And she's bu-u-uying ... (stairway to the moon reviews)

mkilly · Post by **mkilly** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:38 am

Generic wrote:I'll have reviews before too long, but at first glance, I'm quite relieved to see some familiar names fighting with me. Theophilus Monk! Sober! Frankie! Jute Gyte! Hostess Mostess!

Generic, great to see you back, thanks for this namedrop and for the review. I do know about that problem in re my range, I try to avoid it but with the key we performed it in, my low isn't low enough and my high is too high. The melody wasn't copped from anywhere particularly, but the vibe the band and I were trying to get at was just "generic folk protest song" (which is the lyrical inspiration as well.)

JAK wrote:Theophilus Monk â€” Funny. Friendly. Did Willie the Shakes really write that â€œlove will find a way?â€

Niveous · Post by **Niveous** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:51 am

Stairway to the Moon reviews:

Jon Eric- Welcome back, my friend. It was hard to get a feel for this song at first but by the second verse it really got going. It's not feeling the percussion at all but the harmonies in the song are very enjoyable. I think with time and finishing, this song could be polished into something really good. Right now, it's a work in progress.

Ted & Jon- The music and the vocals are miles away from each other in the mix. I'm not enjoying the vocal style at all. The delivery is dead. The keys are awkward. Keep the music, change singers.

Frankie Big Face- I didn't even notice he was in this fight. That's a delightful surprise. I love the 50's style. It's as if it's Frankie as produced by Spector. This is really good. But that's no surprise. This is FBF. Frankie Anecdote- It was SF Wayne. We are meeting for the first time and setting up. He comes in, along with his gorgeous wife, and greets everyone. Then he tells everyone that he's leaving and heading to a concert and will be back later. He leaves. Everyone kinda looks at each other confused. Anya looks at me and Eric and says "He's such a fucking rockstar". She was absolutely right.

Jolly Roger- FBF is hard act to follow. I like the guitar in this alot. That riff is sweet. JR is getting better with every fight. Ugh. The song dies before it can really get going. The first 30 seconds are so are flat. The song doesn't really switch into second gear until after the one minute mark. But then there's only 40 seconds of song left. Disappointing.

Theophilus Monk- The Mkilly band. It helps that I'm used to Marcus' vocal style so I can enjoy it. I don't know if i'd be able to going in blindly. There are some good things here. The best being the lyrics. The ending is terrible though. And anytime I hear the word Paris Hilton, I turn into a Manchurian Candidate and want to kill. Fair little song. I'd give it a 6 out of 10.

TSI- It's like Carol Cleveland Sings without the casio, the harmonies and a lower vocal register. You know what, I think that's a good thing. And changing up the feel at the chorus section is a masterstroke. This is extremely well done. I didn't think that anyone was going to give FBF a run for his money, but this is excellent. The vocal delivery is the best part. Gets a wee bit repetitive at the end but that's not enough to ruin a good tune.

Jute Gyte- Guitar static. Honey, I'm home. I adore this kind of stuff. I wish that I could figure out how to get this kind of style that blends metal and noise so seamlessly. This is classic Jute Gyte stuff. It sounds like it was a lost song from last summer. At around 3:30, this song gets into its best stuff. I love the guitar solo peaking through the static. I wanted a more powerful ending but still this was a keeper.

Marginals- I was all thumps up for this tune until the vocals came. I love the guitar sound but hate the vocals. Hate is a strong word but it fits here. It takes me away from the song completely.

Special Relatives- I'm disappointed in this tune. It's funny the reason why. This is the most normal the Special Relatives have ever been. This is such a straightforward g^2 tune. Okay, at the end- that's the Special Relatives that I know. But only for a short time. Disappointing.

Chuck Chuck Moose- That desperately needed a chorus with some bite. It's bad enough that the song has the flow of a song from "Grease" but the chorus comes without strength. It's like hearing "She Hates Me" by Puddle of Mudd without anyone saying "She fucking hates me". This is a good song but instead of getting softer with the piano laden chorus, the song would be made by a strong chorus.

Hostess Mostess- Another excellent tune this week. This is going to be hard to choose. This is a mix of Arcati Crisis' "Moscow, idaho" and Stereophonics' "Traffic" taking the best from both and making an even better song. This is the song for everyone's prom this year. Great work, HM. I think this is my favorite of your songs. The lyrics are excellent and the production is pristine.

Wave umbrella- It's Octothorpe minus any style or substance and with a very bad keyboard. It sounds like it was played on children's toys (which would be cooler than what we have here). Mercifully short.

