I'm so HAPPY to start this thread (Happy to Be Here Reviews)

[RangerDenni]

This is my first time to start a review thread! I'm so Happy and Pleased
Here are three extra smileys: !!!!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Smiley quota achieved.

....and congrats! /X\(..)/X\
\m/ O_o \m/ rock!

[RangerDenni]

oh yay!
(guess this means I have to ACTUALLY review this time. okay then )

[glennny]

Excellent cover art!

WTF Ross? Where's your tune?

I loved my first pass of all the tunes! Paco has my early favorite. I have many more listens to do.

[Sick and Wrong]

Ranger,
I'm not sure how to say it tactfully, but it needs to be said.
Three full reviews in 2 1/2 years? I think it's time.
After all, isn't that why people post their songs?
(I'm not digging for expressions of heart-felt regret/reasons/self-justification/excuses. Just some common courtesy.)
Thank you.

[Lunkhead]

Welcome back, Ice Weasels!

[RangerDenni]

Ranger,
I'm not sure how to say it tactfully, but it needs to be said.
Three full reviews in 2 1/2 years? I think it's time.
After all, isn't that why people post their songs?
(I'm not digging for expressions of heart-felt regret/reasons/self-justification/excuses. Just some common courtesy.)
Thank you.

You got me all worried. I actually thought when I did sometimes post reviews (finally), that they were TOO long and meander-y. I often err on the side of courtesy. When I write them and don't post, they are only partial and I fear that I shall offend. Not to make excuses however, because this isn't one; this is just me saying you're totally wrong because I've written nine and they're quite long. They aren't all for fights though. I've done four of those.

I should think about what to do with those partial ones I have, however.

[Sick and Wrong]

Pardon my error -- I'm sorry that I misrepresented your degree of community feedback, and that I worried you.
My point was that courtesy, in this case, might consist of acknowledging an artist's work with a comment or two.
If you're brave enough to put your (mostly excellent) music out there, should you not be brave enough to give an opinion?
If you can't say anything nice, say:
"Sorry -- genre bias."
"Outside my comfort zone..."
"Hey -- I like grapes, too!"
"Jeez -- you SUCK!"
or just review your favorites. If people can't take that degree of rejection, then WTF are they doing on the internet?

By the way... you're not the only one. You just have the highest 'review quality'/'review posts' ratio.

[ice weasel]

Thanks, Lunkhead! Now I feel old.

Guys, some of my favorite reviews have been the most critical. ("You sound like that Death Cab guy."; "The drums gave me a headache.") So don't worry about offending anyone. Most people are excited by the review cuz it means you listened to the song! (at least, part of it)

[RangerDenni]

Okay. Well. I'm just gonna call it like I see it now, and it's y'all's own damn faults. I'm gonna sit here and eat gummy bears and a chocolate bar with bacon in it. Because if you are going to leave things lying around the house, then those things are gonna get eaten.

Oh, and if the reviews are too long, or too conversational, or if one is longer than another one, well, then that's just too bad as well. this is Me, un-cut then. Okay now. Off we go (this is me being a Grump!)...

First of all, boo to the smiley limit. What shall we do? What is a nice word we can use to Thwart It? {Sea Urchin = illegal smiley}. There. That'll do. For now, we'll top our limit. (1)

CARAVANRABBOT
This was creepy and confusing like Uncle Shelby's ABZs. I'm a fan of Caravan Ray, and this was solidified into a certainty when he should have come in a close second in the Cassettes round of Nur Ein but instead got brutally robbed. (2). Now, I know JoAnn from the {sharply-indrawn-breath} Spintunes crowd, and her wacky politics (sorry... NOT!) are more palatable with a nice refreshing CRay. This will stick. For a while. Of course, I'm a fan of the CRay vocal - it's a staple for me now, and this is a really good collab for JoAnn because her lyrics are often pretty decent.

TUNERS UNION
that is a sweet organ you have there. that is not, however, what She said, because that bass drum was a little too much for Her (me) with the snare ka, ka-THWACK!... in the mix. Your noises are always really cool though, with your odd combos, jaunty lyrics, and blendy harmonies. it's a little too skill-filled to be hipstery music. But if you came to the mastering studio we used to live in and one of you were wearing a bowler hat or carrying a turtle, I wouldn't be too surprised. I don't want to like you because you keep not really doing it for me, but then you are doing SOMETHING for me, so I turn your song on, and stick with it. I have a grumpy soul, really. I think you're growing on me like a weird lichen. I should just go ahead and like you. Your vocals will probably end up winning me over for you.

