Fingernail on 27/10/2010 at 23:04

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Hello, I'd like to think of this thread as testing the water really. Done some home recordings over the summer. Now getting a band together again (the drummer on the recordings has jetted back to Texas, and we've got another guitarist too), discussions are going on about direction and things, so I thought it might be useful to get some outside ears on these recordings, which represent the closest I have got to realising these particular songs, some of which are up for review.

I basically would like to know which you think work in their form as heard here (ie. is this a good direction for these songs/do these songs hold merit): (http://fingernail1.bandcamp.com/album/trial-run) (with lyrics!)

I've put three up for now; there are more, but I thought this might focus a response.

I know I can rely on you for honesty!

{EDIT also what about the name Islanders? I'm not totally sold personally.}

Vernon on 28/10/2010 at 01:29

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This is cool. Has a 1970s fringe punk or even early libertines atmosphere. Very nice.

Only thing I would say is that the vocals need a bit of training. The voice is clearly capable in the required range, it just seems to need strengthening. Is the singer doing scales? They help a lot

btw French Kisses is fucking spectacular. I've listened to it a few times now. kudos, dude

edit

you should really have these songs up for download, btw. Get the name out there (when you've finalised it), maximise exposure. It is hard enough getting stuff played nowadays without being reticent about having your stuff up for download. I dunno, maybe you have some other reasoning behind it. If someone wants to record it off the page, they can do it anyway.

Tocky on 28/10/2010 at 04:40

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Yay! Finally your links work for me. Clever and humorous lyrics with wide styling differences between the three selections. The first had me wishing for a guitar solo and was the most dancey. It reminded me of The Hives but none of the tunes reminded me directly of anyone, more of a vauge impression as with Jesus Ring being vaugely Musey. I've no clever observations of my own to add, just that I like them and if anything make them more of what they already are if that makes any sense. French kisses had me smiling.

Aja on 28/10/2010 at 07:28

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I like the vocals, and they'll only get better with time, so keep it up!

Fingernail on 28/10/2010 at 10:31

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Thanks, guys! Hugely gratifying to hear that it's (mostly) working for a variety of listeners. The singer is... me (as I'm sure some of you know)! I am and have been working on singing for quite a while, and I think even since recording these I could do a better job a couple of months down the line - that's partly why I didn't put them up for download*, but my mixer is on the fritz and I thought these were good enough at the moment to test the water with. Ambition is definitely a slight stumbling block - often it's a matter of stretching myself to what I envisaged rather than settling for an easier option which might work better NOW. But at the same time, I like to think that's what'll drive me to improve.

As for the rest, I can certainly agree about aspects of the rhythm section; these were recorded when we weren't a live band in the way we're aiming for now - I got the drummer to my house for a couple of days to do his parts (some on songs he had barely heard before), and then the bass was done on a few different occasions. They hadn't gelled at all really, and the only person who knew roughly what was going on was me. Although wait, it is me playing bass on french kisses, so no excuses there.

I'll put up a couple of the others later; no thoughts on the name Islanders then? Our (new) drummer came up with it, and we settled after long deliberation on other names (Runaway Jack being the runner-up). It's ok, I worry that it doesn't make much of an impact.

*also, it'd be nice to have some artwork or something so it's not just faceless mp3s floating around. NO COMPROMISE