Gret it right the first time (Failure and Regret Reviews)

[erik]

man, you suck

[Leaf]

NS: Snoozey. And boring.

Queso De Pappa: Grreat groove. Great band. Mix is ... not as great as the band, but still very good. Just comes through my speakers super bassy or something... it seemed really long, although "on paper" it isn't... I liked it though, and it's a CONTENDER.

Songfight Orchestra: Alone... without the others... wickedly wicked. Oh... and you didn't "break the rules". I can't wait to hear it synced up...I like how the lyrics seem to flow from the last song, but in a directional changing way....

The Red Balloon: Well, the important thing is that you're having fun.

Deshead: You have a distinctive style and sound. It is a great sound, but the style doesn't make me wet. You have a good voice. This is so Canadian sounding! Makes me think of the Highlands bar they tore down in Cambridge... well, I just didn't really like the song, even though it's well done, and it's well played, and written. Solo guitar seems a titch out of tune... or something. Seriously. a really great sounding good song that ... I wanted to shuffle.

Diathetic....anagram? I was digging the intro. Vocals seem too loud. I 'm digging this tune. It has that 80's feel that makes me want to band, tighten and rollup the bottom of my jeans, flick my collar up, feather my hair and put on mascara. I liikeeedd it.


Hip Cola featuring Tonetripper: I love this. You take these risks with your music that make me smile. Sounds great. That one bit reminds me of Simple Minds, or ... man, what is that tune... YOU KNOW WHAT I 'M THINKING OFF!!! Nice lead melody. This sounds like the deadliest 80's music. CONTENDER.

Lonbobby This is wierd in a really entertaining way. At first, I was turned right off, but as my brain climatized to this track, I ...really like it. Great bass tone... harmonica bits sound great. That bridge in the middle... great. CONTENDER.

Abecedarian: Solo accoustic always gets me braced for pontential disaster... when your vocals come in, I totally dig your voice. I think the vocals might be a bit too hot, but you have a very johnny cash minus the country tone to your voice... at least that's what I got out of it, and then the guitar starts to really cook.. this is good. A CONTENDER.

Some great listens here. Really good. Some real good tunes here to choose from... so I withold any vote calls for a few days!!!

[jack]

really nice job glenn case.

[EightLeggedOedipus]

Preparing for an emo-overload...

Abecedarian:
+++ Nice well written song. Decent rhythms +++
/// Violin was a nice thought, but why is he practicing while you play? ///
--- G n G ---
+++ Nice when the harmony part is there +++
--- abrupt outro. Cheesy way to pronounce the title ---

Must be Deshead:
+++ Awesome lead in. +++
--- I'm starting to realize your protagonist is always Kevin Costner. I hate Costner roles. ---
/// A good song, but not my cup of tea this week. ///
+++ You're the best singer on here, hands down. +++

Diathetic Obfuscation:
/// What disco BS am I in for? ///
--- Oh no! It's pitchy gothic tenor-singing-baritone ---

Hill Billy:
+++ It sounds like someone's taking a really long piss back there +++
--- Off-rhythm blues noodling. Hick pathetic singing. ---
+++ Your I IV V doesn't sound hackneyed. +++

The Hip Cola:
+++ When the double speed vocal comes in - you now are officially the first contender +++
/// Now we're kind of where new-wave became "world music" ///
--- And we never do anything with the beat. ---

Lonbobby
--- It sounds kind of OFF already. ---
-------- Oh god not more autotune vocoder madness!!! ----------
+++ Fucking awesome use of harmonica +++
/// Oh please Bobby-lon, why didn't you just try to SING? The voice is there. Just practice a little damn it. Quit messing with that Eiffel 65 caca ///

NS
/// No substance??? ///
+++ Nicely suicidal +++
--- Noteworthy suckage ---

Queso de Papa
+++ Ok we're in business. As long as you don't get all "Los Lonely Boys" on us. Alright you're fine for now +++
/// Seems like there should have been some kind of chorus already. ///
--- Oh I guess that bridge thing is like a chorus, sort of ---
+++ We don't lose the rhythm though. And your singing is good. I'm digging the obnoxious bass. Heh. Bass Player Pride. Contender. +++
/// So now you're gonna rock us on home, eh? ///
--- No you're just gonna screw off on the guitar ---
+++ Actually we're gonna make nice beat changes. Awesome. +++

The Red Balloon
--- This is the stuff real bands are so embarrassed they recorded, that they only talk about it in interviews and swear it'll never come out. Fans will clamor for it, and petition the record company. "Release the Sloppy Nonsense Studio Sessions tapes! We wanna hear it." Then maybe it's the bonus on the $100 20 year anniversary re-package. And casual listeners are like "dude, this was such a waste of time and money." Maybe it's better you let us hear it before your band gets famous and we spend $100 on your box set. Thanks. ---
+++ Your cousin swears it's the best work of your career. "It's raw" +++

Songfight Orchestra
+++ These vocal harmonies are incredible. Contender +++


2nd listen:
SFO takes the vote. Is that Glenn?

