Songfight at the Grammys (We Are All Famous Reviews)

[ken]

Place your nominations here.

[Leaf]

Ants Invisible: This is deadly. Loved it. A CONTENDER. So dreamy and psychedelic in a totally awesome way.

Dopant: It's ok. The energy is pretty good, the whole thing lives in this midrange rumble, and seems... ok.

8LO Great drums. I like how the piece progresses into some funky but twisted zones... almost a contender, pretty good.

Heuristics Inc. Man, that intro sounds fantastic, especially after 8lo's piece! This is totally fucking great. Man, I'm going on three hours sleep right now, and this piece totally caught my mind. This is what I always wish Wrekdom did... but I don't need them to do it, cause that was wicked. A CONTENDER.

Johnny Cashpoint: I'm getting the feeling I get listening to trippy Jane's Addiction. I love that buzzing melody line... the drum line is cool. I like it. Spacey .... you have such a demented voice, and I get sucked into it. What is that stuff at the end... that's cool. This was a trip.

Kurt Pistov and the Ryan Wells Trio: Great groove right in. Super tight funky. I so like this right off the bat. Yeah. Is this a band or one dude? Bass, guitar, drums, vocals all kill. BAsically, a totally deadly band with a super tight deadly groove, but not much of a song. Fortunately for you, I could n't give a shit, cause this is wicked. A CONTENDER.

Leaf 62: The important thing is I had fun. This is the kind of stuff I come up with no time to think about consequences...

MAnhattanglutten: Nice bass. I like the harmony vocals. I like this tune. It's gotta home grown feel to it, I feel like I 'm hanging out listening to someone's band in a bedroom in Hespeler. Good.

Pileous: There is stuff I like about this, like the vibe and punkyness of it. It's too disjointed for me. It's ok.

Sausage boy I haven't heard a sausage boy track in ages. It's ok. Seems a bit sparse... you have a twisted outlook man! Interesting.

SleasyD Collective: It's ok, but it's not doing anything for me. Nice vocals. Seems like a tune from a musical.

Spy vs Pie I like the vibe. Good tune. Like the weird lead thing.

WayPastFrown: Guitar seems out of tune... this is ok, but not my thingitude on this one.


Well...some really great songs, some good, etc etc. Pretty balanced fight. Dont' know where I vote on this one... Ants or Heruistics... or maybe I listen again...

[EightLeggedOedipus]

Ants Invisible
+++ yes I like it. The rhythms are weird. Nice harmony chord at 1:00. +++
/// Kind of jarring, too, though. Is it an odd meter or just a wack syncopation? ///

Dopant
--- skip at :24 ---

Me
--- Hissy vocals ---
+++ I'm happy with the meandering songwriting +++
--- That vocal on the rap part is crap. Needs a lot of work. ---
+++ I like the last three flow lines +++

HeuristicsInc
/// Am I song-fighted out? Or is this a nightmare? ///
--- Sounds liek a DJ is mixing two silly tracks that have the same BPM, but are totally in different keys. ---

J$
+++ I like the synth intro. +++
/// Strange chord progression. I'm getting used to your singing. ///
+++ Ok, chorus is kicking donkey. I love that drum sound. How'd you do that? +++
--- I still don't liek the way you drape the words over the beat "medulla oblongata, that's my motto " sounds really forced. ---
CONTENDER

Kurt Pistov and the Ryan Wells Trio
+++ I don't know who these guys are, but I like it. +++
/// Wouldn't a trio +1 be a quartet? ///
--- Backing vocals are unnecessary and just muddy up the verses. Or maybe they should only be on every other line. They do hide how pitchy those main vocals are. ---
/// The ending goes on way too long. ///

Leaf 62
+++ Rock! +++
--- Oh no, Leaf, please collab with someone. This singing style is grating. ---
+++ This odd-meter break around 1:40 is cool. +++
/// The solo isn't doing anything for me ///
--- Outro melody is not remotely hummable... ---

Manhattan Glutton
+++ This has a geat sound. Even though it's sloppy +++
--- Rethink your harmony in the chorus. ---
/// Interesting lyrics about the shoes ///
+++ A brand new pretty song at 2:00. Well received +++

Pileus
--- This has horrible EQ. Do not take your DOD grunge petal direct into your computer mic input. ---

Sausage Boy
+++ Nice sampled beat +++
--- Whole note bass lines are cool, but the timing isn't even right here! ---
/// I get the idea the lyrics are kind of funny, but they don't draw me in. ///
--- Unfortunate suckage through the chorus ---

