This is a song we did around a month ago. I held off posting it then because I had a lot on my plate at the time and I knew I wouldn't have time to listen to anyone else's songs. I'm a firm believer that the forum should be all about supporting each other.


The Band:

2734:Organ, Rhythm BluesSlow128Mike Sw 065

Chris Spruit is playing the piano.
Marty Straub (BabuMusic) is playing the bass

I'm playing all the guitar parts, and built the drum track using EZDrummer3

Mixed in Reaper, mastered with Ozone 10.

Heaven is a place inside (2023, Chris Spruit)

it turns out well
it is a matter of time
That's what you told me
at least a thousand times
you know me
far to well
you know that I am moving
in mind between heaven and hell

Darkness is just the absence of light
it ain't that easy
but you know that I am right

heaven is a place inside
no need to run
no need to hide

when times get hard
your demon starts
raising to steal your strength
what is left inside

he loves the dark
cause that keeps him alive
all up to you
which wolf you want to feed inside

Thanks for any feedback!

Very good, atmospheric song, Chris creates a fantastic mood, and you guys make a great band that gives her the space she needs to shine.
Great stuff, I enjoyed the listen a lot.

Dave, Chris & Marty,

I love everything about this... Great vocals, excellent bass lines and pro mix.

The standout for me though is Dave's guitar. What an extraordinary sound! Huge, full of soul and the tone everyone wants to have.

Outstanding!

Bob

First of all, Dave. THANKS SO MUCH for YOUR support. You know I love this one. Man, I've missed you guys, but have been listening to all of the Blue Attitude stuff.

Chris is such an astounding singer, one the listenerr can't help loving. Amazing passion, and execution. I've talked much about your ability with six strings.

I love the pace of this composition. You always write fun stuff to play with. So glad you're back, brother.

As I have come to expect from the team this is Blues done the right way. The write, the vocal, the playing and the production are all pro level. Simply put - This is how it’s done, Tom

Wow,

This is really great!

I agree with Tommy, this is some legitimate blues man, with tons of soul.

This is how it is done.

Great job!

Hi, Dave.

Love it!

Clean mix, emotive vocals and guitar - it caught my ear right away and didn't let go.

Excellent guitar, riveting singing, and a nice piano break as well.

Classic blues done right.

Hi Dave.

You, Marty and Chris have created an amazing piece of music.
The three of you have a flair for the blues.
Stunning musicianship from everyone involved.
Yet another fine production that is as radio-ready as anything I've heard.

Regards,
--Noel

Y'all Are On Fire.
It does Not get better than this.
Each of you are at the top of your game here. Wow.

Dave - your best guitar ever. Playing and Tone. I'd knock all the knobs off so you can't ever change it.
Marty - Butter.
Chris - your Blues Rock Writes are true gems - you impress me more with each new one. Your Vocals have never been better - goosebumps.
And I really like the piano solo/riffing - free and expressive!

After this 4 minutes, twenty...I wanted more.

fj

Dave, Chris & Marty,

Stunning!
Great work all round superb vocal, emotive, smooth bass and the drum programming was excellent.
Lovely melodic guitar solo and a pro mix top it all off.

Great work.

Peter

Well, this is about as close to perfection as it gets! Fabulous write, great performance by the band, super mix. The combination of Chris' soulful voice and piano, Dave's ripping guitar and Marty's bottom end just does it for me. Off the charts great!

Nice. I especially liked the piano and guitar solos

Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for the comment over on YT a while back too, appreciated!

Yeah!

Superb heart-felt vocal, and an aching, yearning guitar. In fact all the live musicians sound great. I would love to see the three of you play this live. Most excellent all around.

Wonderful. Another stunner from the Blue Attitude crew.
Regards,
Leon

Very kind of you, Bob, thanks!


Thanks for the friendship, Marty! It's good to be back.

Really appreciate that, Tom!


Thanks, David!

An almost Santana intro to a slow blues rock with a message - can't go wrong.
You each do your thing in the way you do - like a BAND of soul mates.
Great message, great band & great song.
Love it all.

How the heck did I miss this earlier? Glad I came back and ran across it.

WOW! You three make quite a band. Blues is a wonderful genre (one of the few originating here in North America), but this is Blues+. As has been already mentioned in one way or another, everything about this is pure gold. It's so nice to hear Chris again. What a voice! Marty never disappoints. I think his bass is what makes his heart beat. And man, Dave, that guitar must still be smoking! The tone is unreal - as is the playing.

