The Contrarian - Arjuna (5 song preview)

[CaseyContrarian]

Gang:

I've got about five new Contrarian songs I want at least eight of you to hear and feedback. You'd likely dig. Hoka, you know I mostly post in the Cash In section. What's protocol? Where should I post?

[Artemis]

I think the appropriate section is the 'I Went to See Your Pictures'
"the art you like, the art you make"

[JOEinPHX]

i want to hear.

[imail724]

I'll gladly give a listen.

[Larry B.]

Me too.

[CaseyContrarian]

K. 5 finished songs tomorrow in the appropriate section.

Thanks, bros.

[zendo]

Remember the feeling you got when you first heard them say..."If you keep it up... you'll be BORN!!!!"....That's it,..that's Jane's Addiction.... It's as simple as that for me....

[creep]

that's a first here. making a thread letting people know that they will post some of their music in the future and that you will probably like it.

[CaseyContrarian]

that's a first here. making a thread letting people know that they will post some of their music in the future and that you will probably like it.

I see what you're getting at. But I did qualify it as SOME of you. And I asked for permission/protocol.

I'm simply testing you as a demographic. Totally unscientific, but potentially useful.

[Matz]

oh man, I'm gonna be tested tomorrow. Better go to bed early

[CaseyContrarian]

OK, posting over there, but since this thread is active...

5 songs are complete. DL 'em and give me feedback, if you're so inclined.

MP3
http://www.thecontrarianmedia.com/repos ... una%20MP3/

WAV
http://www.thecontrarianmedia.com/repos ... una%20WAV/

[CaseyContrarian]

5 songs are complete. DL 'em and give me feedback, if you're so inclined.

MP3
http://www.thecontrarianmedia.com/repos ... una%20MP3/

WAV
http://www.thecontrarianmedia.com/repos ... una%20WAV/

[Larry B.]

First listen:

Arjuna: Lovely bass sound; I didn't appreciate the sound of the hi-hat nor its going from 8th notes to 4th, it kind of took away from the momentum. I had severe issues with the vocals: I didn't like the phrasing, the melody nor the effects. I really enjoyed the guitar work, aside from the section starting around 3:35. The section starting at 4:00 has a Three Days bridge-feel, and to me it works great. Cool little modal ambient (melodic minor?), I really liked it. The guitar definitely gives Three Days a few nudges here and there. If the vocals were different, I would probably have this song in my iPod. 3/5

The Magician:Cool melody in the intro; again, the hi-hat has too much presence for me; not sure if it's because how the drummer hits it or because of the mix. Cool rhythmic base, and the vocals fit a little better, although I still picture the singer as a semi-new-age-guy. I didn't like it when there was a sudden stop to the bells and the tom percussion (1:40). I don't think it adds any value to the song and it actually messes with the flow of a great environment created by hypnotic rhythms. I also didn't care for any of the riffs and breaks in the song. I think the song could've (should've?) gone into an entire different direction. The bass sounds great. And those cymbals that start around 3/4 of the song are really annoying (again, not sure if it's the cymbal, the drummer, the mic, the mix, or what.) 2/5

Give In: Poor sound of the bass in the intro (and outro), too dirty for my taste; the drums sound a little better here, so does the voice. However, the melodies aren't memorable. That little bridge after the chorus sounded more like a leftover than an actual section (like 'ok, let's fill this up quickly!'). Around the 2:00 mark the drums suddenly start sounding really amateurish, particularly the hi-hat. What happened there? Didn't really like this song. 1/5

Live with It: Very, very weird drum intro. The guitar sounds lovely, but I believe it should make its entrance a little earlier. The singer sounds a little lazy and, again, his melodies do nothing for me. The rhythm base sounds good, it's a shame to lose a little interest because of the guy who should actually multiply it. In my opinion, sections like 2:35 do not add anything to the song. In this specific part, the drums sound particularly weak, 'amateurish'. Liked the repetitions in the ending. 2/5

Sharpen your Knives: The drumming seems a little lazy in this one, and it sounds like the guitar and the voice are fighting to leave the opposite in the background. Those little bells really fit well in these songs. This seems to be a little standard, so I can't really highlight any highs or lows. I like the texture of the guitar, definitely. 2/5

10/25 or 4/10. As a reference, I gave TGEA 2.5/10 on the first listen and 6/10 after a week or so.

