Finally have my band recorded for a couple songs!

timidbassist · #1 06-02-2005, 01:51 PM

Well my band finally recored a couple songs, go to my Purevolume www.purevolume.com/soulscapemn and listen and tell me what you guys think!
Peace,
Dave

Twelve · #2 06-02-2005, 05:22 PM

Though they are poorly recorded, I can still interpret them. I don't mean any offense by this:

Both songs seem to follow a very similar formula. I don't like either of them. See, the problem is that your music is not only very generic, but sounds very slapped-together-ish, and very shallow. The drum patterns lack any complexity, and the riffs are just cheesy chords and power chords.

"Soulscape is a sound all its own." Lies. Good luck with your next recordings, though. Just because I'm putting you down doesn't mean you should quit.

timidbassist · #3 06-03-2005, 12:13 AM

Thanks!

Twelve · #4 06-03-2005, 11:49 AM

Sure!

mikewho · #5 06-03-2005, 03:15 PM

i don't really dig the songs, but congrats on having some tangible evidence of your band. i can't wait to do the same.

timidbassist · #6 06-03-2005, 11:21 PM

Twelve: my drummer had this to say in response to you....

My compliments on your grammar; I'm happy to see proper hyphens, commas, spellings, capitalizations, apostrophes, colons, and so on. While, I did find some minute grammatical errors, it was--for the most part--very pleasing.
However, I don't believe your review correct in many aspects.
Firstly, the songs are not poorly recorded. Granted, they contain some areas for improvement, and plans call for correction. But seriously, the recording itself is not in any way bad.
Secondly, the music is not so generic as much of the music of today.
Thirdly, the word "slapped-together-ish" is a colorful description and an interesting adjective, but I'm afraid I don't see how you found this word to be an accurate description. The songs seem to be full and have good transitions.
Fourthly, I don't understand what you're saying about "shallow." I don't see anything shallow about it, and I'm critical of music.
Fifthly, about the drum patterns. Yep, they lack complexity. I'm working on that, trust me there. But still, there's nothing terribly wrong with simple drums.
Sixthly, the riffs. Perhaps you're not familiar with what a riff is. A riff is not a chord. Riffs can't be chords. That doesn't even make sense. But what you're getting at is that the guitar plays just chords and power chords. This is not very close to the truth. Let's consider that the guitar plays little flares often. Those flares are not just chords. Listen more closely and any person can tell that not only chords are being played. How about the solos? Solos are not chords. The guitar actually has some creative and interesting parts, unlike many bands which do play chords and power chords. And finally, if the guitar didn't play any chords, it would have to play either a lead all the way through, which wouldn't make for a particularly lyrical song, or random note, which would sound bad.
Finally, the bit about the band being a sound of its own. Read that phrase carefully: "Soulscape is a sound all its own." Anything--good, bad, common, experimental, and even not music--that makes noise or makes a sound is a sound of its own. Think about it, now. If you take that sentence as it is, it is not a lie. And on top of that, while Soulscape may sound similar to some bands, it really does create its own music. I admit to sounding like some bands, but that's going to be true with every band.

Thanks for the good luck on our recordings, though. Just because I'm saying your opinions are wrong and that you have expressed them in an inappropriate way doesn't mean it's not okay to have opinions.

Gomex · #7 06-03-2005, 11:41 PM

Lose that singer, other than that you guys aint bad, those mp3s are a horrible quality so I wont even try to judge the quality of the original recordings

scourge · #8 06-04-2005, 10:55 AM

your singer could use a better ear. flat during most of song.
Songs are very one-dimensional. could use a hook of some sort.

Kudos for asking for and accepting criticism.

Mr.Phil · #9 06-04-2005, 01:34 PM

Well, the band is a little sloppy, but I'm sure you can fix that with some practice. Just work on getting tighter and you'll be just fine. As for your singer... He's kind of pitchy and he sounds like he's singing with a fake British accent which annoys me. Tell him to stop screaming too.

33degrees · #10 06-04-2005, 04:29 PM

yea really dig it man!

