We Were Not Meant to Be (a Review Thread)
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Spud
- Stable Diffusion
- Posts: 4775
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:25 am
- Instruments: Bass, Keyboards, eHorn
- Submitting as: Octothorpe
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: Seattle
- Contact:
We Were Not Meant to Be (a Review Thread)
OK. So some of you can't figure out it's the review thread if it doesn't say (Review Thread) in the topic...
Last edited by Spud on Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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MintyHandy
- Mixtral
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:00 pm
- Instruments: None
- Recording Method: None
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boochinballs
- A New Player
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:43 pm
- Location: Coventry, UK
- Contact:
Holy shit!
You've been a busy bunch this week
41 Entries, this is going to take me some time to review.
Last time I entered, it was the biggest fight to date. It's taken me months to get the time to enter and yet again, I believe this is the biggest one again.
Anyway I'm looking forward to getting through this monsterous list of MP3's. If a quarter of them are any good (and flicking through them quickly, it seems like there are some corkers), this will end up being a good fight.
Peace out,
Krispy (Chinballs/Sixthline)
PS, good to see you back Denyer. Vocals seem a bit low in the mix, but otherwise another slice of classic nonsense. Kudos in advance of a full review
You've been a busy bunch this week
41 Entries, this is going to take me some time to review.Last time I entered, it was the biggest fight to date. It's taken me months to get the time to enter and yet again, I believe this is the biggest one again.
Anyway I'm looking forward to getting through this monsterous list of MP3's. If a quarter of them are any good (and flicking through them quickly, it seems like there are some corkers), this will end up being a good fight.
Peace out,
Krispy (Chinballs/Sixthline)
PS, good to see you back Denyer. Vocals seem a bit low in the mix, but otherwise another slice of classic nonsense. Kudos in advance of a full review
Part of the problem.
<br>For more musical nonsence, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/boochinballs">ww ... inballs</a>
For less nonsense and actual songs,<a href="http://www.myspace.com/sixthline">www.m ... xthline</a>
<br>For more musical nonsence, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/boochinballs">ww ... inballs</a>
For less nonsense and actual songs,<a href="http://www.myspace.com/sixthline">www.m ... xthline</a>
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martyr
- Alpaca
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:13 pm
- Instruments: bass, vox, mix, guitar
- Recording Method: m-audio 1814, logic; motu traveler, magix
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Zipline, Zinkline, Monte Carlo, Older Brothers
- Location: b3ez3erk3el3ey, ca
FOURTY ONE SONGS ?!?!?!
Four - Four - Fourty One Songs!?! Holy Sh*t!
So much for "everyone is distracted by Nur Ein, and the main fight is up for grabs"...
I'm putting in the early buzz for Melvin and Ken's Super, but many songs to listen to.
So much for "everyone is distracted by Nur Ein, and the main fight is up for grabs"...
I'm putting in the early buzz for Melvin and Ken's Super, but many songs to listen to.
Last edited by martyr on Fri May 25, 2007 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
m++
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Niveous
- Gemini
- Posts: 7227
- Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 6:45 am
- Instruments: vocals, songwriting, guitar
- Submitting as: Lucky Witch and the Righteous Ghost
- Pronouns: He/him
- Location: Staten Island, NY
- Contact:
Airkick Pigeon Band is back?! How did they have time with Spinto Band being so huge?
"I'd like to see 1984 redubbed with this in the soundtrack."- Furrypedro.
NUR EIN!
X-Tokyo
Lucky Witch and the Righteous Ghost
NUR EIN!
X-Tokyo
Lucky Witch and the Righteous Ghost
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MintyHandy
- Mixtral
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:00 pm
- Instruments: None
- Recording Method: None
Lots of songs this week. Here's my thoughts on the first 10.
More to come later. I'm doing these in batches so I can better concentrate on what I feel about each song.
Adam Adament – I dig the song for robots by robots vibe. It is definitely very mechanical sounding in every aspect. I haven’t heard synths like that since the Transformers the Movie soundtrack I had on vinyl as a kid. Seriously though, the mechanical nature of this song is not that pleasing to my ear. This song is done well, it just doesn’t appeal to me.
The Air Kick Pigeon Band – Full of wonderful hooks and lots of energy. I like the pitch shifting to achieve a suitable raccoon voice. It has a tight structure and short enough to make me hit the repeat when it ends. Optional challenge met and exceeded. This song is a strong contender for my vote.
Andre was not here at midnight – On the positive side, I like the low-fi sound and a lot of the instrumentation and melody. I also like your voice, the length is good, and the dynamics change enough to keep me interested and entertained. On the critical side, there are some timing issues in parts, and the cousin angle is a bit creepy. Overall, I like it though.
Brilliant Void – In my opinion, this song needs more of a dynamic sound to go on for as long as it does. As it is, it comes off as plodding and slow, and frankly, boring. The optional challenge was addressed, but I have little interest in it because the song feels like it’s weighing me down. I’m all for slow and depressing sounding songs, but this one seems to be missing something.
Brody – Here’s another low-fi gem, like the Andre song. I like the sound of this track, especially the different guitars. Nice harmonies. The only part I didn’t like was where you sang the title backwards. It sounded awkward and pulled me out of the song. Overall, I really like this one too.
Cakeloaf – Lots of different and interesting sounds in this song. It sounds like one false start after another for the most part. It works though. The vocals sound a little too “hot”. The distortion was a bit distracting. But, this is an interesting and original sounding track, and I highly enjoyed it.
Chirp – I liked this song better upon repeated listening. The vocals sound like early Liz Phair minus the sexiness. The instrumentation is sparse and interesting. It is all very appropriate to the atmosphere that is being created here. Optional challenge was also met. My main problem with this track is that it is soooooo quiet.
The Curse Of – This is what I would call a by-the-book entry. Technically there is not much wrong with it (except the vocals getting lost a couple times). The problem is that it is not overly interesting. I’ve listened to it multiple times, but it hasn’t grown on me. Like I said, there’s not really anything wrong with this song, it just doesn’t stand out from the pack for me.
Cynthia Size/sp00ns – From what I gather, this is your style. I don’t think I could say anything that hasn’t already been said in the myriad of other entries you’ve submitted.
dB Collective – Strong vocals and playing, but the 12-bar structure wipes away all originality to me. But for what it is, your song sounds great. I also give credit to you for changing your sound each week. It’s refreshing not to hear the same sounding thing every time. Last week’s song was brave and amazing.
That's it for now.
More to come later. I'm doing these in batches so I can better concentrate on what I feel about each song.
Adam Adament – I dig the song for robots by robots vibe. It is definitely very mechanical sounding in every aspect. I haven’t heard synths like that since the Transformers the Movie soundtrack I had on vinyl as a kid. Seriously though, the mechanical nature of this song is not that pleasing to my ear. This song is done well, it just doesn’t appeal to me.
The Air Kick Pigeon Band – Full of wonderful hooks and lots of energy. I like the pitch shifting to achieve a suitable raccoon voice. It has a tight structure and short enough to make me hit the repeat when it ends. Optional challenge met and exceeded. This song is a strong contender for my vote.
Andre was not here at midnight – On the positive side, I like the low-fi sound and a lot of the instrumentation and melody. I also like your voice, the length is good, and the dynamics change enough to keep me interested and entertained. On the critical side, there are some timing issues in parts, and the cousin angle is a bit creepy. Overall, I like it though.
