If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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Ross
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If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by Ross »

But go ahead and say it all anyway.
"I don't like this song, but at least it's good." - veGetar Ianra Ge
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by AJOwens »

I had to type this anyway, so before I go further, if anyone wants to cut and paste:

Code: Select all

[b]Authors Of[/b] -

[b]Banging Betty[/b] -

[b]Berkeley Social Scene[/b] -

[b]brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem[/b] -

[b]Corduroy Gangsta[/b] -

[b]Crank Radio[/b] -

[b]Doscientos[/b] -

[b]DuToVa[/b] -

[b]Gooey Caramel Centaur[/b] -

[b]i.p.[/b] -

[b]James Owens[/b] -

[b]Jeff Robertson and the Neo-Candylanders[/b] -

[b]Kasper[/b] -

[b]King Arthur[/b] -

[b]Lord of Oats[/b] -

[b]Paco del Stinko[/b] -

[b]Pathetic Wannabees[/b] -

[b]Pigfarmer Jr[/b] -

[b]Ross Durand[/b] -

[b]roymond[/b] -

[b]Swilington[/b] -

[b]Very Gentle Knives[/b] -

[b]Wages[/b] -

[b]The Weakest Suit[/b] -

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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by wages »

AJOwens wrote:I had to type this anyway, so before I go further, if anyone wants to cut and paste:

Code: Select all

[b]Authors Of[/b] -

[b]Banging Betty[/b] -

[b]Berkeley Social Scene[/b] -

[b]brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem[/b] -

[b]Corduroy Gangsta[/b] -

[b]Crank Radio[/b] -

[b]Doscientos[/b] -

[b]DuToVa[/b] -

[b]Gooey Caramel Centaur[/b] -

[b]i.p.[/b] -

[b]James Owens[/b] -

[b]Jeff Robertson and the Neo-Candylanders[/b] -

[b]Kasper[/b] -

[b]King Arthur[/b] -

[b]Lord of Oats[/b] -

[b]Paco del Stinko[/b] -

[b]Pathetic Wannabees[/b] -

[b]Pigfarmer Jr[/b] -

[b]Ross Durand[/b] -

[b]roymond[/b] -

[b]Swilington[/b] -

[b]Very Gentle Knives[/b] -

[b]Wages[/b] -

[b]The Weakest Suit[/b] -

Wow, that's really handy!! Vote for Wages. ;)
Wages - Hoglen & Wages - The Affirmative Mention - Gawking Urethras - The EAF - and more
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by ujnhunter »

Sorry kiddie winkies, no reviews here... but this is who I voted for...

brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem
DuToVa
Kasper
King Arthur

(If Wages submitted the "demo" version that would have been a vote... but for some reason I can't get into this version... sorry.)

See ya'll at the finish line...
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by 2dogs »

First of all, I'm impressed with the number of submissions and the overall quality. Good work everyone and thank you for sharing.

Authors Of - Original tune but the over-processed knocked it for me.

Banging Betty - Didn't grab me

Berkeley Social Scene - Liked the blend of sounds.

brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem - Didn't grab me

Corduroy Gangsta - Didn't grab me

Crank Radio - Neat but didn't grab me

Doscientos - Good sound, liked it

DuToVa - High quality submission. VOTE

Gooey Caramel Centaur - Didn't grab me

i.p. -Your submission rocks VOTE

James Owens - Nice tune, very original VOTE

Jeff Robertson and the Neo-Candylanders - Didn't grab me

Kasper - Loved the style, harmonies, melody this rocks. VOTE

King Arthur - Love the sound, great story, very meaningful VOTE

Lord of Oats -Good tune. Good combo with the vocals but it also knocked it somehow

Paco del Stinko - Didn't grab me this time !!!

