Hi, all:

Well, here’s another new one, with a huge assist from rayc, who laid down the bass track for this song. A few production notes for those interested:

—I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted to go sound-wise with this one . . . but in keeping with my new approach of trying not to overspend my time on production, rather than auditioning endless RTs, I ended up going with a mash-up of two BIAB Styles: Spandex Retro Disco Rock and Zooms Prog Rock, the latter giving me some of the crunch I thought I needed in the chorus.

—On the vocals, I kept the BGVs to a minimum, and found if I was much more aggressive on volume they drowned out the instruments, so hopefully I struck the right balance. Again, trying not to get too obsessive with hitting the sweet spot. In a demo I sent Ray early on, I found myself singing over the instrumental break, and I kinda liked it. So I kept it here, with the added bonus that the solo sits under the vocal and works (I think), where it might not if it were “on its own.”

—Lastly, a big shout out to Ray for adding an awesome bass line. I think (and hope you agree) it really helps the song pop. Can’t thank him enough for his contribution here!

Well, hope you enjoy the listen. Thanks in advance for any feedback. Stay well all!

Deej

Here’s the song:

HARD TO KEEP LOVING YOU

Here are the lyrics:

I’m falling asleep
Trying to keep
My tired eyes from closing
You’re out of reach
I’m in the dark
I’m waiting to see
If you will be
Here and home beside me
But I’ve got a deep suspicion
You won’t be for all my wishing
So I’m thinking now that
Something’s got to change

You’re making it hard
To keep loving you
When I still do

It might be an act
I think I
Read a book about it
A way to attract
Keep it distant and cool
It may be just that
Or maybe your heart
Is really drifting
Or maybe it’s indecision
But whatever it is or isn’t
I’m thinking now that
Something’s got to change

Should be no surprise
How I’ve been wondering lately
If you even know
What you’re thinking of
If you even really want my love
Hey, it’s time
Say your mine
Or let me go

And maybe I’m quite mistaken
But baby my faith is shaken

And here’s the band:

Bass: Ray Cochrane
Loop: House-Techno-Trance/Trance - kit3beat135b ev16 tempo.wav
Loop: Pop-Soul-RnB/R n B - sweet_75_a drums ev16.wav
RealTracks 1257: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopShiningRock8ths
RealTracks 697: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ElecRockDirty
RealTracks 4130: Guitar, Electric Rhythm, ProgRockTODistortedSync
RealTracks 4131: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ProgRockTODistChorusArp RealTracks 4137: Guitar, Electric, Soloist ProgRockTO Ev 130
RealTracks 1265: Synth Pad, PopShiningSoft Ev 120
RealTracks 1644: Synth, Rhythm, EuroDance SubduedHitsOffBeat
RealDrums: SynthDrumsDisco^1

Deej,

What a great song, great sound and great production!

I love your vocal - you really let it fly here. The solo with your sing-over is excellent.

Ray's bass really adds some nice propulsion.

I enjoyed every bit of this.

Bob

That's a ripping vocal for a very nice song! Great production that allows the vocals to really shine all the way through. I'm a big fan of minimalist production for just that reason.

The Styles mashup sounds perfect and perfectly natural. Simultaneous loading of Styles should be a BiaB feature (if it's not already and just undiscovered by me). Ray's bass is perfect, too.

Think you absolutely crushed this one. Loved it!

BTW, been to the Mill Valley In-n-Out quite a few times while visiting relatives in Tiburon. It's a treat for us East Coast pilgrims...

This is a great song. Well produced with a fine bass part by Ray. The two styles work perfectly together. Very well written and arranged but the real star of the show is the killer vocal! You’ve got some serious chops! Thoroughly enjoyed,Tom

Deej...another super song...man I love those "chugging" guitars...they really drive the song along nicely...so well written and performed...love the band and the vocals are so cool (as usual)...Ray did a stellar job on the bass line...no suggestions from me...a great rock song indeed!

Its all been said:
Super vocal!
Those styles worked very well together.
Singing over the lead was brilliant.
Ray's bass was excellent.
Perfect mix!

I also liked the chord progression.

