It always gets better once there is a review thread

[EvelBist]

CC: I really like the dreamy feel to this as the vocals seem to meld with the music. Short and sweet, I do wish it was easier to distinguish the segments of the song (verse/chorus) from each other. It sounds like a harp is in there – nice touch, you don’t hear one every day.

RS: Different. Not sure if angst is at work here or some kind of industrial rap. The subterranean vocals add a special something that I like. However, theres too much IMO of verbage, I had trouble following the message. Maybe distill it into a few lines of raw poison and inject it into the listener’s ear over and over and over and …

Roy: I really like bass driven tunes, and this is one of them. Wah guitar is always cool to me. I feel this is a positive song but it carries a dire feel to it, I mean the dissonant guitar background doesn’t match the message. It sounds like its in a minor key, maybe that’s why I hear it reaching, I don’t know.

TPF: DA DA DA Yeah Yeah Yeah I like this! This is certainly worth a vote. It starts minimally but I do miss a bottom later on. Your voice tone is perfect for the message, as it reminds me of the guys along the wall at my high school telling me to get lost.

LS: Very fine production is what stands out most on the song to me. The guitar work is finely done. I see this being played in a smoky bar with all kinds of shady characters around, including on the stage.

BatP: Unmistakable as a BatP tune. I have heard you use a male voice in some of your material. Not to knock that guy, but the chick really sticks it man! I need to send you the bill for aggravating my restless leg syndrome.

PoP: I’ve only heard a couple from this artist. But I have to say you have a definite style, and I like it. Compared to me, you don’t veer all over the road. If you did an album I would know what to expect. I have a lot to learn from you.

GenE: At the bridge I was hoping for a distortion guitar to emphasize the heartfelt need of having her with you. The simple piano vocal thing is ok until you start getting emotional in the lyrics. IMO, some bass and maybe a little drumbeat would have gone a long way towards the end. It doesn’t break any new ground, but all in all though, I still like it.

AntB: You have an innate feel for song structure, and your production work shows it. This is not one of your best tunes however, though the structure and production is great. The vocals lack dynamics and you shouldn’t rely on doubled vocals to make dynamics work, IMO. I’m not the one to criticize your work though, I’m just giving my opinion so as to help next time. The message is positive but the song lacks charisma – I think you want the listener to have a hopeful outlook, but you just don’t have the ‘cmon along!’ energy here.

BSS: This is a summer day song. It can’t be heard at its best when there’s a grey canopy above. I like the airy vocals and trippy guitars and bouncy beat. I’m not so sure why, but I have a feeling that it goes on too long between the choruses. But overall it falls into my top four.

TU: Timeless – could have been from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s etc. I’m not too keen on the bridge. Easily my favorite. Nuff said.

RD: I just don’t think your heart was in this one. Its kind of so so, not up to your standard reach out and grab type. It does have a later CSN feel to it, and your voice kind of sounds like Stills growl.

Pac: I cant help but chuckle and think of Alice Cooper, please forgive me. So deviously done and executed. I really fell into it at the end.

Sau: Me. I did it over a couple of afternoons after work, so I’m not proud of the production. Power chord mania and woman problems always go together for me. Luckily, she was out of reach.

[roymond]

Roy: I really like bass driven tunes, and this is one of them. Wah guitar is always cool to me. I feel this is a positive song but it carries a dire feel to it, I mean the dissonant guitar background doesn’t match the message. It sounds like its in a minor key, maybe that’s why I hear it reaching, I don’t know.

Thanks for your feedback. Do you mean the rhythm guitar is dissonant? It is in B minor except for the bridge, though that's two major chords a minor third apart...so maybe that's disturbing? Other than that, when things can only get better, they're probably pretty bad, so there's that defense But how is it especially dissonant? The bass wasn't supposed to drive, really, but I only had two hours to do this and so I had to hold down the meter changes somehow. Sorry for the (lack of) mix, just glad it's not all that whack, considering all the tracks were pretty much left as recorded, except two clicks at the end I edited out.

[EvelBist]

>Do you mean the rhythm guitar is dissonant?
its that repeating up and down scalar clean guitar/mandolin. the scale is minor or mixolodian or something, and just kind of carries a dread feeling with it. its not ABBA or Little River Bandish, thank you for that though!!

[roymond]

carries a dread feeling with it.

Oh that, the mandolin...that's what roymond calls "a hook".

[kaz]

Awesomeness - I love me some eBow. First time I ever heard one was on Big Country's records - they make their guitars sound like bagpipes. Saw Carbon Leaf in Jacksonville, the guitarist had one hanging from his mic stand.

