Nur Ein I Round Three "El Balazo"

[jack]

i just want to say i love the bewells track, even though it didn't meet the challenge. i might still try to keep you around, but it's not just up to me. it sets a killer tone and needs no vox. perfect length. i really wish you'd written it out into a full tune with vox and lyrics but as a standalone piece, it really works for me. nice job.

more reviews coming.

[LMNOP]

Well, I listened to these so I may as well subject you to my opinions. Any derogatory remarks are made without regard to the fact that you whipped these out in a matter of days with what I thought was a ridiculous challenge. Special thank to all who brought the latin percussion to class today.

<b>Bewells</b> - Nicely done. Way to bow out with class.

<b>Calfborg</b> - Some sections of the rhythm bed really get my toe tapping, but the melodic elements are way too repetitive for my taste.

<b>Des</b> - Love the chorus. You can write a melody, you can.

<b>Tex</b> - Lordy, I love that smarmy guitar. Not crazy about the lyrics/melody but, yeah, hand drums and smarmy guitar…

<b>Thornberry</b> - This is very nicely put together. But for reasons I’m having trouble articulating, it really doesn’t float my boat.

<b>Glenn</b> - It’s probably a good time to mention that I usually really like your stuff. I don’t like this. Fails to meet your usual standards of melody and harmony. Or maybe the guitar tone just annoys me.

<b>Hinc.</b> - Well, kind of a novelty, I guess. Not my thing.

<b>Tyrrell</b> - Nice guitar playing. I wish there was, like, fourteen times as much hand percussion.

<b>Ken</b> - I’m so Switzerland on this. Every once in a while there’s some nice little element that catches my attention, but then, just like that, it’s gone and I can never quite get into it.

<b>Leaf</b> - Yup. Liking this. What a groove. Man, for a drummer, you sure play them gits with a lot of style. You’ve been the surprise of this exercise for me so far. Guess I’d never heard any of your solo stuff and I like it.

<b>#</b> - I like the opening to this. Well-composed, in my view, although I really really really want to hear it with, you know, instruments that you blow in and hit with your hands. You kind of lose me when the vocals come in. BOOM

<b>Ross</b> - I see what everyone’s talking about. This isn’t something that I want to listen to much or the kind of thing I want to write or play, but it’s just got… well, a vibe. Random-station-on-my-AM-radio kind of vibe. Crappy-speakers-in-a-dingy-Mexican-restaurant-where-you-fight-off-food-poisoning-with-hot-sauce kind of vibe. Well done, Ross. I like the handclaps. Extra credit for retroactively responding to the challenge from two songs ago.

<b>Wreckdom</b> - So I burned a CD at the office and listened on my home. Right at the end of the commute, I get this. Gotta say, it works for me. “After making love to several of the prostitutes…â€

[bwell]

Comments on El Balazo...

The BeWells - Hey, would it help if I said the song was the lament of a mute woman whose child has been felled by a stray bullet? That would address both the female vocal challenge and lack of lyrics...OK, didn't think so. I'd say this is clearly an easy choice for elimination. I need to remember to keep things a bit less complex when that deadline is closing in.

Calfborg - I don't like the stiff and synthetic drums at the start, but this really picks up when everything else starts filling in. Very nice use of the background vocals to add rhythm. I am liking the vocal sound and style on this much more than some past songs, but the chorus section could be strengthened a bit. The female vocal floats nicely over the song. The effects and textures in the instrumental part and the song in general work well. Overall this is a pleasant song and I'm enjoying it.

Deshead - The song has great production and sound as usual. The guitar work and tone are nice and fitting with that splash of Spanish flavor. While the feel of the song is catchy, I am not really into the lyrics--not bad but maybe too casual to grab my interest. Overall this makes for a fun listen.

