The 5th Annual Gift of Music!!!!

[frankie big face]

Mine has also been sent now. That took a bit longer than I expected, but now I can finally get around to listening to all the other entries! Well, maybe after getting some sleep.

That's a really cool arrangement. It's one of those songs that's so beloved in its original format that most people wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole--you are brave! (and obviously up to the challenge) Very nice.

[Lunkhead]

Mine's in, for better or for worse.

PS My cover is for Jeff Robertson, in case he is reading this thread eagerly awaiting his cover.

[Niveous]

Sorry about the mix-up, Caravan Ray. Having this new set-up, I'm like a kid in a candy shop. So I'm trying out all sorts of different stuff that I can't had a chance to. The mix I accidentally sent is the one from when I tried out the Low Pass filter which killed everything. I still had the original recordings, but after some listens, I decided that I really didn't dig the performance on it. So, I decided to re-record the whole darn thing. I couldn't be happy with myself if I phoned in a performance on a song which such meaning, or a song that I'm doing as a gift for a Songfighter whose music I really respect. Results of the new recording session forthcoming.

[Caravan Ray]

Cool Niv.

I actually haven't had the opportunity to listen to any of these yet - but I am looking forward to it - re-record away!

[Niveous]

Here ya go, C-Ray.

http://www.newzeromusic.com/niveous/niveous_bfwf2.mp3

[Billy's Little Trip]

That Anti-M song is swank. It makes the original sound like a cover that Fallout Boy recorded after hearing her song.

I have to agree here. I had the same feeling listening to Em's cover of the fall out boys, as I did listening to Tori Amos's version of Teen Spirit, by Nirvana. Awesome! It made me pay more attention to the lyrics and the meaning, than the original did.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Sorry about the mix-up, Caravan Ray. Having this new set-up, I'm like a kid in a candy shop. So I'm trying out all sorts of different stuff that I can't had a chance to. The mix I accidentally sent is the one from when I tried out the Low Pass filter which killed everything. I still had the original recordings, but after some listens, I decided that I really didn't dig the performance on it. So, I decided to re-record the whole darn thing. I couldn't be happy with myself if I phoned in a performance on a song which such meaning, or a song that I'm doing as a gift for a Songfighter whose music I really respect. Results of the new recording session forthcoming.

I really liked how you performed this one. The first time I've ever heard of this man and his songs were when Caravan Ray told us of his death. The moment I heard the song, I couldn't help but think how "I" personally would rock it.
I will make it official on this day. If Nivy and John ever want to do this song in some future cover fight, I will add what ever I can vocally and guitar and drummerly, plus mix and produce it. And I would love this to be a joint effort of multiple voices. I LOVE this song and I feel it's an anthem to man and woman kind.
Signed, Chris Dienst

[j$]

Reviews:
WAIL. Written as I Listen.
IAAT. I Am A Twat.
DITKO? Are you Steve Ditko? (actually Do I Know The Original?)

Jack– DIKTO? No.
I like that minor key riff going on the keyboard very much. It has a punky reggae party feel, a bit like the Police or something, only more chilled out – I imagine it was a post-punk cod-reggae original? It certainly has that feel. Nice slinky bass. As ever sweet backing vox. Really nice, gentle ease into the GOM!

Floxum Woxum – DIKTO? Yeah. I like the original song OK, though I prefer, say, Nothing But Flowers for a late era TH song...
Good heavy riff is an interesting take on the original which works well and makes it sound like Devo c. ‘Freedom of Choice’ album, at times. That’s a pretty convincing swing at a David Byrne via Mark Mothersbaugh. I might have wacked up the bass – sounds like a well-played, groovy thang. Great Hammond at the end wins me over completely!

Jim Tyrell – DIKTO? Nope. Though seeing this is Grateful Dead it certainly makes sense based on what I have heard (I imagine they never did a crazy bass and drum machine breakdown, mind).
Not much to say, very nicely done, nice and relaxed, it’s like subtle musical influences from the 70s 80s and 90s colliding into one full on pop hop, which is a good thing, obviously.

Roymond – DITKO? – yup. Heh.
This seems very appropriate given the BB’s Free Tibet campaign. Oh nice building sitar ….I am beginning to suspect that you ate a shed load of Incan peyote before recording this. It’s fractured, insane and much like the Beastie Boys, just the right side of the Genius / Annoying line. I am not entirely sure I would listen to it a lot, but it’s funny, cool and wonderfully controlled insanity, so I most definitely enjoyed it!

