New Album (acoustic) - Life in a Dream

[liampatrickingram]

Hey everyone,

The last few months I've been working hard on putting together a new album - Life in a Dream. I would love you to have a listen! The songs are mostly acoustic with a very mellow vibe. Feedback welcome of course. Thanks and happy listening,

https://liamdinsmore.bandcamp.com/releases



Liam

[expaand]

Very nice work!

[xxASMxx]

Nicely done Liam. There is a good variety in the compositions overall to keep the interest flowing, especially when the tracks are mellow in nature. I wouldn't say mellow, I dislike that descriptive, more of a laid-back vibe really. All of the tracks are performed very well and the passion is apparent. I really enjoyed the instrumental Autumn Passing, although a tad short IMO. I'd like to offer two criticisms. The first is the song order as I think the album should start with a bigger composition like "The Runner" or "Down That Road" and save "Life In A Dream" for towards the end of the order. "Life In A Dream" is a strong track and would be an excellent 'closer' but as an 'opener' I don't think it sets the tone as best for the rest of the album, which of course is my opinion. The second would be the song lengths with several barely above the 2 minute mark....I don't think that's a critique as maybe more of a wish, lol. Always leave them wanting more right?

Thank you for the free download. Nice work!

[Benedict]

Hi Liam

Congratulations. An album is always a big thing, you put in the work and saw it through (even if people don't seem to care these days).

On first listen I like it and will take advantage of your offer of a free download. If I were to offer a criticism it would also be that many songs seem too short, or a little incomplete, as is they are missing the build of a variation, solo and ending which limits them to feeling like fragments or incomplete. That said I have found a few records recently that are similar...

Well done again and I hope this gets plenty of positive attention as it deserves it.

[liampatrickingram]

Thanks so much for listening!

I definitely get the songs being too short thing. I've always like writing short songs and my albums usually have a bunch. To me they just seem painfully long if they are over 3 minutes - probably because I never write bridges because I am so bad at them!

Thanks for the feedback!

[Last Alternative]

These songs are so good I had to do an album review
Life In A Dream: Very delicate and fragile. Although the vocals are a little 'essy', they sound good and well sung. Great comfortable panning. Short song, yes. At least an extra instrumental section can work for a makeshift bridge to add length; just have a subtle difference in strumming or notes. Nice song.
I'm Coming Down: Smooth sound. Great guitar tone and licks--same with bass & piano. And for a slow song you keep my interest with the grooving beat. Are you playing everything? Wow such a nice guitar solo. Very Pink Floydd-esque. But see where you ended it, you could've easily done some more chorus there with small variations, such as stretching out "coming down" a couple measures at a time, maybe even a few new lyrics.. think of that kind of outro as being reflective--not singing like a pop song with Mariah Carey vocal scales LOL but... y'know, ethereal stuff. That would've worked with a fadeout too.
Under The Blood Moon: I love the vibe here! You have an old soul. And boy do I like that melody. OK again with the short song thing. Simply repeating that last lyric a couple times would've concluded the song better. So far your songs just...END and I respect your art for how you wanted it but think of all this in your future albums. Sometimes songs do a sweet mashup of everything for the bridge and/or outro and it's cool.
Autumn Passing: Beautiful melody. It's a soothing symphony and I'm very moved. The emotion is right there reaching out with all the soft whispers from each instrument and it does feel like Autumn is ending.
She's A River: Pretty 'essy' vocals again. Maybe the reverb is too bright. A de-esser does wonders. Oh nice brush kit. I don't know if you use MIDI instruments but it all sounds real. Even the strings make me 2nd guess at times. You're damn good at creating a vibe. It's like I'm in your world. Whatever girl you wrote this for's heart is probably melting. I really like your background falsettos. I can't sing falsetto so I'm jealous.
Hold That Swollen Tide: Slow-jammin' chord changes. I need a glass of wine! This is beautiful, my friend. Again, the outro--you should've done an instrumental wind down. Think reversal scale from high notes to low, while the tempo slows.
Don't Talk To Me: Perfect harmonies. Really dreamy chorus lyrics. "Running with this silhouette". Nice imagery. So far all the music has been flawless. It pains me that your songs are so short when I hear in my head how they could be. Loving those guitar tones and solos man.
The Runner: This is a nice touch on a man's inner feelings he usually won't say. The strings moving in and out sound magical. I guess you already know.. yeah the ending: I would have done some more of those growing strings and added a climb in notes for another 30+ seconds at least, while occasionally singing "has she figured you out?"
Down That Road: I know what you're saying there. This one is nostalgic and made me think.
River Oaks: Sweet thing you did with the recordings. It's like a time capsule of memories and when I close my eyes makes me think of life as a movie. Or a dream which I'm sure is what you intended. Much love and respect for putting your heart into this album. It's a work of art which I honestly feel if you revisited to complete the unwritten sections, would most assuredly tie up the loose ends and leave no one unsatisfied.