Glenn Case f/ Rachael Layne - It seems like the mix is lacking some sparkle or is a bit muddy. However, I like the way the sound and style match up well with the lyrical content. The grittiness of the female vocal in the chorus is also a great touch. While the song could use some touchup on the production side, the way the song is put together works rather nicely. I like it.

Heuristics Inc. - I have a hard time getting into this type of electronic sound with the stiffness of the music and lead vocal a bit overdone. However, I find myself rather enjoying this one. The female and other assorted vocals really add a nice touch to break up the style of the main vocal. The shortness also prevents this from being too much. Overall there are many bits that don't quite hit my preferences, but still I find myself enjoying this one.

Jim Tyrrell - It's nice hearing what sounds like a more open guitar tuning. I like how the playing gives a hint of a spanish sound, yet also has a somewhat modern feel. The sound is filled out nicely by those wonderful (and well-balanced) backing vocals. I do find myself wanting to hear a little more variety as there is a lot of repetition. However, overall this is pretty good song.

Ken - It is always great hearing Erin's voice on a song, but the two vocals don't quite seem to mesh as well this time around. I'm not connecting as much with the lyrics, but the song has a great vibe to it. The instrumentation works well and I like the style and how things sit in the mix. This is a fun song.

Leaf 62 f/ Dana Gordon - This one is an amusing departure from the expected sound. There is a fun playfulness to this and the rap/hip-hop squeal thingy is a great touch. I normally wouldn't listen to this kind of thing, but it is good to break out something different now and then. In this case you did it well.

Octothorpe - The intro is a bit too drawn out for me. There is an awkwardness to the vocals, but that seems somewhat characteristic for the # sound so it is more of a personal preference. I would like to hear more variety or complexity in the sounds and orchestration. In this case, it is a little sparse for the long haul and a bit too much of the same sounds. Although, the rhythm mostly works in that simplistic approach. Oh, great looking set of pipes there.

Ross Durand f/ Anja - It has already been mentioned, but this has such a classic sound to it. The hiss works here, and I think it is largely due to the sound of the female vocal. The voice is reminiscent of many wonderful 50's/60's pop and country female vocals and completely puts this song over the top for me. Additionally, the brass is great along with all the other little Spanish flourishes. I would like to hear the background vocals tightened up along with the claps--maybe even double time on those claps (or a fast clap/stomp combo) to get a stronger accent. But the female vocal (and that hiss) really work wonders for the song...great job!

I might as well mention, when I first read the lyrics I was picturing a young girl saved by El Balazo--only to get to the last verse and discover there was a little more going on that evening. I then reread things to shake the El Balazo child molester image, but even after clearing that up, the word "souvenir" still sounds a little bit creepy and twisted. Here is this "hero" sweeping in to rescue/take advantage of young damsels in distress and then in their young minds they cannot separate the two acts so they are grateful and unable to see what he truly is. He probably left a jungle full of fatherless little kids with mothers still gushing over their dear Balazo. And then I started to think that maybe the El Balazo thing could be myth of sorts used by young unmarried women and their families to avoid the social stigma of pregnancy..."It was El Balazo, he saved me from certain death and now I have my precious Balazito. Just look at the way he runs!" "Ah! El Balazo...wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more..." If there was at least some love story or deeper connection between them it might help. Somehow I think I started over-analyzing the whole thing. But that is only a brief awkward moment and this is still a great song!

Tex Beaumont and the Dirty Hearts - I like the music, but I'm not so much into the lyrics. In general the vocal delivery is good. However, that spoken part is a bit too different and doesn't quite sit as well. The female vocals sound rather effected, but that kind of works and they come off in a fun way. Overall this is a enjoyable song.

Thornberry f/ Kelsea Rhamgren - The vocals in the first part feel a bit off--not sharp (in a non-intonation way) or strong enough to keep the energy where it should be. Things pick up much better when the higher vocal ("and we're all waiting for a technicality...") kicks in. The accompaniment generally has a good sound with a nice mellowness to it. The vocal does get a little shakey towards the end, but that and other little pitch issues with backing vocals could be fixed with more recording time. Overall I like this song--it has a nice softness to it while maintaining my interest.

