Welcome to the reviews page.

[jack]

one of them anyways.

[fodroy]

haha. jos, your instrumental is awesome.

full reviews will come later tonight.

[HeuristicsInc]

28 songs; i think that is a record since we left the one-title format.
yeah!
Amusingly enough, our song is id3ed "Is it bad mix?" and I thought Craig had changed that
-bill

[j$]

Upcoming Downtime was 30.

[TheScreech]

Klownhole's submission is a musical version of standing next to a newspaper and taking a picture to document the date, as the lyrics are tightly woven with the Manual for Quake IV, which came out only days ago.

Klownhole are above reproach once again.

[j$]

(part one - first half)

Listened to in order of curiosity, and, often, why.

1.HNiD: (because I have a big gay crush on Dan) You love your uke, no? I love it too. I like the way you say 'welcome to hell' - lovely backing vocals. Is that the Dan lady choir or the Dan lady? Yeah, took a while for me to warm to it but by the end it is classic Dan (bar the hiss which is mightier than usual.) You should get Blue or Future Boy or someone to mix this. I would like to hear this given a 'top hole' production - not becuase i think it would be made better (it's good) but I am curious to see how you would sound with a 'mainstream' take on the mid-fi recording technique. Sexy I imagine, but I digress.

2.Brainpipe - (because I heard an earlier mix and it was grood) This is such fantastically dirty song, soundwise, and much better than the other mix I heard. It has a grind about it. And the lyric is a step up for Starfinger (I am assuming you wrote the most of it, given the food obsession!) - not a literal take, makes it more poetic and creepier. I kind of wish the 'microwave' on the chorus was distorted somehow. So what did Bill do? This veers further into glitchblipcore than I've heard before, in a great way. great keyboard tone. Tapping my foot along. I would pull strange shapes in a club to
this.

3. Jim of Seattle (lbecause Dan said it was good) - I thought my computer was shutting down on its own accord. Cute. Kind of one gag (not allowing for probable endless obscure muso references you have laye3red into the chords that I am way too stupid to get). You play keyboards well, as we all know. I kinda got itchy skipping finger about 2 minutes in, but that's because I'm an ignoramus. Overall, cute.

4. P.U.C.E. - (because it's Puce, and he often whistles) Great bass groove. Hmmm, lyrically preaching to the converted, I guess. You could play it a little more shades of grey rather than just the 'playing the opposite of what you should believe' - although I am not sure how - maybe from a teen killer who does blame video games as his excuse from getting out of getting executed. Any I digress. You do gay opera backing vocals better than most anyone I have heard. Kind of like a white american Diamana Gallas Great bass. For an unfinished song, I think it's pretty damned hot.

5.Bax - (atcually clicked on this meaning to click on Jim Tyrell but hey quite pleased I did.) Starts out sooo Who, before becoming AC / DC. "C'mon"? Okay then ... are these words meant to be parody? I don't know enough of your stuff to know what your intention? Oh, it must be .... of that AC / DC sound. Maybe pastiche is fairer than parody - it's pretty good, just not Bon Scott, if you know what I mean. Not knob-gaggy enough! I like it!

6.Jim Tyrell (because he is my favourite 70s throwback musician) - Oh lovely melody, swithcing between major and minor. I like this stripped down arrangement - without the drums and simple rhythm, this could become very cheesy in a Manilow way, but it really works this way. I am shuffling my shoulders to this one. Hoping for a solo by about 2.00 - nice squealy metal tone to take it up a notch. But good.

7.Sausage Boy (to see if he has any guitar yet.) Ahhh, sweet opening. Instantly in SB territory. You play good (space)bass. You and Puce should form a whistling choir. So needs jagged Siouxsie guitar all over it, and the vocals should be louder. I say that about just about every Sausage Boy song . The tunes are good, there's just only so far you can take that dub sound ...then again, I guess it's a sonic niche that you demand dukedom of every time you fight, and i kinda like it, so who am I to tell you what to do?