Thanks for sharing! That Arjuna song has potential, in my humble opinion

[Jasper]

I don't have a lot of time right now, but I decided to just randomly click on a song, "Sharpen Your Knives," and I was surprised to find out that Casey is actually David Bowie fronting some kind of late 80s goth/prog/metal band.

[CaseyContrarian]

I don't have a lot of time right now, but I decided to just randomly click on a song, "Sharpen Your Knives," and I was surprised to find out that Casey is actually David Bowie fronting some kind of late 80s goth/prog/metal band.

I think that's actually very accurate.

[CaseyContrarian]

First listen:

Arjuna: Lovely bass sound; I didn't appreciate the sound of the hi-hat nor its going from 8th notes to 4th, it kind of took away from the momentum. I had severe issues with the vocals: I didn't like the phrasing, the melody nor the effects. I really enjoyed the guitar work, aside from the section starting around 3:35. The section starting at 4:00 has a Three Days bridge-feel, and to me it works great. Cool little modal ambient (melodic minor?), I really liked it. The guitar definitely gives Three Days a few nudges here and there. If the vocals were different, I would probably have this song in my iPod. 3/5

The Magician:Cool melody in the intro; again, the hi-hat has too much presence for me; not sure if it's because how the drummer hits it or because of the mix. Cool rhythmic base, and the vocals fit a little better, although I still picture the singer as a semi-new-age-guy. I didn't like it when there was a sudden stop to the bells and the tom percussion (1:40). I don't think it adds any value to the song and it actually messes with the flow of a great environment created by hypnotic rhythms. I also didn't care for any of the riffs and breaks in the song. I think the song could've (should've?) gone into an entire different direction. The bass sounds great. And those cymbals that start around 3/4 of the song are really annoying (again, not sure if it's the cymbal, the drummer, the mic, the mix, or what.) 2/5

Give In: Poor sound of the bass in the intro (and outro), too dirty for my taste; the drums sound a little better here, so does the voice. However, the melodies aren't memorable. That little bridge after the chorus sounded more like a leftover than an actual section (like 'ok, let's fill this up quickly!'). Around the 2:00 mark the drums suddenly start sounding really amateurish, particularly the hi-hat. What happened there? Didn't really like this song. 1/5

Live with It: Very, very weird drum intro. The guitar sounds lovely, but I believe it should make its entrance a little earlier. The singer sounds a little lazy and, again, his melodies do nothing for me. The rhythm base sounds good, it's a shame to lose a little interest because of the guy who should actually multiply it. In my opinion, sections like 2:35 do not add anything to the song. In this specific part, the drums sound particularly weak, 'amateurish'. Liked the repetitions in the ending. 2/5

Sharpen your Knives: The drumming seems a little lazy in this one, and it sounds like the guitar and the voice are fighting to leave the opposite in the background. Those little bells really fit well in these songs. This seems to be a little standard, so I can't really highlight any highs or lows. I like the texture of the guitar, definitely. 2/5

10/25 or 4/10. As a reference, I gave TGEA 2.5/10 on the first listen and 6/10 after a week or so.

Thanks for sharing! That Arjuna song has potential, in my humble opinion

All fascinating! Are you a drummer? I'm not — I'm a guitar player, so when it comes to hi-hat control, I don't have commensurate experience. I've tried some stuff with the master that may give the hats a sheen that offends your ear; I may dial that back in the finals to see if it sounds more natural. Vocals are what they are; some people like them, some don't. I don't like them either, if it's any consolation, but I don't have a lot of choice in the matter. One other thing to keep in mind is that I play all of the parts myself. Because bands are for sissies.

Thanks for listening, and your detailed response.

Out of curiosity, what other stuff do you like besides our mostest favorite/loathed band?

[Larry B.]