FOOBAR
this is going into the red a bit when the chorus soars in and it a little too vampiric and schmarmy for me. but there's really nothing wrong with it except for the over-air-yness of the synth. The piano, however, I really like. And there's something about your vocal that has an "I'm too sexy for your shiiirrrrt / so sexy it hurrrrts" quality I kind of am squirching around in my chair to. So yeah, that. "Happy, happy, happy?" Really? Yeah, okay. That's fine. I can't say crap, can I? It's kinda fun, I s'poze.

DJ RANGER DEN
I'm pretty proud of my ridiculous nonsense this week. Really, I'm kinda lucky I can get away with this shit, or so I think .... Sigh. It's a nice change from my emo whiny pants thing at least, which is like ... SNOOZEVILLE, at least to me. Someday, perhaps I will be able to write more consistent songs... normal songs: songs with 3 verses, choruses, and a bridge which does not make people fall asleep. I mean, without the assistance of BLT. (jaunty Sea Urchin Grinning) I'm glad last week's was catchy. I know because Paco told me so.

ICE WEASELS
Your first line ("Every day is ripping three more stitches out..." and the fact that you are called 'Ice Weasels' wins you EVERYTHING. You have this vocal though that I want some other sort of instrumentation to be happening to. Perhaps some less synthy piano, and perhaps something in more of a musical theater setting and not electronica or a pop song setting. This is too Atari-ish. I don't know why I am putting you in a musical in my mind. Possibly because your melody is so very tuneful. I wonder how this exact melody would sound in another genre. Am tempted to experiment with it, particularly with all those choir-ful parts at the end. Hmmm.

GREG BOETHIN
Beginning was great, then I started riding a horse and wanted some smoother parts behind it like an organ or another guitar like an electric or something... I also wanted some harmonies from you, especially in the chorus and the bridge. I've spent enough time in honky tonks to have wanted that pedal steel or fiddle to kick in and to have known you could have hammed up your vocal up a bit more... maybe not been so straight up. You have a good voice. There weren't any one liners that popped out at me, but your chorus was catchy and this was straight and sweet. This is nice. This is nice.

GLENNY
I should probably put out my reviews from last week retroactively because you would notice that you've been growing on me steadily and I'm becoming kind of a Glenny fan. I think it's actually your vocal that's doing it for me. You have these complicated arrangements and these fun instrumentations that you pick out, but the way that you arrange yourself into things is really doing what you have to work with a lot of justice and you just go for it. I, of course, like this. Sometimes, you weird me out and it's never really perfect, but I think that's kind of part of its charm. Can't really deny the genius of things. Like the mad scientist of cool, or something. (SMILING SEA URCHIN, even though I WANTED a REAL SMILE with sunglasses, dammit!)

SOMEBODY BY HIMSELF
oh. my. god. your voice! (goes to look, because I think I remember reading your lyrics). Oh. clever. You're Nobody, et al. Yeah. I need to put last week's reviews out too. I "loved your voice" then too. Yeah. I'm annoying (goes back to listening...this review is stupid ...) This song is really nice and I can't really think of anything bad to say about it except that it's well recorded and I'm getting kind of lost in the talk-y-ness of it and perhaps it's a bit coffee shopp-y and earnest. Or maybe I'm just bitter and have been longing to say this to a perfectly nice guy who didn't do anything wrong because when I write girl and guitar songs people tell me I'm Twee. #bitter Look, you're a really good lyricist. I'm getting old and it sucks. I'm gonna go make spaghetti now. (<-I left a real one here for you, #3) None of this is your fault. Go sing your nice song. I will be over here learning to record... *sniff* (mock-sad sea urchin)