Brilliant Void – In my opinion, this song needs more of a dynamic sound to go on for as long as it does. As it is, it comes off as plodding and slow, and frankly, boring. The optional challenge was addressed, but I have little interest in it because the song feels like it’s weighing me down. I’m all for slow and depressing sounding songs, but this one seems to be missing something.
Brody – Here’s another low-fi gem, like the Andre song. I like the sound of this track, especially the different guitars. Nice harmonies. The only part I didn’t like was where you sang the title backwards. It sounded awkward and pulled me out of the song. Overall, I really like this one too.
Cakeloaf – Lots of different and interesting sounds in this song. It sounds like one false start after another for the most part. It works though. The vocals sound a little too “hot”. The distortion was a bit distracting. But, this is an interesting and original sounding track, and I highly enjoyed it.
Chirp – I liked this song better upon repeated listening. The vocals sound like early Liz Phair minus the sexiness. The instrumentation is sparse and interesting. It is all very appropriate to the atmosphere that is being created here. Optional challenge was also met. My main problem with this track is that it is soooooo quiet.
The Curse Of – This is what I would call a by-the-book entry. Technically there is not much wrong with it (except the vocals getting lost a couple times). The problem is that it is not overly interesting. I’ve listened to it multiple times, but it hasn’t grown on me. Like I said, there’s not really anything wrong with this song, it just doesn’t stand out from the pack for me.
Cynthia Size/sp00ns – From what I gather, this is your style. I don’t think I could say anything that hasn’t already been said in the myriad of other entries you’ve submitted.
dB Collective – Strong vocals and playing, but the 12-bar structure wipes away all originality to me. But for what it is, your song sounds great. I also give credit to you for changing your sound each week. It’s refreshing not to hear the same sounding thing every time. Last week’s song was brave and amazing.
That's it for now.
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martyr
- Alpaca
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:13 pm
- Instruments: bass, vox, mix, guitar
- Recording Method: m-audio 1814, logic; motu traveler, magix
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Zipline, Zinkline, Monte Carlo, Older Brothers
- Location: b3ez3erk3el3ey, ca
Adam Ant - Nice dark production over a Beatles meets practice amp
meets open pedal piano reverb thing.
Nick and Dex - *** Same as the Adam Ant entry *** Ok, only 40 songs!
Air Kicked Pigeon Band - Sort of a South Park style spoof song. Kermit vocals
over a nice little acoustic ditty. The Casio bit works well with the song and
adds a nice 80s retro pop touch. The vocals almost remind of Heavenly at the end.
So many entries – I reviewed this twice:
Air Kicked Pigeon Band - I am a Racoon lyric is memorable and seems to be a Frisbee spoof of “You can be the wrestler”. Nice little casio pop groove. The nasal vocals work for this. This is actually a pretty decent poppy number for something that is a spoof entry.
Andre at midnight - Endless picky with a anticipation building howl. One chord that
just keeps going until subtle change of voicing takes it into the title chorus at minute 1.
The bah bahs are cool over the piano 8 section. The steady snare works too.
Brilliant Void - Philisophical intro of spoken word and little vocoder descending
backing vox. This sounds like its own hideous lyric -- as if Plato was singing this to
a member of the underworld in a vain attempt order to escape.
Brody - Nice slow country/folk intro guitar. The vocals match with a nice drawl in a
subtle "Lake of Fire" sort of way. Reminds me vaguely of Nirvana unplugged without
the heavy chorus vocal parts -- just the soft verse bits. You need an intense bit to
balance this out.
Cakeloaf – Strong intro. Lush 12 string with nice clanky keyboard hits and some loose but lovely programmed beats. A crazy FX overlay of vocals makes this kind of Weenish. The progression is nice, but needs to change into a second part, or not -- its over already!
Chirp - Click clang, soft stand up bass, whispery, shaker samba thing. Moody!
Ostara - Nice soft alternative rock backing track with some authentic brit band vocals
that remind of Bloc Party somehow. The music is more like a late 80s soft Cure track.
The repeating guitar lick renforces the Bloc Party influence. The ascending Bass takes
away from it and makes it a new thing. The reverb rich vocal now takes it into a dazy
new section. Cool, but sounds very four-track from a production stand point. Gear!
Cynthia Size and Spoons - Electronica oh yeah. That Cynthia is 100% robot just blows
my mind! She is brilliant, and I want one of my very own. The ecclectic beats of this
grate slightly, even to my math rock loving ears. Please enter a super dance tune next
week number with a pop hook and all your killer technology.
Minty Handy - Awesome! Just reading your name gets me excited. Is that appropriate for kids?
Beautiful lyrics as always. The Musical genre tag is appropriate. How do you make all
titles into a deep love song? No uke on this??? Piano is not as portable. Wow, this really
devolves into some ugly Godzilla key slamming. Nice!
Sixth Line - Etheral tone key sustain, warming to a Phil Colins style vox, into super thump
trash can bass drum hits. Groovy. This is one of the more hooky chorus melodies so far,
even though it a bit of a side glance performance of the title lyric -- kind of like the
ooo ooos in R&B. I'm sure you'l repeat a bunch at the end -- yeah. Great.
Db Collective - Heavy soul. I like the Blues perfect guitar tone.
"Queen of mean" oh yeah honey sing it! This is a *CLASSIC* Blues
rendering of the title. Awesome.
Donovanntan - Do you listen to Sufjan? Acoustic and voice. Lovely solo songwriter number.
The structure is good. People in these parts are responsive to a good song, but are even
more responsive to a highly produced piece. You next step is to figure out how to get a
symphony to back you. The second half goes for a distortion on the guitar, but its too
gritty and Small Amp for this song. The shaker is a good idea.
Don't Reply - Pan heavy synth sustain with scrachy scrachy into -- Hip Hop! Pretty cool.
The vocals start strong, but quickly lose conviction. Short.
Renwick - nicely layered acoustic guitars -- the 6 string tone is a touch harsh. not sure
how to suggest a softening. Nice soothing progression and easy going vocals. The tones
and production are getting in the way though -- I used to love high treble EQ, but this
needs a softer touch.
Mailbox - A nice Joshua Tree intro, complete with marching snare. Doesn't quite develop
into a full U2 blossom however, stays a bit more low key in the production. I like the
keyboard flute part. Kind of goes into a Jethro Tull thing which is nice.
Cool easy listening.
Doorite - Experimental Elecronica intro into -- Hip Hop! Okay, not sure how to compare
this to the don't reply bit. This has more performers and the vibe is for something smoother
rather than tough. Seems okay, but no hook to latch onto.
Eddie Lance - Piano appegios. Contemplative. Lilting. Somber. Hesitantly optimistic.
Urgent. Anxious. Instrumental.
Eugene Manitoba - Uke! Xyl! Shaker. Little nursery verse. I'm hearing a more catchy
harmony for the chorus melody. Cow bell! Nice whistle solo. Very cool lo-fi production
of alternative instruments. Nice little Hawaian BBQ campfire song. The outro can go.
Kabuto - Nerd core self-proclamation intro. Nice nerdy scratchies. Counter strike, sweet!
Pizza face, good. The track has nice smooth tones, and the vox are true to the genre. That
said, I'm not super partial to nerd rap -- its kind of a gimicky style for me -- fun the first
time, but never a beneficiary of the replay button.
Ham No Burger - Acoustic classic rock into with synth backing into a deep voice
that reminds of The Damned. Slow and broding with lyrics about agony. The synth
sounds sound really budget and hold the song back -- the lines are good, but perhaps
you could use them as MIDI masters for some better sounds generated by a good VST?
