Posted on - May 3, 2004 [at] 9:11 pm by Brad
Tagged in - songentry
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Total Breakdown
Genre: Rock
Time: 2:04
Date: 05/03/04
Ah being creatively blocked is awesome, don’t let anyone tell you any different. Here’s a demo of a little pop-rock song that my friends claim to like. Three things I’ve been playing with: 1) harmonies, 2) multiple guitar sounds, 3) playing more parts “live” to get a rougher sound.
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20 Comments on this post
Steven Garrity on Total Breakdown
May 3, 2004 at 9:38 pm
All good.
BlackMonkeyMage on Total Breakdown
May 3, 2004 at 9:56 pm
This strikes me as the kind of song that you were trying for when you did “Quit Complaining”.
I like it.
drewm on Total Breakdown
May 3, 2004 at 9:59 pm
i like the intro and the way youve opened your vocals up and brought them up in the mix, it shows more confidence. Could perhaps benefit mildly from a quirky synth sound through the chorus? for just a tad more pop appeal? Overall top work!
Lan on Total Breakdown
May 3, 2004 at 11:39 pm
i just gotta say, this is my favorite of yours, right next to “You’re Not Going Anywhere”. Bravo!
Josh Woodward on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 9:18 am
Very nice, great hooks and melody. I agree with the keyboard comment above, there’s too much eighth-note strumming. I’d also like to see it a little longer – the solo section came before it needed a break.
starfinger on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 9:40 am
holy crap this is good.
Jason on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 11:13 am
Rocktastic! It left me wanting more at the end (in a good way, like “damn, I wanna hear more stuff like this!”)
This one is ranking up there with my favorites of your songs.
bortwein on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 11:14 am
I like it, but even with a time of 2 minutes and 4 seconds it feels too short and I’m left wanting more….
Glenn Charles on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 12:41 pm
As I said in an e-mail, you’re doing well. I imagine there might be some comments as far as you being ‘retro’; however, I consider that all to the good. You’re following a melodic line, the instrumentals fit with the music, and you have an excellent voice.
GC
Susie on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 3:28 pm
Gorgeous! I have to agree that it’s too short, but then again, I always feel that your songs end before I’m done. ;-)
You are definately evolving into a much more melodic songwriter, and I have to say that I’m loving it. – s.
MikeyJ on Total Breakdown
May 4, 2004 at 11:31 pm
Cool jam with some good hook ideas. Cool guitar tone. Good production in general. Now can i nerd out on you for a sec? ;-) Just some thoughts…
First thing I notice is no break between 1st chorus and 2nd verse. Given that the vocal lines are nearly identical in the beginning of the verse and the chorus, it’s almost like one really long section of the song. Also, the dynamics that you started the song off with disappear after the 1st verse! That’s a cool part of the song! Here’s my “remix” suggestions… ;-)
After the first Chorus, take the first 4 bars of your Na Na Bridge/Solo break (which IS your hook BTW) ;-) leaving off the harmony pickup notes into the Chorus or making new pickup notes to match the B Flat instead of the D#. This’ll give you a definitive break between sections. Now ditch the upbeat 2nd verse and hit that 1st verse dynamic again! Do quiet verse into slamming Chorus again just like in the beginning. Keep the rest the same and tack another Chorus on the end! That’ll get you to about 2:45 or so…closer to radio length. ;-)
Now, assuming that you’re in B Flat without a guitar in front of me, if you want to go a step further, try an arrangement throwing in a G# or a C in one of the sections. It’ll add a little color and should still work with your vocal lines…or at least closely. ;-)
Great jam tho!
MikeyJ
Eliot Lefebvre on Total Breakdown
May 5, 2004 at 6:54 pm
I’m probably in the minority, but I think the song works perfectly at the length it is right now- I want to hear more, but the melody and flow is captured perfectly as it is. It does have a slightly “rougher” feel to it than some of your prior work, but I’m rather fond of it, and it shows the thematic consistency with “Understood by your Dad.”
Way to go, Brad. You’re producing some astonishingly high-quality work here, and this is one of the finer examples. ;>
aniki_21 on Total Breakdown
May 6, 2004 at 12:00 pm
Brilliance. Took me aages to get round to downloading this (sorry, only ever thought of it at work, and I don’t think they’d appreciate it), and I wish I’d got to it sooner.
I’m with Eliot – although it is a short song, it doesn’t feel too short. I’d maybe have spaced out the first chorus/second verse, just to give it a bit more space, but the pacing seems great the way it is.
If this is the demo, how great’s the “real” one gonna sound?
ken on Total Breakdown
May 6, 2004 at 5:49 pm
Well, I just realized that I’ve had this song in my head all day. Very catchy. Very Beach Boys, with a distinct BS flavor.
Jason on Total Breakdown
May 6, 2004 at 11:01 pm
If only I could produce something like this when I’m blocked. Hell, when I’m INSPIRED. Excellent work, man.
drew on Total Breakdown
May 7, 2004 at 6:14 am
what the.. !!!
Its got a distinct bs flavour? 8)
kitty on Total Breakdown
May 12, 2004 at 2:09 pm
One of my favourites, brad. Thumbs up.
Lisa DeBenedictis on Total Breakdown
May 13, 2004 at 4:31 pm
Whoo! Good to see you writing again!
This is fun and awesome, kinda like a Dandy Warhols tune (I hope you’re not a Dandys-hater – they are one of my favorites).
I don’t think you need any kind of a break between the first and second verses since you’re adding in so much texture the second time around. I like the more organic sound you’ve got here, especially on your voice. It’s nice to hear you actually breathe between phrases. The length is fine, but if you wanted to do a long instrumental outtro with all kinds of crazy electronica and shit on it, of course that would work too.
Congrats on all your success. Glad you’re “unblocked.”
LD
Ab on Total Breakdown
December 24, 2004 at 8:05 am
Dude,
smash out a cd and I bet you make at least half a mil!Ab.
biddy on Total Breakdown
February 23, 2006 at 7:18 am
wow. that was pretty dam gud! i’m in total agreement with Ab, smash out a cd! and then come to ireland! we love dat shit here! woo!
p.s now have that dam song stuck in my head. grr