http://www.sendspace.com/file/nmtqu3
"Sitting On The Grass"


http://www.sendspace.com/file/77uc1d
"Last Train To Satansville" (Swervedriver cover)


http://www.sendspace.com/file/v9p2ez
"Guitar Strummin' Man"


http://www.sendspace.com/file/tpth79
"Landlocked"


here are some songs I've been working on lately. It'd be cool to get some feedback on them while I'm in the process of working on this new project, whatever it turns into in the end.

so this forum's been totally dead all weekend....

No way that's your voice.

By which I mean it's a lot higher than I would expect from someone who's like 20 feet tall. Not bad though, just different than what I expected.

I dig the guitar work and the harms for sure.

I liked this. The whole time I kept trying to place the voice and I decided it sounds like a mix between Neil Young and that higher pitched male singer in Broken Social Scene.

Kevin Drew.

Do you think that was an accurate assessment?

Now that you say it, there is a definite Kevin Drew similarity, especially to some of his solo stuff.

Anyway, this gets the Buffalohed Seal of Approval, which means it is forever doomed to obscurity.


Got anything else Billtop? I never listened to your project because I hate the name (and I'm lazy).

Glad you like it, b-head. This tune is pretty distinct from most of the Dr. Mercy stuff, though. There's a couple other songs with vocals on the album Photographic Memory, but they're not really as song-y, if you know what I mean. Most Dr. Mercy material is more focused with instrumental stuff and different sounds. It'd be cool to hear what you think about it.

As for my voice... I sing a lot, when I'm playing music with my friends, but I hardly ever record it. I consciously tried to sing this in a higher register than I usually do, and I think it turned out kinda neat. But this recording isn't exactly characteristic of how I usually sing.

Anyway, this week while I'm on spring break I've got a lot of extra time and I'm thinking about seeing how many more songs like this I might be able to pump out. I've got a handful of ideas but nothing this fleshed out just yet. I wanna record some covers that I've been playing with for a while, too.

guy on another board described this as Neil young doing a Bob Dylan song. That made me happy.

I definitely hear the NY in your voice as well. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics, but I'll listen again. Guitar part is pretty bitchin though, and I love harms.

thanks mick. the lyrics aren't super profound or anything, but there's a couple of dylan-y "babe"'s I threw in there.

so in the interest of getting feedback while in the process of doing new project i've got in mind, here are a couple of other things I've recorded in the past two days:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/77uc1d
^ this here is a cover of a song called "Last Train To Satansville," originally by Swervedriver. I'd say this one is more representative of my overall vocal style. The original is one of the most badass songs ever recorded, with lots of loud shoegazy guitars and motorcycle sounds. I stripped and slowed it down a lot here. The recording turned out a bit scratchier than normal, but I think it services the feel nicely. there's a droney organ thing going on at the end.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/v9p2ez
^ and then this is another I wrote. It's called "Guitar Strummin' Man." definitely more playful than "Sitting On The Grass," but I really liked the way this ended up. If / when I record a better version of this with my friend, I think a funky bassline would serve this one well.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/tpth79

this one is called "Landlocked." wrote and recorded it earlier. I dunno... I'm really proud of it. Just me and an acoustic.

Hey Billtop, I actually had your first song in my head for the better part of the day yesterday. That makes me rather reluctant to listen to the rest of these songs. If they aren't as good as the first one, I will be disappointed, and you may be disheartened. Hmm...

Haha, no worries. I dunno which one I'd call the best, but in my own mind they're all of similar quality. I'd like to know what you think even if you hate them.

"Guitar Strummin' Man" - I disliked this song. I don't do playful unless it's catchy (Go Team, Islands). This was playful but not catchy. Nothing really positive to say except that I agree a funky bassline would probably fit well here.

"Landlocked" - This was alright. Nowhere near as compelling as the first song, but it wasn't bad. It began to remind me of The Microphones, especially the chorus with the lyrics about "where I stand". So I liked the chorus more than the rest. I heard more Kevin Drew in your voice on this one, too.

"Last Train To Satansville" (Swervedriver cover) - I don't like the original, but I suppose you did a good enough cover. It wasn't enough to make me like the song though. Not really your fault.

thanks for the feedback. I plan on doing a lot more with "Landlocked." I don't have my electric guitar or anything at home with my right now besides my acoustic.