Wreckdom - I love the "read along" story approach (had many of the Disney records with Tinker Bell ringing her little bells). The descriptive violent touches (half his head & slit his throat) are great. The sounds used in the El Balazo sections provide just the right mix. This is great fun...a lovely blend of Wreckdom and western. The only thing that stands out to me that could be improved would be to find the proper EQing and mix to really give it that little 45 sound--a touch more of a blended authentic quality and less of an effect.

I have no clue who I would pick to fill that last elimination spot. It's getting harder to rank the songs with each passing stage. I am really enjoying the songs this week...nice job by everyone who managed to finish a song.

[bwell]

i just want to say i love the bewells track, even though it didn't meet the challenge. i might still try to keep you around, but it's not just up to me. it sets a killer tone and needs no vox. perfect length. i really wish you'd written it out into a full tune with vox and lyrics but as a standalone piece, it really works for me. nice job.

Thanks for the comments and support. The full song was written and partly recorded, but the farther I got into the process the more work it needed. Things started to sound a bit forced and not quite hitting that mood established in the introduction. I tried fixing it, but eventually hit that point where I could not do so by the deadline. I'll put a link up if I do get around to finishing the song this next week.

[jack]

i've been a big fan and regular patron of el balazo on haight street since it opened, probably 10 years ago. i could never figure out what el balazo meant, as the decor in the place is pretty eclectic. so i finally asked someone there, and they said it was the sound a gun makes when you fire it, or a cannon. "the bang".

i can only wonder what j$ would have written for such a title.

the bewells
beautiful intro with the acoustic guitar. stunning. this is such a tease. it's a terrific instrumental and fits the idea of the title really well. i'm actually willing to overlook your lack of challenge, but i fear the others won't. the perfect little piece to ride off into the sunset too. nice job. if you do finish the song, post the link as i'd love to hear it.

calfborg
the arrangement is pretty repetitive but you keep it dynamically interesting. production on this is pretty tight, although the various samples over the guitar drags a bit. but i hear some killer bass buried way back in there, and if this had that up and thumpin, i think it might groove a bit more. not bad though. i like the improvised female harmony vox. they is good. singing is good too. i dig this.

deshead
haha, i think it's awesome that you wrote this like you did. holy shit, having lived in the haight for well over 12 years, and having eaten at el balazo well over a thousand times, you nail it. the fish tacos are the best. i may just burn this to a CD and give it to the owner next time i'm there. the wasteland reference is funny, and you describe the place and the scene perfectly. this is great des.

glenn/rachael
interesting that i think this is the first time i think i've heard you and rachael singing the first verse together. drums aren't nearly loud enough. cool arrangement, guitars are good. i'm not so big on the chorus. cool little bridge breakdown. as to be expected from you, it's well written and performed.

heuristics inc.
mix i like, repeating the title over and over not so much. i like the way you incorporate the female vox with loops, that works good. musically as a whole, i wouldn't say it's your strongest tune, i thought last week was better, but it's certainly not bad from a production standpoint at all, more my taste bias i suppose.

jim tyrrell
nice mood setting guitar on the intro. this has a really nice michael hedges kind of feel to it, and the harmony vocals are friggin awesome dude! you just jumped to the top of my list! this is really solid jim, you really fill alot of space with the guitar and vox and the dynamics of your playing and the bongos! man, you know how to work this judges vote....

ken
song itself is pretty good, vocals work well off each other. has a sort of B52s kind of feel to the arrangement. this is pretty good.

leaf and better half
this is quite a departure for you. i like how you've mixed it up solid the past 3 weeks dude. you might be my new d00d to beat. your wife sounds sexy but i almost think you sound sexier.