Twelve · #11 06-04-2005, 05:47 PM

Drummer --

Your band sounds exactly like many, many other bands. I've seen a million like it, and I'll see a million more. Not just independent bands, either. Three Days Grace, Simple Plan, and Crossfade all sound just like you. And even if you don't see playing lame chords as being riffs, it's still lame. Your drumming is extremely simple as well, though perhaps, as I am a Tool fan, I have high standards, so sorry if I'm being harsh. I'm sorry about what I said about your recording. I didn't realize at the time that my main speaker's cord was hanging from the plug-in to my computer, and it was really warping the sound.

Band --

Come up with something fresh, please. Don't just aim to please, aim to inspire. Your music lacks any originality. Do something new, something that hasn't been done a million times. That's MUCH more appreciable than listening to music that, though really well done, is recycled. Your playing is flawless, but both tracks sound as if they were written in 10 minutes. It's all just too simple, too easy. Even more so than the music they play on The Weather Channel.

Yes, it is very shallow. Very, very shallow. Shallow, as in it lacks any depth whatsoever. Random chord playing, poppy lyrics, bad singing, very basic drumming, and a bassplayer that seems to stand in the back and let the guitarist take the spotlight, like so many other bassplayers out there.

Yeah, so I'm being harsh, but get used to it. I got the same type of criticism for a long time, and I got over it. Both songs are uninspired and weak.

If you want advice, I would recommend that you don't force the music out, you should let it come out over time, no matter how long it takes. I think the shortest time I've completed a song in was several months. And don't craft it "by the bar", but "note by note". Craft every single little part of every riff, strum, beat, lyric, and vocal until you think it's perfect. I know how hard it is to do that when there are 4 or 5 people in the band because everyone has their own (well, actually, usually they just copy someone else's) ideas. When writing a song, don't come up with some mental image of the final product. You must start the song, and let it take off on its own without being afraid of what direction it's going in. As cheesy as it sounds, you must "let the music flow". Let the music be in control. Finally, no one instrument should take charge (as in your case, Guitar seems to dominate the sound). Everyone should have a completely equal input. Everyone should do their own thing and improve upon each other's parts in the song with their own playing.

The most important part of it all--writing music, that is--is to take your time. It'll come out.

I hope that helps. Good luck.

--John

Norwegianwood · #12 06-04-2005, 07:04 PM

Well, it's not really that bad, it's just:

"Soulscape is breaking the barriers of popular music, achieving a tone few independent bands today can match. "

When you write something like that, wheter it's a joke or not, you have to expect getting flamed.

I think your band sound pretty good. The songs could perhaps have gotten some air on radio if produced properly.
The vocals, though, are bad. But I'm pretty sure, with a proper production, he could have sounded much better!

Like said above, claming that you got a somehow "original" sound, may seem like a joke. You don't. But I think your band sound pretty good, and as twelwe said it above: Use more time while working on new songs.

oldtao · #13 06-06-2005, 03:58 AM

WHO WRITE THIS SONG

smokecell4u · #14 06-06-2005, 04:40 AM

Thankfully you were smart enough to expect brutal honesty when posting your songs, and I give you much respect for having the guts to do it. We are a tough crowd.

Having said that, I must say that I couldn't help but be reminded of a bad garage band of 15 year olds writing sappy pop-rock. I was a drummer for quite some time, and I must say that less can sometimes be more, but not enough can be simply tragic for the song. Both songs lacked any flow or energy. You don't have to be Neil peart, but you do have to be present.

Lose the singer. Potential? Maybe one day. But he has no confidence in his voice, and obviously no experience in song writing.

Bass....in all fairness to you my sound system on my computer is less than ideal, so most of the low end was washed out in high frequencies. So I won't pass judgement either way. It did sound very basic, but that is not neccessarily a bad thing.

The guitarist is the only one in the band who sounds like he practices. But don't get too flashy in hopes to compensate for everything your band is lacking. You will turn out to be seen as obnoxious at best and any real talent you may have will get overlooked. I'd rather hear 2 perfectly placed notes for a solo than 100 notes thrown together without real meaning.

Good luck guys and keep at it. I have done a lot worse trust me!!! If you get anything else recorded, post it again. Because in the end, it is your music and your happiness, and thats all that matters.