Et ils pissent comme je pleure (Amsterdam Reviews)

[nyjm]

Ha! I finally got to make a thread title in French.

Caravan Ray & I ventured where many pondered, but few dared to tread:

C.N. McRay - Amsterdam de Jacques Brel

It still needs some tweaks, of course, but I'm damn proud of it. Huge props to Caravan Ray for those "ooohs." They just give me chills.

[Caravan Ray]

Zut alors Noah!, C'est formidable! Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living on Songfight!

I never did get around to sending you the lead guitar I did, did I. Oh well, we can keep improving this and continue to whet everybodies appetites until the actual entries appear.

[herojima]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PDX6N9RG

[ujnhunter]

Great cover Noah & CRay! I only came across Brel because of Bowie... and actually it was Bowie, Scott Walker then Brel... fun stuff.

[The Weakest Suit]

just saw bowie in the prestige last night. bad, bad movie.

[Lord of Oats]

My taste in movies is extremely limited. I don't much care for that type of movie. But I liked that movie. And Bowie kicked hard ass in his role. So yeah.

[nyjm]

The Prestige is one of my favorite movies. In the guise of a period piece about dueling illusionists, it's really about (in my opinion) the nature and role of art in general and cinema in specific: movies as illusions where the audience willingly suspends their disbelief in the hopes of finding not just escapism but the hidden nature of truth and the human condition. Frequently, it's not pretty.

The novel that it was (rather loosely) adapted from is another beast altogether: a complex meditation on the past and how it shapes the people we become.

I had never actually heard Bowie's version before I arranged the one Caravan Ray and I did, though I had run across some tab for it in my search for the lyrics and chords. The open strumming seems a logical way to start. I really like the way our duet works out, opening new and different textures for the melody and lyrics.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PDX6N9RG

Or if you don't want to download it right away (which you should do anyway):

[roymond]

That was on the B side of a 45 I had. I thought he was still David Jones then.

[ujnhunter]

Nah, he'd been Bowie for 7 years before recording that song in 1972 during the Ziggy sessions. Something weird about seeing Life on Mars? Bowie with Port of Amsterdam playing...

[Paco Del Stinko]

Heh. I thought that Steve Durand might also do a song about Morey Amsterdam. Anyone else? (Steve: Don't worry, I won't insult you with the the old 'great minds' cliche)

[Steve Durand]

(Steve: Don't worry, I won't insult you with the the old 'great minds' cliche)

Good

[martyr]

Ha! I finally got to make a thread title in French.

I don't get it; don't they speak Dutch in Amsterdam?

[nyjm]

I don't get it; don't they speak Dutch in Amsterdam?

Yes, but the song by Jacques Brel (who's Belgian, actually) is in French.

[jeff robertson]

Let it be known that due to technological issues beyond my control, I will be listening to this fight in mono, and this may tilt my reviews and votes in favor of tracks that sound good in mono.

[ujnhunter]

I'll be listening to the songs backwards, so my votes may be swayed towards tracks that sound good backwards.

[jast]

I'll be listening to the songs... not at all..., so my votes may be swayed towards tracks that sound best when not played.

[Eric Y.]

I didn't submit a song, so logically it would be superior (when not listened to) than all the songs that were submitted. You should vote for me.

[mrbeany]

I'll be listening to the songs backwards, so my votes may be swayed towards tracks that sound good backwards.

You have an MP3 player that can play tracks backwards? I've not seen that since I stopped using BeOS.

[ujnhunter]

I'm sure there is a plug-in somewhere for winamp at least that could achieve that. I'd probably just open the mp3 in one of my many different music software and flip it...

[fishsticks]

Appel Zeven
+3 solo sound
-2 vocals
+2 production
This sounds like Lord Of Oats. You need to get your hands on the Antares Autotune. Good mixing overall, but the drums get a touch overbearing in places.

Authors Of
+3 real violin
-2 vocals
-1 percussion
You sound like a guy who can't sing too well, and is trying to work with what he's got. Not bad. This song would come off really well with a nice clean melody, though. The percussion would make a huge difference if it was more solidly locked in to some kind of beat.

Balance Lost
+4 production
+4 vocals
This is catchy! Maybe a bit loud in the chorus, it sounds like it's clipping.

Berkely Social Scene
+3 overall mood
-2 vocals
Everything but the vocals is great. See Appel Zeven's review.

Deetak
+3 nice choice of chords
+1 vocals
I dislike the vocal timbre, but at least you can carry a tune. I think I might like the vocals more if you put them in context of a much moodier song. Imagine Remy Shand covering Danzig with you singing.

Flvxxvm Florvm
+3 anthemic synth
-1 noisy stuff
I can't say I'm a fan of that bass, although it kinda fits right at the end. If you're gonna do that, you've got to give it room. The synth, on the other hand, was glorious.

Ice Weasels
+/- 2 being polite
This is the least potentially offensive song I've heard so far. I can't imagine not liking it, but it doesn't go out on a limb and do anything for me either.

IRC BFF
+2 big ominous pipe organ
There's an instrument you don't hear everyday. Well, a sample of an instrument, at least. Kinda funny tossing the pan flute in there with it. Actually, the whole instrumentation is the only thing about this song that feels off.