octothorpe
opening is killer with the pan flutely synth and percussion, and sweepy synth pads. this is pretty killer you guys. the female vox have this diva operatic sort of feel to them, and the way that the guys come in all hard panned and soft is a great effect. i might hear a tiny bit of clip on mad dogs poofs

ross durand
wow, all the praise is well deserved. arrangement wise, it hits pretty close to el paso, which is not a bad thing and fits the style perfectly. is your brother doing the horns here? this is just a brilliant execution of the title in every way. production is perfect. and the horns and claps are a terrific touch. oh, and the female vocals make this completely. this will be hard to beat this week, and frankly, i'm rooting for you big time.

tex beaumont and the dirty hearts
i'm not sure what you've done to kick your stuff up 2 levels (other than take a new name) but keep doing it. this rocks. fantastic. if it wasn't for ross, you'd be leader of the pack right now.

thornberry
i'm really a fan of the richness in your mixes. it's obvious alot of thought and effort goes into your arrangements, and executing them. i'm kind of mixed about this, and it might just be about the female vox being the main vocal line.the female vox are definitely strong and well done, as are the harmonies. excellent tune.

wreckdom
wow this is pretty good. great concept, fits your style to a tee, got that buenos tardes amigo feel to it, but you give it the full wreckdom treatment. and i like the storytelling and the vibrato guitar.

solid stuff you guys. you all really did a great job for 5 days.

[jack]

Wreckdom - so should have had a cheesy shot sound rather than the gliiinnng sound for the page-turn.

FULLY! I TOTALLY AGREE!

[HeuristicsInc]

heuristics inc.
i like the way you incorporate the female vox with loops

what does that mean?
-bill

[Steve Durand]

Just for the record, Ross did his own horns on his tune, not me.

Steve

[Leaf]

Just for the record, Ross' tune is fuckin great. I loved it... and I love that you blew my mind with it.

[HeuristicsInc]

The cover art is done by j$, right? Funny that we both took the superhero route but I think nobody else did.

Oh, in case people aren't understanding my aim with this song, it's meant to be the theme song for a cheesy superhero TV show (which is why it's so short, and cheesy).

I have just discovered the dangers of learning too many languages... Spanish pronounces "z" like English, German like a "ts" and Italian kind of in the middle between the two. Oops, I pronounced "Balazo" with a "Z" like in German

Listening to the entries on first listen, these are great.
-bill

[jute gyte]

Spanish pronounces "z" like English, German like a "ts" and Italian kind of in the middle between the two. Oops, I pronounced "Balazo" with a "Z" like in German

Spanish pronounces "z" like an "s".

[Niveous]

My El Balazo reviews:

Calfborg: Versatility thy name is Calfborg. This is awesome. You came at this week's song from a different route and it's very cool. And the best part is that the lyrics are still twisted. The bridge is very weak but the verses and chorus are great. I haven't heard this side of Calfborg since "Elephant Stone". I wouldn't want the other Calfborg to go away but it's good to hear this side sometimes. I shower this song with praise. Welcome to the next round.

The BeWells: It's sad that you weren't able to pull this together. The introduction is absolutely gorgeous. Finish the damn song just because. It will be totally worthwhile. I sense you have a gem on your hands.

Deshead: You are f'n lucky that you have immunity. I hate hate hate this song. This is a frickin commercial for the Outback Steakhouse and there's no female vocals. And someone of the lyrics are such crap. Why would you wanna end a verse on a high note of "and a little bit of cheese". You may have great guitar skill but this is a bad commercial jingle. I wouldn't stop in.

Thornberry: It's an old Thornberry complaint. I think your drumming is weak. I like Kelsea's voice. I just started listening to Giant Drag and she has mix of power and childish squeak that Giant Drag has. But the music is kinda bland. The choral "ahs" are what is really turning me off. But the ending begins to pull it together well. And the rhythm block is a cute touch. It's not the best song you've ever done but i think it'll earn a few more spins from me.

