Carpenters Coverfight?

[Spud]

Thanks, Jack. I hope it is only temporary. He is moving to Sacramento to help his twin sister through a difficult time.

[roymond]

my chat program has a little happy face that actually rolls on the floor and laughs. he slaps the ground too and points at the sentence that you just typed as well. it's the little things that matter, i think.

I think you're referring to Billy. Now his new nickname is "my chat program".

[RangerDenni]

my chat program has a little happy face that actually rolls on the floor and laughs. he slaps the ground too and points at the sentence that you just typed as well. it's the little things that matter, i think.

I think you're referring to Billy. Now his new nickname is "my chat program".

that is really, really funny. {rotfBLTol}

[Billy's Little Trip]

[nyjm]

I'm going to make a nice, long comparative set of reviews for this fight over on my blog. That will take a while since I want to honor all of the time effort that everyone put into this, but I just wanted to say:

wow

I'm out and out humbled by a lot of these covers. Not that I think my version's really hot shit or anything, but it's blazingly clear how much I have to keep growing. Faves are definitely bgm's spot-on, super-rich production, DJRD's gorgeous outro and the ironic (but incredibly fitting) takes by both Paco and Octothorpe.

[Paco Del Stinko]

I've been busy moving, but gave a listen to all this AM on my crappy laptop speakers. Regardless, just want to say that they are all a treat and very enjoyable. Thanks to Jack, and to all who participated: great job!. Will catch up to comments later.

[Jim of Seattle]

I don't have time to review every song in a single post, so I'll just review them in order when I have a chance, until I'd done.

Bad Boys at Bat Mitzvahs cover “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft”
PRODUCTION/PERFORMANCE
Fun, really well done. Enjoyed it a lot. Your voice gets a little too nasally on those long-held notes in the chorus, but minor quibble.
CONCEPT
Here's the problem. This is basically an entirely new song, using the Carpenters' lyrics. To me that feels like cheating a little bit. I was looking forward to hearing this (intensely disliked by me) song done in a new way so that I could gain an appreciation. This was a total softball for you guys to completely kill, and instead of showing the C's how it should have been done, you did an end run around the entire composition! Disappointing.

Anyway, bottom line, nice work!

More reviews to come. Off to dinner.

[Caravan Ray]

At first listen:

Loving BBABM, DJRD and J$ efforts - well done boys and girl

[Jim of Seattle]

Karenvan Ray covers “The End of the World”
PRODUCTION/PERFORMANCE
This one has grown on me after having heard it a few times through. The vocal perf is actually a lot better than I first thought it was. The vocal is mixed too low, especially when the synths really get going. All in all, a little too much low-mid range stuff. But this may be only a final mix away from be ready to go.
CONCEPT
It really sounds like this is the end of this guy's world. I like that you took the sentiment of the song seriously, rather than make it a pop funfest the way the original does. I like that you had an idea and stuck to it all the way through. This song hits that sweet spot in covers where you aren't just singing along with the radio so to speak, but it's clearly the same song, you just said something new with it.

Bottom line: Nice work. I wouldn't choose to listen to it, but I get it, and you accomplished what you set out to. I feel like I can actually smell this song. Creepy!

[roymond]

The other thing that has held me up is my wife's surgery yesterday that sort put a lot of things on hold and until it was over we wouldn't know what the following couple weeks would look like. it went well and nothing additional was found so there's a relief and now the percocet can do its magic.

I can also look to schedule a couple nights to finish up before I head to London on the 12th for work. So, at some point later this week I may post my take on the pop marvels you all are celebrating.

[BBABM]

I don't have time to review every song in a single post, so I'll just review them in order when I have a chance, until I'd done.

Bad Boys at Bat Mitzvahs cover “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft”
PRODUCTION/PERFORMANCE
Fun, really well done. Enjoyed it a lot. Your voice gets a little too nasally on those long-held notes in the chorus, but minor quibble.
CONCEPT
Here's the problem. This is basically an entirely new song, using the Carpenters' lyrics. To me that feels like cheating a little bit. I was looking forward to hearing this (intensely disliked by me) song done in a new way so that I could gain an appreciation. This was a total softball for you guys to completely kill, and instead of showing the C's how it should have been done, you did an end run around the entire composition! Disappointing.

in my defense: it actually is the same exact chord progression with out all the frills, orchestral harmonies, and a key change half way through the first verse. other than that it is the same song, just fast. i just couldnt do it all slow and boring like the carpenters version (or the klaatu version for that matter).