BILLY AND THE PSYCHOTICS
This was weird. This is what happens when Chris listens to Helmet (is that what that screamy band was called?) and tries to tell me what to do and I practice the same Bach prelude all week and would rather write lyrics about the crime dramas we caught up on this week than hear "this goes there / that goes here." whateverlybrothers. I will say that I do have this secret hope that people have to listen to this, and THEN the DJ Ranger Den song right after it, because this is me singing, and then that's me again, and I think it's hysterical because that's just so twisted. This is what I do to amuse myself when I wait for the laundry to dry. (sillySmilingSEAUrchin)
PS. We desperately need Paco. I'm not just being a shmoe and saying that. (another sea urchin-y smile)

SKADADDLE
what a pretty sound! how does that happen!? I want to make that sound!
I really love this song (4)
By about 1:20ish I want more layering. I'd of course slap some vibraphones in there. I think the snare-esque sound is a bit box-itty, but it's got a bit of charm to it too. It's both dramatic and intimate. It's just that the lick goes on for so long that it needs some ins-and-outs to make it more swishy. then at the end another hissy texture comes in and it's just real abrupt. But this is really nice, over all and the vocals have a real on the beach-next-to-a-light-house flavor.

PACO DEL STINKO
this is weird and sweet and i love the flute-y sounds that go squirrely at the end bits. It's really intricate and sounds like something that you would hear at a Renaissance Festival of Rock and the modes you picked to illustrate certain ideas were perfect. Something about the ride cymbal stuck out to me but this is a Nit Picky Thing and perhaps only jumped because it was texturally different from the rest. It's always interesting to me how you pronounce things and I like hearing you sing anything.

BERKELEY SOCIAL SCENE
There are a few of you guys that pronounce things or emphasize syllables or phrases in ways that make me tilt my head to the side. Not that it's wrong, just different from me. Hmm. Here it was "RE-mark-A-BLE person." Something about the tuning is bothering me, but I don't know what it is, but this is really hooky and catchy and has a really cool vibe and I always like the drumming (even when you are tricky and throw in a curve ball and someone else has drummed!). You're all really good and versatile. The solos are good always and this one doesn't disappoint although the end struck me as abrupt and strange and led me off a cliff and then verse-so-sudden. This would fit well 3/4 into a set. Not quite one of your hits but better-than-a-filler for sure.

Okay. That is all I think. I will finish the others reviews from last fight and perhaps post them, if it is not too big a faux pas to do so. That is all for now, hopefully these were not too bitchy. It was a good enough fight so I didn't have to get out The Stick Of Ornery-ness. Hmmph.

PS. They said I STILL had too many smileys. How is this possible!

[JoAnn Abbott]

LOL, thank you for your review Denni; please keep in mind that as soon as I get a voice back from this chest cold I will be re-recording this WITHOUT the spoken creepy-entirely-Caravan-Ray's-politics-thank-you middle part! It will be used as the beginning and the ending of my Childrens Corner program on Baltimore public access tv.

As for me, I am TOTALLY a second amendment fan!

[CordSmith]

paco del stinko: very cool irish folk jethro tull vibe up front. Cool vocal melody, it goes places I don't expect. The song has a constant build, I kept longing for a crazy big BOOM with some queens of the stone age riffs. Got more of a mellow jam, but regardless, great times.

gregg boethin: I like this overall sound. Cool stereo separation of instruments. Good old time country. Given the genre, I was expecting a sad song, but this one is nice n' sweet.

tuners union: Hey daddy-o. I'm getting a heavy Phish vibe from this. Good stuff, nice harmonies, great instrumentation. I like the lead vocal a lot, it makes me jealous. So much going on here--I'm sure you've done it in the past on songfight (i'm new) but I'd love to hear what just a simple broken down acoustic song would sound like.

Dj ranger den: always look forward to hearing your voice. Good dental hygiene must be the answer! Cool synth drone or whatever that is lurking in the background.

ice weasels: Cool mix of 80s retro with modern synth and sensibilities. I believe that was a Jane Austin novel. Ba dum chichhhh. Ok, this song makes me nostalgic. It is a pleasant listen, thank you.

foobar: i could see Depeche Mode wanting to cover this. All you're missing is professional production, still I'd dance to a darker version of this at QXT's in new jersey, any goth night. Diggin it.

glennny: love the no-intro beginning. chorus seems a little convoluted at first, but it's a good give-and-take with the verse. good mix. a nice song with lots of ingredients in the stew.

berkeley social scene: cool tune. maybe add some harmonies on the chorus instead of just doubling.

somebody by himself: just a dude and a guitar. nice voice and strummin'. maybe mix the vox a little lower. still great voice, you sound a little like the main guy from a band called Tally Hall.

billy and the psychotics: fun stuff! cool riffs, like the vocal melody, good stinky attitude. great chilling vocal melody near the end.

skadaddle: this is me. it's a ukulele recorded with a condenser, piped through one of Garage Band's vocal presets. Apologies for the too-long riff repeat at the end.. I was just having too much fun jamming on the uke. Ideally I'd put some strings in there, but hey…

caravan rabbott: always delivers. I giggled my arse off. I will definitely tune in for the waterboarding episode.

