Oppressive heat? That's a June *feature* (June Bug reviews)

[erik]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap

[Caravan Ray]

Oppressive heat? In winter? That's crazy talk.

[EightLeggedOedipus]

<b>The BeWells</b>
+++ Nice. Parsnips a plenty +++
CONTENDER

<b>Bjam</b>
--- What happens at "long distance callers" ? ---
+++ Very good vocal take. Not my kind of song, but a very good voice for it +++

<b>The Inklings</b>
+++ Flaming Lips-ey slide guitar over symphonic synth +++
--- Unfortunate singing disability. ---
+++ Trumpet? (I don't know brass) +++

<b>Johnny Cashpoint</b>
+++ A beautiful song with nice beat and backing vocals +++
--- Another J$ solo - this one doesn't work ---
+++ Wow, really, who did your drums? These are fucking incredible. +++
--- Popping at the measure, probably from some sloppy looping ---

<b>Prepubescent Canada</b>
--- I didn't miss you guys ---

<b>Sad Big Eden</b>
--- Too much cowbell ---
+++ Vocals in the bridge/chorus - sound like Eddiebangs +++
--- The rest of the vocals aren't too great. And the track just sounds trite and unoriginal ---

<b>Shovel Sitting Down</b>
+++ Cameron's rolling synth bass still eludes my simple mind. I'm happy with how the second chorus vocals came out. +++
/// This is mostly a true story - Omar really did a june bug that ws floating in the pool. I didn't actually lose my appetite for months. ///

<b>The Special Relatives</b>
/// I will review the garbage in my trash can in place of this song///
+++ The orange peel actually smells good. Makes me want some fruit. +++
--- What's the crumpled paper all about? Don't you realize it takes up more space when you crumple it, and then you've got to take the trash out more often? ---

[Bolio]

<b>Sad Big Eden</b>

sound like Eddiebangs +++

looks like an anagram

[Eddiebangs]

Yeah, Sad Big Eden is me, no big secret anymore. I wrote the song to compliment my avatar. Check out Will on that cowbell- it syncs up perfect!

[j$]

Bewells - nice. You have a sound to imitate and you do it well. It sounds like a hundred of those jazzy 30s numbers, which I guess is the point. Yeah, cute. Not enough Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band rough edges to the sound for my tastes but not half bad.

Bjam - Rhyming 'year' with 'year'? How post-modern Some clumsy phrasing every now and again. Like your voice as always - this is perhaps a little earnest. But I like.

Inklings - Nah I don't like this one. There's nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't float my boat. Sorry about that. It just shuffles along and that's it. I think it's the 'this is what june bugs do' lyric - although 'outdoor miner' one of my all-time favourite songs does just that ... hmmm ... I like the lippy trumpet end.

Me is Me. The guitar solo is deliberately ever-so-slightly out of tune.

PPC - is a great name for a band. Shame the music doesn't live up to it. This sounds like a South Park script set to music by forth form music exploration class. Potentially promising but utterly pointless to me.

SBE - Eddie sounds like Eddie within 10 seconds of his songs, which is cool. This has a Foo Fighters feel to it. I like.

SSD - nice trippy start. Oddly this sounds a bit like the Bewells remixed for the 90s. There aren't enough songs about eating bugs. Feels a bit undeveloped structure-wise, but nice.

Special Relatives - 'I'm done'? I hope

[Leaf]

The BeWells: Nice. Really nice. man, your vocals are deadly. And the brush work is stellar. hmm... teh other songs better bring it, cause this is my first CONTENDER. Solo kicks ass. The mix is great.. The playing and performance is great, and I like the retro vibe. This is almost sick.

BJAM! (you should always have an exclamation mark after your name....) I'm always suprised at how mature your voice sounds... you sound older than your supposed age. So... honesty time. I like your voice. I 'm not diggin these lyrics, or the style. I just don't like folk music. Of course, it sounds like great reefer rolling music... holding hands...swaying in my ponytailed glory... (I don't have a ponytail..it's an image...) plus...you just got eukered by the BeWells. That accoustic sounds thin. Your voice sounds great. I want to hear you do something personal...something gutsy. Showtunes and folk music aside (and hey, if you dig it, you dig it) I really wonder what you could do on something where you'd be reaching some deep emotive angle...

