Everybody's Got Something to Hide (Client No. 9 Reviews)

[erik]

Except for me, my monkey and that Spitzer dude.

Everyone else can have reviews for the low low price of $1,000/hr.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Some pretty good entries for this fight. Jumbotron tore...it...UP! The guitar player plays like Ace Frehley.

[halen99]

Steve Durand you are my hero. Love it!

Eddie

[aallen]

Yeah lots of great work here. Steve Durand, thats a hell of a horn arrangement, given such little time to put these things together, awesome.

Drew Styles

[Paco Del Stinko]

Burritos in Space - Love the way this starts until the slide plays that harmony riff: yuck. But then it redeems itself with atmospheric keys ala Rick Wright. Some vocals would be nice, maybe way slathered in delay, but I don't mind the locked in moody groove. Good one to jam on with the guys.

The Capitalist Youth - I like the main melody best here, the "I don't know...". It's like it's all slow motion, but not draggy. The instrumentation is nice as well, though a simple thing like the ticka ticka hi-hat kind of distracts me. Petty complaint, though. Nice first person perspective which makes the whole thing personal and kind of lonely. Nice song.

Drew Styles & the Blue Velvet Band - Well, I like the 80s sounding instrument tracks, but the vocals go from too mumbly to a not unpleasant gruffness, though that appears a bit misplaced here. A better mix might've given this a bit more zippety doo-dah, as the song isn't going to clobber you with strong hooks or melody. The talking bits could either go over the top or just go.

Eddie Lance - Your acoustic came out nicely here, but might be wimpy if it were up front in the mix. Very nice music track, I like the voice which borders on silly at times, but some melody would've helped. Strong piano, of course, adds a passionate feel.

Enter It In The Art Show - It appears as though the tracks misalign at times, but I like the feel. It's almost like a continuation of Eddie Lance's song. I like the builds that start about halfway through, but they don't seem to quite elevate the track as they promise to.

The Epitaphs - It's a fine little off-key joke that might've worked better with some development. I hear some Weakest Suit in there, but this sounds like it was done on a portable cassette player. (nothing wrong with that, certainly) Sometimes bigger is better, structure-wise.

Heywood and the Jablomes - I like the live feel of this and that helps to overlook the werbley vocals. Funny how the instruments rise and fall in volume during the song, I bet that wasn't much done with faders. Nice dark groove and build to the heavy part. Love the psychedelic and somewhat middle eastern section later in the song. Nice mood and evolution.

Mr.Chesterfield - Minus the booty? I thought it was going to be kind of a poopy two chorder, but I enjoyed the gradual build. Nice key and synth tones. It might've been nice if the vocals varied more, but it's almost a relief when they jump up and get in your face. I like the sideways head-bob that this gives me.

No Horse Town - The unconventional changes/progressions are good to hear, but some of them feel almost too random. I'd like to hear this with gigantic guitars, not because that would be 'traditional' or whatever, but I think that it would be bigger and even more powerful. There are some wonderfully nasty riffs in there, but at times are almost too harsh to enjoy. This gets easier to follow after a couple of listens. (duh, I suppose)

The Pathetic Wannabees - I love this. A no bullshit groove and progression, with a super lead vocal and good guitar and instrument work. I can not dance a step to save my life, but I want to boogie while listening to this. Sloppy, muddy, and good fun, the good times roll when this plays.

Renwick - I was expecting this to take off running, but the moody tempo works fine with this. Excellent playing, the kind of hooky warble guitar on the right is a big sell. I'd love to hear this with a more leather-lunged rock screamer taking care of the vocals, but that might be my old fashioned ways showing. Very well done, it lacks a punch through the underwhelming vocals. No, I couldn't do better. Just misses the knockout blow.

Ross Durand - The acoustic guitars do indeed sound beautiful, relating to the other thread on the boards. The electric is a bit on the trebley side for me. Songwise, it's a very nice ballad type song and I can feel something for the lost soul earning a tough living. Great vocal performances, Ross. This may be too adult for some of the kids these days, but a very nice and mature song. Good feel all around and very well done.

Second Banana - Good sense of urgency here. I like the hyperactive beats and the understated vocals and synth layers. Good chorus feels all serious and supplies the most memorable melody.

Steve Durand - I absolutely love this. The slinky mood is great and the story is complete and well done. You could cast any Becall, Veronica Lake type gal in here, but you have to play the role of the gumshoe. Immediatley one of my favorites of yours and in Songfightistan as well. I hope that this wins the fight. Most excellent!

