Welcome to the forum, Jake, and this tune is an impressive debut.  Enveloping the vocals is a good way to deal with the varying levels needed in a song like this.  Look forward to hearing more from you.

Very nice song Jake. I'm a new to the forum and don't have much experience, but I too enjoyed what you did with the vocal. To my ears it works very well with the rest of the song. 
 
Good job, and looking forward to hear more from you. 
 
rgs 
 
Anders

i think its a cool arse tune...and dont get all twisted up in the books...learn but realize each song you work on its a learnin unto itself....
 
I really liked the tune..weird.
 
good job!

I like songs that don't follow a recipe, and  this succeeds on that count.  The vocals and guitar are really nice.  As others have mentioned, just a tweak or two and this is a gem!  Welcome to the forum, and hope to hear more from you.

philz
Welcome to the forum, Jake, and this tune is an impressive debut.  Enveloping the vocals is a good way to deal with the varying levels needed in a song like this.  Look forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks Phil!  I did some research on envelope automation and quickly realized that Id been managing my levels the hard way.  Not knowing any better, Id add automation to the entire track, insert tons of nodes, and then drive myself crazy trying to adjust individual sections of the song.  It was certainly one of those "what was I doing" moments.  Thanks for the recommendation and for not assuming I know better! 
 
Take care,
Jake      

Thanks Anders, Tom, and Lynn!  It is refreshing to have a little back and forth with other musicians for a change.  My wife is kind enough to let me ramble about the new things I tried in the studio, but at the end of the day I think she'd much rather I save it for the forum.  Now if I could only find a forum for my wife's interest in office politics, Id be set. 
 
I am looking forward to hearing all of your tracks!  But I suppose I better finish my work day first. 

Hi Jake and welcome to the forum.  This is a very impressive number for your first post.    Your vocals and guitar are sounding great.  The lyrics really fit the song well. I think that you received some great advice above --- so, nothing to add here.

I also think that if it sounds good, then it's working and leave it in, there's a lot to listen to in this song and it sounds great.
I've always been a bit of a stickler for vocal clarity and I like them up front, clear and loud.
There is some nice stereo separation in the song, this seems to indicate your decisions on panning and EQ are on the right track.
The next thing to aim for is depth. This can be created with volume changes, compressor ducking, and a favourite of mine, reverbs (the more you give to an instrument, the further back it seems). Whatever is leading the song at the time, bring it forward, let it shine, then take it back to allow for the next part. For me this is usually the vocals but it's different for each song and every songwriter.
Did I mention that I like the song too.

 

rebel007
I also think that if it sounds good, then it's working and leave it in, there's a lot to listen to in this song and it sounds great.
I've always been a bit of a stickler for vocal clarity and I like them up front, clear and loud.
There is some nice stereo separation in the song, this seems to indicate your decisions on panning and EQ are on the right track.
The next thing to aim for is depth. This can be created with volume changes, compressor ducking, and a favourite of mine, reverbs (the more you give to an instrument, the further back it seems). Whatever is leading the song at the time, bring it forward, let it shine, then take it back to allow for the next part. For me this is usually the vocals but it's different for each song and every songwriter.
Did I mention that I like the song too.

Thanks Wayne!  Its amazing how right so many of the forum members have been about what I do well and what I struggle with.  Phil accurately pointed out my lack of automation (though he phrased it more constructely than I) and now you've identied the depth issue that has haunted me for some time now. Your noticing this missing component is a real testament to your ability to hear a mix for what it is.   
 
Ive never fully comprehended the concept of creating depth using reverb and delays.  I have watched a few tutorials and implemented a few suggested templates, but still; when I add reverb I tend to hear less depth than I hear plain "wetness" (if that makes any sense).  Anyhow, thanks again for the advice and compliment.  This thread has really helped me to prioritize my mixing syllabus. 
 
P.S. I will be visiting your songs as soon as able to repay the favor!
 
Take care,
Jake

Well I just had a very pleasant listen. Love it!