Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

A review thread.
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chocolatechips
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by chocolatechips »

Votes get green faces. Listed in order of excellence (based on one listen each anyway...)

SOBER - Pretty guitars. Nice vocals. Nice clear no fuss production (I like the vocals upfront and the panned guitars.) The lyrics make a bit of an impression on me to which is unusual for a first listen (for me.) This goes from good to really good with the harmonies that blast in at around 2:10 ... very impressive. I really like the harmonies. There's a lot of great stuff here and no obvious complaints. Definite vote. :mrgreen:

PACO DEL STINKO - I'm not sure I've heard an acoustic guitar based song from you before, I like it. Fantastic guitar lead. Really great production. A lot of nice little musical touches... it really sounds like a lot of time/effort went into this (or you're just crazy good?) Excellent production, everything is heard clearly. :mrgreen:

BERKELEY SOCIAL SCENE - Synth reminds me of an '80s pop song that I can't place. Chorus reminds me of Weezer. I like the overall style & feel of this a lot. In fact this is probably most "my thing" of any entry this week, probably the one I would most like to listen to... but I don't think it's executed quite as well as the entries from SOBER & PACO DEL STINKO (mostly because the vocals aren't strong.) :mrgreen:

KLOWNHOLE - This sounds quite a bit tighter and less chaotic than your previous entries (based on how I remember them at the moment...) This style of music is definitely not my area of expertise but this seems like a big improvement.

THE HATE NOISE - Some catchyness within this distorted sound world. Kind of cool. Still, I find myself waiting for something more. But maybe this is better than I realize, might just be a case of "not my cup of tea." Hard to say. I think maybe this is something that would grow on me with repeated listens but I'm basing these reviews on my first listen (I think more than ever... in this world of sensory overload you have to make a good first impression.) My favorite bit is the atmospheric breakdown that begins around 2:50.

HIP HOP ANONYMOUS - Pretty good rapping. I do like the bit where you're talking about what's going on in the music. But I can't say I really like the music too much, it doesn't make much of an impression. Bit too light.

CD REMIX - Sounds pretty cookie cutter for this style. Doesn't draw me in.

THE WANKERS - Cracked out garage rock. Sounds like you guys had some fun recording this, but I can't say it's as much fun listening. That said; the repeated "we are the wankers" bit isn't too bad and neither is the acoustic guitar lead.

MIME CAVITY - Guitars sound decent, but otherwise it's just way too sloppy to get into.