The guitar solo works well -- has a good line, development, harmonics, bends and all that.
Ken's Super Band - Ken's Green Day slow song style comes through on this one.
Borrowing time lyric is a strong starter. "Words are a false guarantee we, were
not meant to be" is a great rhyme. Liking the keyboards at the end!
King Arthur – Rolling bass groove with some nice slow guitar arpeggios in the hard panned left. This mix is pretty left heavy. A few distorted hits and texture tickle the right. The chorus is on the catchier side of this week’s entries.
Lights are a Fire – Organ and “white key jam” meandering piano solo atop. Enter weeping Nintendo synth lines. Sad little instrumental that fits the theme.
Luke Henley – Bright Eyes sort of thing but more folksy and care free. People shaped like clay reminds me of Ross Perot’s campaign in 1992. Sort of a cowboy blues wild west ballad with nice lo-fi acoustic and singer in a ‘verb room production quality.
MC Eric B – Arabia intro into uptick mustard absurdity. Standard MC Eric: Growling talk over a budget “sample track” casio knock-off with lyrics contrasting different preferences between incompatible souls.
MS Paul – Echo sparse guitar licks into back beat groove and “The Streets” style UK rap about good Donkeys being hard to find.
Melvin – Nothing like a strong Bass/Drum intro. Driving beat and strong intro vocal line punches into a *REALLY STRONG* verse that hovers in the upper register and is just lovely to the ears. Loving the Melvin patent pending Catchy Perfect Backing Vocals TM. The guitar solo is great, though that part seems like you almost pulled back a bit on your Awesome Production Is Easy TM. The end is a touch abrupt too, but this is super pop at its finest with awesome hooks.
Nathaniel Tann – Piano tension intro with Linkin Park style vocal. The mix doesn’t seem balanced, and the lack of drums is noticeable.
Ocean City Dwellers – Steady smooth intro with echo laced vocal doing a sort of popless Oasis reflection on the title. Sounds like it has a Death Cab influence which is nice.
Regular Gonzelz – Fun single melody unison linkage bit of keyboard/vox spoof story that has a touch of Heavenly to it. I strangely like something about this, but no sure what or why. The “We were not meant to be in love” line has a good melody, and is a nice extension of the title which may seem obvious (duh + “in love”), but this is the only tune to do it thus far. Good job.
Simon Stewart – Some dulcimer or other “alternative” string instrument goes into a nice catchy line. The percussion hit is nice. You have some great instruments with nice authentic tones. Instrumental though, and sparse lines leave this with little to talk about.
Sound Scape – Good X style Male/Female thing. Why are all Male/Female bands compared to X? I was in a band that had Male/Female that sounded nothing like X, and we’d get compared to them all the time. This actually does sound like X though – guitars, writing, yeah.
Thing you do to a bank – Big Sigh backing. Nice bass drum thump sample. Goes into a bit of a barber shop thing. The lead vocalist is strong.
Weakest Suit – Starting with the title as the first line is a good idea for this one – I like that. The distant backing vox hard panned works for me. Nice contrasting guitar tones on 1 and 2. I’m missing drums and bass though. Also, this doesn’t build enough before it drops back into the slow airy part. This is Weak at (its) best.  I like the pushing me melody at the end.
Wes Davis – Kind of a garbage dump jam with cool panning. Its like a bunch of folks picked up some junk, figured out how to play a chord, and vamped on that until they came up with this.
Zender – Heavy explosive synth hits. Decent drum loop enters. Nerdy rap over. Space age story about poison and intelligent oozing.
So many! I stand behind my initial verdict, that this is between Melvin and Ken. Other shout outs: Db Collective
meets open pedal piano reverb thing.
Nick and Dex - *** Same as the Adam Ant entry *** Ok, only 40 songs!
Air Kicked Pigeon Band - Sort of a South Park style spoof song. Kermit vocals
over a nice little acoustic ditty. The Casio bit works well with the song and
adds a nice 80s retro pop touch. The vocals almost remind of Heavenly at the end.
So many entries – I reviewed this twice:
Air Kicked Pigeon Band - I am a Racoon lyric is memorable and seems to be a Frisbee spoof of “You can be the wrestler”. Nice little casio pop groove. The nasal vocals work for this. This is actually a pretty decent poppy number for something that is a spoof entry.
Andre at midnight - Endless picky with a anticipation building howl. One chord that
just keeps going until subtle change of voicing takes it into the title chorus at minute 1.
The bah bahs are cool over the piano 8 section. The steady snare works too.
Brilliant Void - Philisophical intro of spoken word and little vocoder descending
backing vox. This sounds like its own hideous lyric -- as if Plato was singing this to
a member of the underworld in a vain attempt order to escape.
Brody - Nice slow country/folk intro guitar. The vocals match with a nice drawl in a
subtle "Lake of Fire" sort of way. Reminds me vaguely of Nirvana unplugged without
the heavy chorus vocal parts -- just the soft verse bits. You need an intense bit to
balance this out.
Cakeloaf – Strong intro. Lush 12 string with nice clanky keyboard hits and some loose but lovely programmed beats. A crazy FX overlay of vocals makes this kind of Weenish. The progression is nice, but needs to change into a second part, or not -- its over already!
Chirp - Click clang, soft stand up bass, whispery, shaker samba thing. Moody!
Ostara - Nice soft alternative rock backing track with some authentic brit band vocals
that remind of Bloc Party somehow. The music is more like a late 80s soft Cure track.
The repeating guitar lick renforces the Bloc Party influence. The ascending Bass takes
away from it and makes it a new thing. The reverb rich vocal now takes it into a dazy
new section. Cool, but sounds very four-track from a production stand point. Gear!
Cynthia Size and Spoons - Electronica oh yeah. That Cynthia is 100% robot just blows
my mind! She is brilliant, and I want one of my very own. The ecclectic beats of this
grate slightly, even to my math rock loving ears. Please enter a super dance tune next
week number with a pop hook and all your killer technology.
Minty Handy - Awesome! Just reading your name gets me excited. Is that appropriate for kids?
Beautiful lyrics as always. The Musical genre tag is appropriate. How do you make all
titles into a deep love song? No uke on this??? Piano is not as portable. Wow, this really
devolves into some ugly Godzilla key slamming. Nice!
Sixth Line - Etheral tone key sustain, warming to a Phil Colins style vox, into super thump
trash can bass drum hits. Groovy. This is one of the more hooky chorus melodies so far,
even though it a bit of a side glance performance of the title lyric -- kind of like the
ooo ooos in R&B. I'm sure you'l repeat a bunch at the end -- yeah. Great.
Db Collective - Heavy soul. I like the Blues perfect guitar tone.
"Queen of mean" oh yeah honey sing it! This is a *CLASSIC* Blues
rendering of the title. Awesome.
Donovanntan - Do you listen to Sufjan? Acoustic and voice. Lovely solo songwriter number.
The structure is good. People in these parts are responsive to a good song, but are even
more responsive to a highly produced piece. You next step is to figure out how to get a
symphony to back you. The second half goes for a distortion on the guitar, but its too
gritty and Small Amp for this song. The shaker is a good idea.
Don't Reply - Pan heavy synth sustain with scrachy scrachy into -- Hip Hop! Pretty cool.
The vocals start strong, but quickly lose conviction. Short.
Renwick - nicely layered acoustic guitars -- the 6 string tone is a touch harsh. not sure
how to suggest a softening. Nice soothing progression and easy going vocals. The tones
and production are getting in the way though -- I used to love high treble EQ, but this
needs a softer touch.
