of happy and free

and an old song i finally got around to recording,
no one's watching

and
run and hide
tuned down lower than before (if you've heard the old versions)

http://www.myspace.com/jontreemusic

new songs coming soon

(please tell me whatever minor or major thought you have. thank you)

Hey - great stuff. I can hear the Elliott Smith influence, not in the sound so much, but the songwriting. Strong lyrics, strong melody, and a great sentiment.

Thank you very much. I love Elliott Smith, indeed.

I'd love to have more comments on my songs... I want to do official recordings one day.. maybe soon. Does it sound like I'm ready? What should I work on, if not?

I think i actually prefer Run And Hide to Happy And Free, i loved the low tuning of the guitar it added a nice bass line that thickened the sound/texture a little more.

There's no reason why you're not ready to record now - the songs are ready, it's just a case of where you want to take them. Some bands revel in the home recording quality sound (Elliott, Nick Drake, Iron And Wine, Bright Eyes for example), so technically you can make a start with what you have. My suggestion would be to add a few more layers to strengthen the songs potential...don't get me wrong, the songs are great as they stand - and i can appreciate if you want to leave it as a stripped down vocal and guitar...but i think a couple of overdubs would really bring out the melodies and give the songs more dynamics. I'm not talking about perverse electric guitar solos, just simple stuff, like a quiet bass in the mix, double tracking your vocal at parts, maybe trying harmonys an octave above or below your voice. In my head i'm thinking of Either/Or by Elliott Smith. That album would sound surprisingly empty if you stripped away second and third vocal tracks and guitar parts.

So yeah go for it, and please don't feel obliged to take my suggestions on board, you're doing more than fine as you are =)

I really enjoyed these. I think I agree about Run and Hide, too. Fantastically moody stuff, all around.



It is an eternal amazement to me how much those handclaps made Iron and Wine's Upward Over the Mountain feel so complete. I don't know how many times I listened to it before I realized it was so stripped down.

Too bad we don't live closer, or I would gladly let you use my equipment to make a record.

Thanks so much for the comments

About Either/Or.. you're very right...

Maybe I'll try some dubbing

tree_

Happy and Free is a good song. Did you use your fingers or a pick? Either way, nice dynamics to your playing.

I liked Run and Hide a little more. Like the dropped tuning. I enjoyed how it streched out of tune a bit on the harder downstrokes.

thank you. ... i finger picked it.

any opinions on no one's watching?

Ya, I do. No One's Watching was my 2nd fave, I loved the chromatic chorus and the overall creepy feel it gave me.

In The Note was my #1, real melodic.