5 song EP I just finished. Would love some feedback

[darkcloud2973]

Hey all, I just put out a 5 song EP and was hoping for some feedback as I've not really gotten much locally. I'm not sure if the songs just aren't as good as I have hoped, or I'm just way out of the local's taste. I'll take feedback on production or songwriting or just whatever.

A little background:
I played with many years in a heavy-ish hard rock/punk band. This is my first foray after a long absence from music and the first project I've actually written everything and played almost everything myself. I went as far away from my roots as I could go and tried out a few different styles so I realize it's not really stylistically coherent. Anyway, here it is. My personal favorite is "Ordinary Day" but I'm pretty sure it won't be the popular favorite. I'm looking forward to some opinions. Thanks all.

http://downsidealley.bandcamp.com/

Edited: I realize that some may not have time to listen to everything, but I would still be glad to have opinions on any random song. I didn't want to sound like I was assigning homework, ha ha.

[whiteaxxxe]

that is really nice regarding everything. even the cover I like very much. :-)

[darkcloud2973]

Wow, thanks! I've read some of your other post and I've never seen you pull any punches so that means a lot, ha ha. The cover is the work of the singer. She seems to have every artistic base covered.
Come to think of it, I probably should have pointed out that I'm not the singer before people start asking me out, ha ha.

[darkcloud2973]

I'll go ahead and list the credits real quick.
I wrote all music and played everything except drums and vocals.
My friend Jenn did all vocals.
Lyrics were a 50/50 split between me and Jenn
Drums on Something and Ordinary Day is my friend Simon.
Drums on Stepping Down and Lady's Night are Jamstix, lol.

I'm sure nobody actually cares but I figured it would clear up any confusion.

[darkcloud2973]

I can see a lot of people have taken the time to listen to the tracks, but nobody seems to have any opinions to share. This is pretty much the same response I have been having from the locals. I"m going to be starting another project soon so if there is something in particular about this project that I could improve in the next, I would love to know. I'm looking for honest opinions so don't be afraid to tell me if it's bad, boring, forgettable, etc. Thanks to everyone who took time to listen.

[Cosmic]

Its absolutely lovely

You have nothing to fear.You're right..everyone else is wrong.

Go for it.

Great music.The vocals are gorgeous.

My only advice..move to Nashville

[g4greg]

yeah, this is totally up my alley, and it's very well done.

The production is phenomenal, and your friend Jen has a fantastic voice, and she knows how to use it.

I really, and I mean really dig the jazzy licks over the blues structure.

All in all, the only thing I can say is I WANT MORE!

[darkcloud2973]

Wow guys, thanks! That makes me feel a bit better. I'll pass on the kind words to Jenn. Thanks a lot.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by Cosmic

Its absolutely lovely

You have nothing to fear.You're right..everyone else is wrong.

Go for it.

Great music.The vocals are gorgeous.

My only advice..move to Nashville

Hey, I just wanted to tell you that I bought your latest album about a month or so ago. It was the first time since I was a teenager that I actually drove through town with my windows down trying to force everyone else to hear what I was listening to. I'm waiting to snatch up the album with Lunchtime Love on it as soon as it's ready. It's my new favorite song. Btw, Nashville is only about 4 hours from me but I've never had the urge to go. I was force fed country music growing up and I have a bit of an aversion.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by g4greg

yeah, this is totally up my alley, and it's very well done.

The production is phenomenal, and your friend Jen has a fantastic voice, and she knows how to use it.

I really, and I mean really dig the jazzy licks over the blues structure.

All in all, the only thing I can say is I WANT MORE!

Hey, thanks a ton especially on the production comment. The last time I tried to record an album with my old band (about 10 years ago) it came out sounding pretty horrible. I was pretty fixated on making this one sound as good as possible. I actually worried if I might have concentrated on that more than I did the songs. I write and record at the same time and it kind of all blurs together.

[SaulT]

Very impressive. I'll definitely give a thumbs up for Jenn, she gave some really good performances! The mix is clean and crisp, the instrumentation is tasteful.... I like the feel of it. It feels balanced.

I can see why you like Ordinary Day so much. It's like the music was spun around Jenn's voice like a dress, with the trailing jazz outro her martini. Very classy.

[3dmus]

Just listening to the first song... Lovely chord progression & piano. It reminds me of something...can't quite remember what! Lovely voice & melody too. Will listen to the other songs too, but, if this is indicative for the other ones, I'm in for a treat!

