NationStates Jolt Archive

For a while now, Ive been working on some songs with the help of some friends.
Four of them are now done.
There will be more to follow, but these are the only ones that will be available for a while.

Also, some of the songs are in "demo form".
Basically, that means that they could be made longer, if a need arises.
So, bear that in mind if you listen.

Also, the page isnt decorated yet, so its still "bare-bones".
That will be remedied soon.

I figured I'd test the waters here a bit, see what the ruthless demons of NSG think.

If you like them, give me some feedback, or constructive criticism.
If you dont like them, thats okay too.
Just dont be a douche.

http://www.myspace.com/thehivemindproject

I have only given them a quick once over but I like.

Sounds a little bit like Wolfmother, or Preistess, nice bluesy/retro rock feel to it.

I have only given them a quick once over but I like.

Sounds a little bit like Wolfmother, or Preistess, nice bluesy/retro rock feel to it.

Thank you!

I wouldnt say Wolfmother was what I was going for, but I like that band, so thats cool!

I like it. The only criticism I have as a whole is that there isn't anything terribly original or edgy to it. Still sounds good, don't get me wrong, and I think if you guys started playing gigs, you'd stand a chance, but the sound won't be groundbreaking like Panic! or some of those types.

Not the biggest fan of Lost Again. The drummer was a little off in that one, and it sounds like there was something missing, but I REALLY liked Fade Away and Drawing the Line. Singer's got a good voice!

I like it. The only criticism I have as a whole is that there isn't anything terribly original or edgy to it. Still sounds good, don't get me wrong, and I think if you guys started playing gigs, you'd stand a chance, but the sound won't be groundbreaking like Panic! or some of those types.

Not the biggest fan of Lost Again. The drummer was a little off in that one, and it sounds like there was something missing, but I REALLY liked Fade Away and Drawing the Line. Singer's got a good voice!

Well, hey!

Glad you liked em.

Thats the kind of criticism I can always take!
As for originality, and edginess...duly noted, and I can see what you mean.
I suppose I was going for a "retro" sound, (kinda). The difficulty in that is that it, well, sounds like music from the past...hard to be supremely original.
However, this is my first effort, as they say, so thats something I'll work on.
Thanks for the input!

As for the drummer, well, hes actually a singer! (way better than me)
He drums a little too, and plays bass,and he offered his services to me, so to speak.
He also did most of the arranging.
As for the singer having a good voice, that would be me, so...thanks!

Which reminds me, if you guys do start gigging let me know. I've got a few connections here and there (US, not my current location) that support/promote local music, so if I can help, I'd be glad to.

That's seriously you singing? That's hot. :D If you don't mind, I'd like to MySpace friend you guys.

Ohh yeahs same goes for me too. If your in the UK, and anywhere SE, or even London, and you gig lemme know.

I know some promoters and managers, and venu owners too, so y'know!

I can see where you have gone with the sound and as mentioned the drums need some work and IMHO the guitar could do with a more beefy sound (but this may just be my broken ears)

also where are all the SC references you madman ;)

It's too Amy Winehouse for my tastes.

Which reminds me, if you guys do start gigging let me know. I've got a few connections here and there (US, not my current location) that support/promote local music, so if I can help, I'd be glad to.

That's seriously you singing? That's hot. :D If you don't mind, I'd like to MySpace friend you guys.


Gigs may be in the works.
Sure, friend us.
Heh, yah. seriously me singing.

Thanks!

It's too Amy Winehouse for my tastes.

*checks to find out who Amy Whinehouse is*

Hmm...dont see the similarity.

"whiskey and cigarettes?"

Dude, awsome.

i liked drawing the line, kinda garage punk meets rush
fade away was kinda generic power cord rock
lost again starts out kinda discordent, but ends up sounding a lot like fading away
fur jose seemed like a kinda formless jam... but i'm rarely a fan of either instrumental or jams

Dude, awsome.

Glad you liked.

i liked drawing the line, kinda garage punk meets rush
fade away was kinda generic power cord rock
lost again starts out kinda discordent, but ends up sounding a lot like fading away
fur jose seemed like a kinda formless jam... but i'm rarely a fan of either instrumental or jams

Well, 1 out of four aint bad.

Thats the cool thing about music. nobodies tastes are ever exactly alike.
Thanks for the input.