[foobar93]

I've been so busy lately, I was honestly relieved to see the shorter list of entries. At least this time I won't get overwhelmed trying to write reviews!

billyandthepsychotics
Love the high-energy start. Totally overwhelming amount of guitar, constant activity all over the stereo field. A little too dissonant for my personal taste, but the production details & quality kept me interested all the way through. Nicely done.

somebodybyhimself
Sweet. Something in the chorus really reminds me of Josh RItter, something like "The Temptation of Adam" if I remember right. Lyrics are clear and easy to follow, nice storytelling.

greggboethin
Love the little vocal twang in "sleepy smiiiile." More of that would be awesome. Spot on in that genre style. I think the slow pace and groove makes sense with the lyrics, but I kept wanting it to speed up for some reason.

djrangerden
I couldn't stop laughing once you said "tooth decay" - love the indirection from what could have been a serious song.

berkeleysocialscene
Like the guitar arrangement a lot, especially at the beginning. the vocals come through low on my system so it's hard to follow the verses. I don't connect with the bridge, but I do like the guitar solo a lot. Last verse is my favorite. Overall, I find the vocals slightly sour, which doesn't work for me with the message of the song, if that makes sense.

glennny
I like the busy arrangement and the guitar tone is really working for me. I think it's notably better for the verses than the chorus, which just feels a little disorganized to me. The transition in and out of the solo is abrupt, and I found myself missing the distortion of the verses a lot - but then was really happy when it came back. Despite my comment about the chorus, I definitely enjoyed the build-up to the last "why did it have to end". If it was up to me, I'd love a song that was entirely made up of that in-and-out of minor key dip in the verse.

caravanrabbott
I don't know what it says about me that I instantly find this song dark and creepy. I'm literally cringing wondering what's next. OK at 0:43 I am relieved to know I am not crazy. Actually a catchy tune, now that I can relax into it. Please do a waterboarding song for "commitment and sacrifice"

skadaddle
Love this. Lovely long guitar intro. Lovely vocal mixing. I am spending way too much time trying to figure out how you get that effect. Are the backup voices coming in a touch early, or is that just echo? Whatever it is, it's great. Right around 2:20 I would have loved a little more contrast with maybe a key change or a break in the guitar. Although I do find this long section pleasantly hypnotic. On the re-listen, I am also coming to appreciate the bass part, which is very subtle but I think adds a lot. A very special track, I just wish there was more lyrical content so it could really tell more of a story.

iceweasels
Nice complete sound, feels totally enveloping even on my crappy earbuds. Really like the secondary vocals on the chorus and the stereo pan effect right afterwards. I think this is the first track that actually reads to me as "happy" in a straightforward way (and without being cheesy, too). I'm happy to be listening to this. The abrupt ending just kills me, though. I'd be happy to listen to more.

tunersunion
Good storytelling. Instantly eager to hear more. Great, professional sound. I don't know what to add really; this is incredibly tight and solid. Each section by itself could probably win as a standalone song. Favorite parts are the instrumental break and the long vowels in the chorus. Satisfying ending, too. Where do I sign up for the master class?

pacodelstinko
Good guitar. The wind instrument sound grates initially, but i like where you take it & especially the pitch bends at the end of the phrase. As it proceeds, you do a great job blending the sound so it's still there but in the background providing continuity. I like that effect. The instrumental break is awesome, especially the first few moments when you really expand the overall sound of the track. A very happy moment. I like the end, too. I don't feel much emotion coming through the song, though, which surprised me after I listened to it a few times. I think the intro sets it up well for something a little bittersweet, I just don't feel it once the song gets going. I wish I had something helpful to suggest, but I think you're well beyond my abilities. Hope the feedback is useful anyway.


