All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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Pigfarmer Jr
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All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Just kidding. We could use some more.
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Spud
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Spud »

OK, I am all ready to post the songs, but I have problem. Two pieces of art have been submitted, both of which are blatant copyright violations. I mean, when I drag the submitted art into Google Image Search (yes, people, I actually do that), original art pops up that is not by the submitting artists. Sorry, that's my basic test. I figure if you modify it enough to fool Google, it's fair game, but otherwise, I am going to have to pass. Anybody else wanna give it a go?

SPUD
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wadewalbrun
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by wadewalbrun »

I figured there was no commercial gain in this venture (you know, personal usage only rules apply) and so ANYTHING was fair game. I can give it another shot now that I know your hurdle.

Later Edit: After doing alittle reading on the subject, I see that using the image on the web is basically considered publishing. Yet, SongFight's usage of the image is not considered integral to the basic design of the website, and could even possibly be argued to be of "personal use', considering the nature of this site, and thus exempt, but it's probably best to play it safe. Still, a little altering of the image WOULD make it fair game for SongFight usage.
Last edited by wadewalbrun on Tue Aug 12, 2014 8:54 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Scrotean Hydra
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Scrotean Hydra »

Spud wrote: Anybody else wanna give it a go?
I'd like to submit some art! When would you need it by? I can do 3pm Eastern Standard time.
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by fluffy »

wadewalbrun wrote:I figured there was no commercial gain in this venture (you know, personal usage only rules apply) and so ANYTHING was fair game. I can give it another shot now that I know your hurdle.

Later Edit: After doing alittle reading on the subject, I see that using the image on the web is basically considered publishing. Yet, SongFight's usage of the image is not considered integral to the basic design of the website, and could even possibly be argued to be of "personal use', considering the nature of this site, and thus exempt, but it's probably best to play it safe. Still, a little altering of the image WOULD make it fair game for SongFight usage.
It's not a matter of commercial/personal use so much as credit and basic decency. Personal use of a stolen, uncredited work is still a stolen, uncredited work.

If an item is released under a creative commons license you still have to abide by the license. If an item is not released under a creative commons license then you still have to abide by the default license, which happens to be standard copyright.

The fair use doctrine only applies to situations where you're parodying or commenting on the original element(s), and that still implies that you are providing attribution, at the very least.

There is no default copyright exemption for "personal use."
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Billy's Little Trip »

Oh damn, I had le good idea for this art. I got le busy and couldn't le make anything. le sigh
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Kip Lightning
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Kip Lightning »

I missed this week and Melvin returns. Bummer
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by glennny »

Melvin is back! I love the song man! So good to hear new stuff from you!

Big Crouton! The song is excellent, but the 25 second intro is sublime! More shredding acoustic! Hopefully with more bpm too ;) it's a fantastic sounding recording too!
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wadewalbrun
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by wadewalbrun »

Paco - I love the chainsaw-like guitar solo!! Just awesome!
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chocolatechips
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by chocolatechips »

I'm not in this one but since I never got around to reviewing the last time (the new fight was up... ) here I go ...

trying out the +,-,= thing this time around! with smileys/votes to my four favorites

Andy O

- sounds like a sketch/demo rather than a completed idea

Berkeley Social Scene

+ nice vocals, fit the style well ...
+ great mix that's both very clear and very warm/rock

Besquick

- drums sound out of time during the verse which is a bit distracting.
+ has a cool '90s alternative rock feel to it that works pretty well (particularly during the chorus.)
- could be a bit shorter I think ...
- vocals could be stronger.

Big Crouton

+ very cool intro... although I'm not sure it's necessary
+ I like the strings.
= overall this is very close to being something I like a lot but it's not quite in my wheelhouse (at its best it reminds me of Beck doing something from Sea Change or Morning Phase ... but there are parts of it that remind me too much of STP - or something along those lines - I imagine you may quite like that kind of heavier alternative rock type thing ... so uh.. yeah, do your thing, ... ... how much more can I add in parenthesis?)
+ it's really well done. great mix. great performance. seems like a possible winner.

Burnzi

+ the guitar playing is tasteful.
- the song sort of drags, the lack of a solid drum track is probably a big part of that. to get away with this kind of (lack of) drums I think you'd need either very rhythmic acoustic guitars and/or a melody + voice that really carries it and that's not happening here.
- lofi sound.
= there's some nice stuff going on melodically/lyrically although it never manages to really grab me.