Eclectic Spoons – DIKTO? Of course.
This is crazy. I like the out-of-tune rhythm guitar very much – brings a slightly 70s TB or CV tone to the mix, and takes off the synthetic edge well. The overall sound is great, and very little like the original, which is a good thing (to try and take on DW head to head would be suicide) this is funky, and well-mixed, and the incoherence of the words works very well, makes the voice into another instrument, part of the mesh, which is something that interests me very much. Maybe a little bit long, (would have been ironically funny to finish bang on 3

Caravan Ray – DIKTO – oh yeah. This is one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite albums, so you better not f**k it up with your convict ways
Only joking, your voice sounds great here, especially the backing vox. The bass is too low in the mix I think, but other than that this is a pretty straight forward cover of a great song, done very well. Your ooh-ooh-oohs come very close to matching your semi-namesake Ray Davies’ masterful harmonies. Sounds good. I’d love to hear you cover the entire album from start to finish, actually, I think it could be an interesting project. I would be on board for helping out. (Though I’ll let you off ‘Starstruck’. That one’s just rubbish.) Anyway I digress, nicely done.

Sausage Boy – DITKO – who doesn’t?
I am so sorry I didn’t get to be part of the Queens. I just forgot. Anyway great big tub-thumping rhythm at the start of the track makes my pulse run a little faster straight away. I like the flat tone to the vocal performance – you sound like you hate this tune. That’s a sample from the Art of Noise, right? I’m liking the mix of this very much. The way so much goes on, but you can follow each element separately. Nicely done … much much much too long, of course, but a fun listen, and a nice sense of indertiminate fury left in the mouth like a rent boy’s deposit at the end

Wages – DITKO? Probably, but I can’t place it right now.
I like the KoL well enough. They have a cool swamp rock groove thing going on - though I am shocked by the blatant Pixies rip-off which was their last single and the lead singer should grow back the beard so he looks less like a child molester. I digress. This sounds good, I like the tone on the acoustic – it has a mandolin quality at times. Well sung, nice feel, about the right length. Yes, me likey.

J$ - that’ll be me then. I dunno if Americans on the whole know Buzzcocks, but for me, punky pop/krautrock music, clever lyrics, lots of harmonies & gay lead singer = pretty much the band I wish I was in. The original is less Dubby but not by much – this is a pretty straight-forward cover (though I shortened it from the original 7 minute monster). Possibly the bass is a little loud and the lead guitars are a little quiet, but that’ll teach me to mix under the influence of class C drugs (lockets, mainly). Hope Jeff likes it.

TMK – DITKO? Yup. A great song that not even Rod Stewart could destroy. I like this re-imagining – it’s sweet and the rough edges have been removed but replaced with something equally nice – although I must admit if it wasn’t for the awesome glock (-enspiel not gun) then it could be Snow f**kin Patrol:) That’s actually a compliment. I like this a lot. A clever re-imagining that is subtle, tuneful and imprints itself over the original in my mind very well. Officially Better Than Rod Stewart!

Frankie Big Face DITKO? Yup. Me and Laughin' Len go years back
I do really love Leonard Cohen and when i saw him in the lists, I was a little nervous of hearing anyone cover him, because his is such a unique sound that is as much about his own character as anything else. Still if anyone can, frankie can - and he brings it here with a wonderful fractured, spaced out mood piece that takes from LC, does him a good service and at the same time takes the song to a new place. fav parts - the string synth at c.2:03 and the over-auto-tuned effect on the vocals at the end. I think I will need to hear it a few more times to wring full enjoyment from the arrangement, but I am looking forward to doing just that, so!

EIITAS – DITKO? No.
That’s some skanky coolness that I rather imagine Dylan would be pathologically incapable of managing himself, but not knowing the original, I might be doing him a dis-service. Lovely guitar tone on the lead, and the solo is pretty as. Nice bVs as well. Could have listened to another minute or two of that. I liked it a lot.

