Quick comments, there may have been beer involved as well. Ask for clarification, I'll be glad to offer it up. Now get reviewing, slackers.
add - Peter Paul and Manny. It's cheap, but pleasant for the quickie that it is. Melody straddles the line between catchy and cringy.
Berkeley Social Scene - I like the verses better after they pass through the first chorus. Tight and reeking of Glenoleum but it's good to hear Martin after what seems like a long time. Super mix and complex song. Not thrilled with the end, maybe it should have crashed a gaurdrail and gone flying off a cliff.
die kadenz - I don't want to like this but find that I do despite myself. It's stiff but earnest. A little smoother, but not too much or it'd be slick to the point of being slimy, and you're done. Nice work, come back around again.
DJ Ranger Den - I imagine your dreams are full of cute stuffed animals, pink and purple, but any one of them could catch you while you run in slow motion. Then they would do terrible things to you. Regardless, I enjoy this bit of safety before they come for me. Wonderful delivery.
Flvxxvm Florvm - I don't know if this is the best song in the fight, but it's my favorite. Southern gothic swamp Sabbath. I had wanted to do a riffy thing like this recently but would'nt dare after this. Sure, there's some mess and fudge, but this rocks. Gnarly Iommi lead tone!
Foobar - Very moody. Love the descending progression, tons. I'd ike to hear you push your voice just a bit, a step or two up. Drums are a bit muddy but accent nicely. How about some simple backing vocals here and there? You can do it, I'm sure. Nice work.
Frankie Big Face - I like the hint of 'ding-dong' melody. Why are they so effective? I think this would be worth the time someday to flesh out. There are some nice sweet bits and phrases here, obviously unfinished for the live fight. Nice reflective mood.
Future Boy - Rich Rhodes tone, tasty. As are the vocals. The melody is pleasant and feels settled in. I see this is labeled as demo and imagine a slightly more full arrangement may be in order. However, this moves pleasantly and feels complete as is. Like a real song. Duh-hoy!
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glennny - Tripping through the 70s, perhaps with a side trip or two to South America. Bit of wankage there, but cookin'. Complex and interesting, this song is simultaneoulsy serious and lite. Not a criticism, but someday a three chord rocker from you would be kinda kooky, and maybe an interesting challenge.
g_rock - Parts of this remind me of a band I played with 20+ years ago. Hated it. But I like this. It lacks a strongly distinctive hook, but the verses bait you to keep listening. Maybe the chorus vocal could soar more, whether alone or via backing voices.
I Contain Multitudes - This doesn't need to be all shiny, but I'd still like to hear a better recording. I'm somewhat intrigiued by the mood and vocals, but they are a mess. Regardless, there is a certain pull to listen here. The second half feels a little more forced and loses some of the magic despite the attempt to lose yourself. Right idea here, though.
Jeebas Jones - Great mood. I like the easy-going intensity. Was hoping to hear it change to a big major chord somehwere early on, but not too early. Nice instrument sounds and playing, the vocal is like an easy to take Mike Scott or something. Good two chord song work and the Neil Young solo is excellent.
The John Benjamin Band - Great melody in there. This feels pretty complete, compared to some off the other live fight songs, that is. The word photograph shows up too much, but I get it. Kick it around some and see if you can't do more with the haunting melody.
King Arthur - I read your post about the face pain, so I understand why you are limited in what you can/can't do. Just saying that cos a few backing vocals strategically placed might sound good here. I like the lines about Steve best and am glad to hear the guitar solo, very tasty and restrained, you could've gone around again and not overdone it.
Klownhole - This a mess, but a glorious one, at least for the first half. That VU meter in the red guitar tone and riff is the nuts. I say this sincerely when I say that you are one of my favorite vocalists here at SF! as well. The lyrics, maybe too improvised sometimes, like on this song, but doesn't matter. But hey, where's the drummer? Sometimes short is better. See my entry as
Jumbotronfor evidence.
Manhattan Glutton - Serious and funny. Ha ha ha! Wa..ha...ha HAA! This is all good but I'm not crazy about the bridge. It starts to get all trippy far away, but starts and ends clunkily. There're some good ides and lyrics in here, just need to klck'em around some more. Take that bridge to the moon via, I dunno, maybe a different key or something. It starts to go there, but gets lost in space.
Marcus Kellis - Classic. This won the Live fight, yes? The musicianship is a mess but that is totally not the point. The engaugement of the audience and that story are wonderful and genuine feeling, at least here a week and 2000 miles later. Glad you went and shared this with the rest of us.
Merisan - It's hard to argue with what you guys do. A nice, genuine fit. Is that Jon Eric schnoodling on the pianer? It's a nice touch to your generally guitar heavy songs. Nice vocals. Change the ending around when you re-do the song. Which you'll do, right?
Mr. Nakazawa's Book of Surprises - I had a dream recently with Niveous and Roymond in it. I gave Niv a hug. ANYWAY, your voice fits nicely over the piano, it soundslike you're playing it as you sing although I know you're not. This is messy but o nthe righ track. The melody needs a lot of refining, but the mood is right. Write me if you feel I can contribute to the re-working, I'd like to play on something like this.
Naked Philosophy - I like a protest song but this one feels a little forced, somehow. Geuss it's the live fight thing. Call and response will work nicely if you re-do this.
Paco del Stinko - Well, I had to do my annual fake live song, so here it is. Some work, some don't is all I can say. Sorry, Rone.
roymond - I'd love to watch you play someday, Roymond. But I'd be scared to play along with you. Maybe on bass? Lyrics are gonzo and excellent. It's like a gritty Leonard Cohen. I probaly would have had to have voted for this in the live fight, especially after the Leone whistle. If I remember, I'll cover this one day. Great stuff.
WreckdoM - Speaking of favorites...Once, long ago, I used to be weird. You guys are the weird I wish I could be. That is a sincere compliment. And you get better and better as time goes on. If I were at this performance, I guarantee you I would have given the biggest yee-haws that were to be found that night. Sure, I'm a Yankee, but I can yee-haw when I needs to. And this is needs to worthy. Excellent.
* Love your News Of the World album. That album was huge when I was a 7th/8th grader, and it has been with me all that time. Yours is fantastic.