Brown Word ...

+ drum & bass are pretty sweet. but maybe the drums could be mixed a bit higher. I really like the initial sound of the drums and synth ...
+ weird/experimental is up my alley. I'm finding it an enjoyable listen.
- I think it could be cleaner mix wise ... which I think would actually make the weirdness come through more (rather than sort of getting lost in the mix in places...)
- it goes to some neat places ... but maybe a bit too long for this kind - could be trying on the patience of most listeners.

Fish Sausage

+ Reminds me of Boards of Canada (I'm a fan.)

GUNS

+ Lots of impressive stuff going on musically.
= I like it but it's not grabbing me.
- Not sure about the autotune ... maybe it would work better if done more subtly? (I know ... me talking about subtle vocal fx... that really takes the cake, eh?)

Inflatable Vegetables

+ quirky good times.
+ your lofi sounds on purpose and that can work (see Neon Indian)
+ great lyrics. made me giggle.
- maybe a bit slight ... not sure how it would hold up on repeated listens (but I'm digging it right now.)

The John Benjamin Band :mrgreen: VOTE.

+ super clean/clear mix/production.
+ great acoustics (both performance & recording/mix wise.)
+ I like the vocals and the harmonies.
+ maybe the catchiest song I've heard this time around?
- not a huge fan of the guitar solo tone (at least not in the context of the rest of the song.)

Klownhole

- too long
+ drums sound pretty good.

Melvin :mrgreen: VOTE.

= beginning piano sounds like "Someone Like You" by Adele (sample? or just a similar piano bit?)
+ the arrangement is really pulling me into the song. nice layering. some great little touches in the mix/production.
+ probably my favorite of the fight. an enjoyable song I can imagine digging outside of the SongFight world.

Moonshine Lullabies

= alright, but not too exciting for me at the moment. seems a bit like a cookie cutter tune.

Nick M. Soma :mrgreen: VOTE.

= bit of Billy Joe Armstrong in your vocals ... I'm not a huge Green Day fan but still, I don't think that's a bad thing. Solid vocals - clear in the mix.
+ I really like the melody of the verse. That's probably getting you a vote.
+ This is in a battle with Melvin's track for my favorite. Understated but just really well executed.

Paco Del Stinko :mrgreen: VOTE.

+ I dig the vocal fx
+ Very much into the spaciness of your mix/arrangement this time around as your songs can sometimes be a bit too claustrophobic for me. The atmosphere of this one is really cool.
+ I was on the fence of whether this or Big Crouton was getting my 4th vote but you sealed the deal with that guitar solo, great face melting tone.

TC Elliott

- lacks energy
- doesn't stand out from the crowd

Scrotean ...

= a bit like listening to a song on my neighbor's radio ... what I can make out of it is pretty cool.

SoFa Productions

- the drums & bass are a bit midi-tastic ... which I suppose is a part of the style but what I mean I think is that the bass sound could be better... or more exciting. The song as a whole lacks energy.
+ I like the little instrumental ending although it seems to fade out kind of suddenly.
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mico saudad
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by mico saudad »

Reviews-ho

Andy-O: A bit of the Stones and Tom Petty mixed together. The bridge didn't quite come together for me, so I'd focus on that if I were you, but the lyrics were pretty decent!

Besquick: I really like the progression so far, 0:50 there's a lot of potential for build here which you seem to be arcing towards, 1:00 this is good though it's not quite perfect and I don't know why, maybe the eighth note cymbal might be slightly off time?, 2:00 the drumming in general could be tighter. The lyrics don't blow me away, and the production and performance are at times distracting but musically this a pretty good song.

Big Crouton: Jesus f-ing Hotpants Christy this beginning is fantabulous. Great rich voice. Laid back with a lot of latent energy. The song itself is pretty simple, but effective and moody. The build up to the solo at 2:50 is well-done, and the solo itself is ridiculously well-executed but probably a bit vanilla for the mood. Compare the nature and feel of the opening solo with this and the second solo feels relatively empty. But that's all I've got for suggestions; the production, performance and composition were otherwise just absolutely top notch.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: Funky-town. Some creative sound choices here. I really like the ricky ticky ticky town parts of this, but want the actual voicing of it to be richer somehow. Also some of the sounds lose their effect with repetition. I'm not huge into this sort of composition so I'm probably not your target for this. I like the compositional thoughts behind this but the actual instrumentation didn't work in critical ways for me.

