Thinkin' about Some Reviews

[Ross]

I am about halfway through my reviews and am surprised there isn't more going on re: deepak. If the song is what I think it is - it is one of the most interesting things here this fight.

If it's what I think it is - it's fucking authentic.

If it's what I think it is - the reviews so far are proving its authenticity

But I guess I could be wrong.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Uh oh, Ross has been dipping into the Coors light again.

[glennny]

I'm writing my reviews too. However I'd like to chime in on the Deetak track:

I like the earnestness of the performance. I hate the recording, I like the piano. What bothers me the most is how the crux of the melody, the hook of the song etc, is nearly completely lifted from David Bowie. Check out "The Supermen" from Hunky Dory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nLn_iFlkiw

Am I missing something about the recording? Is it improvised on a phone or something?

[deetak]

Glennny: I've never heard that Bowie track in my life and don't know any David Bowie songs except the one that goes "ground control to Major Tom". I also just listened to it and don't hear a conspicuous similarity in melody.

The vocal recording was made with this kind of mic: http://peripherals365.com/uploaded_imag ... 709018.jpg and it didn't seem to really work on this song but it has worked for others (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3CXLbIwERU for a song recorded using the same mic)

[glennny]

it's the long suspended bending down note at the end of the chorus of the Supermen that sounds like the long suspended bending down note in your song. I believe you when you say you've never heard it. I'm just saying if I were writing your song and I wrote that part, i would say to myself, "i can't really do that, it sounds like the Supermen". It happens all the time with songwriters. One of my early songs I wrote, someone said "Hey that sounds like Badge" Sure enough I basically wrote the main riff to "Badge" by Cream. It's good to hear you hadn't heard that before, but I'm surprised you don't hear the similarity.

Great song! Terrible recording IMHO.

cheers

[deetak]

Oh I see what you mean now. I thought you meant the majority of my melody (that is, everything before but not including "fuckin' authentic"), which didn't strike me as similar in any way. Thanks for the feedback in general.

[Lunkhead]

Here are my reviews, for whatever they're worth (...nothing?). 30 songs is a lot to review, and I always run out of steam toward the end.

Chadder
The guitar and singing don't sound like they're in the same key and the guitar is out of tune. I can't really understand anything you're saying, either. Oy, the slide thing makes me feel sea sick. Sorry, skipping the rest.

Chopped Liver Meat God
Your intro is a bit too long. Sort of charming at first. The "la la la la" stuff is way too loud, and that "second part" just doesn't change enough to keep this from feeling really repetitive. The singing has gone from charming to painful. I skipped ahead, and things sound the same. This just sounds like you're messing around. I can't make it to the end, sorry.

Death Be Not Proud
Sounds very thin and muffled. Everything could be louder. That distorted guitar strumming the chords is kind of noisy sounding. Probably an acoustic would sound better, or at least a clean electric. (Maybe without the chorus.) I like the female singer. It'd be great if her voice sounded really spacious, like with big reverb and a little delay. Overall a cute little song, if a little long.

deetak
The first time I listened to this I couldn't take the painful clipping/distortion on the vocals. You can actually sing. Too bad you're singing into a $0.05 plastic mic. You could really benefit from a cheap condenser mic and a cheap USB audio interface. Anyway, I'm glad abom brought some attention to the song because I went back and listened to it and tuned out the clipping and enjoyed the lyrics and music.

DuToVa
I wish the chorus was bigger sounding. It kind of blends together too much with the verses. Maybe some more snare and cymbals in the drum part would help, or adding some distortion to the guitars. Cool synth in the bridge. The "nee ner nee ner nee ner" trill is kind annoying after the second repeat of that part. I was hoping it would change to something more melodic. I like that the guitar changes rhythm in the last verse, but I wish the drums changed too, or just dropped out. This is an okay song but I wish it had parts with more energy.

Fartin' In The Club
Oh man. This sucks, sorry. That rapid fire cheesy snare sample is so annoying. Total crap.