THE BRITISH IBM - I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here...

~~~

I couldn't get DEVIL DEVIL to play.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by ken »

chocolatechips wrote: BERKELEY SOCIAL SCENE - Synth reminds me of an '80s pop song that I can't place. Chorus reminds me of Weezer. I like the overall style & feel of this a lot. In fact this is probably most "my thing" of any entry this week, probably the one I would most like to listen to... but I don't think it's executed quite as well as the entries from SOBER & PACO DEL STINKO (mostly because the vocals aren't strong.)
All Through the Night by Cindy Lauper is probably what you all are thinking.

I really did my best on the vocals this week. I feel like I composed a very strong vocal melody this week, but didn't execute as well as I would like.

Thanks for the kind words!

Ken
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!

i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Sober »

Reviews! I find I often sound a lot more harsh than intended, so take these with a grain of salt. You are all special and talented.

Berkeley Social Scene: Unfortunately pitchy. Guitar tone is great when it comes in. Part of me wants the Final Fantasy synth to go away once the band comes in. Snare sounds like it's being hit a little softly, come on, Ken! This could use some background 'ahh's' or something, as the solo vocal isn't enough to keep me interested. Fabulous guitar solo, but perhaps a bit out of place, sounds like Slash popped up in a Wallflowers song. Solid as I'd expect, great to be back and hearing you guys again.

the British IBM Ahh, chiptune. While this is enjoyable, it is not a song. Also, study up on how the old composers put their tracks together. Everything is much more busy, where this sounds like it was written for guitar, bass, and vocals, and dropped into a sequencer. Fun, but disqualified. Please come back with some terribly clever chiptune/real band hybrid.

CD the Remix I can feel the ghey. That clap sample is just awful. This feels quite unpolished. Electronic music requires a lot more work than meets the ear, and this doesn't have it. The big bassline is catchy.

The Chocolate Chips Interesting sound, immediately reminded of Belle & Sebastian. I like the organ sound doubling the vocal up high, but feel like it could do some good in the mix down lower, as a nice filler. Did I hear a mouseclick at 1:13? That sound happens more as the song goes on. I'd like to hear the vocal line 'lying in the sunnnnnnnnnnnnnn' instead as 'lying in the suuun.' The long closed 'n' seems odd to me. Not sure how I feel about the ending. Though my review may not seem like it, I really enjoyed this.

Devil Devil I’m sure your mother thinks you’re very clever.

The HATE Noise There’s a whole load of bus noise on this. Are you recording direct in to your soundcard? The mix is a muddy mess. The vocals are completely lost, and I’m sure there’s a bunch of interesting things getting lost, as well. Invest a couple hundred dollars in a USB interface, a condenser mic, and a good set of headphones if not proper monitors. There’s too much potential here not to. Also, song should have ended at 3:20.

Hip Hop Anonymous Your voice is getting slightly lost, like there’s a little too much mid in there. Maybe cut 100-400hz a little. You’ve got some clever lines in here, make sure we can clearly hear them. Take deeper breaths, and enunciate more clearly than you would if you were singing the words. Maybe record shorter vocal takes, to keep from running out of breath and losing articulation on some of the longer lines. The chorus lacks the punch that you’re looking for. The arrangement is quite sparse, and there’s nothing really wrong with that. End the song quicker. Much better than the vast majority of songfight rap. Keep working, you’ve got huge potential.

Klownhole In the years I’ve been absent from Songfight, you have changed zero, and that’s ok. I’m going to provide production suggestions, but I want you to ignore them. Less fuzz on the bass, more low-end on it. Mid-cut on the guitars, bring them down slightly. Slightly more mid in the vocals, and maybe run them through a mild tape simulator, to give you a little bit more Danzig quality. It was fun.

Mime Cavity The vocal is quite far back in the mix. Too much reverb all around. Sounds like we lose the beat a little here and there. This feels like a song fetus, not developed enough for birth. What the hell happens at 3:00? Six minutes is a lot to ask. Solid screaming. The writing falls apart pretty obviously well before the 4:50 mark. Kudos for a decent live recording (at least, it sounds that way). At the very end, you sound like one of the voice actors from Skyrim.

Paco del Stinko The drum samples aren’t the best sounding. Interesting chords and melodies all around. Good guitar work. Killer solo tone, though I really wish the rest of the song matched the intensity felt during the solo. Too clean, perhaps – it almost sounds like MIDI guitars at times. I feel like the vocal could use some more balls, maybe drink like five beers before recording. Good track.

Sober I only have a couple weeks left in Afghanistan, so I thought I’d get at least one entry in. My recording setup is pretty sparse – one condenser, USB interface, and my Martin. My takes were often interrupted by jets flying overhead, and by the AC-130 gunships warming up their cannons. As far as writing, the first verse is about Afghanistan, and the second is about my experience in northern Japan during the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It’s been a hell of a ride.

The Wankers You guys don’t sound like you’re drunk, which makes this inexcusable.

Pretty low signal to noise this week. The Chocolate Chips receive top marks, and are a nice discovery upon my return to Songfight. Paco Del Stinko and Hiphop Anonymous receive honorable mentions. It’s good to be back.
🤠
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Caravan Ray »

I hate life.

I just wrote reviews for this wholle frikking fight - that I wasn't even in - and I just frikking lost them all - from a stray button press..


whatever


I liked Sober and Paco - they sounded what a songwriter should sound like - and it wasn't the sound - it was how they wrote the song....

I wanted to LISTEN TO IT AFTER 5 seconds....

Sober was best, although I didn't understand it - too Americaniy for me.

I aslo liked Chocolate chips
and that rapping chappie - hiphopamnonymous - I liked that too.

carry on..
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Paco Del Stinko »

Hey, kind words Ray, thanks. Just want to pipe in and remark on how excellent Sober's tune is. I don't know if it's too Americany or not, though I think I get what Ray is saying, but it just feels real. Should be the easy winner this week.

Comments from me in a day or two. A nice, tidy fight, Everyone can write something up...right?
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Billy's Little Trip »

Caravan Ray wrote:I hate life.

I just wrote reviews for this wholle frikking fight - that I wasn't even in - and I just frikking lost them all - from a stray button press..
You're in luck! I guess you don't know about internet page memory. You just enter the forum you were on and the approximate time and you can search it quick. I found yours here > http://www.pagememory/songfight/caravanray/reviews.org

You're welcome.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Caravan Ray »

Billy's Little Trip wrote:
Caravan Ray wrote:I hate life.

I just wrote reviews for this wholle frikking fight - that I wasn't even in - and I just frikking lost them all - from a stray button press..
You're in luck! I guess you don't know about internet page memory. You just enter the forum you were on and the approximate time and you can search it quick. I found yours here > http://www.pagememory/songfight/caravanray/reviews.org

You're welcome.
thanks BLT - I really appreciate that.

And I am so sorry to pull you away from what you were doing:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BbbW4nFN_S8/S ... al-doll.jp
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Billy's Little Trip »

Caravan Ray wrote:
Billy's Little Trip wrote:
Caravan Ray wrote:I hate life.

I just wrote reviews for this wholle frikking fight - that I wasn't even in - and I just frikking lost them all - from a stray button press..
You're in luck! I guess you don't know about internet page memory. You just enter the forum you were on and the approximate time and you can search it quick. I found yours here > http://www.pagememory/songfight/caravanray/reviews.org

You're welcome.
thanks BLT - I really appreciate that.

And I am so sorry to pull you away from what you were doing:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BbbW4nFN_S8/S ... al-doll.jp
Your link right there ^ isn't working. What was it suppose to be?
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by chocolatechips »

The Chocolate ChipsDid I hear a mouseclick at 1:13? That sound happens more as the song goes on. I'd like to hear the vocal line 'lying in the sunnnnnnnnnnnnnn' instead as 'lying in the suuun.'


the sound that sounds like a mouse click is a vocal artifact ... probably a weird noise I made while singing that the FX I use on my voice mangled up somehow, I usually try to go through and clean that kind of thing out, probably rushed it a bit.

about the lying in the "suuuuuuuuuuun" .. I think you're right about that... also shows that I need to enunciate better because it's supposed to be "loving" rather than "lying" ... making my vocals more clear while still using my weird signature vocal effect is a big goal.