Way too much of a Scott Stapp vocal for me to want listen to it again. Makes me think of 3 Doors Down or Creed. It sounds like you got a couple good ideas, but they were buried in the influences of the two previously mentioned (and hideously mediocre) bands.

"Fur Jose" sounds like three or four good but totally unrelated ideas thrown together when they shouldn't have been. The combination of parts sounds a little ridiculous, and more appropriate for when someone is really, really stoned.

You have good ideas, but they're buried under a lot of sound that seems to want to imitate popular (but not necessarily good) bands. I couldn't hear much of the supposed Sabbath or Pink Floyd influence. Like I said, if I was going to pick out influences for you based on listening alone, it'd be more along the lines of 3 Doors Down and Creed. Maybe Nickelback.

Fade Away is a bit repetitive. The guitar solo has potential.

Lost Again: Repetitive. Again, good guitar solo. Better than the previous, in fact.

Fur Jose: I like it. I'd download it. Excellent atmospheric background instrumentation, very good lead guitar.

Drawing The Line: Less repetitive than the first two. Has potential all around. Could use some polish, of course, and chord repetition needs some disguising, but not bad.

*edit* For background information, I listen to everything from the folk end of the spectrum (Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Tannahill Weavers, Sons of the Pioneers) to rock (Thousand Foot Krutch, P.O.D., Flatfoot 56, Linkin Park). If I were to compare your music to anything, it'd be just to say it reminded me a bit of Social Distortion's Mainliner album. I can understand the vocal comparisons to Creed, though. There is a slight similarity in singing style.

Way too much of a Scott Stapp vocal for me to want listen to it again. Makes me think of 3 Doors Down or Creed. It sounds like you got a couple good ideas, but they were buried in the influences of the two previously mentioned (and hideously mediocre) bands.

"Fur Jose" sounds like three or four good but totally unrelated ideas thrown together when they shouldn't have been. The combination of parts sounds a little ridiculous, and more appropriate for when someone is really, really stoned.

You have good ideas, but they're buried under a lot of sound that seems to want to imitate popular (but not necessarily good) bands. I couldn't hear much of the supposed Sabbath or Pink Floyd influence. Like I said, if I was going to pick out influences for you based on listening alone, it'd be more along the lines of 3 Doors Down and Creed. Maybe Nickelback.

Eh, your entitled to your opinion, like anyone else.
Frankly, if everyone liked them, it would be a little boring.
The beauty of music is its subjectivity.
For the record, I personally cant stand any of the bands you say I (we) sound like.
If I was going to aim for someones sound, I'd pick someone better to emulate.

The truth of the matter is that I personally dont know HOW to write a song with the explicit purpose of sounding like someone else. If my guitar skills were up to snuff with guys like Iommi, or Gilmour, Id totally rip THEM off, rather than any of the "very talented" douchebags in the other three bands.

Then again, as Ive said, this is my first effort as the principle songwriter, so even if what I did was make music that, in your opinion, sounds similar to people who have fans all over the place, and make scads of money doing it, thats not so bad.

Thanks for listening, even if you didnt like em!

Fade Away is a bit repetitive. The guitar solo has potential.

Lost Again: Repetitive. Again, good guitar solo. Better than the previous, in fact.

Fur Jose: I like it. I'd download it. Excellent atmospheric background instrumentation, very good lead guitar.

Drawing The Line: Less repetitive than the first two. Has potential all around. Could use some polish, of course, and chord repetition needs some disguising, but not bad.

Thanks for the feedback.

As I mentioned, all of the songs are basically "demo versions", in the sense that if they ever get re-recorded, say, for a full-length album, they all will most likely be re-worked a little, and much more polish.

Basically, the four songs are meant to be a small demonstration of what we do. no two songs are exactly alike, and I like to think they show a bit of range.

Im glad you liked the lead guitar on "Fur Jose".
Ive been a guitar player forever, but never learned lead. its only within the last year that Ive actually gone back and taken lessons to learn lead guitar, and be a better all-around player.
So, that song was my first real attempt to do prolonged solos.

As for the repetiveness, heh, thats almost intentional.
Most of those rock songs out there are three chords.
I use more than that in all four of mine, but they all have 3 parts, really.
Thats the "classic" sound i was shooting for.
I prefer simplicity, I suppose.
Future songs will be a bit more complex, I imagine.