The Hell Yeahs
Interesting palette of sounds for you. I like the Mellotron flutes. I wish the vocals were more clear and present in the mix, or maybe not doubled. They seem like they should be more intimate, to fit the lyrics and vibe of the song in the verse. The solo goes on a bit long, without getting much more interesting than when it starts. I'm waiting for a change in dynamics like a different rhythm to the percussion but I don't think it's coming. I guess I just wish there was a little more variation. Good song, though.

hendermann
Really nice singing. And piano playing. I wish your mixing wasn't pumping so much, like it's compressed all weird or something. The rhythm in the guitar and piano could be tighter, too. I really enjoy the female singer's singing in particular, but I like it a lot when you sing together, too. Your percussion is really lame, unfortunately. You'd probably be better off without it. Oh man, this is 4+ minutes long? Uh oh. Again I'm waiting or a big change up, but doubting it will come... Kind of wishing it would fade out after the 3:00 mark. Hm, this last part is actually nice, I'm hanging in there. Really nice singing there. I wish it sounded clearer and better, so that the quality of the performance could come through better. Anyway, good song, please keep fighting! Get in line for a cheap condenser mic and cheap USB audio interface, please.

Hot Wire
Hm, like Thomas Dolby meets Trent Reznor kind of. Man, I wish you busted out into a big badass chorus at 1:00, like Trent would. The harmony vocal parts are good. I wish you'd go into a part with a huge number of vocal tracks. OK song idea, but I wish it were fleshed out more.

Humboat
Ha ha ha ha. Love this one. This made me think there should be a whole genre of jokes that start out "Tub girl and goatse guy walk into a bar ..." , or maybe a comic or cartoon featuring "Tub Girl and Goatse Guy", who would be superheroes. It's also funny to me thinking about people hearing this song, and not knowing what it's about, then searching for "tub girl" and becoming the latest victims. I'm not sure I'm sold on the whistle sound. It might have been good to end it after "of only a week ago", and keep it brief, since it's a novelty song.

John Kloberdanz
This all seems pretty OK but a bit bland, for me. The rhythm is getting a bit repetitive. The lyrics are maybe a bit too ordinary and real for me to get pulled in. At least it's a good length, though, and doesn't out stay its welcome.

j$
I like the uke as the central instrument of this, and the synths are cool. Short and to the point, and good ending.

Larry
Your percussion is kind of weak. You'd probably be better off without it. You might want to cut the really low frequency from the bass (like <60Hz?). This sounds very mono. The lyrics are seeming a little repetitive, like you use the same central word over and over in each set of lines, and I don't really think that's working so well for me. I wish the guitar that's playing a melody was a mic'ed acoustic or a clean electric. It sounds like a plugged in acoustic. The drums and acoustic guitar strumming the chord are way too quiet. The music and singing are decent. It's a bit long, though.

Larry Knox
You sound like you could be related to the Durand brothers. I wish the vocals were more present. They sound muffled, too. They don't really fix the big sounding drums in the chorus. Maybe backup vocals there would help fill out the big sound you're going for, or bring up the organ or something. Decent little ballad but it's kind of long for what it is.

Lucky Spoon
You might want to pan the distorted guitar away from the center, to make it and the vocals more distinct. Half time feel might be cool in the chorus, since you're taking it down a bit there energy-wise. Nice harmonies. The distorted guitar sounds kinda crappy. I like the far off "hear you say".

Manhattan Glutton
Pretty rocking. The socks/rocks rhyme isn't so great. Your guitar is maybe too loud. It'd be cool if you had two guitars that were panned left and right. I think your bass is a bit loud, too. The noise gate on your guitar has to long of an attack, it's a little weird when it fades in a bit right before the second chorus. I like the bridge, with the acoustic and the feedback. The last verse lyrics maybe get a bit too ridiculous for me.

Miss Fancy Pants
This is a nice change of pace, for this fight and Song Fight! in general. This makes me want to read a cheesy fantasy novel with wizards and elves, and I actually don't mean that in a bad way, as I have an embarrassing soft spot for that kind of thing. Anyway, well done.

