Official blog of The Velvet Ants: December 2012

In ordinance with today's leading operations in the music industry, pay-to-play marketing, and state of the art focus groups - We have received our first load of heightened musical critiques and opinions whether we asked for it or not. Song in question: Shapeless & Round from the album ADVANTAGE. Here we go...

"There is a special kind of rhythm of the singer's voice, the chords are quite echoes and quiet. Shy kind of laid back personality, the really fun and amazing thing about the way this one enters the world of music and sounds like it will do all the world of good but then ends up listening to what the other songs have taught it instead of doing something on it's own and having it's oen spin on it all. There is abland kind of personality to the track, the music seems to be more energetic and powerful than the snging which it leaves behind and kins of over powers in the song. The music is the star of the song and this is just cause the musicians have a more strengthening beat and rhythm. the harmonies and melodies of this artist is just average while the music might be slightly above average which leads me to beleive the experience level here isn't as high as it gets. Wonderful but still leaves you hanging to something that it will still sound better." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"this song has a nice sound but the singer on lead vocals has no pitch or volume it is kind of like Huey Lewis on helium an meth. Its a good song overall but I would not buy it. nor would I recomend it to my friends poor overall." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"offering nice pop/rock music like the big boys this group intend to be at the top chart of the bilaboard nice tender sound like the early 90s small baysment groupws that pop out after the rain." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"fast starting song with a good beat exept the drums seem a little off in the beginning but that changes for the better as the song goes on. The guitarplay is fantastic. the performers voice is soft but the lyrics are very well performed. would like to har other music by this arist" (Anonymous Male Listener)

"The drums sound a little quiet in the mix, particularly the kick. It lacks any real presence in the song and it kind of hurts the song by not giving it the driving beat to match the guitar. The same goes for the bass, the lack of a real low end in the song makes feel a little empty. I like the melody and the vocal style. It's different and good. The guitar work is pretty good, it helps drive the song the solo is solid and fits the song well. Overall it's a solid track just with a couple mix issues." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"This is definitely alternative rock. It has that Dashboard Confessional type of guitar riffs on a good drum line. When I listen to this song, it reminds me of high school. It reminds me of homecoming game and dance. I feel like drinking a beer to this song with some friends after a good dinner. This is a vacation anthem for those who love to enjoy the company of friends." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"this song is very quiet comparing to other songs in this genre, its original, i think. but i think there are too many effects to the voice while singing because i cant understand some part of the lyrics, so i want it to be fixed. this song is very good, except the notes i wrote upwards. (Anonymous Male Listener)

"This song was very relaxing and peaceful. There is something about the main vocals voice that is just very calming. So I think you will be hard pressed to find someone who cannot stand this music. This song is quite pretty and I connected to a lot here interesting stuff!" (Anonymous Male Listener)

"the palm muted riff on the guitar is cool in the begining and sets the song up well and is combined with some decent vocals from the guy here. The tune is energetic but not too much in your face and easy to get into, nice stuff indeed. the composition is very laid back and interesting and enjoyable here." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"The song was superb from the first second for me, it had such a professional gloss for all the musicians, it just sounded really impressive and talented. i loved the guitar play throughout, the rhythm on the verses was awesome and the strummed melody on the chorus was nice and it just sounded cool and fresh and new which was appealing amongst very similar songs. i loved the bass line on the verses which supported the guitar and the subtle drum beat. i thought the music was really nice and upbeat and i thought the song just sounded so pro and interesting. the singer was great vocally and reminded me of some big talented vocalist but he had a mellow and laid back air to his singing style which i thought made him more appealing. the lyrics were enjoyable and well written enough and i just thought it was a laid back but really enjoyable rock song which sounded like the band weren't really trying but their charisma came through. i really enjoyed it and its the best amateur song i have heard in a long time" (Anonymous Male Listener)

"This song would be pretty cool about 20 years ago. Sometimes vintage sounding music works but this seems like it would have been a one hit wonder in 1993. It really has no dynamics and the singer just sounds like he's bored." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"Intro is structured well but no solo, it would be better if it started with one tool. lyric is popular and not unique. though nice but not original. artist voice is good and got his identity. melody is familiar and popular in this refreshing song. audience likes this type of songs for daily use at home. instruments are good and sounded awesome. This is not hit as it has missing things" (Anonymous Female Listener)

