Buffalo Granola Bars ( Trailblazin' )

[Chico]

My take.

Draft - Love the energy and the guitar sound from start to finish, and the chorus is pure sped-up '74, which is most cool. The vocals could be mixed higher, though; even after three listens, I couldn't barely hear a thing you said. But here, that's a small issue. If you pushed the vocals, it would be the best Foreigner song they never recorded. Nice work.

Calfborg - This would make sense as a soundtrack to one of those Journey Through The Bloodstream educational films. Without a narrator, though, there's nothing here to hang onto. I could hear sampled movie dialogue, or yeah, a story or something. It wouldn't have to be elaborate. But something. It's a decent bed, nothing more. (Never mind the bias against instrumentals here, which kind of makes sense.)

DJ Sponge feat. Ryan - The rhymes are mostly pretty dope (pussy/tushy?), and the similes fall all over like a kid's playground game. But the get-high samples and the paranoia story don't signify the way you'd hope, and I think it's because you're both not leaning into the words as much as I hope you would. (Sponge swings with the groove better than Ryan, who it sounds like did all his parts all at once.) And the political bit, much as I agree with it, came out of nowhere. Still. Added points for sounding like you enjoyed yourselves.

Miasmatics - You can't sing! But that's okay! And the guitars are constantly hunting for the drums, and the drums are swimming around the beat like trashy gothy seals! And all this would not matter one bit if the singer sounded a little more sinister! Not even in tune! Just more creepy!

Johnny Cashpoint - The lyrics are often stilted (A bullet from another's gun? A giant footprint called anxie-TEE?), and I'd like the arrangement to be a little less lightweight, but this sounds pretty alright with the low end turned way up.

[tonetripper]

If you pushed the vocals, it would be the best Foreigner song they never recorded. Nice work.

That's hilarious Chico. I use to love Foreigner back in the day. What I use to love at the tender age of 7 was 'Hot Blooded' and Foreigner Four which is a great record. We never intended Foreigner, but I can hear where your coming from on that point. Although I think we should try to sound less like them. Still a compliment in my eyes. We was going for the cheese a la '74 in a big way. Remember tunes like 'Hot Child in the City'?! Good review. One to pin up on the wall...... hilarious.....

-Pablo

[Chico]

Yeah, you weren't ripping off Foreigner, but they were there.

Foreigner made mountains of shite, but every so often their histrionics would line up with a song that needed them (Juke Box Hero, Hot Blooded, Urgent) and Lou Gramm's vein-bursting voice really slammed those suckers home.

That's the Foreigner I like, and that's the Foreigner you guys tapped into. Bravo.

[Andy Balham]

And all this would not matter one bit if the singer sounded a little more sinister! Not even in tune! Just more creepy!

I shall endeavour to get in a more minacious mood when 'singing' next time.

[Gazelles]

Reviews:
* indicates a keeper.

Calfborg: You know, I gave this a [bad] on Somesongs? I most definitely need to revise my comment and rating to an [okay.] It's disqualified from being a possible vote though because I don't think you related it to the title really. If you have an explanation, please tell, but, it probably won't matter because this probably won't get my vote. But anyway, it's not too bad. Relaxing in a way actually. I really like the string sounds. That's easily the coolest part of the song. On the boring side, but some nice ideas. 2 and 3/4 stars.

DJ Sponge and RyGuy: I have to say, RyGuy is a pretty bad name. This is really funny. Especially since you have a Rachmaninoff reference in there. That cracked me up the most. The beat's alright. I've heard much more complex beats that are a whole lot worse. This goes in my funny playlist 2 and 4/5 stars.

Draft*: Great rocking man. I really like the prechorus and chorus. I have feeling both will be stuck in my head tomorrow. Overall, it's really nice, except I'm not a huge fan of the verse melody. The ending's pretty damn cool. Pretty good job overall. 3 and 2/3 stars.

Johnny Cashpoint: I like the music a lot. I don't feel like the vocals really mesh with the music though. But the music does a lot for me. And often times your voice works well in your songs, that's not the case here. I especially don't like the vocal melody on the chorus. Except the background vocals. ooooooo bonus points for the ending 'accept it' stuff. 3 and 1/10 stars.

The Miasmatics: Not doing a whole lot for me. It's a whole bucket of average. Your the Masters of Grip guy aren't you? I feel exactly the same way about all of your songs, if it is you, and that is to say I don't feel. They just kind of roll off of me and I feel bored. I'm not sure why, but the vocals never really hook me and the music seems kind of unorginal. 2 and 1/2 stars.

Top 3:
3. DJ Sponge and Ryguy
2. Johnny Cashpoint
1. Draft*

[Leaf]

trailblazing reviews

I’m bored at work, and my work is done, so I’ll do some stream of conscious, as I listen for the first time reviews. I have not read the review thread, so I got no clue on the global opinions on these tunes… here goes… first impressions.

calfborg Gee, I kinda expected something …. Great for some reason. Ah well. This to me sounded pretty effortless, but not in an impressive way. It’s a long, not very interesting rhythm track with no melody, or hooks of interest. I’ve never used the following expression before, but it seems apt: meh.

