Will,
it's a cool song and a good story too.
A couple of nits...
The 12 string riff is too loud.
The intro is a little too long.
Vocally you remind me of Jim (James Whilde) Lee of Slade - he has a similar tone & phrasing, (and he has a superb solo album).
The female vocals are cool too.
Another cool song...
However that switch to bluegrass at the end kind of threw me...
Good writing.
Dear Mr. Rockwell...
"Better" is the kind of song that I believe "could make a difference" in the way people think if enough of them listened to it. Your message is clear, the lyrics are committed to a visionary idea of America, and your music is interestingly orchestrated and arranged.
Did I hear a sitar in the instrumentation? Also, the bridge does an excellent job at distinguishing itself from the verses, musically speaking. It truly enables a listener to "cross over it" with a heightened expectation of what comes next.
The outro also was an exciting departure from the verse structure. The increased tempo, the prevalence of the fast-picked banjo in the mix, all combined to send the song "out" with a joyous, postitive-sounding feeling of revival and renewal.
This is an excellent song production in every way that musically knowledgable people could recognize, including your urgent vocal.
Thumbs-up, sir!
LOREN (a.k.a. "bluage")