Well if you insist (Make the First Move reviews)

[blgisonsongfight]

Less DOOO DISSS.

[CordSmith]

I was drinking and eating pie all day with my pals, celebrating 3.14 day. Nerds!!!!

May I recommend that everyone watch Dave Grohl's movie, "Sound City." Steal it online if you must, google "Sound City videoweed" and you can probably find a streaming copy. You will be inspired, and entertained as it is a pretty cool story about where we're going with music, analog vs. digital. Something very pertinent among this group.

So I guess I'll MAKE THE FIRST MOVE here folks… hello? is this thing on? I'll see myself out…

First impression reviews (™) ... here goez:

sonofsupercar: I like how you use distortion on vocals as a minor tweak, not a substitution for singing. Vox are a little hot.

paco del stinko: chorus is amazing. love those harmonies, love this song. Like something from a Robert Rodruiguez movie.

dejected motives: There is a dirty dirty goth club here in Richmond, and I want to go there, put on a black suit and dance to this with my hot ex-girlfriend. i dunno if you need the hyper-auto-tuned vox, but it kinda works.

the economy biscuits: You can hear the smoky bar in this song. I'd use a bit more reverb on things, the drums sound a little dry. easy on the distorted vocals, everybody seems to be hiding their voices these days. Just sing/talk people. Still, fun tune describing an experience we've all endured.

caravan rabbott: I want to buy a surfboard so I can put it in my living room and surf to this song. The "fool me once" bridge sounds like a big production from a musical. Fun song.

nobody et al: i like the sound, like the harmonies. vox are a little hot and dry. still, cool tune.

heine: cool track, i'd maybe double the vocals during the chorus, or maybe add some harmonies to just differentiate it more. guitars seem way louder than the drums. still, keep making stuff.

the lookouts: i like this mellow vibe. the constant soloing is a bit distracting during the verse. I like the chorus. I like this song.

gregg boethin: cool drums, like the rotovibe guitar (i think that's what that's called.. ) I'd add some delay or verb to the vox. cool tune.

dj ranger den: like that this one has some length. man i'd love to hear you with a full production with some drums n' bass accompanying.

tuners union: so many times when people sing the provided title it sounds artificial and forced, but it sounds very natural in this. lots of cool production going on here. a smorgasbord! good stuff.

c. layne: cool guitars up front, reminds me of early liz phair. vocals remind me of early pink floyd too. this is good stuff, nice harmonies. good song, kicks in and makes sense.

minor profit: whistles! aww hells yeah. A lot of aspects to this song, cool texturing with the music, the vocals remind me of Nico a bit.

billy and the psychotics: i love dat bass. I think I'm hearing some clipping in the recording, be careful with your mastering. Fun song, lots of variety in the instrumentation and vocals, I feel like a lot of work went into this.

glenny: right up front i feel like I'm listening to a theme to an 80s action sitcom. Not meant as a slight. Tom Selleck would gladly fly a helicopter in and out of frame to this. My head's a bobbin' along, good times.

Billy's little trip feat paco: cool drum sound. Thickening vocals with octaves is great. I like the prominent bass. I dig this tune, would love to hear it live.

tr jones: shakers! i love em. Distorted guitar buried in the bg gives a great texture. I felt like the song was going to build into a big crescendo and then it didn't happen. It needs to happen! It's too catchy to not give us that payoff.

banana dan: like that fat beat. I like some stuff from ratatat so I'm primed for some electronic goodness, good times. solid.

j$km: I like your songwriting and singing, hate the drum samples. Get some better samples! Or don't, it's still good stuff. I feel like with some better production and additional texturing this stuff could rival anything put out by the Gorillaz.

skadaddle: this is my submission. I wanted to write a rap song that didn't use the word "like", and I ended up still using it! only once though. Seriously rappers, stop saying "like" every sentence.

jake delorey: o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o. Like those opening harmonies. Nice full sound. I dig it, lots going on with the drums that would sound cool on a real kit, but sound a little distracting this way. Still, great song.

berkeley social scene: I like this. I'm picking up that this is one of those groups that delivers every time, can't disagree.

bootlegged waters: vocals are clipping a little? maybe my system sucks, can't tell. Like those claps. good song, keep writing and make them longer!

[blue]

sonofsupercar: I like how you use distortion on vocals as a minor tweak, not a substitution for singing. Vox are a little hot.

you have good ears. vocals were recorded live as the backing track blasted through the monitors. since they were feeding back anyways, i figured i might as well, you know.. copy the track and distort it.

for science.