Charcoal - DITKO? Nope.
This is totally Charcoal – you have such a signature sound – like Spacemen 3 or any of those cathedral of sound bands from the 90s (MBV etc) – it sounds great. Nice mood, and so far like nothing else in the fight. I kind of wish I knew the original so I could see how far from its original remit you have strayed! Feels a little short for you (heh heh heh) – yeah nice spacey vibe. Good werk.

Glenn– DITKO? Duh!
I am waiting for this terrible high note with a certain peverse pleasure. There is a certain lounge quality about the arrangement – I see men in three piece white suits and whafros playing in the late bar on a tropical cruise. (actually this will only mean something the britishers here – I am thinking the E4 channel idents – am I right, or what?) Ah there it is! (the high note I mean, not the channel ident or the cruise..) It’s not that far from where it ought to be, and much close than I’d ever get, it just sounds like you’re suffering for your art! Once I got past the shock of hearing the lead being played on guitar and the chill factor of this, I am quite enjoying it I must admit (but in public, my punk pals would string me up!)

Ross – DITKO? No, but I have seen Three Amigos,
I guess from other songs of his I have heard that this is a faithful enough cover stylistically? What I do know of Randy Newman, is that I think he’s funny but not as clever as he thinks he is. Still this is funny and clever and has the best kazoo solo this side of a Starfigner track. I like the franctic slappy drumming as well. It sounds like firecrackers going off, or mortar fire from a distance, which is eminently suitable! I enjoyed that, a good listen.

The White Hat – DITKO? Well, I thought so, but this sounds nothing like the one I thought it was so probably I am thinking of East Seventeen. There’s a song crying out for the folky guitar-ing. Nice ukele! This sounds lovely in a vaguely fairground attracyion way. nice guitarwork, voice is nice and wordly-wise. Well realised. Makes me want to hunt out the original to compare (ie trawl through this thread lookin' for links). Nice work.

The Floating Head Effect – DITKO? Nope, don’t think so.
Hey I like the ‘tape deck in the rehearsal room’ sound! A little loose and sloppy, in a very charming, effecting way. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. It feels very warm despite the clean tones, and doesn’t outstay its welcome. Yeah, not at all bad!

Billy’s Little Trip – DITKO – *nods vigorously*

now neither the stream or the individual list will play it ... I will try again later.

Later: OK so downloading it to my computer works! Nicely done, a good mix, a good pop pixies version of the song. Maybe being a Pere Ubu head and liking the crazier end of their spectrum (hey I saw The Pale Boys. Twice!) I keep hoping for a Peter Laughner or an Allen Ravenstine to drop down out of the skies and get synthesizers or crazy guitar pissin' blood all over it, but hey, that's not fair. This is really well done, it sounds great, it's just that it would be nigh on impossible to top Pere Ubu (before mid-80s anyway) and you come pretty close. So points for a good cover, points for not being challenged by the source material, ummm not much more to say.

Anti-M – DIKTO? Nope, but I know Fall Out Boy and find them tedious beyond description, so I am looking forward to anything that changes it from that typical sound of theirs.
Well don’t this sound lovely! Really loving the way the backing vox weave around the main melody. Nice watery vibes too. Really very pleasing on the ear and while one may not be able to polish a turd, but I have to say this is pretty shiny and frankly anything that wipes the thought of those oafs out of my brain gets extra kudos points!

Niveous – DIKTO? No.
Great to hear you again, Niv! The sound quality of your recording is getting ever better. The vox could come up a little (and a hi-pass not a lo-pass on the guitar ) but apart from that this is really good. There is a sadness about the delivery that makes a very pleasing counter-point to the angry lyrical content. I enjoyed. Also the talky over the bvs at the end sounds like a TV advert voice, which is great – gives another level of meaning to the song. Not much else to say, more from you in ’08 please.

Hell Yeahs – DIKTO? No, but it sounds like I should.
B&C - Awesome opening! Having read about Social Distortion, I always assumed they were more thrash than this, so there is a pleasing rawk-with-a-w, almost White Stripes-y vibe to this which I am enjoying. Awesome strafing of the strings at around 3 mins! Yeah! again not much to say, just good music made well by good musicians. I give the Hell! Yeah! couplet a huge spangley tick (especially for the more up-tempo, more standard punk song ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’ which is personally more of a get-me-hurling-myself-against-the-rubber-walls kind of moment but you probably could have guessed that already, right?)

