Dear Everybody........Please review........

[mcanty]

thanks to everybody responding. I type this from the taco bell parking lot in gray, tn where I have sitting for the last two hours just pondering life.Your sugesstions are very much appreciated.

[sgs4u]

This song and the angst is real man. Totally dig it. I got confused by the end of the chorus. It might need to finish more with a bang, more than you have there. If I could play guitar as well as this song needs, I'd be asking you to let me play. Your piano playing is really good, as is rhythm section. You're a pleasure to listen to. I didn't dig that "On & On" tune so much, because it went, you know On & On too often. But that arrangement smokes too.(just not the lyric) PM me, lemme know where your Taco Bell is man. Especially if you end up sitting there another 2 hours. A lot of people have voices in their head man. I usually have 2 of them, fighting over appropriate responses. One voice says, "Let it go," the other says, "Off with his head."

[foglyte]

Mark, I like the song as is, sung with conviction IMO.I like the drums on the piece, though most likely would work well without them too.Fog

[liamkelly]

mcanty, welcome back It'd be stupid of me to offer anything on this. Very stupid.Great songwriting, dude. What a very, very good song. Simple as that. Don't change a thing.Edit: I just played this to my wife. She's streaming tears. I'm not far away myself. Are you sure this needs the Bohemian Rhapsody guitars?

[ideascapes]

Mark,I've been unable to listen to "Voices" as I get a question mark in my browser when I click on your link, despite several attempts. Still, I wanted to thank you for posting what must be a very personal song. I have some very close friends and family members who suffer from depression and want to encourage you to keep the creativity going--it seems to be one of the things that can help get you through the rough spots. Pour it on the page and the keyboard!Vince

[mcanty]

Liam - Thank you so much for the kind words. I always have this "vision" of some powerful guitar work...........but the risk I run is making the song a power ballad or cheesy, when it is really not intended to be that. So I do understand your point. Thanks to your wife for listening as well.............Vince - Thanks for the encouragement. It means a lot and I hope I can return the favor soon.Mark

[zingstone]

Well, the mournful opening chords immediately show us where we’re headed, but it’s soon apparent that we’re going there too soon. By 37 seconds the voice is rushing forward and I’m in danger of a sudden headache (My head, my head!), and then it’s more or less full pelt all the way.None of the depressives I’ve known have that much energy.The voice is pleasingly proficient and cuts a compelling melody but there are just too many words and not more than a handful of them are interesting. This is because there’s basically no narrative with which we can empathise. Still, if presenting a series of disconnected expressions associated with desperation was the intention, it’s a success.Would that you had given me some more space to enjoy within the song, in order to appreciate and digest what has come before and anticipate what’s next, and that artistic fulfilment could’ve been achieved by a “less is more” approach to the substance. For example, the lines ending with “make it, fake it, break it, take it” are remorselessly unconvincing. On the other hand the imagery associated with “drowning in my bed” is dramatic and original.Although the delivery is seamless, it’s so ceaselessly impassioned that by 2 minutes 50 I’m thinking the song has runs its course. But with a way still to go, we’re saved by the expansiveness of the middle 8, which resolves something despite its lyrical deficiencies.All the backing vocals work well, especially on the “I don’t know”s. I felt that more use could have been made of this strength, especially since the song is about “voices”.I’d like to hear a three minute version of this song with some ruthless editing and a build which is restrained enough to engage the listener before his heart is broken.

[liamkelly]

Nov 28, 2008, 1:23pm, mcanty wrote:Liam - Thank you so much for the kind words. No problem, Mark. I just know what I like and what I don't like. What I'd spend money on and what I wouldn't. Much like most of the music-buying public. I don't really have the skills to tell you how long it should be, how your prosody is, how you should set up your tension and resolve and all that jazz.I just know I really like it

[linziellen]

Wonderful work Mark, within seconds I knew I was going to enjoy the whole song. Congratulations, I'm not sure I like where this came from (been there, it's not nice), but I'd say it's going places. This is speckled with so much hope.Nice to see you here again.Linzi

[songstream]

Mark,You got a winner here! One of the best I've heard. Great chord changes, arrangement and set up to chorus. It works. Real, raw and honest emotion. Way to go! I like to hear more of your work.