Feb 2022 alternative singer-songwriter rock indie-rock hornsgoingham
Well, the mid-FAWM wall is no joke and it hits me hard every year. I've got a lot going on in life so it's been tough to finish any songs, but I've got a few in the hopper. This one was first in line and probably the toughest to figure out. I don't think it's quite realized its potential yet. But I did the best I could with it in a short time.
I can bet you've never heard Amazing Grace quite like this! This isn't quite what I intended but this is what I've ended up with. This song started with a 4-bar drum loop and a groove which became the chorus melody. I'm using a drum loop from a buddy which made mixing really difficult. Holy compression, Batman...I finally gave up on the mix so please ignore that part. I've gone back to the horns section again. I really wish I had my Stratocaster for the guitar part but the Gretsch will have to do for now.
To be honest I'm not super happy with how it all turned out but I'm actually quite excited to go back to this one after February and really fine tune it and work it out a bit more.
The idea behind the lyric is the radio is a metaphor for the heart. Some of the lyrics are a bit placeholder so I intend to go back and tweak them later.
Radio Revival
Feb 14
I used to be automatic
Full of love and miracles and belief
Now all I’ve got is static
I’ve gotta lift up my voice and sing
It beats again
It breathes again
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
There's a revival in my radio
That saved a wretch like me
There's a revival in my radio
I once was lost, but now I’m found
There's a revival in my radio
I was blind, but now I see
There's a revival in my radio
I used to be charismatic
Full of hope and wonder and faith
Now all I’ve got is static
I’ve gotta raise up a shout of praise
It beats again
It breathes again
Oh-oh, I can hear it, I can feel it
The sound of your voice is breaking through
Oh-oh, I can hear it, I can feel it
In between all the noise is a whisper of truth
@tpthehouse Mar 2022
This is a cool take on a familiar chorus! This mix really isn't bad, just a little drum-heavy. And I dig the horns! I'd love to hear a real, live horns section instead of just the MIDI horns.
@guatecoop Mar 2022
I like this one! Very poppy and you do it well. You may not be happy with the mix, but it is actually pretty good and the song comes through. Very cool song!
@jamesstaubes Feb 2022
Dude you know how it is during FAWM, doesn't matter if it's good, it matters if it's finished. That said, the chorus is strong. The call and response is cool, yes I think you should develop that. Instead of the trumpet make that a guitar lead, like The Edge.
@drewhottmann Feb 2022
I really hope this is the future of “Christian Music.” The current CCM chart-toppers seem blind to how it actually feels to be human. I love the space your writing sits in.
You are incredibly creative and honest musically and lyrically.
@crisp1 Feb 2022
The horns make the song a lot of fun and you found a punchy, lively rhythm for this that just carries a listener along in its current. Great work, Jacob!
@cheslain Feb 2022
Awesome song! Really like the Amazing Grace reference. Super catchy song with killer horns. Something really uplifting about this. Great vocals too.
@hbusse Feb 2022
Love those “revival in my radio” echoes in the chorus. The drum part is super cool. That bridge tho - love how it breaks through just like the lyrics! Love your vocals as always!
@danvaillancourt Feb 2022
Yes!. Love the production and can relate to the verses. I like the change of the vocal treatments between lines and sections... the "Oh-oh, I can hear it, I can feel it" is cool how your voice really opens up and cuts through as the focus a little extra on those particular. And of course #hornsgoingham
@ampersandman Feb 2022
Glad you managed to hang in there and got this done. I already listened to the tune this morning and the trumpet line was stuck in my head for hours.
Speaking of „the sound of your voice is breaking through“ - I absolutely love your vocals on this, great arrangement, great mix and excellent performance (especially on the „I can hear it“). You‘re such a good singer, it’s almost unfair.
@andygriff Feb 2022
What a brilliant idea and superbly realised! Great stuff. I love it when people come out with off the wall narratives like this. "in between all the noise is a whisper of truth" - marvellous line!
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
The groove here is really wonderful and the melody is beautifully delivered with your tender vocals. I like that background layer of vocals for the radio. The message is relatable reaching up to rekindle the connection and the emotion and excitement in the bridge is palpable and wonderful. Great song!
@majordanby Feb 2022
This is really cool, Jacob. Really modern and polished. The melody is great and the horns are well done, which is hard to do. Poppy and really likeable and could definitely be on the Radio. Great song!
@suehaney Feb 2022
Yay! an original take on Amazing Grace! The new melody and the driving chords in the chorus turn it into a completely new beast! good job!
@karlsburg25 Feb 2022
Oh wow how ironic. I just had a friend around who wanted to record amazing grace yesterday and wow what a contrast but this is bloody brilliant. Really catchy and i love the production on this. Its really driving and the melody of amaizng grace is going to stick in my head all day. Brilliant mate