So my old drummer is in this band. Feedback?

MirageBass · #1 02-22-2010, 11:56 PM

It would help to have some objective feedback here.

Know that I am not in this group, my old drummer is (and he is the best damn drummer I've ever met), and I need to gently let him know whether or not they have the sonic potential to go somewhere or just carve out a local niche at best. It's a band made up of my old drummer, my old singer, a former friend of one of my old guitarists, and the bass player that I replaced in the last band.

You'll probably notice the production value is pretty high for some of the stuff, even though they haven't played very much. The bass player is a Porcaro, which gives them access to the connections and services that the name commands.

My personal opinion of the music is not very enthusiastic, but what do I know?

http://www.myspace.com/thundercityshout

Note: They live and play in L.A. Yup.

YL_Bass · #2 02-23-2010, 12:14 AM

Yeah.

I don't think they will go much further than bar rock. No offense. It's solid, but it just doesn't have that badass feel that it should have. I mean they are a little torn between being alt rock and edgier, at least it sounds that way to me.

D.A.R.K. · #3 02-23-2010, 12:20 AM

you obviously think it sucks.
just tell him.

southshoreconor · #4 02-23-2010, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.A.R.K.

you obviously think it sucks.
just tell him.

+1

Deluge Of Sound · #5 02-23-2010, 12:45 AM

They're about as good as one might expect, given the Toto connection.

MirageBass · #6 02-23-2010, 01:00 AM

I've already told him that I don't care for their brand of music - in the Los Angeles scene, it's a fart in a hurricane. That's why I've been doing my damndest to help him network and start establishing himself as a hired gun while he wraps up college, like a responsible musician. The whole joint, to me, reeks of a sense of undeserved accomplishment, which is a shame, because they're all pretty chill dudes, if not slightly delusional.

What concerns me most is that they have never, ever had an honest review from an independent source, which kind of feeds their bubble. I would love it as much as he would if I heard something good from somebody who wasn't blowing smoke up their nether regions.

El Raro · #7 02-23-2010, 01:02 AM

Question: Why do you feel the need to tell them their music sucks? From their point of view, you'll look like the envious, bitter ex-bandmate trying to bring them down. Unless, of course, he personally asked you for your opinion...in which case, just tell him the blunt truth.

Personally, I'd leave them to their own thing. Doesn't matter if you think their sound sucks, if they dig it then that's all that should matter.

As for the band, they remind me a lot of a local band here in Sydney who've been playing for years and have made quite a name for themselves in the country and internationally. So if they can make it with their sound, I don't see why these guys can't.

Unrepresented · #8 02-23-2010, 01:04 AM

Meh.

Vocals are mixed way too up front. The music feels uninspired, and has way too much of a generic 80's hard rock quality to it. The musicians themselves seem capable, just need a better vision.

MirageBass · #9 02-23-2010, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Raro

Question: Why do you feel the need to tell them their music sucks? From their point of view, you'll look like the envious, bitter ex-bandmate trying to bring them down. Unless, of course, he personally asked you for your opinion...in which case, just tell him the blunt truth.

Personally, I'd leave them to their own thing. Doesn't matter if you think their sound sucks, if they dig it then that's all that should matter.

As for the band, they remind me a lot of a local band here in Sydney who've been playing for years and have made quite a name for themselves in the country and internationally. So if they can make it with their sound, I don't see why these guys can't.

He asked for my honest opinion, and I told it to him. I was actually ever-so-slyly propositioned to join the group again, but I said no. Too much conflicting scheduling to make a commitment, and I just didn't dig their stuff.

My honest evaluation is that if they play around enough, they can carve out a comfortable niche for themselves in the Southern California rock scene. Not my stuff, but I don't have golden ears. The big issue is that it's the LA rock scene, which is choked to the rafters with soundalikes.

I'd just really like to know what other musicians think. I'd love to give them some solid, objective feedback, and the better it is, hey, we all win. But the point is that is has to be objective for once.

phatbass · #10 02-23-2010, 01:39 AM

Another competent enough band that wishes it was 1982 again.

Not brilliant, not awful. just... nothing.

If they do this stuff purely 'coz they enjoy it, great! If they have ambitions of stardom it ain't gonna happen.

And I'm not being nasty - I freely admit that a lot of bands I play with are living in the past as well, but we know it, have a laugh, and make some bucks.

MirageBass · #11 02-23-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatbass

If they do this stuff purely 'coz they enjoy it, great! If they have ambitions of stardom it ain't gonna happen.

Aye, there's the rub. My drummer is apparently doing it for s***s and giggles, but the other ones are banking on getting big and famous and "signed" for what it's worth nowadays. Kinda like the early 80's all over again.

I don't have the heart to tell the rest of them that's not how it works anymore.

Teebone · #12 02-25-2010, 11:07 AM

The singer ruins it for me..

crusie · #13 02-25-2010, 02:53 PM

I'd say find another singer and another one writing the lyrics - it's not that he doesn't sing well - it just sounds... like he doesn't believe it. I'm not much into that 80ies sweeping guitar and "cell phone in the speaker" kinda like sound, but it still has potential I'd say. in the track the "riddle prince it sounds like they stole a riff from opeth though. listen to the track at around 3.27 and then the start of "The grand conjuration" with opeth.
link here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY5LRReFYus&feature=fvst
one of the guitarists a fan of opeth perhaps ? same notes all over but different rythm

Step · #14 02-26-2010, 03:55 PM

personally, on the large photo on the myspace, the drummer looks like a psycho, the way he stares into the camera freaks me out man!

I don't know what a porcaro is, but I think the singer's horrible for this kind of music, and the mix emphasizes that even more, if it weren't for him I'd might listen to this

cheers

edit: about the opeth thing, I honestly can't hear it, and I'm a fan of opeth, are you sure you got the track and times right?

electracoyote · #15 02-26-2010, 04:04 PM

The song titles say they were recorded live (in parenthesis). Is that accurate?

crusie · #16 02-27-2010, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Step

personally, on the large photo on the myspace, the drummer looks like a psycho, the way he stares into the camera freaks me out man!

I don't know what a porcaro is, but I think the singer's horrible for this kind of music, and the mix emphasizes that even more, if it weren't for him I'd might listen to this

cheers

edit: about the opeth thing, I honestly can't hear it, and I'm a fan of opeth, are you sure you got the track and times right?

well actually it seems I was a little off timing wise.

Thunder City's Riddle prince: this bridge starts around 3.23 - 3.48.

if you listen to grand conjuration they actually play this riff twice - once from the top of the track. the otherone they play around 3.48.
especially listen to that rythm guitar.