Hit the Switcheroo! (and start reviewing)

[king_arthur]

A good title? A bad title? Good songs? Bad songs?

Charles (KA)

[mico saudad]

Quick run through has Melvin and the Hell Yeahs tied for first. Good song structure and interesting dynamics on the former and really nice drumming on the latter (I just got my first drum kit so it's on the top of my mind right now).

[reve]

awwww.... my entry's not there. Was Cthonic Youth too close to a real band name or something?

[Stu]

My entry also does not seem to posted. Sadness!

[Spud]

I will check on your submittal times...

[reve]

> I will check on your submittal times.

Huh. Gmail says I submitted at Thu, Apr 3, 2008 at 10:51 PM, but I didn't get the autoreply until Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 12:30 PM. So when looking at the submittal times, pretty please check the full header. Apparently there's a queue somewhere.

[drë]

Melvin, Weezer called and they would like half of their song back...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2hyoszso38E

i also like, Mr Calm down Oats, Mico Saudad, Mad dog sounds really good with the patheticwannabees, Swillington has a great lo-fi indi vibe (Niv?), and the weakest suit improving like allways (maybe a bit more bass eq on that guitar ?).

my votes between Mico Saudad & Swillington.

[No Horse Town]

look who's drunk in the middle of the day! (it's me, and my reviews)

Melvin - hmm, still sounds really well done, still sounds like weezer to me. I like the guitar at the beginning. that second part REALLY sounds like weezer. this is quality, but i'm not into this kinda stuff anymore. I'm getting used to giving split "grades" for badassery vs. appeal, so here I go again: A / C respectively

Lord Of Oats - this sounded really cool at first. someone else needs to sing this.. someone weird and ethereal, maybe? maybe not? and the chorus is weak. the intro part and the verse part are really satisfying (that verse part reminds me of some NES game from my childhood - possibly one of the Ninja Gaiden games? 2? Maybe? Anyway, that is a good thing.) - it sucks that the chorus brings it down so much. and yeah, the singing. damn, this kinda pisses me off: i really like the basic idea behind the song, but it is poorly-actualized.. and the solo's lame. the whole thing is just too long! if it's supposed to build up and frenzy and all that, it should bring in a new instrument or more drums or just something... the whole second half is freakin' boring. but i REALLY LIKED the beginning! this is seriously pissing me off! you wasted/squandered a really good thing here! dammit man! C-, shoulda been at least an A-

Echovoodoo - kinda boring. the bass is nice. it doesn't.. eh.. flow?.. groove?.. as much as it should. This is the kinda thing that would be nice background music.. if it had a little more groove... perhaps? Uh... it's nice enough. Just doesn't wow me. B

Chonny - the singing isn't that good. the intro bugs me. the guitar playing around is not to my taste. this doesn't do much... yeah, it's boring. Sorry, Chonny. C

Jon Mayor - this whole fuzzy repetitive intro thing is cool enough.. and whoa, we've got weird alien cow noises. I thought that was gonna signal a change, but.. no, it fizzles back into the ether again, and now it's not sounding as cool as it did before. Actually, now it's sounding like it's really not gonna change at all. Really, dude? I'm all for the druggy trancey stuff in theory.. but this doesn't pull it off. I think the weird noises woke me up a little bit too much for me to zone out and enjoy the rest of the song. Kind of put it all in perspective, and I'm like: "Oh. So he's just kinda making cosmic farts, or something. Ehhh..." D

The Pathetic Wannabees - bad microphone? bad guy-behind-it? something like that. Yeah, this is sloppy and it's not in a good way. Uh, the basic groove is pretty cool. I don't like the "a-rooooo!" part, but that's my problem. C-

Thanks For The Frisbee - pretty good singing, but not really my kinda song. I wish the guitar rhythms varied a little bit more. The vocals got really loud there somewhere in.. I think it's the 2nd verse?... but it worked! In the end, this is a little more likeable than it was at first... It kinda reminded me of some sweet little goofy Smashing Pumpkins song, and that's always pleasant enough. Pretty alright . B

Swilington - the whole style with the raw guitar/vocals thing at the start... those vocals need a little more sumthin' sumtin. I'm not sure if it's.. is it attitude? Does it need attitude? I'm going with attitude. I like the fuzzy-as-hell chorus. Still, the vocals are just not good enough. Those wonky-ass drums on the latter half of the 2nd verse: they are good too. Also, I dig the ending. B

