After Hours of Careful Consideration (After Hours Reviews)

[king_arthur]

Let's hear what we got and see what we think!

[Sober]

The most clever rhyming of 'hours' gets a vote, regardless of how bad the rest of the song is. Here's hoping for a song about golden showers.

[king_arthur]

The most clever rhyming of 'hours' gets a vote, regardless of how bad the rest of the song is. Here's hoping for a song about golden showers.

You haven't been around here much lately, have you?

Here's hoping for only two or three songs about golden showers...

Charles (KA)

[Ross]

The word "hours"isn't even in my song.

[inevitableguy]

I'm in a bad mood this week. Sorry about that. Also, I think that the short deadline generally hurt production values this week, making the fight a bit difficult to listen to despite its low number of songs.

Bad Boys at Bat Mitzvahs - You sound like you sang this after an all-night bender, which is what I suppose you were going for, so congratulations on that. As a song though, it's not going anywhere.

Berkeley Social Scene - This feels like it's almost ready to fall apart, which is so unlike BSS that I have to wonder if it's intentional. I'd also suggest kicking the tempo up a few notches.

BlooTattue - It's not bad, but not enough to sustain interest for 3:52. Add some harmonies, play with the melodies a bit, do something...

The HATE Noise - This might not be bad if I could understand what was going on. Everything's so distorted that it's almost white noise - clean it up some and try again.

Mentone Aerophone - One of the problems with competing in Song Fight is that you have to write hit singles, not interesting album tracks. I think this would be great in the larger context of a record, but not so much by itself.

Oddments - Turn up the volume! The snare hits all sound like they are in the wrong places, which is distracting. This whole song is predictable and not catchy enough to pull it off.

Ross Durand - Nice guitar tone. The song has a great emotional impact.

Shorty and the Shetlands - I refer you to my review of BlooTattue above.

Sober - I should not like this, but I do. This might almost make me like country music.

Sockpuppet - Silly.

Votes go to Ross and Sober.

[fluffy]

I'm coming down with a nasty virus that's been going around so my reviews are probably going to be even less useful than normal. Songs in iTunes shuffle order.

Ross Durand - How does it feel to be basically the only person here who can pull off G&G songs? v

Sockpuppet - You can't do G&G at all. What did you expect with coming up with a stupid song idea an hour before the deadline?

Sober - Thanks for finally stopping hamming things up in an annoyingly obnoxious way. Although I get the impression this song is purely about the cognitive dissonance of someone using the name "Sober" who is doing pretty much nothing but rattling off names of drinks.

Shorty and the Shetlands - Plodding, repetitive, boring. 1:45 in and I don't feel like anything's happened yet. Is the rest of the song like this? Oh, okay, there's a bridge at 2:20, which is just like the rest of the song with two different chords. And there's still a minute and a half left.

Mentone Aerophone - Intro really grabs me, and the rest keeps me interested. I love this vague abstract floaty stuff. The last third is a bit weak though. Still, I like to encourage more stuff like this. v

The HATE Noise - how do you screw up the mastering of a loud song so badly that it sounds quieter than anything else that's played so far? From what I can hear I don't think I'd enjoy hearing it at the right volume, so I guess thanks for that.

Oddments - You really need to boost the midrange EQ of the lead vocals to make them audible (maybe around 1-2KHz or so). I basically can't understand anything the vocalist is singing, and that's absolutely vital in this song. Not sure if the Tom Waits "singing through a megaphone" effect would have been intentional or the result of a crappy microphone but either way it actually works out well (but I like Tom Waits). Or I think I would if I could understand anything you were singing. Synthesized slap bass is also a huge pet peeve of mine. If I could have understood the vocals I might have considered voting for this anyway.

Bad Boys at Mat Mitzvahs - Another song that doesn't sound like it ever goes anywhere, although at least there's variety in how it doesn't go anywhere.

Berkeley Social Scene - Vocals buried in the mix here too, which is strange since BSS usually gets that bit right. You guys are also usually a lot tighter than this but the short deadline makes it hard to spend a lot of time on that. Is that Ken on drums or was he on his honeymoon? 5 minutes in and I'm just feeling bored. Goodness, this song is over 5 minutes long? Huh, it's the exact same length as HATE Noise's, too. Strange coincidence.

BlooTattue - Billy Joel, is that you?

[BBABM]

Bad Boys at Bat Mitzvahs - You sound like you sang this after an all-night bender, which is what I suppose you were going for, so congratulations on that. As a song though, it's not going anywhere.

no... it was just really badly sung. short time frame, and too much work left me unable to put the work i wanted in... and i will admit, i thought it sounded way better when i recorded it. listening now it makes me cringe, and i apologize to your ears.