~~~

Great reviews! I don't know if I speak for everyone, but I definitely like reviews that point out the flaws ... they are the most useful.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by jast »

Hey, I have some time for doing a set!

You (almost) all fail the "post your lyrics" challenge. Not a good omen, guys. As you read these reviews, I have a question for you... I tend to complain about certain fairly universal problems with vocals. Is that something you want to hear? Would you prefer more details? Less? Should I just ignore that aspect in my reviews?

Berkeley Social Scene: I almost love the synth. On its own it's a little extreme, but I guess I can cope. Decent vocals (what did you do to those in the mix... add a billion layers?). I hope that doesn't sound like I'm dismissing the effort you put into this performance, because I'm not trying to do that. Honestly, you couldn't do any better than that without serious progress in vocal technique, and that's hard. You know that, of course. It's a big part of what distinguishes us guys here from the big names. Drums are almost a bit low in the mix; surprising for a BSS project. I like the arrangement, though. And I can even stand the usual BSS tendency towards solos because they work very well here. Something about the writing bugs me; I think it's that you stay away from the key of the song most of the time. Well, personal taste and all that.
C:4 L:4 F:3 P:4 M:5 Total: 20/25

the British IBM: noise floor. IBM. Yeah, I get it. Are the stutters in the bass line by design? Ever heard of ADSR curves? Song is a bit repetitive overall and I'm missing something pad-style (chords! Given the chip-ness... arpeggios!). How about a bridge section or something? If one section in this was meant to be a chorus, it might help highlighting it a little by making the arrangement more heavy-hitting or denser or something. For some reason the overall timing seems shaky. Ah, there's a bridge of sorts. Alternative "drums" are fun. Well, that was a fairly short reprieve. All in all, this is a nice "I only just started out" kind of song. Time to experiment, steal cool stuff, and experiment with that, too. Looking forward to the results of that.
C:2 L:0 F:2 P:2 M:3 Total: 9/25