Pathetic Wannabees - Didn't grab me

Pigfarmer Jr - Liked the tune

Ross Durand - Great folks tune, wow! VOTE

roymond - Good tune

Swilington - Cool arrangement

Very Gentle Knives -This submission rocks. VOTE

Wages - Didn't grab me

The Weakest Suit - The vocals' recording hurt the performance on this submission.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by AJOwens »

It takes a long time to give earnest consideration to this many songs, and I'm not sure all of them are earnestly delivered. Without naming names, some of the entries don't seem to be very serious. It's tempting to skip comment on the ones that sound tossed off.

Authors Of - The decayed refinement in the violins and the anarchy of the rock band suggest nihilism, but the absence of tightness could be misunderstood. It sounds like it's coming from the garage next door. The song is repetitive and narrow in range, although the contrasting texture of the violins and the abrupt transition to the chorus add interest.

Banging Betty - With full heavy-metal band treatment, most of this song could work. The insouciant melody of one part sets a wry tone, and the driving riff of the other adds headbanging intensity. It seems to fall apart around 1:50 though; the middle part lacks distinction. To pull off the gentleness here you might need a dramatically different treatment.

Berkeley Social Scene - Good playing, and plenty of musical and sonic changes to keep things fresh. I would like it better if the guitars in each ear didn't have that direct-into-the-board sound. Maybe some reverb would add roominess.

brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem - I like the mood and I like both parts, but the four-of-this, four-of that structure makes the overall effect kind of boxy.

Corduroy Gangsta - Deviously, this keeps time. But it's like you took Revolution Number Nine and turned off all but three tracks. That leaves a minimalist abstract work. The thing about good minimalism is that it sounds like nothing, but the more you listen, the more you hear. I think this one needs more nothing, if you know what I mean.

Crank Radio - Notwithstanding my review of Berkeley Social Scene, there's a lot to be said for getting elecronic drums and plugging into a board. . . In this case I can't hear the song very well, but I see why you didn't do another take. Sounds like you were having fun! The neighbours hate that.

Doscientos - Energetic and mischievous. I like it. Can't quite make out the words though. (Is that a real Farfisa?) I think you get exactly the effect you want, so VOTE.

DuToVa - Good production, strong delivery. The song has a nice groove. Around the 2:00 mark, the bass stops following the root, but the low notes on the guitar crowd the same space, which doesn't quite work for me. I'm just quibbling. Good cut. VOTE.

Gooey Caramel Centaur - Pleasant, but I don't get a clear sense of musical direction from this song. The independent guitars sometimes add richness, but sometimes just confusion. The sharpened note at 1:15 detracts from the generally euphonious quality.

i.p. - The song is a bit repetitive, but I do like the layers of sound, the choice of timbres (except maybe the deep, deep bass, which I find physically uncomfortable), and the quality of the singing voice.

James Owens - For someone who studied existential philosophy, the title "Nothing is Everything" presents opportunities and challenges. I went with a half-truth about being and nothingness, and perhaps unfairly hung it around the neck of Eastern mysticism. The song is consciously laden with references, but I prefer the word "homage" to others that might come to mind.

Jeff Robertson and the Neo-Candylanders - The three chords serve as a ready vehicle for the clearly delivered lyrics. They're not quite on theme though. The line "This ain't no hill to die on" stands out for its evocativeness.

Kasper - Original and lyrical, with sweet harmonies. The recorder is a good choice to bring out the fragility and wistfulness. A lovely song, impeccably produced. VOTE.

King Arthur - Filled with strange and wonderful noises, this song sets and maintains a tender, sad mood, contrasted oddly with the contemporary, almost plebian references in the lyrics. At first I found the mention of Facebook and computers disruptive, but on repeated listening I find that the music creates a timeless human context around these bloodlessly technical phenomena. This song changes how I see the world. My only reservation is that the catch in your voice may lay the feeling on a little too strongly. VOTE.

Lord of Oats - A solidly conceived synth semi-drone with a refreshing break. The synths are appropriately busy, but not too busy. I like the way the vocal rhythms straddle the song rhythms near the end.

Paco del Stinko - High energy, great playing, good production, and that distinctive sound, well-organized yet angular and frenetic. VOTE.

