Some tracks from Proud Honey

shugz

Hi,

I've been working with a Glasgow band for the past year, Proud Honey. They signed up with a small US label last year and have been in the studio since. EP and/ or Album scheduled for later this year all going to plan.

Some tracks can be found here, not saying any of it is musical genius or to everyone's taste but they are what they are.

http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/artist_songs/4631648

Thanks for looking and maybe grabbing a listen,

Cheers
Hugh

digitalscream

Sounds good, mate - the only criticism I have is that the mix seems a bit "spikey", if you see what I mean (and I say this with some hesitation, since my band's album will be out in a week or so...). Aside from that, really rather enjoyable

For anyone else out there, go like 'em on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/proudhoney

shugz

Many thanks @digitalscream, very kind of you. These are not final mixes but we did want to at least start a presence online.

The final mixes will all be warmed up as well through tape.

Best of luck with your album too,

Cheers
Hugh

spark240

Well....I cant say the genre is really my thing,..but seeing as you took the time to post it :-)

It sounded very Beatles  / Oasis to me, the fading intro...reverse guitars, drum fills...track 2 is Come Together all over ( a great song) !.

Nothing wrong with that of course, only us oldies remember it anyhow ;-(

I think a new mix and as you suggest a warmer "tape" sound would give more pleasing results. 

Thaks for posting and good job well done. 

shugz

Thank you @spark240.

These mixes do sound alright on cd believe it or not but maybe are not translating to the net too well, I'm yet to listen to them via that means much in depth. It's either studio or cd for me just now. They'll be sorted out come release time anyway. The tape helps a lot from experience.

Appreciate the comments, thanks
Hugh

Moe_Zambeek

The first track is very Richard Hawley, whereas the second seems very Beatles / Oasis.

Being ruthless with the constructive criticism though...
Great guitars all round, very expansive...but the bass and drums in contrast sound a bit small and are stuck right in the middle of the mix. They lack dynamics and width. That is highly likely to be a mix or master thing though!

My main area of criticism would be the vox, though. Trying to be diplomatic, I think the songs maybe deserve more attention to both the vocal melodies and delivery, given their overall quality and the calibre of the playing.

shugz

Hello Mel

Thanks for the critique, all points valid and appreciated. You might be able to tell who wrote the first track possibly.........well, from a musical point at least. I leave the vox etc to others. I didn't do anything much to the other two tracks as they were already written prior to working with the band. i just added my guitars so to speak.

Re the mix, I've heard the Neve mix and on cd at home (seperates rig) and it's genuinely really good. There is maybe some loss on the tinterweb mix but I don't even own a computer so can't judge! that said, i will bring it to their attention its something to watch out for come release time.

Thanks again
Hugh

Moe_Zambeek

I was listening on iPod with earphones so perhaps not the best judging platform.

I did discern a strong pre-shugz/ post-shugz difference in sound. I think your influence on the songwriting has been beneficial...

shugz

Thanks.

Been reliably informed the files required to upload to Reverbnation site need to be small which may mean the quality of mix isn't great. Just passing on this, i don't know if that is true or not. Like i said though, desk mix and on cd they sound great and not how they have come across here. I believe the Soundcloud page has the fullsize wav files uploaded.

If i continue working with the band hopefully i will input more on the songs front, hang on to your hats on that one...........

Cheers
Hugh

Fretwired

Loud guitars, catchy riffs - what's not to like. I bet they're great live. Good luck with the EP/album. Let me know when it comes out.

shugz

Thanks very much @Fretwired Live it works well i think, more pacey songs and we don't hang back.

Appreciate the kind words, cheers
Hugh

ESchap

Great stuff Hugh.   Great band live as well.

shugz

ESchap;483437" said:

Great stuff Hugh.   Great band live as well.

Thanks muchly Mr ES

Here's the promo vid for Fallen Star:




Cheers
Hugh

mixolyd

Moe_Zambeek said:

The first track is very Richard Hawley, whereas the second seems very Beatles / Oasis.

Being ruthless with the constructive criticism though...
Great guitars all round, very expansive...but the bass and drums in contrast sound a bit small and are stuck right in the middle of the mix. They lack dynamics and width. That is highly likely to be a mix or master thing though!

