My band's new album, please review

[redstriper]

This is my band's latest album, recorded in my front room on budget gear.
Honest reviews welcome, however critical.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/tacsiband/sets/heddiw-a-fory"]https://soundcloud.com/tacsiband/sets/heddiw-a-fory[/url]

Thanks to anyone who can be bothered

Steve.

PS
It's in Welsh

[BassTractor]

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1378416851' post='2200149']
It's in Welsh.
[/quote]

Ah! That saved some time! The album is fantastic!


Will try and find time tomorrow.

[Truckstop]

Unfortunately can't really offer anything constructive on the recording itself other than to say that I'm confident that I'm hearing everything you want me to hear at the correct level! You'd need someone like 5imon to do an appraisal on the axtual recording!

Anyway, enjoyed the album very much. Nice summery vibes and an upbeat kind of feel to the songs. Slightly wish I could understand the lyrics, but adds a little mystery to the songs and makes me pay more attention to how the singing is constructed around the songs.

Loved it!

Truckstop

[Dad3353]

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1378416851' post='2200149']...Honest reviews welcome, however critical...[/quote]

Noswaith dda, Steve ...

Rydw i'n gwrando arno yn awr, mae'n beth da iawn. Rydych chi wedi dewis cadarn 'meddal', braf iawn o'i gymharu â llawer o'r malurion 'yn eich wyneb' cyfraniadau yn aml. Ni allaf wneud sylw at lawer ar y ffraethineb cnoi ac ymdeimlad brwd o arsylwi yn y testunau mwy-ysbrydoli yn wleidyddol, gan nad wyf yn deall Pwyleg, ond mae'n fwy fy colled, mae'n debyg.
Mae chwarae a chynhyrchu yn rhagorol; y mwyaf i gyd felly os yw'n cael ei wneud yn y cartref ..! Llongyfarchiadau, yr wyf yn arbennig o hoff drymiau a percu y 'hamddenol', a ffliwt-chwarae yn dda. Llais ..? Nid yw eich suite cryfaf, ond nad ydych yn discrace eich hun, ac y lleisiau cefndir achlysurol helpu i gadw'r freuddwyd credadwy. At ei gilydd perfformiad comendable; Dymunaf yn dda i chi (... ac nid wyf yn ychydig yn genfigennus, yn onest ...).
Thumb dda ac yn wir i fyny, a het doffed briodol. Da iawn, bawb.

PS: Problem gyda Trac 7; gwrthod i chwarae. Just sayin '.

(Where would be without Google, eh..?)

Edited September 5, 2013 by Dad3353

[redstriper]

Thanks Bert, I know you love the Welsh - do you still live in that van on South Stack?

Glad you like it Truckstop, I know the recording quality isn't great - we wanted a lo-fi acoustic sound and non of us are really into recording or mixing.

Diolch yn fawr Dad - I think I agree with your analysis, not sure since I don't speak Welsh (or Polish)
Here's the google translation of your review:

I'm listening to it now, it's very good. You have chosen to sound soft, very nice compared to a lot of debris 'in your face' contributions often. I can not comment to much on the biting wit and a keen sense of observation in the texts more politically-inspired, as I do not understand Polish, but it's more my loss, I guess.
The play and the production is excellent, the best all so if it is done at home ..! Congratulations, I particularly like the drums and percu 'relaxed', and flute-playing is good. Voice ..? It is not your strongest suite, but you do not discrace yourself, backing vocals and the occasional help keep the dream credible. Overall performance comendable; wish you well (... and I'm not a little jealous, honest ...).
Thumb well and truly up, and hat offed appropriate. Well done, everyone.
PS: Problem with Track 7; refused to play. Just sayin '.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1378420914' post='2200227']...Here's the google translation...

I'm listening to it now, it's very good. You have chosen to sound soft, very nice compared to a lot of debris 'in your face' contributions often. I can not comment to much on the biting wit and a keen sense of observation in the texts more politically-inspired, as I do not understand Polish, but it's more my loss, I guess.
The play and the production is excellent, the best all so if it is done at home ..! Congratulations, I particularly like the drums and percu 'relaxed', and flute-playing is good. Voice ..? It is not your strongest suite, but you do not discrace yourself, backing vocals and the occasional help keep the dream credible. Overall performance comendable; wish you well (... and I'm not a little jealous, honest ...).
Thumb well and truly up, and hat offed appropriate. Well done, everyone.
PS: Problem with Track 7; refused to play. Just sayin '.
[/quote]

...and here's the original...

[color=#800080]Good evening, Steve...

I'm listening to it now; it's very good. You've chosen a 'soft' sound, very refreshing compared to a lot of the brash 'in your face' contributions often found. I can't comment to much on the biting wit and keen sense of observation in the more politically-inspired texts, as I don't understand Polish, but it's more my loss, I suppose.
The playing and production are excellent; all the more so if it was done at home..! Congratulations, I especially liked the 'laid-back' drums and percu, and a well-played flute. Vocals..? Not your strongest suite, but you don't discrace yourself, and the occasional Backing voices help keep the dream credible. Altogether a comendable performance; I wish you well (...and I'm not a bit jealous, honestly...).
Thumb well and truly up, and hat duly doffed. Well done, all concerned.

PS: Problem with Track 7; refused to play. Just sayin'.[/color]

Not bad, Google, not bad at all..!