The Sleazy D Collective
--- OMG what the hell is this? ---
/// Usually the advantage of a collective is more ideas and more ears to provide valuable feedback. Didn't anyone tell you this is cheesy and her singing is off in a lot of places? ///
+++ Well, I was typing so I didn't skip yet, but around 2:00 is cool. +++
--- Oh no, we totally lost it again. Can't take it ---

Spy Vs Pie
--- It's orange county Chain Reaction* commodotized youth-punk singing. ---
/// A very interesting concept on the backing track ///
+++ Oh, this guitar part at 1:10 is relaly cool. +++

Way Past Frown
/// I totally didn't even realize this was playing. ///
--- GnG with nothing to grab on to---
+++ The clapping sounds stupid but I like it. +++


* An all-ages club where the same band plays the same songs every night but with different members and different names. All ages punk is so indistinguishable.

[A_Likely_Mike]

Dopant
--- skip at :24 ---

Thanks for that. There;s actually a whole chunk of song after you checked out.

[j$]

Reviews ---

J$

I would like to point out that I am NOT 8LO, he obviously just had a heart attack at the horror that is my song this week

j$

[Niveous]

Niv's Review paragraph:

I don't get these Ants tracks. But it's JoS and we never see eye to eye musically. We should collab, just because. Dopant brought the rock. Nothing superspecial about this song but it's good. It wouldn't be a single on an album but it's a decent track that you wouldn't skip. Good work. I didn't dig the scattered mess of stuff that 8LO entered. But it was thankfully short. I dig the feel of the Kurt Pistov and the RWT. I can't stand the vocals but it's an awfully funky tune. Makes me think !!! but in a good way. A definite contender. I was happy to see Sausage Boy make his return. Up until the end, it was a more mature style for him. Keep this up and I can definitely see myself voting for SB one day in the future. But today ain't that day. I want to write a sequel to the Sleazy D song where the boat crashes and all the talented people end up stuck on an island where their horrible truths come out. Plus there will be a polar bear or two. Good tune. It's a contender even though it's a bit long. Waypastfrown brings the g^2 (guy & guitar). Cute li'l clapping bit at the end. I dig g^2. Decent little tune. Welcome back Spy vs. Pie and you get the award for most original take on the theme. Pileus came off as lowgrade Redcar. Not good and quite repetitious. I love the sound of the guitar in Manhattan Glutton's song. I like the music on the song but it's lyrically weak. Hey MG, if you're actually in Manhattan- we should collab. I wish HInc would've used his regular voice. But I guess he wanted to set a tone, kind of an angry version of Moby's "we are all made of stars". Ok song but not thrilling. Everybody knows I'm in the J$ fan club but you can't like everything a musician does. I don't like J$ "...Internet" album much and this song sounds like it came right from it. Will listen to Tiny Paws of Fury album later to purge bad sounds. Leaf62 sounds like it's a late night at the club and the local band's set is winding down and it's not compelling me to stay for an encore. Vote time. And I'm giving it to Sleazy D Collective with Spy vs. Pie and Dopant coming in 2 & 3. Off to the next fight I go.

[Leaf]

Leaf62 sounds like it's a late night at the club and the local band's set is winding down and it's not compelling me to stay for an encore.

heeheehaha. No doubt man! it WAS a late night!
I listened to it again nast night, and I'm not super pleased with the performances on that track, although I like the ideas, just didn't execute them to my liking... that's what I get for starting the whole thing at 8:00 sunday night...

[Jim of Seattle]

Ants Invisible

/// Kind of jarring, too, though. Is it an odd meter or just a wack syncopation? ///

The latter. It's straight-ahead 4/4 the whole way.

[johnsonic]

Ants (Invisible)
- I really like the vibe to this one, nice and mello. Awesome harmonies. Got a bit muddy in spots but whatever.

Dopant
- Another good one. This wouldn't irritate me if it came on the radio.

8LO
- Kinda has a wilco vibe. I like this!

Heuristics, Inc.
- Not liking this a whole lot - the voice effect is getting to me.

Johnny Cashpoint
- The organs remind me of a ballgame. Thick british accents in music get to me as well, but that's just becase I suck.

Kurt Pistov and the Ryan Wells Trio
- This is me. I dig the music. The beer told me screaming would sound good, I think I'll resing it smoother.

Leaf 62
- Nice stops. Not bad for a sunday evening. I dig the palm mutey riffs. ROK.

Manhattan Glutton
- Damn this is LOUD - how'd you do that? Nice vocals. I like the chorus melody. Ooooh - outro. This may get my vote.

