22-11-2016, 10:30 PM
Listened to version three, and it immediately convinces me with its vision, as well as impressing me with the solid balance, clear and open tone, and natural-sounding dynamics. I think you might have pushed the 500Hz zone a touch too much, perhaps, and the bass LF could afford a bit more energy too, but those are pretty small issues. There's an even-handed balance between the acoustic and electric elements, and the cleaner guitars are nicely enhanced to make for a good contrast between the riffing and the Mid-sections. The kick isn't overstated, the snare's 'gated' sound has been well managed so that it seems to blend well with the kit, and the toms are also well-blended (although maybe a touch low in level on that Verse 4 fill). The bass and guitars fit together without muddiness, and the vocal sits at a good level to avoid making them sound too small. Effects are very nice, blending things subtly and musically, but also providing ear-candy at times (eg. for the lead vocal and clean guitars in the Mid-sections -- that lead-vocal delay is a definite highlight). Honestly, it's quite hard to pick holes in this one -- but I'll try nonetheless for the sake of form! 
In no particular order...
The lead vocal still feels a bit 'soft', and doesn't feel as solid as, say the electric guitars or banjo, for instance. This is something that can be very difficult to adjust, but I'd suggest experimenting with a bit of parallel distortion, or at least something with slightly grubbier compression. Funnily enough, the backing vocals seem to fare better in this respect, so perhaps you might be able to transplant some processing ideas from them? And in the process, maybe you might make the backing vocals a touch less hard-sounding into the bargain -- they're about the only thing that doesn't really seem to blend well at present for me. The acoustic guitars also feel like they're poking too far forward, which slightly undermines the illusion of power in the band as a whole.
Other than that, though, there's only one thing to add: this is definitely a good mix, but is it the right mix? What you've produced here is great to listen to on a technical level (and, incidentally, very much after my own heart instinctively, in case you hadn't noticed!), but it does niggle me that it feels a bit too safe and 'pop'. I'm not judging the winner of this competition myself (that's up to the artist), but I could easily imagine that this mix might end up sounding more hi-fi than the one he chooses, because musicians often prioritise attitude over craft. In that respect, I have to say I'd personally have fought my own instinctive inclination to create exactly the kind of mix you've produced here, because it's my hunch that something more risky and less controlled would serve the music (and indeed the musician) better. Clearly it's a judgement call, but I figured it might still be useful to at least air what my gut's telling me here!
On its own terms, though, this was a pleasure to listen to -- thanks for sharing it with us all!
In no particular order...The lead vocal still feels a bit 'soft', and doesn't feel as solid as, say the electric guitars or banjo, for instance. This is something that can be very difficult to adjust, but I'd suggest experimenting with a bit of parallel distortion, or at least something with slightly grubbier compression. Funnily enough, the backing vocals seem to fare better in this respect, so perhaps you might be able to transplant some processing ideas from them? And in the process, maybe you might make the backing vocals a touch less hard-sounding into the bargain -- they're about the only thing that doesn't really seem to blend well at present for me. The acoustic guitars also feel like they're poking too far forward, which slightly undermines the illusion of power in the band as a whole.
Other than that, though, there's only one thing to add: this is definitely a good mix, but is it the right mix? What you've produced here is great to listen to on a technical level (and, incidentally, very much after my own heart instinctively, in case you hadn't noticed!), but it does niggle me that it feels a bit too safe and 'pop'. I'm not judging the winner of this competition myself (that's up to the artist), but I could easily imagine that this mix might end up sounding more hi-fi than the one he chooses, because musicians often prioritise attitude over craft. In that respect, I have to say I'd personally have fought my own instinctive inclination to create exactly the kind of mix you've produced here, because it's my hunch that something more risky and less controlled would serve the music (and indeed the musician) better. Clearly it's a judgement call, but I figured it might still be useful to at least air what my gut's telling me here!
On its own terms, though, this was a pleasure to listen to -- thanks for sharing it with us all!