alright i just wanna ask- because i have to, i just can't hold this in. 3/5? 2/5? my latest song is by far one that has been the best recieved by every website but this one. its been recommended independently by stacey soleil (Toucan Cove Records, New Media Marketing and Promotions) i've had people tell me it was the best song they've heard in ages, and every single reveiw i've gotten on garageband.com has given me extra credit for that song in almost every category and nominated me for all the awards- and then little AW comes along and says
"i think its that sleepy voice; you like to hear yourself talk don'cha?" (what does this mean? do they not like my singing style? would they like that i sign in a higher register? would this person rather i not sing at all and just quit submitting? or do they like it they just think its funny that my vocals are so upfront and in your face but still very mellow at the same time? i dont' know how to interpret this which means its a WASTE of my time to read)
granted i got one comment i actually liked, it was constructive and gave real feedback as to why he thought it was a good but not great song (which i assume gets a 3/5) which is this:
"This may be based on some actual situation or relationship that has depth and meaning to you, but it doesn't convey well or convincingly. Comes across as a mix of cliches and throw-away lines along with the occasional poignant, piercing phrase with emotionally charged delivery punctuating it. The ambivalence and contraditions are kind of interesting but remain more of a vague HUH? to the listener as far as overall intent"
now like i said, i like this comment, it was honest and explained what the listener didn't like- its hard though because in regards to the meaning and intent of the song- its written in context of a track listing, which tells a specific story, and this is the epilogue of the story- aka if you had the EP you would probly get it, but of course i could still do better in that regards, although i kinda like the fact that you have to have some background in order to understand the song because what i tried to do was capture the feeling of what its like to look back a year after a major difficulty and see that its still affecting you in so many ways. how could i possibly capture all of that emotion, that feeling, that ...... moment if i was worried about making sure all the details were there and that it was an independent story or statement when thats not actually how we express ourselves in the situation? thats why i opted to have it be the last song in a series of songs which would immerse the listener into a similar situation and explain things a little better. but oh well, only 20% of the listeners actually listen to lyrics anyway right?
last but not least- 3/5? do you all agree? or is it just that my last two sucked so bad (which i'll grant) that you all went into it with a predetermined mind to give me no higher than a 3? whatever the case- fair enough, i'll take this to mean that this song doesn't do well in a competitive country/bluegrass/pop setting. (which i don't think i had much intention of ever trying, but still good to know i suppose)
Well, I won't bother to comment on your overly sensitive reaction to less-than glowing responses; but I will respond to this part of your post:
in regards to the meaning and intent of the song- its written in context of a track listing, which tells a specific story, and this is the epilogue of the story- aka if you had the EP you would probly get it, but of course i could still do better in that regards...
Unless you've reached a level of being ready to release the next Sgt. Pepper's or Tommy or The Wall or whatever (WOW guess those date me), you should make sure a given song speaks for itself and has some kind of self-contained message/story that can stand alone and communicate something whole and meaningful to the listener. That's my take, anyway - and that was my comment BTW....best advice on song comments - use what you can or want to from comments here or anywhere else, temper them with what you know you're trying to do and, well, press on!
i do thank you for the review, i only ended up with two, and as i said i did appreciate your comment. i am actually about to release an EP which very much tells a story and while i don't know that they measure up to this particular forum's faves i don't think i have to be a well established artist to try and make my debut EP a comprehensive effort, but then again thats just my take. i see what you mean about having every song be independent and i completely agree, unless it takes away from the overall story or message you were trying to write in the first place. of course if you're interested in getting the EP or listening to it (anyone reading this i mean) you should see it go up on itunes in about 2 weeks or so- i keep everything up to date on my myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/theshapeoftheearth ) and you can see when its officially available like i said on itunes or for order thru the merch store.
oh and sorry if i get a little snippy at times- i guess i'm still working on that....
"i think its that sleepy voice; you like to hear yourself talk don'cha?" (what does this mean? do they not like my singing style? would they like that i sign in a higher register? would this person rather i not sing at all and just quit submitting? or do they like it they just think its funny that my vocals are so upfront and in your face but still very mellow at the same time? i dont' know how to interpret this which means its a WASTE of my time to read)
/qoute
Doesn't seem like it was a waste after all was it? You should question what impact your voice has on the audience. There is often one errant mute that cannot tell you that your voice is getting on his nerves. All that growling like it's early morning...gimme a break.
I like the song, good production, don't have a clue what your talking about or where you are going and that voice isn't taking me there.