[EDIT: it wasn't actually the first song, but "Lady's Night"]

[3dmus]

Actually, I put my money where my mouth is and purchased your EP.

[barrymk]

Wow. With you on ordinary day too but great stuff all round.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by SaulT

Very impressive. I'll definitely give a thumbs up for Jenn, she gave some really good performances! The mix is clean and crisp, the instrumentation is tasteful.... I like the feel of it. It feels balanced.

I can see why you like Ordinary Day so much. It's like the music was spun around Jenn's voice like a dress, with the trailing jazz outro her martini. Very classy.

Thanks a lot! Your description of Ordinary Day matches exactly with the image I had in my head that I was shooting for. It's really cool to know that the idea actually came across to someone else. That song is a bit unusual for me. It was the result of a few weekends of sitting on the couch late at night and watching Ken Burn's Jazz documentary on Netflix, ha ha.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by 3dmus

Actually, I put my money where my mouth is and purchased your EP.

Oh thanks so much! This was actually our first Band Camp sale! If I can figure out how to frame a Paypal payment, I might do that, ha ha. Maybe I'll print the email...

Hey, if you figure out what that song reminds you of, let me know. That is my absolute biggest fear. I don't really listen to a lot of music, but my daughter listens to a very wide variety. I'm always afraid I'm going to subconsciously pick up something I hear and think it is my own idea. I would hate to accidentally steal someone's song.

BTW, I checked out the video in your signature. I really liked the relaxed feel and you nailed the mood of wishing for summer to return. Also, I liked the video! That's an area I'm really lacking in.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by barrymk

Wow. With you on ordinary day too but great stuff all round.

Thanks! That song is getting more love than I expected. It was my favorite for a few reasons. I just let myself play without worrying about overdoing it and it is also the best drum sound I've managed to ever get recording a real drummer. I think you can record anything with a couple of CAD m179's.

Also, I love your signature. It reminds me of my friend Simon who played drums on Ordinary Day. He is a London refugee, which is why I actually know what properly prepared tea taste likes here in the middle of North Georgia

[barrymk]

It's the tea that'll have lifted your performance then........

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by barrymk

It's the tea that'll have lifted your performance then........

Well, I know at least one person who would agree, ha ha. The funny thing is, he will always fix me a cup of tea when I come over, and then mix himself some nasty instant coffee. This country is ruining him...

[3dmus]

Originally Posted by darkcloud2973

Oh thanks so much! This was actually our first Band Camp sale! If I can figure out how to frame a Paypal payment, I might do that, ha ha. Maybe I'll print the email...

Hey, if you figure out what that song reminds you of, let me know. That is my absolute biggest fear. I don't really listen to a lot of music, but my daughter listens to a very wide variety. I'm always afraid I'm going to subconsciously pick up something I hear and think it is my own idea. I would hate to accidentally steal someone's song.

BTW, I checked out the video in your signature. I really liked the relaxed feel and you nailed the mood of wishing for summer to return. Also, I liked the video! That's an area I'm really lacking in.

Ha! I'm honoured to be the first one! I will definitely let you know! Thx for checking out my video. If you want you can check out my latest video/song (very different to the one in my signature)... see the thread I posted earlier today ;-)

Keep up the great work, and pls add me to any mailing list you may have!

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by 3dmus

Ha! I'm honoured to be the first one! I will definitely let you know! Thx for checking out my video. If you want you can check out my latest video/song (very different to the one in my signature)... see the thread I posted earlier today ;-)

Keep up the great work, and pls add me to any mailing list you may have!

Thanks. I appreciate that. If we ever get a mailing list going, you will be the first name on it, ha ha.

Oh and I took a look at your other thread and left a comment as well.

[jpanderson80]

I'll take a listen today a couple of times and report back my findings and opinions.

The artwork is compelling.

[G-Sun]

Good looking bandcamp-page

1st track: Tight sounding.
Much good stuff here.
Cool song and arrangement.
I believe with a stronger vocal, the track could do really well.

Ordinary Day (random choice):
Good first impression. Hey, you're a good bassguitarist
Vocal is more at home in style.
The arrangement is falling a little apart in the end maybe.

How is it mixed and mastered?
(I believe it's well played and tracked)

Well done. I'm way impressed.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by jpanderson80

I'll take a listen today a couple of times and report back my findings and opinions.

The artwork is compelling.