CD the Remix: ... and here are the arpeggios I asked for! Yay! They don't always fit together with the bass line (let alone the bassy pad), though. That's a major turn-off for me in electronic music. The arrangement is inventive, though, plus I like the synths you've chosen, so that's good. The development isn't so great, though. There's a tendency here to just repeat the same things over and over, add a track, take it away again, etc. Sure, many electronic tracks don't do more than that, but I still believe every track gets better if it can hold interest beyond the minimum requirements for background/dance music.
C:2 L:0 F:3 P:4 M:3 Total: 12/25

The Chocolate Chips: I'm struggling trying to figure out what effect you put on the vocals. Cheap pitch shifter? The one from REAPER, perhaps (Elastique)? Doesn't really work with the decent-sounding instrument tracks. Songwriting is nice... now please sing like you mean it! I haven't really got anything else to complain about. So... success?
C:3 L:2 F:3 P:3 M:3 Total: 14/25

Devil Devil: nice playing and writing, but the recording sounds like poo. Plus the written material doesn't sustain it all the way through. You can't just repeat the same things over and over forever, unless you're making cheap electronic music. It's fun playing something if you're getting "in the zone", I know. But make it fun for the listener, too – that's your job as a songwriter! You have to balance that with your job as a performer... at least if you want maximum impact. Good luck!
C:2 L:0 F:2 P:3 M:1 Total: 8/25

The HATE Noise: The mix is oddly uneven across the spectrum; the vocals in particular either stick out like a sore thumb or blend in like a sleep-deprived background actor. The combined aliasing/pitch locking effect on some tracks is awesome. That's the only awesome thing about the song, though, and all in all I'm left feeling rather indifferent. Oh yeah, I guess I like the drum groove, too. But the spectrum still seems incomplete and so the stuff that is there feels muddy and overcrowded. Finally, I'm – once again – not too happy that this song is mostly repetitions of repetitions. Nice experiment, meh song.
C:2 L:* F:2 P:2 M:2 Total: 11/25

Hip Hop Anonymous: playing with the playback speed like that is annoying. You've got some greating writing and flow... but your speaking voice needs work. You know how it's always easy to tell professional speakers from non-professionals, just from the way their voice sounds? Yeah, that's the thing I'm talking about. Also, as nice as the writing is, the backing track gets old about halfway through and I start getting distracted by the monotony. Variety hour, please (a little earlier than you did it)!
C:2 L:4 F:3 P:3 M:4 Total: 16/25

Klownhole: there's some serious energy going on in the guitar and drums. That part sounds pretty cool. The vocals, however, don't. Firstly, they sound like they were mixed in as an afterthought. Secondly, they sound like an afterthought, though to be honest, saying that is the easy way out. It's undeniable that the singer is getting into things. What's missing is the vocal balance, the thing that makes vocals cut through everything effortlessly. I keep going on about this because it really does make a huge difference, and perhaps you don't have the time or ambition to get into this, plus it's hard to figure out in the first place. The reversed reverb is kind of a cool effect that fits in here, but also it sort of underlines how the vocals are not "all there" and sort of worsens the effect. I think a lot of that could be fixed in the mix, in any case. Compositionally, I could imagine more happening in this, but not much more... that wouldn't work for the style, I guess. Bring out the high end of the bass a bit more, perhaps. Overall, nice work.
C:3 L:* F:3 P:4 M:2 Total: 15/25