Bill - DIKTO? No, but I know Lanois.
Nice minimal arrangement - the 80s swell-synth appears to be playing (some of) the chords to 'Do They Know It's Christmas' by Band Aid - I am not sure if that's your decision or Lanois', but I find it quite entertaining. Awesome sounds climbing in and out of the mix. Despite your worries about the vocal this certainly works well against the quiet, broken mood. Co-incidentally it is hailing as I am writing this, and the skies are darkest grey, and this is the perfect soundtrack to that. So good timing

Jose & Dolly – DITKO? Yes, but it took me a while to realise!
Great bass (sample?) and awesome spy synth. I also like the (synthetic) guitar part? Both voices sound great, and I really like it when they weave in and out of each other in the second verse – not so keen on the two together – sounds good but a little bit loose at times. Doesn’t outstay its welcome and it’s an awesome deconstruction and reassembling into this new nerdcore meets groovy electronica meets pop combo. This is one of my favourites actually, especially for the high oohs at the end.

Albatross – DITKO? No no-no-no no (sing to Sisko’s ‘Thong Song’, you'll get it)
This sounds great. Clever arrangement, nice skanky reggae feel (there’s a lot of this year and that’s great!) You sound a little like Steve Durand on the more melodic bits. The punk breakdown is awesome and I secretly could listen to more of that, although it works just as well as it is. Great tone on bass (even when it gets a bit slappy, which obviously makes my bowels crumble with fear whenever I hear it since slap bass is the Devil’s penis) and on lead guitar. Nice – it all kind of makes sense, it has its own internal logic, what am I talking about? Who knows? I just know I enjoyed that one very much.

Lord Of Oats – DITKO? No, can’t say that I do.
Cool basic minimal mix. The kick could be fatter but it’s still cool. Like the little riff high above the mix. Nice touch. It’s a little square for the big techno club mash mix that I can hear in the arrangement but I’m tapping a toe along so it must be achieving what it set out to do, eh? Despite your concerns about the vocal, you could have brought it up in the mix some more, it almost feels superfluous as it is, and I think, wonky notes aside, it sounds like it has a charm and fragility which might make it sound more appealing to the listener than it does to you. Too long, maybe, but I still enjoyed listening to it.

_____________________________________________________________

Reviews of the latecomers will appear when all have come in. That'll teach you to keep me waiting for my candy cover fix!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy’s Little Trip – DITKO – *nods vigorously*
OK that’s weird. This played the first thirty seconds of the song the first time in the stream, and now neither the stream or the individual list will play it. That’s a screaming shame, because I LOVE Pere Ubu and I really want to hear BLT tackle it. I will try again later.

That's a shame, J. Not sure why. I just checked, and it's playing for me.

[jeff robertson]

I might have wacked up the bass – sounds like a well-played, groovy thang.

Does that mean turn it up in the mix, or play it in a more "wacky" fashion?

Either way, it's a bass that I received as a Christmas present, and this almost literally the first notes I've played on it. It will probably take me a while to learn how to properly EQ or otherwise affect it in order to make it oticeable in the mix without being too loud. I am not used to mixing a bass.

[anti-m]

The only thing that stands out as peculiar (not bad, though) is the choice of chords during the introduction. I just wonder if there's any particular reason for the deviation.

Oops, the band misspelling is my fault! Change the ID3 tag, folks!

I finally went and read their wookiepedia article, and, if the somewhat apocryphal-sounding story of their band-naming is to be believed, the random audience member who named them misspelled it too!

From wookiepedia I also learned that these guys are from my hometown, more or less! Well, from the rival high school. In any case they hail from the John Hughes greater metro area, which seems absolutely appropriate.

Anyhoo, about that change to the intro. I'm not much of a soloist, and I decided that yet another instance of that particular chord progression would become tedious in my particular arrangement. So I cut it out of the beginning and more or less cut to the chase.

[roymond]

Roymond – Oh nice building sitar ….I am beginning to suspect that you ate a shed load of Incan peyote before recording this. It’s fractured, insane and much like the Beastie Boys, just the right side of the Genius / Annoying line. I am not entirely sure I would listen to it a lot, but it’s funny, cool and wonderfully controlled insanity, so I most definitely enjoyed it!