First listen:

Arjuna: Lovely bass sound; I didn't appreciate the sound of the hi-hat nor its going from 8th notes to 4th, it kind of took away from the momentum. I had severe issues with the vocals: I didn't like the phrasing, the melody nor the effects. I really enjoyed the guitar work, aside from the section starting around 3:35. The section starting at 4:00 has a Three Days bridge-feel, and to me it works great. Cool little modal ambient (melodic minor?), I really liked it. The guitar definitely gives Three Days a few nudges here and there. If the vocals were different, I would probably have this song in my iPod. 3/5

The Magician:Cool melody in the intro; again, the hi-hat has too much presence for me; not sure if it's because how the drummer hits it or because of the mix. Cool rhythmic base, and the vocals fit a little better, although I still picture the singer as a semi-new-age-guy. I didn't like it when there was a sudden stop to the bells and the tom percussion (1:40). I don't think it adds any value to the song and it actually messes with the flow of a great environment created by hypnotic rhythms. I also didn't care for any of the riffs and breaks in the song. I think the song could've (should've?) gone into an entire different direction. The bass sounds great. And those cymbals that start around 3/4 of the song are really annoying (again, not sure if it's the cymbal, the drummer, the mic, the mix, or what.) 2/5

Give In: Poor sound of the bass in the intro (and outro), too dirty for my taste; the drums sound a little better here, so does the voice. However, the melodies aren't memorable. That little bridge after the chorus sounded more like a leftover than an actual section (like 'ok, let's fill this up quickly!'). Around the 2:00 mark the drums suddenly start sounding really amateurish, particularly the hi-hat. What happened there? Didn't really like this song. 1/5

Live with It: Very, very weird drum intro. The guitar sounds lovely, but I believe it should make its entrance a little earlier. The singer sounds a little lazy and, again, his melodies do nothing for me. The rhythm base sounds good, it's a shame to lose a little interest because of the guy who should actually multiply it. In my opinion, sections like 2:35 do not add anything to the song. In this specific part, the drums sound particularly weak, 'amateurish'. Liked the repetitions in the ending. 2/5

Sharpen your Knives: The drumming seems a little lazy in this one, and it sounds like the guitar and the voice are fighting to leave the opposite in the background. Those little bells really fit well in these songs. This seems to be a little standard, so I can't really highlight any highs or lows. I like the texture of the guitar, definitely. 2/5

10/25 or 4/10. As a reference, I gave TGEA 2.5/10 on the first listen and 6/10 after a week or so.

Thanks for sharing! That Arjuna song has potential, in my humble opinion

All fascinating! Are you a drummer? I'm not — I'm a guitar player, so when it comes to hi-hat control, I don't have commensurate experience. I've tried some stuff with the master that may give the hats a sheen that offends your ear; I may dial that back in the finals to see if it sounds more natural. Vocals are what they are; some people like them, some don't. I don't like them either, if it's any consolation, but I don't have a lot of choice in the matter. One other thing to keep in mind is that I play all of the parts myself. Because bands are for sissies.

Thanks for listening, and your detailed response.

Out of curiosity, what other stuff do you like besides our mostest favorite/loathed band?

Yup, I do play drums; perhaps the volume of the hats is higher than what I would want and/or they might be too bright for my personal taste.

And playing all the parts yourself? Dude, hats off to that

Also, I really dug your guitar overall texture, great stuff

Besides Jane's, in the rock/pop/alternative spectrum... well, it might actually be a long list: Porno For Pyros, Deconstruction, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion, Panda Bear, Avey Tare, U2, Pink Floyd's The Wall and The Dark Side of the Moon, Michael Jackson, Dave Navarro's Rhimorse and Unicorns & Rainbows, Banyan's Anytime At All, Mike Watt, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantômas' first 2 albums, Metallica (until the Black album).

May I suggest something, in case you haven't tried it already? To clarify your voice a bit, copy the voice track and paste it in another track, with a very slight time difference (like 0.020 seconds). In my personal case, it's proven to make the voice kinda sweeter and more clear. After that, you can try adding a few effects on both or on each separate track (e.g., some reverb on the first track and a bit of panning on the 2nd, etc.)

