Shameless Resurrection

[picksail]

I originally posted this song on the Gearslutz and TapeOp forums. Let me know what you think and when I do get a chance to remix, what I could do differently.


"Five Bucks Gets You Nowhere"(edit)
Composed, performed, produced and engineered by Stewart Cararas
©2004 Phlorescent Beacon ASCAP

This is a track from my forthcoming album which was included on a compilation currently being pressed.

This particular song is more of a sociological satire. The parts which sound horribly cheesy were designed to sound that way. I in no way mind being the brunt of my own twisted joke.

Unfortunately, this recording wasn't intended to be released yet. I had hoped I would have been able to re-mix it but, given the time constraints regarding
this release, it was virtually impossible.

At the time I was asked to be a part of the compilation CD, I was working 12/14 hour days trying to get our studio up and running. And since the studio wasn't ready I intended to bring it to Trent Reznor's place, as he has an SSL/PTHD, and mix there. But again, f**king time constraints.

The low-end punch is something I feel is missing. This definately enters into the re-mix equation. I really, didn't want to add any 'false bass presence' to the mix because I felt that the bass guitar sounded pretty good . Albeit, I wish that I had the time to have done something. It is kind of deceiving when the theme enters just after the 'quasi-industrial ostonato' and the bottem disappears. In retrospect, I would have dealt with this by continuing with the 808s on the quarter notes during the main 7/4 theme. Next time!!

I wasn't crazy about the long dramatic fade at the end, but it seemed like an appropriate segue into the next song, which was a slow meloncholy piano peice. Come to think of it, it's a very cool song performed by Rock City Morgue, Sean Yseult's (of White Zombie fame) new band.

At the time, I had to complete the mastering of the compilation CD as my deadline was 7:30 am last Monday. This was paramout. Not only did the CD have to be out the door but, also the magazine which was hosting the CD. Boy, did I learn a thing or two about magazine publishing turn-around time. These guys don't screw around. I mean, you can delay the release of an album - but a magazine, no way. Anyway, I was cutting it very close and felt that the bulk of the mastering had to be completed before I could even begin adding my song. No way was I going to compromise the entire CD for one song; not even my own.

When I was mixing/mastering this song I felt as though it was as 'finished' as it was going to be. I left the studio at 4:00 am, 3 1/2 hours before my deadline.

This is yet another example of an ALSIHAD production. Recorded and mixed within a Digi 001 w/ Benchmark DAC-1.

I guess sometimes you gotta bite the bullet just to get some press.

6.1 Mb
MP3 compressed @320 kbps

Five Bucks Gets You Nowhere

[picksail]

I'd love to get some feedback from you guys. Sorry, if I seem pushy.

Thanks and remember to wipe,
Stewart Cararas

[antiphase]

Dude.............. this is just weird. Ever though of doing Foley for cartoons?

[picksail]

Funny you ask. I have given a lot of thought to persuing that particular market. Between that and film scoring these seem to be the only viable ways of getting any original music played these days.

Lets be honest, my music has very little potential for commercial play anywhere, which is why I have elected to bombard you all with it. Wink,wink.

Thanks for lending an ear!

[Shawn Simpson]

I enjoyed it. The only element that jumped out (on my mac speakers) was the snare drum. It seemed a little too big for this piece. It might be the pitch of the snare that's catching me, but it just seemed a little strange. Other than that, i couldn't offer much in the way of mix advise. I've never mixed a cartoon!!

It does sound like it should be accompanying a crazy movie trailer or something. You should look into that!!

[Bender]

Sounds like something of of apostrophe

[picksail]

Shawn,

In which part of the song did the snare sound awkward to you? Was it throughout the entire song or during a specific section?

I have lived with this piece for quite some time and may have lost some of my objectivity towards it.

Thanks for the input.

[Tubz]

Nice work! You've spent some time with all those effects, right? Nice tune too. It sounds like the intro basspad is phasing. It sounds like a mistake in my ears, but maybe you wanted it to? Also I miss some "mono-center-kind-of-simple-sound". But that's obviously something you've thought about.
Thumbs up!!

BR Tubz

[mindnoise]

Great piece of atmo/overture/imagery kind of. I like the paraody bite of it.
There was once a movie called "Clowns from outa space" or something like that, where the "alien invasion from Mars" was substituted by clowns who kill people by throwing acid cakes and cirus like hings.

BTW. since you mentioned Trent Reznor (for a purpose) do you hang around/work with him?
I could imagine he likes this stuff, being the type of person I think him to be.
YES, I am a great admirer of his work, to be precise he changed my world of music, then back in 1994.

best

[Shawn Simpson]

The first place I noticed was the section starting at 1:00. It's not bad at all, just "feels" a little weird to me. The place where it starts back at around 2:05 also feels a little weird, but I might just be hearing things by then ;-)

All in all, very enjoyable. I like the way you've got the arrangement where it could easily be cut up into 3-6 sections and stand on their own as a bed for some sort of video clip. I haven't listened to it on any real monitors either, so take any of my thoughts with a big grain of salt.