Burnzi: Lu lu lu lu love is all I ever wanted. This feels like a song that would be on the soundtrack of an overdramatic Chinese tweeny soap opera as the guy in a bright Miami Vice wife-beater is staring at the sunset as he cries over the grave of his girlfriend who recently died of cancer.

Fish Sausage: Mello, though a bit too uniform throughout for my tastes. The 15 second scan test revealed no variety in voicing.

G.U.N.S: The technical complexity here is really enjoyable, though it often feels like a collection of very interesting moments rather than a coherent whole. I really enjoy the creativeness of the guitar solo.

Inflatable Vegetables: Joke song!

The John Benjamin Band: If someone handed me this track and asked me who was singing I would be able to tell them without a doubt at 0:14, and if they asked who wrote the song I would be able to tell them without a doubt at 0:22. The tone feels a bit too 'bright' and I want some of the edge off. Maybe it just needs some low-end to balance your voice which is up there? Your harmonies always rock. I particularly like the phrasing of 'you know they always will be". The lyrics here don't quite paint the image as masterfully as so many of your songs do for me. But this is enjoyable as always.

Klownhole: Hi Klownhole!

Melvin: Welcome back! Not a huge fan of the 'walk walk walk' echo at 0:42 (again at 1:27 and again at 2:38). Doesn't add anything for me, btu I can see how something there could be useful, but definitely a adifferent sound. Starting to enjoy this at 0:57. Love the feel at 1:42. 3:30 this is really well constructed! Oh god and then you killed it for me with another wok wok wok. Next time I see you I'm going to give you a gorgeous cake and then punch you in the face.

The Moonshine Lullabies: Classic blues. Classic lyrics too. Enjoyable. Actually through the various versus, the lyrics wander a bit more than the standard blues song. I'dve preferred them to stick with smoking as all he ever needed, rather than go into the love aspect, except if his girl is angry or left him because he's smoking all the time.

Nick Soma: Pretty decent, but nothing really occurs to me to say about it, sorry!

Paco del Stinko: Crappy relationships suck!

Pigfarmer Jr.: Maybe I'm getting mentally done with writing reviews but the last couple songs haven't really wowed me. It's hard to compete with Big Crouton, those lobbyists are always ruining everything for the rest of us.

Scrotean Hydra: Way too soft and uniform even when cranked up.

SoFa Productions Inc: 0:10 ok this has my interest so far! 0:30 still interested. 0:52 like the lyrics! 1:00 - 1:14 this part was a bit of a letdown honestly. I felt like we were building to something interesting and it ended up being a little underwhleming. I like the German at 1:50, but continuing it past 2:10 is a bit excessive and disjointing with the English parts.
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Treachjuris »

After the first few runs through, Melvin and Besquick are the real contenders, and in the spirit of the new title, I'll express a dislike for Scrote and Fish as being generally commercially unviable. During end credits of a film, sure, but I just couldn't hear this on the radio, so I'll be more dismissive in full reviews this weekend.
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Toby Roktot
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Toby Roktot »

Good Evening.....
sitting in a hotel in atlanta, missed the flight to guatemala city, sooo, have to go in the morning. i'll eventually end up at lake atitlan for a series of shows....subbing for somebody ...whatever..

I have the chance to listen to the songs and DAMN !!! most are ab-so-lute-ly brilliant !!!
andy-o - yes beck but you kill it
berk ss - yes, very nice
besquick - top 40
bigcrou - you had me from the beginning....then you went all jim morrison...brilliant !!
burnzi - lalalalalala la love it
guns - the police have arrived
inflatable - kinda talking heads...i listened to them alot b-fore everyone else heard 'em. this coulda been one from cbgb's
john ben band - sweet harmonies
nickso - i like this - a lot
paco - i see smoke, light show, screaming teens....and you walking out the backstage exit to your private jet....going to the next show....
sofapro - could be a john lennon song from the dakota days....

i don't know much about mix, pan, eq, stuff...but i know what i like to listen to....the above are on my playlist....thx alot !!
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Heine
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Heine »

A lot of raw gems in here. - And this is what it feels to me…

Andy-O - Laid back feeling. Drums could be more present. Oh… only that short?!? Would like to hear the full song.