Edited September 5, 2013 by Dad3353

[Roland Rock]

It's enjoyable listening. I must admit that I struggle to get on with the vocals - not because they are in Welsh (I've felt the same when hearing your stuff done in English) but there's something to do with the timbre which doesn't sit well with me. I think that's my issue though, I think the exact thing about the critically lauded Television.

I'm loving the music behind the vocals. A much less reggae feel than I was expecting, rather a gorgeous laid back funky '60s vibe. At various times I had thoughts of The Byrds, Donovon and Happy Mondays.

Special mention for the Flute, which adds so much in so few notes.

Great stuff :-)

Edited September 6, 2013 by Roland Rock

[redstriper]

Thanks RR, a lot of people have a problem with the vocals and I know what you mean.
The singer isn't actually a singer, he's a poet who is known for solo spoken word stuff and he writes all our lyrics in both languages.
He doesn't come over well in recordings, but he's better at gigs, where his humour and charisma come over better.
I like him because he's authentic and not faking an American accent or copying anyone else, but I know what you mean about the timbre.

The backing vocals help a bit and we may look into adding more in future.

[BassTractor]

South Stack??????
Have you forgotten everything, man? Surely you remember that a slight gale took me, and the van finally landed in a place where they can't explain me where I am.
Or rather: I naively assume they can explain, but I can't ask the question.
Here it is:

[URL=http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/SouthStacknomore_zps3dd13ec9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r525/basstractor1/SouthStacknomore_zps3dd13ec9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]



As to the album, I've now heard it twice.
All IMHO etc etc of course. Remember: I'm a harsh mistress - but just in order to try and help you. I don't believe in honeypotting too much.

The style: it seems well integrated, and is sympathetic to my ears

The atmosphere: tempos, rhythmic content, arrangements, orchestration ... they all make for a pleasant listening.

The main vocal: with this special voice, I think it should be more integrated in the arrangement, and less to the front with a soft backing. I think his voice works a lot better in English. In Welsh, with its specific sounds, some filtering and other studio work might be in order. I got the idea he'd do a lot better live, and your post above confirms this. Now playing is "Revolution". Here the vocal works rather wonderfully. Then again, it's way more integrated here. Also, I guess the recording session for the Welsh album offered him less than ideal circumstances. To me he doesn't sound totally at ease, and he does seem to hold back, making for a somewhat unbalanced vocal track.

However, there is one problem for me, and a huge one at that: the melodies. Their range, the intervals (or lack thereof) and the sometimes incessant repetition do not work very well with the upfront voice and Welsh sounds. The English songs work a lot better there. "Politician" for example.

The keyboardist seems most at ease when being allowed to go for it, like in the solo of "Tywydd Mawr" or for example in the electric piano part in Scrap Hap. When having to just put down a rhythmic pattern, he seems to not blend well with the rest of the band, or to be disjointed from it. I wonder if one and one track were recorded. At any rate, softer attacks and less trebly sounds would possibly help here. Overall, the dirty Hammond sound without sharp attack seems to work best.

Some trouble with the eternal flute tuning problem. I suppose it's rather undoable to avoid this with what basically are amateurs. Having played the damn thing for a decade, I can relate.

The rest seems to just work well. The band are supporting the song and the style, and it comes across as a well working unit with a great atmosphere.


What I notice in my own response to the music is that the band as a whole are memorable, and the style is memorable, but sadly the individual songs are less so. That said, I'd love to see you guys live, and would really look forward to the performance.

[redstriper]

Thanks Bert - that pub is my local, just round the corner to where I live!
We've even played a gig there, what a coincidence.......... if you believe in such things

Your review is very helpful and gives me a lot of food for thought.

We have another album recorded and almost ready for release, I will upload it for your appraisal if you don't mind.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1378468922' post='2200755']
what a coincidence
[/quote]

Unbelievable, innit?
So it WAS you lot that were peeing up me van after I'd complained about the terrible racket!!!?!!!?!!!
Demm! I'll never land in Gaerwen again!

BTW, FWIW, FYI, AWN, when the English songs were playing, my brain's response was: "I'd buy this!".
You guys do Bandcamp? Hardware CDs that are physical and can be touched?

Edited September 6, 2013 by BassTractor

[redstriper]

Amazing, no one visits Gaerwen it's not exactly a holiday resort - I would've like to meet up if I'd known you were around.

We do have hardware CDs, 3 albums so far with another due out soon.
PM me your address and I'll send them to you.

They're also on i-Tunes, spotify etc.
And here: [url="http://www.mixcloud.com/tacsiband/"]http://www.mixcloud.com/tacsiband/[/url]

[BassTractor]

Are we still on the same planet, Steve? Just in case: that picture is from them interwebs, my campervan was a lot cheaper than that one, I haven't been in Gaerwen since 2009, and took up the bass in 2011. But yes, I admit to having been in Gaerwen several times between 2004 and 2009, and will PM you if I manage to get back to Anglesey. I owe you a pint or two, three by now. At the Gaerwen Arms of course.

As to the music, thanks very much for the kind offer!
What's the medium or channel that gives bands like yours the most support?
I'll PM you.

[redstriper]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1378820529' post='2205067']

I admit to having been in Gaerwen several times between 2004 and 2009

[/quote]

I really can't imagine why

[BassTractor]