I don't know how I hadn't heard of this until now, but my good golly this thing is fun.

[roymond]

AntBut
somewhere Bowie got all Wham! sentimental. I have submitted songs like this, so I don't mean this to be mean or anything, it's really well done. But the unmoving harmonic pace holds this firmly in a plodding straight jacket. Tough love lyrics would certainly have made this more interesting. Any degree of contrast would have. The Muzak version will be welcomed, if only for fulfilling expectations. It is very pretty. And I like ending on the Dom.

Berkeley Social Scene
The performance overall is punchy good and the vocals are great. Catchy hooks galore and textural indulgence, though perhaps to a fault. Outside the verse it seems my attention is split between too many competing instrumental voices. The guitar solo is a little out of the blue, disconnected from the rest of the song...Something more sky-saw over a less frantic rhythm section is what I'm thinking. Funny that the chorus is the least hooky section. This has grown on me with more listens.

Billy & The Psychotics
After a deceptive start, this fast becomes a monster, hook-ridden foot thumper that is now etched upon my inner ear. This is just too much fabulousness for one song and every time I listen to it I get more bang for the buck. Dynamic, thunderous, awesome fucking girl vocals (!!!) and insane bass lines that cement the hooks in all the right ways. I love that progression during the bridge...very subtle. The lyrics are wonderfully teasing. The only thing i wish was that the first time the lines "she's walking up the stairs..." were different, because they fit sooo well the second time, and the phrasing there is better. Eh...I guess it gets a vote

The Chocolate Chips
Wonderful wash of sounds, and nice vocal treatments. And the transposition towards the end is great! Perfect, short, effective strategy. It's no Billy & the Psychotics, but I like it.

Jon Eric
Maybe you used to be Billy Joel, but now you're Carol King. This is beautifully written and played. Like the subtle supporting cello. The lyrics are fittingly poignant and, typically, well crafted. Really nice job, Jon.

Longfellow Street
I read the back story, and I have to say...holy shit. There's little to criticize, as this is what music making in the song fight spirit is all about. The stylistic and tone variations from verse to verse is awesome. It builds, carries and flows. And grooves. The backing voices make it. The solo section is muddled, however. Perhaps the cacophony should have started with just the voices, then the ripping guitar solo sear through to the front. As is, it never grabs hold and sounds too messy. But then it's back on track as one funky ass feast for the ears. Love the analog glissandos. "take me upstairs and make me happy instead" is precious. The deconstruction at the end is great, too. Not formulaic. Love this through and through. Thanks!

Paco del Stinko
Another public service announcement from Paco. One that resonates with the times, plays down our inflated ego-centric drive to make the rules. No, I don't really know who or what this is about but I'll take it personally anyway, because it rocks so hard and makes pleasant use of leading sevenths in the bass. The descending backing vocals in the chorus are prime excellence, and the whining sirens in the break are creepy-ass-o-licious! Just awesome. Nothing more, nothing less.

[longfellowstreet]

I think "cacaphony" is an excellent word to describe the 3rd verse freakout.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy & The Psychotics
After a deceptive start, this fast becomes a monster, hook-ridden foot thumper that is now etched upon my inner ear. This is just too much fabulousness for one song and every time I listen to it I get more bang for the buck. Dynamic, thunderous, awesome fucking girl vocals (!!!) and insane bass lines that cement the hooks in all the right ways. I love that progression during the bridge...very subtle. The lyrics are wonderfully teasing.

Will you marry me? Just tell your wife you decided to try polygamy.

[roymond]

Pillar of Paprika
I like the wall of lo-fi lots, but wish the vocals were clearer, maybe a notch higher or EQ'd out of the mush. The percussion on 2 & 4 could also be a tighter sound, EQ'd to separate it a bit from the rest of the drums to add punch where now it's adding to the noise. Like that guitar arpeggio tone and the sonics throughout are gripping. Lyrics leave me pretty empty, they're evocative but come off more as a poem for those in the know (such as inspired by a book or story).

The Real Sign
This sounds very assembled. Or radio fodder for the hoodie crowd. I do like the guitar string massage break. There could be far more build-up through out, starting more bare bones and crescendo-ing into a deafening anthem rock climax (see Tuners Union, below). But sadly, it doesn't have much dynamics.