My main area of criticism would be the vox, though. Trying to be diplomatic, I think the songs maybe deserve more attention to both the vocal melodies and delivery, given their overall quality and the calibre of the playing.

Amen brother.

I heard Fallen Star first and didn't like it at all, but going back and listening to the first song - Tarantchlia - it shows much more potential. 

Musically it does suffer a bit from Let's Repeat This Riff For Four Bars Every Time Between Parts Syndrome which results in the listener sitting waiting on this rather than listening.  The song is punchy and light on it's feet at times (nice move into descending refrain line) so I think it would really benefit from some editing: just cut out a bar or two here and there so that the listener doesn't have the chance to stop listening.  It ends up sounding like something that would fit the final triumphant scene for a movie so trimming the early fat could allow the final refrain to reach its potential.

As Moe said, the vox are not up to the same standard as the rest of the song - both in composition and delivery.  They verge on being recitative rather than melody and the singer has a habit of bending notes at the end of words in order to disguise that lack of musicality, but he does it pretty badly to be honest.  Those vowels sound too loose and untrained and don't fit with the finely tuned sound that the rest of the band is moving toward. 

Is there any chance of a musician getting involved with the vocal writing?  Just a few well-chosen notes could make all the difference.

So yeah I don't like the sub Stone Roses vox, but the new direction toward writing rock songs for Ridley Scott movies has promise I think.     

shugz

Thanks for the critique.

Some points i firmly disagree with and some i can see your point. Ultimately, the band are making their record company happy just now and all's going well. Cannot please everybody, all of the time etc.

I simply posted these up to give an indication of the band and overall sound. Album due out later in the year.

Cheers
Hugh

mixolyd

Best of luck with the album: I'll look forward to hearing the finished work.

I know from experience that my impression of a band in the recording stages and its future progress can have little or no correlation.  Like when I saw the Kooks in the months before their debut and was thoroughly unimpressed with their spineless, wet performance and  noobish over-application of the vocal harmonies they'd obviously just learned.

Within a couple of months they were at no1 in the album chart and their sound was refined to a fine point!

shugz

Sorry, i don't want to sound ungrateful for your input. The tracks are here to be judged etc and certainly i agree with your points on the whole. I was more doing the odd session with them which lead to doing more with them.

That's basically why there might be a noticeable or not change in sound between some songs. It's never a good place to be if your music cannot be challenged or improved upon and the lads (and I) are always at least trying to improve within our spectrum of 'talent' so to speak.

We are recording this week and there's some radio stuff at the weekend so things at least moving on. Will post up when the album is ready.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to the tunes, it is much appreciated.

Cheers
Hugh

RocknRollDave

First track reminded me of Mansun (no bad thing!), and the slide part was a welcome surprise. Only constructive criticism I can add is in the second track, when it all explodes nicely into the guitar solo, I thought it should have done that straight after the end of the chorus, rather than the couple or so bars between the two. Nice, though, some corking sounds between the three tracks.

shugz

Thanks again

I understand what you mean about that solo. We did muck about with that a little. I liked the way it was left on the recording, sort of nothing then boom, into the solo. It was one take all that as well, tacked an overdub on the end but everything up until that point was as is. Yeah, it does borrow a little from Come Together but all i can say is it was borrowed with sincerity and not a calculated rip off.

Cheers
Hugh

lloyd

Firstly i think it's well produced, really enjoyed the tracks (first one especially) guitar riff was quality, got my foot tapping.


I've not read all the posts but I'd echo what one guy said and say that the vocals were not my cup of tea at all I'm afraid. Although I can't get on with the singer from Embrace and they've done ok for themselves so what do I know?

I'm sure it's just a personal thing and I don't want to come across overly critical or anything, just my 2 pence as it were.

I would imagine that Id prefer them live if that makes sense?

Good luck I hope it sells a million and you all marry models !

shugz

Thanks @lloyd

All very kind and I certainly don't take offence at any points made. We'll see how it goes i suppose. Genuinely though, most feedback til now relatively positive re the vox but if they are not for you, no complaints here.

Band are on the telly tonight, STV's Riverside Show. Basically a local Glasgow based channel but it's a start!

Cheers and thanks
Hugh