Comments on Robert James's stuff

Robert James's avatar
Overall this one seems okay to me. The performance is pretty awful, but this song is all right. I don't like the transition from the first hook into the first verse. It feels awkward, but the second time seems better. Weird. Is it just a…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Cool chorus on this one... but you're right there's something... It really shines later on after the bridge- I like the interaction between the vocal, bass and guitar - really bounces. But earlier it doesn't have the same effect and I can't really spot the difference - except the later one is surrounded by instrumental and maybe feels looser? The earlier ones feel a bit "held back" and "correct", and they don't draw attention to themselves like the later one. They also leads straight into and out of a verse section that doesn't sound a lot different - maybe you're right, maybe volume? Maybe take the drums down on the sung verses? Something to make the chorus stick out more? But yeah, this is a cool one.

Robert James's avatar
Another song that doesn't really stand out to me. This one is a little embarrassing though. The tempo is set at 85 beats per minute. Originailly it was 95 beats per minute. Why did I change it? Because I couldn't pick the guitar part in the…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Wow - those leads! Nice one

Robert James's avatar
2013 was a decent year, song wise. I came up with a few good ones during the RPM Challenge in February, and one good one during NaSoAlMo in November. This version is faster, shorter, has a bunch of new key changes, and has a little bit of…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Oh yeah. Nice. Love the guitars, as usual. The sound effect is cool, glad you left it in. AND, it was always a cool song, but it REALLY improves for just a little increase in tempo. There's more of a bounce to it... and it suits the vocals a lot more at this speed. That breakdown at 3.40 with the slide is mighty cool too (makes me think Jimmy Page 1969 lol) - it would be interesting to hear a whammy bar version... but I SUSPECT that the slides are the better effect.

Robert James's avatar
Another song from my 2013 RPM Challenge album. I always like this one, but I'm not sure I did it justice this time. There is a lot of really sloppy guitar playing, even if the Klon KTR overdrive pedal sounds EPIC. Sorry, gear nerd. This…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Yep, like it. I recognised the chorus - and I probably only heard it once back in 2013 - it's quite memorable. I checked the original out earlier (I was typing when a windows update crashing my machine got in the way!! That's an hour of my life I'll never get back again ... I thought my laptop was dying!) ... Anyways, I found that this one, for me, is an improvement on the original... Love those guitar harmonies, by the way.

Robert James's avatar
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel. Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
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Sister Savage's avatar
Sister Savage said

Awesome road trip soundtrack. Leave it all behind, take only great music with you.

Robert James's avatar
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel. Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

But this one of yours, it's a GOODIE

Robert James's avatar
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel. Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

I struggle with the same sort of thing over songs... it's why I tend to take so long with some - I can't tell whether a song of mine's any good, never can. But often I have a suspicion it might be "WOW" and so I want to give it the best chance of receiving a WOW or two... and so I worry and stress about it until I can't do any better, then I say it's done and post it (or file it, or sometimes bin it). I'm always proud of them, every single one of them, but I never know whether any of them are any good until other people say so. Somehow, when I was young, I set myself up with "if it's popular, it's good pop music", and I'm kinda stuck with that now... too late to change!!

Robert James's avatar
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel. Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Oh yeah... this is a goodie.

Robert James's avatar
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel. Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
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Colleen Dillon's avatar
Colleen Dillon said

This sounds great!!!

Robert James's avatar
Who says 3/4 time can't rock? This was originally from my 2013 RPM Challenge when, for some strange reason, pretty much everything I did just worked. Even the crappy songs from that album are less crappy than usual. This song is as close…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Rocks! .... in 3s! I tend to use 3s for folksie/balladie things (one coming soon I suspect, the way things are panning out here) ... but I've never really tried to rock in 3s... this proves it can be done!! :) As ever, mighty cool guitars.

Robert James's avatar
Another re-recorded 2014 50/90 song. This one was written on or about July 4th as New England was about to get spanked by Hurricane Arthur. I tend to write about hurricanes a lot. Weird. The guitars here are all Gibson ES-335. The amps…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Yep, that works. Digging the guitars.

Robert James's avatar
You can take the red head out of the 80's, but you can't take the 80's out of the red head... I guess. I didn't like anything current when I was growing up during the 80's. Well, almost anything. This one was originally written during the…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Woo. That rocks. Some blistering guitar.

Robert James's avatar
The June Music album in a month thingie has two sort of musical themes. One is sloooooow tempos. The other is a lot of the songs have very sparse guitar parts. Neither thing was planned, they both just happened. I kinda like this one…
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slkrell's avatar
slkrell said

Good use of 335 tone my favorite blues thing I wish I had one .enjoyed Listening to yours

Robert James's avatar
Five songs finished (there will be 11, I think) and as of right now this kid is the single... if I were actually releasing this and needed to release a single... which I'm not. I also think 90 beats per minute is as fast as any of the songs…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Cool groove. Loving those wah leads.

Robert James's avatar
Are all of my songs this month funeral dirges? I like playing over a 6/8 groove, but I don't know if this one is holding up for me. I don't dislike it entirely, but it seems lacking somehow. I almost like the lyrics but I think I should have…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

And another cool chorus! Yep... I think this could be my favourite of the four. Love the lyrics.

Robert James's avatar
This one is long. Much longer than it needs to be, but at the time it seemed like the right move. The chorus to this one came to me while I was watching TV with the family. I fear (hopefully wrongly) that I stole it from the background score…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Loving the groove of this one. And another really cool chorus. Don't worry about the length - I was expecting a cool guitar solo for that long... and I got it :)

Robert James's avatar
Not sure how I feel about this one. It’s not as bad as some of my crap, but it’s not that great either. I kinda like how the bass does some strumming, but damn if that intro isn’t way too long. The rhythm guitars are an ES-335 Pro to a RYRA…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

I see what you mean about the lentgh of the intro... But you'd lose the tension it creates if you shortened it? Loving the sound of the guitars on these tracks.

Robert James's avatar
February, March, April, May, all have completed album in a month projects. Here comes the first song from June. I broke my album-in-a-month challenge rule that says once you get a take you don't redo it. I did all of the rhythm guitars twice…
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Andrew Russe's avatar
Andrew Russe said

Loving the chorus - how those guitars, bass and vox mesh together. Cool lead break too.

Robert James's avatar
Not sure how I feel about this one. It’s not as bad as some of my crap, but it’s not that great either. I kinda like how the bass does some strumming, but damn if that intro isn’t way too long. The rhythm guitars are an ES-335 Pro to a RYRA…
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Colleen Dillon's avatar
Colleen Dillon said

Love the spare but powerful lyrics!!! Powerful all around. Great song!

Robert James's avatar
Not sure how I feel about this one. It’s not as bad as some of my crap, but it’s not that great either. I kinda like how the bass does some strumming, but damn if that intro isn’t way too long. The rhythm guitars are an ES-335 Pro to a RYRA…
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witzelsucht's avatar
witzelsucht said

That's a good song, kinda glam rock very 70's like it

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