Mime Cavity: intro immediately gives this a messy feeling. Mix and mastering are going to need some work. This all sounds very distant. Man, I hope his doesn't really go on for almost six minutes as my player claims it will. The messy playing sounds entirely avoidable. Pretty repetitive song. I can't get into this. Nope, I'm out. PS. Minus points for annoying lyrics.
C:2 L:1 F:1 P:2 M:2 Total: 8/25

Paco del Stinko: nice building up the stereo field in the intro. This is looking to be another trademark Paco favourite. Interesting progressions but not too interesting, if you know what I mean. Nicely composed though not terribly hooky. One spontaneous thought I had that seems to apply to many of your songs is that your melodies often have this kind of rhythm: lalalalalaala (short break) lalalalalalaala (short break), and so on. In other words, a tendency to have many longish runs of pretty much entirely eighths or sixteenths. If you're feeling like experimenting, I'd be interested what'd happen if you tried to work against that in a future uptempo song. In fact, how about a song with a considerably lower lyric-to-measure ratio? Reverb on the lead vocals sounds nice but is a bit much compared to the rest of the mix, I think. Are the guitars deliberately out of tune? I don't have much to say about this, except that I like it and that you aren't exempt from my universal complaints about vocals.
C:4 L:4 F:5 P:4 M:5 Total: 22/25

Sober: wonderful guitar recording. Vocals sound a bit more unpolished and I think I'd actually prefer having the guitar recording be a little less polished, too, so it fits together better. Pretty good vocals, though IMO the higher notes (lead vox) are a bit of an unnecessary risk that didn't pay off completely. Refine your technique a bit and you can make this song absolutely perfect. Songwriting is very solid, too, of course, including the often neglected (especially in G&G songs) development. Liking the fake choir. Perhaps try giving it a bit more diversity by deliberately blending in a few somewhat flawed tracks.
C:5 L:4 F:4 P:4 M:5 Total: 22/25


PS. confused by cryptic characters? Read the signature line below this post.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by chocolatechips »

awesome indepth reviews jast.

the vocal effect is mostly a formant shift using melodyne.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by LSK »

jast wrote:CD the Remix: ... and here are the arpeggios I asked for! Yay! They don't always fit together with the bass line (let alone the bassy pad), though. That's a major turn-off for me in electronic music. The arrangement is inventive, though, plus I like the synths you've chosen, so that's good. The development isn't so great, though. There's a tendency here to just repeat the same things over and over, add a track, take it away again, etc. Sure, many electronic tracks don't do more than that, but I still believe every track gets better if it can hold interest beyond the minimum requirements for background/dance music.
C:2 L:0 F:3 P:4 M:3 Total: 12/25
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback! I'm trying to get the hang of electronic music and right now I'm just throwing things at the wall and seeing what I like and what other people like. I haven't submitted a Songfight entry in a while so I'd forgotten how harsh people can be, which makes me really appreciate your feedback.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by The HATE Noise »

Sober wrote:The HATE Noise There’s a whole load of bus noise on this. Are you recording direct in to your soundcard? The mix is a muddy mess. The vocals are completely lost, and I’m sure there’s a bunch of interesting things getting lost, as well. Invest a couple hundred dollars in a USB interface, a condenser mic, and a good set of headphones if not proper monitors. There’s too much potential here not to. Also, song should have ended at 3:20.
What you are hearing is tape hiss. Maybe the bit-crusher I used on a lot of the electronic stuff, too.

I usually record to 4-track cassette, then dump it in my computer. Yes, I do record direct-in, no interface, but I've been doing it long enough to know how to get rid of most of the noise. Vocals are purposely buried, and get quieter as the song goes on.

I've never been a fan of the mindset that you need 'nice' gear to record/play music. Plus, I've never liked the condenser mics I've used. Even the zillion-dollar Neumann at the studio I worked at. I like a lot of lo-fi stuff. My headphones are pretty decent, though.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by roymond »

Caravan Ray wrote:
Billy's Little Trip wrote:
Caravan Ray wrote:I hate life.