Corn on the Cob- For a second, I thought Duboce Triangle was back. Nevertheless this is funky. Another good song in this fight. It's got a taste of Duboce with some Deshead thrown in. Good strong guitar. The "Oh No" was not good. Other than that, this is a contender. It's well put together and the chorus is kinda catchy. Nice job.

@eclectic sp00ns- This is my fave @s tune so far. This is interesting experimentation. It hits on some marks and misses on others. The vocals with the effects and its odd place in the mix, that's on the misses side. The music with the little mexican percussion bit is on the hits side. All in all, it's decent.

Chin Music- The vocals are very good at the start. I can only expect things to go downhill. No insult to the band. This is just the way of Songfight. A song with simple jangly slide guitars and good smooth vocals usually disconstructs. Hey, you've broken the mold. It didn't deconstruct. Yeah. It got a bit boring at the end though. Wait, it's not over. About 30 seconds of odd. Okay, whatever. That was above average.

Paco del Stinko- This is just not my style. It's very chipper like he's the child of the Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffett. Other than my style dislike, some of the lyrics may just be a little too stylish for the tune. Sometimes you just need to keep it simple. The vocals in the bridge are too high (notewise). The guitar solo is fine. I don't like the keys much. On occasion, the vocals have a bit too much zeal. Ever see Supergroup and see when Sebastian Bach butchers Ted Nugent songs because he's too excited. That's how it sounds whenever he delivers the Stairway to the Moon line.

The Older Brother- Big numbers in lyrics lose my interest. The chorus is different then I would expect. That's a plus. The silly talking part in the bridge along the big number is terrible. There are some good parts. The chorus is catchy but I wish the lyrics on the verses were stronger and that it was taken more seriously as a whole.

Ben Krieger- These vocals are a welcome addition to SF. Rusty Sputnik? I don't like the harmonies on the choruses. The bass on this is great. What's with the high voice bridges this week? I didn't work for me until the note dropped and then it all worked and meshed well for a good ending.

My final vote- Hmmm, this is the toughest vote I have ever had here at SF. I'm voting for Hostess Mostess, with TSI 2nd, FBF 3rd, Jute 4th and Corn 5th.

Last minute entry-
Ill Cricket Crew- A dance remix....The music reminds me of "Opposites Attract" by Paula Abdul and that animated cat. That's not good. Rapping over disco with "Major Tom on the juice". Houston, we have more than a problem.

Paco Del Stinko · Post by **Paco Del Stinko** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:44 pm

Great reviews so far - I hope they keep coming. I'll post later in the week after some more listens. Thanks all! - Paco

jute gyte · Post by **jute gyte** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:25 pm

Generic wrote: Jute Gyte - What time is that, 14/4? That Jute Gyte is crazy! The strange time sig justifies the overly long intro, in this case. My god, you're sounding much better than you used to. In the two years of my absence, you've improved dramatically. I mean, I still can't understand a word of your vocals, but the whole thing has this beautiful studio sheen, and a much better variety of guitar tones. And yet, it still sounds gritty and dirty. The chink in your armor is your symbals; they sound fake, and this song relies on them pretty heavily. I think it would downright obvious to state that you're channeling Tool here, right down to the almost uncomfortable song length, which for Tool would in fact be pretty short, but for Songfight, it's fairly long. You do appear to be trying to keep it interesting throughout, but I wouldn't mind if you found a way to chop off a minute or so. Contender.

Thanks for the long review! I was actually channeling My Bloody Valentine and Today Is the Day. Not a Tool fan. This is really a pretty simple song. There are three riffs, and they increase in time signature by odd numbers in the order they appear: the first riff is 7/8 (or 14/4 or whatever else you care to hear it as), the second is 9/8, and the third is 11/8. If you're interesting in hearing more of my recent stuff, I did an entry for "St. Gratus" last week. Any recommendations for better cymbal samples or production?

Reist · Post by **Reist** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:57 pm

Niveous wrote:Jolly Roger- FBF is hard act to follow. I like the guitar in this alot. That riff is sweet. JR is getting better with every fight. Ugh. The song dies before it can really get going. The first 30 seconds are so are flat. The song doesn't really switch into second gear until after the one minute mark. But then there's only 40 seconds of song left. Disappointing.

Sorry to leave you disappointed, man. I really had big plans for this one, including it being longer, but I couldn't seem to find the time to record it, and it had to be done in one day. Maybe someday I'll rerecord the song and try to make it better.

chuckstas · Post by **chuckstas** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:50 pm

Niveous wrote:Chuck Chuck Moose- It's bad enough that the song has the flow of a song from "Grease" but the chorus comes without strength. This is a good song but instead of getting softer with the piano laden chorus, the song would be made by a strong chorus.