8.The Dankins (because I like the name. Maybe because it has Dan in it) TBH I start skipping at .40 to see if this is an instrumental and therefore I don't have to consider it for voting. It is, I won't. Great production, good sound, but not enough to hold my interest for 4.30. And your name suggests a jangly indie band in the vein of them that did the Friends theme tune, so I was slightly disappointed on that front too

9.Johnny I-Book (because JB is fighting like a bastard all of a sudden and I like it) Does this vocal sound a little unconfident? I know that doesn't make much sense given you can sing better than all my songs put together - maybe it's the slight vibrato coupled with the skinny electropop backing accentuating it? Anyway, pretty. I like a bit more nasty bite in the electro I listen to, but this pretty well done, and when it hits the layered pop nous of the bridge I like it more. You sing about God quite a bit? Probably not, but I am just thinking back to a previous JB entry, was it Saint Peter? Anyway, I guess I am wittering becuase this is lovely, in a Talking Heads (Little Creatures era) way but I am not jumping around the room to it.

10.Excuse the Production (because I can't wait not to) Ah, you spoilt my joke after the first five seconds - I was going to say something like 'I can't pardon the music' but I can. nice little guitar groove - the mix is pretty good actually. the singing could start to be a bit chunkier (compressed further???) but I like this, even the out-of-tune moment. Obviously i wish for a bass and drums to kick in with horrendous lurchiness some way half through but can't complain with what is here. Pretty. Some nice lyrical phrases in there too - 'I like the 'not welcome to' take although the whole looking glass thing doesn't really work for me- oh hang on did you change it or did I mishear it in the first chorus? Anyway plexiglass is cool. Then nice but totally done at 3.00 minutes for me.

11.Taco Conspiracy (for I thinK i liked their last one that I heard - or maybe I hated it - anyway they're up next) - Hmmm, interesting choice of vocal sample. The keyboard (sample?) doesn't seem quite in rhythm. Some great voices in there, but recorded and sampled, but the hiss on a lot of these samples, while charming, distracts from the groove which is a problem. I would vary up that drum beat a lot more, more variance. Also that kick is too kicky, even for me. Lots of interesting stuff going on in here but it's not gelling in my head as a song in total. I think there might just be a small embryo of genius in there somewhere screaming to be heard, or it might just be the sound of my tiny brain being squished under the virtual foot pedal of that kick drum)

12.En Passant (because I speak French - the whole reasoning thing is getting tenuous now) - Nice piano. I want more of that. Good tuba. Could possibly do with less of that. Great vocal - could do with that being turned up. Drop the chatter in the background and this is a very cool 'someone's spiked my milk' pop song. That chatter isn't charming. Every bloody band does the background chatter thing to show that they have friends. I don't want you to have friends. I want you to make music because it's the only way that your kerazzy opinions can be heard. I am not advocating being hated by everyone in your home town, but a bit more of a sour edge would take this up from good to very nearly very good.

13.Raised by Wolves (because I only just noticed he/they is/are in this fight) Creepy, if a bit patch-y. (i.e. everything sounds a bit clean) What a strange un-RxW song. Good but I am not sure what to make of it.

14.Ross Durand (because I approve of rock dynasties) WARNING - if Sydney is reading, tell him to look away now!....................... For some reason i was expecting this to be called 'Welcome to My Nightmare' which would make a gerat take on this music - the song corrupting from the children's song to somewhere really strange - being scared of the zoo and the library because of dark things that everyone else sees as normal. Anyhooooooooo, [/WARNING] this is a very pleasant children's song. I'd play it to my niece and nephew and they would love it. So I do, too. Sydney joins a long line of very adorable songfight juniors.

Hostess, Be-Wells & Cow Exchange are being put off in my curiosity list because I assume they are going to make me sick with jealousy. Klownhole's song I can't see (but my eyesight is going). All others are probably because I either don't know you by name or I haven't noticed you're in the sea of songs yet...

[fretnoize]

Wow tons of songs... Most of them wooping my butt. Shorter reviews than I would like to give, but there are so many songs! I feel like we should get two votes with so many songs, haha! (I'd vote for The BeWells and Puce, but now I will have to choose)

Bax (That’s me):
Uh… What was I thinking? haha

The BeWells:
Great instrument sounds and tight vocals. The chorus really works well. Good job! Very mellow yet depressing sound.