[WeaselSlayer]

The Red Balloon
--- This is the stuff real bands are so embarrassed they recorded, that they only talk about it in interviews and swear it'll never come out. Fans will clamor for it, and petition the record company. "Release the Sloppy Nonsense Studio Sessions tapes! We wanna hear it." Then maybe it's the bonus on the $100 20 year anniversary re-package. And casual listeners are like "dude, this was such a waste of time and money." Maybe it's better you let us hear it before your band gets famous and we spend $100 on your box set. Thanks. ---
+++ Your cousin swears it's the best work of your career. "It's raw" +++

Dear Songfighters,
Mark here, of The Barenaked Ladies. Someone found us out LOL! LOL, this is an outtake from our very first platinum-selling album that we hoped would never be released. Maybe that's why it's only appropriate that it's titled "Failure and Regret" Hehehehehehe. Peace out, and please keep watching VH1.

Love,
Mark

[Edge of LA]

"Mark of BNL"... is this for real? I'm a little naive, and sometimes overly trusting....

[deshead]

"Mark of BNL"... is this for real? I'm a little naive, and sometimes overly trusting....

(There is no Mark of the Barenaked Ladies.)

[Niveous]

Niv's Review Paragraph:

Diathetic Obfuscation returns. Obscurity gets TVIYH to go goth. Not big on the speaking parts but good use of TVIYH's voice on the singing parts. Gotta remember that for the next Silent E tune. Far too much talking in that song. From goth to abecedarian doing Peter Murphy unplugged. Actually, I'm digging this one alot. Frontrunner. Deshead challenges the spirits of Eddiebangs and Woodward at the same time. I don't know if I should adore this or loathe it endlessly. I'll ponder it at another time. For now, onto the next tune. I'm not digging the 2/3Redcar tune. Well produced but just not my style. I know it's the pot calling the kettle black but NS needs to turn up the volume. *falls asleep at the PC because of gentle xylophone instrumental, wakes up and realizes he missed the SFO track and smiles*. Hillbilly earns my furor at the line "I work like a nigger". I shut off the song almost immediately. My excitement at a new Lonbobby tune quickly dies 1 minute into it. Definitely failure. Queso de Papa? The Pope's Cheese? Decent little song with some good guitar stuff in there. Nothing spectacular but it's better than most of this fight. The Red Balloon gets the "at least, you had fun" award. Vote time. Abecedarian takes it with #2 going to the Cheese Pope and #3 to Deshead. Off to the last fight.

[Edge of LA]

"Mark of BNL"... is this for real? I'm a little naive, and sometimes overly trusting....

(There is no Mark of the Barenaked Ladies.)

Maybe he meant Mark of Sugar Ray!

[johnsonic]

Abecedarian
- The very first line sounds a lot like johnny cash's cover of U2's One. This is keeping me very interested. I like how you slowly add elements throughout the song. Holy harmony. Like the quick fade

Deshead
- Love your voice. Like the harmonies. This isn't my favorite deshead song (just my taste), but it's really well done. I like the female voice way back, verbed out. That's a solid progression. Double time! This grows on me as I listen. What's in your set-up? Stuff always sounds so nice.

Diathetic Obfuscation
- Guitars could be up in the mix.I don't like this one too much, though there's good poetry. The spoken part sounds like you're really breathy in my ear and it creeps me out.

Hillbilly
- Not warmed up yet - I like that. I hit next at the slur. sorry.

The Hip Cola
- This isn't my flavor, but it's really well done. I like the harmonies, I'd like to hear that one non-string keyboard part louder. Really nice space to this one.

Lonbobby
- yeeeeaaaaah harmonica - voice is a bit pitchcorrected for me, but it's nice for this kind of music. I like how it comes in after the harmonica and starts to recede.

ns
- Is there a song in there? I'm not going to crank my speaks b/c they'll explode when the next song comes on.

Queso de Papa
- This is me, I had that cheese on my omlette last week. I hit the voice with too much verb. I used a bass with no electronics, only a piece of crap acoustic pickup duct taped in the empty pick up hole. I should use my real bass on it, though this one sounds squeezy and i like it. The outro is too long.

The Red Balloon
- Damn.

SFO
- Damn! Harmonies! I need an explanation why SFO stuff is so short.

Deshead gets my vote. Abacedarian comes in second.

[erik]

"Mark of BNL"... is this for real? I'm a little naive, and sometimes overly trusting....

Don't listen to them, Mark from the BNL is indeed the real deal. I can prove it if you send me $500.

Wait, $500 and 3 boxes of Thin Mints.

[Niveous]

Mr. Slow on the draw reporting here:

Abecedarian. I already gave you my vote but if I could I'd give you a second. Why? Because you wrote a song about Lost. That's Awesome.

[fluffy]

I haven't listened to any of the songs yet, but damn I love the cover art.