Inklings: So far... I'm no where near were this song wants me to be. Man... this ...doesn't inspire me. Do you think you'll ever play this song again? Nah. Not doing it. ... the horn bit.. that was interesting..but still not vote worthy. Yeah...not.

Johnny Cashpoint: Yeah. Gritty. That drum groove sounds like Steve Miller's "take the money and run" all sped up on a drum machine... "every one is gonna die, we willnot see july" I like that. Sometimes you hear something, and just like it cause you do. You always sound familiar to me. This is n't beggin for a vote out of me, but I got your tracks in rotation on my player... and this one doesn't disappoint.

Prepubesent Canada: Uh... no.

Sad Big Eden: Great singing. And production...and all that. The solo doesnt' do it for me.. usually your solos do. I don't know why...I like the 6 /4 verse stuff...this is very foo fighters. A contender...although I'm still inclined to the BeWells. On second listen, the solo sounds out of tune or something. The verse is great. I feel like this song could be developed into something greater. Pretty good though, I liked it.

ShovelSittingDown: Your voice is good. Really good. I like this... mellow but also very cool. Yeah, great vocals. You too are a contender. This song needs a bridge...it's very linear...a-b... with nothing in between. Great singing.

The Special Relatives :Not my thingatude. It's a collection of sounds to me, not a song... so no other comments.


hhhmmm. Shovel, SadBigEden, and Johnny stand out for me... but The BeWells take my vote.

[phatcactus]

Shovel Sitting Down: This might sound cool in the ghetto bass car my friend has. He's a gang-star. You're not. Reminds me of Reggie and the Full Effect, but not as poppy. Conclusion: not a gang-star.

The Inklings: Frickin' rad, dude. The vocals are definitely the weakest part, but if you could just blend 'em in a bit more... This is the best song ever. Oh, god, I'm in love.

Bjam: I can't pronounce your name. This is the sappiest song ever. It makes me want to kiss girls. Now I have a crush on you. You're very quiet. Your guitar sounds thin. Feed it chords for strength.

The Special Relatives: This song, like so many of my songs, is about a prostitute. "Your face is made of candy canes" is my absolute favorite lyric ever. Also my first experience with a keyboard, which is the only instrument used on the whole song. It cost me $2.50.

Sad Big Eden: Oh, man, you're rocking my face off. Too cool. If I liked this kinda rock music, I'd really like this, cuz it's awesome. The end sounds cut off. I'd've liked to hear a lil' "ending reverb" which is a term I made up for the extra sound that you get when you stop playing a track with a lot of reverb on it. It sounds like this: "Ahhh." Very relaxing.

Johnny Cashpoint: Also very cool. Gotta real nice flow to it. Distortiovox are fun, but hard to appreciate on such low sounds. I for one welcome our insect overlords.

The Bewells: Oh kill me. Kiiill me. Why don't bands sound like this anymore? Awesome. Did you dip that guitar in sugar or something? Christ.

Prepubescent Canada: Sounds like some good drugs.

I love you all.

Especially the Inklings.

But the Bewells will win.

And I'm okay with that.

[Bjam]

Bjam: I can't pronounce your name. This is the sappiest song ever. It makes me want to kiss girls. Now I have a crush on you. You're very quiet. Your guitar sounds thin. Feed it chords for strength.

That is an awesome review. (Bee-jam, for the record)

My reviews are coming in a little bit.

[Bjam]

Sad Big Eden
Nice, it's not too... heavy for my liking. A little muddy at time, and the vocals are hard to understand at times, but it's good. Ending is pretty weird. This isn't too bad, ultimately it's just kinda bland and kinda boring.

The BeWells
Damn. I retire. This is some good stuff. Get in touch with Pixar so they can set a short to your music. (It's not just me that's reminded of "Boundin'" or any of those cute short films before Toy Story and stuff, right?) This is just insanely awesome. Vocals are good, the backing is fun and campy and... man, it's just good. It does get a little bland at 1:42, but y'know, it's so cute that I can't not like it.

Prepubescent Canada
Okay then.

Johnny Cashpoint
Sounds kinda like your other stuff. Maybe that's just me though. It's kinda bouncy and I dig the drums, the weird vocals not as much, but it's still kinda nice. Got a strange pull of happy-yay and gritty-boo going on.

The Inklings
You sound boybandy, and the long synthypianoy chords sound boybandy. And then into guitar. Weird. Too much going on in this to make me like it. Boyband + Eastern + Trumpets + Acoustic = Brain go boom. Not bad, just kinda... needs to be several seperate songs rather than one big bag o' fun.