Mailbox - A nice Joshua Tree intro, complete with marching snare. Doesn't quite develop
into a full U2 blossom however, stays a bit more low key in the production. I like the
keyboard flute part. Kind of goes into a Jethro Tull thing which is nice.
Cool easy listening.
Doorite - Experimental Elecronica intro into -- Hip Hop! Okay, not sure how to compare
this to the don't reply bit. This has more performers and the vibe is for something smoother
rather than tough. Seems okay, but no hook to latch onto.
Eddie Lance - Piano appegios. Contemplative. Lilting. Somber. Hesitantly optimistic.
Urgent. Anxious. Instrumental.
Eugene Manitoba - Uke! Xyl! Shaker. Little nursery verse. I'm hearing a more catchy
harmony for the chorus melody. Cow bell! Nice whistle solo. Very cool lo-fi production
of alternative instruments. Nice little Hawaian BBQ campfire song. The outro can go.
Kabuto - Nerd core self-proclamation intro. Nice nerdy scratchies. Counter strike, sweet!
Pizza face, good. The track has nice smooth tones, and the vox are true to the genre. That
said, I'm not super partial to nerd rap -- its kind of a gimicky style for me -- fun the first
time, but never a beneficiary of the replay button.
Ham No Burger - Acoustic classic rock into with synth backing into a deep voice
that reminds of The Damned. Slow and broding with lyrics about agony. The synth
sounds sound really budget and hold the song back -- the lines are good, but perhaps
you could use them as MIDI masters for some better sounds generated by a good VST?
The guitar solo works well -- has a good line, development, harmonics, bends and all that.
Ken's Super Band - Ken's Green Day slow song style comes through on this one.
Borrowing time lyric is a strong starter. "Words are a false guarantee we, were
not meant to be" is a great rhyme. Liking the keyboards at the end!
King Arthur – Rolling bass groove with some nice slow guitar arpeggios in the hard panned left. This mix is pretty left heavy. A few distorted hits and texture tickle the right. The chorus is on the catchier side of this week’s entries.
Lights are a Fire – Organ and “white key jam” meandering piano solo atop. Enter weeping Nintendo synth lines. Sad little instrumental that fits the theme.
Luke Henley – Bright Eyes sort of thing but more folksy and care free. People shaped like clay reminds me of Ross Perot’s campaign in 1992. Sort of a cowboy blues wild west ballad with nice lo-fi acoustic and singer in a ‘verb room production quality.
MC Eric B – Arabia intro into uptick mustard absurdity. Standard MC Eric: Growling talk over a budget “sample track” casio knock-off with lyrics contrasting different preferences between incompatible souls.
MS Paul – Echo sparse guitar licks into back beat groove and “The Streets” style UK rap about good Donkeys being hard to find.
Melvin – Nothing like a strong Bass/Drum intro. Driving beat and strong intro vocal line punches into a *REALLY STRONG* verse that hovers in the upper register and is just lovely to the ears. Loving the Melvin patent pending Catchy Perfect Backing Vocals TM. The guitar solo is great, though that part seems like you almost pulled back a bit on your Awesome Production Is Easy TM. The end is a touch abrupt too, but this is super pop at its finest with awesome hooks.
Nathaniel Tann – Piano tension intro with Linkin Park style vocal. The mix doesn’t seem balanced, and the lack of drums is noticeable.
Ocean City Dwellers – Steady smooth intro with echo laced vocal doing a sort of popless Oasis reflection on the title. Sounds like it has a Death Cab influence which is nice.
Regular Gonzelz – Fun single melody unison linkage bit of keyboard/vox spoof story that has a touch of Heavenly to it. I strangely like something about this, but no sure what or why. The “We were not meant to be in love” line has a good melody, and is a nice extension of the title which may seem obvious (duh + “in love”), but this is the only tune to do it thus far. Good job.
Simon Stewart – Some dulcimer or other “alternative” string instrument goes into a nice catchy line. The percussion hit is nice. You have some great instruments with nice authentic tones. Instrumental though, and sparse lines leave this with little to talk about.
Sound Scape – Good X style Male/Female thing. Why are all Male/Female bands compared to X? I was in a band that had Male/Female that sounded nothing like X, and we’d get compared to them all the time. This actually does sound like X though – guitars, writing, yeah.
Thing you do to a bank – Big Sigh backing. Nice bass drum thump sample. Goes into a bit of a barber shop thing. The lead vocalist is strong.
Weakest Suit – Starting with the title as the first line is a good idea for this one – I like that. The distant backing vox hard panned works for me. Nice contrasting guitar tones on 1 and 2. I’m missing drums and bass though. Also, this doesn’t build enough before it drops back into the slow airy part. This is Weak at (its) best.  I like the pushing me melody at the end.
Wes Davis – Kind of a garbage dump jam with cool panning. Its like a bunch of folks picked up some junk, figured out how to play a chord, and vamped on that until they came up with this.
Zender – Heavy explosive synth hits. Decent drum loop enters. Nerdy rap over. Space age story about poison and intelligent oozing.
So many! I stand behind my initial verdict, that this is between Melvin and Ken. Other shout outs: Db Collective
m++
-
WeaselSlayer
- Grok
- Posts: 1592
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 5:13 pm
- Instruments: Guitar, keyboard
- Recording Method: Garageband, laptop mic
- Submitting as: Luke Henley
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Contact:
The Thing You Do To A Bank - Great tension built in the opening, but the vocals completely shatter it and this turns into something that doesn't compel me at all. I don't feel like you mean a single thing you're singing. Or if you do, you mean a lot of cheesy sentiments.
Minty Handy - This IS Broadway-y. I think I might just have a problem with cleverness, or maybe cuteness. I can admire the charm in this and it's put together well, but I'm a miserable bastard. Actually. As I keep mulling it over, I think I do enjoy it. The ending is great. Need a book-writer for the show?
Mailbox - Sounds earnest, which is always a good thing. It's refreshing to hear someone who sounds like they mean what they're singing, and the instrumentation in this is pretty god damn impressive for a weekly internet competition. Nice bridge! What I really appreciate in this is the sense of movement in it, the way you actually feel like you've been somewhere by the end. Bravo.
Donovan Tann - You're restricting your voice by affecting a hush. And I also forgot that this title came from that god damn raccoon comic. So, you've placed yourself in the novelty realm unfortunately, but then again so have most of us. Otherwise, this song gets better when you're really singing.
Chirp - At first I thought this was creepy and full of cool tension, but the lyrics dispell that pretty quickly and I find myself not really liking this at all. Kind of stays in one place.
Set Fire - I thought this was going to sound more arsony. What I get instead is a pretty capable pop-rock song. Which to me unfortunately isn't terribly interesting, but that's because I only listen to metalks. And obscure noise "projects" from Japan.
Brilliant Void - Is this a Niveous-related project? I'm happy someone else interpreted "We Were Not Meant to Be" as a question of existence rather than a romance between a raccoon and a squid. I like that the lyrics build on themselves and somehow cause the song to grow without changing the structure, which is effective.
Zender - Fucking boring and stupid.
dB Collective - Too deeply rooted in the traditions it came from, I could just go listen to any number of blues/soul/r&b albums I already own. Your voice seems to be struggling to get through some of the phrases, possibly a side-effect of affectation.
Adam Adamant - Shoes. Shoes. Shoes. Oh, it's an 80s rip, should have seen that coming. Well, it's an effective one. It sounds just like an 80s song. Congratulations.
