Please bash away. I’m not “finished” yet, but wanted to start get some input. Will gladly return the favor! 
Here’s a revision after the comments below:
Final mix:
I listened on my laptop speakers and my earbuds. The only thing that really stood out to me (and it’s personal taste) is the cymbals might need to be tamed just a hair. It feels to me like they ring out just a bit too long. Does that make sense?
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Ok I just finished mine so this may be a bit colored by what I did…
Drums feel a bit dry.
The rimshots in the first verse actually seem louder than when the full snare hits come in. Generally I like the drum tones though… could use some balancing perhaps.
I dig the vocal fx, I like the small room vibe. Well controlled too. Nice balance with the BG’s (not to be confused with the Bee Gees).
I feel like there could be a bit more top end “sparkle” or “sheen” or “whatever other buzz words describe treble” to the whole track. But it’s also quite possible my ears are burned out from hearing too much high end on my own 
After listening a couple of times, overall I find the way you’ve done the fx actually makes for this really interesting intimate mix… like I’m sitting in a small-ish room and the band is playing for me. I dunno if that was the intention but I like it.
Great listen… thanks!
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Hey Mike,
I agree with Blairhall about the sheen top end not a lot though. The balance is good, but I think I would Hi –pass to thin the lead vocal out both the verb and track. also, some of the bg tracks just to open some space as there a lot of instruments in that low med area. I would work on the snare sound some it might just need a Parallel track underneath to give it some width just sounding a little flat. Also I would bring the shaker back some in the mix in the 2nd verse just seem to be a underneath part on my end. I like the Fx you have on the lap gt.
Great start I’ll check back to see if you have a R-2
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Thanks for the listen guys. I posted a revision above based on your comments.
Let’s see:
- Added more “room” verb to the drum bus
- Tweaked the crap out of the snare
- Replaced the drum bus compressor
- HP the vocal tracks a bit more than they were
- Added “sheen” by removing my dark Kush saturation and some EQ
- Fixed the shaker. I actually put the shaker and the tambo to the center since they were doubling the snare.
- Fixed the rim shots
- Turned down the OH mics to ease up the cymbals
- Twiddled a bit with the solo guitars
- Did some automation and side-chaining to bring out different elements…
Probably more but you get the point. 
Hopefully its better - thanks again!
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Sounds nice in my phones,bottom end is spot on Good mix
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Yessss this sounds really good!
That verb and tweaks on the drums make a really nice difference to me. That being said, I think they still need some balancing. Are you using a rimshot sample? If so, it seems that it triggers a few times during that first verse, but not for all of them. Watch the levels on the toms, I think they can either come down a bit generally or be automated on a per-fill basis… there’s some hits that really jump out like at 1:53.
The heartbeat sample is distorting a bit, I think I high-passed it and brought the level down some.
Really like the vocals… I noticed you backed off the room verb, I do like them like this there’s some more clarity.
Me likey!
B
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This is smokin’! Really nice, Mike.
Personal taste, but I prefer the tiniest bit more verb on the vocals and the drums. Seems a little dry. The mix is almost perfect.
There are a couple spots where the BGV could be tamed a bit. The steel guitar on this song is really nice and could be a tad more prominent.
Love your mix on the vocals. Man, you really smoothed that out. I wouldn’t be surprised if you spent half your time on that alone. Thanks for your tip on MAutoVolume. It works. Have you compared that to Waves or TBProAudio’s versions? Would love to hear your thoughts on it compares.
The heartbeat is a little too quiet, at least on my laptop.
I’m not sure about the snare. Seems kind of thin and has too much “ring” for me.
That said, I really like what you did here. So, add a little verb to drums and voc. Bring up the heartbeat and steel, soften/thicken the snare and you might just win this competition! This is quite nice.
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Thanks guys - I actually have some time tonight and am going to do a final (hopefully!) revision. Good points and I have a check list to go through now, including mine from listening during my work commute today. Thanks for lending your great ears!
OK, time to be “done”. Here’s my final mix…
Thanks again for all the input guys and good luck! It’d be cool if someone off IRD won!
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Hey Mike,
I did a few touch ups for you… your 2nd last mix. Just to fatten it a touch, and smooth out the high mids.
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Wow, you do that so well Vaughn! I should have had you “master” my entry. Listening on the way in to work this morning, I’m afraid I neutered it by getting a too aggressive with a dynamic EQ on the bass. 
Oh well, that was a really enjoyable song to mix, now it’s time to move on…
hah, no probs Mike - i shouldn’t stay up so late messing around with peoples songs, lol…
This is nice. Absolutely love the vocal mix. BGV are perfect. Balance and tone is perfect. You brought out the piano much more than I did. I like it. The heartbeat is almost inaudible on my macbook air. FYI.
Other than that, very nice. Go for it!
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You guy’s are REALLY getting there - its ok to find the clarity threshold , and just roll it back a touch, and fatten it back up… its the learning curve, its awesome. Make it big, make it wide, make it beautiful…
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What is that?
Just something I made up, where you make the mix superclean to get your mids right - then dirty it back up a bit
Maybe you should switch to Windows? Thanks @Tesgin - I really appreciate it!
@vtr - Thanks Vaughn! I’m glad Tesgin asked about your comment. I was curious too. 
You can also do a super clean mix and a real down and dirty one with lots of room mics and saturation etc. - then throw them both into a new project and fader balance them together.
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