"The song is very slow and nice. It has a little base of a strongness, but it does not show and stand out as much as the rest of the things in the song. The singer has a very weak and low voice, which needs to improve a lot if they want to go somewhere in the music business." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"Its a cute song the guy has a good voice I think he could of been a lttle more into singing though but overall its a good song I could totally see this song come out in a movie it just sounds like it." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"Good start off well played. Nice soft voice. Well strung guitar vary chill song vary nice potential. Good for spring or fall even winter to jam out to. Vary mellow dramatic though extreamly realaxing. Nice lyerics with a fine pic up sounds a little old school but once again nice vocals and pitch with realxing monotone." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"The melody of this song is very fitting for the lyrics and the mood of the song in general. The tone of the piece and the feel of the instrumentals created a nice, ambient sound. This song definitely has potential to be a hit." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"This track could jump in a Modern Rock chart with ease. It has all the elements for a KROQ type of station. A solid singer with a recognizable voice, a catchy hook on the "Ooo" before the chorus. Powerful guitar sounds and even some soloing!. It's an enjoyable track worth listening to." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"I like that the you can hear the band together when the drums starts off the song. The artist does have the capability to make sure that his song can go on the radio. The vocals of the artist is excellent I do not hear any trembling. I like the song and I can see myself listening to this on my way to the beach. The harmony and melody for the song and artist come together like it is suppose too. When listening to the song the music it start of light then it gets loud. The artist can probably hear is music on radio or iTunes." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"Interesting start good vocals and music. Sounds peaceful and interesting. Good chorus sounds like the good ol' days. reminds me of a green meadow. i like this song, its got a nice beat, nice vocals nice everything! Im interested. good vocals. and in the end, i liked it a lot." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"The balance of the instrumentals is always present and the melodies create a good connection between the audience and the act.The sound is almost epic and has a good reminiscent with some alternative rock acts from the 90s but still the recording is very professional. The singer's voice is attractive and even if his notes are not so high he has a leading role and his voice is provocative. The lyrics are interesting and perfectly developed. A nice rock anthem" (Anonymous Male Listener)

"I loved this song, the beat and instrumentals were very well put together. The singer was also pretty talented and had a great voice. The song was very well put together, and I believe that this could very well become a hit if it was more well-known. I would listen to this again." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"Right off the bat this song sucks you in with its rhythm and guitar music and is a nice song. However, my only issue with this song is the lead singer. My major issue with that is I cannot understand a word he is saying. And while I mentioned that the tune was catchy I find myself being pulled out of the experience trying to understand what the man is saying. This is all just my opinion, but to me the lyrics are the most important part of the song since they tell what message the song is trying to push. And the other parts of the song, such as the melody and the beat to name a few, are just meant to enhance the message put forth by the lyrics. Now I enjoyed the song I just wish I could understand what they were singing about better." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"This song is slow and relaxing. The tempo is very slow and the artists voice sounds very soothing. I enjoyed the lyrics because they are lighthearted and meaningful. Overall, I enjoyed this track because it is a high quality, well versed song." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"the rhythm and melody seem a little cliched, but also kind of classic, and the vocals are very calming and sweet. the lyrics confuse me, but they mostly sound like they are nice, comforting, and calm." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"Great bass in this song, it's probably my favourite part. The lyrics are hard to make out but I like the vocals, it is very relaxing I could see myself enjoying this if it played on the radio as it seems like a nice song to drive to. It would also make nice background music as it is very dreamy feel to this song, the intro came in strong but not too strong and stays that way. It gets mixed up along the way just when it needs to and I like it, I think it could be a decent hit." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"i actually really enjoyed listening to this song. the guitar was absolutely fantastic. the guitar added a little more emphasis to this song making it more of a rock song which i really liked. the singers voice was very good. he always stayed in pithc tune and range. definitely a very talnted singer that will make it very far in the music industry. i really liked the basis of this song and i could definitely rock out to it. the beats were my favorite part because they made me bob my head back and forth and the singers voice made me want to sing along. overall, a pretty good song and i can see myself listening to it again" (Anonymous Female Listener)