Brainpipe:
Cool groove to start with. I like the vocal style in the verse. The song kinda breaks up at the first chorus(?), but pulls back together afterwards. Reminds me of Zappa a little. Great message though, the microwave does rule!

Corn on the Cob:
I like the vocal melody but not the effects on the voice, muddies it up a bit. Vocals get drowned out a little in the chorus too. I like how the song builds up into some heavy rocking.

The Cow Exchange:
Bit of a new wave influence almost. Cool instrumentation.

Neptunian Kit:
Sounds like there’s a later Nine Inch Nails influence. Pretty cool, but I don’t think it stands on it’s own as an instrumental. Not that it’s not good, but it sounds more like there is space left in the song where vocals would go.

Dr. Water:
I like the song, the vocal performance, but I’d really like to hear some kind of percussion. It doesn’t have to be a full kit, it could still be very minimalistic, but something there I think would be nice.

En Passant:
Interesting… Just a room mic and a group of people? Strangely, I think it works.

Excuse the Production:
Cool… I like it.

His Name is Dan:
Hmm… The way you transition from a strait beat to swing is kind of rough on the ear. But I like the general idea of your song.

Hostess Mostess:
Seems like a mixture of folk music with a slight beatles influence. Not exactly my thing(the folk), but I think you did a good job.

Jim of Seattle:
ACK! Welcome to Windows?!?! Haha, at first I was scared, but it’s cool what you’ve done with the sounds. Pretty original. I like it, good job. Reminds me of a video I saw today: http://www.prangstgrup.com/startupsound/

Jim Tyrrell:
Like how you fit in just the “welcome toâ€

[j$]

Part two

Written in oder of curiosity, and why

15. Doctor Water (because you're top of the non-stream this time) - why Doctor Water? Unless you are a Doctor called Water of course. Anyway - good voice. I don't like the way the reverb is all panned into one speaker. That's weird (on headphones) - a little bit 'look at my emotiveness!' in the delivery. That way Whitney Houston lies ... very well done, just not my thing musically. I am well known for not warming to earnest lyrics very often. Oh - I leave this song with an awful confession - 'Yes, you can sing pretty amazingly - stop showing off'

16. Posyden (because if I don't listen to it now, when will I?) Leave disco inferno alone. This is a cool beat. Hope it's no a rap track ... ah. Reasonable flow, the voice is a little green for the tough attitude of the lyric, maybe. If you're "spitting shit", I will go to the bar at this point. (PS "Too unique"? You can be unique, or not, it's not a word that can be quantified.) Ah, no I'm just picking holes for the sake of it. Oh, this is about songfight right? I don't like songs about songfighting. All i can reccommend is singing through a filter until your voice sounds ... uhm, a bit tougher....

17. Luke Henley (because I am often disappointed compared to the high standards I set for you in my review head) I am disappointed.

18. Klownhole (because I found you at last) - great pompous opening - in a good pomp way! I hope it kicks into a nice industrial mesh. Well it doesn't, but I kind of like where it does go. You should have saved this for this week's 'Vishnu' fight Pretty good actually. The problems I have with it are the problems I had with SOS's 'Ancient' - a great track, well done, but the novelty aspect of the lyric (now I know its source) kind of bugs me. That's a great falsetto going on. You know I think this is my favorite song so far. Maybe because it is refreshingly different after 20 odd songs.

19. Steve Durand (because I think i know what it will sound like) It sounds like I think it would! I can't keep saying this, but I don't know what else to say. You do pastiche of 1930-1960 music brilliantly. i don't get your motivation (beyond just liking it and being good at it - which is motivation enough of course) - perhaps you could do a song without your sweet trumpets one week, just for a challenge? You should SO collab with King Arthur.