DJ spongy and Ryguy Wow. Bad rap. But I like. Your rhythm track is weak, your rapping sounds amateurish, but I like it. …. Ok, the theme touches my heart… plus, despite the “weak” rap sound, I like your voice, and you sound strong… no, I’m not practicing Kerrisms, what I mean is that from a comparative persepective, you guys don’t compare to professional rappers, but on your own merits, I enjoyed the work… and it got better as the track went on… ok..I’m practicing Kerryisms…. It’s like spongy is my favourite daughter cause she’s like me in somany ways… but Ryguy is also like me in other ways, so …. I enjoyed it.

Draft Well, this is more to my liking right off the bat… good sound… in your face snare… as the track progresses, it reminds me of a little Abomb, a little blind mime…. It kinda falls apart at the end…oh no it doesn’t. elements of this sound great, some elements, mostly in the structure, see a tad lacking… voice sounds vaguely familiar… is this Tone? I swear it is… I’m gonna have to check into that. Strongest so far. On these shitty speakers at work the bottom end is missing… that’s common on these though, so I’m not sure if that’s a real issue. Ok, second issue and I bet my left ball this is Pablo and his drummer buddy. Yeah. This track half sounds killer, and half sounds like you didn’t get enough time to develop it to it’s full potential.

The Miasmatics Nice sound off the top.. oh.. I like that groove but not the terribly tuned guitars. Damn. I want to like this cause the feel and vibe is working for me but the bad tuning just ruins the whole thing. Sorry man, can’t handle that. Too bad. Buy a tuner.

Johnny Cashpoint First thing I notice is the vocals are too loud compared to the instrument tracks. I like the tune. Damn your voice grows on me. You always have this creepy yet vunerable thing going on… I like it. The mix is not your best mix. Your voice reminds of the dude from midnight oil right near the end… pretty good, but not the best this week.


Final ranking:
1) Draft
2) DJ spongy
3) Johnny
4) Miasmatics
5) calfborg

[Poor June]

calfborg: not really feelin' this right now... only just cause i can't take the computer programmed music right now... i'm sorry... maybe when i have my instruments workin' again i'll be more open...
but i've been makin' way too much to be happy with it... much respect

djsponge: hahaha... this has a nice flow and it's pretty funny... some parts are a lil' out... but really great... tops...

draft: i hope this has a solo.. if it has a solo you get an auto vote... understand??... if not the dj's win... and do you want that... if they win... the terrorist win :::laughs:::... nah this is really great... i like it... i just have to hear a solo... otherwise i can't vote for it...
(toughy... i really wanted a better solo... good... just really wanted insane...)(dj had too many funny rhymes... you get a close second though)

johnnycashpoint: who did the back up ahhhh!?!?!?! O_o that was beautiful...
i like the music... some questionable stuff... i love the lil' synth solo thingy that happened...
but not really feelin' it right now... 3rd from vote...

mias: good vox... sometimes a lil out of tone... (and some out of tune guitar... O_o)...no solo :'( last

sorry for the shitty and rushed reviews... i just gotta work now... haha got 3 more songs to have done by sunday if not more... and i really need to get on 'em... cause shit... lots of lyrics...
anyways much love...

djsponge gets the title... the rhymes were better then the solo that draft gave me :'(... but it was close i swear... anyways
tata

[Andy Balham]

The Miasmatics Buy a tuner.

I just counted, I've got five and I always use at least one of them before recording. So I'm not sure what happened here as you're not the only one who's thought the guitars were out of tune. Maybe it's that the vox are so out of whack they start to make the guitars look bad too.

[Poor June]

The Miasmatics Buy a tuner.

I just counted, I've got five and I always use at least one of them before recording. So I'm not sure what happened here as you're not the only one who's thought the guitars were out of tune. Maybe it's that the vox are so out of whack they start to make the guitars look bad too.

it could've been how you were holdin' down the strings... or your guitar sucks... or it just goes out of tune easily... i've had a few that were really bad like that...
i wouldn't worry about it too much... it happens to the best of us...

[tonetripper]

Draft Ok, second issue and I bet my left ball this is Pablo and his drummer buddy. Yeah. This track half sounds killer, and half sounds like you didn’t get enough time to develop it to it’s full potential.

Ofcourse. Do you ever, really get enough time for SF to fully potentialize songs? Hahaha...... I never seem to get them to the way I totally want them for SF considering a week and all...... I would have changed a bunch of shit considering the transitions in my mind.

Thanks for the review Leaf. Soon, got to do a Redcar track buddy. Soon.

[starfinger]

i finally got around to listening to this one. all of them were pretty awesome.

i submitted a very late vote for the Miasmatics, since it reminded me of the Flesh Eaters.

-craig

[Niveous]

A quick Niv review paragraph:

I love the short fights. I don't know why. This one was an easy call. Calfborg gets DQ'd for the instrumental. Plus I go to the guys of Jeshimoth for doses of creative mayhem and this was bad Herbie Hancock. I'm gonna listen to "Hand Movement" and purge this one from my system. DJ Sponge's return was really bad. Like the taste of vomit in my mouth bad. Usually I'm not that harsh in my reviews but really this was atrocious. Draft brought the hair metal. It was as if Scott Weiland became lead singer of White Lion. Odd and ok, not great. The Miasmatics had a great choice of theme but made a bland li'l tune with vocals that were very unappealing. So that leaves my Transatlantic homie, J$. This is far from J$'s best work, but it's an easy winner here. I accepted it, I embraced it, I enjoyed it, I voted for it.

[Poor June]

congratulations to the dj sponge... which did get my vote... you owe me for next week...

:::shhhh don't tell anyone ::: nah j/k... congrats though