J'aime Le Combat des Chansons ('Bonjour Mon Ami' Reviews)

mkilly · Post by **mkilly** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 2:08 am

j$ wrote:I was also wondering whether there was an American equivalent to the ferry day-trip to France. I was talking to the Masters of Grip about this on Saturday, and we were saying it was a very British thing to put yourself through the whole 'ferry experience' just to save 60 pence on a bottle of beer. So it's interesting to hear that the world over cheap booze and cigarettes are a draw!

Well, that's not wholly accurate. At least in some states we have Native American reservations, and they usually have cheap cigarettes at least (since they don't have to pay the federal or state taxes on packs and cartons). What goes for $25 otherwise in Idaho might run $18 on a reservation (for eight boxes of cigarettes). I think. Anyway I guess they're starting to crack down--they're not supposed to sell them to non-residents of the reservation, but they do.

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 5:40 am

the reservations have cheap gas, too.
but people definitely drive way out of their way to get to them.
also: some people have been known to drive a ways to get to the "duty free" shops on the canadian border.
some people (ahem, ahem, i'm sure nobody i know) had been known to cross the border into canada because the drinking age is 19 instead of 21...

of course, i came from buffalo ny so it's pretty easy to cross. we also crossed to get chinese food once.
-bill

joshw · Post by **joshw** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:50 am

Scoring Key: (Production, Performance, Song)

Caravan Ray (7, 7, 7)

Interesting. Definite points for uniqueness. It's not something that I'd listen to on a regular basis, though. I think some dorky fun carnival-style TMBG sounding music in the background would really take this to the next level.

Johnny Cashpoint (6, 3, 6)

The verse is kinda boring. It's the same riff and melody four times. Your voice is worse than normal on this. The instrumentation on the chorus is interesting. The reverb sounds like ass. Is it in mono?

Matt Glossy (7, 8, 8)

The second chord in the intro is great. This has a great retro 50s feel. The part where you go up to the vii chord reminds me a lot of a Decemberists song for some reason. Your voice is a little low in the mix, the guitar is a little too high (and needs some compression) and as a whole it's lacking in treble sparkle. Great slide guitar. The solo is nice, but I'd have liked to hear it deviate from the melody a little more than it did. By the 2:30 mark I'm hoping for either an energy shift - either harder or softer. For a 3m song, it doesn't need a ton of push-and-pull with the dynamics to increase interest, but it wouldn't help. Best I've heard so far.

McFeat (6, n/a, 3)

More monotone electo-wankery, please. The world clearly needs that.

Josh Woodward (me)

Production Notes

And Mr. Glossy it is.

Post by jb » Wed Oct 20, 2004 11:32 am

I kinda liked the MC Feat thing. It's sort of polyrhythmic. It's not a single, but I still like it, maybe in the middle of some other songs it would be a nice, interesting break.

Josh! One of your strings was out of tune when you recorded this one! Distracting...

joshw · Post by **joshw** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:15 pm

jb wrote:Josh! One of your strings was out of tune when you recorded this one! Distracting...

Really? On the guitar part? I don't hear it and I'm hypersensitive to out-of-tune strings.

*chucking the TU-2 out the window*

Wait, maybe you mean the mandolin? If so, it's a mandolin, and there's no such thing as "in tune" with one of those. :)

Post by jb » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:22 pm

joshw wrote:
jb wrote:Josh! One of your strings was out of tune when you recorded this one! Distracting...
Really? On the guitar part? I don't hear it and I'm hypersensitive to out-of-tune strings.

*chucking the TU-2 out the window*

Wait, maybe you mean the mandolin? If so, it's a mandolin, and there's no such thing as "in tune" with one of those.

no it's in the fingerpicking, not the mandolin.

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:02 pm

j$ wrote:
Caravan Ray wrote:Ca plane pour moi:
Plastic Bertrand was Belgian, I'm sure you know...
J$

Yes - I vaguely remember playing a drinking game when I was a student called "Name a Famous Belgian" - to which Plastic Bertrand, Rene Magritte and Jacques Brel seemed to be the only valid answers (anybody who answered Tin Tin or Hercule Poirot had to scull their pint as Fictional Belgians didn't count)

By the way, apparently the Presidents of the USA covered Ca Plane Pour Moi - although I haven't heard it myself - I'd like to

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:16 pm

j$ wrote:
I was also wondering whether there was an American equivalent to the ferry day-trip to France.
j$

There's not really any Australian equivalent - unless you count going to Canberra to buy hard-core porn and fireworks.