Pathetic Wannabees - A no-nonsense lyric, delivered with feeling. I wouldn't carry this on an mp3 player, but I'd definitely party to it live, especially if someone handed me a bass.

Pigfarmer Jr - When you put a bass, a rock drum kit, and some tube-distortion bar chords together, you get a certain standard sound. In this case, the musical guitar refrain brings this song forward and helps make it more memorable. The organ seems to wander in while the song is in progress.

Ross Durand - A pretty song, with well-crafted lyrics that use simple observations to make their point. You bring off what you set out to do. VOTE.

roymond - The opening chords don't grab me, but the composition becomes interesting with the augmented fourth. That effect is seldom used, and immediately calls to mind the last time I heard it, in Blue Jay Way. The song is Beatleish, but would I have a problem with that? The production is a little thin, but overall this entry is very nice. VOTE.

Swilington - Delicate and imaginative textures. The abrupt changes add a hypnotic quality. Somehow the interrupted character of the ending works with this song, but I still wish it went on longer. VOTE.

Very Gentle Knives - The singing in the opening bars is beautiful, and continues to be effective throughout. Within the genre, most of this song feels quite at home. The contrasting part doesn't feel like it's in the same musical space though. Good performance and recording.

Wages - The track sketches a song with possibilities, but the intent for the melody and arrangement aren't clear to me. I'm not sure if the clipping on the guitar track is always intentional.

The Weakest Suit - This tune has a certain bounce and simplicity that puts me in mind of the Ramones. It would have more conviction with a fierce and intense vocal delivery, but maybe there are the neighbours to consider.
Last edited by AJOwens on Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by AJOwens »

2dogs says:

James Owens - Nice tune, very original VOTE
2dogs, I know you better than to expect sarcasm, but I really don't know about "very original." I'd be interested to see what others think. Which brings me to
Wages:

Wow, that's really handy!! Vote for Wages.
Now, this could be sarcasm, although I take no offense. It's not the votes I'm after (though if I get any that's nice), but the comments.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by king_arthur »

AJOwens wrote:King Arthur - Filled with strange and wonderful noises, this song sets and maintains a tender, sad mood, contrasted oddly with the contemporary, almost plebian references in the lyrics. At first I found the mention of Facebook and computers disruptive, but on repeated listening I find that the music creates a timeless human context around these bloodlessly technical phenomena. This song changes how I see the world. My only reservation is that the catch in your voice may lay the feeling on a little too strongly. VOTE.
AJ - thank you for the comment - this is exactly how I hoped the song would work - I knew that the namedrops of Dell and Facebook would bug some people, and that after what my friend went through (this is basically a true story, timeline slightly enhanced for dramatic value), to have the song end up with "boo hoo, my computer's broken" is in a way anticlimactic - but I guess the anticlimactic-ness of the story is kinda the point of it.

Anyway, thanks for the review, I appreciate knowing that somebody "got it" the way it turned out :-)

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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by Authors Of »

but the absence of tightness could be misunderstood. It sounds like it's coming from the garage next door.
Thanks for the critique. I consider this song to be a step forward in progress but I must admit that I've got some ways to go. The timing is off and the lyrics written were thrown together in order to meet the deadline. I'm proud to say I can produce something that meets a deadline. To add to your critique I wish the violins could sound warmer. In response to previous critiques on past songs I've been trying to add more parts into the songs. You also mentioned the composition is narrow and in this I struggled for a balance between being 'narrow' and too 'off-the-wall- artsy' where nobody would understand why I chose to jump to a completely different atmosphere and sound.

My question to you is, "How would you suggest composing something that has more variety when the message of the song fits in what's already there?" There are two ways to add variety in the structure. One way is to build on complexity of the current structure such as Pachibel's Kanon (spelling?) or another way would be to add related segments that digress from the straight-forward melody that carries the lyrics.