Tonetripper and Boltoph - I recognize the Boltoph stylings here more so than TT, who I am familiar enough with to humbley bow before, but what a combo. Nice intelligent and mature lyrics, performed excellently. They might lack the unshakable hook of a killer pop tune, but should probably be taken in as one long, almost syrupy line. The song sounds fantastic, sonically, and the playing is top notch. What cool guitar licks on the right, especially. I would've liked it to resolve at the end, but really am not complaining.

[drë]

Steve Durand you are my hero. Love it!

Yes Steve, that’s an awesome song. Your voice fits this style of music best, I believe.
The only thing is you say “you go in first” unlike any hero I have ever heard. A retake on that would have been good.
The song plays out like a comic book detective script.
You got my vote

I also digg that Mr Chesterfield song very much. It has such a cool lo-fi indi vibe.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Steve Durand you are my hero. Love it!

The only thing is you say “you go in first” unlike any hero I have ever heard. A retake on that would have been good.

I took this as he was just a smart ex cop now private dick, not hero. But he has a good head on his shoulders and had a good sense that he was being set up. So he told the dame to go in first, and bLaMo, the dame got shot by a thug and the dick shot the thug, then noticing the thug was a guy he put away in his cop days that was paroled and out to get revenge.
I'm with dre and the rest, great music and fun story with good mental imagery.

[halen99]

Steve Durand you are my hero. Love it!

The only thing is you say “you go in first” unlike any hero I have ever heard. A retake on that would have been good.

I took this as he was just a smart ex cop now private dick, not hero. But he has a good head on his shoulders and had a good sense that he was being set up. So he told the dame to go in first, and bLaMo, the dame got shot by a thug and the dick shot the thug, then noticing the thug was a guy he put away in his cop days that was paroled and out to get revenge.
I'm with dre and the rest, great music and fun story with good mental imagery.

Well I meant he's my hero because the song kicks ass, was not referring to the character in the song

[Steve Durand]

Wow! I'm really surprised and pleased by all of the positive comments.

I actually expected this to get panned for being kind of corny.

[No Horse Town]

I actually expected this to get panned for being kind of corny.

-and that's what I'm here for, buddy!


...just kidding.
Well, mostly kidding. It is a pretty good song. I dig the tempo change, and of course the instrumentation+style+fun+story all brought something to the party. But yeah, the singing is kind of corny. I think someone else prolly should have sung it. Still, it's not like it cripples the song or anything. I'd maybe take off one point out of ten for the vocals. Which leaves us with what, a nine? Well played, Mr. Corny Man...

[Billy's Little Trip]

Wow! I'm really surprised and pleased by all of the positive comments.

I actually expected this to get panned for being kind of corny.

Nahh, it would have been too corny if you tried to mimic a Humphrey Bogart's voice and add too many old movie words, like, flat foot, here's looking at you kid, I never should have switched from Scotch to martinis, etc.

[stateshirt]

i'm not good at reviews so i'll just post about the stuff i like:
drew, great guitar tone, i love the 80s feel to this one. the guitar riffs at the end of the heywood song are great. steve durand, i really dig the horns on this track. no horse town, i fucking love this, you get my vote.

[boltoph]

This thread is dead, man! Bring it. Just trying to help out with a few keystrokes here. Please don't take me too seriously...

Burritos in Space
Well, at first I thought the little slide bits were voices, then it was this weird rhythm that was almost like a voice, then there were eerie voices and a beat that i'm moving my head to. Repetitive, but it's a beat and some weird synthy shit. Yep that about the most of my train of thought for this one. I'd be interested to know how it was inspired by the title. It's hard to make an instrumental that actually sounds like a Client No. 9. A challenge, at that.

Capitalist Youth
Ah the Beatles live again! That repeat on that "but I don't" is sooooo Beatles. I like that...wow this fight really is lacking the title line so far, which is ok I guess...but this really feels like it should be called "I Don't". I like it. It's a nice pleasant number with a good hook and a nice bit of instrumentation, in my opinion. Fuck it, who needs titles anyway? It's like in The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly where the Union Captain says "names, who needs them!". I know every line from that flick. Of course the only comparison is that the Beatles were in full force around the time that movie came out I think. Or they were on the frits........but that was when the best music was made, wasn't it?

don't start again (or Drew Styles?)
Huh? what's the meaning of "don't start again"? I got a laugh during the Athens part. Don't expect me to make much sense in my reviews either. Just want to give something to read here in this DEAD thread. So. The music would've been better with a bunch of hard lead synths, distorted and analogy. I would've like to hear that.