Bad Boys at Mat Mitzvahs - Another song that doesn't sound like it ever goes anywhere, although at least there's variety in how it doesn't go anywhere.

please expound on "going anywhere", because it has been said twice this week already, and i don't believe i really understand what you mean. i mean, there are not a lot of big changes, but there is a beginning, middle and end. so it does progress. i would love it if you would kindly explain what you mean, because it is obviously something i need to work on and right now im in the dark.

ill do reviews later but a few things on first listen
1) i believe that ross durand is not a real person, and is, in fact, a songwriting machines that has become self aware.
2) BSS you're intro was soooooo frickin' good... what happened to that energy?

[fluffy]

There's more to making a song sound like it makes progress than imposing structure upon it. It's kind of hard to talk about objectively and quantifiably, though. Even doing simple things like changing up the percussion for each section can make a huge difference in the perception of progress. Basically, the delivery of the entire song was pretty much flat and samey. Also, having a clearer transition between the sections (drum fill, a sustained chord, etc.) can help a lot.

[BBABM]

fair enough, it was rather bland, me and my two chord songs. i tried to mix it up a bit with the effect on the guitar during the "chorus". either way, i don't really see this song "going anywhere" so it may be retired to the dust bin. i bust it out in the 3.5 hrs i had one day before work, and the lack of effort shows. the copious b-hits i took beforehand probably didn't help either... though it probably made it sound better at the time. i appreciate the feedback. as there is no telling if i will get a W anytime soon, the feedback, and growth is what i live for.

[Sober]

Sober - Thanks for finally stopping hamming things up in an annoyingly obnoxious way. Although I get the impression this song is purely about the cognitive dissonance of someone using the name "Sober" who is doing pretty much nothing but rattling off names of drinks.

Me, ham? I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about.

The name Sober is used only because of my Songfight presence. I wanted to get away from The Sober Irishman, because that's not who I am anymore. I'd like to come up with a new name, especially if I continue in this Texas country vein. Suggestions welcome.

Every word of the song is true. It's about my times with this band at this bar and this bartender.

[fluffy]

Your Romantic Cheapskate-era stuff is what always comes to mind when I think of your music.

[unexpectedbowtie]

I didn't have a chance to record/write anything this week that didn't sound incredibly cringey (you may find this hard to believe given last week's entry from myself mind you)

Having listened through all the songs, I've picked out a few and written some words:

Sockpuppet - I liiiiiiked this, but it was pretty short. And therefore, so is this review.

Berkeley Social Scene - Jangly, and shambolical indie goodness. I can't believe you managed to write/record this as a full band in a week. Impressed.

Mentone Aereophone - Atmospheric.. reminded me of a city at night. Probably pretty fitting with the title actually.

Bad Boys At Bat Mitzvahs - I liked the vocals and the way the backing worked a lot especially. The drums/guitar worked well together too. Was a bit repetitive, and wasn't a fan of 'get your boogie on' at first. It grew on me though. (edit: Having read the request for feedback, I'm pretty bad with this too.. I find a riff I like and pretty much just play that for three minutes with a couple of variations. The only way I (think that I do anyway) get away with it is by changing up the stuff like the vocal harmonies - having them come in at different bits, putting in the guitar doing something different in different verses... I could be just trying to convince myself mind you ;p)

My votes went to the latter two. Is it against etiquette to say who we voted for by the way? Too late in any respects.

[BBABM]

the "get your boogie on" part was my least favorite part too... but i had hit my time restrictions, and a bit of writers block. so that is what came out, and it kinda sounds like i hick-up at the end of it too... woof

[glennny]

Bad Boys at Bar Mitzvahs- There’s not much to this song, but quite an enjoyable listen. This is all groove. I really like this. The backing vocals are very cool. Very well played! Maybe a vote. Thinkin about it.

Bloo Tattue- This is gorgeous! King Arthur sounds fantastic. Vocals are excellent. Nice soulful piano! This totally gets a vote! This fits the title perfectly. It has that vibe from the Saturday Night Live credits. Cool chord pattern! I kind of hate the line “these are the blues….” Other than that they are nice. Great song!
EDIT: Apparently King Arthur had nothing to do with the recording, I think I saw his name on the ID tag. Okay, I know this voice. I re-listened to "Spanish Lessons", my next guess is Milo Dunderville. Final Answer.

Hate Noise- This is not very fun for me. But on the plus side, it’s better than half the stuff on Spin Tunes. I love how experimental you guys are. This one didn’t work for me, a little too monotonous. I never revieed, but I loved your track from last week.

Mentone Aerophone- Nice beat. Not a bad little piece of art music. Not enough for a vote but, I enjoyed the listen.

Duffy Westlake- There’s some sweet stuff in this. I don’t care for the distorted vocal effect. The band is great. I love the bass! The drums sound great. The vibes are nice too! Yeah, great solo! What’s the story with this band? I’d love to hear more! Vocals and vocal melody are the weak link. The voice isn’t bad, I just dislike the effect. This gets a vote. There’s enough right with this!