Naked Philosophy
Singing's a bit monotone for me. The quiet distorted guitar in the chorus is kind of just adding noise in there. It could be louder and more distinct, or not there at all. I think the second verse could come in more quickly after the first chorus. Your drums may actually be a bit too loud, and your main guitar and vocals not loud enough. OK song.

The New Southern Democrats
I really like the intro and it's setting some high expectations. I'm not into the singer's inflection of the words much, but I'll assume that's just how he sounds and not an affectation. I'm really not into the chorus, though, which is hard because it's repeated so many times. It's just kind of dull. The chord progression and melody and lyric are too familiar sounding for me to really get into it. Second verse, I'm back into it, then I'm even more turned off in the second chorus, with the lead guitar and that little chromatic walk up bit. Then, the guitar solo, while well played, is a bit long, and the whole thing starts to feel too jam bandy for me. Then it's just more repeats of the chorus which I don't like. I'd like to hear something you guys spent more time on and developed more, because you obviously can really play and sing.

noah mclaughlin
Your mix is kind of all over the place. Sometimes the drums, especially the kick, seem too loud. The vocals usually don't sound clear and loud enough. Things don't really seem to gel for me. Your drum beats are kinda bad. I wish your voice was less quavery, and your vocals also sound like you're singing into a computer mic and not a real mic. This is really long.

Paco del Stinko
Nice mix. Vocals sound good. I like the synth in the right channel. Nice guitar solo. Guitar tone is great, as usual. I think your bass is a little too bassy for me, but that's no big deal. Nice synth trailing into the breakdown. Cool breakdown with the backup vocals sort of changing the tone of the song a bit. I dig the chorus. How do you do your drums? They sound good, too, especially If they're fake.

Ramen-Flavored ROMs
Sounds like bad Nintendo music. The vocals sound really low grade. I can't really figure out what the first fast talking guy is saying, and there are big plosive sounds that are distracting. Story is losing me. I've overloaded on nerdy subject matter rapping stuff on Song Fight! unfortunately.

reconsiderate and mr scott
First moment makes me nervous but then the beat is good. Doh, the lyrics are not working for me. Sounds better than the last song but I'm still not really enthralled by the lyrics. You've got some interesting stuff happening with your music, though. Try not saying so much, leave some space in your vocals, and maybe work on having some distinct parts to your song.

Ross Durand
Mix seems kind of boomy to me. Everything is too bassy or something, like you need to cut the low lows on the bass, and cut more lows on the vocals. The slide guitar also sounds a little queasy to me. Good song though.

Steve Durand
Ha ha, nice chorus. I like the fit of the lyrics with the music in this song. The drums seem a bit too spazzy some times. Good though.

Surf Train Surf Industry
Doh, computer voice, kind of a downer for me. I like the first arpeggiated synth section after that, though. Too much of the same thing over and over for me eventually.

Todd McHatton
Your mixes sound strangely crackly to me for some reason. I think it's your vocals maybe. Maybe it's too much high high end. Anyway, I'm glad for a song with some good dynamic changes, which has a mellow verse (though it's very "In Your Eyes" feeling at times) and a big chorus. I wish in the verse that the high vocal part was louder and the lower part was quieter. Interesting bridge. The church organ sounds too cheesy for me, though. Maybe a farfisa would have been cool there. That ending feels too abrupt to me.

Tungsten Chic
Oh man, more electronic stuff. Sorry, but this is another genre that I've just gotten so burnt out on from listening to Song Fight! for years. Is this instrumental, too? Aargh.

The Weakest Suit
Your lead guitar sounds flat. As do the vocals some time. Song's OK. Just seems like it needs a little more polish, tuning up the guitars and vocals, maybe working on the drum parts some more. The cymbals sound pretty sizzly and fake.