Melvin - Interesting melody, I like it. Overall, this uses the conventions you're so good at using, but also doesn't just sound like a bunch of other songs. Dare I say you're getting better? I do! I do dare! Perhaps a future of outside-the-box-from-inside-the-box is in the cards for you? That's more of a compliment than it sounds. There's something to be said for subverting the system from within.
Cynthia Size and the @eclectic Sp00ns - This is gratingly bizarre and isn't rooted in a solid idea. Weird for weird's sake.
MC Paul Denyer - Probable vote. Best Denyer rap I've heard so far. The brass addition is brilliant, everything about this is maddeningly twistedly brilliant.
Measle - That's a killer opening. I like the music under this, but the vocals on top seem out of place. The rambling doesn't work with such an effective, tight musical foundation. The harmonies are nice, though. Too many words, less is more.
Weakest Suit - This is pretty good, I really don't have any specific thoughts on it. I apologize.
Lights of a Fire - Sounds like some of the old shit I used to do. The stuff I look back on and think "This is sort of pointless and boring." But it sounds like you mean every note, so that's good.
Doctor Nocturne - This is fun, I don't like the megaphone vocals. Very theatrical, in a way that works for the song. Great bridge. I dig this quite a bit.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n' Stuff - Again, a lack of tie-in with the comic, which I appreciate (booo hisss dino comix rule booo, some might say). I can tap into this, though, and can piggyback on the emotion that you're putting into it. And that's what music is about! I like it, good song.
Renwick - I was not liking the clean (perhaps plugged in directly?) guitar at first, but in spite of that this turned into a pretty well-developed song with some nice little nooks and crannies. I'm appreciating the density of some of these entries, but there's always a risk of it being overwhelming. This is not the case in this song, so congratulations.
Ham No Burger - I have nothing constructive to say. It sounds like a million other songfight entries I've heard, sorry.
The Airkick Pigeon Band - This is really disappointing considering the source. It's pretty flat and distractingly silly.
Sixthline and BCB - Cool little goth pop song. Strong vocal presence, simple but effective construction, has movement to it. A very solid song. Not something I would listen to on my own, but what does that matter? Cool break near the end, you sound like you know what the hell you're doing. Ends like a mid-90s alternative hit.
Cake Loaf - Whoah, not what I was expecting. This is like pop nihilism, totally grinded up in some devil's machine and puked directly into my ears. Very cool, though dangerously unfocused at times. Then again, it might not be any good otherwise.
Regular Gonzales - Magnetic Fields, minus the lyrical genius? Pretty good rip-off.
Weezy Blumpkin - Poppy, but is oddly lethargic. Sounds like you're sleeping through it. Kind of like the Dandy Warhols, who do the same thing and it always bugs me.
Eugene Manitoba - Cute, schmaltzy. That ding ding ding is not in the same key as the song. Pretty weak lyrically.
Andre was here at midnight - This is one of the best of your songs, which I love very much. It's amazing to me how you can do so much with so little, and it's a lesson a lot of people should but will never learn. Great fucking song.
Kabuto - Well, at least someone else hates nerdcore bullshit, but you know... you're still a nerd.
Nathaniel Tann - Your voice is really bothering me for some reason. This doesn't really move me, dunno why. Probably cuz I'm an asshole. Oh, get really quiet and then get LOUD. That's a new one. Sing over the loud part, it would work really well. Going out on a big wanky solo is lame. Ok there's some vocals, but too little too late!
Eddie Lance - Boring. Sounds like a Lifetime movie.
Simon Stewart - I hate shit like this.
brody - Very psychedelic lyrics, I like the imagery and the overall attitude of the song. Musically it doesn't grab me that much, I prefer the vocals over the soloing.
Soundscape Rebellion - I suppose this is rebelling against soundscapes. Very repetitive and doesn't keep my attention. Grrrrr.
Don't Reply Tha MC - This is horrible.
Luke Henley feat. Andrew Ryder (me and Andrew Ryder) - Andrew did some kick ass dulcimer work on this. Was feeling solipsistic.
MC Eric B - I have seen no improvement in your music since you started here. Tsk tsk tsk. Also, you kind of need to rap in order to be an MC.
Wes Davis - Fun, well-arranged, really not my thing though, sorry. You're quite good, though.
King Arthur - I mean, maybe this is obvious, but you really show me how much maturity and experience counts in songwriting. I appreciate being able to receive these little lessons via great songs. Thank you.
Ocean City Defender - For some reason not what I was expecting. I'm pleasantly surprised, pretty nice song. It just kind of ends without really letting itself go anywhere, though.
Doorite - Irritating and bad. And sadly, the second best rap in this fight.
The Curse Of - I am really hard-pressed to think of something constructive to say. This is very ok. Now who needs a drink? I'll have one!
Minty Handy - This IS Broadway-y. I think I might just have a problem with cleverness, or maybe cuteness. I can admire the charm in this and it's put together well, but I'm a miserable bastard. Actually. As I keep mulling it over, I think I do enjoy it. The ending is great. Need a book-writer for the show?
Mailbox - Sounds earnest, which is always a good thing. It's refreshing to hear someone who sounds like they mean what they're singing, and the instrumentation in this is pretty god damn impressive for a weekly internet competition. Nice bridge! What I really appreciate in this is the sense of movement in it, the way you actually feel like you've been somewhere by the end. Bravo.
Donovan Tann - You're restricting your voice by affecting a hush. And I also forgot that this title came from that god damn raccoon comic. So, you've placed yourself in the novelty realm unfortunately, but then again so have most of us. Otherwise, this song gets better when you're really singing.
Chirp - At first I thought this was creepy and full of cool tension, but the lyrics dispell that pretty quickly and I find myself not really liking this at all. Kind of stays in one place.
Set Fire - I thought this was going to sound more arsony. What I get instead is a pretty capable pop-rock song. Which to me unfortunately isn't terribly interesting, but that's because I only listen to metalks. And obscure noise "projects" from Japan.
Brilliant Void - Is this a Niveous-related project? I'm happy someone else interpreted "We Were Not Meant to Be" as a question of existence rather than a romance between a raccoon and a squid. I like that the lyrics build on themselves and somehow cause the song to grow without changing the structure, which is effective.
Zender - Fucking boring and stupid.
dB Collective - Too deeply rooted in the traditions it came from, I could just go listen to any number of blues/soul/r&b albums I already own. Your voice seems to be struggling to get through some of the phrases, possibly a side-effect of affectation.
Adam Adamant - Shoes. Shoes. Shoes. Oh, it's an 80s rip, should have seen that coming. Well, it's an effective one. It sounds just like an 80s song. Congratulations.
Melvin - Interesting melody, I like it. Overall, this uses the conventions you're so good at using, but also doesn't just sound like a bunch of other songs. Dare I say you're getting better? I do! I do dare! Perhaps a future of outside-the-box-from-inside-the-box is in the cards for you? That's more of a compliment than it sounds. There's something to be said for subverting the system from within.
Cynthia Size and the @eclectic Sp00ns - This is gratingly bizarre and isn't rooted in a solid idea. Weird for weird's sake.
MC Paul Denyer - Probable vote. Best Denyer rap I've heard so far. The brass addition is brilliant, everything about this is maddeningly twistedly brilliant.
Measle - That's a killer opening. I like the music under this, but the vocals on top seem out of place. The rambling doesn't work with such an effective, tight musical foundation. The harmonies are nice, though. Too many words, less is more.