[CaseyContrarian]

First listen:

Arjuna: Lovely bass sound; I didn't appreciate the sound of the hi-hat nor its going from 8th notes to 4th, it kind of took away from the momentum. I had severe issues with the vocals: I didn't like the phrasing, the melody nor the effects. I really enjoyed the guitar work, aside from the section starting around 3:35. The section starting at 4:00 has a Three Days bridge-feel, and to me it works great. Cool little modal ambient (melodic minor?), I really liked it. The guitar definitely gives Three Days a few nudges here and there. If the vocals were different, I would probably have this song in my iPod. 3/5

The Magician:Cool melody in the intro; again, the hi-hat has too much presence for me; not sure if it's because how the drummer hits it or because of the mix. Cool rhythmic base, and the vocals fit a little better, although I still picture the singer as a semi-new-age-guy. I didn't like it when there was a sudden stop to the bells and the tom percussion (1:40). I don't think it adds any value to the song and it actually messes with the flow of a great environment created by hypnotic rhythms. I also didn't care for any of the riffs and breaks in the song. I think the song could've (should've?) gone into an entire different direction. The bass sounds great. And those cymbals that start around 3/4 of the song are really annoying (again, not sure if it's the cymbal, the drummer, the mic, the mix, or what.) 2/5

Give In: Poor sound of the bass in the intro (and outro), too dirty for my taste; the drums sound a little better here, so does the voice. However, the melodies aren't memorable. That little bridge after the chorus sounded more like a leftover than an actual section (like 'ok, let's fill this up quickly!'). Around the 2:00 mark the drums suddenly start sounding really amateurish, particularly the hi-hat. What happened there? Didn't really like this song. 1/5

Live with It: Very, very weird drum intro. The guitar sounds lovely, but I believe it should make its entrance a little earlier. The singer sounds a little lazy and, again, his melodies do nothing for me. The rhythm base sounds good, it's a shame to lose a little interest because of the guy who should actually multiply it. In my opinion, sections like 2:35 do not add anything to the song. In this specific part, the drums sound particularly weak, 'amateurish'. Liked the repetitions in the ending. 2/5

Sharpen your Knives: The drumming seems a little lazy in this one, and it sounds like the guitar and the voice are fighting to leave the opposite in the background. Those little bells really fit well in these songs. This seems to be a little standard, so I can't really highlight any highs or lows. I like the texture of the guitar, definitely. 2/5

10/25 or 4/10. As a reference, I gave TGEA 2.5/10 on the first listen and 6/10 after a week or so.

Thanks for sharing! That Arjuna song has potential, in my humble opinion

All fascinating! Are you a drummer? I'm not — I'm a guitar player, so when it comes to hi-hat control, I don't have commensurate experience. I've tried some stuff with the master that may give the hats a sheen that offends your ear; I may dial that back in the finals to see if it sounds more natural. Vocals are what they are; some people like them, some don't. I don't like them either, if it's any consolation, but I don't have a lot of choice in the matter. One other thing to keep in mind is that I play all of the parts myself. Because bands are for sissies.

Thanks for listening, and your detailed response.

Out of curiosity, what other stuff do you like besides our mostest favorite/loathed band?

Yup, I do play drums; perhaps the volume of the hats is higher than what I would want and/or they might be too bright for my personal taste.

And playing all the parts yourself? Dude, hats off to that

Also, I really dug your guitar overall texture, great stuff

Besides Jane's, in the rock/pop/alternative spectrum... well, it might actually be a long list: Porno For Pyros, Deconstruction, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion, Panda Bear, Avey Tare, U2, Pink Floyd's The Wall and The Dark Side of the Moon, Michael Jackson, Dave Navarro's Rhimorse and Unicorns & Rainbows, Banyan's Anytime At All, Mike Watt, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantômas' first 2 albums, Metallica (until the Black album).