[mico saudad]

Reviews to come, but I agree with fluffy, especially when you know the <a href="http://www.songfight.org/songpage.php?key=pass_fail">history</a>

[Jim of Seattle]

Bortwein is the unsung genius of Songfight.

[Jim of Seattle]

SFO
- Damn! Harmonies! I need an explanation why SFO stuff is so short.

Here is the explanation

[WeaselSlayer]

Luke and Andrew from the Red Balloon on:

Abecadarian:
Luke - This is like what we wish we'd done. I dig it in a big minimalistic way. Especially the accordion. Reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel as sung by the guy from Crash Test Dummies. Which is surprisingly awesome.
Andrew - My favorite out of the bunch. Well-constructed, and I like the vocal harmonies and the synth accordion/violin/whatever the hell that is that come in later in the tune. And I love your voice.

Diathetic Obfuscation:
Luke - I think that's a Ramones riff. Underneath a drum beat. Is that your normal voice? I don't really like this.
Andrew - What the fuck is with the speaking part? I don't like the vocals at all on this track. Music is pretty dull.

Queso de Papa:
Luke - This is well-done, but also something I would never listen to on my own time. But I listen to lame shit like Jackson 5, so I mean whatevv.
Andrew - Too much like a mid-90s alt-rock mix-fm song.

SFO:
Luke - Simple, awesome, like a chocolate mint after a good meal at a pretty decent restaurant.
Andrew - Vocal harmonies are beautiful, kind of reminds me of a barbershop quartet. This is a really pretty little tune, I'd like to hear more from this group.

NS:
Luke - I really like this, but wish you'd done a lot more with it. It seems like a great skeleton onto which much flesh could be added to make a really beautiful person.
Andrew - A little dull, but shows a lot of promise. Sounds a little like ambient Eno. Try adding more layers, and bring out the organ more later in the song.

The Hip Cola:
Luke - This sounds like the song that all the nerds sang at the end of Revenge of the Nerds. With Morrissey.
Andrew - yeaaah.

Lonbobby:
Luke - The percussion in this is holy shit please don't edit your voice anymore.
Andrew - For the first 10-15 seconds, this had potential. Then the bad drum machine beat came in, and holy shit, processed vocals piss me off.

Deshead:
Luke - This made me think of Ween, and I am terribly fond of them. I like this a lot but I'm kind of embarassed to somehow.
Andrew - Kind of generic, but the production is great and I like your voice. One of my favorites.

Hillbilly:
Luke - The lead guitar at the beginning sounds like a hardened cop clearing out his desk. The vocals make me think the cop is in Alabama. Also the n-word is OMG AWSM. What the fuck.
Andrew - The music reminds me of Will Oldham's Palace projects (definitely a plus), but the lyrics are awful.

The Red Balloon:
Luke - Well yeah, it was fun to record this. We did this in one take with like one half-assed run through. I guess it shows. Also, we are shitty and ugly and don't love Jesus no mo.
Andrew - We worked on this for maybe five minutes before our one take, and did absolutely no production. I don't know what the hell we were trying to do. Sorry.
Luke - Also my lyrics suck.

[jack]

Hillbilly: i'm really dumbfounded that you threw a racial slur into your song. i really have no idea why you would do such a thing, especially in a place as diverse as this community, where you had to know you would get major shit for it.

as much as i've enjoyed your stuff in the past, it's pretty hard to overlook this. i know you haven't offered any explanation, and maybe you won't, but as almost every review so far has pointed out, it's not acceptable or tolerated and has pretty much ruined any cred you had here. very unfortunate, as i've said i liked your previous stuff but now i just can't help but think you're a racist.

[Leaf]

I didn't notice it, but I too feel that there is no purpose or reason to doing such a thing, even in the name of "humour".


Perhaps it is appropriate to suggest a disqualification. Although I am not a fan of censorship for the sake of a few sensibilities, I do think that a democratic standard should be enforced.
I hope that makes sense.

[fluffy]

jack shite: I'm really dumbfounded that you and others are getting so offended-by-proxy at something which is the use of a common (if off-color) expression which is totally in-character for someone calling themselves "hillbilly," and it wasn't even used in a derogatory context. Maybe you're the racist for thinking that referring to the work ethic of a particular minority is a racist remark.

leaf: What, disqualified from winning, by a majority vote? Isn't that what the vote already does?

[j$]

Shut up and sit down, Fluffy. And you too, Hillbilly. There isn't a context in which that term isn't derogatory.

[jack]

jack shite: I'm really dumbfounded that you and others are getting so offended-by-proxy at something which is the use of a common (if off-color) expression which is totally in-character for someone calling themselves "hillbilly," and it wasn't even used in a derogatory context.

leaf: What, disqualified from winning, by a majority vote? Isn't that what the vote already does?

just because you're not offended by the use of the word, doesn't mean that others won't be. so quit speaking for anyone but youself.