Glenn Case: Ah, G'n'R. And this time bringing the rock Hell Yeahs style. Y'all should do a split disc. Or even better- a dual hxaro where each couple does 5 of the other couple's songs. That would rock. I dig this alot. The chorus is great. One of my co-workers called this song garbage. That's a check in your column. She's a philistine. This song has so much energy. It's perfect for headbanging. Nice lyrics. Good work.

Jim Tyrrell: One of the Spanish styled songs. The female vocal ooh again. It's not as bad as Thornberry's oohs but still a tad bit grating. This is catchy as hell and i'm a sucker for a good story song. The bongos at the end are a nice touch. I wish the guitar was a little tighter in some parts but with some more playing this could be really good. Points for fitting the line "unrepentant bloodbath" in.

Leaf 62: Did J$ actually compare this to Prince's "Black Sweat"??? No. Yes, this is full of sexual bravado with the heavy basslines but it's kinda threadbarren. The verses need to be delivered with more feeling and the lyrics have got to snap. I think Leaf needs to take a couple of listens to "Black Sweat". Listen to Prince say "I've got a job to do" and take in that dirty feeling and put it to your lyrics instead of 'okays' and 'alrights' and 'bust a grooves'. Make this fucker leave the listener like they just finished watching "9 and 1/2 weeks".

Ross Durand: Deshead was right. It's like this song has existed forever. You have stepped up your game, Ross. The horns are great. Anja's vocals are perfect. The hiss works to give the old feel. Linda Ronstandt wishes she could pull this off. "El Balazo disappeared like the shot that gave the legend to his name" is a great lyric. This is exceptional.

Wreckdom: The idea is genius. It's the same style as Durand and Tyrrell's but done in pure Wreckdom style. And the guitars still the best. "After making love to several of the prostitutes...". Awesome. An original take is always appreciated.

Tex Beaumont: Is Penny doing the same voice she did on "the Jig is Up"???? I don't dig this but I think this is a style choice. I can see the Happy Mondays in it but it has too much cheese. The howl, the spoken word, Penny's bits. It's too campy for me. Gee, I thought I'd never say that.

#: Interesting percussion. This is different. I don't know if I really dig the vocals. It's as if they are doing Octothorpe karoake. "From the jungle made of trees to the jungle of concrete" is a good lyric. I'm completely split on this one. I'm absolutely perplexed.

HInc.: Mmmm, sharkskin. The music is very video game. Anything that includes the words "Muy Guapo" is good in my book. Damn that was short. Hmmm. I didn't have achance to get a real feel for it. Preparing for "the One"? Thanks for reminding me that I need to find a Shocker "1000 % Guapo" t-shirt. http://www.highspots.com/product.asp?id ... tegory=115

Ken: Is there a name for this Loyalty Day variant? It's hard to keep up with all the Tiny Merisian Robots and what not. Anyways, it's Loyalty Day which means that it's money in the fucking bank. Even with the lyrics on the verses being so...devoid of depth. It's a pop song. It's on the Roxette greatest hits album right after Joyride and before Dressed For Success. It works for what it is.

Great work all. This will be a hard choice.

[HeuristicsInc]

Preparing for "the One"?

Haha, yeah, not on purpose, but that was how long the song needed to be and oddly enough it came to exactly 1:00.
The shirt is cool, but I guess it refers to a wrestler (?) which I know nothing about...
-bill

[ken]

Ken: Is there a name for this Loyalty Day variant? It's hard to keep up with all the Tiny Merisian Robots and what not. Anyways, it's Loyalty Day which means that it's money in the fucking bank. Even with the lyrics on the verses being so...devoid of depth. It's a pop song. It's on the Roxette greatest hits album right after Joyride and before Dressed For Success. It works for what it is.

Really, with the non-optional challenge, what did you expect me to do? The difference is that I wrote the song, including the lyrics. Erin and I worked on the melody together. If it were another band name, there would have been more collaboration.