Thanks. I would appreciate that. I love the artwork too. Jenn, the singer, is a great artist.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by G-Sun

Good looking bandcamp-page

1st track: Tight sounding.
Much good stuff here.
Cool song and arrangement.
I believe with a stronger vocal, the track could do really well.

Ordinary Day (random choice):
Good first impression. Hey, you're a good bassguitarist
Vocal is more at home in style.
The arrangement is falling a little apart in the end maybe.

How is it mixed and mastered?
(I believe it's well played and tracked)

Well done. I'm way impressed.

Hey, thanks for the listen. I mixed and "mastered"(loose interpretation) everything myself in Reaper. I used a lot of free plugins and a few paid ones. I'm not sure how in depth you want me to get, but I'll answer any questions you have.

Ordinary Day was a kind of a selfish track for me. Each song was exploring a different style and trying to get everything just right. With Ordinary Day, I just wanted to cut loose and overplay everything, ha ha. That's probably why the end wasn't that tight. Funny enough though, one of my favorite parts is the fade out at the end. I know it doesn't really fit, but I just kind of liked it. Also, thanks for the comment on the bass playing. I have been a guitarist for most of my music endeavors, but I am finding myself more drawn to the bass lately.

I'm interested in your comment on the vocals on the first song. Are you talking about the song "Something"? I'm asking because I have changed the default song that plays automatically a few times and I'm not sure if that is what you heard first or not. I would be curious to hear you expand on your thoughts. Once again, thanks for taking time to listen and comment. I've gotten more feedback in a few days on this forum than I have in a month in the real world. It's great.

[thequietroom]

I can't say much about the mix cause i dont have my good ear buds with me today but it sounds good on the cheapos.. I can say that I cant hear anything off or weak with it.

I listened to a couple songs. I think they are great! The musicianship is tops. Very nice sound. It's not really my style so I can't imagine why it wouldn't catch on locally.

Who are the "locals" anyway promoters? radio stations? friends?

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by thequietroom

I can't say much about the mix cause i dont have my good ear buds with me today but it sounds good on the cheapos.. I can say that I cant hear anything off or weak with it.

I listened to a couple songs. I think they are great! The musicianship is tops. Very nice sound. It's not really my style so I can't imagine why it wouldn't catch on locally.

Who are the "locals" anyway promoters? radio stations? friends?

Hey, thanks a lot. Yeah, I live in a fairly rural area in Georgia, USA. I would say the main popular music around here is country music. Of course, that doesn't count for everybody, but I used to play in kind of a hard rock band and a lot of my friends lean in that direction. Either way, this current album probably wouldn't please either crowd.

[thequietroom]

Originally Posted by darkcloud2973

Hey, thanks a lot. Yeah, I live in a fairly rural area in Georgia, USA. I would say the main popular music around here is country music. Of course, that doesn't count for everybody, but I used to play in kind of a hard rock band and a lot of my friends lean in that direction. Either way, this current album probably wouldn't please either crowd.

That could be the case.. both crowds tend a bit to be "die hard" in the genre

I would imagine a lot of potential for a following if properly promoted on the internet where you can reach a more diverse audience

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by thequietroom

That could be the case.. both crowds tend a bit to be "die hard" in the genre

I would imagine a lot of potential for a following if properly promoted on the internet where you can reach a more diverse audience

Yeah, I think that's definitely the way to go. I guess posting here was kind of a test run to see what kind of response I would get. I guess the trick now would be to figure out how exactly to promote it online.

[G-Sun]

Originally Posted by darkcloud2973

I'm interested in your comment on the vocals on the first song. Are you talking about the song "Something"? I'm asking because I have changed the default song that plays automatically a few times and I'm not sure if that is what you heard first or not. I would be curious to hear you expand on your thoughts.

Sorry, track#4

Originally Posted by darkcloud2973

I mixed and "mastered"(loose interpretation) everything myself in Reaper. I used a lot of free plugins and a few paid ones. I'm not sure how in depth you want me to get, but I'll answer any questions you have.

I think you'd benefit from a proper 3rd party mastering. Missing some sort of sheen, coherence and a little sonic glue maybe.
Not bad at all. But if you would like to take the next step, it's worth considering.

#2 Lie to me: That's just so cool drums/mixing

[jpanderson80]

Overall, I think that you've done a fine job. I enjoy the style of music for the most part. The "bad" parts or decisions aren't that "bad" actually... I think that it's more of a matter of taste. And THAT I can live with. Jenn's voice is certainly fantastic. The guitar playing is a highlight as well.

