ROCK TALK on Graystones 12yo band
RE Drums — Syncopated ride bell part is completely absent (as is any ride cymbal). Snare press roll(s) missing. No 16th notes on hat nor anywhere else. Every note is electronically blasting to even maximization; completely lacks any natural feel or tonality — every drum is triggering samples. Also, the dynamics are quashed to nearly nothing – every stroke screams from its first moment to its silence, and that is Incredibly Unnatural, a kind of sledge-hammering, or slamming piano keyboard with fists and elbows for Every Single Note…Sam Kennison yelling style. The edges of the notes Matter, maybe even more than the note bodies themselves (at least with drums). Clearly the drummer has spirit to have reached this point; someone should get him a decent analog kit before he becomes an human player-piano.
Instead of lugubrious sycophantism, the commentators should supply critical, experienced review that is actually useful to performers seeking and ever-needing to improve. Feelings that this is ‘too harsh’ or whatever are short-sighted: NOW is the time for harsh critique because genuine deep improvements are still possible, before the Wrong Ways become accepted, patterned, resistant to change.
Prize for Most Inane Comment — “Idea! Release it as a single..I spent 3O years as a radio personality, I was around on the air in 1970 and remember Karen and Richard Carpenter, unknowns from New Haven Connecticut, my home state, with the help of Herb Albert, released “Close To You” a soft tune and for the first time out..went number one Billboard Hot 100 that year..radio is a little different now a days..corporate owned and they tell their stations what to play..hard to break one..but these guys are good..I’d give it a rip and a little national attention..they can hold their own for sure..I’d play there stuff.. hey, The Beach Boys were teenagers when they recorded their first with Surfin….and Surfin Safari..they had a great career, I’d say..met them a couple times..”