Weakest Suit - This is pretty good, I really don't have any specific thoughts on it. I apologize.
Lights of a Fire - Sounds like some of the old shit I used to do. The stuff I look back on and think "This is sort of pointless and boring." But it sounds like you mean every note, so that's good.
Doctor Nocturne - This is fun, I don't like the megaphone vocals. Very theatrical, in a way that works for the song. Great bridge. I dig this quite a bit.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n' Stuff - Again, a lack of tie-in with the comic, which I appreciate (booo hisss dino comix rule booo, some might say). I can tap into this, though, and can piggyback on the emotion that you're putting into it. And that's what music is about! I like it, good song.
Renwick - I was not liking the clean (perhaps plugged in directly?) guitar at first, but in spite of that this turned into a pretty well-developed song with some nice little nooks and crannies. I'm appreciating the density of some of these entries, but there's always a risk of it being overwhelming. This is not the case in this song, so congratulations.
Ham No Burger - I have nothing constructive to say. It sounds like a million other songfight entries I've heard, sorry.
The Airkick Pigeon Band - This is really disappointing considering the source. It's pretty flat and distractingly silly.
Sixthline and BCB - Cool little goth pop song. Strong vocal presence, simple but effective construction, has movement to it. A very solid song. Not something I would listen to on my own, but what does that matter? Cool break near the end, you sound like you know what the hell you're doing. Ends like a mid-90s alternative hit.
Cake Loaf - Whoah, not what I was expecting. This is like pop nihilism, totally grinded up in some devil's machine and puked directly into my ears. Very cool, though dangerously unfocused at times. Then again, it might not be any good otherwise.
Regular Gonzales - Magnetic Fields, minus the lyrical genius? Pretty good rip-off.
Weezy Blumpkin - Poppy, but is oddly lethargic. Sounds like you're sleeping through it. Kind of like the Dandy Warhols, who do the same thing and it always bugs me.
Eugene Manitoba - Cute, schmaltzy. That ding ding ding is not in the same key as the song. Pretty weak lyrically.
Andre was here at midnight - This is one of the best of your songs, which I love very much. It's amazing to me how you can do so much with so little, and it's a lesson a lot of people should but will never learn. Great fucking song.
Kabuto - Well, at least someone else hates nerdcore bullshit, but you know... you're still a nerd.
Nathaniel Tann - Your voice is really bothering me for some reason. This doesn't really move me, dunno why. Probably cuz I'm an asshole. Oh, get really quiet and then get LOUD. That's a new one. Sing over the loud part, it would work really well. Going out on a big wanky solo is lame. Ok there's some vocals, but too little too late!
Eddie Lance - Boring. Sounds like a Lifetime movie.
Simon Stewart - I hate shit like this.
brody - Very psychedelic lyrics, I like the imagery and the overall attitude of the song. Musically it doesn't grab me that much, I prefer the vocals over the soloing.
Soundscape Rebellion - I suppose this is rebelling against soundscapes. Very repetitive and doesn't keep my attention. Grrrrr.
Don't Reply Tha MC - This is horrible.
Luke Henley feat. Andrew Ryder (me and Andrew Ryder) - Andrew did some kick ass dulcimer work on this. Was feeling solipsistic.
MC Eric B - I have seen no improvement in your music since you started here. Tsk tsk tsk. Also, you kind of need to rap in order to be an MC.
Wes Davis - Fun, well-arranged, really not my thing though, sorry. You're quite good, though.
King Arthur - I mean, maybe this is obvious, but you really show me how much maturity and experience counts in songwriting. I appreciate being able to receive these little lessons via great songs. Thank you.
Ocean City Defender - For some reason not what I was expecting. I'm pleasantly surprised, pretty nice song. It just kind of ends without really letting itself go anywhere, though.
Doorite - Irritating and bad. And sadly, the second best rap in this fight.
The Curse Of - I am really hard-pressed to think of something constructive to say. This is very ok. Now who needs a drink? I'll have one!
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Elias_Aquarius
- Llama
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 9:03 pm
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- Contact:
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MintyHandy
- Mixtral
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:00 pm
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Elias_Aquarius
- Llama
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 9:03 pm
- Location: California
- Contact:
Before I begin, I'd like to say that I don't understand the stigma against "spoof entries" or "silly songs". People who write good lyrics about a non-serious subject not only reveal a sense of humour, but also an adaptive and focusable talent. Anybody can write how they feel about love or somesuch. It takes creativity, knowledge, and a certain way with words to write a song that is subject-specific- especially an obscure subject.
That said, I didn't give extra points to people who knew what the title was based off of, because that's unfair. But outside of the score, you got points for trying.
Also, one more thing: I totally love it when vocal harmonies are totally awful. So that could explain a few of these.
Adam Adamant - 6/10
Kind of slow moving, and too synthy for my tastes. I had trouble discerning a melody. On the other hand, I love the name.
Air Kick Pigeon Band - 12/10
Flippin' sweet synth. Great and appropriate voice modification. Wonderful acoustic intro, evolving into a catchy, rhymic, synthy, melodic song. This song makes me feel all kinds of fuzzy inside. It'll be hard to top it.
edit: Plus a Perry Bible Fellowship reference! This song is all kinds of win.
Andrew Was Here at Midnight 10/10
I like the quirky "jumps" in the drums. Dunno if it was on accident or not, but it totally works in this Animal Collective-esqe song, as do the little interruptions in the regular rythem. The Pa-pa-pas are delightful, and the "my cousin and me" line gets major props.
Brilliant Void - 8.5 /10
Reminds me a lot of The Reverend Brendon Powell Smith. The lyrics are clear, and I think the chanting does a great job of conveying the sinisterness of the racoons that are the subjects of the song.
Brody - 7/10
Well performed and written, but also kind of slow moving. I'm not sure I like the major shift at the end. I kind of wish it would have stayed minor. Good guitar-heavy tune, but I can't imagine myself desiring strongly to hear it again.
Cake Loaf- 8.5/10
While this one is also kind of slow, this is countered by the bizarre, constantly-coming-and-going instrument loops which make it interesting to hear. Plus, I think I hear an accordian or harmonica in the back. Sweet
Chirp - 8.5/10
Pleasant little island ditty. The voice modification about two-thirds through threw me off, but in a good way. The lyrics are creepy as hell, which works. Plus, I dig the female vocals. In short, this song has the capability to take me away to some secluded jungle/beach/hut, swaying in a hammock in the moonlight.
The curse Of - 6/10
The vocals seemed to clash with the riff, and not in a good way. It was hard to tell the mood of the song. And it feels a little homogeneous. Didn't really do much for me.
Cynthia Size and the @Eclectic Sp00ns - 10/10
I really dig the haunting vocals. The chords don't seem to very harmonic, and the backround synth feels out of sync with the rythem, but it all blends in such a way as to create this terrific atmosphere of sinister and hidden gestures. I listened to it twice because it's so short.
dB Collective - 10/10
What can I say? They got down that old-timey southern bar-rock sound perfectly. And I love it when singers do that gutteral throat growl at the beginning of a line. I started inadvertently nodding my head to this song.
Doctor Nocturne
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to review myself.
I like it?
Donovan Tann 8.5/10
(Ha ha ... Donovan). Anyway, since I'm a sucker for folk music, this one appealed to me. Nice flow to the song- soft, strong, soft. The maraca gave it much life.