Gnome Alone - man, I really can't hear your vocals above the thing there at the beginning, oh wait, it's the whole song. Oh WAIT, it IS the song... I was really hoping that this was a serious thing, but it's not, is it? I wanna hear some crazy ass Beefheart singing over this, not some goofball fucking around.. god, the more this goes on and on, arrrgghh! Bleh, total crap by the end of it. F

The Hell Yeahs - your last song was a little better, but this is good too. You're a better lyricist than most of us around here, from what I've heard. Your lyrics actually, y'know, flow with the music and don't sound like a big 'ol sore thumb. The music isn't really my thing, but it's not really un-my thing either, so... yeah, this is well done, and it's got the best hook, and yeah, I'm gonna vote for it. A-

The Weakest Suit - so far, you are consistently my favorite "G&G" fella on here. This song is, however, uh, not your greatest. But see, I'm not totally sure... I have mixed feelings about the "ooh-oooooh!" part... and the "I'm blue" thing. There is some definite simultaneous appeal and anti-appeal going with that part.. and kinda the song in general... let's just stop worrying about it and give it all a B

Mico Saudad - fat tire commercial much? I'm not cut out for this scene. I think this is pretty well done.. eh, sorry, I got nothin' much to say. B

[rone rivendale]

Melvin has 'borrowed' things from other bands several times in his past songs so it wouldn't surprise me if he's channeling the spirit of Weezer on this track. It always sounds awesome so I don't really care either way.

[Stu]

I will check on your submittal times...

Looks like Reve and I had the same problem with the automated response.
My gmail send time: Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 2:18 AM
Automated response time: Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 12:45 PM

[PiGPEN]

chonny
ok lead guitar, droning boring vocals, couldnt finish

echovoodoo
nice intro, droning boring vocals, lasted longer than chonny but couldnt finish

gnome alone
i listened a while before i realized a song wasnt going to start

hell yeahs
great song. i feel the vocals are too whiny though...or too infront of the music for how whiny they are. didnt like the use of the title, feels forced.

jon mayor
cool intro... it goes for 4 minutes though....and then the outro goes for the other 2.

lord of oats
cool intro... cool intro2... bad vocals... bad lyrics... "switched my toothepaste with glue" oh i wonder what he'll rhyme this with...next song.

melvin
great music, vocals dont suck, lyrics dont make me cringe, awesome.

mico saudad
i hate folk so i hate this because it is folk.

pathetic wannabes
no thanks.

swillington
Kinda ok i guess....the off tempo drums irk me.

thanks for the frisbee
IMMA WASTING YO HEART! KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
do not want.

weakest suit
cmon peoples...there are other instruments.

Melvin gets my vote hands down.

[Niveous]

Swillington has a great lo-fi indi vibe (Niv?)

Nope. Sadly, Niv is not involved in this fight.

[ujnhunter]

I'm totally voting for Gnome Alone! uhm...
also, I already voted... so I hope the late entries don't melt my face off with awsomeness the way Gnome Alone did!

[The Weakest Suit]

Liner Notes: this song was written on day 6 of an illness that i still have. i had a fever that night and no energy and have almost no recollection of writing or recording this one. the next day the mp3 and lyric/chord files were just there on my desktop, so i gave it a tentative listen and submitted it. i had completely forgotton i had written and recorded a song the night before. i just remember shaking in bed all night from the fever. i think i was going for a "frank black" feel, because it sounds like a frank black song to me.

i'm looking forward to taking some time and giving good reviews to all the songs. it's nice to have a one title fight. i've only listened to a couple so far, and i really like the "thanks for the frisbee" song.

[Jerry]

chonny
couldnt finish
echovoodoo
couldnt finish
gnome alone
i listened a while before i realized blahblah...
mico saudad
i hate folk so i hate this because it is folk.

If you're unable to focus more than a minute or so on a song you don't 'like', maybe http://www.hannah-montana.com/ is more your speed. My eight year old swears by it!

[erik]

chonny
couldnt finish
echovoodoo
couldnt finish
gnome alone
i listened a while before i realized blahblah...
mico saudad
i hate folk so i hate this because it is folk.

If you're unable to focus more than a minute or so on a song you don't 'like', maybe http://www.hannah-montana.com/ is more your speed. My eight year old swears by it!

As someone who routinely skips ahead in songs he doesn't like, let me just say that I am completely ABLE to focus on a song that I don't like, but I choose not to because I don't WANT to spend my time listening to songs that I don't like.