I just wrote reviews for this wholle frikking fight - that I wasn't even in - and I just frikking lost them all - from a stray button press..
You're in luck! I guess you don't know about internet page memory. You just enter the forum you were on and the approximate time and you can search it quick. I found yours here > http://www.pagememory/songfight/caravanray/reviews.org

You're welcome.
thanks BLT - I really appreciate that.

And I am so sorry to pull you away from what you were doing:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BbbW4nFN_S8/S ... l-doll.jpg
I miss this place :mrgreen:
roymond.com | songfights | covers
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by hillbilly »

Hate noise, bring Dank,Stank back up in here, really enjoyed that. You are from the hood, use it.
sober--- awllsome,far as guy and guitar goes, that was taste full, good story.
stink-- loved the waa,waa, solo. good playin, but them wierd lyrics flip me out.
voted for the nerd rap dude and sober.
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Sober »

The HATE Noise wrote:
Sober wrote:The HATE Noise There’s a whole load of bus noise on this. Are you recording direct in to your soundcard? The mix is a muddy mess. The vocals are completely lost, and I’m sure there’s a bunch of interesting things getting lost, as well. Invest a couple hundred dollars in a USB interface, a condenser mic, and a good set of headphones if not proper monitors. There’s too much potential here not to. Also, song should have ended at 3:20.
What you are hearing is tape hiss. Maybe the bit-crusher I used on a lot of the electronic stuff, too.

I usually record to 4-track cassette, then dump it in my computer. Yes, I do record direct-in, no interface, but I've been doing it long enough to know how to get rid of most of the noise. Vocals are purposely buried, and get quieter as the song goes on.

I've never been a fan of the mindset that you need 'nice' gear to record/play music. Plus, I've never liked the condenser mics I've used. Even the zillion-dollar Neumann at the studio I worked at. I like a lot of lo-fi stuff. My headphones are pretty decent, though.
It's all good and well to hide behind the 'I sound bad on purpose' thing, but don't be surprised when people say it sounds bad.

My recording was done with a shitty condenser and a cheap-ass interface, in a room with twelve running computers and an AC unit on blast, while fucking gunships roared overhead. Working through adversities, self-imposed or not, is all good and well, and there is indeed a nostalgic value to using old recording gear/techniques, but when it becomes an excuse for latent deficiencies rather than a creative tool, you are nothing more than a cardigan-wearing, clove-smoking hipster.

And Roymond: I also miss this place. Where else do I get to be a condescending asshole on such a frequent basis?
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The HATE Noise
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by The HATE Noise »

Sober wrote:condescending gearhead nonsense
Yes, I am a hipster because I answered your question about my recording technique. Wait, what?

I wasn't making an excuse for why it sounds the way it does. I simply answered your question, which was 'it sounds like you have bus noise or something, are you doing direct in to your computer?'

And I was also more or less saying thank you for the advice about buying nicer gear but I'm pleased with my own. I have no problem with people saying my tracks sound bad, and I am well aware that some of them do. BUTTTTTTTTTTTT...

...
...


...Last time I checked, this was SONG fight, and not RECORDING fight.

Pardon my sarcasm I guess, (or don't, I don't really care) but I always get bothered when people are more concerned with recording technique and 'sound' of the song than the actual composition. If you're going to take the time to review another person's work on here, why bother taking that route? Obviously, recording quality will often be subpar on an amateur music website such as this, and the musicians are usually well aware of it.

Honestly, it sounds like you ought to try the lo-fi sound on for size....it usually makes streamlined folk-rock more interesting.

Also, I smoke Winstons.
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Sober
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by Sober »

The HATE Noise wrote:...Last time I checked, this was SONG fight, and not RECORDING fight.
I indeed am a renowned gearsnob, but I hardly call $175 worth of recording equipment in a literal wooden shack the auspices of gear fetishism.

The SONGfight vs RECORDINGfight argument has been slogged through since Songfight began. For every new player that brings this line up, I ask this: Would Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody be as beloved as it is if it were recorded and mixed like the Misfits? It's brilliant pop songwriting, but without brilliant production, it would have been a mess. Production is part of the delivery of a song, just like singing is. Production is the first thing immediately apparent about a song, before hearing any lyrics, or even the first chord change.

