Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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sleepysilverdoor
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by sleepysilverdoor »

Better late than never -- at least the new entries aren't posted it.

Favorites are Sober and Brown Word, with JP trailing a little behind.

add: There aren’t nearly enough brushed percussion parts present in songfight. The guitar tone in this is spectacular for the style. Or maybe the guitar tone is making the style so good. I’m not entirely sure I’m sold on the synth voice, but who am I to complain. Anyway, the use of the title is great. And the shift into the “move the money around” bit is a nice change and it sounds fantastic. The structure of the whole song is really well put together. I can’t say it’s a tune that I’m likely to be coming back to often, but that’s a matter of personal taste not execution. The only real gripe I have with this is that the end seems a bit abrupt.

Balls To Monte: The “can you hear the echo?” bit sounds great, and I really dig the backing vocals right before it. Again, this nails that 70s rock vibe super well. I can’t place exactly who it reminds me of other than just a general era -- which means that either I’m not well-listened enough to place it or your meld your influences super well. Big fan of that chorus. I kind of wish that the guitar solo went more places though, like I get to grooving and then it just stops. There’s a degree of wishing this was a tad more developed, but its simplicity is nice.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: Horns everywhere! This has the sort of bizarro structure that I’ve come to expect from you lately. It seems like over the past year or so you’ve gone from kind of “Ween-ey” rock songs to this freewheeling, kaleidoscopic delirium approach that I really like. Is it necessarily coherent? Maybe not but neither was Mr Bungle and they were like my gateway into experimental music. Actually I think the random heavy bits mixed with the saxophone solos are the main reason why Mr Bungle keeps coming to mind when I hear this. I love it when the drums start going crazy. What in the world are you doing with the cymbals! Air horn! Good lord! This music is getting my blood pumping, whatever your creative process is for these sorts of songs you’ve gotta keep it going cause you’re pushing forward into some super cool territory lately and this may be my new favorite BW+BW song.

Galoshy: A pleasant stripped down acoustic number. Picking is reliably clean, and the fact that I can periodically hear some paper rustling in the background really emphasizes the sort of homey, lo-fi charm of the recording. I really like that ascending riff, and the melody. I’m trying to think of suggestions I could give you from a recording standpoint and all I can think is MAYBE a pop filter on the mic and a bit of a high pass filter on the vocals. The “pleaaaaase” part was nice. Ending felt a little abrupt, but all in all I really liked this.

Gaping Maw: And we’re back to genre roulette. Unless BW+BW’s genre roulette which was this completely manic, free-wheeling throw the whole song into a blender, this almost seems like I’m listening to the radio on “scan” mode and I keep on changing songs, though periodically it’ll come back around to the same song I started with. Admittedly as many things are there are too hold onto in this one, none of them are particularly grabbing me. But it’s exciting because it changes so much. I guess maybe it’s where most of the songs have a very straightforward rhythm, I think if the rhythm was a little bit more...I don’t even know how to critique this song, it’s not bad and I want to like it more than I do.

JP Nickolas: Haha the intro is fantastic and I really like it. Vocals seem to be a bit more present in the mix than I’d prefer but I don’t know how I’d change it. I’m almost always stoked to hear someone submitting metal entries on here. Which is also amusing because of how incredibly broad the concept of “metal” can be cause I do it to but never sound remotely like this lol. I hear this and I think that this must be the “halloween” fight cause it sounds like some kind of slightly spoopy “ghouls and ghosts and monsters” like monster mash metal or something but it’s November. I still haven’t taken out my halloween mailbox flag though. I enjoyed this, and my main complaints were a flat note here and there and some minor mixing complaints.

Lichen Throat: Someone on here recently compared your writing style to that of Silver Jews. And you know what…I never contemplating that before but they were absolutely right. Your lyrical style reminds me a lot of David Berman (rip). Points for using the word “burl” in a song and making me want to try and carve something neat. I dig the lines towards the end “to create is to destroy”. And also, as always, points for taking a songfight prompt and taking it in a direction completely unexpected -- “screaming into the void” turning into a song about woodworking of all things is a hard left turn and I love it.