Berkeley Social Scene
I sort of commandeered this song, and hopefully my bandmates don't mind. I would have liked to have had Martin singing the vocals so they didn't sound so "laid back". I can't really muster the rock the way he can. And Glen sent me some guitar tracks I didn't have enough time to work in properly, unfortunately. Anyway, I like the chorus riff and the melody Martin came up with for it. Ken is really killing it on the drums in this song, too, which is awesome. Anyway, I enjoy this one, and that's good enough for me.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Lunkhead - Thanks for the comments. That's me on the drums. I'm slow, but learning to tune, play, and record them at a somewhat presentable level , over time. I usually record a dummy guitar to a click, do drums, layer up from there.

People - I dare not make promises, but hope to get my review groove back on. Thanks to all who have contributed so far.

[jast]

Berkeley Social Scene -- 14/15
C:3 (awesome progressions, great arrangement and development. Cool synth/keys (?) solo), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:3 (great laid back athmosphere or whatever. I'm almost sad it starts crunching), P:3 (everything sounds right), M:3

The Chadderandom Abyss -- 10/15
C:1 (there is composition but I find it hard to call this harmonical, musical, whatever), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:2 (it does feel like something. I don't know what. In a weird way I like it a bit.), P:2 (I guess it works for this kind of... creation. Interesting percussion thingy), M:3

Chopped Liver Meat God -- 8/15
C:2 (some interesting parts), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:1 (feels disjointed), P:1 (pretty bad vocals, no complaints about guitar/drums etc.), M:2 (clipping)

Death Be Not Proud -- 11/15
C:2, L:3 (the lyrics aren't really impressive but I like your take on the title), F:2, P:3 (hey, and nice backup vocals), M:1 (garbled guitar, garbled vocals. Ease up on the effects! Drums could be more present and more rock, I think)

deetak -- 9/15
C:2 (seems a bit jumpy, but it's not jumping anywhere in particular), L:2, F:2, P:2 (extremely unclear vocals, robotic piano), M:1 (brutal clipping)

DuToVa -- 12/15
C:2 (a bit repetitive), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:3 (fast-paced in a good way), P:3, M:2 (turn up the vocals in the verses! At least a bit. Please.)

Fartin' In The Club -- 4/15
C:1 (nothing happening), L:0 (not really), F:1 (the impression I get is that you just farted this out in a couple of minutes), P:1 (comparably weak vocal samples), M:1 (yucky machine gun style effect, pointless delay wankery?)

The Hell Yeahs -- 12/15
C:2 (cool arrangement, sort of a good-but-not-great song otherwise), L:2 (without knowing the story the lyrics are just about average), F:2, P:3 (I like the vocals for this), M:3

hendermann -- 12/15
C:3 (interesting. I think... I'm a bit low on concentration so I'm mostly going by gut feelings right now), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:3, P:2 (the timing seems rather uneven in some places. I like the vocals, even if some notes are off), M:2 (vocals seem sonically misplaced in the mix. I hear pumping effects on bass drum hits)

Hot Wire -- 9/15
C:2 (a bit minimalistic for my taste), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:2, P:2 (vocals: low notes are hard to make out. Otherwise great), M:1 (the clicks are pretty painful, especially on headphones. Solo synth in right channel is a no-no. The pitch-locked vocals absolutely don't work because the plugin locks to the wrong pitches...)

Humboat -- the first time I'm giving full marks. Great job! 15/15
C:3 (the chorus progressions are perfect! Creepiness and all that), L:3 (you've absolutely nailed the idea that the song grew from), F:3 (I'm all creeped out now), P:3 (great stuff. Cute falsetto backup vocals, great "hey" line, great spoken part, great everything), M:3

John Kloberdanz -- 12/15
C:2 (nice little song. The harmonica bits are a bit weird; the chords don't really fit 100%), L:2 (standard lyrics, standard rating), F:2, P:3, M:3 (a bit lo-fi but I don't really have any real complaints)

Johnny Cashpoint -- 13/15
C:2 (not much happening but it works for the mood), L:3 (fun!), F:3, P:3 (for live this is pretty cool), M:2 (the uke sound might have benefited from a bit of EQ afterwards. Or something)

Larry -- 10/15
C:2 (I like it but I'd like more complexity more), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:2, P:2 (slightly messed up timing, e.g. on what sounds a bit like a triangle, occasionally vocals are off), M:2 (does the chorus effect really have to be there? Clean mix though)