Thanks for listening!

Eh, your entitled to your opinion, like anyone else.
Frankly, if everyone liked them, it would be a little boring.
The beauty of music is its subjectivity.
For the record, I personally cant stand any of the bands you say I (we) sound like.
If I was going to aim for someones sound, I'd pick someone better to emulate.

The truth of the matter is that I personally dont know HOW to write a song with the explicit purpose of sounding like someone else. If my guitar skills were up to snuff with guys like Iommi, or Gilmour, Id totally rip THEM off, rather than any of the "very talented" douchebags in the other three bands.

Then again, as Ive said, this is my first effort as the principle songwriter, so even if what I did was make music that, in your opinion, sounds similar to people who have fans all over the place, and make scads of money doing it, thats not so bad.

Thanks for listening, even if you didnt like em!

Just remember...

1) I don't comment on things I like. If it ain't broke..
2) The nice comments never help you get better.

And the way to write like someone.. well, you can't tell you do it, usually. But immersing yourself in their style is a good way to do it. If you want to sound like ____, listen to a lot of their music. Pick out your favorite songs, riffs, albums. Try to learn to play it. If you want to learn to play like Coltrane, easiest way is to learn his solos the way he played them. You pick up pieces of others' style that way.

Besides, have you heard the absolute crap the Rivers Cumo released? Some sort of unreleased old recordings of stuff he wrote. I like Weezer, and man. What I've heard is not good. So there's proof that good ideas sometimes have crappy starts.

Well I really liked it. Lost Again was probably my favourite of the lot. As for influences, I find your list of them somewhat un-related. To me it sounds a bit like really proper classic rock. Bad To The Bone, Cocaine, Sunshine Of Your Love (can't be bothered getting the artists for those ones), stuff like that.

For improvements, the obvious polish which will come when you get them recorded properly, and I think a little more meat and definition in the guitar solos would help keep the focus, rather than almost losing it like you kind of did.

Vocals are hot. If I were into guys... :p

Keep it up. Can I befriend thee?

*checks to find out who Amy Whinehouse is*

Hmm...dont see the similarity.

"whiskey and cigarettes?"

Bah. Fine, I'll actually listen to your damned music.

I don't like it. I mean, it's good stuff you've got there, but it's not my style.

My advice: Tell the singy guy thing to shout. Just shout. I like it when my music yells at me.

Well I really liked it. Lost Again was probably my favourite of the lot. As for influences, I find your list of them somewhat un-related. To me it sounds a bit like really proper classic rock. Bad To The Bone, Cocaine, Sunshine Of Your Love (can't be bothered getting the artists for those ones), stuff like that.

For improvements, the obvious polish which will come when you get them recorded properly, and I think a little more meat and definition in the guitar solos would help keep the focus, rather than almost losing it like you kind of did.

Vocals are hot. If I were into guys... :p

Keep it up. Can I befriend thee?

Glad you liked.
Yes, you certainly may befriendeth..us..?

Bah. Fine, I'll actually listen to your damned music.

I don't like it. I mean, it's good stuff you've got there, but it's not my style.

My advice: Tell the singy guy thing to shout. Just shout. I like it when my music yells at me.


Hey, theres no accounting for taste.
I cant always handle "not my cup of tea".

The "singy" guy, would be me.
Im sure I'll write a song where I need to do more shouting in the future.

Hey, theres no accounting for taste.
I cant always handle "not my cup of tea".

The "singy" guy, would be me.
Im sure I'll write a song where I need to do more shouting in the future.

Inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL9xOLpwI0I

For a while now, Ive been working on some songs with the help of some friends.
Four of them are now done.
There will be more to follow, but these are the only ones that will be available for a while.

Also, some of the songs are in "demo form".
Basically, that means that they could be made longer, if a need arises.
So, bear that in mind if you listen.

Also, the page isnt decorated yet, so its still "bare-bones".
That will be remedied soon.

I figured I'd test the waters here a bit, see what the ruthless demons of NSG think.

If you like them, give me some feedback, or constructive criticism.
If you dont like them, thats okay too.
Just dont be a douche.

http://www.myspace.com/thehivemindproject

Cool sound.

Cool sound.

Thanks!