I suppose we could go for a day-trip to New Zealand, but the question would be - Why? After all, it's full of bloody New Zealanders - and our sheep are better looking anyway.

j$ · Post by j$ » Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:21 pm

My reviews. Imo. Written as I listen.

Caravan Ray – This is your entry for the kid’s comp, right? I like it, I wish the percussion was real, especially the handclaps and fingerclicks. In fact it might work better without the percussion and in an acapella way – with dumb body or mouth percussion instead. But I like the melody and the words – although I guess it only uses the title as a stepping off point. Nothing wrong with that of course. Good, cute stuff.

Matt Glossy - I can see a video for this with you walking through the streets of Paris singing with guitar to bemused locals. Not sure what that means, but it was an image that sprung into my head. The bass end of the mix seems ever-so-slightly fuzzy, I only really notice it on the vocal and the slide guitar. Feels like a parody in the music, although it’s not a sound that I personally associate with France. This is the first of your songs I’ve heard so maybe you’re like this all the time. I like the retsrained emotion in your voice. Keeps threatening to creep into radiohead territory, although I’m probably thinking of the lounge cover of ‘creep’ I heard a while ago. In all, not bad at all.

MC Feat – Considering I use tts stuff a lot, I feel a bit hypocritical saying I don’t like it here. Although it’s mixed in well with the beat. I like the deeper one in the background. Since that’s all there is, I can’t really say much else. French phrase book? Short and tight enough not to be annoying but I doubt I’d listen again.

DWG – I almost didn’t listen to this but the ‘man machine’ era Kraftwerk comment made me curious. I have to say I can hear ‘Space lab’ in this too. Or maybe ‘Metropolis’. Well done on being able to produce a piece that shows so obviously your influences, I guess. Nothing else to say.

If the two-fight SF is a permenent return, let me say here that I shall miss the small fights very much.

Either Caravan Ray or Matt Glossy.

j$ · Post by j$ » Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:23 pm

Caravan Ray wrote: I vaguely remember playing a drinking game when I was a student called "Name a Famous Belgian" - to which Plastic Bertrand, Rene Magritte and Jacques Brel seemed to be the only valid answers (anybody who answered Tin Tin or Hercule Poirot had to scull their pint as Fictional Belgians didn't count)

There's a resteraunt in London (and possibly elsewhere) called Belgos. It has on its menu ten photographs of famous Belgians. If you could name all ten you got your first course free.

Herge, creator of Tintin, was on there, as were PB, Jacques Brel and Magritte. I can't recall the others off the top of my head. I do remember, when the waiter (dressed as a monk, natch) explained them to me, I was amazed and chagrined to realise that such a small country had produced such a wide range of artistic types.

Gemini6Ice · Post by **Gemini6Ice** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:56 am

How I usually vote: I listen to each song in the fight, and I save the mp3 if I like it. Then I listen to the ones I've saved and decide which one I enjoy the most.

Disclaimer: This is _totally_ personal taste, and I have very little "musical education." And

Caravan Ray- Catchy tune. Difficult to understand some of the lyrics. Saved.

Down With Gender- (What's the difference b/w you and DWG, ooc? I ghet so confused!) Interesting electronica, but it sounds similar to a lot of random songs I already have. I'm sure I have one or two with just random slips into a foreign language.

Johnny Cashpoint- I kinda liked the "exciting" parts, but the folk-song by the French campfire just wasn't doing it for me.

Josh Woodward- Sounds very similar to a song you did before, but I can't place it.

Matt Glossy- Maybe it's just my mood, but I found this too slow to get into. Also, it kinda sounds like I'm listening to it through a pipe.

MC Feat-Sounds like I'm playing Simon, only with French in place of the beeps. Optional challenge: tie this to Spring of Teal somehow.

frankie big face · Post by **frankie big face** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:06 am

Caravan Ray - Inventive, but annoying. I mean that in the best possible way. I think you should be pleased with the effort, but I personally couldn't listen to this more than once. But I may vote for it - who knows?

Down With Gender - I don't know what the words are, but this is actually not bad. Good length - didn't overstay its welcome.

Johhny Cashpoint - Hey you sound like David Bowie! (that felt good) I think I've liked everything I've heard by you, I think. You always have good arrangements and an infusion of punk spirit that I appreciate. This is pretty nice.