I think that for many, any criticism will be nitpicking. And maybe that's ok or mayeb it's not. IDK what you want. Here's my nitpicking. I hope it helps. And hey... thanks for the courage to show your work to others. That can be hard to do in this setting.

Here are my opinions concerning the EP in no particular order:
Jenn- killer vocals; keep her around.
Bass- good. I like the intricate bass playing. I thought that it was a little busy on LIE TO ME, but the tone and articulation is clearly heard. THAT is hard to do and you've done a great job of it.
Drums - I like most all the drums sounds. Even the "fake" drums on STEPPING DOWN had a level of ~smack~ that I appreciate. I did not care for that style/arrangement musicially though. That's my preference coming out.
Reverbs - I liked them all. perhaps... just perhaps it would be good to EQ them a bit more in order to clean up the mixes, from a clarity standpoint, but that's a preference.
Clarity - actually... that's probably worth mentioning. I did think that like I loved the groove and everything going on in ORDINARY DAY, it did suffer a bit due to lack of clarity. I think that one of the washy piano sounds was too washy for my taste. It made me lose the other instrumentation in the mix. Sorta like it was "masking" too much. I think that it's the typical low mid build up... but that being said, I do think that the individual elements are well heard. Good job there.
Compression - At times I thought that Jenn's vocals were not as prominent as I would prefer. It happened sometimes when it sounded like she sang louder and was working the mic by backing off or changing the direction of her sound as she sang. I would use compression to make those lines more "up-front".
LADY'S NIGHT Question... is that key sound a direct or vi? I'd like to know the details. I thought it sounded nice.

OVERALL Great job. I don't know you experience level, but this is a strong showing. The things above only represent the last few percent(s) of the sound and even then, like I said, it's more a matter of taste than it being right/wrong.

I did think several times to myself... I'd do this or that right here... but then I also liked some of the echos and reverbs in ways that I would not normally have chosen. Iron sharpens iron.

- Jeremy

[jpanderson80]

[QUOTE=G-Sun;1403000]
I think you'd benefit from a proper 3rd party mastering. Missing some sort of sheen, coherence and a little sonic glue maybe.
Not bad at all. But if you would like to take the next step, it's worth considering.
QUOTE]

I thought that the "glue" factor was good at times, but then not as good at other times. I thought that it may have intentional, actually.

Darkcloud, will you speak to that?

3rd party work is incredibly valueable.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by G-Sun

Sorry, track#4


I think you'd benefit from a proper 3rd party mastering. Missing some sort of sheen, coherence and a little sonic glue maybe.
Not bad at all. But if you would like to take the next step, it's worth considering.

#2 Lie to me: That's just so cool drums/mixing

Yeah, track 4, Lady's Night was the problem child of the bunch. It just never came together like I wanted it to so I'm not surprised at any criticism. We just had to cram all the parts together and hope for the best.

I'm sure you are completely right about the mastering. It really came down to money. I felt like I could get each song sounding good on its own, but trying to get all the songs to sound like they belong together was stressful, to say the least. Believe me, if I could have scraped up the money or had hopes to make a lot of money back, I would have done it in a heartbeat. It was easily the most frustrating part of the mix.

Also, thanks for the compliments on Lie to Me. I can't actually take credit for that drum loop. I was actually messing around on a website where people post free to use loops. I started playing around with that chord progression on my acoustic, and it just fit. I like the idea of playing acoustic guitar over a hip-hop loop. It didn't seem like it would work, but it did for some reason. The song kind of wrote itself after that.

[darkcloud2973]

[QUOTE=jpanderson80;1403018]

Originally Posted by G-Sun

I think you'd benefit from a proper 3rd party mastering. Missing some sort of sheen, coherence and a little sonic glue maybe.
Not bad at all. But if you would like to take the next step, it's worth considering.
QUOTE]

I thought that the "glue" factor was good at times, but then not as good at other times. I thought that it may have intentional, actually.

Darkcloud, will you speak to that?

3rd party work is incredibly valueable.

Yeah, I agree about the 3rd party work being valuable, but as I said in my other reply, money played a big factor. I had been out of the music scene for years so I basically had to buy every piece of recording equipment and software from scratch, and there just wasn't anything left in the money reserves.