Pileus
- Damn this is thin. Where are the drums? That guitar made my left ear bleed.

Sausage Boy
- Needs more than bass / drums / vocals to keep my attention. Also variation in the vocal melody.

The Sleazy D Collective
- This is well put together. I'd really like to hear a harmony vocal.

Spy vs. Pie
- reminds me of ben folds, alot. Good song.

Waypastfrown
- Good enough, didn't keep me interested.

I vote Manhattan Glutton. 8LO and Dopant close second.

[johnsonic]

I just tried voting, and got a screen full of errors? Must be b/c of the 4 fights and I'm on a mac. Guess I'll try again later.

[Edge of LA]

JoS... very 60's fab. Reminds me Phil Spector's production of Tina Turner's "River Deep Mountain High"

[j$]

Ants (invisible) - I like the chorus - that's cool. The 'just a little bit' and barber shopping is wank though. It's a shame this isn't a minute long like the others - it ruins the concept. Oh God, I've just realised - you want to be the Beach Boys? The Midi-Beach Boys - ark! Not bad. But slightly smug.

Dopant - If Courtney Love was singing this it would be great. The voice needs to be a bit more lived-in. Specifically really reminds me of 'Celebrity Skin' Hole which features a song called 'Hollywood', natch! The singing is fine but it sounds like you've never been drunk, nevermind drunk on someone else ... needs a hangover before recoding in other words

8LO - I don't like writing '8LO' it reminds me of 'ELO' anyway ... I like the sections with the megaphone style vocal - I like the vocal all the way through, and the lyric is good for the most part apart from a few unneccessary post-modern references. But the music is 'meh' - feels pissed out rather than casual to me.

Heuristics Inc. - Great 80s New Order mood to this piece. I like the slighty vocodery vocals - it's a shame there's so much echoey verb on them - they fill up the space when they happen rather than sliding through the mix. I like this, though. I like the stabby synth very much and the ciruclar nature of it very much. Slightly more room in the mix and it would be a real winner. Good. Ending is fab.

Kurt Pistov et al. - it starts so Beck it hurts. It's a bit jumpy (the mp3 I mean) Thought that might just be the stream. No discernable chorus means 4 minutes is a long time. a nice groove stretched out of vote-contention by a minute
.
Leaf 62 - Saxon! the guitar is a bit quiet in the mix - it should be crackling along at the top of the mix in my opinion. The vocal sounds quite flat to start with but really good from the second verse on. You win the slightly ridiculous metal vote!

Manhattan Glutton - I like this a lot. The acoustic is a bit loud to be played clean. Great dumb bass splatter going on. The breakdown should have come 30 seconds earlier I was losing interest rapidly until it arrived. You should have started that at one minute then gone back into the part A IMO. Good, though.

Pileus - The vocal doesn't sound very confident. I like the beasties-esque guitar - the drums should be louder, much louder. Those vocals are distractingly lacking in confidence. Not bad semi-spoken rap voice at all, but it sounds like this is a first take by someone who isn't sure about the whole concept of the song. Nice guitar solo doesn't cover the lack of exploration within that nice single riff. The voice ruins this, but not for the usual reasons.

Sausage Boy - Hmmmm. Long time gone, came back the same. Not an entirely bad thing but your references are way too obvious for my own tastes. I like it conceptually but not in practice this time round I'm afraid.

Sleazy D Collective - Slow build is OK but that chorus is so so so familiar.... and with the drums that kick in, it starts sounding like (*sorry to say this if you disagree*) a Britney ballad. Very very nice, a bit synthetic at times, and really just a shuffling ballad no matter how much you throw at it, but I would be churlish to slag it off. It's good i guess. that chorus is so familiar though .... I wish I could think what it reminds me of ...

Spy vs Pie - oh, it's a shame that guitar is so furry. Internet mp3 collaboration? I am sure I've heard that basic melody before as well, but maybe that's just 'cos it's catchy. Production issues aside, a good song.

Way Past Frown - This key is right at the top of your register by the sounds of things, I would drop down a few semi-tones. What can I say about a b'n'g song? There's an interesting unexpected dischordancy in the chorus where you play a major where I expect a minor to come. Ummmmmmm.... Nice handclaps but they were a little loud in the mix!

J$ - me. I wouldn't have touched this title normally. Not very inspiring for me personally, but Gazelles wrote this lyric that I liked, although I still have no real idea what it's about.