20. Phunt Your Friends (because it would be rude not to) The production improves. The approach still fails to move me. I am not interested in art as music, unless it is soundtracking an installation, or somesuch. I like my music as art. It's a fine distinction i guess, but it's what stops me embracing your soooooouuuuuuuuunnnnnnnddddddd

21. Merisan (because as much as I love what Sam & Erin do I am in no rush to hear it, oddly) Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with me - because everything here is pretty sweet. Erin has a great voice - Sam plays guitar damn well, so many different styles, well done. The lyric is usually interesting in concept, if sometimes not in realisation. lots of great phrases. Production is hottt as always. I don't know why you aren't the Cranberries for the post 9-11 generation already. Yet - and herein lies the rub - i can't connect with merisan songs. They're probably too good, and I am jealous. Like I say, sometimes I wonder what is wrong with me. Then i realise it would take waaayyyyy toooo long to answer that, so I smoke another tab and move on ....

22. PigPEN (because I am an eternal optimist) - good voice, good flow, nice tune, a little crackly in the mix. I just don't warm to tough guy rap in general - so it's gonna be hard to win me over. Just a personal thing. And that's a pretty damn nice review from me, given I am not inclined to review this at all based on your web persona.

23. The Cow Exchange (because I was saving a favoured musician for later in the fight as a reward)- what i like about TCE is when there is weird shit in the background of these great pop songs. This doesn't have that - it is a great pop tune, but the lyric, while intriguing, doesn't disguise the fact that, with a slightly different production, this tune could be a Backstreet Boys number #1 I do mean that as a compliment - it's a great little tune but it's not slightly cracked like the best of the Cow, in my book.

24. The Be-Wells (because I think it's going to sound earnest) - Great music. Well played. Tune doesn't engage me, though well it does in the slight madrigal feel. My instant reaction is either I feel like I'm not in on the joke, or you're not. Either way, I can't fault this song but I can't bring myself to vote for it either. What does it matter, really? It's not like I know the shiny end of the music stick from the shitty end, at this point in my reviews, or ever, really....

25. Hostess Mostess (because I am sickened by the level of your quality) - that side stick is a bit loud, I feel. Other than that, wow. Beautiful. Words are leaking in and out of my ears at this moment, 25 odd songs in, like flotsam on the high tide, so I can't comment on that. but the tune. Yeah. Good stuff, man. Those harmonies! I'd hate you but it would be kicking the cutest puppy in the dogs' home. that baby in the background patch is getting soooo old, mind. (that is a joke)

26. Corn on the Cob (because I expect a big 80s sound that I hate) - heh. There it is. You guys are great, too good for the 'St Elmo's Fire' soundtrack. heh. heh. heh. Oh god, I can't type anymore. This is a good tune, maybe improved only by putting in a time machine and giving to Simple Minds. [note to self - stop with the cheap irrelevant gags] - and for once I don't mind the lyric that much - that 'welcome' swell is great and then comes the quiet > loud rock-out that I associate with a certain songfighter. heh. [note to self - I said 'stop'] yeah, this is good but I have long since hung up my wishbone coat and swirling round until i am sick at the stude disco drunk on snakebite and black is a memory I don't wish to stir up (literally).

27. Wreckdom (because) Wreckdom is.

28. The Tiny Paws of Fury (because I have already heard it about 30 times). I wrote, recorded and mixed this in six hours on Sunday night. it is in my opinion one of the very best things I have done. Even first take vocal is charmingly 'insecure'. Alas it occurs to me that maybe this particular sound (which we called glitterstomp until gary glitter was revealed to be a dirty kiddy fiddler and now no-one in Britain may ever talk of it ever again) never made it big in America in the 70s ....

Ummm, god, Klownhole? Or Hostess. Depends which hat I have on in the morning.

[herojima]

welcome to windows is classic!
holy s!

[starfinger]

Amusingly enough, our song is id3ed "Is it bad mix?" and I thought Craig had changed that
-bill

whoops! i probably changed the id3 v2 tags and left the v1 (or vice versa)

-craig

[Jim of Seattle]

WreckdoM, your mp3 is invalid or corrupt or something. My CD burner rejected it. Anyone else having this trouble?

Is this the first ever fight to not fit on a single CD? I had to eschew Phunt's 12 minute epic, and my own, of course, and then WreckdoM's mp3 didn't work, and only THEN could I make a single CD.