For my own entry, I wanted to try something different and keep it short and simple. I still can't quite get a clean sound for the vocals (suggestions welcome) and level problems keep sneaking up on me. Hopefully this one is a little more on pitch and the rhythm is cleaner. I really do appreciate the reviews - I can't imagine how anyone would improve without having this level of feedback and support. Thank you!

[ice weasel]

As a special treat, some random comments from my SO are thrown in, in quotes.

Berkeley Social Scene The guitar and bass sounded a bit out of tune with each other sometimes during the verse, but that could just be me. I wish I could sing like you. This is a quality song, and the chorus slowly digs its hooks in. "Has an indie, made-it-in-my-garage sound. Vocals should be louder." (I disagree -- think the vocals are right where they should be.)

Billy and the Psychotics Not my style, but I think you accomplished what you were going for with flying colors. Kinda rambles around. Very high-quality production. "Too much sass. Unpleasant. The pace is too slow, arranged like a hard rock song but played at the tempo of a piano recital. Makes it seem heavy-handed."

Caravan Rabbott Unclear if the authorities should be contacted about this song. Very sparse, cute, and funny. It doesn't reach a high rating-level with me, because it doesn't really aim very high. "Not into sarcastic songs."

DJ Ranger Den Love your voice from the first note. Jokey lyrics are perilously close to getting annoying, but you end before they do. I actually smiled, so mission accomplished. "Cute, but I reject the premise of humor rock."

Foobar Synthy stuff that works for me. Chorus is maybe a bit too stereo-separated for my precious headphones, but punchy and fun. I want to think of something more insightful to say, other than "I really like this", but here we are. Interlude made me laugh. Jealous that everyone is a better singer than me. "A couple of instrument choices I don't like, like the high-pitched buzz noise in the chorus. Little too talking-at-ya. Sounds like something you (Ice Weasels) would have made, in a good way."

glennny I've had it up to here with the oceans rising. (pause for laughter) Syncopation is head-bopping. A little odd tuning again (maybe I'm going crazy), but the harmonies in the middle of the song are nice. Not especially into the wah-wah solo. You sound like a one-man four-piece. Solid song, holds together well, and has a nice climax at the end. "Okay technically, but I can't bear the hotel lobby jazz club sound. I envision them all wearing lavender velvet suits while hoping drunk old women stuff dollar bills into the tip jar by the coat rack."

Gregg Boethin Country, okay, here we go. I drifted off a bit, but there was nothing unpleasant. I like all the guitar parts. Maybe a bit long. Hard for me to say more since country is so far out of my happy place. "Pretty solid, cliche."

Paco del Stinko Love the guitar intro. Oh, the flutey thing, you've got me excited. Your voice doesn't fit the song well, IMHO. Everything else about the song is calibrated for me to love it. The "moon" line is performed in a jokey way again, so I go back to being annoyed, but then the instrumental kicks in, and all is forgiven. Even the ending is awesome. "Annoying vocal style."

Skadaddle Ooh I like the magfields sound of the guy-and-his-uke. It doesn't seem to be going anywhere, just kinda floating down the river, but that's okay, and works well so far. The ending instrumental bit is really nice, but could maybe be improved by adding some variety, something subtle that slowly grows, or having something come in later. "Plinky instrument equals death."

Somebody By Himself Guy with guitar can be nearly impossible to pull off. But you're doing it. It never jumps up and makes me say wow, but it never disappoints. "My second favorite."

Tuners Union Hard sell with the beginning. Haha, love the goofy organ that comes in. Bit of a 70s sound, which I'm into. The chorus is great; the layered vocals are like butter. I have to admit I started out thinking I would hate this, but as it goes on, it gets more and more likable, and now I think it's one of my favorites. Yep, the ending sealed the deal. "Pretty tight. It sounds like they really performed it. I didn't like/understand the lyrics."

[ice weasel]

I wonder how this exact melody would sound in another genre. Am tempted to experiment with it, particularly with all those choir-ful parts at the end. Hmmm.

If you want the individual tracks pulled out, to play with, just send me a PM on here. That goes for anyone, for any song.