Hey now! That's fun. Glad you found it as wonderfully controlled insanity! That's a sweet quote I had visions of a Gregorian chant thing but it just went another way, what with the Uod sample and the flanged rubber band and electric kazoo ("It's my party, I'll cry if I want to..."). You're right, it's not meant for heavy rotation, but perhaps it'll pop up and bring a smile now and then.

[LSK]

Roymond – Oh nice building sitar ….I am beginning to suspect that you ate a shed load of Incan peyote before recording this. It’s fractured, insane and much like the Beastie Boys, just the right side of the Genius / Annoying line. I am not entirely sure I would listen to it a lot, but it’s funny, cool and wonderfully controlled insanity, so I most definitely enjoyed it!

Hey now! That's fun. Glad you found it as wonderfully controlled insanity! That's a sweet quote I had visions of a Gregorian chant thing but it just went another way, what with the Uod sample and the flanged rubber band and electric kazoo ("It's my party, I'll cry if I want to..."). You're right, it's not meant for heavy rotation, but perhaps it'll pop up and bring a smile now and then.

Roymond, I just wanted to say that your cover is my absolute favorite GoM 2007-8 song. It really is wonderfully strange.

[j$]

I might have wacked up the bass ...

Does that mean turn it up in the mix, or play it in a more "wacky" fashion?

Turn it up. I think I meant "whack it up", actually. One of the dangers of WAIL is that sentences take on new meanings due to spelling and grammar mistakes, but it at least does lead to new interesting mis-understandings

PS bass is easy to mix. Down the centre, keep it low if you don't want people to be distracted by it.

[j$]

Billy’s Little Trip – OK that’s weird ... neither the stream or the individual list will play it..

That's a shame, J. Not sure why. I just checked, and it's playing for me.

OK problem solved, review re-edited to include opinions!

j$

[Eddiebangs]

Some really great stuff this year! Special thanks to FLVXXVM FLORVM for my gift of music- I really dig it, thanks! I again apoligize to my giftee, I hope to have my GOM posted before the weekend.
-Eddie

[roymond]

Well then, in that case, I hereby praise Roymond's weirdo WAY-East Coast version of Fight For Your Right

Thank you, sir! I haven't had time to listen to the others yet, so I'll chime in tomorrow at some point while riding Amtrak...choo, choo...

[Heather. Redmon.]

Unfortunately I was not here first time round and now the links are broken but...

I don't know if you or anyone else cares, but the broken link for Hell Yeahs cover of Charlotte Sometimes from the GOM 2004 has kind of been fixed... well, the song has been moved anyway http://www.tartpop.com/tunes/the_hell_y ... etimes.mp3

I will ask the fightmasters to update the GOM page. Thanks

[Heather. Redmon.]

Also, j$, thanks for the review!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy’s Little Trip – OK that’s weird ... neither the stream or the individual list will play it..

That's a shame, J. Not sure why. I just checked, and it's playing for me.

OK problem solved, review re-edited to include opinions!

j$

hmm, I knew I should have pissed blood, drats!
Thanks for the review, Johnny.

[Caravan Ray]

Here ya go, C-Ray.

http://www.newzeromusic.com/niveous/niveous_bfwf2.mp3

Great work Niv!

Your vocals are really great. You've taken that song from Arnhem Land to NY beautifully.

I love how you've toned down George Burarrwanga's original anthemic naivety to give it a much more melancholic feel (a tone which is probably more appropriate given the state of Aboriginal relations 20 years after that song was written).

Your tone of voice actually reminds me a little of that Tears For Fears cover from the Donnie Darko movie (name and artist escapes me at the moment...Mad World?). Shame you didn't do this 6 months ago. It would have made a wonderfully ironic musical backdrop to news stories on the Australian military's 'intervention' into dysfunctional aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

[furrypedro]

Unfortunately I was not here first time round and now the links are broken but...

I don't know if you or anyone else cares, but the broken link for Hell Yeahs cover of Charlotte Sometimes from the GOM 2004 has kind of been fixed... well, the song has been moved anyway http://www.tartpop.com/tunes/the_hell_y ... etimes.mp3

I sure do, and thanks. This rocks.

Extra holiday gift bonus, for a short time only!
http://www.85180ad.com/mp3/4.zip

It's nine megabytes of hot historical cover action!

Badcore. Uber thanks Ben! you've outdone yourself with the handy link and monstrous cover. My cup runneth over.