Ozro Falls: Oh man, soft rock vibes. That echo-ey guitar solo sounds cool. Someone else mentioned that the mix sounds a little busy at times and I agree. Like in that second voice where it’s the echoey guitar licks, piano, vocal, and mellotron all on top of each other, it’s a lot competing for my attention all at once. The song itself? I like it. Honestly I think the mix would probably be evened out a lot just by terminating the mellotron. I could see why you’d want to add it, but ultimately it overcomplicates the sonic palette. I don’t have much constructive to say about the composition because this is pretty far outside my usual wheelhouse, but all in all I’d say this above average.

The Pannacotta Army: Pannacotta Army, showing up with your smooth production and good melodies and solid compositional style. I really like that melodic guitar line that’s following the chord changes around. And those sustained chords on the guitar with the tremolo. I love tremolo. Vocal melody kind of reminds me of U2, but without the melodrama. A nice catchy pop rock song that doesn’t do much for me but will surely please others.

Phlebia: Mix on this was rushed, and I wanted to get 20 vocal tracks to overlay so it’d sound like a choir but I would up not having enough time to do it. Regardless, the lyrics are about how I don’t like turning the lights on at work, and will sit in the dark when I arrive, except I have this one coworker who is the opposite and turns them all on as BRIGHT AS THEY’LL GO and it drives me nuts. Like come on, your computer monitor glows, WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME. Anyway, I know this isn’t my best song but I submitted it anyway so take that, everyone’s ears.

Pigfarmer Jr: A well enough executed lament about being stuck inside in a medical quarantine, which I’m well aware is also pretty much a true story. Glad to hear you’re feeling better. I’m assuming you didn’t have a particularly bad case of COVID cause you managed to get this song recorded. This was a pleasant listen, I don’t really have much to criticize about it. I can offer plenty of sympathy because your situation sounds remarkably lame.

Robyn Mackenzie: Guitar sounds a bit muddy in the mix, vocals sound a bit muddy during the verses but not really during the chorus? Maybe it’s where you’re pushing the bottom end of your vocal range? Honestly I like hearing you sing down there. Maybe the bass is a little bit too high in the mix. Trying to figure out what I’d say about the mix, maybe a high pass and then compress them to bring them up in the mix or something? Lots of pick noise on that guitar. I’m nitpicking the mix but all in all this is a pretty competent turn of the century alt-rock tune. I’d rather hear “whoaaas” than “whoooo-oooos” but that’s a matter of preference. “Have it have it, want it want” sounds rad. I really like the chorus here.

ShoehornTC: Mandolins with opening kind of creepy lyrics instantly make me feel like I’m listening to R.E.M. Actually a lot of elements of this song kind of remind me of them. Which isn’t a bad thing, they’re great songwriters. Anyway, for some reason I kept on mishearing “man annoyed” and I couldn’t figure out what that word was until I realized you were saying two different words. The “hey’s” during the brief solo were kind of fun. I kind of like the almost jangle pop vibes during the chorus at times. All in all I’d say this is a fun song, maybe a little longer than the amount of ideas contained within would justify, but still enjoyable.

Sober: Quality as usual. The story of this dude’s fate makes me pissed off. Chorus is fantastic. Banjo, while I know that it’s hardly “organic” in the way you played it, sounds great. And the “backing harmonies” sound great. I can think of several people who would absolutely love this. I saw a different review say that you went a bit overboard on the “grit” in your voice, but I disagree -- and not because my own recordings sometimes leave me hoarse. The variation on that last chorus is great, I love how you brought up the energy. This will probably win.

SunLite: Hmm, this sounds like something that I’d hear on the radio in like 2007 on the adult contemporary station. If it were sadder it would have been my friend Amber’s ringtone. That descending clean guitar part sounds really good. I’m not sure how I feel about that distorted guitar chugging away? Like it sounds like it comes in just a little bit too early -- once that guitar solo comes in, it begins it fit in the mix. I’m just not sure where it “wants to be” in the mix. There’s this bouncy synth part that comes in near the end that’s so buried in the mix, it’s almost hard to tell whether or not it’s there. It could probably go if only because it feels kind of tacked on. The song is nice, the harmonies are well done, there’s just some compositional elements that don’t quite work for me.

Sweeney Toad: Sweeney with the synth onslaught again. Oh man, Castaway. I cried when Wilson floated away. Short and sweet. Can’t really critique it, it was fun. Not my favorite of yours, but not my least favorite.

Tomdg: Does the bass have some reverb on it? It doesn’t feel like it should...or if it does, it should be in a send chamber with the reverb not affecting the lower frequencies cause that makes it sound all muddy. This sounds like it’s aiming for “Faith” era The Cure. The guitar could do without that slapback delay, it kind of makes the whole track sound like a mess. “And I ALONE”... bit reminds me of “Prayers for Rain” off of Disintegration. Have you been bingeing Cure albums? All in all the lyrics aren’t bad but the execution of this feels kind of sloppy.
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shoehornTC
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by shoehornTC »

I wrote this last week. I was hoping to dig back in on some of these, but alas, other things... Anyway, I suck at reviews, mostly because I just let music wash over me and do not think too much about it, even my own. But you all inspire me as always, I loved them all. Great work everyone, take care.

JP Nickolas - Spent a chunk of my youth listening to music such as this, so much appreciated. I feel you accomplished your mission on this one, good work!!

Orzo Falls - Nice performances on bass and guitar as the song builds. Lovely sounds.

ShoehornTC - not new, just dormant… glad to be back. Lots of first takes on this one, including a scratch vocal that I just could not scratch. I can get lazy sometimes.

Pannacotta Army - Sounds like something that would pop up in my random streaming algorithm so pretty much up my ally. Solid all around song and recording.

Lichen Throat - It made me think, real hard. That’s good.

Sober - This is pretty amazing. Big fan!! Good sir, you are not a hack. Thank you for your service.

Add - Love the feel of this, the bass part drives the whole thing for me. I always love the happy sounding song with the bleak lyrical content.

Phlebia - sounds like desperation. I expect that is on purpose. Ha.

Balls to Monte - Well put together and performed, nice lead vocal. Feels like a deep cut from the 70’s, in a good way.

Brown Word and the Big Whine - Kudos to the sheer number of sounds and the well placement of them, just keeps pushing envelopes. Hard on my brain, but appreciated.

SunLite - Very well put together.

Tomdg - Not my thing, but appreciated.

Galoshy - Nice recording.

Sweeny Toad - For the entire one minute you had my full attention. A song for these times.

Robyn Mackenzie - Like the guitar sound and the woos in the chorus.

Pigfarmer Jr. - Very diligent virus protocols, you are not missing anything, just getting sick.

Gaping Maw - Twisted my head off, in the first minute, went from not my thing, to my thing… then to something different again, and again. Love it. How can this go on… then when I listen to the lyrics it just makes it better.
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

Sober wins!
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by genecawley »

Totally deserved. Congratulations!
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by the panna cotta army »

Lunkhead wrote:
Tue Dec 01, 2020 8:06 am
Sober wins!
who wudda thunk it? ;)
congrats
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Congratz!!
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T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

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Sober
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by Sober »

Great fight y'all. Excited to hear more from all the new entrants.
🤠
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by WreckdoMelle »

sleepysilverdoor wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 1:30 pm
Is it necessarily coherent? Maybe not but neither was Mr Bungle and they were like my gateway into experimental music. Actually I think the random heavy bits mixed with the saxophone solos are the main reason why Mr Bungle keeps coming to mind when I hear this.
Aha! I was waiting for someone to note this nod to Bungle, who have just put out a new thrash album. I’m not original enough to come up with this entirely out of nowhere... :twisted:
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Re: Aarararrrargh! (Screaming Into the Void reviews)

Post by WreckdoMelle »

Also, great job Sober!
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