SubJeff on 19/8/2007 at 17:58
I enjoyed most of the music, but I can't tolerate the vocalist. It's not that I don't like the style, it's that I just don't think he's good enough.
TBE on 19/8/2007 at 18:03
Love the music,:thumb: hate the singer.:mad:
I liked the arrangement of Call it Off. This entire album could be better if the singer changed his style or you got a new singer. The music is genuinely entertaining. Have you thought of a female singer? I think some of the tracks would benefit from a feminine touch.
Fingernail on 19/8/2007 at 20:03
Oh, you guys are all mental but thanks for being honest, and if nothing else I suppose the fact you're only criticising the vocals (which are the most prominent thing anyway) is a fairly good endorsement of everything else.
I'm going to do some new mixes and get them remastered by a third party which hopefully will improve many things - probably we're not showcasing the voice to its best anyway.
It just gives us a better idea of what some people think, with a little pinch of salt here and there your opinions do count, and I thank you for them. What we have is a rare singer, a singer like marmite!
You can now listen to all 10 tracks via a dodgy flash plugin thing at (
www.myspace.com/thedebtoffensive) (scroll down)
PigLick on 20/8/2007 at 01:43
the vocals should have at least been double-tracked, but apart from as Paz says, too loud, the singer just has woeful intonation. It makes me cringe in parts . It detracts from the music, because all I am thinking is "my god that is really quite off". Possibly some vocal coaching or something?
The thing is, a lot of singers have started off being shit, then gotten better through hard work and experience, so I guess persevering if you really feel the vocals are what suits the band would be an option.
BEAR on 20/8/2007 at 02:01
Im glad Im not the only one who thought that. I enjoyed alot of the songs that I've heard but the singing really makes it hard for me to listen.
Fingernail on 20/8/2007 at 21:25
Quote Posted by PigLick
the vocals should have at least been double-tracked, but apart from as Paz says, too loud, the singer just has woeful intonation. It makes me cringe in parts . It detracts from the music, because all I am thinking is "my god that is really quite off". Possibly some vocal coaching or something?
The thing is, a lot of singers have started off being shit, then gotten better through hard work and experience, so I guess persevering if you really feel the vocals are what suits the band would be an option.
Funnily enough, he was already going to get some lessons of his own volition.
After all, it is the hardest job to do in a band! And all I hope is that this gives a level of resilience and motivation to win the doubters over. We just got more convincing to do.
Thanks for listening guys!
jay pettitt on 20/8/2007 at 21:58
I listened. I didn't hate the singer, but did think he and everything else might be better after another year or two of blood and toil, or drink, or whatever it is the kids do at uni these days. I think at some point, if it's going to, bands click and everything kinda comes together. I'd want to listen if that point happens. Not sure about the drummer though.
Fingernail on 20/8/2007 at 22:48
It's just possible that I might consider switching the drummer to guitar (he's a guitar student like me) and getting in a more, shall we say, rhythmically reliable drummer in. I love his drumming in some ways, and he comes up with some good ideas, but you can't always rely on his bars being the same length. The trouble will be finding someone who's as interested to commit properly, but we'll see. Also, having someone else at the kit wouldn't stop him coming up with the ideas and suggestions.
I know what you mean about evolving - these songs I sort of consider like flexing my muscles (again, the newest is about 6 or 7 months old now) - they're a good start but having developed the tools as it were I now need to take it all further, and the ensemble as a whole. Some of it is technically challenging to get together and the tunes are not often easy to sing. These things take time and you don't go from zero to heroes in a year (more like 10 months in our case).
Once again, thanks for listening.
scumble on 22/8/2007 at 10:23
Quote Posted by Fingernail
It's just possible that I might consider switching the drummer to guitar (he's a guitar student like me) and getting in a more, shall we say, rhythmically reliable drummer in. I love his drumming in some ways, and he comes up with some good ideas, but you can't always rely on his bars being the same length. The trouble will be finding someone who's as interested to commit properly, but we'll see. Also, having someone else at the kit wouldn't stop him coming up with the ideas and suggestions.