[LibraryDogs]

Berkeley Social Scene
The guitar has kind of a 60s garage-rock feel. Which is true of a lot of your stuff. Damn but you guys are prolific. Chorus hits a Guster vibe, which I dig. The lyrics don't
particularly grab me, but love makes life worthwhile. I can sign on to that idea.

Billy and the Psychotics
This song makes me think of the most recent handful of Rush albums what with the riffs and vocals. Which means heavy, textured and intricate. Lyrics are not Peart, but that may be for the best. Anyway they're suitably dark to suit the music. If you're not happy to be here, get the hell out. I wanted to write a second song to explore that, so I'm glad somebody else did it instead.

Caravan Rabbott
I was sort of hoping you'd channel Dame Edna for this one but we seem to have the Wiggles instead. The dark, insidious, xenophobic Wiggles. The faint kids laughing at the end was a nice touch.

DJ Ranger Den
This makes me think of Sarah Silverman even though you're not as deadpan. She generally irritates me after about half a song. However, this got a smirk. Okay, fine a grin. I grinned.

Foobar
Lyrics are clever. Though there's not much in the way of imagery, I still enjoyed listening. Good theme and lyrical thrust. The prechorus is a nice build into the 80s synth explosion of the choruses. It's a little looser rhythmically than I expect from something with such a synthy overtone.

glennny
Lots of rhythmic changeups and odd time signatures. Strange for me to hear that in the context of so many jazz chords but it works after a few listens. In particular you make the sections in 7 sound effortless. The more I listen to it, the more I appreciate what you're doing. Arrangement, performance, melody all top notch. However, the lyrics are not grabbing me. I'm like a springer spaniel with ADD so feed me some images, glennny!

Gregg Boethin
Coyote ugly morning was my thought in the first verse. But he likes the girl. Oh I get it. That was the first date, this is later. The arrangement isn't groundbreaking but I'm a fan of the style because it throws the focus onto the lyrics. Now to that: The lyrics grab me in places, and lose me in parts. I'd try to throw some more images or wierd turns-of-phrase in there. More show, less tell in the verses. Chorus is pretty strong. Also, post your lyrics in Ye Olde Lyric Archive. Good tune. Your voice and delivery are spot on.

ice weasels
Love your opening line. Actually, theres a couple of really good lines in here. If we all get swallowed by the night... The choruses are nicely harmonized and the arrangement is a little synthetic but it works. I really do like the layered vocals. I also like how the synth/pads/whatever you're using have kind of an 8-bit vibe.

Paco del Stinko
Not what I usually expect from you, but fun. Maybe I just have Rush on the brain this morning but the arrangement reminds me of some of their Farewell to Kings / Hemispheres - era acoustic stuff. I like how you got the synth to be all flute-y. It works with the acoustic. I sort of expected the song to kick in around 2:00, but it makes me wait another 30 seconds or so until the bridge is over. I'm not sure about "dance and sway and swoon". You're fairly adept at making odd lyrics work for you (see also "Ass-clown" from MTFM), but this song felt awkward a couple of places. Maybe I just need to listen a couple more times. But I always like and admire how you don't feel the need to stay in a particular key. And you're blatant about it. And somehow it always works.

Skadaddle
I like this. And I usually don't care for ukulele. The choruses have a nice faint harmony and the chord progression is great. The return to the riff between verses has a nicely meditative bite to it. The riff gets a tiny bit stale by the end, and it feels like it should build into something a little more kickin' than it does. The lyrics are simple but there's a very potent darkness to them. Nicely done.

Somebody By Himself
So I had a decent song, and couldn't find time to flesh it out the way I wanted. Hence I tried to turn up the finger-strummed lo-fi charm to compensate. Should've ducked the vocals a bit and boosted the guitar. Bridge needs lyrical attention. But, it got done. Thanks for everybody's nice words.

Tuners Union
OK so I love everything you do. Except when you do that thing where you make me feel like a noob. Which is every damn fight.
Now that that's out of the way, your imagery is great. I really like third-person songs where I don't quite know what's going on and there's a good chance the protagonist is insane. I like how there's so ridiculously much going on from an arrangement perspective but it never sounds muddy. The chorus rocks.

Oh, if anybody wants me to go into more detail about my stupid, wrong opinion about your song (or anybody else's for that matter), just ask.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Good job on the reviews, people. I will get mine in, but late, like on Thursday.