The Special Relatives
Um, yes. Okay. A little too strange and... yeah. Not digging it.

Bjam
Just me I sound like I have a cold.

Shovel Sitting Down
Before the vocals kick in it sounds kinda like a cheap porn groove. Not my kinda thing. Too slow and nothing grabs me.

And The BeWells get my vote!

[bwell]

Here are some review comments. I only caught the "feature" meaning of the thread title this morning as I was sitting at work updating a bug.

The BeWells - This is me. This was the most fun I have had working on a submission thus far. When I couldn't settle on an idea for Chance, I decided to try this out. The inspiration came from two dead June bugs--one outside my front door and another that managed to make it at least a few inches inside. Initially I wasn't sure which way to take the song...the guitar was more of a Doc Watson/Chet Atkins inspired feel, but when I started playing with the vocals that pushed it back a couple more decades (some of the music from The Aviator probably factored into that).

As far as the production goes, there are a few things I would still like to clear up with the mix levels and eq (I mixed this on a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones...sounds close on those but not so nice on some other speakers or headphones). The drums were strung together from some of the GarageBand sampled loops in the rhythm expansion pack. Otherwise, it was mostly vocals with software instruments for the bass and pizzicato strings and then two different jazz guitar models from the Variax for the guitar parts. Thanks for all of the comments on this one.

Bjam - I like the vocal on this song, but the song itself does not quite grab me in any particular way. More production and/or more instrumentation would help fill out the song and keep it more interesting. Yet the recording and mix on this song do sound improved over your previous songs. Your voice also has a nice fuller tone that has been coming out in recent songs, most notably here. And that accent always has an endearing quality. Keep at it...don't retire yet.

The Inklings - The intro sounds pulled me into the song. I generally like the idea and structure of the song. Things suffer a bit with some intonation issues and some of the instrumentation choices (too nakedly synthy at times) for me.

Johnny Cashpoint - This one is growing on me with each listen. Musically, this is one of the most interesting songs in the fight. I love the way the chorus is built. The drums sound great...they jumped out at me on the first listen. This has a definite J$ sound, but may be a bit too effected for me this time (like the garbled distorted effect on the vocals in the second verse). That's a nice touch with the "deely boppers" line.

Prepubescent Canada - This certainly isn't my favorite approach to making music. And "June Bug" hardly seems an intimidating name for a Mega Man enemy.

Sad Big Eden - The guitars are a nice welcome at this point in the set. I like the lyrics ("sucking sweet nectar from a honeysuckle root tip"), the general delivery and the catchy sound. There's something about the vocals (except the higher chorus part) that could be improved, but I cannot quite place a finger on it.

Shovel Sitting Down - This has such a lovely groove. I wasn't sure how those lyrics would work in a song, but after hearing this it sounds right. Good vocal delivery. Everything there has a great sound, but I kept wanting too hear a little bit more of something...not quite sure what though.

The Special Relatives - That's a fun little number, but probably a touch too odd for my tastes. It does have a slightly more palatable sound that some of these sound collages. I like the repetitive "I'm done".

At this point, I am stuck somewhere between Johnny Cashpoint and Shovel Sitting Down with Sad Big Eden close behind. I will have to give them all a closer listen this week before casting a vote. It was nice how everything stayed pretty short for this fight with all eight submitted songs clocking in at less than fourteen minutes.

While I'm at it...

Poor June - No official entry? I listened to the song over on the soundclick site. There's a great tone and atmosphere for this song. It is also nice how you toned down the usual vocal sound or accent for this song. Good ideas and effort. It could be cleaned up a bit here and there, but I like it.

[j$]

Johnny Cashpoint
Sounds kinda like your other stuff. Maybe that's just me though.!

It's a bit rich for someone who produces girl and guitar three weeks in a row to accuse anyone of stylistic repitition.

[Caravan Ray]

The BeWells: This is just perfect. Very hard to beat

BJAM! I love your writing – you have a great way with words. And a good voice. This tune is a bit repetitive – not one of your better songs – but still not bad by any means.

Inklings: “…You left your grubs in the shrubs”?!? With lyrics like that – you’ve really got to sell this a lot more. You didn’t really pull it off for mine.

Johnny Cashpoint: Very good – nice guitar – nice la-la’s. Silly lyric works surprisingly well.