Don't Reply Tha MC - 6.5/10
Since this is a rap song, I tried to pay closer attention to the lyrics. The disk scratches kind of distracted me from that, though. It's a refreshing change from the guitar-heavy songs so far, and so far, I haven't heard any songs about being on welfare, so it gets points for not being the same as everything else.
Doorite - 8.5/10
Also different than a lot of the entires thus far, but it has a lot more going for it. It's hard to tell the lyrics, but I like the vocals. If I'm not mistaken, it's about the industrial revolution, or society's turn from green (agriculture) to machine (factory), which is [ironic] considering how the song seems to become more mechanical as it goes on. That and the rhymes are clever and the rythem feels very balanced.
Eddie Lance - 7/10
It's instrumental. What can I say?
Eugene Manitoba - 10/10
A great twist on the "incompatibility/bad relationship" theme we've seen so far, so far as lyrics go. The same idea, but the reasons for the incompatibility are trivial and silly. I dig it
lots.
Ham No Burger - 7.86/10
They got points for the synth strings in the background, as well as a catchy tune. I can hear this being on the radio during the mid-90s. A quite groovy tune. That said, It's not captivating enough for an 8, yet not bad enough for a 7, or a 7.5 even.
Kabuto - 6/10
I respect Nerdcore, since, as easy as it is to write terrible rap music, it's crazily difficult to write good rap music. Especially about geeky subjects. That said, I say this song falls somewhere in between good and terrible. The fact that it's sort of a
meta-song (it sings about singing nerd rap), and the fact that it openly bashes another style (in this case, regular rap) really it
has more in common with popular rap than it has different. Nice try, though.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - 6/10
Ehh...not highly interesting, a bit predictable. Not really my jazz.
King Arthur - 7.75/10
I liked the singer's voice, particularly the way it almost-cracks, and actually does crack on at least one occasion. The bassline is interesting enough to liven up the otherwise flat and borish bits.
Lights of a Fire - 8/10
Another instrumental, but this one is a bit more interesting than the other one. The ending sure dragged on, though.
Luke Henley feat. Andrew Ryder - 9.75/10
Wow, brilliant lyrics. I was caught the moment the first line was uttered. The guitar is interesting enough, and the little excitement it lacks is saved by the words.
Mailbox - 8/10
Musically great- I can't say anything bad about the tone or melody. The lyrics aren't all too interesting, though. Not really plucking my strings, but I suppose I could enjoy it were I in different mood.
MC Eric B - 7.64/10
Cleverly spoofing the relationship-problems, but I feel like it wasn't quite well done as it could have been. However, the intro is pretty great, and the 2/4 time thing is something I don't think I've seen so far. Now, I normally love vocals that fall far short of perfect, but I feel like this song would sound better if they didn't drawl as much. That bugged me a bit.
MC Paul Denyer - 8.85/10
It's hard to hear the words, but the bits I could hear were humorous and clever. I'm not sure where "we were not meant to be" comes in, though. If it was a line in the song, than it was obscured by the other instruments. Otherwise, good job!
Measle - 7/10
I didn't really like the fact that the beat stayed the same throughout the song. There were some clever rhymes, though.
Melvin - 10/10
Great intro, interesting chorus, ear-stretching yet likeable vocals, decent harmonies, balanced levels, well-done bridge, and good rhythem and chord progression. In short, an excellent rock song.
Minty handy - 10/10
Is this an original song (that is, original lyrics?)? Cause if it is, then bravo on making an amazing duet. Otherwise, I don't think that songs written before the contest are...are meant to be.
Nathaniel Tann - 7.5/10
The songs seems awkwardly put together, and the vocals dominate the beginning a bit much. WOW! heavy distortion guitar in the middle totally surprised me. You can hear the metal influences in this song, even though metals not totally my bag. A well-done metal song, if nothing else.
Ocean City Defender - 7/10
well-made, but overall not so interesting to me. Another slow-mover, I guess, with not much happening in the song.
Regular Gonzalez - 9/10
A good song with a solid melody, though I think the drums are too loud and flat. It's catchy, and the lyrics are clever too.
Renwick - 10/10
The intro is interesting, and the song is overall well made and interesting to listen to. Not bad in any way, really.
Set Fire - 6.8/10
This sort of rock doesn't really appeal to me too much, and there seemed to be some time and volume issues. A good pop-punk song,
but I'm not into that a whole lot.
Sixthline and BCB - 10/10
Great sound, it's trip-hop-esque. The shift in rythem in the middle, the sudden acoustic guitar, the vocal outro, all lend some excitement to it. Well done.
Simon Stewart - 9.999999999999/10
The best instrumental so far? I think so! Minus .000000000001 points because of the lack of "we were not meant to be". Independant from the contest, a 10/10 song.
Soundscape Rebellion - 8.85/10
Good idea with the mix of the male/female vocals, but the guitar and drums are overwhelmed. A well-written, but badly mixed tune.
The Thing You Do To A Bank - 7.7/10
Decent lyrics, for the bad-relationship theme. Can't say I enjoy the "Ahhhhh" constantly going in the background.
The Weakest Suit - 9/10
Quite good, for a slower song. Dreamy and sleepy, the kind of thing I can dig. And it has the haunting vocals down. Pretty good.
Weezy Blumpkin - 11/10
A good rock song. A Great rock song. Lyrics are alright, I guess. You're rockin' the whoo-hoo-hoos.
Wes Davis - 9/10
On lyrics alone, I would say this song was not too great. But the frying-pan country-acoustic lofty bits that are hard to divide into melody, harmony, and percussion make it all work out great.
zender - 11/10
Funny rhymes. Strike that- brilliant rhymes. A great example of nerdcore, if I may so myself.
===================================
There were some truly great gems here, and as you've probably guessed, I cast my vote for The Air Kick Pigeon Band.
That said, I didn't give extra points to people who knew what the title was based off of, because that's unfair. But outside of the score, you got points for trying.
Also, one more thing: I totally love it when vocal harmonies are totally awful. So that could explain a few of these.
Adam Adamant - 6/10
Kind of slow moving, and too synthy for my tastes. I had trouble discerning a melody. On the other hand, I love the name.
Air Kick Pigeon Band - 12/10
Flippin' sweet synth. Great and appropriate voice modification. Wonderful acoustic intro, evolving into a catchy, rhymic, synthy, melodic song. This song makes me feel all kinds of fuzzy inside. It'll be hard to top it.
edit: Plus a Perry Bible Fellowship reference! This song is all kinds of win.
Andrew Was Here at Midnight 10/10
I like the quirky "jumps" in the drums. Dunno if it was on accident or not, but it totally works in this Animal Collective-esqe song, as do the little interruptions in the regular rythem. The Pa-pa-pas are delightful, and the "my cousin and me" line gets major props.
Brilliant Void - 8.5 /10
Reminds me a lot of The Reverend Brendon Powell Smith. The lyrics are clear, and I think the chanting does a great job of conveying the sinisterness of the racoons that are the subjects of the song.
Brody - 7/10
Well performed and written, but also kind of slow moving. I'm not sure I like the major shift at the end. I kind of wish it would have stayed minor. Good guitar-heavy tune, but I can't imagine myself desiring strongly to hear it again.
Cake Loaf- 8.5/10
While this one is also kind of slow, this is countered by the bizarre, constantly-coming-and-going instrument loops which make it interesting to hear. Plus, I think I hear an accordian or harmonica in the back. Sweet
Chirp - 8.5/10
Pleasant little island ditty. The voice modification about two-thirds through threw me off, but in a good way. The lyrics are creepy as hell, which works. Plus, I dig the female vocals. In short, this song has the capability to take me away to some secluded jungle/beach/hut, swaying in a hammock in the moonlight.