In honor of the superstar-ness of this fight, I'm writing full-on reviews this week.

Oh, and thanks for the kudos, both of yous guys. I'm humbled to be singled out among this illustrious company. Wow.

[Geoff WreckdoM]

Jeez, I don't know, We didn't do anything weird or special to make this mp3 so I don't know why it would be corrupt or whatever, I could email it to you if you want.

[posyden]

Bax...nice lyrics...nice music...all in all great work

The BeWells...Nice work

Brainpipe...welcome to the microwave...hilarious

Corn on the Cob...the lyrics are nice and the music is nice..but I'm not liking the vocals too much

The Cow Exchange...the song, the music, the lyrics are good

The Dankins..great music...

Dr. Water...great song..

en passant...nice work on the lyrics

Excuse the Production...digging the music...cool lyrics

His name is Dan...nice music...nice lyrics

Hostess Mostess...nice work

Jim of Seattle...gotta love the windows music...

Jim Tyrrell...great work

Johnny iBook...nice work on the lyrics

Klownhole...great intro...good music..not really feeling the vocals

Luke Henley...

Merisan....liking the change...finally a female vocalist

Phunt your Friends...

PigPEN...finally a rap..nice work

Piracy Undermines Creative Expression...kick ass music...nice lyrics

Posyden...I'm not gonna review myself...I will say that the lack of recording quality is due to the fact that I had to use my computers internal mic...

Raised by Wolves...nice work

Ross Durand...hooray for animals

Sasuage Boy...I like the lyrics...nice music

Steve Durand...liking the music

Taco Conspiracy...

The Tiny Paws of Fury..great music...good lyrics

WreckdoM...

[Jim of Seattle]

Jeez, I don't know, We didn't do anything weird or special to make this mp3 so I don't know why it would be corrupt or whatever, I could email it to you if you want.

Hmmm... I just tried playing the file directly off my PC and it worked fine. The burner software just didn't like it. It apparently has no taste whatsoever.

[fodroy]

reviews

nice effort.

[jack]

19. Steve Durand ...... You should SO collab with King Arthur.

HELL YES. I AGREE!

[posyden]

reviews

nice effort.

Hey I don't do full on reviews...I don't really believe in criticizing others music or work of anykind

If your happy with it then it's perfect and theres nothing anyone can say or do about it...all I do when I review is give my two cents about the song

short and simple...thats the way it should be

[Jim of Seattle]

reviews

nice effort.

Hey I don't do full on reviews...I don't really believe in criticizing othere music or work of anykind

If your happy with it then it's perfect and theres nothing anyone can say or do about it...all I do when I review is give my two cents about the song

short and simple...thats the way it should be

Reviews are much more than criticism. Or at least, they should be. What a good review does is allow you to partly experience your own music through another's ears. If someone says "The chorus is too long" and you had never thought that before, then you will ask yourself, 'Hmm, IS the chorus too long?' and you may suddenly hear something anew. You may think, 'You know what, I think he's right. Now I hear it.' And all of a sudden you're a better musician for it.

I'm not saying they always work like that, but ideally that's how they work.

[jack]

reviews

nice effort.

Hey I don't do full on reviews...I don't really believe in criticizing othere music or work of anykind

If your happy with it then it's perfect and theres nothing anyone can say or do about it...all I do when I review is give my two cents about the song

short and simple...thats the way it should be

which wouldn't be so bad if you varied it up a bit instead of making it sound like every song sounded the same. or had the same reaction on you.

it's cool you took the time to type everyone's name out. that's a good start.

of course this is all just my 2 cents now.....

[Egg]

reviews:

writhing on the floor as expected


(real reviews to folllosoivo idwww bututttttttttt undereststqqtnndn it maigggghtt tqktjke q qwhilee for sthee seizerzuiusss etttooo ssoopisqpisppp))

[Jim of Seattle]

reviews:

writhing on the floor as expected

Huh??