Everything is crystal clear and sits perfectly where it should.

The style reminds me a bit of Gary Moore. As far as I'm concerned, that is a very good thing.

Pure class!

Alan

Thanks, David!


Well, realistically the chance of this song ever getting radio play is slim to none I think

Thanks Noel, appreciate the listen and comments.

Dave, Chris and Marty,

This is a really good Blues! I missed this vibe for some time and I'm glad it's here again and with three mighty good performers.
Speaking about that, of course I love the vocals from Chris, but i was also pleasantly surprised by her piano play. Very good and also on the right spot in the song!
Dave, I always love your guitarplay. They always sound so overwhelmingly good, like here.
And Marty, well the bass was a little weak, but I know you did your best...
No, I'm joking! That's because you expect that from me. So , I'm sorry to say you play very well!

I have one request; Dave, can you sing along with Chris in the chorusses (in another song of course)?
Your vocals are smokey and that can sound nice together with the outstanding vocals from Chris.
Of course you will answer you can't do that...

Great song!
Hans

Wow, thanks Floyd!

I used my homemade (Warmoth parts) Strat for this one, has lace sensor pickups that are my favorite for blues rock. Playing through S-Gear.


Thanks very much, Peter!

For the drum programming I used a reference track as a guide, first time I've ever done that, and really paid close attention to what he was doing. One thing I noticed right away was he didn't use nearly as many fills as I would normally use, so I did the same.

Dave...this is an amazing piece of music...your trio is so tight and every piece is in the right place at the right time...Chris is without a doubt the best female vocalist around and she nails this one! and her piano stuff was really cool and her solo so well crafted...your work on this was some of your best (I agree with Floyd wholeheartedly)...and Marty is so transparent (my highest compliment for a bassist) he's got the bottom covered in such a smooth and unobtrusive way...you guys bring more than music you bring "an attitude" to your productions that stands out to all of us who listen (you can tell this by the other comments made)...so well done!

From the very first guitar notes it is clear that this song is full of heart and emotion. Dave, Chris, Marty all have put their best performance into these 4 minutes. Supernal work that my mortal words cannot describe...piano and guitar solo parts are just incredible. All the other blues songs I've heard this year pale in comparison.

Janne

100% all around. I really love this song. In the new year I'm going to try creating either a Group or a Page on FB dedicated to only positive music with a spiritual aspect so I've now copied the YT link to this for future posting. I've copied links to some other music from this forum, too, so I'll contact artists here each time I post.

Fanf---ingtastic!!! You guys always amaze, and Chris's vocals jut get better and better!!! Love the whole Blue Attitude of this thing!!! Take care. Greg

Appreciate that, Ron!


We talk about how much fun that would be from time to time. Probably never happen, but never say never!

Thanks, Scott.

Thanks, Leon!


I played in a cover band back in the 80's/90's and we did a lot of Santana tunes. Guess some of his style rubbed off?

Thanks, Ray.


Gary Moore is one of my favorites, man, the chops that guy had! Great tone too of course.

Thanks, Alan!

Dave, Chris & Marty, you absolutely amazed me on this masterpiece.
Blues at its absolute finest!
Loved Chris' vocal and Marty's bass but Dave's axe took it over the top for me!
This is better than most of what Alligator Records has to offer.
IMHO your best to date.

Hi Hans,

Thanks for the nice review!

As far as singing along with Chris goes, we have done that a few times before already but maybe you missed those songs.


Really appreciate that, Dan, thanks!

Hello Chris, Dave and Marty
Top song
Extremely good vocal work
Dave is once again in top form
Marty too, of course
The song is really of very high quality
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Wow, you made my day with those comments, Janne


Thanks for the listen, and good luck with the FB page!

First, in the video it’s just magical (as Janice said) when the sun shines through the beautiful green trees and grass at the start of Dave’s killer solo.

Chris’s vocal is awesome and her piano solo was so cool with fitting the indecision of which wolf to listen to.
Her voice is so full of soul.

Marty’s bass is always the perfect glue in the mix too.

Like your lyric says heaven is a place inside and we try to remember that the sun shines in us and not on us.

Loved it!

J&B

Thanks, Greg!


Appreciate that, Mario!