[blgisonsongfight]

bootlegged waters: vocals are clipping a little?

Yes definitely. Lack of time and equipment, we had to record the vocals separately and then I put them back into the GarageBand file manually and didn't realize until it was too late that the vox had been recorded WAY too quietly. I had to max the vocal track's volume then add all sorts of gain. I'll remember that experience next time. But thanks!

[Heine]

heine: cool track, i'd maybe double the vocals during the chorus, or maybe add some harmonies to just differentiate it more. guitars seem way louder than the drums. still, keep making stuff.

Thanks! Yes, I was thinking about lifting the chorus - but there's a lingering time problem (like always)... What really puzzles me is that the vocals are way too loud (and too much reverb, of course). I mixed it via headphones, submitted quickly and when I first heard it through speakers I wasn't too happy with it. The instrumental parts are from a 1993' session and contain some cool ideas from my former band mate Michael. Gladly, he appreciated using it for Songfight! Nice guy!

[Billy's Little Trip]

billy and the psychotics: i love dat bass. I think I'm hearing some clipping in the recording, be careful with your mastering. Fun song, lots of variety in the instrumentation and vocals, I feel like a lot of work went into this.

Billy's little trip feat paco: cool drum sound. Thickening vocals with octaves is great. I like the prominent bass. I dig this tune, would love to hear it live.

@BatP. Yeah, you are hearing right. There is a clip sound in the mix. It's slightly in my BLT/Paco mix too. It's coming from my instrument tracks. I didn't hear it until the final mastering and boosted the volume and cut the peaks. I think I finally found the limits of my computer and VSTs. I have a few new ones I love, but they are heavy on the PCU. I guess I'll have to start bouncing when I get track heavy in a mix, until I upgrade. Either way, it's unacceptable and it can't happen again. Thanks.

@BLT/Paco. Double tracking the vocals was a last minute thing. I couldn't decide which register I liked for this, so I used both. They just happened to be so damn close word for word that I didn't bother re-recording either of them. Plus I did them on the due date eve, so a time restriction there too, lol. Thanks for the reviews.

[LibraryDogs]

So, I sort of feel like these are half-assed reviews/reactions - I only listened to each song twice.
But with 20+ songs there's not enough time to do them each justice.
If you want a more in-depth opinion on your tune (or someone else's, I guess) let me know and I'm happy to comply.

BananaDan - Kind of an Alien funk vibe going on. It grooves. Maybe it goes on a bit long in the middle/end without changing up.

BSS - grungy/jangly, cool feel as usual. Not terribly stoked about the vocals for some reason.

BatP - Cool intro. I dig the guitar/bass riffing and the slightly dissonant feel.

BLT - Dark, I like the drum & bass holding the song down. Lyrics are dark too, the jilted lover not quite able to handle it.

Bootlegged - girl and guitar acoustic, nice indie quality about it. Your vocals are overdriving the mic. Maybe back off it a bit and boost the signal some other way. Good imagery in the lyrics.

Caravan Rabbot - gritty and aggressive - I'm totally sorry for this, but your accent and the aggressiveness of the tune makes me picture Bruce the shark from Finding Nemo going all aggro on the other two sharks. Which is highly entertaining but probably not what you were going for.

c.layne - nice harmonies. The build and release is nice too. And the heavy riffing at the end is well done. This reminds me a little of Radiohead.

DejectedMotives - vocoder/autotune synthy strangeness. This could actually be a pop song, but it needs a changeup/chorus/bridge.

DJRD - girl & piano, soft breakup song. Piano and cigarette smoke, black & white film

EconomyBiscuits - upright bass, brushes, tremolo guitar, spoken word. I almost get a picture of a post apocalyptic western town, with dude walking in on a bunch of giant, intelligent mutant cockroaches.

Glennny - a lot of changeups and busy stuff going on but it all seems to fit together. Lots of good energy. There should be a video for this song with co-ed kung fu fighting.

GreggB - channelling a Nashville/Austin Clint Eastwood. Good imagery here. Guitar tone is great too.

heine - Heavier and more rock than I expected. I mean, it works. I like the choruses, how the progression changes up within the section.

J$ - Either I'm getting used to your style or you totally screwed up and produced something I sort of like.

JakeD - nice laid-back 6/8 groove, reminiscing. Vocals are a little distant in the mix, but that sort of suits the far-off-in-the-distance lyrical subject matter.

Lookouts - reminds me of Neil Young, especially in the choruses. That is, the vocals are pitchy but strangely it works. The spoken bit is awkward but it kept my attention.