To respond to your comment about the sound quality, I had difficulty with that too. I found the vocals were a bit crackly and too loud. I avoided using reverb on anything because that makes instruments sound like they're in the next room (or the garage next door.) So what I found challenging in this composition is learning to choose what will lead in that 'wall of sound' that makes up the song. The strings, and the rock band and the vocals.

So, I'm glad to have this as a learning experience. I am grateful for your critique and I value your input very much. I'd like to hear more about what you have to say in response to what I'm posting. Reading critiques of others is also valuable info! Thanks for listening :P
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by deetak »

some comments:

Authors Of - Engaging beginning. Wish the performance was tighter. I enjoy the first part up to 1:35 or so, though the "today is the day I realize" melody is fine.

Berkeley Social Scene - that melody at 0:43 - 1:00 is catchy

brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem - I thought this might sound good with some light vocal harmonies, especially because of how the singer's voice sounds. There's double tracking or something, but not really different intervals. Nice performance.

DuToVa - some nice melodies

James Owens - good atmosphere

Jeff Robertson and the Neo-Candylanders - crowd singing is good touch

Kasper - very well done

Lord of Oats - I like the rhythm of the vocal part near the middle

Paco del Stinko - nice chorus and bridge

Ross Durand - I like the use of vocal harmony
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by Authors Of »

Engaging beginning.
Thanks for the comment! I love the violins and how they mix with the guitars. The drums could have been better but we're going to re-record them in the future with proper drums. When I get time I'll listen to more of the other songs for the fight! What I heard so far sounds great. I love Ross Durand's solution.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by AJOwens »

Authors Of said:
I'd like to hear more about what you have to say in response to what I'm posting.
I'm glad to give my opinion, but remember, I've posted only two songs so far, and the first one got only four votes (five if I'd remembered to vote for myself!). I'm not sure how much weight you should give what I'm saying.

The song is the song, so I'm not going to suggest you try for more wide-ranging melodies or alternative chords. Messing with the original inspiration hardly ever works for me, anyway.

Instead, I'd add variety to the treatment: tonal (making lead and rhythm sound quite distinct, adding a bass, in general giving the wall a vertical dimension), dynamic (building from a relatively soft start to a more intense ending, adding strategic silences for contrast), and rhythmic (switching from legato to staccato in the rhythm, syncopating the bass differently for different sections of song).

Speaking of rhythm, you go way out of sync with the drums -- if that wasn't intentional, this is where improvement will really pay off.

I've been listening repeatedly as I write, and I'm reminded of early Brian Eno (the Taking Tiger Mountain and Here Come the Warm Jets albums). Whatever your inspiration, the best advice I can give is to sit down with something you really like and take note of how it's done.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by AJOwens »

deetak wrote:

James Owens - good atmosphere
Thanks for commenting! I wanted to create something with a transcendental groove. I owe a lot to the canned Dr. Rex loop (I hope to get a digital drum kit someday when I have room), and even more to a serendipitous delay setting in the pizzicato violin, which is also used for the bass line. I just turned the echo control up, and suddenly I had this great mellow syncopation going on wih the bass and drums.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by DuToVa »

(Comments by Va of DuToVa.)

For those songs I could think of something useful to say…

Authors Of - Great strings and lead guitar. Would like to hear version with the tracks in sync.

Banging Betty – Good job. Adding bass would have greatly improved your song.

Berkeley Social Scene – Good mix, arrangement, and instrumentation. Vocals are a little pitchy at times but overall a very good Song Fight submission. Like the build up around 2:00 leading to the interesting discordant section. The vocal notes seemed off compared to the instruments in this section. I appreciate all the good songs you continue to create.

brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem – Liked the contrast between the intro and the rest of the song. I enjoyed the song. Suggest raising it a step for your "Best Of" album to make it easier to sing!

Gooey Caramel Centaur – Good song (spontaneous head bobbing!). Liked the multiple vocal tracks. Suggest cleaning up the lead vocal parts that crack for your "Best Of" album. Suggest moving the harmony vocals up in the mix. Lyrics were my favorite part.

i.p. – Good arrangement. Liked the dreamy background synths (I assume) and vocals. Liked the complex instrumentation.