Josh Woodward - I will prerequisitely say you are a fine guitarist. I don't like the "joie de vivre" line - it's a little trite (in a whole song that's bordering on trite). But I like the song a lot. The claps are a witty prelude to the "slap my face" line. This is probably the best song I've ever heard by you. I really enjoyed it. Reminded me of David Baerwald a bit.

Matt Glossy - I'm pretty sure this is plagiarism, dude. I appreciate your love of the genre and you do it well, but this is "Til There Was You" with different words.

MC Feat - Halfway through the song and nothing has happened yet. This is a nice sound, but it's just background to a much more interesting song that doesn't exist.

Sorry Johnny and Caravan Ray, but I think I have to go with Josh on this one.

j$ · Post by j$ » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:00 am

frankie big face wrote:You always have good arrangements and an infusion of punk spirit that I appreciate.

Thank you. These are the two things I always concentrate on (interesting arrangements and infusing a little bit of punk spirit) so it's really nice when the uber-talented identify them

j$

Bell Green · Post by **Bell Green** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:21 am

Bon. Alors, il faut que je dire quelque chose surtout les chansons. Tous les chansons me plaise beaucoup et je dois dire maintenant que je parle seulement un petit peut, pas trop. Donc, on y va.

Caravan Ray- Is this the new ad for the Eurostar? Are you playing the spoons. Good linguistic references. Nice melody. Like the choral sounds. C'est pas mal.

Down With Gender- Eurotrash. Un peut de techno quoi. Il faut que vous rester a la maison. Pourquoi blue? Particulierement blue? Je comprends pas ca. En effet, un bon effort.

Johnny Cashpoint- Vraiment drole. Il y a des choses il faut pas rigoler. This is an epitome of the Englishman in France and you've captured it really well. J'aime beaucoup cette chanson.

Josh Woodward- C'est qui ca, Ralph Mctell quoi? Great production and excellent guitar sound and performance. Very jolly. Tu chantes bien mon ami.

Matt Glossy and the 8x10s- interesting time signature. Is that 12 over 8 or something. Gives it that 50's sound. Needs a do wop a diddee in the backing vocals. Great production and panache. Tres bien.

MC Feat- Mais qu'est-ce que tu racontes? Je comprends rien. Maintenant j'ai mal a la tete. Grave. Dans la poubelle avec toi. Adieu, mon brave.

C'est tres difficile a decider lequel est le meillieur chanson ici, mais enough of my broken French. I think for me it's Monsieur Cashpoint qui gagner, but very close. Merci beaucoup tout le monde.

Gazelles · Post by **Gazelles** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:45 pm

I voted for Caravan Ray, full reviews to come later time permitting.

j$ · Post by j$ » Sat Oct 23, 2004 7:10 am

So did I. I realise I forgot to say.

j$

Gazelles · Post by **Gazelles** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:46 pm

Reviews:
* indicates a keeper.

Caravan Ray*: Ohhhh this is ultra quirky, I love it. Great percussive sounds. And I really like the vocal layering that's happening near the end there. Great job. 3 and 3/4 stars.

Johnny Cashpoint*: I really like the chorus. I like the verse the second time around because it's much more interesting. By the end I'm liking this a whole lot more. And I love what's going on around 2:00. 3 and 2/3 stars.

Josh Woodward*: I like the premise of the song. It's a good idea. It just gets a little boring. I like the bridge. A nice break from the very homely verses. Nice job. 3 and 1/2 stars.

Matt Glossy and the 8x10s: The intro has a lot of promise, but I find the result to be boring and not very original sounding. It's just very slow and not intricate enough to really hold my attention. You've got a lot of really nice ideas, but maybe you should work on the arrangement a little more. 3 and 1/5 stars.

MC Feat: Not as bad as some of the other noise entries around here. Because it has a rhythem and somewhat of a melody. But it's way too long for not having a real change up of any kind. It has some promise, but in the end it's just boring. 2 and 1/4 stars.