I don't know if I would go so far as to say the inconsistent glue was intentional. There was a bit of give and take involved though since the songs were a bit different in style from each other. When I got each song to sound it's best, then they didn't seem to sound like they belonged together on an album. It became a question of balance between needs of the individual songs and the needs of sounding like an album. In the end, some songs just didn't sound their best in an effort to make them fit in, but also the album didn't sound completely coherent either. I'm not sure if that means I balanced the two well, or failed at both, lol. I'm sure a professional could have pulled it off better than I did, but like I said, my finical resources were just tapped by that point.

[m5blackmond]

Listened to Ordinary Day first per your comment, and it is great! Very relaxing but at the same time engaging. Reminds me of the band Phish -- do you draw any inspiration from them? The mix is much better than I can do, so that's all I can say about that! Guitars are so great. You can tell that you're a very conscientious player. The solo brought me back! Some of the guitars also had the hendrix feel.

I'll listen to the rest while I cook dinner and report back.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by m5blackmond

Listened to Ordinary Day first per your comment, and it is great! Very relaxing but at the same time engaging. Reminds me of the band Phish -- do you draw any inspiration from them? The mix is much better than I can do, so that's all I can say about that! Guitars are so great. You can tell that you're a very conscientious player. The solo brought me back! Some of the guitars also had the hendrix feel.

I'll listen to the rest while I cook dinner and report back.

Thank you! I am not a keyboard player, but I wrote the basic chord progression on keys. It's a really weird progression that basically consist of various versions of an "F" chord. Pretty easy to play on keys, but it was absolutely a headache to figure out the chords on guitars. I'm glad you liked them. Despite being a guitar player for most of my music "career", I still end up putting the most effort and being the least pleased with guitar solos. I actually dread them, ha ha.

I've actually not listened to much Phish. I have heard them, but not a lot. I actually had a picture of a woman lounge singer in a red dress in my head when I started that song. I seriously doubt I actually nailed that vibe, but that was my intent anyway. Also, I was right in the middle of watching Ken Burn's Jazz documentary, so that may have contributed to that state of mind a bit.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by jpanderson80

Here are my opinions concerning the EP in no particular order:
Jenn- killer vocals; keep her around.
Bass- good. I like the intricate bass playing. I thought that it was a little busy on LIE TO ME, but the tone and articulation is clearly heard. THAT is hard to do and you've done a great job of it.
Drums - I like most all the drums sounds. Even the "fake" drums on STEPPING DOWN had a level of ~smack~ that I appreciate. I did not care for that style/arrangement musicially though. That's my preference coming out.
Reverbs - I liked them all. perhaps... just perhaps it would be good to EQ them a bit more in order to clean up the mixes, from a clarity standpoint, but that's a preference.
Clarity - actually... that's probably worth mentioning. I did think that like I loved the groove and everything going on in ORDINARY DAY, it did suffer a bit due to lack of clarity. I think that one of the washy piano sounds was too washy for my taste. It made me lose the other instrumentation in the mix. Sorta like it was "masking" too much. I think that it's the typical low mid build up... but that being said, I do think that the individual elements are well heard. Good job there.
Compression - At times I thought that Jenn's vocals were not as prominent as I would prefer. It happened sometimes when it sounded like she sang louder and was working the mic by backing off or changing the direction of her sound as she sang. I would use compression to make those lines more "up-front".
LADY'S NIGHT Question... is that key sound a direct or vi? I'd like to know the details. I thought it sounded nice.

OVERALL Great job. I don't know you experience level, but this is a strong showing. The things above only represent the last few percent(s) of the sound and even then, like I said, it's more a matter of taste than it being right/wrong.

I did think several times to myself... I'd do this or that right here... but then I also liked some of the echos and reverbs in ways that I would not normally have chosen. Iron sharpens iron.

- Jeremy

Wow, thanks for such a detailed review. Somehow I completely missed this post yesterday. I'll try to address a few points.

Jenn - Thanks! I agree!

Bass - Thanks again! I can almost agree with you on Lie to Me. I wanted to give the song a looped kind of feel to match the drum loop, so I actually made my own loops of the acoustic part and used them a lot. My original thought was to use the bass as the "lively" instrument to counter balance the loops, but I may have went overboard a bit.