MProfit - rough vocals and recording, but you did some cool stuff in here. I like the interludes between singing (whistling). The feel/rhythm/progression changes up frequently in nice ways. Next time post your lyrics.

Nobody - not my most inspired effort, but fun. Vocals are pitchy and it kind of needs a bridge instead of just dying at the end (and myriad other problems). But the slide guitar came out nice.

Paco - I may or may not have thrown the horns sitting here in my cubicle with my headphones on. "Ass clown." Who says that?? Clever and different as usual.

Skadaddle - I can't tell if you're lamenting how society treats soldiers, or something else. Either way your vocal delivery is good and the imagery is solid.

SonofSuperCar - I can picture you guys getting together in a dusty unfinished basement every week with several bottles of Old Crow and cranking out a groove. Nice fake ending at 2:59.

TRJ - nice mellow groove. Your lead guitar might benefit from an amp emulator plugin. I like the shaker. Whoa everything kinda falls apart at 1:40 ...and doesn't quite recover until the end of the tune.

Tuners - a consistent favorite because you're consistently good. I like just about everything about this tune. The delay electric guitar is great when it comes in. Lyrics are solid, harmonies nailed to the wall.

[JoAnn Abbott]

nobodyetall- your review of the song had me chuckling- I hadn't thought of CR as that shark, but- yup! It works! I thought he sounded like a biker bar fight set to music.

[Caravan Ray]

Caravan Rabbot - gritty and aggressive - I'm totally sorry for this, but your accent and the aggressiveness of the tune makes me picture Bruce the shark from Finding Nemo going all aggro on the other two sharks. Which is highly entertaining but probably not what you were going for.

No - don't be sorry. Even an in-passing comparison to a Barry Humphries' character is something I would consider very high praise indeed!

[Dejected_Motives]

Banana Dan: Personally, I'm glad to see more electronic music getting entered. I like the composition and layers of this song. I didn't get bored listening either. It's the type of song I would like on Pandora but skip occasionally. Maybe vote.

Berkeley Social Scene: Your impromptu song writing skills are obviously what keep you coming back with entries. As always, the song is fairly listenable. It's not going on any of my playlists, but I can dig it. I felt the chorus was a little too familiar-sounding though. Possibly a vote.

Billy and the Psychotics: This vibe takes me back a decade or so but at the same time takes me forward. I think this one sounds a little packaged at the chorus though. Possibly a vote.

Billy's Little Trip: Intro got me interested. Bridge kept me interested. Lyrics kept me listening. Chorus was all I needed to hear. But then you threw in a solo and kept it rocking throughout the end of the song. This is probably going to be the winning song. Vote for sure.

Bootlegged Waters: I have to admit, I didn't think I was going to like this song when it first started. But I liked it more as I listened. Probably a vote.

Caravan Rabbott: The song is pretty well put-together, it just isn't the type of song I can get into. Nothing personal, but probably not a vote.

C.Layne: Beautiful. Dang it. Here we have another serious competitor. This entry will be in the top 3, I'm certain. Vote for sure.

Dejected Motives: Usually, I'm my own worst critic. But this one isn't completely terrible. I think with a lot of editing and some re-working that this song actually has potential. So, I'm going to admit that I will be voting for myself this time.

DJ Ranger Den: The sweet dissonance was almost enough to get me to like it. But the song was too sad for me to like. Not sure I can vote for sadness.. Sorry.

The Economy Biscuits: I don't hate it.. But I'm not sure if I like it enough for a vote. Perhaps after the second listen..

Glenny: If Rush and The Snow Patrol took a bunch of acid and then went into the studio, it would have probably sounded similar.. It's crazy enough and listenable enough that I may just vote for it.

Gregg Boethin: Here's another one that I don't hate but wouldn't listen to it every time my internet radio played it. It is listenable though and kind of catchy. This may find itself a vote from me also.

Heine: That guitar of yours kept me listening more than the lyrics (although they are well-written.) A vote is possible..

J$KM: Just not feeling this one. Sorry. Not a vote.

Jake DeLorey: Liked it in the beginning, changes and vocals kept me listening, song structure and chorus convinced me of the song's full potential. I easily see this in the top 5. Definitely a vote.

The Lookouts: Liked it, but didn't love it. It is actually a decent song, but the vocals need better harmony for me to get into it. Sorry.

Minor Profit: Another song that I like, but not quite enough to vote for.