James Owens – One of my favorites. Very good vocals, lyrics, mix, and arrangement. The string synth that starts at 00:03 seems to be a little off in timing compared to the drums, especially by 00:13. Liked the strong synth chords starting at 00:33 and 1:53. Don’t care for the synth eighth notes starting at 1:45 and 2:58. Nice ending fade out.

Kasper – Good job. I listened to your song multiple times. Liked the style, instrumentation, and lyrics (favorite line… this triangle’s a vicious circle). The only thing I heard that detracted was the last lead vocal note.

King Arthur – Liked your song. Great bass line. You should put your lyrics in the Ye Olde Lyric Archive.

Lord of Oats – Interesting (in a good way!) synths.

Paco del Stinko – One of my favorites. I always look forward to hearing your songs. Arrangement and mix are great. Musicianship is great (as usual). I wish I could play bass as well as your bass player! I prefer the mid- to upper-range quality over the lower-range for the lead vocals. Overall, very professional sounding.

Ross Durand – Nice melody. Especially liked the strings.

roymond – One of my favorites. The transition from the intro is a little weak (my subjective opinion), but turns into a great song (starting when the bass comes in) that more than makes up for it. Removing the first chorus might improve the arrangement. Very full and lush sound overall. Someone spent a lot of time mixing. Don’t care for the harmony that jumps out at 00:38 (and other choruses), but harmonies good elsewhere. You should put your lyrics in the Ye Olde Lyric Archive. Liked the sustained background voices toward the end. Why the snap at 2:42?

Swilington – Good, progressive-sounding synth work. Neat transition at 00:56. Liked the rhythm change at 1:02. Would have chosen a different sound than what sounds like a tuba though. You should add a different part to lengthen the song (it is prog after all!). My hearing may be off, but it seems that the lead vocals are off key a bit, or maybe that is just part of the effect you want to convey.

Very Gentle Knives – Solid performance overall. Liked the harmonies.

Wages – Would like to hear your song with bass and drums added. I really hear a lot of potential in this song (don’t take that as a negative comment). Liked the chord change at 00:15.

The Weakest Suit – Neat song. A real drummer and more bass in the mix would greatly improve your song in my opinion. My apologies if you have a drummer that keeps perfect time!
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by AJOwens »

DuToVa said:
James Owens – One of my favorites. Very good vocals, lyrics, mix, and arrangement. The string synth that starts at 00:03 seems to be a little off in timing compared to the drums, especially by 00:13. Liked the strong synth chords starting at 00:33 and 1:53. Don’t care for the synth eighth notes starting at 1:45 and 2:58. Nice ending fade out.
Thanks for the favourable review! You're right about the timing at the start, but I never noticed until you pointed it out. Scary. The strong synth chords are from a "church organ" setting on a Realistic keyboard, through a good chorus pedal. I wanted an "intense sunshine" effect there. As for the eighth notes, I'm not crazy about them either. I felt the need for some kind of fill, and wanted to save the intense sunshine for a later moment, so I just went "dit-dit-dit-dit" on the Realistic. Let's put it down to a failure of the imagination. You can even see that I tried to dress it up the second time around.
Last edited by AJOwens on Thu Aug 27, 2009 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by roymond »

Greetings from Tel Aviv. Don't have lots of time so I'm squeezing in a listen, and here are some thoughts...

Berkeley Social Scene - I thirst for a more dynamic arrangement, the guitars are pretty hyper and there's little relief. Perhaps a spacey break that fades back into the 16th notes...it hints at it towards the end but then the lush vocals come in and crowd the spectrum.

Gooey Caramel Centaur - Some curious harmonic changes and song structure. "You may be nobody but you're somebody too" is...well...lazy? I"m not familiar with this ensemble, and look forward to hearing it develop because the music is engaging.

