Hello,

This is a collaboration with a talented singer songwriter in London England, Deb Samuels. I composed the melody and sent her the tracks that she recorded vocal and harmony parts and sent back for me to mix. Deb also wrote the lyrics.

Our collaboration is called the Atlantic Alliance (it lives)

This is one of seven songs we did together.

https://soundcloud.com/1-earl-gardner/illusive-love-by-samuels-gardner

Style is =DAISY_G.STY
Top40 Ctry, ac.guit (88 RT))
Style MIDI Instruments are :
Clean Electric Guit (28),
RealTracks in song:
1190:Bass, Electric, ModernRnBRock Ev 065
RealTracks in song: 1278:Synth Pad, PopUplift Ev 120
RealTracks in song: ~522:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 120
RealDrums in style: NashvilleSouthern^06-a:Snare, Hihat , b:Snare, Ride


Illusive Love by Samuels & Gardner
The Atlantic Alliance


Take your time, I’m in no hurry
A waiting game, it’s easy for me
Here I am, waiting and waiting
For you ooooh….

So you think, the grass is greener
I can wait, my lovely dreamer
Here I am, waiting and waiting,
For you ooooh….

There you go again looking for illusive love
Wildly running around I’m prepared for hand in glove

There you go again searching for illusive love
Wildly running around I’m prepared for hand in glove

I’ll survive if you don’t get here
But beautiful a love is so near
Here I am, waiting and waiting,
For you ooooh….

, waiting and waiting
For you ooooh….
For you ooooh….
For you ooooh….

Earl, nice song. Deb has delivered some really nice vocals. The harmonies have worked quite well. A couple of interesting chord progressions.
Good number

Trevor

Pretty music! Singer has a nice voice and harmonies work great. As noted, some interesting chord changes. Nice work! Take care. Greg

Mmmm!! Very nice.

Rob

This song has all the elements to be very good. Collaborations seem to bring the best out of folks and this is no exception. Great collaboration.

I always like the story of one so blindly seeking the ever illusive love and then peek over the very shoulder of unrequited love not knowing it is there. Deb has done a good job taking us there with her lyrics and showing each person's point of view.

You have written a nice melody using good choices of instrumentation. Good elements so far for a good song. I have to take a step back from others regarding the arrangement though. Whereas Deb lyrically takes on a winding journey and each verse builds on the last. She takes us back and forth between her characters point of view. The music uses all the instruments from the very beginning leaving no room to build but rather relies on vocal harmonies, the solo and unusual chord changes for variance. It would be interesting to me to hear a minor remix of the musical arrangement being tweaked some. Maybe bringing the instruments in and out throughout the song, varying the drum pattern and such.

It may have been your intent for the music arrangement to be exactly as it is and if that's so, that one element of the song failed to click with me. I certainly like the song more than dislike it, and others are giving it good reviews so it may just be me. If that's the case, carry on....

I'll be giving it a few more listens and the arrangement may grow on me. ;=)

Charlie

Hi Earl,

nice! Deb has a nice voice and I like the harmonies. Some unusual chord changes. Enjoyable listen.

Guenter

Interesting arrangement with those
chord changes. I think Charlie had
a good suggestion with building
instrumental dynamics through
the tune.

Nice vocals. Enjoyed the listen.

J&B

Earl and Deb,

As others have noted - a very interesting song - particularly melody-wise. The vocals and harmonies are quite nice.

Charlie makes a good point regarding building the instrumentation as you go. The vocal (and melody) are interesting enough to stand with a sparse arrangement. Then add as you go. I would suggest, also, that you limit the number of drum rolls for a song like this.

That vocal really stays in your head a long time after listening..

floyd

Hi Earl,

Deb has a wonderful voice, I love it. I'm with Charlie on the arrangement. And those unusual chords aren't supporting the melody and her vocal - it's like they don't fit quite right and are jarring instead of invoking the real emotion you're going for there. I'm saying that to help - not to offend you in any way because I think with some tweaking you two have got a really good sound.

Josie

Earl and Deb,
A very enjoyable collaboration! I liked the song very much, listened through my headphones. Lovely tune, lovely vocals.
I do agree with the comments though, it would give the mix more space and make the song even better sounding.
Love to hear more!

Fred

Hi Earl and Deb,

I like the song a lot and love the concept of a long distance collaboration.

Deb's voice is very good but I would agree with Josie regarding the jarring between instruments and voice although it's only in a few places and should be easy to fix.

I listened carefully and found an example at around 1 min 10 secs. I think Deb sings "for you" and sings an F# on the "you" (minor 3rd above Eb) but the guitar plays B major, Bb major, Eb major. So the minor 3rd on the vocals clashes with the major 3rd on the Eb major chord. You could just substitute an Ebm chord in it's place or get Deb to sing a G.

Hope this helps,
Rec

Nice collaboration. I really like Deb's vocals. Some good advice by Charlie and Josie. This one is worth the effort.

Steve