Paco del Stinko: You have a knack for making listenable music. This one has a very clear lyrical message and driving beat for the most part. But I'm not sure. I'll decide upon my second listen.

Skadaddle: The construction of this song didn't keep me listening. Sorry, probably not a vote.

Son of Supercar: Wasn't really digging this one either. Sorry.

TRJones: This is a very chill song. It's listenable for the most part as well. But does it get a vote? I'm unsure.

Tuners Union: I'm glad this was the last song in que. Very nicely done. Here is another one of the top contenders for sure! EASILY top 3! Vote for sure!

[Economy Biscuits]

Got a chance to listen to each two or three times and tonight I will be abstaining from food references...

Heine
Not too shabby, thought we were gonna have a van halen thing but then the synths lay down and it really makes those parts huge. Rocking leads, what's not to like? An 84 trans-am with the t- tops down.

Minor Profit
I've got my headphones but production sounds great, not sure about the whistles but whatever, this tune rocks. Things seem a bit out of tune, ESP with the bass but again whatev, love the feel of where the tune goes. Kawasaki ex500 after the Texas helmet law was lifted.

Berkeley Social Scene
This song kicked me off the hood of my 79 Pontiac while I was making out with the chunky redhead from the party. Seriously awesome though I'm not crazy about the refrain, seems like two different writers? But yeah, kick ass


Pack del Stinko
Everyone's beginning is making me wanna fight or jog, in a good way. This tune laid a thick set of tracks fish tailing out of the Arby's parking lot in a Thunderbird. Did you distort a mouth harp?

Caravan Rabbott
I love that groove, burning midnight oil in a Mini Cooper around dangerous corners in the night. Great diddy, LETS GET GOIN!

Gregg Boethin
Great recording sound, great delivery. A bit reliable as a song, the Honda civic of the group. I'd like to see this song lowered with some bald tires to make things interesting...

Nobody, et al.
This song is so clean it should be int he showroom floor. Great vox sound and performance. A bit held back for me but I dig it.

Glenny
Devo just crashed their tour bus into paul simons Maserati. An ambulance with
Vampire weekend pulls up to give everyone CPR. Loved it.

Billy and the Psychotics
I would love to know the influences of the guitar player? I swore this was pin back when it started. This little hatchback hustles in and out of morning traffic, steady and maneuverable with the occasional and satisfying cutoff of the jerk texting.

TRJones
A bit mopey for me but whatev. Love the sound of the recording space, a couple of pals out for a drive

The Lookouts
Ok the vocalist really reminds me of someone i can't remember right now... A test drive in a great car that just doesn't have the fit and finish I prefer...still ran it to redline on the test drive though, great tune.

Banana Dan
Big sound, but gotta work all 6 gears for a variety of sounds. As someone who does a lot of looping, you gotta change little things up here and there to keep things interesting. Great wobble at the end. Chop them beats up!

J$KM
I love this song for reasons I'm not sure I can articulate... A little mazda miata that your mates make fun of you for driving but nothing turns in a corner like it.

Bootlegged Waters
I hate saying this cos I can't sing worth a crap but might wanna learn some mic work if you're gonna be belting out like that. Definitely enjoyed the energy but wasn't sure if I was going to make it back home.

c.layne
A fav every week for me so far. Record dust samples? Great riff, gret vox, kick ass buildup. No car talk. solid, pro tune.

Dejected Motives
Just got the wife's car tuned up and ready to dip into her 80s cd case. Old style sound with some newschool production tricks. I dig it.

Tuners Union
These harmonies remind me of riding in west Texas on sport bikes when all the exhaust notes would sync up, deeply satisfying. Another weekly favorite and always look forward to hearing you guys. Always quality.

Billy's Little Trip feat Paco del Stinko
YES. Love this tune. The fire- belching 20' robotic top fuel transforming funny car. SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!

Skadaddle
A ford f150 in the city trying to find a parking spot. Feels like I'm wanting to hear some beck-esque beeps and bloops in there to fill some space. NOT BAD.

Jake DeLorey
Sleek and subtle. Def the mercedes of the crowd. Takes some noticing to see the details but they are def worth it.

Sonofsupercar
This song is tearing ass all over town and popping wheelies over anyone slow enough to not get out of the way. Having fun with the vocals, loved it.

The Economy Bisquicks
I'm working on developing a vocal style that I don't hate so... Next week I promise coooooool, clean vocals! This was a diddy talking about getting into people's little spaces and making them uncomfortable. Something I find myself enjoying more than I should. A Humvee in the economy-only parking spots...

