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We like the poignant lyric and vocals.
“I want a day that doesn’t take away all my mind
A day that gives me the time to breathe
I want to spend more time with the people I know
A chance encounter while I’m on a walk - reading a book
I need to hide away, I need to learn to play without distraction”
YES!
The BiaB session guys fit in very nicely with your vocals and mando.
(Janice has a nice A style mando also.)
The mix is open and airy which is our favorite.
We much liked the change to A minor!
We enjoyed the vid and, yes, the guy at the end does look a lot like John Malkovic.
Your choice of clips worked very well in supporting the narrative.
Well done and enjoyed by us!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Like many others, the mandolin was the highlight of this song for me. Chorus was pretty good, too. Nice job, Andrew! Thanks Rob! The mandolin turned out better than my rudimentary skills would suggest. I’m happy with that! … The mix is open and airy which is our favorite.
We much liked the change to A minor!
We enjoyed the vid and, yes, the guy at the end does look a lot like John Malkovic.
Your choice of clips worked very well in supporting the narrative. … J&B - I am glad you recognised the John Malkovic likeness - I was beginning to wonder if it was just me! Yes, the video takes a bit of work but I’m usually happy with the outcome and it opens up accessibility to a marginally wider audience that Soundcloud can be problematic for. Andrew
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Very nicely done, the Am in the bridge is a nice twist to a song in A Major, if I am right.
Donny
Donny G
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Very nicely done, the Am in the bridge is a nice twist to a song in A Major, if I am right.
Donny Spot on, Donny. I like my songs to have a surprise element and usually do this by using a chord or two outside the diatonic, or switching a chord or bridge into a different key. It is uncommon for me to write a song fully in a single key. Thanks for listening! Andrew
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Hi Andrew,
I love this song and the video too!
And yes, the man in the end looks a bit like John Malkovich.
Anne-Marie
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Andrew, A complex write from a guy looking for simpler things  Good, interesting lines all over the place. Thoughtful. Thought-evoking. Your vocal puts it all across perfectly. Marvelous change-up at the bridge. Very much enjoyed listening to this. A coupla times... fj
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Hi, Andrew.
It's got a bit of early "America" (the group) feel. Loved the mandolin and the modal change at the chorus.
Nice write also - you covered a lot of ground, where it would have been easier to just write simple variations of the idea. It really elevates the song.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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I love this song and the video too!
And yes, the man in the end looks a bit like John Malkovich. Thanks Anne-Marie! I try and make the videos meaningful to complement the song lyrics. A complex write from a guy looking for simpler things
Good, interesting lines all over the place. Thoughtful. Thought-evoking.
Your vocal puts it all across perfectly.
Marvelous change-up at the bridge.
Very much enjoyed listening to this. A coupla times... Thanks Floyd - I’m glad you liked it. The complexity in lyrics was not by design, but the complexity in music was. With lyrics, unless I have a story to tell, my lyrics are often what J&B refer to as the ‘join the dots’ type. That is partly driven by just wanting a plausible vehicle to carry the melody over the chords without having to overthink it. Of course, they have to make *some* sense and have some cohesion - at least to the listener, even if they have to form that connection themselves but maybe not intended by me. I like the bridge change also - one that I personally haven’t grown tired of through production. It's got a bit of early "America" (the group) feel. Loved the mandolin and the modal change at the chorus.
Nice write also - you covered a lot of ground, where it would have been easier to just write simple variations of the idea. It really elevates the song. Thanks David! The complex write was not well thought through, and I did wonder a bit about if there was too much disconnect between the verse lyrics and bridge lyrics - why does longing for simplicity relate to missing a partner? I did not want the song to have to explain that. Andrew
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Hi Andrew,
This is the fourth time I’ve set about listening and reviewing Simpler Times. Sorry, I’ve been distracted and a bit absent from the forum for a couple of weeks.
I love the simple and open feel of the song. The mandolin as has probably already been mentioned, gives it an even paced feel and suits the melancholic, reflective sound. I can really relate to the lyrics, I wish we could return to simpler times but with all the positive things we have today….none of the bad baggage. Believe it or not, I especially liked the humming on the outro, it think it reminds me of a snippet from an XTC song.
Another gem Andrew, kind regards.
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… I love the simple and open feel of the song. The mandolin as has probably already been mentioned, gives it an even paced feel and suits the melancholic, reflective sound. I can really relate to the lyrics, I wish we could return to simpler times but with all the positive things we have today….none of the bad baggage. Believe it or not, I especially liked the humming on the outro, it think it reminds me of a snippet from an XTC song.