Deej56,
Sounds great! Bit different, in good way. Darker. Ace write and vocals! Ray's bass works really well and adds a whole new layer. Mix is super clear. Enjoyable listen and thank you for sharing.

Misha.

Hi Deej,

This is a new favorite of mine from you. Love the style, arrangement, and performance. But, as mentioned already - your vocal is just so good!!!

Ray and I have collabbed on a couple of songs this year. He's great to work with. And his bass line is perfect for this - not fancy but strong and supportive of the style. TYotally loved everything about this one.

Alan

I was expecting something completely different from the Styles and RealTracks, but man, this is SO good.
80s in a very good way.
"Spandex Retro Prog Rock Disco".
Ha!
You heard it here first!
Production-wise, you nailed the sound of that era, I think.

Deej,

Zowie. Damn Good Music.
This is a Radio hit.
Everything is superb.

ray's bass is Killer. Great tone. Perfect in the mix.
Excellent write.
Amazing vocals.
Good mix.

Might be one of the best things to ever hit the Showcase.

fj

Deej

Excellent song - lovely production melodic and engaging. Superb vocal and nice bass by Ray.
Would have been a hit back in the day.

Peter

Deej and Ray,

That's a tight rockin' sound! Your vocal work is always great but you really stepped up your game on this one (I feel one of your best)! Yes Ray's bass really does make it all come together and sound right! You will never go wrong with his help on a project!

Thanks, TB

Deej,
you did a fab job on this. Your work flow changes are working well - freeing you to spend the time on creativity and capturing the excitement of your vocal. Thanks for letting me play along. It was fun, fast and ultimately fabulous.

Bob, DC Ron, Tommy, Dan, Mario, Misha, Alan, BD, Floyd, Peter, Torrey and Ray:

Thanks all for the listens, and glad it seems to work well for everyone. Really appreciate the terrific feedback, particularly on Ray’s bass line, which added so much to the song.

Stay safe and well all,

Deej

This grabbed my attention, chugged along, and didn't let go.

This whole "not overthinking things" seems to be working out quite well.

"80s in a very good way ... Spandex Retro Prog Rock Disco."

Hahaha, B.D. served up a most cool description.

Firstly, the write is engaging and, per always, you nailed the vocals.
And in this case with a stadium filling delivery.

The arrangement is obviously well thought out and holds interest from the get go through the last note.

Ray provides a great bass track to glue together that fine group of session guys you summoned.
And the mix more than does justice to all of the above.

Epic,

J&B

Great song and great lyrics, which right now I currently relate to 100% Definitely a synchroncity my hearing it just now!

Honestly? Didn't like it at all, first time I listened to it But, listened a second time, and had the complete, polar opposite reaction. I've said it before that some of your songs require more than just one listen, from me at least, to fully appreciate them - for good or for bad, this was particularly true here

I need to hear it a third time But, seriously, great job. Mature, dark, complex writing.

Listening to it again, now. This mustn't have been easy to write, from the technical standpoint, surely? If it was, wow. Either way, the end result matters, and this is different from your usual output (I think that that's why I didn't like it the first time, I let my expectations get the better of me, i.e. I was expecting a certain style from you, and this is so different to what I was expecting!), but brilliant, nevertheless. VERY well done.

And a shoutout to Ray ... great, unobtrusive support - exactly how I think it should be, here. Congratulations to the both of you for a truly great end result

Wow! Really great tune. The vocal quality was certainly the highlight of the song for me and the instruments supporting it were super too. I think you did balance this pretty well on vocal volume. I am a novice in terms of mixing, but I would experiment with adding a little more of the highs or treble on vocals and slightly set-back into the music more. Regardless, the vocals were fantastic!
Best,
Chad

Excellent work Deej and Ray.
The change of styles work great.
Driving rhythm.

Vic

Very creative work once again! Always interesting and never disappointing, whatever the style, the outcome is something I enjoy, maybe it is the influence of the 80's music that attracts me, your music is probably closest to my musical taste
I really like the introspective lyrics. The chord progression is perfect for the mood, the disco beat fits well.
That killer chorus grows on every listen, Ray's bass line and those backing vocals, wow. Great guitar selection, especially that solo guitar. And on top of all that one of the best voices on this forum. Excellent song.