Nothing terrible here. I liked Heuristics inc and Manhattan Glutton (though it really is a terrible band name)

[Jim of Seattle]

Ants (invisible) - I like the chorus - that's cool. The 'just a little bit' and barber shopping is wank though. It's a shame this isn't a minute long like the others - it ruins the concept. Oh God, I've just realised - you want to be the Beach Boys? The Midi-Beach Boys - ark! Not bad. But slightly smug.

I've kept my Ants (Invisible) project quiet up till now. But every week I've been getting the same "this is too short" complaint. So this week I decided to listen to my audience and submit one that scrapes in just over 2 minutes, and now one of the first reviews says it's too long!

And yikes, I don't want to be the Beach Boys. I just like the sound of vocal harmony. And it's fun to do. Sorry I came off smug. I certainly don't feel smug. You're entitled, but your review stung a little bit.

Oh, and btw, all the Ants (Invisible) songs fit together, like Songfight Orchestra.

And they're mostly going to be very short.

[j$]

And yikes, I don't want to be the Beach Boys. I just like the sound of vocal harmony. And it's fun to do. Sorry I came off smug. I certainly don't feel smug. You're entitled, but your review stung a little bit.

Ha! Well, I certainly know how to bait you, Jim, even when I don't know it's you! I can rephrase my review if you like ...

'I like the choruses very much - the verse (well the bit that isn't the choruses) reminds me a little too much of a beach boys song what with all the interlocking harmonies and its sprinkle of silliness. In fact taken out of the realms of the synthetic and re-recorded on 8 track, this could be a Beach Boys cut - take that as a compliment, I guess. There is a lot of style here, but whereas previously the 'minute' concept gave the ants invisible an albeit forced substance, now that rule has been broken, I find myself scratching my head and wondering 'Why?' It sounds great and yet at the same time I don't really feel moved to listen to it again.'

I don't like the idea of annoying you (or anyone) - I just tell it like I hear it. Which isn't always right, of course.

And no, i won't be doing this for anyone who calls me on a review I gave. Life is too short.

j$

[Andy Balham]

I just tried voting, and got a screen full of errors? Must be b/c of the 4 fights and I'm on a mac. Guess I'll try again later.

Me too, but I'm not on a mac.

[j$]

Bwahahaha my plan s working perfectly - I can't lose again if no-one can win!!!!! (rubs evil emperor ming ringed fingers together.)

[Sleazy_D]

Sleazy D Collective - Slow build is OK but that chorus is so so so familiar.... and with the drums that kick in, it starts sounding like (*sorry to say this if you disagree*) a Britney ballad. Very very nice, a bit synthetic at times, and really just a shuffling ballad no matter how much you throw at it, but I would be churlish to slag it off. It's good i guess. that chorus is so familiar though .... I wish I could think what it reminds me of ...

Hmmmm.... I V vi IV....

Beatles - Let It Be
Matchbox 20 - Push

There have got to be others..... It's close to Wonderful Tonight's chord progression.

It started off as an attempt at a bad pop song, but I realized that with proper beats it had a chance at being a descent Trip Hop Tune.... then I realized that the chord progression was too fast... I wound up with a mix of the 2. Ya, it could have sucked less.

[j$]

There have got to be others..... It's close to Wonderful Tonight's chord progression. .... Ya, it could have sucked less.

No it's the phrasing of the melody - damn, I can't place it. Ah well. And it could have sucked a lot more too... *shrug* I do sometimes feel like I should just say 'Not My Bag' when I come across songs that are fine but not exciting me, rather than dig myself a bigger hole by trying to say something. Then again, I prefer to get slagged than get no comments. Which is lucky really

[Spud]

I just tried voting, and got a screen full of errors? Must be b/c of the 4 fights and I'm on a mac. Guess I'll try again later.

My good man. That definitely qualifies as a Q.A. issue. In the future, please post here: viewforum.php?f=11

Thanks

p.s. I think it is fixed.

[HeuristicsInc]

I've kept my Ants (Invisible) project quiet up till now.

Ha, I knew it was you.
Can you elucidate on the band name's origin?
-bill

[Jim of Seattle]

Ha! Well, I certainly know how to bait you, Jim, even when I don't know it's you! I can rephrase my review if you like ...

Well I've certainly posted my share of mean-sounding reviews, and I always cave if I offended someone. Thanks for rephrasing.

This project of short connected bits arose from the basic reality of not having enough time every week to do whole songs. But I was really digging this week's song. It originally ended at the first "Beach Boys" moment, halfway through. But I liked it enough that I didn't want it to be over.

And the BB's have always sounded sort of smug to me too. So I do see your point.

[fluffy]

I am terribly disappointed in you, Ken, for not even *trying* to make an Andy Warhol reference with the thread title.