Merritt/Magnetic Fields kind of thing: an organically conceived song, done with lots of synths and artificial sounds surrounding it.

But now, as I go to rehearse with my new bandmates, I'm leaning more toward giving it a Rolling Stones "Wild Horses" kind of arrangement.

Perhaps borrowing little bits from both camps?

Anyway, here's the demo.
Curious to hear what you all think of it and how you might take it:

"We Made It To the Middle"
https://hoponpop.bandcamp.com/track/we-made-it-to-the-middle

Looks like we made it to the middle
I never, ever thought
That we would get this far
Never get the chance to solve the bigger riddle
Go a little further and collect more scars

It’s a dead man’s world
Life is just a break
A time in-between
Until we finally get to take
That long, long nap
After years of being awake

Become, once again
A part of the mud

Looks like we made it to the middle
I never, ever thought
That we would get this far
Never get the chance to solve the bigger riddle
Go a little further and collect more scars

The road we left behind
Is littered with mistakes
But we keep moving on
And raising the stakes
And we‘ll use the lessons we've learned
On the roads we've still to take

Breathe it all in
And keep the windows open

Looks like we made it to the middle
I never, ever thought
That we would get this far
Never get the chance to solve the bigger riddle
Go a little further and collect more scars

[PopTodd]

Still hoping for some feedback.
Not on this recording, per se, but… see the original post. I'm looking to re-record the song and want to know what you think of the options that I listed.

Thanks so much, in advance.

Oh, and I should say that we are rehearsing it this Weds., so I would love to hear from you all before then!

[tokenangmoh]

Hi.

Yeah, I think a bit of both. It feels like it needs to be guitar-based, but there's room for the synths.

My main suggestion is that you make it faster, though. Currently it feels a bit lugubrious, whereas the lyrics indicate a cause for celebration (which well-chosen synths could help with). I'm very guilty of this myself: half the times I write a song I realise it's too slow just before mastering and then have to re-record or risk time-stretching artifacts...

Matt

[PopTodd]

I think that slow tempo came from the whole Magnetic Fields fixation that I had when I wrote it. I also think that you're right that it could/should be a little faster; but not too much faster, it's still a very contemplative song.

Thanks so much for listening to it and giving me some good feedback, Matt. It is very much appreciated.

[PopTodd]

Hi.

Yeah, I think a bit of both. It feels like it needs to be guitar-based, but there's room for the synths.

My main suggestion is that you make it faster, though. Currently it feels a bit lugubrious, whereas the lyrics indicate a cause for celebration (which well-chosen synths could help with). I'm very guilty of this myself: half the times I write a song I realise it's too slow just before mastering and then have to re-record or risk time-stretching artifacts...

Matt

Had our first rehearsal last night and we did pick up the tempo a bit. Sort of a slow mid-tempo thing now, as opposed to being dirge like, as before.
Overall we went with that "Wild Horses" feel that I mentioned in the first post and it worked really well. The guitar solo came out very, very much like the solo from the Stones song. And it sounded beautiful.
Gonna add some piano and organ, too, methinks.

[adamholden]

Don't think it needs to be much faster, but it would help to have more energy (and noise) between the lyrics. That way they have more impact. So yes organ (with a bit of throb) to get it going. Thanks for posting

[GTB]

The lyrics looked good, I especially liked 'it's a dead mans world'. I agree it could do with moving a bit faster. I'd love to hear it with synths or strings and then drums and bass coming in later. Maybe some vocal harmonies building up near the end too. Do repost when your band has it nailed, I think that should give it a bit of energy too. Actually, with a band I would be tempted to make it noticeably faster. Good song.