I'd say that it helps a band to have members with understanding or experience of different instruments. Even if your current drummer moves to guitar he can still offer ideas that a technically better drummer can perform more tightly. At least that's the thought that occurs.
While I'm here, I'll just say that I've also been struggling with the Vocalist and the lyrics. Way too dominant as Paz pointed out earlier, but I can see the guy has potential. He sounds best when he sings in a lower register at the moment.
It was nice to hear a bit of virtuoso guitar - I assume it was you, I think at the end of Jason and the Argonauts. I reckon this style of rock music could do with a bit more melodic invention these days - half the guitar players in well known bands only show evidence of being able to strum a few chords. On the mix side, you might try edging the guitar away from center pan to give it some space, and possibly a little bit of reverb ambience in that track at least. I find that the middle of the mix can get confused with too much going on at the same time.
Overall though, I like the sound. It has a natural sound, as if you were playing in the room - I don't know if that's a side effect of you recording in a living room or something you've intentionally worked towards.
Incidentally, I'd have a crack at mastering some of those if you're interested. I had a go at one of noid's tracks a while ago and he was quite pleased with the result. Obviously you've got someone lined up, but I'd find it interesting and it might give you another perspective on the sound.
Fingernail on 22/8/2007 at 11:28
Quote Posted by scumble
I'd say that it helps a band to have members with understanding or experience of different instruments. Even if your current drummer moves to guitar he can still offer ideas that a technically better drummer can perform more tightly. At least that's the thought that occurs.
Yeah. The only thing is the drummer likes drumming as a change from playing guitar, but I'll certainly discuss it.
Quote:
While I'm here, I'll just say that I've also been struggling with the Vocalist and the lyrics. Way too dominant as Paz pointed out earlier, but I can see the guy has potential. He sounds best when he sings in a lower register at the moment.
Well - he is a bass voice after all (as am I) - it's just I tend to write in more of a baritone/tenor range most of the time. As for lyrics, they range in my opinion from pretty good to pretty inconsequential. It's probably my weakest point thus far. For instance, whilst Youth has an "idea" behind it, something like Mid-day is more a musical idea turned into a song, and it just sort of meanders harmlessly along in the lyrics. Call it Off is a pile of absolute bollocks lyrically speaking, with the exception of the "inbetween places" I think. It just varies - somtimes I write a song about something, sometimes I write a song around something. On the other hand, there's nothing approaching "I order the foie gras and eat it with complete disdain" as Bloc Party were recently heard to whine.
Quote:
It was nice to hear a bit of virtuoso guitar - I assume it was you, I think at the end of Jason and the Argonauts. I reckon this style of rock music could do with a bit more melodic invention these days - half the guitar players in well known bands only show evidence of being able to strum a few chords. On the mix side, you might try edging the guitar away from center pan to give it some space, and possibly a little bit of reverb ambience in that track at least. I find that the middle of the mix can get confused with too much going on at the same time.
Why thank you - the solo is really my personal highlight, mainly because I usually resist the temptation to do anything too technical just for the sake of it. I mean, the up and down C scale and variants in tomorrow isn't easy to pick either, but it doesn't call attention to itself in the same way.
Quote:
Incidentally, I'd have a crack at mastering some of those if you're interested. I had a go at one of noid's tracks a while ago and he was quite pleased with the result. Obviously you've got someone lined up, but I'd find it interesting and it might give you another perspective on the sound.
This would be interesting - someone else has already had a go remixing and mastering Rick's House - they made a much clearer, more live sound, less reverb (which is good and bad - sadly we didn't have time to make sure every bar of drumming stands up to close scrutiny). I could do you a better mix of something (Things have been Pointed Out to me by you and others that need some Work in that area) and send a wav over to be mastered. Or I could send you a CD of the whole thing when we've retouched the mixes.