Eddie Lance
It sounds like part two of the last song! IT REALLY DOES. These two belong on the same album. It's pretty funny but I don't have a stomach for this sort of comedy. Offices are so fucking boring and the minute I hear about stocks of paper (I work at a children's book company and service printers. Two different stocks, one for color that is nice and thick and another for black and white, which never ceases to slice my fingers, those fuckers. Fun idea, trade shows, etc. got a good laugh at the end...

Enter it in the Art Show
It's too hectic for my Friday evening mood. There's some comedy in the lyrics but at this point I just want to actually hear some instruments and melodies that please me. I don't even care what the lyrics are when there are too many for me to really follow. It gives a good idea of "client" though. I like the "next" and the delayed out vocal there. After that it's got a nice beat and I like the airy piano tone. Glad to be spared the gnashing vocal towards the end. I like the airy piano and shuffley rhythm.

The Epitaphs
You kept it short so so will I. Nice intro. Where's the song?

Heywood and the Jablomes
Ah finally some good tones and a good groove. I'm on my little Powerbook G3 and I can tell ya that the whole mix could be Mas'd a little louder and less cymbals, more hit in the kick and snare. Love the little bit of acoustic guitar solo. I also like the little tasty bits of vocal phrasing, maybe at some point there you could string it together into a longer more fluent line. Cymbs were a bit raging when the multi-crash hit came in. Really dig the breakdown and solo around 3:10. That solo is fucking fantastic with the background vocs. I am really grooving and digging this by the end. Nice work you fuckin freaks!!!!!!!!! I love you guys...

Jumbotron
Over the top! Over and beyond, way beyond. Like Van Halen on acid. Too bad about those vocals. The band fucking rocks faces off!!! But since you put this in my face like a guy unzipping his jeans and peeing on the sidewalk, I'm going to be blatantly honest: those vocals abso-fucking suck and ruined the pristine virtuostic hard rock that. I love the drums and guitar. In a really sick way I might even like those vocals, the way I'd like to see someone puking, not that I like that but if I did...just sayin. The guitars and drums were fucking fantastic.

Mr. Chesterfield
A bit repetitive. A bit to say the least! I hear how this could change and then go down to a minor chord and then start to rock out a little. It's sort of feels like the whole song is a verse just waiting for a mungo chorus to smash our faces into feces!

No Horse Town
No track without 500db of compression and limiting. And not only the vocals are harsh the guitars are harsh and the melody is harsh and the mix has zero dynamics and it hurts the ears....but that's probably what you wanted, eh? Well I turned the volume down to about 1/3 of full. There are a couple vocal lines I like....and the madness might be well achieved! I imagine the idea was to break away from any sort of recognizable melody, like the equivalent of twelve tone rock.

Pathetic Wannabes
Well it's a hell of a lot less pathetic than the name seems to be. It reminds of this band "Octothorpe", which I've heard on songfight before. The grunting sort of vocal is fun. The stops are done in good spots, and there's a hook there on the no. 9 (even if annoying, it's still a hook). Nice ride cymbal action. I like the reference to Mr. Clean, and the multiple voices in the choruses.

Renwick
The guitar tone almost reminded me of Pink Floyd's "Echoes"...at first... that warbly clean tone, it was nice. And then it got poppy which was also nice...I mean, we all know what gets derived from poppies. I like the lead guitar line following the vocals, that's a nice touch. This is not bad at all and is my second fav so far along with the Pathetic wannabe bastards and the Heywood Jibabbees.

Ross Durand
Thank the good Lord for some nice acoustic guitar and piano. this is what I need to help my hectic day slow down on a Friday night. not counting the second margarita that I'm on now. This is the first time I'm reviewing a Songfight via laptop speakers. The electric guitar is wicked harsh in the mids (yeah, I'm from MA where we are wicked this and that). Good fucking song man. I like it. This is the first song my wife likes out of the whole bunch. You people better be glad she's not doing the reviewing...nice hook on the electric but I say tone it down in about a one octave cut around 800-1000hz. Nice backups, solid work. I love the acoustic guitar and piano.

Second banana
WTF is with the ritalin crazed hihat. Or maybe it's speed and cocaine mix. I hear that all the time in some shitty pop music but it usually only comes at the end of a phrase here and there. Too much crystal meth hihat for my tastes. However, nice vocal tone esp. thru the laptop speakers. And nice synth. I like your voice, actually. And it winds itself up nicely on the chorus (I've been waiting all day). That's making it for me. Nice. A good solid chorus. You don't know how happy I am to hear a solid "Client No. 9" chorus.

Steven Durand
Can I call you Stephen? Actually the apex of my reviewing was that catchy horn line. It reminds my ladyfriend of the show Moonlighting. Did you rip them off? Either way, i don't care. We like it. Very 1920's, she says. We've got imagery of long eyelashes and long cigarette holders, shiny shoes and high heels, along with black lace. yes, imagery is good. A bit burlesque, but that is fine by me but now we might need to slip away for a little break for a while. Sexin' it up there guy! It's a sexy horn line!!!!! very nice.

Tonetripper and Boltoph
Thanks Paco...it's me on the drums, guitars and vocal harmonies. My favorite part is what I call TT's "Black Crowes chorus". TT laid down those vocals and kicked my ass with the chorus vocal. I have to admit I listen to his voice and it makes me, well... Or maybe it was just Stephen Durand's sexy horn!!!!!! Either way it is so good to make music with my friends. Makes it all worthwhile for me. Yeah, i wanted to work in "Client No. 9" at the end, but what's the point? Over to you, Gary.

[erik]

I should be cleaning my house instead of posting drunk.

Burritos in Space: This is very repetitive. I was going to FFwd, but then it got a little bit interesting around 0:30. You need more of that and less of the atmospheric groove. This really sounds like an intro that's going on forever. It doesn't sound like a song to me. I do not like this song.

Capitalist Youth: This is fine and whatnot. A section of it could possibly be on the tender closing-thoughts moment of Scrubs when JD discovers something about himself. Very TV-friendly. There's nothing really wrong with this, but I don't want to listen to this again.

Don't Start Again: Okay, this could be something. But then you start singing. The singer is not a good match for this song, especially since he's just singing the same thing as the rhythm guitar. There should be a melody here, but there's not. The music has a really cool 80s vibe to it, but the singing doesn't do it for me. I do not like this song.

Eddie Lance: Oh, this is very corny. I don't like the singer's voice. I do not like this song.

Enter it in the Art Show: Okay, here we go. It's a thing. Hmmmm... it starts too early or something. I need an intro, or something, because the piano riff is kind of oppressive. I thought for a while that it was an intro and that it was going to kick into something else, but then it just stayed on that one thing. Whoa. I don't really like how it just craps out at the end. This song is okay.

The Epitaphs: Hey. It's over. It could have been longer. Not terribly longer, just like another 30 seconds or something. This song is okay.

Heywood and the Jablomes: Not bad, but very repetitive for too long. Get that second section in there earlier or something. But then, that second section is kind of repetitive too. This band would be good at a house party or something. This would sound good as live background music. It's a decent enough groove (if the singer would just sing a bit more forcefully), but it's not terribly compelling. This song could be 3:00 and I wouldn't think any worse of it. This song is okay.

Jumbotron: This is well put-together. Oh, this is not for me. Too much cheeze. I do not like this song.

Mr. Chesterfield: Hmmmm... the speak-singing doesn't seem to match the music for me. Too repetitive. The extra instruments is good, but not enough. I do not like this song.

No Horse Town: Okay, here we go. This is very interesting. I like the freakiness of this. I wish there was a change in dynamics at the chorus to break up the song, because the whole thing kind of bleeds into itself, which is a shame. This song makes me want to dance with my best friend and sing the chorus. This would sound cool live with a slightly different arrangement. I like this song.

Pathetic Wanabees: hahahahhah yay. This makes me laugh. I don't know what's going on. I want to see your band on cable access, with like hot nerd girls doing go-go dances behind you. This is another song that I think would sound good at a house party. It has a decent enough groove to it. Wow, it's the perfect length. This song is okay.

Renwick: Hey, here's something. Oh man, boost the singer and do some magic hoopajoobs like give him smore reverb or something. Hmmmmm, the chorus is not as good as the verses. In the choruses, the singer should be much stronger. The verses are set up for a speak-sing type of thing, and he excels there. Hmmmm, I kinda like the verses, but not the choruses. The music is solid, and I think I would like the song alot better with a different singer. This song is okay.

Ross Durand: Hmmmmm. This decent enough, like for a bar jukebox or something. I don't really like the electric guitar, and the lyrics seem to be repeating the same idea over and over again: "I am work-stalking some girl". There's no real tension or release. That "I could be #9, or I could be #1" should be "I know I'm #9, but I should be #1". And, like, way earlier in the song. That's a good line. The rest of it, I can't remember. This song is good enough to be okay, but it's not really doing anything for me.

Second Banana: Hmmm. This is a nice song. I don't really like the arrangement or the singer. If it was way slower and sexier with a female singer, this would be pretty cool. This song is okay.

Steve Durand: "Dame" should be "skirt". "Killed" should be "hurt". This is pretty cool. I want a nervous pause in the place between the shifts in tempo. "Boyfriend" should be "lover". This song makes me want to drink more, and also dance. It remind me a bit of "Date Rape" by Sublime, but not enough to make me not like it in its own right. I like this song.

Tonetripper and Boltoph: This would sound good live. This is very well put together. I'm not too crazy about the verses, but the chorus is about 3/4 of the way to awesome. If the singer had totally belted out some Showtime at the Apollo shit right there, that would have been sweet. At some point in the chorus, I kind of want it to become "Road to Nowhere" by Ozzy. This song is perfectly fine as it is, but it's not my kind of thing.

ta-da

[Billy's Little Trip]

This song makes me want to drink more, and also dance. It remind me a bit of "Date Rape" by Sublime, but not enough to make me not like it in its own right. I like this song.

Erik, in regards to Steve's song. It's funny, because I was trying to figure out the vibe that was grabbing me here and you hit it on the head. It isn't ska, but the up beat front to back story and the horns give this song the same groove. I felt the same last week on his purple tongue song. I swear it has the same groove as Punk Rock Girl by the Dead Milkmen, but not enough for me not like it in its own right, as you said. I can pretty much bet that Steve doesn't listen to those bands.
...sorry Steve, I don't mean to be talking about you as if you're not here. I just thought it was interesting that Erik filled in my gap......so to speak.

[Paco Del Stinko]

I'm guilty of submitting the Jumbotron track. I have a couple of discarded pre-mixed drum tracks my buddy gave me, and I have to credit him for really bringing out the rock. The vocals, well, I thought of BLT saying something about me letting loose, so I tried a little pitch alteration for disguise, and jumped off the cliff. I agree with both Boltoph and Erik: I think it rocks, and it is also very cheesey. But man, do I wish I could get that guy to do some more drumming.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I'm guilty of submitting the Jumbotron track. I have a couple of discarded pre-mixed drum tracks my buddy gave me, and I have to credit him for really bringing out the rock. The vocals, well, I thought of BLT saying something about me letting loose, so I tried a little pitch alteration for disguise, and jumped off the cliff. I agree with both Boltoph and Erik: I think it rocks, and it is also very cheesey. But man, do I wish I could get that guy to do some more drumming.

Ah HA!! *raises one eyebrow* I like it.

[boltoph]

Ha! so it was you on the Jumbotron guitar, Paco? That's pretty fucking fantastic if you ask me. I was picturing this virtuoso band with a drunk lead singer Like imagining these really tight sort of guys on the instruments just making this insanely awesome sound and then the singer shows up drunk and just farts all over the song and the guitarist drummer and bassist are all pissed off and the result is that the singer gets kicked out of the band. The singer is the guy with the "sleeves-only" shirt, in "School of Rock". sorry to be so harsh on your vocal...that's some nasty guitar going on though...

[Paco Del Stinko]

sorry to be so harsh on your vocal

No need to be sorry, man. I'm glad that you got a kick out of the tune. Sad part is, I can't use being drunk as an excuse. I should get fired!

[Billy's Little Trip]

sorry to be so harsh on your vocal

No need to be sorry, man. I'm glad that you got a kick out of the tune. Sad part is, I can't use being drunk as an excuse. I should get fired!

Awwww, you can sing for me anytime, Chuckles.

[tonetripper]

No Horse Town - The compression on this tune is very interesting. The drums especially. Sonically assaulting. This hangs around in a really weird way. I dug this for the title. Heavy.

The Epitaphs - Why Charlie Sheen? I guess it must be some intended funny non sequitur, but I didn't find it funny, just perplexed. Why Charlie Sheen, why?!

Second Banana - The vocals sound really good in this tune as did the various backup sounds that pan around my head. The chorus is hooky, but that second verse seems forced. A pop screen would help you with vocal recording. I hear a lot of wind noise. This song needs bass. It would have given it a bit more dimension.

Steve Durand - Well you certainly nailed that pulp fiction ol' gumshoe genre in terms of the title with this piece of songwriting. That horn line is great but I feel as though the whole song is somewhat borrowed and certainly not original. Sort of like a song written for jazz composition class to show your knowledge of the era of music. I Love the lyrics, especially how you've married them with the music in creating the picture for the title. Very clever. Almost enough to vote for it, but something bothers me about this song. First off I hear this song with a sort of "Frank" or "Dean" voice. Something in a lower register to really sell that gumshoe narrative. Secondly I don't buy that he'd send her in first. I think he'd go in first to impress the dame and get shot at. Maybe he dodges the bullet and the other guy dies after killing the dame and that starts the whole shebang off for him on his detective quest. Sort of loses me at that point. Still, excellently written and recorded for SF. I'd love to know what's real and what's midi and if real how you recorded. Techniques et al. Excellent job Steve.

Burritos in Space - Those vocals that hang in the back of the mix are extremely ethereal. This song would have served the title better if that riff was in 9/8 as oppose to 4/4. As it is it's a piece and not a song imo.

Eddie Lance - The instruments hold very well together in the mix. The guitar sounds great. It made me laugh at how much fun you seemed to have had wile doing this. This song makes me want to destroy my desk.

Ross Durand - The MOR vibe mixed with the predictable concepts of instrumentation for this "song" really annoy me. Seems like you submitted for the sake of getting that three chord song out of your system. Songfight, imho, is to stretch the creative element of songwriting and not stick to what you know so well. Advice: Put it back on the shelf. Deep. Like Raiders of the Lost Ark or something.

Enter it in the Art Show - The pops and clicks really bother me right from the beginning. I chuckled at the "Wallet" line in the right ear. Kind of funny though, especially with the flipping through papers moment. The revolution 9 added aspect seemed extremely predictable given the title. At the end of the day the pops and clicks destroy this rap.

Renwick - Wow! Heavy sounds. Like direct in plug in distortion on those guitars which I'm sure is the intent. Cool tones. That chorus is great except for the second line which is "Thanks for a good time". Seems too easy, like the realization of "something that fits the lyric rhyme-wise but has the hook anyway, so you keep it" kind of lyric. We all fall prey to that songwriting aspect at one point or another. Songfight's great for those kind of realizations. I love, LOVE that chord transition out of the chorus'. Would have liked to hear a high vocal or sonic ripping out of that part in the end. Small quibble. It holds it's own. One of my favourites of the fight. Suited the title.

Heywood and the Jablomes - This is by far the most enjoyable, catchy numbers of the fight. The lyrics fit so perfectly phonetically. Not entirely sure of their connection with the title. "Agree" bothers me a bit cuz the pitchiness which is mostly there is kind of just off at that moment and not characteristically so, however the energy is wonderful in this tune. I love how the drummer is kind of sloppy but you can tell that he can play well. The heavy ending with the vocal meanderings, a la Jeff Buckley-ish, is well executed. Sounds like some inverted rev in there which is a nice effect if done and I really dug the jews harp in the tune or whatever it is rhythmically pulsating in the background. A didgeridoo could have worked for this tune as well. This song has been in my head all week.

Jumbotron - Like standing front row at a large stadium rock band's opening act. The guitar work is stellar as is the rest of the drums. I agree with Boltoph on the vocals. Those singing moments with the ball squinching must have been fun to perform. This song made me feel like I just vomited paint. I've listened to it many time and the same sensation occurs each time. Good job on that.

Drew Styles and the Blue Velvet Band - That one chord movement in the verses is eerily reminiscent of early REM. The whole dealing with the line scenario gets a little abused after a while. Still, it's pretty funny.

Mr Chesterfield - The direct in guitar almost made me skip this, but then these instruments start to evolve into the song and I can't help but be transfixed by the gritty performance of the vocals. Like no holds barred. Interesting.

The Pathetic Wannabees - The use of client 9 is a very strange hook as is the "7, 8" bring into it. Catchy. I liked this song for the title. Sounded a lot like Octothorpe.

The Capitalist Youth - I love the hand-clapping with the accordion. Very cool. The kitchen jam vibe is very, very cool. I'm not sure of the connection with the title. I've read over the lyrics many times and have not been able to make the connection. The banjo emulating the vocal line is just perfect for the vibe as is the xylophone. It's a great song. I think it could be called something else, but really what's in a name? Isn't it the concept that counts?

Tonetripper and Boltoph - It always amazes me with my online collabs with my buddies how much we sound like we could have written it in the same room by the end of the process. Considering I've only ever seen Boltoph a handful of times in my life it's rather remarkable how much we click. This was my first songfight in a long absence from it and the first collab I've done with Boltoph alone. It's good to be back in the ring. Excellent fight.

[saunter]

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