"The tone of this song is really boring and the guitars don't really match anything. The lyrics are kind of good but the singers voice isn't coherent with the flow of the music. If they worked on the flow of their rifts and drum beats, it'll smooth en out there errors and lead them the way to fixing problems." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"Great beginning with the guitar strumming, reminds of abit of bryan adams/ muse. Good quality and this does have alot of potential and alot of greatness for the future. Outstanding and amazing. This could be a future band for the world to view and see." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"love the softness of the vocals and the guitar. great song to chill out on the sofa with. got a feeling this band may one day rival the likes of the foo fighters and red hot chilli peppers.this song has a lot of soul and passion that most other songs these days lack. keep up the excellent work!" (Anonymous Male Listener)

"It had a great opening with a nice "foggy" vocal entrance to entice the audience into listening. The drums didn't drown out the quiet vocalist, and it sounded like the band had harmony. However despite displaying a good array of passion in their voice, they never really broke away into anything stronger to really get a crowd going. On a lighter note they did well to maintain a good rhythm and knew when to pick their music up a notch in terms of tempo." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"sonata, timbre, trio, duet, unison, vibrato, beat, pitch, vocals, lyrics. This song probably wont make it out there in todays music industry." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"I cannot clearly understand what the lyrics are because the instruments are too loud and are playing over the voice. The artist,in my opinion is not very good at singing.He sounds like he is murmuring . The lyrics do not seem very deep. The instruments gives me a headache from all of the loud banging against the drums and strings being pulled by the electric guitar. I like softer tone music." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"Fantastic tune, good tempo. The song is well put together. Fun and enjoyable. Brilliant voices, they go hand in hand in harmony with the instruments. The length of the song is just right, great statement of talent here, wonderful song. Appeals to all age groups, one word - BRILLIANT!" (Anonymous Female Listener)

"It was too simple in a way and lacked a good intro. The voice was weak and didn't transmit the feelings of the lyrics. The guitar solo was nice though." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"the tune is very good and has some tasteful guitar work even if it is not that complex or technical. the vocals do a decent job here but they still need to be increased in volume so you can hear them properly. in conclusion the track is very different and has some catchy and intriguing ideas in it." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"I really love this song. It's the best. The instrumentals in the background I can kill for any time. I don't know who wouldn't love this songs. The vocals are freaking awesome. The instruments are very compatible with the voice. This if freaking awesome.I would definitely recommend this song to a friend." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"i kind of like the intro of this track,it is nice and enjoyable!‚what surprises me is the vocal harmonies ,which is very tight and balanced!‚ i should say the musicality of this track is wonderful !,the guitar effects and the vocal is the most memorable part of this track‚i will keep this track record.nice job." (Anonymous Female Listener)

"blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhffifhfoshfioshfiohsfshfo sfiohsfiohsfiosfhsf fohfsiosfhiosfhsofisfh siofhfsioshfsfo iosfhfiohsfiosf ishsiofshfioshfsf fioshfiosfhiosfhsof sioh awesome tone great voice outstanding outstand way of life great voicem superb beats i love the way it goes nice track pop out make some noise i love it i love it i love it it is superb awesome track" (Anonymous Female Listener)

"the song is a bit too quiet. lyrics arent really making any sense." (Anonymous Male Listener)

"The intro is very good, the artis's voice is actually great! The melody is enthralling and catchy but there is a little problem, at about 0:30 seconds in the volume of the instrumental goes up and you can't really make the lyrics out anymore which can be a little bit problematic. In my opinion this alternative rock song could be a big hit for the genre, it makes me think of Coldplay mixed with Radiohead! The solo is quite nice (although a bit lenghty) but we meet the same problem of the voice being muted out by the instrumental. The track is noteworthy and good!" (Anonymous Male Listener)

In conlusion: Bass needs to be turned up AND down. Same with drums. Vocals are boring and unintelligible WHILE ALSO BEING clear and meaningful. Song is quiet overall BUT is also way loud. We are not prospect to make a dent in the industry ALTHOUGH we could rival the likes of Coldplay, Radiohead, Ryan Adams, Muse and Foo Fighters. Yes, of course... what were we thinking! Thanks for clearing all this up. We feel SO much better now. TO THE CLEAR PATH OF ACCEPTANCE & VICTORY!

And for all the true haters... New albums in 2013. Imperfections and all.

-the BAND

Official blog of The Velvet Ants

Monday, December 31, 2012

Critics have landed!

Monday, December 17, 2012

New shows added!

Monday, December 10, 2012

GIVEAWAY QUESTION #1

Friday, December 7, 2012

GIVEAWAY CONTEST Questions #1-3