Suggesting that people should listen to songs that they don't think are any good makes Songfight less of "a place where you can go and find awesome music" and more of "a place where people feel obligated to listen to music that they dislike". How tedious and bothersome.

[Stu]

Lord of Oats – That intro is just the right level of heavy. The chorus is pretty fun too, better than the verse. Love that lead guitar tone man. The solo seems to go on for a while, but everyone needs a good shredding song.

Cthonic Youth – Man, this is some of the heaviest stuff I’ve heard in a while. Brings me back to 1993 or ’94, the good years. I think I’d like a little more singing to balance out the speak-singing parts. Nice track!

The Weakest Suit – I think this song is really excellent. Even though it’s just you and the guitar, I can hear the potential here to be fleshed out. I’d take it as a demo for a more full arrangement. Catchy!

Swilington – Woah, what is going on here at the beginning? Seems to get back on track a bit during the chorus. The song sounds like it could be good if given a bit more fine tuning.

The Pathetic Wannabees – Lots of fuzzy guitar in this fight so far. Keep doing what you’re doing guys.

Echovoodoo – Nice uke backing there. Like an 80s pop song, except we have live drums here. Background vocals are solid, I would probably listen to this in my free time.

The Hell Yeahs – Oh yeah! This rocks. Catchy tune, quality singing. This is definitely something I would listen to on a regular basis! Best of the fight so far easily.

Melvin – All the playing is top notch. Really solid and tight. Also catchy and makes me nod my head. I’m really happy with this fight! I see some people have been comparing this to Weezer and I’m a big Weezer fan so it’s a given that I’m gonna like it a lot.

Thanks for the Frisbee – Most everything I’ve heard from you I’ve enjoyed and this is no exception. The song does seem a little bit repetitive, but still good.

Chonny – Nice soloing throughout the song, and that modulation was pretty subtle, I really wasn’t expecting it but it added a nice punch to that part of the solo.

Mico Saudad – After all the heavy stuff I’ve heard in this fight, this is actually a really excellent break. It’s simple and somewhat catchy, it reminds me of some other artists, but they’re artists I enjoy for the most part. Really well put together and in the right setting I would enjoy this quite a bit.

Gnome Alone – Parts of this remind me of Nebraska era Bruce Springsteen, but yeah…not for me.

Jon Mayor – This track does nothing for me. Really repetitive, nothing to latch onto that will hold my attention. Somewhat minimalistic, but not rhythmically interesting enough to be good minimalism.

My vote this week is going to go to the excellent submission by The Hell Yeahs.

Runners up:
1. Melvin
2. mico saudad
3. echovoodoo

[frankie big face]

Suggesting that people should listen to songs that they don't think are any good makes Songfight less of "a place where you can go and find awesome music" and more of "a place where people feel obligated to listen to music that they dislike". How tedious and bothersome.

Word.

[rone rivendale]

Well as long as people like you don't listen to songs like mine, people like me will never get better because people like you won't listen to the songs long enough to tell me what I'm doing wrong. I don't have a song in this week but the general message is relivant.

Crap music will always be crap music if no one takes the 2-4 minutes to listen and give feedback.

[Reist]

But nobody's obligated to even listen. If they hear a song, and it's painful to listen to, I think it's fair to skip through. Usually I write down what I hate about the song, and then I skip through. There's no reason for me to sit through a 7 minute hammerhead trance song if I hate it.

[PiGPEN]

chonny
couldnt finish
echovoodoo
couldnt finish
gnome alone
i listened a while before i realized blahblah...
mico saudad
i hate folk so i hate this because it is folk.

If you're unable to focus more than a minute or so on a song you don't 'like', maybe http://www.hannah-montana.com/ is more your speed. My eight year old swears by it!

I would respond with an informed and witty comeback but im afraid i stopped reading halfway through.

[erik]

Well as long as people like you don't listen to songs like mine, people like me will never get better because people like you won't listen to the songs long enough to tell me what I'm doing wrong. I don't have a song in this week but the general message is relivant.

Crap music will always be crap music if no one takes the 2-4 minutes to listen and give feedback.

Do you think that a person unfamiliar with your music would be able to tell what music from your catalog was old, and what music is more recent? Is your music getting better? If so, what comments did you get that helped you get better? If your music is not getting better, what about the sum total of comments at songfight have you found unuseful?

Can you think of an artist on songfight who changed their music for the better because of comments you gave?