Janne

Some classic DJ.

I am glad you got Ray in on this.

Lyrics are awesome and your vocals sound great.

Nice band!

Top quality songwriting and performance. Definitely hit material. My new favorite Deej song, but that keeps happening, doesn't it.

Love the BGVs. Yes, that is a popping bass line.

All I else I can say is wow!

David C., J&B, Who, James, Chad, Vic, Janne, David S., and Ezekiel:

Thank you all for the listens and comments. So much appreciated and glad it all seemed to hand together. A couple of responses to the comments:

Wao: Sorry you’re relating to these lyrics—I guess not a particularly great place to be in. They weren’t written from personal experience, but I empathize nonetheless. Hope it all works out!

James: How many songs do we hear that “grow” on us? I take that as a good thing, and glad you stuck it out for a few listens. You give me too much credit it on the write . . . just stumbled on the chorus and a few lines . . . and wrote it from there. Yeah, a different sound for me . . . but that what keeps my interest.

Chad: I think you may be right . . . I tend to have my lead vocal a bit more out front (often to a fault), but knocking them down here a decibel or two here might be the right ways to go.

Deej,

Your vocals sit comfortably on top of the 8-beat rhythm of the electric guitar.
It's driving beautifully.
You are truly a super vocalist.
The slightly twisted chord progression of C - Em - Bb - F is wonderful.
Ray's bass is also great.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

I have listened to this multiple times - my thoughts are below. I recognise the time, effort and talent you have put into this. Sorry if you feel any of the negative comments are harsh or unjustified. Thanks a lot for posting the song.
Date: 16/12/2023
System: Headphones
--------------------------------------------------
Genre Pop
Key C
Duration 4 30
Overall impression
Nice groove
Clear message
After 5 listens, still enjoying this one quite a lot and – in contrast to nearly every song I hear – I’m quite confident that I will still be recalling parts of it (notably the chorus) tomorrow.
All in all – congratulations on this piece Deej! There’s a good reason for all these positive comments above!
Song (musical structure, melody, lyric, …)
Some seriously good rhymes here (suspicion / wishin etc.)
Unusual but effective chord progression in chorus section
Instrumentation
Like the wall of guitars – they generate a very solid platform for the song.
Vocals
Like the indie inspired vocals - good use of phrasing
Not sure that the harms contribute that much to be honest
Mix / Production
Nicely put together – vox sit well over the music tracks
What I really liked
Pre-chorus – these are just great when done right!
What could be improved
Comes in too long for my tastes. If its catchy enough, its long enough. Flowers comes in at 3:10 and that streamed 100m times in 7 days!!
I would have dispensed with either the bridge or gtr solo – probably the latter. Could quite easily lose the entire outro section at 4:10.
Had it been me I would have reserved the pay off line “But I still do” for the very last repetition of the chorus, which would have the advantage of maintaining tension in the lyric.
Maybe a couple of chords too many in the bridge section at 2:28, but this is a minor point.

Hello Deej and Ray
Very successful song
Sounds damn good
Very good mix and a great collaboration
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Shigeki, Marc and Andi:

Thanks for the listens and feedback—glad you enjoyed.

Marc: appreciate the really detailed comments. Very helpful. I didn’t really focus on the length of the song during production and was a bit surprised in the end. That said, not sure there’s much I would cut, but I did contemplate a stop ending on”But I still do” rather than the fade, which would have shortened it a tad. If I were forced to cut more it would be the guitar solo—like the bridge too much to let it go.

Stay well all.

Deej

Excellent tune Deej. Very cool groove. Backtrack was excellent as well. Super vocal. Ray's bass lines really locked in the groove. Well done.

Hi Deej,



From writing to arranging to performing to production, this is spectacular.
You've created a really excellent song.
And you're right, Ray's bass really makes the song come alive. You and he have done a brilliant job.
Singing over the solo is a touch of arranging genius. I loved it.

All the very best,
--Noel

Scott and Noel:

Thanks so, so much for the listen and supportive feedback. Glad you enjoyed!

Hope all is well in your worlds,

Deej

Back for another listen...great work Deej, excellent tone sculpting on the bass too.