[Jim of Seattle]

Ah well, I stand corrected then. I actually went back and listened to as much as I could stomach of the original when I wrote the review to see if it was in fact the same song, but it didn't occur to me that you kept the changes only. Anyway, still a nice job on one of the Carpenters' complete misfires.

[Jim of Seattle]

Sportswriters cover “Happy”
PRODUCTION/PERFORMANCE
This is all nice and tight and fine. Did you consider changing the key to fit nicer in the lead vocal range? It all feels uncomfortably low. I kind of want the lead to let go a bit. He's supposed to be so happy, right? Also, I get kind of an overload of guitaritude by the end, especially during that break where there are like 4 simultaneous solos going on. Still, everything here is great.
CONCEPT
This is a song I didn't know before I heard the cover, so I could hear it "straight" so to speak. If I didn't know, I wouldn't guess it was a cover, and that's a compliment. It sounds like your own, but is probably respectful of the original material. Not knowing the original, I can't say whether you're saying something new about it. Oh hell, why don't I go over and take a listen right now? OK, be right back....

...ok I'm back. I know this is totally minor, but I wonder why you went to the straight B flat chord on "fallin' in loooove". The original plays a B flat over a C in the bass, which has a kind of richer, cooler feel to me. Just wonder why you changed that. Anyway, I think this was an obvious song choice for your sound, and you did a great job. Definitely one of the top 3-4 in the fight.

[sportswriters]

Hey thanks

I actually did change the key but I should have notched it up another tone I think. I always choose a key that's too low when I strum along on the acoustic and then when it's time to sing out I find it's too low.

I totally missed that the bass is playing C under that Bb... would be much better and more in keeping with the feel. That's a classic 70s substitution for a dominant seventh.

Thanks for the review!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Good job all. No reviews, but some of you got really creative to bring these famous old songs a new twist.

[BBABM]

Anyway, still a nice job on one of the Carpenters' complete misfires.

yeah, i am a little young to have experienced the Carpenters first hand, and must admit i am not familiar with their catalog. I honestly chose this tune (which i agree was not a good song to begin with) because i thought the name was funny, and when i did a little research there was an interesting tidbit of music history behind why the carpenters covered this Klaatu song to begin with. thanks for the review!

[Spud]

Hey Jim, you were on a roll there. What happened? Can't wait to hear what you have to say about my singing! Love, SPUD

[j$]

It's clear, Spud. He got to me

Oh, and I'll say it now so I don't have to say it when I get to writing my reviews tomorrow, IMO people who consider "Occupants" a Carpenters 'misfire' are, well, basically, idiots It's different, for sure, but it more than deserves its place on "Gold".

[Jim of Seattle]

Hey Jim, you were on a roll there. What happened? Can't wait to hear what you have to say about my singing! Love, SPUD

I was on a roll. It's on my list. That was YOU singing! I was out of town all last week. 4 cities, 8 meetings, 3 flights, 2 trains, 3 rental cars, 4 hotels, in 5 days. But hey, I wrote lyrics for "In a Time of Crisis" which I never used.

And I was sad to see I'm the sole review writer here.

[RangerDenni]

I have written reviews for three and a half of us. I do this for most of the fights. Then I just give up because they are full of made up words and silliness*. These are much the same. But I liked this fight so perhaps I shall finish them today

*[EDIT: my reviews, not the fights. Okay maybe the fights. NevermInd. I don't know. I need a taco.]

[Jim of Seattle]

It's clear, Spud. He got to me

Oh, and I'll say it now so I don't have to say it when I get to writing my reviews tomorrow, IMO people who consider "Occupants" a Carpenters 'misfire' are, well, basically, idiots It's different, for sure, but it more than deserves its place on "Gold".

I can't tell if you're kidding.

I guess I just don't get it. At all. To me it's entirely laughable. But to add fuel to the fire, the other major Carpenters misfire is their Ticket to Ride cover. I insist my wife skip over it whenever she puts their CD on.

[j$]

I never kid, Jim. I have no sense of humour