Under The Blood Moon is definitely my favorite. I'm even relistening. If you put out this album in the 60s or 70s you'd be huge. Maybe it could even fly nowadays but like Benedict said, and I'll add: people don't seem to care about art anymore. Human beings have become obsessed and spiritually destroyed by consumerism and their own egos in such a fast paced busy life living for everything but what's truly important that they (I'm also guilty at times) don't just STOP! ...go for a long scenic walk, read a book, have a deep conversation, relax to an album.. you get my point. And yeah I just opened a bottle of wine because your music made me relax and reflect.
Man it's rare that I go this far to comment on anything but I was moved by your music and felt a genuine connection to your soul. I wish I could find the perfect words to say what I mean. Because these songs feel incomplete to me, I didn't download it but if it's any consolation, you're the 1st artist I've followed on Bandcamp and I know where to find it when I want to unwind.

You're a damn good singer. You're a damn good musician. You're a true artist. I can tell you're a hopeless romantic and a dreamer.
I heard Bob Dylan, John Mayer, Pink Floydd, BB King, Dave Mathews, Moody Blues.. I'm impressed.
I have to know-- did you record and mix this by yourself? I want details! Benedict is gonna mix my album THIS YEAR. It's my new years resolution to stop fearing imperfection and finish it in the first quarter. Been spending every spare moment on it. Wish me luck! The fact that you did this album in a few months inspires me.

-Jace

[DeltaHotelVictory]

I have been a fan pretty much since you published your first song here. It's really refreshing to hear non-electronic music on this forum. It shows that Reason has really grown to a fully fledged daw.

What it also shows is that good music needs a talented musician first and foremost. If you then also use some good tools such as Reason, you can turn something great to awesome. Thanks for sharing with us!

[liampatrickingram]

I have been a fan pretty much since you published your first song here. It's really refreshing to hear non-electronic music on this forum. It shows that Reason has really grown to a fully fledged daw.

What it also shows is that good music needs a talented musician first and foremost. If you then also use some good tools such as Reason, you can turn something great to awesome. Thanks for sharing with us!

Thanks so much!

[liampatrickingram]

These songs are so good I had to do an album review
Life In A Dream: Very delicate and fragile. Although the vocals are a little 'essy', they sound good and well sung. Great comfortable panning. Short song, yes. At least an extra instrumental section can work for a makeshift bridge to add length; just have a subtle...
-Jace

Jace, I can't tell you how much I appreciate such a thorough review of my music. Your kind words meant a lot at the moment where I thought I had created another meaningless project. It's too bad the outro's/shortness were a problem for you. Maybe it's being part of the generation that wants to hear a verse, hook, shorter verse, hook and then change the song that leads me to write this way. Maybe it's because I've never really cared for outros! I don't know - the songs seem to sit right with me. I just assume that people want to hear my ideas in the shortest amount of time possible, but reading people's comments perhaps that isn't true.

As for the details of my project everything is pretty basic. I play guitar and bass line-in so not to bother the neighbours. All piano is radical piano (I love it) set to subdued, painfully arranged on my axiom 25 - played but not quantized - same with drums using RDK. All orchestral stuff from Orkester. I use an M-audio preamp and the audio technica AT2020. Pretty sad set up, but gets the job done. All done in Reason, recorded and mixed by me. A lot of the stuff I've done in the last couple years sounds the same, but it's given me the chance to work on creating a sound or an atmosphere which is the one thing in my music I am proud of - I can't stand hearing my voice or my lyrics so I am glad you enjoyed them haha.

I've always enjoyed the stuff I've heard from you in the past so I look forward to hearing it. And I'll be sure to give it the attention you gave my work! Best of luck - scrap the perfectionism and go for what FEELS good. It's what I tried to do here and the results were pretty satisfying. I laid down sloppy drums (I'm Coming Down) and guitar tracks (Under the Blood Moon) as well as leaving in 2 songs with bronchitis vocal tracks (Hold that Swollen Tide, Down that Road) - I kid you not I could barely breathe or speak in a normal speaking voice. They were meant to be place holder vocals so I wouldn't forget the melody but I came around to liking them and said "oh well." Letting go of perfecting everything really let things breathe in the end.

Also I'm glad to hear you like Under the Blood Moon, I got negative feedback on that one from people I know but it by far my favourite too!

Thanks for listening,

Liam

[MannequinRaces]

My only main critique is I'm Coming Down sounds like a blatant ripoff of Pink Floyd's Speak To Me / Breathe! As of this writing I haven't got through the rest of the album yet but it is very well played and produced. I tip my hat to you for writing all the songs and actually making an album; that in and of itself is a feat! I'm really digging She's a River. That one is nice! I actually like that the songs are short. Tons of Beatles songs are on the shorter side.

[Wensell]

Man this is good producing, mixing, playing and singing! And the fact that you have done this all alone just shows the possibilities we have today.
Pretty shocked to hear that the drums are from RDK..

Very tasteful.

[Bloma]

Congrats on pulling such a great sound. It's cool to hear you're using Reason with a warm, acoustic vibe. I was going to ask what RDK drums are, but after I search I'm assuming this means Reason Drum Kits.