Nur Ein Final Round

[Billy's Little Trip]

I have no intension of casting my vote until I've heard these two songs in my 4 different daily moods. I've heard them during my coffee mood and my after lunch mood. Now to hear them in my late afternoon mood, or as I so lovingly call it, my "on the way home to have a drink" mood, and of course my all important, evening mood.
My vote will be in tomorrow morning.....late morning.

[Lunkhead]

I second Ross's Yacht Rock/Steeley Dan comment about Frankie's song.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I was thinking the same thing. If Steely Dan and Chicago had a baby, it would attend the same Sunday school as Frankie's song.
.....Michael McDonald and Berry Gordy's baby would go there too.

I'll have to think of who's baby Puce's song will go to the Niagara Falls with.

[Ross]

my all important, evening mood.

What exactly are that smiley's wings made of, and does it relate to your so-called "evening mood?"

[Billy's Little Trip]

Maybe

[frankie big face]

I second Ross's Yacht Rock/Steeley Dan comment about Frankie's song.

Yeah, there are all kinds of "influences" in that song. Between Ross and BLT, you got most of them. I'll keep the others secret.

[frankie big face]

The Jury will now deliberate and the Jury consists of all the eliminated contestants.

Hey, out of curiosity, are we sure previous contestants are still paying attention to this? Do they know they have a vote? Maybe a PM to everyone reminding them of their right/privilege to vote would be in order. Just a thought.

[jimtyrrell]

Any regrets that I once had about not advancing to the finals are completely extinguished. Turns out I've been saved serious embarassment. No way could I hang with this kind of competition. I am amazed, you two.

[glennny]

Thank Glennny for the Frisbee has voted.

We were split at 1st and had to deliberate to agree upon our vote. Both excellent songs with very good qualities!

[Rabid Garfunkel]

Vote cast (once I get through keying this in).

Is this the new beloved sound of SongFight? Technically proficient, gentlemen, and for that I applaud you.

[Adam!]

Now this is a fight size I can handle reviewing!

Frankie: I'm instantly hooked by the instrumental chorus. Aside from some mystery clicks and pops this mix is really fantastic sounding; the horns sound rad, and great bass tone too. I'm not too hot on the verse melody, but maybe it's just in the shadow of the chorus melody. Love the falsetto flourishes in the second verse. The lyrics don't strike me as being particularly connected to the title. The bridge is definitely not my kinda thing, but damn does it set up the last chorus well. That is a very triumphant sounding key change. Seriously impressive.

Me: This is the closest I've come to not finishing a Nur Ein song. Perhaps it was the pressure, or the mental exhaustion of going 8 rounds in a row, or--and much more likely--my stubborn refusal to start on the music before I'd finished the lyrics, but as of Sunday evening all I had was a page of lyrical dead-ends and some Rhodes noodling [Note: this was the first time I've played real keyboards on a song (I usually sequence). It was a nice experience, considering I didn't know what I was doing]. Thankfully it was Canada day, which meant that I could stay up all night if I needed to. And boy did I ever. I usually don't sing at night for fear of waking neighbors, but there were enough fireworks explosions and rowdy drunks that I think it was OK. Sadly, these are probably my worst vocals from all of Nur Ein; you can tell I was trying to be quiet. So, basically, try as I might I didn't bring my "A game". Brownie Points was about as "A game" as I get, anyway.

Nur Ein has been a lot of fun, but right now I'm relieved that it's over. It's gonna be great not having to write a song next week. Bring on the videogames!

[Caravan Ray]

A great Nur Ein closes with a whimper rather than a bang. I really didn't like either of these songs - though kudos to you gentlemen for seeing it all through. As much fun as his thing is - it is such a relief when you don't have to do another song. Enjoy your rest.

PUCE:
You pretty much wrote your own review:

This is the closest I've come to not finishing a Nur Ein song. Perhaps it was the pressure, or the mental exhaustion of going 8 rounds in a row, or--and much more likely--my stubborn refusal to start on the music before I'd finished the lyrics, but as of Sunday evening all I had was a page of lyrical dead-ends and some Rhodes noodling [

That is what it sounded like to me too. The lyrics here are really quite good - a lot of nice lines - but it really struck me like a half-finished song, or a rush job on the tune - and you just confirmed that.

Note: this was the first time I've played real keyboards on a song (I usually sequence). It was a nice experience, considering I didn't know what I was doing].
Sadly, these are probably my worst vocals from all of Nur Ein; you can tell I was trying to be quiet. !

I noticed the keys - mainly because it wasn't the absoute perfect precision type stuff we expect from you. The slight sloppiness was a nice touch really. Likewise, the vocals weren't as sharp as we usually expect from you (though your sloppy vocals are still streets ahead of most).
Overall - this sounds there could be a pretty good pop song hidden in there somewhere - but this arrangement sounded pretty flat.