Ross Durand
I hear you channeling James Taylor in the intro, fortunately he doesn't linger. Tylenol / alcohol = breakfast of champions. I think someone else mentioned how this is a little sloppy, so I didn't have to, but the drums sort of hold this back by being too tentative. Your organ is always welcome, and I like the stabbing chords. The "lost" admission line is pretty powerful...nicely done.

roymond
I know the lyrics are lacking, it's all part of a grander scheme of awesomeness, though not yet baked through. My 10 year old said it sounded like I was hallucinating while recording the vocals, so I guess he was impressed. I had the intro and verse meters in my head, prior but didn't start recording until two hours before the deadline and so had to rely on the bass being on the downbeat everywhere. I didn't know what to do with the rhythm guitar, which was just a guide track, so it's quiet and off to the side. I really want to redo some vocals (well, rewrite the lyrics, too) and do a proper mix at some point because I sort of like what happened.

sausage
Ballsy vocals, very driving. I'd like more obtuse lyrics (even...irrational) but this has attitude and a screaming guitar solo, so I'll let that slide. Bring you levels down to avoid over saturation, then kick it in the mastering phase (compress/limit) to bring solid gain without the distortion. Unless you like that.

The Tiny Paws of Fury
Guitar is a little hot in the mix, but all the other counter melodies become less annoying as they co-mingle and I find myself humming this down the street.

Tuners Union
This has all the potential to lay flat and limp like the beginning of this week's set, but it does everything right to avoid such a fate. Beautifully produced, to musical ends (not just the technical achievement). Really lush texture throughout, and three dimensional. Have you tweaked EQ on everything to find their own space in the mix? Nicely done either way. I find the rim shot in the verses and the break a bit annoying but it passes soon enough, because a psychotically pop second bridge takes me to another county in another state entirely (I like the hoo-hoo backing vocals stuck in there!). Then you build to the climax The Real Sign really could have used. This is brilliantly crafted. Oooo, except you clipped the reverb at the end ... NO VOTE! (just kidding)

[hillbilly]

Longfella----- who the female singer, one of them dj?

[hillbilly]

damn i dig this---- all my votes

[roymond]

Billy & The Psychotics
After a deceptive start, this fast becomes a monster, hook-ridden foot thumper that is now etched upon my inner ear. This is just too much fabulousness for one song and every time I listen to it I get more bang for the buck. Dynamic, thunderous, awesome fucking girl vocals (!!!) and insane bass lines that cement the hooks in all the right ways. I love that progression during the bridge...very subtle. The lyrics are wonderfully teasing.

Will you marry me? Just tell your wife you decided to try polygamy.

Sure. Tell yours I won't have to climb out of the window and dodge the condo-guards anymore.

[longfellowstreet]

All female vocals by Mallory... she says she was getting her Macy Gray on in the first verse and doing Betty Boop meets Snow White in the shower verse The take me upstairs verse is just Mallory 'n me being ourselves... appropriately enough.

[nyjm]

Okay, so there are far too many of my favorite Song Fighters in this fight to ignore. Screw grading midterms anyway...

The running theme for many entries seems to be an unusual mix of instruments and tones; I love it: keeps things constantly interesting.

So... fair warning: I always shuffle the playlist; I started these at work but finished them at home while slightly fdrink. (Mmm... Menage à Trois wine...) Such reviews are marked with an asterix.

AntBut
+++ pretty +++
/// seems kind of stale, musically as well as lyrically ///
--- in headphones, the panning is a little too extreme, especially that crash, or hi-hat, since it ping back and forth right to left and makes me dizzy ---

Berkeley Social Scene*
+++ pleasant stereo separation for each instrument +++
/// i'm having a kind of 'Eureka' moment about BBS songs: y'all need more dynamics, sonically, at least. there's all kinds of neat musical ideas but they're happening ALL THE FRAKKING TIME; let us get used to one bit, and then add the next ///

Billy & The Psychotics* - vote for TEH RAWK
+++ "she smells like candy..melts all over you..." awesome line +++
/// the verse is awkward when i want it to be groovy ///
+++ but the chorus EXPLODES in every right way +++
+++ and the reprise of the best line is perfect for the breakdown +++
/// yeah, seriously, tighten up that groove and this may be the best B&P song yet ///

The Chocolate Chips*
/// The Beatles on helium ///
--- yeah, really doesn't go anywhere, does it? ---

Jon Eric - Vote for the sentiment
+++ heart-wrenching, raw, fragile bridge +++
+++ A / B / A +++
+++ understated instrumentation +++

Longfellow Street - vote for overall songwriting awesomeness
+++ with those booming drums, I did not expect that hollow guit tone, but what a cool aural mix +++
+++ lyrics and singing +++
/// love the instrumentation, but the horns are a little hot ///
+++ damn, this just keeps getting better with each verse +++