[JakeDeLorey]

Another big batch fresh for the pickins. I am most likely just going to ramble through them as they play. I'm going to do a vs scenario to see who gets my top vote. So without ado, I will kick the nights set off with SONOFSUPERCAR! Lets GO

First off, I always like it when I can hear the band h=getting ready to kick in. Right away I like. Awesome Vocals, there a little bit to high in the mix to my ears, but really its still awesome. Good sound. Oh fuck, the two minute mark is awesome. a bit long on that ending, its like ya sorta gave up on t….oh you tricked me you bastard super car. Sweet!! I take it all back. swell tune indeed.

alright, thats gonna be a tough act to follow, but we all know the talent is here folks. Now hold on to your socks for Heine

a little sloppy on the onset, vocals are irking me in an 80s way. Yet, I am still strangely drawn to this song. I am imagining some sort of montage in my head. Like me train gin for a big fight, or helping clean up a run down lot and turning it into a youth centre for some troubled teens who really mean well. This is fine. It could be tined up a little with the timing. SOmetimes things sort of fall out of place. Well structured tune, and well thought out.

okay well lets give Heine a round of applause, sonofsupercar is hard to follow, and I look forward to Heines submission next week (that sorta sounds weird if Heine pronounces their/his name like I think). This time though SONOFSUPERCAR runs over the competition and drives on to compete against The Lookouts…

Oh….this is nice…real nice. You have a Dinosaur Jr. Vibe to ya. Really like the vocals. Everything really works together. Its got a nice overall production, nice lyrics. The acoustics in both the left and right sound really nice are mixed super swell against each other. I'm not sure if I dig the spoken part at all. Nice bridge. Overall this song really works for me, everything works really well together as a whole. Its going to be hard to chose between you and SOSC, so……..

You shall both move on to fight in a battle royal. Against what I might venture to say is a heavy favourite. Since I have returned to the hallowed halls of the song fight, I have voted for this band every time they have submitted a song. I would dare say they are my…favourite. DO not fear however. I will not be making the decision, my ears will. FIGHT!

TUners Union. Thee smoothest vocal sound. Just stellar production, the lyrics, oh man. Its a first round knock out right away. This just hits a nerve with me. I don't know if this is a them or a he, but TU has such a great pop sensibility. This bridge is hitting the spot. Just the whole lyrical melody and placing is superb. I feel like you have done this forever, and you have a ton of experience. Either it was an absolute pleasure to listen this song. You got my vote again this week,

As for the bloodied remains of SOSC, and The Lookouts, they will be pushed aside to make way for…wait…whats this? They are….RISING!!!!! It seems the top three will get the vote. Since as for now these are the top three, they will now gang up on..

Banana Dan. He defends himself by doing the robot. He's pretty good at it, but hopefully he has some mad ass hook that is going to keep me interested in this tune, and him in the fight. I was hoping Banana Dan would make music with "appeal", but it didn't work for me and I couldn't find a hole lot to my mind engaged in the song. Always good to hear something electronic in the mix though, so I look forward to your submission next week, and by the way here are your teeth….

as the three top contenders SOSC,The Lookouts, and Tuners Union move on to see about curbing….

Berkley Social SceneIts a tough competition tonight, and the chorus in this is killing me, its killing the song. It makes me think of this guy who when he sings he always sings to whatever pattern he strums on the guitar, or vice versa.and.it.sounds.re.lly.cho.py. Sorry Berk, its not you, its this song. I tend to usually dig your stuff. That disc should slip into place in no time. See ya next week

Our top three are holding tight, they are starting to develop a style, they are hunting in a pack now, lets see if they can take

Billy and the psychotics down for the kill. You got a quirkiness that I dig, and the vocalist of the female persuasion is really growing on me. I am hearing crackle somewhere, but it might just be me. I like the low "cash'esque" voice. Vocals are balanced really nice on the mix. I find thats what really distinguishes the pros from the novice. I have such issues with my vocals when it comes to EQing and mixing. But I digress. This was a really good tune. It kept me interested. There was a lot going on, but it was all organized and nothing was really distracting or overpowering. Nice job, but not nice enough.PILE DRIVER!!! Thats gonna leave a mark.

walking with air of confidence our top 3 move on to face..

Bootlegged Waters Nic…OW! Watch your levels. You have a nice voice, its to bad you are peaking to beat hell. You give me a real Amy MacDonald vibe. Great submission, for the next one just watch your levels and I think you'll be great. I would write more but your song was short….

just the like your life in this song fight MUAHAHAAHA..HA. As our champions move on, through the smoke comes the menacing warrior that is known to all as…(one sec gotta check the playlist)..

