Residing at the Junction of Man and Calamity (D+C reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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furrypedro
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Post by furrypedro »

Andy Balham wrote:
Furrypedro wrote:
Andy Balham wrote:Minus points for self-referential song-writing lyric
:?:
Lucky that doesn't apply to me then.
"I've done this twice before, it always turns out wrong
So from experience I'm gonna write this girl a song"

Just a personal pecadillo Pedro. My points system is my own. People should feel no compunction to pander to it.
Fair enough. I'm sorry you felt that line brought the song down, the song in question isn't this song though, this song's about living at the corner of...you know. I haven't written the other song yet.

I always thought self-referencing was saying something like "Meddling Kids in the hizzay!" (which I admit I've never been a fan of), not singing in the first person.
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Post by HeuristicsInc »

I actually got to listen to all of these, but no real reviews. I voted for Quesadilla.

Runners up: TMK, gigavolt, brad&front, shambles, wages, jbb, paco, klownhole, blt

#: you should rerecord this when you've got the equipment problems worked out.
brad&front: music is mixed too low. it's kinda barely there.
ninja: evidently a tom waits fan! the solo is good but it should be louder.

I see the expected outcome came true, but I totally didn't think it was the best song. The music was so quiet it didn't seem like Brad's contributions were considered to be important, and I was hoping that it would be prominent since I like his music so much. Unless it was just my headphones!
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the_prisoner
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Better Late Than Never: My full reviews

Post by the_prisoner »

Billy’s – It’s difficult to get past the mechanical, uninspiring drums. Please try another patch, or get a new machine, and get some help with the programming. Other than that, it was a really good song, and Paco’s quite simply the shit. I thought the vocals were good but hard to make out at times. Overall very good, well composed and performed.

(Joanie Loves) Chonchi – sort of interesting, sort of not a song. It was more of a soundtrack than anything else. It was ok.

Gigavolt – I somehow envisioned this as an early version of “Everything Counts,” except Martin Gore could have written and performed this at age 2. Just not too good and quite annoying.

Jimmy Jet – Well recorded and played – fun and frollicky acoustic tune. I liked the falsetto voice in there. I would have like to have heard more in the way of composition, but an overall good tune.

Klownhole w/guests – I liked the song, but it needed more of the wah-wah guitar and could have used a C-section. I liked the drums. The song went on a bit too long though, but good fun anyway. I also would have liked to have heard an organ solo in there too.

Luke – If the weekly Song Fight were entitled “The Aristocrats,” this song would have worked. Otherwise, a twisted, off-topic parody that was done well, but not a contender.

MC Frontalot – Great lyrics, rapping, and a very interesting recording and drum tracks. Quite simply excellent, and a solid contender!

Melvin – Pleasant, nostalgic-sounding, nicely sung and well recorded song. Good work and a good tune.

Ninja Bachelors – Good way to work in the lyrics. The vocals are so raspy (in a good way) and the music so mellow that it makes for an odd, but entertaining contrast. Cool song.

Octothorpe – A bit sophomoric, but kinda fun too. Drums could be less formulaic. The guitar playing is pretty poor.

Our Dog – Vocals too scratchy for my taste, but the guitar works. Good drums, but how did you manage to channel Yoda for the vocals?

Paco – Never a bad song. I always love your 6-string work, and I also like the vocals a lot too. Quite a good song.

Quesadilla – Just a solid tune. It was fun, well recorded and well sung with nice playing. Very nice entry.

Several Thousand – Sweetly done. Vocals sounded a bit strained, but I like the tone. Good composition.

Shambles – Who let the Pet Shop Boys in the house? A fun deviation from the other songs.

Meddling Kids – What can I say besides I like this tune. It was interesting, pleasant, and well produced.

Wages – Barney Fife? A decent tune, but it needs better drum programming. Try varying-up the beats a bit more. And what’s up with the curmudgeon theme?

Zipline – Our track. Compositionally, the strongest track for the 2nd fight in a row. Although this one wasn’t in odd meter, the sections of 6/4 kept the track a touch more progressive. I still tend to rush the drums at times and the vocal volume was all over the place. Still, it was a pretty good track that builds the entire song, finishes strong, and kept my interest the whole time. And, like always, all live with no overdubs (but plenty of editing).

Sam
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Post by WeaselSlayer »

Just in case people were thinking otherwise, I don't think rape or murder or any form of harming one's family (or anyone else really) is funny in any way.
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Post by deshead »

j$ wrote:
Smalltown Mike wrote:
deshead wrote: Anyone got a guess how many votes it'll get? I say 136.
I bet 200 easy.
unless he tops 614, I will consider it a failure.
If this was The Price Is Right, you guys'd miss the showcase showdown.
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Post by Paco Del Stinko »

For a fight some people thought horrible, whether it was or not, it provided some excellent reviews and interesting conversations. Captain Corn calls it fun!

Pedro - Classroom secrets aside, I am now down. But ask yourself where that seventh vote came from. Hmmm...
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Post by Billy's Little Trip »

Paco Del Stinko wrote:For a fight some people thought horrible, whether it was or not, it provided some excellent reviews and interesting conversations. Captain Corn calls it fun!

Pedro - Classroom secrets aside, I am now down. But ask yourself where that seventh vote came from. Hmmm...
Yeah sure it's fun for you. That's because no one called your best friend and lover "mechanical and uninspiring", not to mention...and I quote, "get a new machine". I'm just glad Al didn't read this or he would have fried a chip. :?

