Kinda ballad rock/ pop-ish. Need some arrangement suggests

[nezvers]

I done this record for buddy, helps to build little portfolio for me.
This one song is built from his old and simple one verse + chorus lyrics, so I'm kinda producing stuff and arranging it too.
Played bass guitar for it + programmed other instruments apart guitars.
Guitar was cheap Vintage guitar but sound kinda nice, but need some upgrades.
in last part recorded same el.guitar strings with sm58 to blend in and make track wider and more EPIC.

So my question is what I could do into arranging to make track build up more nicer.
And what should I do into mixing to make it better? (automation/ EQ/ Comp/ FX)
Also I'm bit uncomfortable to mix clean guitar.
Track Here

 

[nezvers]

C'mon!!! Is it so hard to say at least something that got words?

 

[neonlight]

I'm not sure how far this mix already is, sounds pretty raw. guitars are too loud and have too much crackling for my taste (a common problem when you do strumming on an electric guitar).
It simply sounds as if it was supposed to be played with an acoustic guitar, but there was none available when you recorded
Vocals are always buried, i think this can be fixed with turning the guitars down.
the sidestick sounds totally programmed, replace it.

Arrangement imho:

1) replace the strumming electric guitars with well played acoustic guitars.
2) try to bring in the bass later, to built a climax at the beginning
3) bring in the percussions way earlier
4) vocalist sounds as he had not really felt comfortable during the recording (sounds a bit bored) - maybe rerecord as well.
5) i miss a vocal harmony in the chorus (an octave is ok, but also try thirds)
6) the last chorus has all the power you would have needed before. you have to listen 3:35 minutes before you can hear the first highlight...and then the song is over. --> not the best choice..
7) think about point 6 and give the song what it needs in every chorus.
8) When you recorded the acoustic guitars, add some lightly-distorted electric ones in the chorus (like you did in the last chorus).
9) the guitar solo sounds a bit off, hardly any bending sits where it should.

10) summarized: rerecord guitars (replace the main guitars with acoustic ones), bring in the bass guitar later, add overdriven guitars in the chorus, bring in the percussions earlier, even the first chorus should entail the drums you put in the last one so far.

Okay that's only my opinion and my try to give you some impressions. I don't think the song is bad, it's only not well enough arranged and the guitars not well enough played. The last chorus prooves that the song can have potential, when you put much effort in it.

 

[nezvers]

Wow!
First - thanks for massive input.
I was thinking how to make something build up earlier, but I also wanted to make that second song part is more bigger than first.
We are going to re-record everything, because he got bit timing issues at strumming and for double tracked guitar he used different rhythm pattern.
I already asked him to sing more strongly in chorus, but he couldn't... at least than.
When we re-record we will have opportunity to get his acoustic guitar back and record with it.