First of all I'd like to thank Ady and the band for this great mix-challenge and the detailed feedback! I'm very glad to be elected for round 2.
Here's my submission for round 2:
>> MC070_CheapFlights_Waterfall__m_tree_R2.wav <<
48kHz / 24bit
-17.8 LUFS Integrated
-3.5 dBTP
My amendments in detail:
a touch more Oomph on the kick
-> gates mixed with dry-signal
-> boosted subbass on the outer mic (C1) and turned it down 0.5dB
Maybe too compressed drums?
-> parallel compression of the kick: -3dB
-> snare-bus: bypassed slight compression (max. 3dB GR on loud hits) with 1176, therefor added volume-automation
-> drum-bus: less compression (-1dB) by the soft-clipper
1:53 going to 2nd verse, weird loud cymbal ?
-> turned it down with volume-automation of the ride-cymbal and slightly of the overheads at that point
lacking a little energy on vocals at some point
-> changed volume-automation a little
-> less cutting at 4k of the dynamic EQ
-> set the named dynamic EQ after the compression (instead of before it)
-> bypassed additional distortion
-> attack of the compressor little longer
Annotation to my drums-compression:
The remained compression consists of heavy compression of the room-tracks (all together), the parallel compression of the kick and the soft-clipping (which is partially similar to tape-saturation/compression) on the drum-bus only. And of my 2dB mixbus compression, of course. This nearly is the manner like I mix my own drum-recordings at the moment. Less is here definitely more and overcompression of drums lessens their impact or (with long attack-times) produces strange and unnatural attack with boosting transients, which are suppressed later in the mastering anyway, and sounds 'small'. Natural impact at the recording is key ... if you want punchy drums, the drummer has to hit them hard at the recording. And I think this drum-recording fits the needs of this particular song and it's sonic structure.
Cheers and greetings from Thuringia.