Larry Knox -- 11/15
C:2 (this is the kind of composition I've heard a thousand times before. It's not objectively bad, I just find it rather boring), L:2 (standard fare lyrics), F:2, P:3 (I'm not really looking hard for problems... sounds fine at first listen. I guess that's enough. Slight timing issues), M:2 (very weird delay/reverb thing on the drums. Lead vox aren't panned center, that's a bit weird. Vocals have excess mid frequencies)

Lucky Spoon -- 12/15
C:2 (Very likeable but musically not really going anywhere), L:2, F:2, P:3 (nice, slightly untypically arranged backup vocals), M:3 (pretty sparse sounding mix but the guitar sound is cool, so that's okay. Something seems to be missing or overpresent in the vocal mix. I'd guess mid to mid-high frequencies. Also, plosives)

Manhattan Glutton -- 12/15
C:2 (Is this going anywhere? Oh, it is. The transition to the acoustic part is a bit awkward, though), L:3 (this is sort of fun), F:3 (sort of simple rock thing works well), P:2 (I think you didn't quite nail the kind of vocal quality that goes with something like this), M:2 (delay on crunch guitar sounds weird when guitar stops)

Miss Fancy Pants -- 13/15
C:3 (great arrangement, interesting progressions), L:2, F:3, P:3 (those have got to be your best vocal harmonies I have heard so far. Awesome!), M:2 (lead vocals hard to make out, especially near the beginning. Nice wide mix, though.)

Naked Philosophy -- 11/15
C:2 (I like the musical contrast between verses and chorus. More development or a more complex structure would have been nice), L:2, F:2 (I think this might benefit from some subtle pads), P:3 (I think the bass and the guitars aren't tuned to match; I like the drum pattern/sound in the intro/verses), M:2 (vocals sound pretty thin. The distorted guitar in the background is a bit lost there, sort of shapeless)

The New Southern Democrats -- 12/15
C:2 (accompaniment: the banjo (or whatever it is) in the right channel is more distracting than helpful. Same for the tremolo'd distorted guitar. Songwriting: I like it. It's not something extremely special but it's nice), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:3, P:3 (performance and feeling are there, definitely. I like!), M:2 (Personally I think the snare is a bit weak. The overall song is too rock for that. Weird end)

noah mclaughlin -- 12/15
C:3 (I love the composition and the arrangement. The latter in particular), L:2, F:2, P:2 (the vocals are the weak link here. Otherwise lovely), M:3 (clean and everything. Nicely done. I don't get the section with the delayed vocals though...)

Paco del Stinko -- 13/15
C:2 (is it mean if I say I like the intro best? Oh, wait, scratch that, more cool things coming...), L:2, F:3, P:3 (the usual cool stuff, great backup vocals. Vocal training could make the lead vocals a lot more awesome, I think), M:3 (no surprise here. Awesome mix)

Ramen-Flavored ROMs -- 7/15
C:1 (not much happening here), L:1 (perhaps it's due to the song you put them into but the lyrics seem way too verbose. Lots of words, not much to take away from them...), F:1, P:2 (the intonation and timing isn't that great), M:2 (awful vocal sound (room? Sucky reverb?), nice synth sounds)

reconsiderate and mr scott -- /15
C:1 (is there anything happening here? Hmm... nope), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:2 (I should give you less but I'm a sucker for old-school arpeggio synths), P:2 (good but not really special in any way), M:3

Ross Durand -- 14/15
C:3 (keeps me engaged and I also like it. Good combination), L:2, F:3 (has a bit of a Gerry Rafferty feel to it), P:3, M:3 (good panning, clean mix, good job)

Steve Durand -- 14/15
C:3 (enjoyable. The intro reminds me a lot of "When I'm Sixty-Four"...), L:3 (nice take on nostalgia), F:3, P:2 (you got yourself a few quite difficult to sing intervals here, rather well done. Better than some parts that should be easier, actually... well, I guess these things happen), M:3 (the right channel is a bit dominant)