Yep, I thought I knew all your songs from the last 6 years, but I clearly missed them...
Still a request, can you do that one more time? Chris, you and Marty singing along in the chorusses?
And only Chris in the verses?
And she also on the piano...?
And Marty on the Jazz bass?

Have a nice Christmas,
Hans

Pro sounds again Dave.
Excellent vocal and instrument tracks.

Vic

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: 18/12/2023
System: Mackie Studio monitors
--------------------------------------------------
Genre Minor blues
Key Am
Duration 4 20
Overall impression
Sounds like a pretty generic slow minor blues, well written and played but lacking any distinctive features or defining hook.
Song (musical structure, melody, lyric, …)
I’m finding the chord progressions a little too predictable.
The lyric does nothing for me – but this could be down to the delivery.
Instrumentation
Really nice tone on the lead guitar
Vocals
Singing is ok – perhaps not the best voice for this type of song.
Mix / Production
Generally nice balanced mix apart from at 2:02 where it sounds for all the world like that lead gtr is stepping in for a huge solo – if this is just lead gtr playing during the verse it sounds to me way too loud and intrusive. The lead vox practically disappear at this point!
What I really liked
Well chosen gtr patches
Really like the organ and the accompanying guitars in the verse section
What could be improved
Also it sounds like there is a glitch in the opening gtr solo at 00:18
The chord sequence is ok but slightly too predictable
Piano solo at 2:20 to 3:00 – not the best instrument for this type of song and the solo introduces way too much dissonance. Was it played or generated? If I were producing I would dispense with it entirely and leave just the gtr solo which cuts through more effectively but still sounds to me like it could be further developed.

This is a very cool song Dave. Super vocal from Chris and guitar work was excellent. Love Marty's walking bass lines. Mix was perfect. Well done...

Hi Dave, Chris and Marty,

This is right up my alley - and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great vocals Chris and good bass and lead guitar.

My only suggestions are (and they are only minor) :
1. Could use a bit of tightening up in the drums, rhythm guitar and piano rhythm section.
2. Bass could be a bit louder throughout.
3. Chris's vocals get a bit buried under the lead guitar in later verses.

Nothing that can't be easily addressed in Reaper.

Great work you guys,

Merry Christmas
Nigel

If the song would be better with me and Marty doing BGV for Chris, then that's what we will do

Merry Christmas to you also, Hans. I see you have a new song up, I'll be over shortly to give it a spin.


Thanks, Vic!


Happy you liked it, Scott!

Yes, clearly a minor key blues. Some blues songs have hooks, most do not.

As we have already established, this is a minor key blues. Blues, true traditional blues anyway, use a predictable chord progression, period.

Fair enough, to each his own.

Man, if you think her vocal is just ok you must have a hole in your soul Happy you liked the tone on the guitar.

The entire song builds to a climax at 2:02, however the guitar could possibly come down a couple of db's, I'll give you that.

There is no glitch in the opening guitar.

We have already covered this. Minor key blues, remember?

Not the best instrument for this type of song?! There are many, many examples of pianos being used in blues. I like the contrast and feel that it sets up the guitar solo that follows.

You ask if it was played, if you had bothered to read the song description you would have seen that all the guitar tracks, the piano, and the bass are all played.

I'm sorry you feel the guitar solo could be further developed, but I like it just the way it is

You clearly know very little about blues and are not a blues fan. So why bother to listen to the song? Just to let me know you don't like blues?

Hi Dave,
I do like the blues, which does not mean that I like every single track created in this genre.
If you only want positive comments then you should either refrain from posting anything or say so explicitly.
I did 'bother' to read the description in the opening post and I also 'bothered' to listen to the entire track 4 or 5 times, which is a great deal more than most of the other members here.
All the best to you and those who worked on this recording,
Regards,
Marc

Thanks for the tip, Marc, however I think I'll continue posting songs.

I don't have a problem with negative comments, however if I disagree with something that is said, I'm going to comment on it.

I stand by my critique of your review.

Have a nice day!

Appreciate the constructive criticism, Nigel!

When the time comes to send this off to Spotify I'll certainly revisit the mix, that's something I always do.

Happy you liked the song, and best to you and yours for Christmas!

Hi Dave,
Thanks for this note. I, not surprisingly, stand by my review! But its great that we can discuss openly and without falling out.
If its any consolation, I once took a shot at this genre and the result was unsatisfactory in the extreme. But you live and learn.
Season's greetings,
Marc