Ross Durand- Great singing, great recording, great playing. The song is not strange enough for an interest vote, and not emotional enough for an emotional vote. I suppose a hook ould put this over the top. As it is I like it, but I don’t love it. I love you Folsom Prison Break Out song though!

Shorty and the Shetlands- Nice voice. The playing is okay. This is sentimental, but I’m not buying it. That edit at 1:25 is glaring. In such a naked song, you need to be sure to edit well. There are plenty of spaces for it. The timing is a little questionable at times. The melody isn’t bad, but more variation would help a lot.

Sober- This is the country version of Joe’s Garage. Take away, take away this ball and chain! Great recording, great performance. Standard as Hell song. Give me a blazing solo! Come on, I’ve endured this frighteningly normal song, building anticipation for a solo. Well a couple of tasty licks. No vote, I want more of a solo from you for my vote.

Sockpuppet- This is crap. Sounds like you know it’s crap. One hour before the deadline? Okay new respect for it, but still, a few more lyrics, it’s only 35 seconds! I think our intro is 35 seconds. It’s sloppy and timid and just a joke. No laugh, but it’s cute.

Berkeley Social Scene- Okay this is “Disjointed but with purpose” (whomever gets that reference will enjoy this track and is probably my friend). Everything was working against us this evening. My wife has book club the last Tuesday of the month. We try to play/record/write/jam from 8:00pm to 11:00pm every Tuesday. This was to be our only session for this title. I wasn’t able to make it there until 10:20. The boys: Ken , Ryan, and Martyr had several parts worked out, but not much structure. I walked in and was determined to get a product out. I don’t mind playing the asshole, and demanding structure, saying yes or no to ideas. So we hammered out a structure. It was 10:55 when we were ready for our 1st and only take. 8minutes later we had our take, full of flubs and confusion, but there was enough there to edit into the final product. Ken did an amazing job editing it down to 5 minutes. If you think 5 minutes is long, you probably just have to go to the bathroom (Fluffy). The mix is awesome too! I love ho the drums sound. I like where the vocals are in the mix. I agree the verses are plodding, at least the chorus is full of life. I love Martyrs voice, I wish we worked up catchier vocal melodies for the verses. Given the time we had, I think we kicked ass. I find the chorus to be catchy, but that’s a bit self congratulatory. Lots of great playing and great riffs!

Okay votes:
Bad Boys at Bar Mitzvahs
Berkeley Social Scene
Bloo Tattue
Duffy Westlake

[king_arthur]

Glennny, thanks for the nice comments on Bloo Tattue. FYI, I do not appear on the recording at all, I haven't even heard it yet. I did write the lyrics, but that's it.

Charles (KA)

[BBABM]

Bad Boys at Bar Mitzvahs- There’s not much to this song, but quite an enjoyable listen. This is all groove. I really like this. The backing vocals are very cool. Very well played! Maybe a vote. Thinkin about it.

Thanks. It always makes me laugh to think what my neighbors think hearing me singing nah nahs over and over again with no music because it's all in my headphone. Basically all the music is made with sample loops, so I only need to get it right once, sometimes only a little tid bit of it, and from there it is all cut and paste. This makes it pretty easy to sound (at least) consistent, and the illusion of me being a much better musician than I really am. However, if it is anything, it's groovy. The trick is making it sound believable.

[The HATE Noise]

Hahaha, I guess nobody likes Burzum but me.

[Enter It In The Art Show]

Sober - I normally wouldn't go for this, but it works. Loved the the slide guitar and organ. Altso, Mr. Durand's diddy is so sad...Votes both.

[Spintown]

http://spintown79.blogspot.com/2010/11/song-fight-review-after-hours.html

Ross Durand - I'm only halfway through the songs at this point, but so far you could have farted into the mic & got my vote. I'm glad you went this route though. A sweet & simple song about a man longing for a girl working the late shift at a local diner. It's a setting you see all the time on film, and it's a situation I find easy to imagine myself in. (voted)

Sober - Whenever you try to hold a note it annoys me. I don't know if it's just your voice or if you're trying to sing with an accent not natural to you. There were a couple places the lyrics didn't seem to flow well, but overall I enjoyed your entry. Something I could listen to after a hard days work at the bar. (voted)

BlooTattue - This song doesn't do anything for me, but your performance makes me look forward to your future entries. I like the piano as well...the lyrics just couldn't hold my attention for such a slow song.

Berkeley Social Scene - Your vocals get lost in the music. I enjoyed the music, but the story & lyrics are always my main focus. When I can make out the lyrics, I'm not sure I like the vocal performance...especially the last 30 seconds.