FRANKIE BIG FACE:
I kept expecting to hear a voiceover say:
'"...Everyone Loves Frankie!" is filmed in front of a live studio audience...'.
It sounds like a theme song to some fucking awful American sit-com where obnoxious, toothy children spout inane catch-phrases and everybody hugs at the end. This is really quite horrible.
(BTW: It may please you to know that I have had the chorus to your "The Thing Most Easily Forgotten" stuck in my head for some 3 weeks now. I keep singing it at work. I may have to have it surgically removed)


Can I vote for Mersian or Abominiminiminous?

[Ross]

Can I vote for Mersian or Abominiminiminous?

I suggest you vote for Ross Durand, but since you weren't a participant, I suggest you confer with Tex Beaumont first.

[Lunkhead]

I felt like this round was a bit anti-climactic, too. I was really not into the style of Frankie's song, though it's a solid, well-produced song. Puce's song sounded like a work in progress. The keys were great in that one part where there was a little breakdown with a cool keyboard riff, but overall the song kinda lacked energy, especially the choruses.

Still, though, I'm impressed that you guys managed to get songs done at all. I don't know if we could have done that even if we had made the finals, as we were so burnt out and exhausted that we barely got our last song done. I think you both did a great job throughout the tournament, and it's been fun listening to you crank out a ton of material. Congratulations to you both for making the finals.

And CR, our name is spelled M-E-R-I-S-A-N.

[Billy's Little Trip]

It's hard for one week songs to be perfect in every detail. I have to completely disagree with Caravan Ray here. I thought both entries were spectacular. They brought so much to the table. They both shine of each persons strong points. Frankie with his vocals and instrumentation, and Puce with his writing and production. As stated somewhere else, they would make a good project together.

[bz£]

Fine. Fine. No vote for the jury BUT I give the Jury the power to campaign for the choice that they want to win.

Perfect, because I am too on vacation to do anything as difficult as "voting." Of course, it's okay for me to call you all jerks if you don't vote FBF on this one, because that is pure recreation.

Puce's song is good, but it isn't Nur Ein Championship good. Sorry!

[Nigel (spOOn) Clements]

I have voted....

Puce: lovely track, well composed and extremely well sung (not mumbley at all!) mostly a terrific lyric (rather like the analogies with all the diferent big cats... nice touch!), found it to be maybe a little samey throughout, (though I'm the kind of person who likes dramatic sudden changes of pace... not that I do that myself... doh!) this is a three dimensional song, listen to the depth man... excellent!

Frankie Big Face: Ah now this one was floating by me, and I was just nodding my head every time and not latching onto anything, then I was walking round Tesco's yesterday morning (buying a few things for the Step-Daughter for while we're away) and POW! where the funk is that tune coming from, basically the chorus here had ingrained itself into my mind, somehow this track has a seeming fourth dimension... Genius!

Voted have I....

[Caravan Ray]

And CR, our name is spelled M-E-R-I-S-A-N.

So - I've been spelling and saying it wrong all this time? Oh well - I'm afraid I've become too set in my ways now - you will always be Mersian to me. Have you considered changing? Mersian is nice - it sort of sounds like some nice, placid breed of dairy cow. With big bown eyes.

And I suppose Puce is going to tell me now that he pronounces his name with a soft 'c' - and it doesn't actually rhyme with 'fluke' at all.

[mkilly]

hahaha. I love frankie's song. it's so luxurious, AOR, post-Phil Spector, awesome... the horns! the eight Frankies singing! man, that is solid. with a lesser dude it would be God-awful inauthentic bullshit, but I am 100% on board. that is a pun, to go with the yacht rock. I am reminded of the song "It Only Takes a Minute" by Tavares, and also--especially--"Sooner or Later" by the Grass Roots. A lot. Especially the line in that song "find all the love that you been hidin'."

puce also did very well! I like how the bass sounds, though it's not complex it's effective; likewise I am a sucker for rock organ. also the lyrics are mostly cool. great namedrop on eye of the tiger. kind of living for the choruses, tho'.

[Niveous]

And I suppose Puce is going to tell me now that he pronounces his name with a soft 'c' - and it doesn't actually rhyme with 'fluke' at all.

??? I thought it was pronounced with a short u sound like 'uh' and the ce like "say".

[mkilly]

The French pronunciation, as it is a French word, rhymes with juice, with a <i>yoo</i> sound. Such is the pronunciation given <a href="http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=puce&x=0&y=0">here</a> (click the speaker icon). that's what I call him when I see him live, except when I call him Adam.

[frankie big face]

I am reminded of...especially--"Sooner or Later" by the Grass Roots. A lot.

Haha. Totally. I never even thought of that. I was thinking more along the lines The Temptations for the chorus, but you absolutely found my subconscious thievery. Glad you liked the tune, dude.