Kasper - Clever lyric as expected from the ghost. I like the pub arrangement and wish I was sipping a stout listening to this set of songs, passing the guitars around...oh wait, that was at Glenn's place.

King Arthur - I've missed a lot of fights, so I haven't heard you for a while, Charles. The lyric, arrangement and production are awesome. Crap, the counter melody in the bass is great.Beautifully done!

Lord of Oats - I like your arrangements more and more. Vocals need to catch up but I like that pounding snare. Like the ending as well. With strong vocals this would go much farther.

Paco del Stinko - I find this sort of plodding but, as always, entertaining. Like the backing vocals. but it doesn't grab me overall.

Ross Durand - Pretty and clean. I like the subtle accompaniment and the The Wall kind of transitional mood, like it's part of a bigger story. Expecting a raw rock break-out with teenage angst to follow.

The Weakest Suit - I like the simple setting, the straight message, and almost naive arrangement. Oddly I think I like this more as it followed Ross in order, contributing nicely to a story line from The Wall.

OK, gotta go!
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by roymond »

DuToVa wrote:roymond – One of my favorites. The transition from the intro is a little weak (my subjective opinion), but turns into a great song (starting when the bass comes in) that more than makes up for it. Removing the first chorus might improve the arrangement. Very full and lush sound overall. Someone spent a lot of time mixing. Don’t care for the harmony that jumps out at 00:38 (and other choruses), but harmonies good elsewhere. You should put your lyrics in the Ye Olde Lyric Archive. Liked the sustained background voices toward the end. Why the snap at 2:42?
Thanks for the comments. Yes, mixing was tedious. And I hate that harmony that jumps out also. It was like a strange magnetic inevitability, but I should have cut it in the mix. I like how the arrangement builds, myself, so if the first verse feels out of place (alone?) I don't know what to say. Do you not like the lyric or the setting? Lyrics are in the song file (where they belong) but also on my site. The snap...just happened, that's all. Like most things in my arrangements.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by Spud »

It's true. I couldn't see them in WinAmp, Windows Media Player, Quicktime Player, or VLC Media Player. Finally, I gritted my teeth and clicked Open in iTunes. An half hour or so later, after my iTunes and Safari had been updated to the latest versions (I skipped the other "upgrades" offered), I hunted around for about 5 minutes and finally found them in File > Get Info > Lyrics. I guess I was expecting a button or something, like there is for album art.

Thanks, Roy. Yeah. Les Paul.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by roymond »

Hey, I didn't say the idiots who make media players have properly implemented simple support for embedded metadata in MP3s (except for newer iPods, which display lyrics brilliantly. Do other mobile devices?) I just said that the lyrics are where they should be :)

I have since added them to the lyric thread, btw.
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by Spud »

I upgraded winamp to deal with synchronized lyrics, and it appears that you have not properly encoded them in SYLT format. Perhaps your "newer iPod" has not yet caught up with this latest (2004) technology. Get with it, Roymond.

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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by DuToVa »

roymond wrote:I like how the arrangement builds, myself, so if the first verse feels out of place (alone?) I don't know what to say. Do you not like the lyric or the setting?
The more I listen to the song, the more the beginning grows on me. My original comment pertained only to the first three lines of the chorus (00:25-00:45). Maybe the thing that seems out of the place to me is the strong guitar attacks during those lines. Doesn't really matter. It's an awesome song! I'm going to dig into your music archives. Any suggestions?
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Re: If you can't say anything nice..(nothing is everything revs)

Post by Niveous »

I'm showing some love to the big fight with a set of reviews. This is such an old school title. I dig it. Time to rattle off some stream of consciousness 1st impressions. I have not proofread. I'm listening as I work and writing straight off the cuff. You've been warned. :twisted:

Authors Of - The rhythm is a little off in some parts (like there's a latency problem). It's an interesting composition. I don't dig the effected vocals at all. By 3 minutes in, I am tired. There's so much going on the background and frankly, there's not a lot of good stuff in the foreground. Different vocals and lyrics and a touch cleaner production could do this wonders. I see potential though.