Another gem Andrew, kind regards. Thanks Lee! I was hoping I hadn’t cluttered the recording too much. I think the mando and fiddle create a simpler image. I wasn’t an XTC listener, but would like to if you can remember which song. Andrew
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Hi Andrew. It's good hear a singer singing in Australian I felt right at home. What a great song. I love the way you have drafted the lyrics. Because there is no obvious rhymes until the last line of each verse—go/know, away/play, talk/walk—the lyric content sounds like someone speaking and telling a story. I found this very, very effective. It mesmerised me. This lyric technique fitted the style and presentation of the song perfectly. As Tano said, "the last line of the verse had a nice dual-rhyme that seemed to satisfy the listening ear for that rhyme...nice effect!" I wholeheartedly agree. Here in Melbourne at 11:30 am on a grey, overcast and somewhat cold November Saturday, your music was a perfect companion. You brought memories of me sitting in front of an open fire, warming my feet, sipping a glass of red wine and contemplating life. I'm a fan of what you've done! --Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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… It's good hear a singer singing in Australian I felt right at home. Hi Noel! Now that’s a compliment! It’s taken me 60 years to shed my Brit accent and it still comes through from time-to-time. There’s been some references in this forum to The Kinks, Bowie and … I forget. I’ll need to check to see if I have any Adelaide-isms in there, like ‘dance’ or ‘chance’ with broad "a" sound (e.g., /ɑː/) as in "father". Edit: there is! Verse 1 ‘demand’ Verse 2 ‘chance’. … What a great song. I love the way you have drafted the lyrics. Because there is no obvious rhymes until the last line of each verse—go/know, away/play, talk/walk—the lyric content sounds like someone speaking and telling a story. I found this very, very effective. It mesmerised me. This lyric technique fitted the style and presentation of the song perfectly. As Tano said, "the last line of the verse had a nice dual-rhyme that seemed to satisfy the listening ear for that rhyme...nice effect!" I wholeheartedly agree. I was aware of the double-rhymes that Tom referred to, but I did not consciously write without rhymes in the first lines of the verses - pure fluke. I did want each verse to be around the desire for something simple. Other than that, because I am nearly always a ‘music first’ writer, I have to fit words to an existing melody, or modify the melody, and will often sing it and play guitar to find a natural cadence. … Here in Melbourne at 11:30 am on a grey, overcast and somewhat cold November Saturday, your music was a perfect companion. You brought memories of me sitting in front of an open fire, warming my feet, sipping a glass of red wine and contemplating life.
I'm a fan of what you've done!
--Noel I know - what happened to Spring? But, I don’t mind winter. I am glad my song took you to a favourite spot. Thank you for listening and your wonderful comments. Andrew
Last edited by Andrew Dee; 11/08/25 04:10 AM.
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Hello Andrew,
This song had me smiling immediately, since nearly all of what you said here are thoughts that cross my mind every day. I've reached the age where "less" is the new "more"
I like hearing how people arrive at their choices, so your details in the intro are very interesting to me. The process, to me, is at least as important as the end result.
Great job on the mandolin! I laughed at your comment: "Rhythm guitarist picks up a mandolin, thinks he can play" (I wholeheartedly identify, being a guitar player who also owns a mandolin but rarely thinks he can play it) Your comment could be interpreted as self-deprecating, except for the confidence you've exhibited by playing the mandolin in this song. (well done!)
I like it!
Last edited by Pat Marr; 11/08/25 07:05 AM.
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The mandolin adds a uniqueness to your song. I really like the bridge. It's got staying power.
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… This song had me smiling immediately, since nearly all of what you said here are thoughts that cross my mind every day. I've reached the age where "less" is the new "more" Thanks Pat! My parents mentioned some time ago that when one gets older, it can seem like one grows invisible to younger folk. I’m not sure that’s entirely true, but there are elements of that in this song. My mind is beginning to consider the merits of decluttering also. … I like hearing how people arrive at their choices, so your details in the intro are very interesting to me. The process, to me, is at least as important as the end result. I like the thrill of working on a new song, and that thrill is only seconded by stumbling across a surprise element that lifts the song. The bridge instrumentation was one of those. … Great job on the mandolin! I laughed at your comment: "Rhythm guitarist picks up a mandolin, thinks he can play" (I wholeheartedly identify, being a guitar player who also owns a mandolin but rarely thinks he can play it) Your comment could be interpreted as self-deprecating, except for the confidence you've exhibited by playing the mandolin in this song. (well done!)
I like it! Well, after all the kudos, I’ll have to pick it up more often, but will still play it in a pedestrian fashion - these fingers weren’t built for speed. I do have another mandolin song - at least in part - ‘Banging my head against the wall’ recorded a couple of years back. Thanks for listening and your encouraging comments! Andrew
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… I really like the bridge. It's got staying power. Thanks for listening Scott! Yes, I still enjoy the bridge also, despite the mixing fatigue. Andrew
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Great subject, I can easily relate to it, those unnecessary things and distractions, I'm still learning to let go of hobbies that I used to enjoy but now only do out of habit... "The tyranny of wisdom is quite real" I haven't thought it that way, but now you made me see. The band sounds great, I like how the mandola and the mandolin bring fresh approach, the acoustic bass and the drums create an earthly mood. And your voice really fits the "old man weeping" theme, and that's meant to be a compliment Catchy bridge melody, even in minor - thanks for the major-to-minor idea, I'm already using it. Janne
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Great subject, I can easily relate to it, those unnecessary things and distractions, I'm still learning to let go of hobbies that I used to enjoy but now only do out of habit... "The tyranny of wisdom is quite real" I haven't thought it that way, but now you made me see. Thanks Janne! When I was a younger man, I didn’t know much so didn’t say much. As I’ve grown older and accumulated more life experience, I can see I’ve become more opinionated - albeit moderately so. … The band sounds great, I like how the mandola and the mandolin bring fresh approach, the acoustic bass and the drums create an earthly mood. And your voice really fits the "old man weeping" theme, and that's meant to be a compliment Catchy bridge melody, even in minor - thanks for the major-to-minor idea, I'm already using it. Listening to my vocals in the raw could easily make listeners weep!  When switching from verse to chorus or bridge, my mind automatically looks for a change into something different and even if I repeat a device across different songs, usually the feel of the song and where the chord progression and/or melody goes provides the uniqueness. Thanks for listening and commenting! Andrew
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