Paco del Stinko
+++ RAWK (as always, but I still love that raw, simple opening riff) +++
/// would like more differentiation between the chorus and verse ///
+++ snarly bridge breakdown +++

Pillar of Paprika
/// my shuffle played this right after The Real Sign; the shift from one song to the next was nearly seamless and tremendously cool ///
+++ whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrr waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh +++
/// like The Real Sign's submission, the atmosphere for this one is really cool, but it's more atmospheric than engaging; it's one of those tunes that I would subconsciously tap my fingers to when it comes around on the playlist, but it would never make me look up ///

The Real Sign
+++ 80's rock vibe +++
/// this is a great song for the closing credits of a movie, but i'd like some more dynamics when listening to it alone ///

Ross Durand
+++ "the doctors say it's an invisible pain / i guess that's why they call it heartache" +++
--- drums are occasionally off-kilter with the guitar strum; or perhaps slightly out of time ---
+++ holy gods what is that keyboard tone?! i want it +++

roymond - vote just to encourage Roy to submit more music
+++ loosey-goosey groove +++
+++ awesome bass tone +++
+++ great fun +++

sausage
+++ RAWK +++
--- clipped vox ---
/// neat riff, but it gets old ///

The Tiny Paws of Fury*
--- hey, i have that drum machine, too! ---
+++ oh, the lofi is on purpose, that's J$; I should have known +++
--- there's no respite and the overdriven / high-pitch everything gets too grating rather than energetic ---

Tuners Union - vote for overall songwriting excellence
+++ dynamics +++
+++ harmonies +++
+++ neat banjo riff +++

[longfellowstreet]

vote for overall songwriting awesomeness
+++ with those booming drums, I did not expect that hollow guit tone, but what a cool aural mix +++
+++ lyrics and singing +++
/// love the instrumentation, but the horns are a little hot ///
+++ damn, this just keeps getting better with each verse +++

Thank you... glad the drums boom, was definitely shooting for that. See, there's this group called "Billy & The Psychotics" and their drums always sound powerful as hell, and I tried to mix something that would sound somewhat copacetic. Sorry the horns are hot - I agree, I was trying to make them be really sort of surprising when they came in, and when I'd dial them back a notch they seemed to lose something... but obviously I could've afforded a little less push. The hollow guitar tone is a ukelele. But who expects a funk ukelele? NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH UKELELE! (er, Portuguese, really, by way of Hawaii...) Our chief weapon is suprise. Suprise and fear. Suprise, fear and a ruthless efficiency! Suprise, fear, a ruthless efficiency and an almost fanantical devotion to a hollow tone! Damn, I'll come in again.

[EvelBist]

<Bring you levels down to avoid over saturation, then kick it in the mastering phase (compress/limit) to bring solid gain without the distortion.> - roymond

awesome - many thanks. this answer is like going to school, and is why i'm on this board.

[hillbilly]

Longfella-- dont get the big head but thats some enjoyable stuff. Very well written and preformed. gonna pimp this. Billy mind your own bussiness

[the idiot king]

reviews, round one...

AntBut - vocal delivery reminds me a lot of tindersticks. that's a good thing for me. i'd like to hear smoother compression on them so they don't pop in and out on top of the music so much. i'd try different drum sounds...these are too 90's hip hop drum machine.

Berkeley Social Scene - very nice guitar interplay. i wonder if they're mixed a smidge loud...along with the rhodes. i want some more drums! this is a cool tune and very well-performed and recorded. vocals aren't 100%, but you know what they say about people in glass houses, and you've treated them in a very complimentary way.

Billy & the Psychotics - riffy! i like. reminds me of that future of the left song about pteradactyl's claws...if you haven't heard, check it out. you'd probably dig it. (yin/post-yin is the title, just had to look it up) vocals are strong, i have small mix issues (guitars and drums are a bit quiet next to the bass) but overall this a fun track to listen to and review. i may have left the bongos just to the third verse. but hey, that's just me.

[glennny]

Hey I got the video done during the fight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYimGgKOFA

check it out!

Great fight everyone! Every song is quality! I'll review soon!

[hillbilly]

Stink---- good guitar, you know i love you, but( dropped a dime, you picked it up) I may need to share my Medications. with you.

Tunners---- that was very well done, not really my cup.

Sausage-------Welcome, you can learn alot from these azz hoes, keep your ears open.

Ross---- great lyrics, have heard you sing better, would like to see you at the bar.

[longfellowstreet]

Glenny - that's cool! I wanna do that...

[glennny]

Long Fellow- Thanks man! I imagine your song this week would make a mighty fun video! Do you have a camera?