Could you explain this part of your review? What do you mean it has the flow of a song from "Grease"? Also, I'm not sure how the song gets softer in the chorus, many more elements are happening in the chorus than in the verses. Thanks.

Sober · Post by **Sober** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:59 pm

Yeah, 8 repeats at the end of my song is a bit much. I was planning to fade it, which is why there were so many, but during a take I happened to curl that ending riff and stuck it on there.

Listened to like 20 seconds of each song, and FBF, Monk, and Jute Gyte all rock ass.

Full reviews to come.

jeffhenderson · Post by **jeffhenderson** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:08 pm

I'm pretty sure Frankie Big Face is my favorite songfighter of all time. This song has prompted me to check out his previous works and it is amazing.

Thanks For The Frisbee · Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:09 pm

thanks to the fight masters for adding my entry.
im bummed i missed out on the three awesome reviews so far, but at least im in the mix. Thanks

frankie big face · Post by **frankie big face** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:14 pm

JeffHenderson wrote:I'm pretty sure Frankie Big Face is my favorite songfighter of all time. This song has prompted me to check out his previous works and it is amazing.

Jeff Henderson, you are my new favorite Canadian! Thank you for the awesome comment.

Also, Niveous, that is a good story. I like stories about me.

chuckstas · Post by **chuckstas** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:25 pm

The Sober Irishman wrote:FBF, Monk, and Jute Gyte all rock ass.

Is rocking ass a good thing?

frankie big face · Post by **frankie big face** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:31 pm

chuckstas wrote:
Niveous wrote:Chuck Chuck Moose- It's bad enough that the song has the flow of a song from "Grease" but the chorus comes without strength. This is a good song but instead of getting softer with the piano laden chorus, the song would be made by a strong chorus.
Could you explain this part of your review? What do you mean it has the flow of a song from "Grease"? Also, I'm not sure how the song gets softer in the chorus, many more elements are happening in the chorus than in the verses. Thanks.

I think he is referring to the song "Summer Nights." It also features the words "I met a girl..." sung almost identically to the way your singer sings it and with the same bass line. I think the verses have a bit more drive because the drums are busier--maybe that's where Niveous is coming from. What I'm trying to figure out is how this song is called "Stairway to the Moon"!!!

frankie big face · Post by **frankie big face** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:31 pm

chuckstas wrote:
The Sober Irishman wrote:FBF, Monk, and Jute Gyte all rock ass.

Is rocking ass a good thing?

Uh......YEAH!

boltoph · Post by **boltoph** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:06 pm

I've been listning to the list, fisting the glass....words...typos, too, I'm sure...

Jute Gyte
it's like someone took a super-cheesy 80s tune, and instead of producing it as expected, made it just a thin elec. beat, and a super fuzzed out guitar. A third of the way through, a minor chord or unexected chromatic move fools us all into realizing it's truly metal with an emo twist, without thud.

ChuckChuckMoose
Wanted to hear an instrument doing "zzooooooop!". Feels really medicore, overall, inspiring a bit of apathy here. [Could boost the highs on the vocs]...good vocal line at the prechorus. The oohs could've been some other word, perhaps...

Theophilus Monk
The Man in the Moon was the part where it started, over here. I mean before that I was kinda laughing at it, etc. Then after that line it reminded me of Dylan so I liked it...except that I still can't tell if you're serious or not.

ChinMusic
I wanted to say it was just repeating the same type line over and over again, but then it changes halfway thru the first verse, so it's picking up. I can groove the slide part it's a standard blues thing. The extra vocals were good. Want to hear it build around the words more, be more in focus with itself.

Frankie Big Face
I especially like the girl vocals in the beginning. It's sweet, i imagine it without the english accent, and i really love when you move up to "tell you....". A giant cannon...uh....heheh well uh the oohs are sweet, the whole performance is rockin. Definitely a good change on "devil who did this.." and a lyric to follow!

Older Brothers
The way it slams right in might scare, could've lingered on that sweet maj7 chord a bit...moving a little fast for me but I really dig that verse vocal quite a bit....it's too busy at points, would rather hear the beat just slam in at points and then back off at bits....

Ted and John's Excellent Adventure!
Dude! The name got me in the frame of mind for....holy shit! That vocal....holy Lord...hahahah you gotta be kidding with this mix, right? this has to be a joke..dude, if this isn't a joke, turn the bass all the way down on the vocal track and then maybe you're band might be closer....and it's stair "way".. heheheh

Thanks for the Frisbee
Oh your lucky to be after those dudes...whoa...alright there's almost a bit of a hook, stairs to the moon...i like that vocal, it's sounding, polished and glued...less breaths there in the chorus...it's a good hook and people may say "emo trash" but fuck 'em!