Oddments - First off...I had to crank the volume WAY up just to here the music & what I'm guessing is singing. The pizza faced kid working the late shift at taco bell sounds clearer over the drive through speaker than you do in this recording. It's a shame because I think I like the music. You might even be able to sing/perform...I just can't say one way or another with this shit recording. I'm not even going to mention the lyrics, because nobody in their right mind is going to pay attention to them with this recording anyways.

Sockpuppet - As I listened I was about to do a facepalm, but then I laughed at the last line. It's stupid, but it got a reaction from me...which is more than some who entered a real song were able to do.

Shorty And The Shetlands - This song does not justify 4 minutes. It feels long & it's repetitive. Cut it down or add something that mixes it up a little. The whole thing sounds the same, and does nothing to hold the listeners interest that long. From what I can hear you have the tools to play & sing pretty well...just be more creative.

Hate Noise - I don't think you hate noise at all, I think you hate music.

Hate Noise- This is not very fun for me. But on the plus side, it’s better than half the stuff on Spin Tunes. - Glen

Serious or joking, that made me laugh & nearly choke on Halloween candy I stole from the kids.

[glennny]

Spin said

Serious or joking, that made me laugh & nearly choke on Halloween candy I stole from the kids.

I was as Al Franken would say "Kidding on the square". Meaning it's true and I believe that, but I would never say such a mean thing so I am protected by the cloak of "just kidding".

BTW I'm really liking what Hate Noise has brought to Song Fight over the last couple months, this particular track didn't work for me, but after checking out Burzum it seems they succeeded in the aesthetic they were aiming for.

[LMNOP]

I know this voice....Milo Dunderville. Final Answer.

You, sir, have excellent musical memory or ears or both.

I wasn't really trying to be secretive. BlooTattue is one of the random names I submitted under a while back when I got tired of myself and tired of doing reviews and tired of preconceived notions. But probably only Niveous The Historian would remember that I outed myself in the review thread of "All We Could See at the Window" because I felt compelled to answer the question "real flute?".

Milo Dunderville is the random name I used during Nur Ein V. I liked Milo. Maybe I should just go forward as him.

Anyway, this is King Arthur's lyrics and my everything else. I was in the mood to do a barbershop quartet arrangement of something (and I may yet adapt this) but time was short and I was having a grand time banging on my piano so I went with this and resisted the urge to kick it in with bass/drums/backvox at the first chorus.

The SNL reference made me smile. I have lately been studying what it is that creates that sort of gospel-y feeling they get and one part of the answer is the iii7 chord (or less often, the III7) used as sort of a "passing chord" between the I and the IV. My chorus begins I - iii7 - vi7 - II9. Very circle-of-fifths since I had barbershop on the brain.

[duffey]

Here's my first review! All positive!

BBABM – Proof that you don’t need many chord changes to have a good, fun song. Like the background “nahs” as well!

HATE Noise – I loved what you posted last contest. Though this tune leans a little further from my personal music taste, I think it was well written and recorded

Sober – Like many songs in this genre, the lyrics are the most important piece to the song to pull it off well…and this song did just that! Good hook for the chorus also…easy to get stuck in the head.

BlooTattue – Excellent song. Love the chords, the melody and lyrics. I can imagine a string section building throughout the song to bring dynamic, though it’s not necessary.

Shorty and the Shetlands – A good mood setting tune…I found myself beginning to daydream and feel nostalgic. Well done!

Sockpuppet – Simple funny zinger. Reminds me of a simplified Stephen Lynch song.

Ross Durand – Good emotion in the vocals…and excellent lyrics. Another song that brings me a feeling of nostalgia. I know it’s sometimes dangerous and people may disagree when someone lists a artist/band they compare to, BUT it reminds me of some sadder Ian Hunter songs for some reason…

Mentone Aerophone – Cool tune. Good beat and electronic sounds….I dig.

Berkeley Social Scene – To compare to more groups…sounds (to my ears anyway) like a cross between Afghan Whigs and …Trail Of Dead. Love the feel of this song…something about it just really hits me the right way. Excellent!!!

My tune (Oddments) – I don’t know why it ended up so soft! I will have to try to fix that somehow… I see many people couldn’t understand the lyrics from the distorted effect. I thought I had cleared it up enough, but I guess not, so I apologize for that. But yes, to answer fluffy, the effect was inspired by Tom Waits! And Glenny, I’m happy to hear you dug the tune. This band is very new, consisting of myself and a buddy I went to HS and college with. We had never ever collaborated, so after almost 15 years, we decided it was time. We are in the midst of writing more material, so I will keep you posted…and there may be another written for songfight down the line.

I thought this was a really strong week, and I really did like every entry this week. I wish I could vote for everyone! But after a few listens I’ve narrowed my votes down to:
Oddments
Berkeley Social Scene
BlooTattue
Ross Durand