Surf Train Surf Industry -- 11/15
C:2 (I like the general idea but the only variation is the almost random lead synth thing. Shame), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:2, P:2 (is anything in this actually performed? If so, the vocals are not that great), M:3 (perhaps cut the drums a little bit)

Todd McHatton -- 11/15
C:2 (some of the melodic things in the quieter parts feel a bit random to me. Overall not very exciting), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:2, P:3, M:2 (guitar buries the vocals, mix feels rather dense in the middle)

Tungsten Chic -- 11/15
C:2 (cool. I would have wished for more diverse chords etc. but perhaps it doesn't fit the concept), L:0 ("missing"), F:3, P:3 (well, there isn't really any performance here, but as far as electronic music goes, whatever is equivalent to performance is great here), M:3 (awesome mix of synth sounds)

The Weakest Suit -- 12/15
C:2 (I don't really like it but it's good, I guess), L:* (not rated; post your lyrics next time to change that), F:3, P:2 (vocals: high notes don't sound so great, in general the vocals could do with a stronger performance. Still, some parts are pretty good), M:3

Votes go to: Berkeley Social Scene, Humboat (feat. R. Mosquito), Johnny Cashpoint, Miss Fancy Pants, Paco del Stinko, Ross Durand, Steve Durand

[nyjm]

noah mclaughlin I don't get the section with the delayed vocals though...

I assume you mean the first lines of the third verse: "In sunset light on the shore / We cheered the mighty beast as it arrived." Does that mean you can't perceive what is being sung, or your don't comprehend the lyric?

By the way, I love your review system: very transparent. Reminds me of the rubric I use to grade my student's essays.

[jast]

I assume you mean the first lines of the third verse: "In sunset light on the shore / We cheered the mighty beast as it arrived." Does that mean you can't perceive what is being sung, or your don't comprehend the lyric?

Neither. I just didn't understand the point of the delay. I thought it made the mix worse rather than better. It's not really bad, just irritating.

By the way, I love your review system: very transparent. Reminds me of the rubric I use to grade my student's essays.

I'm glad to hear I'm doing something right.

[JonPorobil]

I didn't even come remotely close to listening to all of these, so I'm probably not going to vote.

Loved Humboat's entry, though. Showed it to some of my friends. Maybe they voted? Who knows.

[Ross]

I wrote reviews on about half - I sat down to finish and can't find them - no time to reconstruct right now.

Bummer.

I hope my brother wins this week.

[JonPorobil]

Well, he took second... A very well-deserved second.

Good fight, y'all.

[bambamoozle]

I wish I were going to say what I'm going to say in a songfight in which I didn't have an entry at all. Fuck it, I'm going to say it anyway, because my song wasn't even close to best:

In a quick search of the forum reviews, all of one person said that they were going to vote for the song that turned out to be the eventual winner. There were any great number of songs (like Steve Durand's which was my personal favorite) that were complimented over and over.

In the prefight, there was one person who expressed his opinion that he would win the forum reviews, or whatever it was. I didn't like the tone that this was expressed, but now I understand why it was expressed at all.

See ya on the internets!

[Lunkhead]

In other words, these results are complete bullshit. Steve Durand for the mother f-ing win. Nice work, Steve, I enjoyed your song a lot.

[Manhattan Glutton]

All's fair in love and interwebs, I guess.

If rap were that popular around here, Melvin's A Scary Thing would have gotten 40 votes. It got 8. http://www.songfight.org/songpage.php?key=a_scary_thing

[JonPorobil]

If rap were popular around here, MC Frontalot would win every time he enters.

...Oh.

And Kloberdanz: it happens. We all know who really won.

[glennny]

If rap were that popular around here, Melvin's A Scary Thing would have gotten 40 votes. It got 8. http://www.songfight.org/songpage.php?key=a_scary_thing

NOOOOOO the really good Melvin rap is Paper Thin! or In the Tank!

[rone rivendale]

NOOOOOO the really good Melvin is every song he's ever done

Fixed!