Ken

[Spud]

As a competitor, I can offer the judges some help on why each of the following should be the one eliminated this round*:

The BeWells
There are many possible interpretations of the challenge. However, all of them involve having a vocal of some kind. ELIMINATED.

Calfborg
That incessant doo doo doo doo doo doo doo is giving me a headache. Is that the only female vocal in the whole thing? Lame. ELIMINATED.

Deshead
So you mention someone's mom at 0:16. That's your idea of opposite sex vocals? The hook at the end of the chorus is a little too familar. ELIMINATED. To hell with immunity.

Glenn Case
Too many guitars. Too much screaming. Too much distortion. Too much feedback. This song is just too much. ELIMINATED.

Heuristics Inc.
Video game music is too low-fi. That stuff is supposed to sound pristine, elemental. ELIMINATED.

Jim Tyrrell
So all you guitar-playing dudes think you're all that, singing and playing at the same time, don't you? Get that chick to do something besides moan. ELIMINATED.

Ken
Did you guys do this one over the telephone? The vocals seem thin compared to the guitar you stuck in my left ear. ELIMINATED.

Leaf 62
Hahaha. Well, you took a page out of book and threw in everything but the kitchen sink on this one. Been there, done that. ELIMINATED.

R Durand
O.K. I am having a hard time trying to eliminate this one. The hiss. That's it. The hiss. If we can get rid of it, you can too. ELIMINATED.

Tex Beaumont and the Extra Long Band Name
Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! You said it, dude. Clipped to hell at 1:08, and pretty much thereafter. ELIMINATED.

Thornberry
Nice singing. Is she backing herself up, too? She was probably playing the piano, guitar, and drums, too! Where is Thornberry in all of this - take the week off dude? ELIMINATED.

Wreckdom
I say this as a filmstrip when I was an A.V. boy in elementary school. Good story, good acting. The only thing you sung is the damned song title, barely. ELIMINATED.

*tongue firmly planted in cheek. Good job, everyone. The judges have their work cut out for them.

[Leaf]

Leaf 62: take in that dirty feeling and put it to your lyrics instead of 'okays' and 'alrights' and 'bust a grooves'. Make this fucker leave the listener like they just finished watching "9 and 1/2 weeks".

I completely agree. This was such an experiment for me on so many levels, I had no lyrics or even a concept until about 11:30 pm Tuesday night!! This song is lackin in lyrical direction... thank god for immunity!! After listening to it a bit, both Dana and I can do MUCH better. I think my rap sucks personally, and that' s cause it was a freestyle at 1:45 am!! I think I have some real good ideas on this one, but it needs another day or two on lyrical content and vibe. Even so, listening to Dana say "El Balazo" over and over was getting me frisky.

And by frisky, I mean sticky.


And by sticky I mean... still workin on my reviews. Still think Ross turned in the best effort this week...it seems fuckin perfect to me.

[GlennCase]

ELIMINATED X 12

That might be my favorite series of reviews... ever!

The key words are: "As a competitor".

Way to give Blue a run for his money, Spud!

ROCK!

Glenn (DR FUNK)
http://glenncase.songhole.org

[Tex Beaumont]

Tex Beaumont: Is Penny doing the same voice she did on "the Jig is Up"????

Actually - all of the voices are me. The plan was for Penny to play the Mexican waitress - but I've been crook all week and didn't really put this together until Wed night - so the 'female' voices are all me pitch-shifted doing what were to be guide vocals.

[Niveous]

I am now significantly horrified.

[deshead]

Deshead: You are f'n lucky that you have immunity. I hate hate hate this song. ... lyrics are such crap.... a bad commercial ... blah blah blah blah blah

WTF? Is it Niv's turn to play Simon?

[jack]

he's just jealous of your talent.

[Ross]

...didn't really put this together until Wed night - ...

Great, so just cause you live down under you get an extra day.