May I suggest something, in case you haven't tried it already? To clarify your voice a bit, copy the voice track and paste it in another track, with a very slight time difference (like 0.020 seconds). In my personal case, it's proven to make the voice kinda sweeter and more clear. After that, you can try adding a few effects on both or on each separate track (e.g., some reverb on the first track and a bit of panning on the 2nd, etc.)

Sweeter, or cause phasing. I actually like muffled vox, cuz there's a part of me that still lives in shoegaze land.

Dude, we like all the same stuff. Not surprised.

[Jasper]

I listened to the first song. I liked the psychedelic instrumental portion and fade-out.

[Matz]

the songs sound really good, really dig the overall vibe of them. My favorite is 'Sharpen you knifes', very good song!

I also like your bass and guitar sound a lot, would love to know exactly what gear you used. Both sound analog to me

[CaseyContrarian]

the songs sound really good, really dig the overall vibe of them. My favorite is 'Sharpen you knifes', very good song!

I also like your bass and guitar sound a lot, would love to know exactly what gear you used. Both sound analog to me

No amps were used in the making of these recordings! Just a Les Paul knockoff and a Fender Jazz bass both through Guitar Rig IV and straight into Pro Tools.

My label put up a player for the preview, so is easier to listen:
http://www.luxeternarecords.com/

I wanna know what 6767 thinks. And, of course, my man Trevor.

[Artemis]

I think the best songs are Give In and Live With It. I think it's the vocals that made these songs.

I liked these songs for some of the reasons Larry B disliked them. Give In could be dirtier to give it more oomph.That's what's lacking, imo.

I didn't really care for the other songs...they were too thin bodied for my taste. It was the singing that put me off.

I am not a musician, so I can't give you a critique like some of the others. I just go with what sounds good to me.

Give In: Poor sound of the bass in the intro (and outro), too dirty for my taste; the drums sound a little better here, so does the voice. However, the melodies aren't memorable. That little bridge after the chorus sounded more like a leftover than an actual section (like 'ok, let's fill this up quickly!'). Around the 2:00 mark the drums suddenly start sounding really amateurish, particularly the hi-hat. What happened there? Didn't really like this song. 1/5

Live with It: Very, very weird drum intro. The guitar sounds lovely, but I believe it should make its entrance a little earlier. The singer sounds a little lazy and, again, his melodies do nothing for me. The rhythm base sounds good, it's a shame to lose a little interest because of the guy who should actually multiply it. In my opinion, sections like 2:35 do not add anything to the song. In this specific part, the drums sound particularly weak, 'amateurish'. Liked the repetitions in the ending. 2/5

[CaseyContrarian]

I think the best songs are Give In and Live With It. I think it's the vocals that made these songs.

I liked these songs for some of the reasons Larry B disliked them. Give In could be dirtier to give it more oomph.That's what's lacking, imo.

I didn't really care for the other songs...they were too thin bodied for my taste. It was the singing that put me off.

Is that because the vox sounded "thin," or the melodies, or just not liking the style of singing in particular? Who is your favorite vocalist?

[Artemis]

I think the best songs are Give In and Live With It. I think it's the vocals that made these songs.

I liked these songs for some of the reasons Larry B disliked them. Give In could be dirtier to give it more oomph.That's what's lacking, imo.

I didn't really care for the other songs...they were too thin bodied for my taste. It was the singing that put me off.

Is that because the vox sounded "thin," or the melodies, or just not liking the style of singing in particular? Who is your favorite vocalist?

I also liked Arjuna....so 3 out 5 songs.

It's the last 2songs that the vox is too thin sounding. It could be the way it's recorded, I don't know, but it's too soft and kind of low/weak sounding compared to the music. I have trouble registering a certain pitch, so it could just be MY hearing. It's the same for me with certain speaking voices.

Fave vocalist? I can't name just ONE, here are a few.

-David Bowie
-Peter Murphy
-Prince
-Leonard Cohen
-Peter Tosh
-AntonY Hegarty
-Marvin Gaye
-Tom Waits

[CaseyContrarian]

All incredible -- and singular -- vocalists. My faves, too!