Raven

An autumnal song about and for walking to work in the rain. Featuring the piano and a heaping amount of spring reverb.

My friend Danny mixed it and managed to make our hamfisted, sloppy musicianship sound almost classy. Almost.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by dobie (12 comments total)

You have such a great voice, and this is another track where you use it to great effect. Love the reverb-drenched background vocals too. The song is killer! Super-catchy, and an instant MeFiMu classic for me. However, I don't enjoy the panning of the vocal in the mix. It sounds much better on the good headphones I'm using now, but I tried it earlier on more "regular" headphones, and it was downright uncomfortable and annoying to only get the vocal in one ear.

One thing I like about this song, that I feel is somewhat different than your other tracks that I've heard, is that this one has a kind of vibe about it that makes me picture a band dressed in sharp suits, walking around the west end of a city buying croissants and playfully discussing something very high-brow... some of your other songs have a tougher feel, more "east". I love that too, but there's something really fun and quirky about this.

Your continued sonic experiments with drums is a success here. I really like how they work in this song.
posted by edlundart at 8:10 PM on October 5

I really love this. I'm not a musician, so I can't really provide technical feedback, but as a not-musical person who really loves listening, I can say that you have a writing style that, for lack of a better term, really speaks to me, and I think you're a really powerful singer. I always like to keep an eye out for your new contributions. Thanks.
posted by Caduceus at 9:43 PM on October 5

Ha! This is really good! Piano riff is really catchy and good, distinctive vocals. Only one small bit of const crit - you're speeding up and slowing down a bit. Did you use a click-track? If not - might be worth using one because the rhythm of this splendid track is pretty choppy and jerky, and any cock-ups in timing will show up pretty starkly. Very well done though!
posted by MajorDundee at 1:33 PM on October 6

almost classy
posted by dobie

an instant MeFiMu classic
posted by edlundart

Sorry, dobie, I'm with edlundart on this one. I liked it from the first note and it just kept getting better and better. I like the space, I like the texture (both the texture that the voice acquires with so much reverb and the texture of the drums and the instruments). This is not only a great son, it's perfectly "executed". The chorus could have been a mortal trap and you resolved it very nicely. Congratulations, dobie.
posted by micayetoca at 2:36 PM on October 6

edlundart, that vocal panning was actually kind of intended. He's been listening to a lot of old 60s stuff like the Zombies and the Seeds and decided he wanted to do something along those lines. I know it might sound kind of old fashioned, but it was so satisfying to not be the one doing the mixing that I will basically accept whatever he does. I feel like he did an amazing job of the mix considering that is an electric piano recorded direct, a direct line bass, two mic-drums that have not been reskinned since 1998 and vocals recorded through an omni directional mic. It totally could have ended up sounding like the Microsoft Songsmith demo. But he made it work. The dude has ears. Glad you liked it.

Caduceus, that is the nicest thing you could possibly say. For some reason I really value accessibility, especially in music, and the appreciation of a non-musician means that I am doing something right. Thank you.

MajorDundee, I will say that there may have been a beer or two involved in the recording process. And yes we did use a click track... none of us play very much and we are all generally quite sloppy. Add beer and, well, you get the idea.. I could bullshit you about how this makes our music more authentic or something, but really, its pretty much just laziness. Hopefully it isn't too disconcerting.

Micayetoca, you are always too kind. Thank you.
posted by dobie at 8:58 PM on October 6

That piano riff is badass. I anticipate it coming back every time it goes away, which is a very good thing.

I also really like the tiny little bass solos at the end.

Classy, sure -- but a little seedy, too.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 1:28 AM on October 7

edlundart, that vocal panning was actually kind of intended.

Oh yes, I'm not questioning that -- the mix is expertly crafted and it's clear it was intentional to pan the vocal like that. I'm just saying I'm not a fan of that one aspect of the production. Still loving the song though. I've listened to it several times and I'm sure I will again.
posted by edlundart at 8:29 PM on October 7

No worries man, I felt the love.
posted by dobie at 10:04 AM on October 9

This is great. I love the mix, and how sloppy but right the drums are.
posted by umbú at 12:11 PM on October 10

I had to sign in just to say how much I love this song. Love love love.
posted by birdie birdington at 11:55 AM on October 15

Thanks birdie.
posted by dobie at 2:33 PM on October 15

Yeah, this is fantastic.
posted by booknerd at 4:40 PM on November 3