Top 3:
3. Josh Woodward*
2. Johnny Cashpoint*
1. Caravan Ray*

Eric Y. · Post by **Eric Y.** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:59 pm

j$ wrote:I was also wondering whether there was an American equivalent to the ferry day-trip to France. ... the whole 'ferry experience' just to save 60 pence on a bottle of beer.

well in pennsylvania where i live, they seem intent on forcing people to quit smoking by making them too poor to afford cigarettes. until earlier this year i worked in a convenience store for nearly three years, and during the time i was there, there were too many tax increases for me to count, nearly doubling the cost per pack. for example, when i first started working there in 2001, the generic store-brand cigarettes were $17.99 per carton. with all the new taxes, those same ones are now about $32.

so the point of my story -- any time people go on vacation to a different state, they take up a collection from everyone they know, and buy mass quantities of cigarettes for all, from wherever they are going. because nearly anywhere else around they are going to be cheaper.

also, last summer i was in arizona, near the mexican border, and right AT the border was a duty-free shop, which sold items totally tax-free. the only catch was they are marked "for export only". so what i did (and the person who worked in the store explained to me how it works, this is actually legal AND ENCOURAGED) was bought a $10 carton of cigarettes and an $8 litre of bacardi 151, walked across the mexican border about ten yards, turned around, and walked back across. they have border patrol people that escort you there from the store, to make sure you actually take the items you purchased out of the country. then you bring them right back. it was silly, but i wasn't about to complain.

Eric Y. · Post by **Eric Y.** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:57 pm

caravan ray - super cute. the level of the vocals seems a little too low for me compared to the percussion stuff, so it's not always clear what you're saying unless i listen very closely. but i like these lyrics a bunch -- they remind me of a song from a mister rogers song i had as a kid.. "i'm going to germany in the morning, i'm going by plane in the morning, and i hope it will rain! because i know how to say, es regnet -- it's raining -- es regnet -- it's raining... {repeat with various other countries and languages}."

down with gender - i think you have finally escalated from barely listenable to the level of a bad doom fairies song.

johnny cashpoint - you tell a nice story here, and i like the buzzy saw wave sounding synth thing during the choruses, and particularly during the final verse. the way you say "harrrrd" is a little strange.

josh woodward - click for review. additional comments: the guitar at the very beginning sort of made me think of "alice's restaurant massacree"; also, since you are singing from the point of view of a "tennessee hick", i like the way you say "maybe i can't parles-vous françois", because that's just the kind of grammatical mis-structuring someone who is stereotypically uncultured as your narrator seems to be would make.

matt glossy - "no i never heard them at alllllllll, till there was you" ... nice job.

mc feat - i'm afraid my brain is not sophisticated enough to handle all this simultaneous talking, i can't really pick out what is going on. it just sort of blends together into one chaotic soundscape, which i guess is pretty interesting sounding for what it is.

anyway, nothing here was super-exciting to me, but nothing was really terrible either. my favourite two songs were ray and matt's, so i think i'll vote for ray because the lyrics were cute and entertaining, and the music wasn't thoroughly stolen.

j$ · Post by j$ » Sun Oct 24, 2004 2:58 pm

tviyh wrote:
j$ wrote:I was also wondering whether there was an American equivalent to the ferry day-trip to France. ... the whole 'ferry experience' just to save 60 pence on a bottle of beer.
well in pennsylvania where i live, they seem intent on forcing people to quit smoking by making them too poor to afford cigarettes ... .

Yeah, this is the same here. As a smoker, and therefore biased, I don't like the double standards of telling us smoking is bad (which of course it is) with huge warnings on the packets / imminent total public smoking bans and yet taxing booze & cigarettes to make it (i believe) the two biggest income sources in the government coffers. Like a packet of 20 malboro lights will cost you c.$9. In France, c. $3.75. A day trip on the ferry as a foot passenger costs $18. You do the math!

You can bring back any amount of alcohol/cigarettes thanks to EU statutes. In fact the EU is possibly taking UK Customs & Excise to court over their heavy-handed attempts to stop british citizens doing this. (You have to prove they're for 'personal consumption' - even if you buy them for friends, that's breaking the law, the way C&E interpret it.)

I'm not trying to start a smoking is bad /smoking is good debate. I just find it hypocritical. I would, of course, being a smoker.

j$

frankie big face · Post by **frankie big face** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:21 am

j$ wrote:There's a resteraunt in London (and possibly elsewhere) called Belgos. It has on its menu ten photographs of famous Belgians. If you could name all ten you got your first course free.

I love Belgo Centraal and even have a "Loyalty Card." I have two stamps, putting me halfway toward a free meal!

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 8:28 am

1: matt glossy (with reservations), caravan ray, j$
2: josh w, dwg

i haven't read the other reviews, but isn't the matt glossy song just like one of the old beatles tunes? sounds good, but it seems too close.

i'm gonna vote for j$ with caravanray in 2nd.
-bill

J'aime Le Combat des Chansons ('Bonjour Mon Ami' Reviews)

My first review summary

Quelque mots de la cloche verte

and well... as long as i'm here...