Billys Little Trip feat. Paco Del Stinko digging it right away. Great sounding vocals. whats that sound that comes in at the 1:18 mark. I like that "pad" sounds cool. I always Envy people who can write lyrics. They are always the last thing I do. Oh great pick up and solo. This is a solid song. Not enough to crack the top 3 in my books unfortunately.

And our fighters March on. They are staring to get a little cocky. Tuners Union has tied an arm behind its back, yet it is still unstoppable. Let us see if….

Caravan Rabbott Great vibe to this song. Wish it was a little "grittier" in the sound department. Its a superb punk/heavy/surf/psychobilly tune, but it just needs to sound a bit more garage. Love the tune, and the vocal delivery was stellar.

BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH. Can they be beaten, the bodies of defeated songs that lay strewn all around them suggest not, but one has come from far and wide to bury that suggestion. BEHOLD…..

Dejected MotivesI like this more the Banana Dans electronic piece, but its just still not enough for me. You have a nice lyrical melody, but its definitely a bit predictable. Ya, nice, clean it up, and ya got a club hit. Its not going to stand up unfortunately against this weeks competition. Carry on, carry on, carry on looking forward to next weeks song. Submissions like this help keep SOngfight eclectic

out of the ally pounces DJ Ranger Den I likes ya a lot, but something is missing. I can't put my finger on it. I'll leave it at that. This wasn't really a review, I owe you better, but your song was short, and I gotta keep on carrying on.

The Economy Biscuits walk out of the steam bellowing from a street drain. Nice and smokey. A well suited vocal effect. That clean break comes in nice. Beautiful guitar sound. Send me that channel strip would ya. This song could sneak in there, Its fighting dirty and lunging its cigarette into the eyeball of SOSC. THis sounded great in the headphones, and really broke things up a bit. Good on ya, and although you fought valiantly…..

our top 3 move on. Who is next you ask? well its none other then ….

Glennnnnnnnnny Quirky and proggy. Its hard for me to review these typeof songs because I don't know what was done on purpose. This tune has a lot of redeeming qualities but not my style. Good production, but that keyboard is a distraction for me.

Its getting late and I'm not sure if the fight can go on fairly. I started out with gusto, but all this blood is starting to make me queazy. But the hits keep a rolling. Up next…

Greg BoethinAbsolutely gorgous acoustic sound. You have a great voice for country, and your country isn't cheesy, so thats refreshing. You got that reverbed twang working nicely, superb guitar sound all around. This is a great tune. Not quite enough to break the top three, but I am really digging your sound. Great riffing at the end of this tune.

oh very close to knocking one of those tunes out, but not quite. NEXT!

J$KM Love bass intros. Oh oh, will this be more 80's awkwardness. Well yes, but…I like it in a"Oi, didn't you kill my brother" sorta way. I am bopping my head, and your vocal stylings definitely grew on me through out the song. Cool diddy man.

But off with his head say our top 3.NEXT!

Oh its me, Jake DeLorey, well, my vocals are mixed really low. I hate my voice, and I probably do it a bit subcontiously. People say don't hide your vocals, but I would rather hide them then let them bring the whole song down with them. They are always the last thing i do. Everything I write always looks so cheesy to me. I like this tune, and I view it, like most of my song fight tunes, as something I could possibly build on later when my abilities at playing as well as recording improve. For now, this is my entry. My 3rd song I have ever written (all three for song fight). This place is inspiring and anonymous, so I can get feedback from people who shoot from the hip and not my loved ones. I humbly bow before our top three this week, though let it be known that I am not against voting for myself when I feel I deserve it. Be warned. Sorry I clocked in the longest, I should of faded out quicker.

Bring on Minor Profit I might be to tired but everything sounds out in this , tuning? I'm tired and unfortunately…well I do like your whistle melody, a good melody to base the song of, and I like your bridge. I just catch some sourness sometimes. Until next week MP

Nobody et al You remind me of the singer for the Spiels. Nice sound and production. Catchy little number. I would like to hear a bit of a fuller sound, maybe a bit more to the piano , instead of just this single chore hits. Nice submission.

Paco del Stinko Oh I wanna rock. Sweet, great groove. You remind me a lot of a quebec cock metal band called Dance Laury Dance, you will dig them if this type of tune is your bag. This was really refreshing. Great solo sound. Not piercing, just a good solid sound. OH bass FXs, and heavy opn them as well. Taboo, but sweet as hell. The more I listen the more I think you may in fact be from the belle province. Peace, look forward to hearing your next submission.