Hostess Mostess
After the first line I was thinking this was going to be something really like a quite quiet Saturday night at the local bar out in a central MA bar, then I realized I like the classic vibe....glad there's no full band, this is a classic within itself! Some other percussion maybe? Still classic vocal melodies roll like waves.

Ill Cricket Crew
I was gonna fukin RAIL you until I heard the "Stairway to the Moon" in the chorus, and then fuckin STM in on those vocs?! what the fuck? YEAH! I was gonna rail this. You must be lucky that I just got drunk. Needed to hear Smalltown Mike come back for another verse at 2:37.

Corn on the Cob
That bass was funking out with the drums in a couple places, I liked that. I wasn't sold on the idea until "I'll drink the whole cup..." Then the "one" liines, I guess that's where it got rolling...i like thÃ© "holy s"... "prying apart". Must've been dr0nk, those vox. Wow the ending was like a stairway, or falling down. or blasting apart cuz of no space suit...heh

Paco
Paco, you need scream more!! yeah man, and some latin percussion. wtf, where's the latin percussion? "As I lay you on your knees" would've been a better line there. It's a hard hittin' title liner! I can appreciate it...a front seat.

Sober Irishman
Whoa started off like Sinead O'Connor...the vocal's gotta come up way up man, to grab those Sinatra-style changes.I want to hear more low in the vocs so that voc doesn't sound so separate from the drums and keys. ...would lose the chimes... I dig the vibe on "what might have been", thats a good round there. I like the good musicianship and performance.

Jolly Roger
Had it going around "since you died" and then it was over. The beginning (aside from those first few hits) had promise...some smooth changes, and tone, I lost it through the middle, the vocal needs more focus and emotion. And a little low cut. The ending is the best part.

Joneric
The beat gets it jumbled..would be better with the beat coming in just for the chorus, and a different beat at that. Just a "little" stairway to the moon? Man those drums gottta go. Bongos / congas could be a better choice, just bring 'em in on the chorus. The female vocal was luscious. Why isn't she singing the whole time? The "love like that... life like that" that's fuckin classic shit! That's good! Now just cut the bass outa the vocals and give it a hair more treble....has promise in that middle section there....

alright that's all for me tonight, I'll post more later....listened to them, but this is just in a random order here.

Moose · Post by **Moose** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:02 pm

Alright. Iâ€™m going to listen to all 20 entries in a Stairway to the Moon marathon.

Letâ€™s begin.
Ben Krieger: The vocals are right up front, I like that. I think this could have done without that intro. This has a little U2 in it. Especially at :30. Aww man, I was waiting for that build to lead to some kind of superchorusâ€¦ but then the song ended! Whatâ€™s with that?
ChinMusic: Itâ€™s ironic that this song is about space, and it made me space out. Those background vocals just put me to sleep for some reason. I do like how you toy with the tempo ever so slightly. Itâ€™s real dreamy, but never really goes anywhere in particular. I bet people are going to fuss about that ending, but I think it fits pretty nicely.
Chuck Chuck: I canâ€™t take too much credit for this one. Chuck did most of the writing this week. Itâ€™s a pretty poppy song. Iâ€™m most proud of the vocal harmonies. They turned out pretty sweet. I like the Sugar Ray comparison somebody mentioned earlier. I think it has a pretty similar groove to one of their songs, but I canâ€™t put my finger on it.
Corn on the Cob: For some reason I really like the â€œI forgot my space suitâ€

jute gyte · Post by **jute gyte** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:05 pm

boltoph wrote: Jute Gyte
it's like someone took a super-cheesy 80s tune, and instead of producing it as expected, made it just a thin elec. beat, and a super fuzzed out guitar. A third of the way through, a minor chord or unexected chromatic move fools us all into realizing it's truly metal with an emo twist, without thud.

What about the song is emo?

Moose · Post by **Moose** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:11 pm

frankie big face wrote:What I'm trying to figure out is how this song is called "Stairway to the Moon"!!!

Colin wrote the lyrics, but from what I gather- Selene is the greek goddess of the moon who was apparently known for having a whole bunch of affairs.

meh... a bit of a stretch perhaps.

