Broadjam Artist: Paul Reidy
Song: Talk to the wind
Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
A.J. Gundell (Songwriter, Composer, Music Supervisor, Producer)
Pro General Comments: With "Talk To The Wind," songwriter Paul Reidy has composed a beautiful and poignant wake-up call to the scourge of child abuse in our society. The storytelling and music deliver a heartfelt plea from the singer for the audience to listen to her plight and come to her rescue--but her words go unanswered and she feels that she can only "talk to the wind." A brave and powerful piece that tackles a challenging and sensitive subject. Congrats to all who have contributed. The songwriting is really the star here. The A/B/A/B/C/B song form is perfectly crafted. I love how the central idea is captured in the title, the title is the hook, and the song builds to the hook at the conclusion of each chorus. Melody captures the poignancy of the story lyrics tell the story in a concise and moving way, with some great lyrical imagery and turns of phrase. Having said so, all the elements of my Broadjam mantra, 'the holy trinity' of song singer and recording, could each be addressed and revised to deliver the promise of the subject and intent of the song a little more effectively. As beautiful and expert as the songwriting is, the story itself is bleak and hard to listen to. Per the Artist's Submitted Question, I'd look for opportunities to bring some hope for a brighter future--and let the singer and the listener believe that her 'talking to the wind' might bring about positive change. Turn her despair into a more optimistic call to action--for us all. The recording unfortunately does not fully deliver on the drama and promise of the song. The record feels starkly and stiffly produced--with just piano/bass/drums going for a "pop/alternative" vibe. I hear the song genre as more adult contemporary/pop--the track should support this with a lusher, more dramatic David Foster-esque approach to the production: more orchestral than stripped-down rock band, piano/strings/background vocals. The singer delivers an emotional and believable performance, but the vocal sound should also be bigger/lusher/'verbier... and also better supported by the production in order to get the most out of the singer's talent and conviction. In general, I'd consider taking this back into the studio and rebuilding the record from the ground up. It's well worth trying to get the entire package to support and deliver a remarkable song and an important message.
Quote From Pro: With "Talk To The Wind," songwriter Paul Reidy has composed a beautiful and poignant wake-up call to the scourge of child abuse in our society. The storytelling and music deliver a heartfelt plea from the singer for the audience to listen to her plight and come to her rescue--but her words go unanswered and she feels that she can only "talk to the wind." A brave and powerful piece that tackles a challenging and sensitive subject. Congrats to all who have contributed.