I guess the main point is that in 2012, it is absurdly cheap to equip oneself with the gear to make passable recordings, so why not? I'm not saying everyone needs a crazy mbox rig, but you're probably spending a lot of time on these songs. With a tiny investment of money and mix-time, you could have a recording that does your labors justice.

My posts have probably come across a lot more harshly than intended. Still, as much as you may like to jab at my submission this week, I'm working with the tools I have out here, and I've done a bit of lo-fi rock in my day. Blue Lang was utterly vile in his criticisms of my early Songfight productions. I grew immensely as a result of months of his berating. I'm not saying I am Blue, but I do want every Songfighter to improve. I look forward to hearing your future entries.
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chocolatechips
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by chocolatechips »

sometimes I think it all boils down to whether or not people want to improve or not ... some folks seem to think they've already reached their potential ... others feel they have a lot farther to go (I'm in this second group) ... I want to be told why my songs suck, because I know that they do. ... but sometimes another perspective on exactly why they suck - can help you figure out where to put that effort in improving your approach.

the search for constructive criticism/feedback is the main reason I submit songs here - so I'm encouraging more reviews like those from Sober & Jast ... sometimes within these types of reviews we can see little bits of wisdom that we haven't been able to come across on our own (it's hard to look at your own work like you would someone else's)
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americanjeff
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by americanjeff »

Berkeley Social Scene
Nice balanced production. Vocals are good. Reminds me of Beatles and Pink Floyd. Guitar solo was could have been more distinctive.

the British IBM
Someone in dire need of a casiotomy.

CD the Remix
Won't you take me to, funky town, and give me $5 for tokens.

The Chocolate Chips
With a song like this the lyrics need to carry it. They don't.

Devil Devil
Hmmm, should I play this backwards?

The HATE Noise
cacophonous. Sort of enjoyable

Hip Hop Anonymous
Lots of potential.

Klownhole
Danger positronic. I know, right?

Mime Cavity
The power's out boys, here's your chance for love.

Paco del Stinko
Solid. It bears repeating that the lyrics need to carry a song like this.

Sober
These lyrics are better but still a bit forced.

The Wankers
Sounds like fun.
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roymond
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Re: Even though it's mandatory (It Should Be Fun reviews)

Post by roymond »

The HATE Noise wrote: ...Last time I checked, this was SONG fight, and not RECORDING fight.

Pardon my sarcasm I guess, (or don't, I don't really care) but I always get bothered when people are more concerned with recording technique and 'sound' of the song than the actual composition. If you're going to take the time to review another person's work on here, why bother taking that route? Obviously, recording quality will often be subpar on an amateur music website such as this, and the musicians are usually well aware of it.
This argument gets thrown around a few times a year. Not everyone agrees with me, but I often consider the recording and production process as important as chord changes, melody and lyrics. But not always, and not every song. In this way I am of the school that feels a painting depends on the kind of paint as much as the color. And the brush. And the canvas. Sometimes even the frame. Not always and not every painting.

One can get objective about the harmonic structure, how the lyrics are supported by the melodic line, etc. but instrumentation, sound design and mix can also contribute equally well. They are all crafts and different songs will emphasize or leverage various components to varying degrees.

This is all my opinion.

So when I listened to your song this week, I thought it was awesome in many ways, but really sucky in other ways. Furthermore, the sucky stuff really holds back the awesome stuff. Low fi really works sometimes, but not as an aesthetic in and of itself. If I were to have written a review I would have said as much, figuring either you cared and might want some feedback or you don't give a shit and resent being forced to consider how other people listen and respond to your music and to music in general. That's cool. I wrote you off long ago as someone who doesn't give a shit so I'm not sure why I'm bothering with this but it seemed the thing to do. I hope this isn't too condescending because it's just free stuff put out there as much as your song was free stuff put out there. And in the end it's all about the sound that's made. In my opinion.
roymond.com | songfights | covers
"Any more chromaticism and you'll have to change your last name to Wagner!" - Frankie Big Face
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