....I love the reviews too, chuckles, good or bad. It makes me think a little more when I'm arranging and recording. But even more, I love listening to one of a kind music. :wink:
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Post by the_prisoner »

Billy's Little Trip wrote:
Paco Del Stinko wrote:For a fight some people thought horrible, whether it was or not, it provided some excellent reviews and interesting conversations. Captain Corn calls it fun!

Pedro - Classroom secrets aside, I am now down. But ask yourself where that seventh vote came from. Hmmm...
Yeah sure it's fun for you. That's because no one called your best friend and lover "mechanical and uninspiring", not to mention...and I quote, "get a new machine". I'm just glad Al didn't read this or he would have fried a chip. :?

....I love the reviews too, chuckles, good or bad. It makes me think a little more when I'm arranging and recording. But even more, I love listening to one of a kind music. :wink:
Billy, the song was good, but the drums were kind of like last week's. They sounded like a Tama Rockstar patch, which is always a solid choice, but they also project too much for more subtle music. Just go with a Yamaha kind of thing, you know, less sustain, and more dotted-eight/sixteenth note riffs rather than just straight eighth note and sixteenth note stuff. I would also drop the drums in your mixes a bit too.

Some machines also have a "human element" that can be added. This would really help the programming. I suppose a hybrid of your drums and my tendancy to rush fills might make the perfect combo : - )

Sam
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Post by Billy's Little Trip »

Thanks for the info Sam. I do appreciate the suggestions coming from a drummer. SF is motivating me to start updating my equipment and to start learning more about putting together a digital audio workstation. Unfortunately for now, all I can do is do the best with what I have. I'm pretty sure my Alesis (Al) machine is pretty old because the buttons are made from terradactyl bone.
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I hear you Billy . . .

Post by the_prisoner »

Ahhh, an Alesis. They always had great sounds for the price, but just not that much in the way of variety in the earlier models, if I can recall back to high school! Keep up the solid entries though!

Sam
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Post by LukeU »

dang. that guy ruins the whole fight. it was an alright track, but come on. There were better ones. Like Frankie or Melvin. I mean, he won by like a million times the 2nd placer. (a little less than that, but still) its supposed to be about fun. and it looks like the fun of competing was crushed. well anyway. great songs otherwise. Not meaning to disrespect Frontalot, just my opinion.
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Post by dullwitlessboy »

j$ wrote:Several thousand …. Less Than 3 was a much better name in my book.
I got carried away with the references and decided to make the name of our band for this fight be a reference, too.

Heh...I say "our band" as though I had anything to do with it...I just write the lyrics.

...Oh, and it's also my fault for not turning in the re-recorded version which featured a quieter tambourine.
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Post by mc_frontalot »

HeuristicsInc thanks for the mixnotes; there will be a way bradlier version for the record, faders willing

sorry about ruining everybody's fun with the voting, I know it is ass to not get to win -- I've been told so by octothorpe who must put up with the losing and with me stopping in on the forums to say EAT A TURD, HOST BAND!
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Post by Spud »

Hey now, Mr. Front, sir. I know of no one in Octothorpe who has disparaged your win. I myself gave you kudos on the front page (see we even named it after you...). If there is some back room criticism going on by Mad Dog, fluffy, or Crash, just let me know and it will be dealt with.

That is all. Fuck, I don't need this.
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Song Fight! The Rockening
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Post by Billy's Little Trip »

Oh heck Front, I'm not even into rap and I dug your D&C entry. As far as I'm concerned, you entered a damn great song. If we had more of your stuff each week, it would push me to make my entries a little more catchy to represent my genre a bit better. Being a good writer and musician is only half the battle these days, it's all in the final mix and the mastering if you want people to listen.
Last edited by Billy's Little Trip on Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by anti-m »

Spud wrote:Hey now, Mr. Front, sir. I know of no one in Octothorpe who has disparaged your win. I myself gave you kudos on the front page (see we even named it after you...). If there is some back room criticism going on by Mad Dog, fluffy, or Crash, just let me know and it will be dealt with.

That is all. Fuck, I don't need this.
I can only assume Front was joking, Spud...

(if only </kidding> tags weren't so goofy.)
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Post by Spud »

Yeah, I'm sure he is. It just struck me the wrong way. He already beat us up in the reviews, and that's fine, we deserved it.
"I only listen to good music. And Octothorpe." - Marcus Kellis
Song Fight! The Rockening
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Post by adrift in a draft »

anti-m wrote:
Spud wrote:Hey now, Mr. Front, sir. I know of no one in Octothorpe who has disparaged your win. I myself gave you kudos on the front page (see we even named it after you...). If there is some back room criticism going on by Mad Dog, fluffy, or Crash, just let me know and it will be dealt with.

That is all. Fuck, I don't need this.
I can only assume Front was joking, Spud...

(if only </kidding> tags weren't so goofy.)
despite soliciting a biased group to flood the vote many people insisted that front was a good guy. a gentleman ...... perhaps reading his recent post will cause the scales to fall from your eyes.
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Post by Spud »

I am 100% sure he is a good guy. We have been over this territory. He did nothing wrong and everything right in the way that he covered the entry on his website. SongFight! is grateful for the many of you who have been sent our way by way of the Front. I am just having a bad day. I just deleted four posts in another thread. Watch out.
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Post by fluffy »

Spud wrote:If there is some back room criticism going on by Mad Dog, fluffy, or Crash, just let me know and it will be dealt with.
Well, I WASN'T, but now...

Nope, still not.
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Post by mc_frontalot »

sorry spud! just meant to indicate how rad you guys are for putting up with my reviews AND running the site all the time and etc.
Had hoped our IRL acquaintance granted me a wide berth on ironic forum typing.
keep up the fine work.

d
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I love this song, hope it makes it into MC Front's new movie

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