SkadaddleReally interesting tune. You have a rap flow like Buck 65, which is a good thing. This song is good and original. Its a real contender but its not enough to bump my top 3. This will be my first week not voting for you or Cord

One Person Left Mr. Jones I usually look forward to your tunes. recording is new to ya, but it appears song writing comes second nature. Like your lyrics and melodies. Sorta blue rodeo style. You are branching out from your comfort zone in recording and taking…chances? holy fuck? enough chances man? Alright now your just being silly. Well ya started a song and then gave up at the 2 minute mark. Pity, I was looking forward to that.

The winners this week, in the definite order of 1>TUNERS UNION 2>THE LOOKOUTS 3>SONOFSUPERCAR well done guys. Until next time

[c.layne]

I think you missed my entry, Jake!

[JakeDeLorey]

OH crap. I'm really sorry about that. Lets have a listen shall we. Right away its hooking me. Love that melody line. Sorta reminds me of the feel that the smashing pumpkins gave me with "Drown" back in the day. You have a great voice, and this song sounds nicely engineered. Nice riff to break things up, seriously heavy and teeth shaking. That wall of sound is exactly what the doctor ordered. everything sits so well. each sound steps on no toes. Thanks for bringing this gem to my attention. I can't decide if it should knock of SOSC, or The Lookouts. Since I can't decide, and it is the sabbath, I shall let the crowd decide. Thumbs up or thumbs down? The crowd has decided. Thumbs up, there shall be 4 votes this week. SOSC, The Lookouts, Tuners Union, and C.Layne. For what its worth I voted for ya last week as well. Like this song better for the most part though. I'm a big Brad Sucks fan, so I was sorta biased towards your song last week. This entry explained to me that you are a musical force with or without Ottawas own. Listening again, that heaviness that ensues at the 2:22 mark is such a nice addition to this tune. Look forward to your next SF submission

[JakeDeLorey]

Slow review week. Geez. Thats the part I look forward to the most. Always good to get feedback from people that aren't in your family. oh well, still Happy to be Here

[blgisonsongfight]

@Jake: Thought I was the only one thinking that!

[blgisonsongfight]

Not sure what the SongFight! etiquette on things like this is (or even if there is any), but with some advice from my guitar teacher I tried to do a quick fix on that clipping issue. I think it turned out pretty well. There's also a demo if anyone's interested. http://bootleggedwaters.bandcamp.com/al ... first-move

[kaz]

Hold your horses, fellas. Reviews forthcoming.

[blue]

I'm pretty drunk, but some of you were nice enough to review and others had good tunes. if you review, i review you!

bananawhatever: This is strangely compelling considering it's your basic mod tracker routine from 1994. Is it the wine? I like it.

skadaddle: i'm sure you know your vocals are nosey. you can clean them up with some EQ, but i recommend burying them a little or trying to affect a little more bass. chorus has an cool pink floyd feel to it. this is a pretty interesting tune, could be really compelling with a better mix - more beef - and better drumming. if you were trying to evoke Adam Ant or Falco, nice job.

nobody: good hook on the chorus lyrics, but the song's pretty forgettable and really thin.

c layne: your song is fucking amazing. more drums!

paco: hilarious. god i love that fuzz guitar. weeeeep weeep weep woooooohhhoooowwwww.

billy, little trip variety: man i wish this had some really acidic guitars in it to contrast with the pixies cover and the vocals. vocal layering's really good.

DJ erected motives: sorry man, i appreciate you reviewing but i couldn't listen to this. hah! Just read your review and you didn't like our song either, so we'll call it a draw.

echobizkitz: veeeeeeery nice, but you know.. my ear is wanting that bass to be electric. needs some grit to bring the vocals into the tune. put a fuzz on the bass and repost. love to hear it. love the little pause instead of a chorus. i even wouldn't have minded hearing the drums glitched out a little - just really commit to the oeuvre. it would have made the guitar stand out more, too. really interesting tune, tho.

tuner's onion: you guys are awesome. that chorus is so good. i'll just pretend i didn't hear all the hippie bullshit around it.

and finally, the guy who got me to review in the first place, Jake Delorey: I love this tune, man. So much yachty goodness all in one place, and a beefy bass drum. Your vocals are fine, don't hate on em. Embrace that shit. You could slap that drummer around a little and remind him what the fucking genre is. If you have insecurity issues with your singing you need to get that shit checked, you have a really good voice. I don't love the single-note lead throwaway guitar lines over the chorus, you don't need it and we've heard Jonny Default Guitar Line too many times by now. Get some originality in there - play it on the piano and lay on the fuzz or something. Interestingly the drum overplaying makes a lot more sense on the later chorus than on the first - but it's still too much.

