Members The*Ataris Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 So, I'm finishing up the recording to our first EP, right? Well, I got this idea to start off the CD with a short, slow, 3/4 time song with just a couple organs and a really cool Rhodes part with a modulated delay on it. It kicks really hard into the second song that's really upbeat with some intense lyrics and I really like that dynamic... ...but are people going to understand a 1:45 "preface" type song on a five or six song EP? A lot of my favorite albums start off with slow songs, but I can see where a lot of people wouldn't be into it/ What are your thoughts? I'm debating letting you guys hear it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChitownTerror Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I'd do it. But then again, I also think trying to combine Noise Rock, Shoegaze, and 70's soul is a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike.sartori Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 starting off with a slow song could be boring, which would make the cd seem longer, so it would sound like a full length maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members krish Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Depends who youre targeting really. Everyone likes fast harh hitting songs to start with when theyre hearing a band for the first time...but someone who really appreciated music would probably see where youre idea of starting with a slow song is coming from and like it even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Last Nerve Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 If its a short interlude and transitions well into the next song, I'd keep it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fearofnightmare Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I like this idea, and also have been wanting to check out your band...do you guys have a myspace or something to where I can hear your stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The*Ataris Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 See, I just don't want to be releasing stuff to cater to the ADD generation. We already play pretty fun upbeat dance rock, but in order to seperate ourselves for the competition, we've always stressed writing better melodies and more organic type songs--indie/dance/folk we called it. I don't know. You guys tell me. Here's a secret purevolume site. The stream sounds like {censored}, so just download the first one (the second song is "N!/3"). It's the first two songs combined... http://www.purevolume.com/syncsyncsync A lot of stuff is still being redone on both of the songs, but you'll get the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members opultaM Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 i think slow songs are horrible as first songs the first time listening to an album. but once you get used to an album, you can appreciate them more. new mars volta is a perfect example. first time i put in the disc i was annoyed i had to sit through the first track for so long to get to the meat. but now i think it really sets the tone and i wouldn't wanna listen to the record without it. your call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fearofnightmare Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I like it. It's like a Bright Eyes that doesn't suck. Well, at least the voice. The drums are hot, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Teahead Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I like it too, very dreamy start. It does remind me of Counting Crows a little when it kicks into that second song, but I think that's mostly the vocal. Great drum & guitar sounds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members L6Sguy Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 in some cases, it almost qualifies as brilliance on its own. Catherine Wheel's Adam & Eve. have a listen, then decide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The*Ataris Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by fearofnightmare I like it. It's like a Bright Eyes that doesn't suck. Well, at least the voice. The drums are hot, too. Thank you... I've been trying to slap the "Bright Eyes" out of Brian since we started this band but it's just too strong in that one It was his introduction to indie rock and definitely a big influence. I definitely have heavy influences in my playing too... So it's not too slow of an intro? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike.sartori Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 On listening, I really like this band, especially the slow-intro song. It has a good sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k bollox Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 dig it. I like the slow intro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fearofnightmare Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by The*Ataris Thank you... I've been trying to slap the "Bright Eyes" out of Brian since we started this band but it's just too strong in that one It was his introduction to indie rock and definitely a big influence. I definitely have heavy influenced in my playing too... So it's not too slow of an intro? Bright Eyes bad - Desaparecidos good! Much as I hate to admit it, sometimes when I sing I put that weird low raspy vibrato on my voice too...maybe I should embrace it rather than fight it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The*Ataris Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Thank you for the kind words. It's really validating after having spent SO much time trying to record and mix this myself. Our previous recordings (demos) are on our myspace site: http://www.myspace.com/thesightstheyaffect "Demo 2" is along the lines of the slower song... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluehuricane Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 the EP i'm wrapping up in about 2 or 3 more sessions will probably start with a slower paced song, but by no means is it an acoustic/piano type song. more of like a rock ballad type Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theweight Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I've always loved starting a record off with an intro track, something that sort of sets the tone. Everything I've written and released in the past 10 years has been more or less a concept album, and started this way. The problem is that you're talking about an ep. It's sort of a mini-album, a condensed version. Unless the whole thing carries that slow vibe, I probably wouldn't get it as track one on a 5 or 6 song ep. It just seems like the natural progression to make after that would take much longer than 5 or 6 songs to do. I don't know, maybe I obsess about that stuff too much. I'm a nazi about arrangement. We went through mastering like 8 times to sync up the songs in the right order and with the right times between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The*Ataris Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I'm a nazi about song order too. That's what makes this so hard... This isn't just an EP though--it's our introduction and we want to show that we're more than just a surface-level dance-punk band. I just look at all these media sources we have to send this EP to and I don't want to be brushed off as some "here today, gone tomorrow" type band. I want them to pay attention to the songwriting immediately... Oh well. The singer just got home from work and liked it. There are a couple changes we want to make, but I think it'll be good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theweight Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by The*Ataris I'm a nazi about song order too. That's what makes this so hard...This isn't just an EP though--it's our introduction and we want to show that we're more than just a surface-level dance-punk band. I just look at all these media sources we have to send this EP to and I don't want to be brushed off as some "here today, gone tomorrow" type band. I want them to pay attention to the songwriting immediately...Oh well. The singer just got home from work and liked it. There are a couple changes we want to make, but I think it'll be good... I totally understand what you mean. I struggled with that a lot. The problem I found with having an intro track was that the reviewers almost always listened to the first track and wrote the review based on that. Sucks ass, and reviewers shouldn't be allowed to be so lazy, but it was the way of the game. We got labeled emo for over ten years because of it. I actually stole the formula from Greg Dulli. Did anyone ever accuse Afghan Whigs or Twilight Singers of being emo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Shankly Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 As long as it has an awesome build up and the song is good I don't see why it would be a bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members L6Sguy Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by theweight ....I actually stole the formula from Greg Dulli. Did anyone ever accuse Afghan Whigs or Twilight Singers of being emo? not nearly enough mascara. or that gay floppy hair thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theweight Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by L6Sguy not nearly enough mascara.or that gay floppy hair thing. Funny how labels morph to fit trends. Mascara and floppy hair used to mean Marylin Manson.....or possibly Mike Ness, definitely not emo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The*Ataris Posted December 20, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 20, 2006 Originally posted by theweight I totally understand what you mean. I struggled with that a lot. The problem I found with having an intro track was that the reviewers almost always listened to the first track and wrote the review based on that. Sucks ass, and reviewers shouldn't be allowed to be so lazy, but it was the way of the game. We got labeled emo for over ten years because of it. I actually stole the formula from Greg Dulli. Did anyone ever accuse Afghan Whigs or Twilight Singers of being emo? See, that goes back to my point about writing music for the ADD generation or not. Should you really dumb yourself down because a reviewer isn't going to get past the first song? I don't know; I guess that was kind of a rhetorical question... Every time I get stuck for album idea, I usually throw on Jimmy Eat World's "Clarity" and something usually makes sense afterward. I mean, "Table for Glasses" builds up WAY more than what I'm trying to pull off here, but I just love the way it introduces the album... I just knew it would be cool to try this song first after that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theweight Posted December 20, 2006 Members Share Posted December 20, 2006 Originally posted by The*Ataris See, that goes back to my point about writing music for the ADD generation or not. Should you really dumb yourself down because a reviewer isn't going to get past the first song?I don't know; I guess that was kind of a rhetorical question...Every time I get stuck for album idea, I usually throw on Jimmy Eat World's "Clarity" and something usually makes sense afterward. I mean, "Table for Glasses" builds up WAY more than what I'm trying to pull off here, but I just love the way it introduces the album...I just knew it would be cool to try this song first after that... Funny you mention Clarity. that record (or at least Trombino's production and arragements on it) was a huge influence on me at the time, especially on the record I did the following year. The sequencing and programming on For Me This is Heaven is probably the best I've ever heard. They take a mediocre rythm section and make them bullet proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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