Banging Betty - I'm disappointed that this isn't some chick who is just full of bravado. But that doesn't stop me from kinda digging this. The vocals remind me a lot of JB. This is simple, straightforward and that li'l guitar solo was nice to. I want to hear this guy get absorbed into the community because this can only get bigger and better. There's a vote coming your way.

Berkeley Social Scene - It's the BSS monster ballad. It's as if they have channelled some Bad English. This is very well done. Martin did a great job with the vox and I can never praise the BSS guitar factory enough. Good job. You get a vote, even if you make me want to listen to "When I See You Smile". Great work at the end.

brandoni carluchi and his pesto problem - Pesto problem? Is that the same as a Spaghetti Incident? I'm all for g^2 (that's guy and guitar for the new people) but you have to bring more to the table. It's a minimal approach so whatever you do, it has to be very interesting. It's probably why I write songs with such thought provoking lyrics. I know I have to compensate in some way for having such a minimal production. In this song, BC & his PP don't have enough to compensate especially with the "Sing..sing...sing...nothing...sing...sing...everything...sing..." It's just not enough to keep me listening.

Corduroy Gangsta - Music is art. That's your stand and you're sticking to it. 56 seconds, I can't get back. Sigh.

Crank Radio - Lots of laughs at Nancy's gripe at the beginning. But then I heard the song and I'm kinda on her side. The percussion is eating everything in the mix. I find myself having to focus my hearing to find the guitar bits under the drumwork. I'm not a big fan of the vocals but they aren't the most horrible in the world. I wanna take this song and break it down to its pieces and rebuild it. It's got the goods but it feels like it's all put together poorly. How was this recorded?

Doscientos - I'm a big Doscientos fan but this is not one of my faves. The spacey delivery isn't working for me. I can't place my finger on the problem. Is it reverb in the production? Is it just that I'm not enjoying the keyboards? Is it just the general style choice? Whatever it is, I wasn't on board.

DuToVa - I'm giving this a vote but I think I'm going to need a few more spins to get a real concrete feeling of this song. There is surely a lot of good stuff to it and not a lot of negatives. I don't know if it's got staying power. Once it's on my jukebox, I don't know I'm still be playing the hell out of this in a few weeks. Hmmm. What's the best of way of saying this? It's a good song but it's not a single. It's not "Love Song" or "Fascination Street", it's "Closedown".

Gooey Caramel Centaur - I feel like this should be the part of a Soul Asylum unplugged session. OMG. At 1:43, GCC had the serious Peter Brady moment. This was the first song this week to make me run to the lyric thread. I wanted to give this a shot, but I am not a fan of these lyrics. "You factored out the corest"? And who gets their clothes woven on to them? Some odd choices you made there.

i.p. - There's the energy that I needed today. This song has a hell of a groove and a great delivery. Then there's the breakdown at around 1:21, drops into the pause a few moments later and then (even though it takes a few more seconds then it should) it comes back with the force. I wish this had a big ending but still, this was a very good and voteworthy song.

James Owens - You are in the unenviable position of being behind that song. Maybe I should listen to you later. It's got this 70's vibe (with some 80's touches). It's like some kind of John Lennon drug trip where he's not quite delivering his lines and just waxing poetic. It wasn't horrible but I know if you ask me about this song tomorrow, I'll have no recollection. There's just no hook.

Jeff Robertson and the Neo-Candylanders - I don't think I have ever been told "Don't risk everything for anything". Bet the house! That was quite repetitive for less than 2 minutes of song.

Kasper - Why does everything scream out 90's rock to me today? Is it just me. Okay try this out. Listen to the 1st verse and then stop at :32 and start singing "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls. "...and I don't want the world to see me..." It works, right? It's by no means plagariasm. It just has same feel. That's not a bad thing because "Iris" is an excellent tune. It's a decent little ballad. I like the pipes. It was a standout touch. That earned you a vote.

