Please review my song

[toncart]

I'm a newbie and want some feedback on my song "Put It In Drive". It's a country song in the style of Alan Jackson. It's a simple song but it's open for interpretation. It went to #1 on Soundclick in just 5 days without any promotion. Everyone seems to like it, but I'm afraid that I will get slammed on here because of the simplicity of the song. The demo is very high quality. Almost radio ready as is. Oh, when you play it, turn it up loud! I think it sounds best that way. Let me know if I'm being paranoid about the simplicity of the song. Like I said, it's in the style of Alan Jackson and he has taken some very simple songs to the top of the charts. Here is the link:http://www.soundclick.com/tcartermusic

[andreh]

Hey T-Very nice song, nicely produced...the band has a great tone and vibe. The song's pretty catchy, and has lots of commercial potential.I think its biggest weakness is the lack of a clear chorus section. After you sing, "...and put it in drive," I'm wanting to hear the song get big and really break out...but it never does. Even the bridge section is a little limp; there are new chord changes, but nothing really exciting happening over them.Also, lyrically, I think the connection between the wonderful place you describe and "putting it in drive" is not clear enough. I'd like to hear you expand upon the experience of driving; whom have you shared it with? Where will you go? What will you see? There's a lot of room for a more colorful story (or experience, at least) that could be told without losing the beautiful simplicity of the hook. Maybe the bridge section could contain some lyrics along these lines?Thanks for sharing!Respectfully,Andre

[johnnydean1]

It is a nice song but nice just is not good enough.It starts and stays in 1st gear.The vox are nice,the guitar,s OK but the drum sound is.......well it's not for me.Also if you mean by simple you have used every musical country cliche in the book then yes it's simple.J

[toncart]

Wow. I just love the positive atmosphere. LOL. Just kidding, I can take the heat.

[gunter]

Quote:Wow. I just love the positive atmosphere. LOL. Just kidding, I can take the heat. Don't worry TC! The artistic process of making music is painful, it's not joyous.by John Kalodner : John KalodnerVery true...

[tkrochock]

Hey Man-congrats for posting your music for all others to see. I think that takes guts, and I know that fear of others' opinions often keeps me from taking such risks. So Kudos to you!Now, about your tune-I may not be anyone special in the producing department but I agree with some of the response I had seen earlier. I attended the Rally last year and took careful notes- ESPECIALLY at the panelists critiques of others work. One of the two things I heard nearly every time was that they had hope for a great sounding song, but the chorus didn't explode. You have a section that seems to be in the place where that would go, containing the guitar instrumental, which I think is fine. But if it is a solo, I was hoping to have it kicked up a notch. To me, part of the hook of a good song that will end up in the forefront of the public is that it will take a section of heightened intensity and emotion and SMACK you in the face with it!Again, I am not saying anything new. But I thought it was interesting that I heard this comment from so many of the panelists. Keep pluggin' away, man! Your track has a polished sound and I was hearing a lot of good stuffRegards, Tom K

[Casey H]

Hi Nice clean sounding track with a good country vibe. I agree with the other comments that it needs a stand-out chorus. Right after you say "put it in drive" it needs to break into a hook-em chorus. I don't think it would be hard to come up with this- just think of that line coming out of the verse as the lead in to a chorus that says something like:Put it in drive(backing vocal line)Put it in drive(backing vocal line)etc, etc...Just a suggestion...Also, I (me personally) am very picky about cliche rhymes. IMHO, consider changing the above/love thing.This is a very good track. I could see it do well for film/TV. All the best,Casey

[toncart]

I'm starting to see what you mean abut the chorus. I could have a backing vocal line in the chorus after "Put it in Drive". The words, I know are cliche but I wrote the song as a Christian song and "above" was meant to be Heaven. I didn't want to come right out and say it because I wanted the song to have different meaning to different people. If I said "heaven" then people would automatically think that it was a Christian song and then it would be harder to cross genres. Thanks for all of the feedback! I'll keep working.

[opensky]

Hey Tony, you've got a real winner here with A-1 production. I'm not an expert in country music but it has all the elements of a winner to me except i do agree with the others, it does need a standout chorus. Keep up the great work.

[aubreyz]

Tony,I like the idea of the song. Put it in drive is a good hook. You’ve got a great message to state. Unfortunately the song doesn’t actually go anywhere. Great country songs tell stories. You’ve got the hook. You’ve got the message, now you need a story that creates the allegory for that.Here’s some ideas you might toy with. Vs1 - A kid pretending to drive like his daddyVs2 – His dad teaching him to driveBridge – driving away in the “just married” pickupVs3 – teaching his own kid to driveThe chorus would need to be beefed up to compliment the story. With some work you could keep and even enhance the spiritual overtones --- analogies about THE Father, THE Way, etc…I really like your hook. Those great ideas are the hardest part of songwriting. The best songwriters are rewriters. Every line needs to be a winner. Good luck, and once again – great idea!