Jon Eric & Friends
+3 lyrics
It sounds like you worked a lot harder on the sound of the rap vocals than the lead vocals, although both are performed very well. The upper register sounds great. This reminds me of something Moxy Fruvous would do.

Kokiri Warriors
+1 finding the loop button
-2 vocals
I skipped ahead to get past the spoken intro. Shit, it's not just an intro.

Lordz Of The Fly
+3 groove
-2 lego
if lego made loops, you would have a lego song. I really dig the talkbox/vocoder thing though. I dig the guitar riff too, but wish it didn't just loop.

Headshot
-1 weak beat
-2 not using the bell enough
The lack of instrumentation hurts this. The rapped vocals aren't bad, but they sound rookie in such a minimalistic track.

Old Man Grumpus
+2 interesting piano
-1 vocals
Not that I feel every song needs drums & full instrumentation, but this would have been made better. The vocals aren't bad, but if they were more in key and had some harmonies, they would be great.

Paco Del Stinko
+2 having a ufo in the band
+2 production
I don't know what to make of this. I kinda like it, but it makes me want to do some crack.

Pathetic Wannabes
-2 shouting
-1 production
+3 meaning it
I don't know why, but I played this several times. I like the groove.

Rabid Mullet
+4 rock
Sven, is that your new guitar? This needs a bit more of the gang vocal effect. The solo kicks ass.

Rone Rivendale
+2 dirty synth guitar
-3 vocals
Your vocals don't sound like you mean it at all. Neither do the drums.

Ross Durand
+5 being that good
Vocals, playing, production... fantastic. Writing & lyrics... pretty good. The only bad thing I could say about this is that after listening to it, I can't remember how it goes. Is that a reflection on your songwriting, or my own attention span? Dunno.

Roymond
+3 bringing a bit of the rock
Nice groove. It makes me want to twist. Definitely needs some backing vocals.

Steve Durand
+3 not sounding like anything else here
-2 not cracking the 1:00 mark
This is good enough that it sucks when it's that short. Kinda reminds me of a Family Guy song. I want more. Longer, and with can-can singers.

Unhip Battleship
+3 overall feel
-1 synth arp too loud
I think this is my personal favorite.

The Weakest Suit
-1 sing it like you mean it
+2 groove

[irwin]

IRC BFF
+2 big ominous pipe organ
There's an instrument you don't hear everyday. Well, a sample of an instrument, at least. Kinda funny tossing the pan flute in there with it. Actually, the whole instrumentation is the only thing about this song that feels off.

Heh.. The instrumentation is kind of the point of the song. The whole thing was constructed using samples of plants. The pan flute is actually a sample of me blowing across the top of a hollow plant that grows in my back yard.

[mrbeany]

Appel Zeven: This apple was smooth and delicious. It goes well with my cobalt-flavored oats. Vote.

Authors Of: I'm not sure I understand the song. (Not the words, but the song as a whole.) It sounds like I'm stoned off my goard strolling through a foreign city. It almost got a vote.

Balance Lost: Another delightful song. I'd like a radio-edit version safe to play in front of kids. (She's likely to hear the word, but I don't need her singing a song with the word in it.) Vote.

Berkeley Social Scene: I like it. The stereo mix is particularly nice. Vote!!

Deetak: I like it. Vote.

Flvxxvm Florvm: This may be my favorite of your to date. Definitely not the sort of song I want my daughter singing, but unlike Balance Lost's song, there isn't any way to make it suitable for a little girl to sing without fundamentally changing the song. Vote.

Ice Weasels: It is nice. Vote.

IRC BFF: With Reve, Teplin, Jast, Irwin, and Signboy involved, how could I not enjoy this song? Well, it is great, but I think individually I actually enjoy some of your songs more. Oh, it got a vote, but somehow I was expecting more.

Jon Eric: Overall, I like the song. What broke it for me was the rap piece in it. It seemed a little out of place.

Kokiri Warriors: It just didn't really work for me.

Lordz of the Fly: Gangsta rap? Really?

The MC Headshot: I don't really like rap, but it was just so refreshing. "Amsterdam's got a lot of ching-ching." Plus, it was a non-vulgar rap about Amsterdam. I had to vote for it.

Old Man Grumpus: Watch your plosives. I almost liked it. The lyrics weren't quite as compelling as I might like.

Paco del Stinko: Nicely done. Vote.

Pathetic Wannabees: Was this recorded live? I actually kind of liked the lyrics. It was also a bit short.

Rabid Mullet: I'm having trouble thinking of something to say. I'm having trouble deciding whether I like it or not. It kind of reminds me of The Ramones.

Rone Rivendale: It's Ronetastic!

Ross Durand: Very mellow. It reminds me a little of Pink Floyd circa "Soundtrack from the Film More". This may well compete for my favorite song of yours. Vote!!

Roymond: A rolling rampage of fun. Vote!!

Steve Durand: This could be used in a TV spot for a special on the guy.

The Unhip Battleship: Who is this? Is it someone new or a new name for someone old? Stay awesome. This is definitely one of my favorites this week. Vote!!

The Weakest Suit: You mention being tied up by Thai girls. Is this a reference to David Carradine? The song just didn't involve Amsterdam enough, it seemed more a song about Thailand.