[blue]

bootlegged: i liked the distorted version of your tune better than the fixed one. her voice sounds good on edge. the bad news is that your guitar progression is played the eff out. for that voice you should be ripping off some Django. the rest of the song is pretty much a trainwreck - and trainwrecks sound better when all the lights are red. trust me on this, i am a card-carrying expert. i hear some talent in here but mostly i'm confused by it. your band logo is cool.

caravizzle: you could mix this a lot louder / heavier and get more effect out of it. but no one can cast shade on your vocal effort. this actually has a really polished sound to it, just a little thin. lyrics start out interesting but then kinda peter out. needs a story element or something.

johnny automated teller machine: impossible to get past the drum machine and the out-of-tune bass. sorry. i still love you.

[JakeDeLorey]

Ya, the drums. This was a tune I actually got an early start on. I was using those two drum loops as my click track/place holder as I built the tune. The original intention was to have enough time at the end of the tune to create my drum track in midi. My downfall was lyric writing and singing. I had put it off, and put it off. I was supposed to get lyrics done in a day or two, but nope. I just sat on it, and the next thing I know, no time for drum track. Ideally I plan to go back and record real drum parts for all my tunes, that will involve a house though, and no neighbours practically sitting on my lap. Thank you very much for the review. WHo do you submit as, as I hope I was as kind with yours. If not, then try to better next time LOL. My hope is to get a tune in this week, but with life,kids, work, drug dependancy, its really hard to find the time. Unfortunately I do not have my workflow streamlined when it comes to recording so it tends to take a little longer then it should. Even when the idea just flows out, I tend to talk it down, and am never very happy with my end result. That is why I am here though, to figure out my style, learn the process, and become a better player. I have probably bitten off more then I can chew. I have been playing guitar for just a few years, but my cowboy chords are all I really know at this point. I can make up a rinkydink bassline when I need to, I can stumble around on a piano, I can keep a steady beat on a drum set , and I know how to plug my instruments and mics into my Presonus fire studio and hit record in Logic. Thats about it. In my head I have all these ideas, but my abilities are lacking at the moment. SO when I record I am in a constant state of frustration. I mean don't get me wrong its highly enjoyable, I wouldnt do it if it wasn't. I just wish I could make what I heard in my head. Anyway, I am now 3 songs into my songwriting/recording adventure, and so far its a good start. Nowhere to go but halfway to the top now !! Peace Lads and lasses

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy and the psychotics down for the kill. You got a quirkiness that I dig, and the vocalist of the female persuasion is really growing on me. I am hearing crackle somewhere, but it might just be me. I like the low "cash'esque" voice. Vocals are balanced really nice on the mix. I find thats what really distinguishes the pros from the novice. I have such issues with my vocals when it comes to EQing and mixing. But I digress. This was a really good tune. It kept me interested. There was a lot going on, but it was all organized and nothing was really distracting or overpowering. Nice job, but not nice enough.PILE DRIVER!!! Thats gonna leave a mark.

Billys Little Trip feat. Paco Del Stinko digging it right away. Great sounding vocals. whats that sound that comes in at the 1:18 mark. I like that "pad" sounds cool. I always Envy people who can write lyrics. They are always the last thing I do. Oh great pick up and solo. This is a solid song. Not enough to crack the top 3 in my books unfortunately.

First off, I too love the reviews. I do read them all even if I don't respond. Sometimes I only have the time to just pass through here. So I don't always get reviews written, but I do listen to all of the songs every week and form opinions and think of things I'd like to point out or ask if I can get to reviews. Anyway, thank you and the others for making the time to review.

@BatP. You were hearing a crackle. I sent this song in the morning it was due and there are a ton of editing issues that I'd of liked to adjust. But this was a strange piece for us. We've been experimenting. After it was sent in I came to the conclusion that I was subliminally channeling the HR Puff & Stuff theme song emotion, lol. Yeah, it's weird, but fun.

@BLT. That pad is my guitar feedback that instead of editing out, I embraced it and ran it through GlaceVerb, delay, etc, for some fun, then dropped it way back in the mix. I like doing that. Sometimes I'll just do a guitar harmonic progression and do the same thing. It always delights my senses.