Reverb - In reaction to some pretty horrible and thin digital recordings I made years ago, I was focused on making everything on this album as thick as possible. I used a lot of Vahalla Vintage Verb, especially on vocals, because I wanted a really thick vocal. The problem is that I mixed the whole thing with no room treatment at all. This showed itself in the low end buildup as well. I have sense gotten some treatment panels, and although I'm still having trouble with a null between 100 htz and 250 htz, I can suddenly hear the reverb MUCH better. I may very well have cleaned up the reverb a bit more if I had heard everything then as well as I do now. However, I'm still pretty happy with the result.

Compression - Jenn is super dynamic. I was running 2 compressors on her vocal chain sometimes approaching 8 - 10 db of compression and STILL having to go in and manually edit the volume on certain words. I'm sure there are some places that didn't come out great though.

Keys - I was using the upright piano in Addictive Keys. I'm not home, but I was probably using a modified preset with verbs and delays turned off.

Drums - I appreciate the compliment on the drums. If you have never tried it, grab de la Mancha's free compressor called sixy-five. It's brilliant on drums. The finishing touches were from Slate VTM. BTW, the live drums were tracked with 2 CAD m179's with the Glynn Johns and a beta 52 on kick and a 57 on the snare bottom for some chain sound. You can't beat that setup for the price.

Thanks for all your insights. You basically brought up the same stuff I had worried over myself, so I guess we are on the same page, ha ha.

[jpanderson80]

Thanks for YOUR detailed reply. It's good to hear those things and learn from you. I think that the drum comment: "2 CAD m179's with the Glynn Johns and a beta 52 on kick and a 57 on the snare bottom for some chain sound" is a great testament to the fact that good results can be achieved at home, with care and attention to detail.

Great job, man.
I should have guessed that those reverbs were VVV. Shoot... I use Bricasti M7 impulses a lot, but I love those sounds so much.

And one last thing - to hear you talk about "lack of glue" understandable. I've certainly been in situations in which the songs didn't fit together. It's hard. And it has little to do with gear and more to do with songs, arrangements, etc. It's a tough balance. Hey, I wish that I could run all my stuff through my local mastering pro, but he's $300 an hour. I get it.

[darkcloud2973]

Originally Posted by jpanderson80

Thanks for YOUR detailed reply. It's good to hear those things and learn from you. I think that the drum comment: "2 CAD m179's with the Glynn Johns and a beta 52 on kick and a 57 on the snare bottom for some chain sound" is a great testament to the fact that good results can be achieved at home, with care and attention to detail.

Great job, man.
I should have guessed that those reverbs were VVV. Shoot... I use Bricasti M7 impulses a lot, but I love those sounds so much.

And one last thing - to hear you talk about "lack of glue" understandable. I've certainly been in situations in which the songs didn't fit together. It's hard. And it has little to do with gear and more to do with songs, arrangements, etc. It's a tough balance. Hey, I wish that I could run all my stuff through my local mastering pro, but he's $300 an hour. I get it.

Yeah tell me about it. Next time, maybe I won't try to put a straight 80's synth and guitar tribute on the same album with lounge jazz, ha ha ha.

[kindafishy]

Very good (!) production overall.

I'm not hearing any low mid build up on anything that I think is causing what I would consider to be 'an issue', other than maybe in Stepping Down. There is a strong sense of low mid in a few songs, but it is not at all offensive and works really well in my opinion. I would change nothing in this area if I were you.

Subjectively, the only nits I have is that there were, what I thought of as, level choices that I would tweak a bit here and there (e.g. solo in Lady's Night, lead accent bits in Lie to Me), the singer gets masked here and there and sticks out in other places (e.g. Stepping Down, Lie to Me) and there is opportunity to ride tracks here and there (e.g. some of the guitars in Something seem too loud in some sections, but are perfect in other).

Tiny nits. TINY. So small in fact, that if I were you, I would ignore me. Completely. Especially because I don't mix this good myself. Any place on the internet or the world in fact, that wasn't full of mixers would NEVER NOTICE ANY OF THIS. So, given that, it's quite perfect as it is.

Maybe I'd add a bit of top end here and there. There's not a lot of shimmer to things. The guitars and the vocals sound so well done that I pretty much don't care though.

Ordinary Day needs a video made for it and needs to get promoted on youtube with a link back to your album. That is a big time standout on this collection (for me).

Also thought that all your reverb choices were precisely on point. Great atmosphere and I didn't hear the reverb anywhere in an isolated or noticeable sense.

Your guitar and bass tones throughout are sublime. Fantastic playing too.

Love how all the tracks are so different from each other. Despite this, they DO sound like they belong in the same collection as you have them.

Ordinary Day is fantastic.