[fodroy]

REVIEWS!!! in the order that they appear on the main page. check the leader board as it goes down the post.

durand durand: seriously, why didn't you submit under that name? yay! i love children's music. this is delightful. i thought the kid said "brazil" instead of "the zoo." the chimes are great. this makes me excited to see animals and read books and see grass. YOU ARE IN THE LEAD

the dankins: this reminds me of really weird video game music. this would be playing at the part where you're lost and don't know what the hell to do next. this song is cool to listen to while watching this guy ----> was this done with fruity loops?

tim jyrell: not a bad little ditty. it sounds like it should be building up to more. the melody is pretty good, as is the production. but it doesn't take much in the way of production to impress me. enjoyable song, though.

puce: i love that damn sample. this song is very cool. YOUR ARE THE NEW LEADER.

my favorite gay crush: my, my, mr. cashpoint. this is quite the sexy song. it's got the good old cashpoint feel to it. it doesn't stand out compared to a lot of your other songs, but you can do no wrong.

sausage boy: WELCOME TO PEOPLE ARE CRAZY. cool bassline and vocals and whatever the hell that whistly deal is. it gets tedious without having the song change at all.

phunt your long ass song: i have no idea what's going on either. i guess you got what you were going for. i have no idea how to review something like this.

brainpipe: awesome! funny lyrics, great music. but it doesn't contain an awesome sample from monty python. therefore, puce maintains the lead. i wish i could load an mp3 into my microwave and have this play every time i zap some food.

en passant: i have a soft spot for crappy production. probably because i also have crappy production. i'm really enjoying this song/people talking over the song turned into an mp3. is that a real trombone/tuba/whichever one is the proper instument?

posyden: boombox fat beats. are you just playing something on your boombox and rapping over it into your computer? your rhymes ain't shit. neither is your song. aphrodite is a whore, and so is your mom. (sorry. i couldn't resist.)

taco conspiracy: i see you know how to use samples. touche. my genre bias keeps me from really enjoying this song.

klownhole: GRUNGE! this is fairly catchy, therefore i enjoyed listening to it. on top of that, it's extremely nerdy, which made me like it even more. i always thought the word "nerdcore" should just be used to describe heavy metal.

johnny iBook: i like the more guitary jbb better, but i do like the lyrics in this one. heaven is 343? i can see this one growing on me.

his name is dan: tis i. i recorded this in my dorm room, which produces an awful natural hiss to begin with. despite the production, i like the song.

wreckdom: i respect your decision to smoke crack. i also respect your decision to make really weird music. keep it up.

the bewells: the production on this one is lovely. the melodies and harmonies are also very lovely. your voice is fine for one song, but i can see myself becoming bored with it after several songs.

p.h.d.h.2.o.: some of the vocal bits kind of bother me, but it's not a bad song. it's just kind of boring, and i don't like the echo in my left headphone.

jos: http://songfight.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=38809#38809 i still feel that way. i always wondered how that windows deal could be worked into a song without sucking. now i know how.

corn on the cob: this is not what i was expecting from a band called "corn on the cob." very well produced and the song sounds really well written and played. RAWK. enjoyable.

pigpen: oi. more rap. this is so hardcore dood. i'm afraid to walk the streets at night for fear of running into you. you rap better than your rapper counterpart in this fight, but i still think you're a douche for the new orleans video.

hostess mostess: you definitely know how to write a pretty song. the flute is a really nice touch.

bax: haha. sounds a little trapped inside a computer for it to rock the way you want it to. entertaining nonetheless.

the cow exchange: this is a very cool song. one of the stronger songs in the fight.

excuse the production: well, it's better produced than my song. the song bored me. it needs more than just guitar and vocals.

rxw: this is a really cool song(?) whatever it is, it's well done. it'd be creepy if companies played this instead of what they usually play when they put you on hold.

merisan: your voice is lovely, but i'm not fond of the guitar tone. the song's not bad though.

steve durand: the guitar doesn't feel quite with it, but i love the horns. they're a really nice touch. seriously, the horns save this song. [good] i love horns. in fact, i wish i still played trumpet. i wish my mom hadn't sold it.

luke henley: it was short. but i liked the 10 or so seconds that i heard.

my vote goes to puce for the awesome sample.

: