That 3/4-esque verse is pretty cool, and it flows well into the more straightforward chorus.
Thanks! You're the 1st person to mention (maybe notice) that I have the vocals guitars and bass in 3/4 while the drums are in 4/4 during the verses. I do love polyrhythms.
Okay I don't love the witch hunt part (cookie jar part). It's silly and fun but not as cool as the rest of the song. Ha, you said Django.
I did actually name my son Django. Annabella is my daughter and Kari my wife. I was hoping to come up with political figures from histories greatest witch hunts, all I could think of was McCarthy. I thought the point was the same so I just used my family.
The solo is good times, with that bouncy little keyboard or whatever that is.
Thanks! It's one of the more Phish moments I've been able to pull off lately (to me anyway), its my favorite part too.
Phillipso, Older Brothers, Semolina Pilchards, Zipline , Thank Glennny for the Frisbee, The Odoriferous Valley, The Worldly Self Assurance, Berkeley Social Scene, Very Gentle Knives, Daddy Bop Swing Set, GUNS, The Kraken Lives, Cavedwellers
Don't know when and if I will get to reviews, but I'm really loving :
Tuners Union, Bax, Cord Smith, J$KM, Billy and Psych, Jim of Seattle
every entry is good, high quality fight! Nice to see some good numbers again!
Phillipso, Older Brothers, Semolina Pilchards, Zipline , Thank Glennny for the Frisbee, The Odoriferous Valley, The Worldly Self Assurance, Berkeley Social Scene, Very Gentle Knives, Daddy Bop Swing Set, GUNS, The Kraken Lives, Cavedwellers
Tyler Zahnke - I can see liking this if it were more interesting. By that I mean that I think I see what you're going for but there's just not enough to hold my attention. Layer the shit out of that thing man. Also I can't really rate a song very highly that has no lyrics at all. D.
Billy and the Psychotics - Rewriting this review after sitting on it for maybe 5 days. The first one wasn't positive, and now I don't know what the hell I was thinking. This is badass. Nothing more to say, other than sorry for ever thinking this was less than awesome. A.
Chocolate Chips + Frankie - I like this a lot. I think I've made this comment before for you, but I'd love to hear some more drum/percussion. And for this song I think it's there already, it maybe just needs a little more volume and a little more oopmh. I wanna nod my head to this... I just need a little more rhythm, especially in the chorus. B. More percussion can easily smack this thing up to an A though.
DJ Ranger Den - Wonderful lyrics. I listened to this a couple times while reading the lyrics and got something different out of it each time, and I think that's the marking of something special. Impressed, as always. Actually, all that being said, I'd like to hear a little more piano on this. The part is really great and gets drowned by the vocal a little bit, I think. B+.
Foobar - I like this. Musically the progression feels very natural, and the accelerando works very well at the end. Thank you for allowing me to use "accelerando" in a review. The midi violin is a little distracting... that's ok though, I know the struggle of wanting strings but not having access to the real thing. What I've found for virtual instruments is to not move them around too much... let them hit a couple notes, keep them nice and soft, but that's it. It's the attacks and releases on those things that don't sound right, but the sustains aren't so bad. So lay off the mobile virtual violin and it's really great. When you find yourself a real violinist, don't change a thing. A-.
Ux Mpuzm - I usually like sampling, but this is a bit much. As an exclusively artistic piece, it works, I guess... but I don't really wanna ever hear this again. D.
Economy Biscuits - This is a great rock out. I can tell the vocal sound is good, but the mix is a mess. I think you mentioned this in your own review, and that's my only gripe. Keep us posted if you remix this. B.
trjones - Love the feel. I like the effect on the vocal too, but it's a little hard to understand. I can't give you any suggestions on how to fix this, I don't think, other than "change it, but keep it the same". The synth felt slightly too harsh for my tastes too... I think a little "un-squaring" might help it blend a little better, although truly it's not bad how it is. A-.
Jim of Seattle - You know what this reminds me of? The SimCity4 soundtrack (meant as an absolute compliment). Jerry Martin is the composer, I believe. It's melodic and rhythmic and sets a very distinct and unique feel... it has that quality that when you listen to it, it brings you back to wherever you were the first time you heard it. You know you've done something right when a song with no lyrics gets stuck in your head. This is clearly and easily the finest songwriting I've heard here to date. I love your idea of mimicking your speaking voice... I hadn't noticed that, but I might have to experiment with something similar. And it really works so well. This song has made my coding-at-work playlist, which is rather exclusive. My hat goes off to you sir, and I don't even wear hats. Your grade is META-GRADE.
J$KM - This reminds a lot of some British band I can't place right now. I want to say Blur, but that's not it. Anyways. I think it's fine... the trouble/muggle line didn't rub me right for some reason.. I'm not sure why though. Otherwise I liked the lyrics more than the music... just a little more movement on the percussion might bring it alive a bit more. B.
The Handloaders - A touch more clarity in the vocals would be awesome... because overall I like this very much. Very cool sound and the mix is very pleasing. Really nothing serious to complain about here. This could afford to be even longer, actually, and I don't think that happens much here. A-.
Berkeley Social Scene 2 - There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Sadly, it doesn't grab me. Least helpful review ever... sorry. B? I guess?
Bombernaughts - Lovely vocals, of course. Spot on, too. I like this. Not in an "I would listen to this casually" kind of way, but there's a uniqueness to it that doesn't feel forced. And the effects fit and aren't too over the top. Works as an artistic piece, I would say. B+.
Cord Smith - I don't know how much I like the growly vocal, but it's very understandable, which is good. It does match the song though, so don't listen to me. Overall I quite like it. A-.
Berkeley Social Scene 1 - Off the bat, I like this much better than the other entry. The progression is interesting and not easy to foresee, and that's good. If anything, I'd complain about the line "girl, you've..." because I'm always lyrically bothered by "girl" in that context. A-.
Mavaddat - More of no/incomprehensible lyrics. Rrrgh. The reversed vocal sounds kind of neat, but that's about it, I think. D-.
Caravan Ray - Holy hell Ray. This works so well. Magnificent lyrics. A+.
Ross Durand - I like this a whole bunch in every respect, even though it really reminded of the camp song we used to sing "Goin' on a Squeegie Hunt". A.
sonofsupercar - Vocalist sounds a bit like the one guy from Gomez, just throwing that out there. It's a good thing. You lost me a little bit at 0:55, but I was totally with you until then. I like the take on the title, of course, but the change there didn't feel natural to me. That said, the feel in the verse is totally badass. B+.
Jake DeLorey - Very nice. The little resonance bit or whatever the heck that is a little distracting, because I can't really tell what it's doing. I'd like to hear more of it, or hear none of it. Oh but yeah man, this is great. The synthy bit in the middle might be colliding with some of the guitar, but it's a cool sound a cool melody. Great vocals. A.
The Sober Irishman - Bitchin'. There's something about the sound of the toms that frustrates me, I'm not sure what though because mixing drums is my specialty in failing. More low end, maybe? I say this only because when they come in, the rhythm is badass and grabs my ear but there needs to be just a little more sound there to grab on to. Anyhow, that's a small gripe. Overall excellent, I like the lyrics and the styling of the vocal. Easy A.
Bax - Dig the feel, but the lyrics are a bit buried, especially in the beginning. Kind of unintelligible when they do come through too. The electric really kind of muddies everything up too, I think it's just too low in tone and it gets mixed up with the kit. The chorus is pretty kickin. A little cleanup would really push this up a level or two. B-.
The HATE Noise - I read your post and alright I get it, but this really reminds me of ICP we used to listen to in 7th grade because they said titties and weiner and that was funny. So I do like the story, and the rhymes and the performance and production are pretty cool and even above average, but this feels crude just for the sake of being crude, and honestly that's kind of a turn off. C, I guess.
Dejected Motives - Easy on the synth clap, it gets distracting. I was going to ask "where are the lyrics?" but actually I like what you've done here. Creative and simple take on the title, and the beat's pretty cool too. B.
Scott Gesser - Sweet. I have only a couple gripes, and unfortunately they're more pronounced for me because this is otherwise very excellent: The vocals sound like they're clipping a little bit, and are generally too loud and a bit muddy... they may just need a bit of a highpass, although it's always a challenge with multiple vocal tracks and a low voice like you've got. Maybe bring down the reverb a little bit. The mandolin solo felt a little arbitrary, although I wouldn't call it bad. And I wanted a little more from the kit when it comes in. So all that being said, I dig this a whole bunch. Lyrics are cool, and the songwriting is spot on. Your vocal harmonies are interesting, but again, they muddy themselves up a little bit. That's ok though. A-.
Alcoholik Spok - Wow, pangs of String Cheese Incident. This is quite nice. I'd consider nixing the effect on the vocal, because I think your voice is strong enough to stand on its own. And I lost a lot of the lyrics because of it. That said, it sounds great... wonderful acoustic sound and performance especially. B+, but only because I don't know most of the words are. Otherwise this is an easy A.
glennny - Please stop kicking so much ass. This was fun and interesting and lighthearted and also not. And funny. Musically really interesting. Sorry, no constructive feedback, because there are no complaints here. A.
Montana Fudge - I like the vocal... it has an imperfect quality to it that works well here... nah-nee-nah doesn't work how it is though, it's too flat. Eh you lost me at the rant. I mean, I agree with you entirely, and I can't say I didn't laugh... well I don't know maybe I like it. Alright I'll negotiate - I did like it, but there was too much "fucking". Listen to me, complaining about too much fucking. Anyhow, I think I'm into this. B+.
Tuners Union - I decided very early on not to use the title in the lyrics... I couldn't find a rhythm to sing them that ever felt natural to me. So after recording the vocals and listening back I worried that I had "missed" the title. I guess I didn't? All I learned this week is that clap/lap/slap percussion is a bitch to mix if the room is reverb-y as hell, and mine is. (For now.)
kaz wrote:Jim of Seattle - buncha really nice stuff
Wow, thanks a lot. I remember one of the reasons I do Song Fight, for occasional week-making gushes like this. And from someone who's really good too. Thanks again.
Thanks, Ray (and everyone.) Ray, I liked your tune a lot, but the use of the word "run" instead of "flee" was pretty inexcusable. On the other hand, it had a great Pink Floyd vibe to it, could have come right off of the "The Wall."
blue wrote:Thanks, Ray (and everyone.) Ray, I liked your tune a lot, but the use of the word "run" instead of "flee" was pretty inexcusable. On the other hand, it had a great Pink Floyd vibe to it, could have come right off of the "The Wall."
Are you talking about the line - "just shoot one the rest will run"?
Can't really be changed I don't think - it is a direct quote from one of Alan Jones phone-in listeners
It was the basis of one of the complaints against Jones that lead to his investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority which found he was in breach of the industry's code of practice by broadcasting material "that was likely to encourage violence or brutality and to vilify people of Lebanese and Middle-Eastern backgrounds on the basis of ethnicity". He got a slap on the wrist and is still happily polluting our airwaves
The on-air exchange discussing middle-eastern migrants in Sydney: John: (continues)…if the police can’t do the job then the next tier is us.
Jones: Yeah, good on you John.
John: Now, ah, my grandfather was an old digger and he used to say to me when we were growing up ‘Listen, shoot one, the rest will run!’
Jones: (laughs)
John: Right?
Jones: (still laughing)
blue wrote:Thanks, Ray (and everyone.) Ray, I liked your tune a lot, but the use of the word "run" instead of "flee" was pretty inexcusable. On the other hand, it had a great Pink Floyd vibe to it, could have come right off of the "The Wall."
Are you talking about the line - "just shoot one the rest will run"?
Can't really be changed I don't think - it is a direct quote from one of Alan Jones phone-in listeners
It was the basis of one of the complaints against Jones that lead to his investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority which found he was in breach of the industry's code of practice by broadcasting material "that was likely to encourage violence or brutality and to vilify people of Lebanese and Middle-Eastern backgrounds on the basis of ethnicity". He got a slap on the wrist and is still happily polluting our airwaves
The on-air exchange discussing middle-eastern migrants in Sydney: John: (continues)…if the police can’t do the job then the next tier is us.
Jones: Yeah, good on you John.
John: Now, ah, my grandfather was an old digger and he used to say to me when we were growing up ‘Listen, shoot one, the rest will run!’
Jones: (laughs)
John: Right?
Jones: (still laughing)
"flee" would have rhymed, Ray. Take license for art!
Congrats Tuners Union!!! A well deserved win! Awesome song!
Phillipso, Older Brothers, Semolina Pilchards, Zipline , Thank Glennny for the Frisbee, The Odoriferous Valley, The Worldly Self Assurance, Berkeley Social Scene, Very Gentle Knives, Daddy Bop Swing Set, GUNS, The Kraken Lives, Cavedwellers