Sober · Post by **Sober** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:38 pm

Man, I love the seagull sounds. That's my 335's neck pickup, I'm sliding around on it with the ring I wear on my pinkie. Delay to taste.

mkilly · Post by **mkilly** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:35 pm

[quote]Did you come up with the â€œYou have to sit down to stand up for your rightsâ€

BenKrieger · Post by **BenKrieger** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:59 am

Early Bowie redux, still not a bad thing.

I have several CDs of his (Low, Station, Ziggy, Dogs, and Hunky) but I don't listen to them much. It's usually coincidence if he pops up.

Some nice guitar in there.

Daytime hours are for my new record, which means that all this was done with MIDI or direct at night (vocals were done the next morning). This also means that in order to not wake the girl, I mix with headphones...a no no, but it explains the vocals. Though I do like them high anyway.

The bass is probably also mixed too high, but I kind of like it how it is.

The bass should always be mixed clearer than the guitar, IMHO. Bass players are criminally undermixed.

Line for line, there's nothing wrong with your lyrics, though by the end of the song, it's occured to me that I don't know what it's about. Might be my fault; might be yours.

There's something cool about a half-finished connect-the-dot-drawing. Sometimes a complete lyrical idea renders the song only as interesting as the artist's intention. Open ended lyrics keep the song as interesting as the interpretation of the listener. Or they're just confusing to everyone.

Is that repeated line in the coda... is that "We're going over," or "We're going nova?"

Nova. They are kind of related, I suppose. I'm sure some people think that kissing guys is like kissing the sky. My classic flub on lyrics is on Van Halen's "Jump." To this day I still have an image of David Lee Roth on the tennis courts with his back against the racket machine.

These vocals are a welcome addition to SF.

When you come from Ohio, you need to adopt an accent or remain in a constant state of pissiness like Trent Reznor. I chose the former, though I have been known to get pissy.

I don't like the harmonies on the choruses.

They're hideous...I can hear my voices line up where they shouldn't.

"Aww man, I was waiting for that build to lead to some kind of superchorusâ€¦ but then the song ended! Whatâ€™s with that?"

Superchoruses are overrated, though you're right...damn. I'm lazy, really. Sometimes I'll get ideas in demos, but since the drum tracks have been programmed, I leave it. Slacker, I am

Can't wait to write back my thoughts...

Ben

JonPorobil · Post by **JonPorobil** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:42 am

I've completed my reviews by adding Thanks for the Frisbee to my original review post.

Oh, and gotta love VBR; every time I play Mostess' song, it reads as longer than before. 10:26 and counting...

jute gyte wrote:
Any recommendations for better cymbal samples or production?

I'd love to help, but you're asking a guy who drums with his Casio. Sorry.

boltoph wrote: Joneric
The beat gets it jumbled..would be better with the beat coming in just for the chorus, and a different beat at that. Just a "little" stairway to the moon? Man those drums gottta go. Bongos / congas could be a better choice, just bring 'em in on the chorus. The female vocal was luscious. Why isn't she singing the whole time? The "love like that... life like that" that's fuckin classic shit! That's good! Now just cut the bass outa the vocals and give it a hair more treble....has promise in that middle section there....

All the reviews so far have been dead-on accurate, except that here I feel compelled to point out that I sung all the vocals in this song myself. I don't know any good girl singers. So... are you talking about the harmony parts, or what?

BenKrieger wrote: When you come from Ohio, you need to adopt an accent or remain in a constant state of pissiness like Trent Reznor. I chose the former, though I have been known to get pissy.

Whereabouts in Ohio?

Niveous · Post by **Niveous** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:51 am

frankie big face wrote:
chuckstas wrote:
Niveous wrote:Chuck Chuck Moose- It's bad enough that the song has the flow of a song from "Grease" but the chorus comes without strength. This is a good song but instead of getting softer with the piano laden chorus, the song would be made by a strong chorus.
Could you explain this part of your review? What do you mean it has the flow of a song from "Grease"? Also, I'm not sure how the song gets softer in the chorus, many more elements are happening in the chorus than in the verses. Thanks.
I think he is referring to the song "Summer Nights." It also features the words "I met a girl..." sung almost identically to the way your singer sings it and with the same bass line. I think the verses have a bit more drive because the drums are busier--maybe that's where Niveous is coming from. What I'm trying to figure out is how this song is called "Stairway to the Moon"!!!

Thanks Frankie. You read my mind.

late review:
Thanks for the Frisbee- Lungs will implode. That is the lyric of the week. There is a lot of reverb on this, isn't there. I know it's for that ethereal feel but it's not working for me. It just gives that singing in a cave feel. I wish there was a guitar solo in there.

And she's bu-u-uying ... (stairway to the moon reviews)

Re: Generic Reviews