The curse Of - 6/10
The vocals seemed to clash with the riff, and not in a good way. It was hard to tell the mood of the song. And it feels a little homogeneous. Didn't really do much for me.
Cynthia Size and the @Eclectic Sp00ns - 10/10
I really dig the haunting vocals. The chords don't seem to very harmonic, and the backround synth feels out of sync with the rythem, but it all blends in such a way as to create this terrific atmosphere of sinister and hidden gestures. I listened to it twice because it's so short.
dB Collective - 10/10
What can I say? They got down that old-timey southern bar-rock sound perfectly. And I love it when singers do that gutteral throat growl at the beginning of a line. I started inadvertently nodding my head to this song.
Doctor Nocturne
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to review myself.
I like it?
Donovan Tann 8.5/10
(Ha ha ... Donovan). Anyway, since I'm a sucker for folk music, this one appealed to me. Nice flow to the song- soft, strong, soft. The maraca gave it much life.
Don't Reply Tha MC - 6.5/10
Since this is a rap song, I tried to pay closer attention to the lyrics. The disk scratches kind of distracted me from that, though. It's a refreshing change from the guitar-heavy songs so far, and so far, I haven't heard any songs about being on welfare, so it gets points for not being the same as everything else.
Doorite - 8.5/10
Also different than a lot of the entires thus far, but it has a lot more going for it. It's hard to tell the lyrics, but I like the vocals. If I'm not mistaken, it's about the industrial revolution, or society's turn from green (agriculture) to machine (factory), which is [ironic] considering how the song seems to become more mechanical as it goes on. That and the rhymes are clever and the rythem feels very balanced.
Eddie Lance - 7/10
It's instrumental. What can I say?
Eugene Manitoba - 10/10
A great twist on the "incompatibility/bad relationship" theme we've seen so far, so far as lyrics go. The same idea, but the reasons for the incompatibility are trivial and silly. I dig it
lots.
Ham No Burger - 7.86/10
They got points for the synth strings in the background, as well as a catchy tune. I can hear this being on the radio during the mid-90s. A quite groovy tune. That said, It's not captivating enough for an 8, yet not bad enough for a 7, or a 7.5 even.
Kabuto - 6/10
I respect Nerdcore, since, as easy as it is to write terrible rap music, it's crazily difficult to write good rap music. Especially about geeky subjects. That said, I say this song falls somewhere in between good and terrible. The fact that it's sort of a
meta-song (it sings about singing nerd rap), and the fact that it openly bashes another style (in this case, regular rap) really it
has more in common with popular rap than it has different. Nice try, though.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - 6/10
Ehh...not highly interesting, a bit predictable. Not really my jazz.
King Arthur - 7.75/10
I liked the singer's voice, particularly the way it almost-cracks, and actually does crack on at least one occasion. The bassline is interesting enough to liven up the otherwise flat and borish bits.
Lights of a Fire - 8/10
Another instrumental, but this one is a bit more interesting than the other one. The ending sure dragged on, though.
Luke Henley feat. Andrew Ryder - 9.75/10
Wow, brilliant lyrics. I was caught the moment the first line was uttered. The guitar is interesting enough, and the little excitement it lacks is saved by the words.
Mailbox - 8/10
Musically great- I can't say anything bad about the tone or melody. The lyrics aren't all too interesting, though. Not really plucking my strings, but I suppose I could enjoy it were I in different mood.
MC Eric B - 7.64/10
Cleverly spoofing the relationship-problems, but I feel like it wasn't quite well done as it could have been. However, the intro is pretty great, and the 2/4 time thing is something I don't think I've seen so far. Now, I normally love vocals that fall far short of perfect, but I feel like this song would sound better if they didn't drawl as much. That bugged me a bit.
MC Paul Denyer - 8.85/10
It's hard to hear the words, but the bits I could hear were humorous and clever. I'm not sure where "we were not meant to be" comes in, though. If it was a line in the song, than it was obscured by the other instruments. Otherwise, good job!
Measle - 7/10
I didn't really like the fact that the beat stayed the same throughout the song. There were some clever rhymes, though.
Melvin - 10/10
Great intro, interesting chorus, ear-stretching yet likeable vocals, decent harmonies, balanced levels, well-done bridge, and good rhythem and chord progression. In short, an excellent rock song.
Minty handy - 10/10
Is this an original song (that is, original lyrics?)? Cause if it is, then bravo on making an amazing duet. Otherwise, I don't think that songs written before the contest are...are meant to be.
Nathaniel Tann - 7.5/10
The songs seems awkwardly put together, and the vocals dominate the beginning a bit much. WOW! heavy distortion guitar in the middle totally surprised me. You can hear the metal influences in this song, even though metals not totally my bag. A well-done metal song, if nothing else.
Ocean City Defender - 7/10
well-made, but overall not so interesting to me. Another slow-mover, I guess, with not much happening in the song.
Regular Gonzalez - 9/10
A good song with a solid melody, though I think the drums are too loud and flat. It's catchy, and the lyrics are clever too.
Renwick - 10/10
The intro is interesting, and the song is overall well made and interesting to listen to. Not bad in any way, really.
Set Fire - 6.8/10
This sort of rock doesn't really appeal to me too much, and there seemed to be some time and volume issues. A good pop-punk song,
but I'm not into that a whole lot.
Sixthline and BCB - 10/10
Great sound, it's trip-hop-esque. The shift in rythem in the middle, the sudden acoustic guitar, the vocal outro, all lend some excitement to it. Well done.
Simon Stewart - 9.999999999999/10
The best instrumental so far? I think so! Minus .000000000001 points because of the lack of "we were not meant to be". Independant from the contest, a 10/10 song.
Soundscape Rebellion - 8.85/10
Good idea with the mix of the male/female vocals, but the guitar and drums are overwhelmed. A well-written, but badly mixed tune.
The Thing You Do To A Bank - 7.7/10
Decent lyrics, for the bad-relationship theme. Can't say I enjoy the "Ahhhhh" constantly going in the background.
The Weakest Suit - 9/10
Quite good, for a slower song. Dreamy and sleepy, the kind of thing I can dig. And it has the haunting vocals down. Pretty good.
Weezy Blumpkin - 11/10
A good rock song. A Great rock song. Lyrics are alright, I guess. You're rockin' the whoo-hoo-hoos.
Wes Davis - 9/10
On lyrics alone, I would say this song was not too great. But the frying-pan country-acoustic lofty bits that are hard to divide into melody, harmony, and percussion make it all work out great.
zender - 11/10
Funny rhymes. Strike that- brilliant rhymes. A great example of nerdcore, if I may so myself.
===================================
There were some truly great gems here, and as you've probably guessed, I cast my vote for The Air Kick Pigeon Band.
Mr. T says: Eat your school, don't do milk, and go to drugs.
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MintyHandy
- Mixtral
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:00 pm
- Instruments: None
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Then sir, I shall take your bravo. Original lyrics, original melody, all written after the title was posted. If you thought it was so good it couldn't possibly have been written for this fight...well, that just makes me all kinds of happy, actually. Is there a beaming-with-pride emoticon?Is this an original song (that is, original lyrics?)? Cause if it is, then bravo on making an amazing duet. Otherwise, I don't think that songs written before the contest are...are meant to be.
By the way, I'm not lurking in the thread, honest; my last comment was before I started reviewing, and I just wrapped up my reviews.