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Songs posted!

Late BSS entry has been added to the fight.

Berkeley Social Scene: Live recording with all the good and bad that comes with that. It sounds alive and spontaneous, but it's also a bit pitchy and sloppy in places. I like the rhythm guitar sounds, the slide solo, and the feedback at the end. I really like the bass part at the end of the verse to launch into the chorus. The bass is up-front and sounds great throughout.

Gray: Soulful well sung vocals. Mellow tune. The electric piano sounds great, the sax solo is perhaps a bit loud. I was surprised that there were horns at the end, maybe they could have come in earlier? They like the sax, sat a bit on-top of the mix. These are nit-picks on an otherwise very nice sounding song.

Jerkatorium: Vocals pop out of the mix awkwardly in places, some volume automation might have helped.

The Mellfire Trifecta: Without the "tears on my shoulder" line at the end I probably wouldn't have realized how much this song sounds like New Kid in Town. Regardless, it's really nice. I like the harmonized vocals a lot! Acoustic guitar also sounds sweet.

Mutt Buncher: I like the synth patches and hand-claps a lot, that dirty, harsh synth lead fits really well. Not a fan of the talk-singing in the chorus, as I think it pushes it too far into jokey novelty song territory.

Paco del Stinko: Not a fan of the spooky wide Halloween vocal vibrato on "him" at 0:22 and other spots where it appears. This song is good enough to take itself seriously I think. On the other hand I really like the high pitched chorus vocals "Oh yes it's true!" which are also over-the-top but I think really work, at least for me anyway. The hippy bridge is great, and leads into that scorching guitar solo, which omg, that tone is so, so good. Is that just doubled unison lead guitars stereo panned? Whatever it is it sounds really great, and I love it when it appears at the end of the song. Song starts out a bit iffy, but ends super strong.

WreckdoM: Hardcore. Vocals have the right energy for the genre. Guitars sound right. Rhyming richer with "son-of-a-bitcher" is a great IDGAF rhyme, which I think is appropriate. The emphasis on "69" sounds more juvenile than edgy though, which undermines it as a critique on boomers.

I enjoyed all the songs in this one.... here's some thoughts I had while listening:

The Mellfire Trifecta - I like the vocal harmonies in this, and the lead vocal is nice as well. There's something about the big chord strum timing that seemed a little disorienting at points (particularly toward the beginning). 'Who's going to quit the play when it's the hottest show in town'... I like that line. The instrumental break was pleasant. Overall I found this to be enjoyable.

Paco del Stinko - The guitar that comes in at 0:24 is cool. The 'oh yes it's true' part was fun. The mood change at 1:30 is nice... but the vocal is really hard to understand there (I think I'd prefer if it didn't have any vocal there and just had an extended version of the guitar solo that happens at the end of this section). I like the lead guitar parts in this.

Jerkatorium - This has got a pretty clean sound to it overall. I feel like it's just a little bit too much of the vibrato thing in the vocals (however I've heard the current Post Malone song several times in the last week and I might just be sick of it because of that). I like the chorus on this. I enjoyed the drums as well. Good song.

WreckdoM - The intro on this isn't bad, but for some reason I feel like this song would be better if it was cut and the song just started directly into the verse. I like the delivery on the '19 going on 69' part, that was entertaining. The transition at 0:36 felt a little awkward.

Mutt Buncher - I like the synth that comes in around 0:45, but it feels a bit too loud/harsh to me. The "they're playing the wrong game" (or is it 'long' game? I'm honestly not sure) section is pretty muddy and hard to understand. The musical break at 2:21 is my favorite part of this.

Berkeley Social Scene - Clean intro. The vocals seem to be kind of out of sync with the guitars and such when they first come in. I'm having a tough time coming up with something to say about this one... it's not bad, but there isn't a lot that stands out about it to me either.

--- Side note: I just wanted to say 'thanks' to all who have left reviews for any of the songs I've done on SongFight (on this one and in the past)! I feel like I've learned something useful with every song I've submitted thus far.

Quick comments. I liked everything here. Good job, folks! Only voting top three is thing of late. Gold, silver, bronze...

Berkeley Social Scene - Dig the modern day tunage into Who lite and back. Easy hooks, it all feels better after it settles into itself after first chorus. Even more Who wouldn't be wrong. Well structured, excellent guitar tones, all very BSS. Total dig even if not a greatest hit.

Gray - Easy groove settles in nicely as it goes, wonderful classic singer/writer tune. Smart, but genuine feeling. Simple layers allow this to breathe nicely, comfy melodies. Fine voice can only get better. Almost feels thin near the end, despite horn, although it doesn't linger. Very well done.

Jerkatorium - Lot of Left Coast vibe here, nice. Grabbing melodies are sweet and friendly, easing right into each section all hand holding let's go, backing vocals delicious but not on a heaping plate. Great guitaring and drum parts. The tempo is makes this even more cozy to snuggle buddy up with, which seems to suit you guys as well as manic blasts do. Top notcher!

The Mellfire Trifecta - Casual, fire burning warm. Great how it slowly builds up to the high chorus. That takes it to a nice level. Neil Young in the Beatles moments give it a comforting vibe, but this feels its own self. Progression is great, melodies pleasant and sweet. I almost want to hear a breezier percussion track, but this keeps it grounde. Very good tune.

Mutt Buncher - Driving right off, splashes of wet neon. Lyrics are good with easy melody. Angrier would work well with this, raw. But the synth drive makes you wanna go, and just enough, too! Tightness helps this, any werble-age is kept to a minimum with the vocals, and that works out well.

Paco del Stinko - Late night slop-fest vocals. Frank SinNOTra. I like what the verse sections want to do. I am almost a boomer, as far as that goes.

WreckdoM - Awesome. Big, buzzy-fuzzy and a bit'o dumb. Drums are a pile of smoking mud, but I'm ok with that as they do indeed smoke. Vocals are good but lean towards restrained. This blast-o-rama is right in my lane, would love to watch it blaze past me ever faster until it explodes off the road. In a good way.

Chumpy wrote:guitar solo, which omg, that tone is so, so good. Is that just doubled unison lead guitars stereo panned? Whatever it is it sounds really great, and I love it when it appears at the end of the song.

Gray wrote:I like the lead guitar parts in this.

I am always happy when I get tone comments, cannot lie! For leads I used my Les Paul into a Supro type distortion pedal into my old Portly Cadet. SM57 to a preamp, and 1176 type compressor, then into my machine. Volume and tone knobs on the guitar and pedal to dial it in. (Right Sam? ) The doubled guitars in the chorus and lead sections are through an Emplexador 50 watt head into an isolation cabinet. Not tryin' to sound snobby, but since I can amp, I amp. Always make the best of what ya got!

Jerkatorium win!

Congrats to the Jerks, excellent tune!

Agreed. That was a very catchy and well played song, Jerkatorium!