OK, back to the song.

Kevin - I just listened a couple times through and I think this track has plenty of 'sparkle'. Sounds danged good in my opinion from an EQ standpoint.

There's a fairly strong mixing element that seems strange to me - if you don't mind me pointing it out. I should mention that I am listening via in-ear monitors, playing your track against some Alan Jackson tracks as references - which is the best comparison CD I have to this style. I've listened specifically to these tracks: I Don't Need the Booze, Tropical Depression, and She's Got The Rhythm and I Got The Blues. I also listened to Rascal Flatts "What Hurts The Most", as I recall this one has some more widely panned BGVs - this one is more modern in it's heavy compression. Finally, I've got some Randy Travis and listened to "The Gift" and "Jerusalem's Cry" and "When Mama Prayed", which has some thick BGVs.

In your track the background harmony vocals are not in the 'background'. At several places, they are considerably louder than the main vocal - for example in the chorus after the first verse. In addition to the volume, the panning of the BGVs/harmony vox draws one's attention to the BGV's over the main vocal. The aah-ooh harmonies in verse 2 are also much louder than the main vocal. Again in the last chorus the harmonies are louder than the main vox/melody. I would cut them at least 6 dB for each side. I would also try to put them behind your main vocal, like what would happen on a sound stage. Listening to panning on most of those tracks, the BGVs are very often center panned. The exceptions in the list of songs I gave above are the Rascal Flatts song and "When Mama Prayed" by Randy Travis. When he is doing his own BGVs, they are heavily center panned, when other vocalists come in the panning is much wider. But in every case in every one of these songs, there is no doubt about the main vocal being quite a bit louder than the bgvs.

2. I can kind of understand the tympani roll to some extent, but it buries everything else in the mix when it comes in. What does it sound like when it's not in there?

So, I think if you are uncomfortable with this song, it's not the mastering/EQ, but more a mixing thing that might be what's concerning you. Try cranking those BGVs down (quite well done actually) quite a bit and center panning them in at least in some parts of the song for dynamics and attention to main vocal/melody.

I didn't see anyone else mention this aspect of the song, but I think it might be what is bothering you.

-Scott

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