Prepubesent Canada: Come back when your balls drop.

Sad Big Eden: Great voice as always – but song isn’t doing much for me.

The Special Relatives: Yes, you are very ‘special’

Shovel Sitting Down: Really great lyrics – but I’m afraid the tempo of the song drags a bit for me. You won’t get my vote on first listen – maybe with time this could grow on me


As good as the Be-Wells is – it’s not something that I’d really put on a CD to play in the car – just not my thing. I would listen to J$’s again though – so he gets the vote

[Bjam]

Johnny Cashpoint
Sounds kinda like your other stuff. Maybe that's just me though.

It's a bit rich for someone who produces girl and guitar three weeks in a row to accuse anyone of stylistic repitition.

Hey, I never said it was a bad thing. There's plenty of people here that find their thing and stick with it. *shrug* Maybe this week I'll change it up.

[j$]

I was kinda surprised, mainly, as it sounds nothing like my other stuff. Its closest cousin is my Man & Minister from last year. But like you said, it's your opinion, even if it's wrong

[Poor June]

hmmmm my song didn't go up... oh well... no big thang... if y'all still wanna hear it... it's on my soundclick... page...

no clue why it didn't go up... maybe my explorer mucked up...

[nyjm]

<b>Bjam</b>
- lyrics lack prosody
- your guitar strumming stumbles
- but i really like your voice; reminds me of dar williams

<b>Johnny Cashpoint</b>
- i love the lyrics! what a great concept for a song
- great vocal layering

<b>Prepubescent Canada</b>
- next

<b>Sad Big Eden</b>
- really like the guitar tone
- gratituitous lead guitar (especially the solo and the last verse)
- really slick production

<b>Shovel Sitting Down</b>
- what a strange idea for a song
- but, the melody works really, really well
- it just kind of ends...

<b>The BeWells</b>
- cute: very vaudeville
- those high-pitch backing vocals are dead-on; good work
- the lead guitar work is also spot-on; just the right tone and some lovely licks

<b>The Inklings</b>
- that slide guitar is awesome
- the vocal delivery needs to be more self-assured; the phrasing is really awkward
- the lyrics don't inspire me in any meaningful way

<b>The Special Relatives</b>
- my ears are bleeding: too much reverb and clipping
- i like to think that i'm pretty open minded, but i find it difficult to classify this as a "song"

[Egg]

The BeWells bring that amazingly authentic dated music to the table and I'm swaying and toe tapping despite myself and the other folk who might be in the room. Pretty sweet. Next time I find myself in a 1930's speak easy, I might request this song.

BJAM also seems dated like some sort of unlabelled, washed out protest song I found in my attic. I feel like it's sweet but it fails to really drive me forward. Eh.. then again, the vocals and guitar do sort of pick up and I like it more once they do that. Suddenly I realize the importance of june bugs.

The Inklings are baffling me with the crazy mix of whatnot that goes on. And I like it. Sometimes the vocals seem a little thin, but you're so unashamed that I feel like it's just giving the song some character. Additionally, what the hell do I know about vocals? I really like this song in all its various stages.

I never actually noticed how much Mr. Point sounds like an eccentric mad scientist narrator. The interesting cheery vibe that goes with this creepy lyrical idea is fun with the lala chorus and whatnot. I don't really like your distorted voice sitting right beside your naked voice. I feel like they should either be so different that I'm unsure that it's the same singer or maybe they should just be the same. Distorted all the way or naked.

Prebuscent Canada is the sort of joke band that I get compared to rather regularly, and I feel dirty because of it. They do however make me wonder what kind of gun June Bug would have... That might be interesting. Which of the other villains would fall to the June Bug gun? Or perhaps it would be some other sort of item that ate through trees or something.

Sad Big Eden brings the cowbell to the table. Way to go. It does match up with the avatar pretty amazingly. Good work.

Shovel Sitting Down is smooth like a thing that is very smooth. I feel like I want it to do more to me. Like use that smooth talkin' to manipulate me in some way. . . but you're just playing some sweet music for the length of my cool ride. Why don't you use that power to warp my mind?

The Special Relatives need somebody to come to their defense. This is clearly a song. I don't like it very much, but it's not the clipping that's turning me off. No, the clipping is actually sort of interesting. I don't think the reverb does much for you. Additionally, the musical elements, which I think are super obvious (like rhythm, melody and singing), don't seem that solid.


What do I know? I know what I think.