King Arthur - The lyrics are so stark and straightforward. Sometimes this lacks a certain amount of lyrical poetry but because of that fact, it's hard to turn away from. It feels very cold. If I was making a music video for this, there would be a lot of dull colors and bare walls. That Dell line fell flat. That feeling that I'm getting from this song is what I musically live for. The second verse about the book of poetry is so powerful. It definitely evokes a lot of emotion. Great work. Vote.

Lord of Oats - Okay. This has a good beat. I'm nodding my head. Tapping a foot. Okay. My jukebox says this was only 1:13 seconds long. Thankfully it's not that short. It has something going for it. But I don't like the 1st set of vocals (or at least the first choice of delivery). The 2nd one wreaks of She Wants Revenge. I think doing the whole song that way would be good. Wait, what happened. It's over already. Hmmm. There's nothing hooking me to that. Disappointing. There was potential. And what the heck was with that beginning-of-Miami-Vice ending?

Paco del Stinko - Standard Paco del Stinko. Great guitar work on this. Fun song. It's just a pretty little piece of power punk. I could see Iggy Pop strutting around and doing this. The drums could be better. I'm liking this chorus and the guitar solo is short but well done. Vote.

Pathetic Wannabees - Music is art... That was some whacked out beatnik poetry right there. I'm going to coin a phrase here. That was flashsex (as in "Sex with the Flash". Wally West, Barry Allen, etc.). You know it happened. You've got evidence that it happened but it hit you so darn fast.

Pigfarmer Jr - Back from a lunch break. Refreshed and ready to listen. This isn't very stand out. The big problem is the vocals. It's not that they are horrible. There's just no emotion behind them. Does this sound like someone who's hurt because they've been left with nothing. Where is the emotion in the delivery? Even in the end where it's been turned around, there's still no passion behind the lines.

Ross Durand - Sorry Ross but this is just plain boring. There needs to be more to this. The double tracked vocals are a nice touch but this song would be much better if it were more dynamic in its composition. Right now, it says in the middle of the road and never strays very far.

roymond - Is this Ross's song, part 2? Cue the multitracked vocals. Yep. This is seeming a lot like Ross part 2. Oh wait, some sweet guitar stuff and some drums. The song seems to be building. There are some dynamics changes here. Okay, so it's Ross' song but better. The ending is awfully weak but it eeks out a vote.

Swilington - Ah, Swilington. You always brought interesting things to this year's Nur Ein. This is more of the same. I think there's a lesson to be learned here. Don't say the words "I don't really see the point" and then go into a bridge full of wackiness and wankery. You shouldn't leave the line as the last thing in the listener's minds either. They may be inclined to agree.

Very Gentle Knives - Great band name. Let's see if you live up to it. Nope. It's a cool rock sound but by the 2 minute mark, the repetitive nature of the song made me wanna find you and poke you in the eye. That was mean and I apologize. Sometimes with these stream of conscious reviews, I can be a little brutal when I have a very visceral reaction. The worse part is that the guitar solo that comes later is spot on but I sat through it wondering "Are they gonna start in on the chorus again?". You didn't but then the song had no ending, no closure. It just needs some restructuring.

Wages - It's gonna start rocking out. It's gonna start rocking out. It's...no. Wait, he's got more energy. No he's back to the other stuff. Now he's rocking, but the guitar solo is just kinda plinky. What is he talking about? Nothing too deep. Hmmm. I'm 50/50 on this because it's all over the place and never does it seal the deal and give me a song that gonna get stuck in my head.

The Weakest Suit - I'll be honest with you. Sometimes I just don't get The Weakest Suit's stuff. It's just not my thing. I give it a try and on occasion, I will find a hidden gem but usually I find it just not my cup of tea. I think part is the vocal style. It just doesn't register with me and on this song with the "oh-oh-ooh"'s, I am even less intrigued. It's a song that's just okay but doesn't win me over. At least I never really hate The Weakest Suit's songs, I just never really like them either (there are exceptions!).
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