Berkeley Social Scene - I really like this warm rehearsal room demo sound. Cool bass lick this time, very good work together along with the drummer. Nice vocal harmonies. A real good song. (But I guess the part I like most is the bridge to the chorus.)

Besquick - The stumbling bass drum is a bit annoying. Besides, this a very fine song. I love the simple chord structure that grows and grows with the use of a dynamic arrangement. A chorus to remember. Great! (Although I am the last who should criticize: The vocals could be a bit more self-confident.)

Big Crouton - Cool intro. Very atmospheric sound. A good song itself. A guitar solo that couldn't be better. Your voice reminds me of a band called "Fury in the slaughterhouse". Maybe too much compression/limiting at the end.

Brown Word and the Big Whine - Fine production. Great. Maybe I need some more run-throughs to get what you ever needed.

Burnzi - Is it the flanger or kind of digital distortion? Sorry, but it distracts me from this really nice tune.

Fish Sausage - Lounge music? A bit boring to me, too many repetitions. (You also did the beautiful Scrotean Hydra song? But Fish Sausage has a far better mix.)

G.U.N.S. - Very cool guitar work. So many different ideas! I really like all the progressive elements and the piano at the end. This sketch is very fine - but what great would this one be recorded with some professional help?

inflatable vegetables - Rough sound - but in a lovely way. Nice song. I really like the wah-wah guitar.

Jeebus Jones - Mono! Some fine country tune. Solid. (I just got more into country music while I was completing my Acetone collection these days. Too bad, this band never really made it.)

Klownhole - As a big fan of old German Kraut-Music this one puts a big smile on my face. :D Fantastic two minute long intro with great chord changes. A slow halting groove. Vocal treatments close to Neu! I even hear some Amon Duul in there. This one's got attitude.

Melvin - The piano intro sounds a bit too familiar to me. This song just seems to float along. Substantially built.

Moonshine Lullabies - Mono, again! Nice vibe! I like that.

Nick Soma - A very very fine song. I simply love the harmonies. But the digital distortion ruins it. Such a pity.

Psychedelico del Stinko - Tremolo vocals. Although there's no organ the vibe feels like a Doors song to me - or more like Jefferson Airplane? I don't know what it is, but it's great. Slow and torturing. Great chainsaw tube fuzz solo. (Burnzi is right!) Excellent drumming with perfect breaks.

Pigfarmer Jr - First: All the instruments sound really tasteful. (Sometimes the drums lack precision, but never mind…) Second: Charming harmonies. Third: Maybe it's kitsch; maybe call me sentimental, but those lyrics went straight to my heart. Great song. Maybe my favorite one this fight.

Scrotean Hydra - What happened to the mix? Why do you hide this beautiful gem behind this quietness? One of the best tunes this fight one can hardly hear. A shame! Is it possible to post a better mix? (But anyway you'll get my vote.)

SoFa Productions Inc. - Me and my son, again. He did all the programing. I always wanted to do a bilingual song. It's nearly a word by word translation. But it seems to be kind of a stub without a real chorus - one of those last minute songs. Singing about my first trauma: all alone in a hospital as a child. Nevertheless: When I heard this tune the day after submitting I had to laugh: Isn't there a minor tune laid upon a major chord? Somehow strange this time…

The John Benjamin Band - Instruments and vocals sound really clear. The electric guitar solo sound doesn't seem to fit; maybe it should be an acoustic solo? Great harmonies.
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noma
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by noma »

chocolatechips wrote:Nick M. Soma :mrgreen: VOTE.

= bit of Billy Joe Armstrong in your vocals ... I'm not a huge Green Day fan but still, I don't think that's a bad thing. Solid vocals - clear in the mix.
Yeah, I know, I sound like him all the time, even if I don't try to :D thanks for your vote!
Heine wrote:Nick Soma - A very very fine song. I simply love the harmonies. But the digital distortion ruins it. Such a pity.
Thanks! I agree, the bad quality MP3 kind of ruins the song. That was not done on purpose, of course. Here is a better quality MP3:
all i ever needed.mp3
(6.91 MiB) Downloaded 253 times
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Pigfarmer Jr
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Heine wrote: Pigfarmer Jr - First: All the instruments sound really tasteful. (Sometimes the drums lack precision, but never mind…) Second: Charming harmonies. Third: Maybe it's kitsch; maybe call me sentimental, but those lyrics went straight to my heart. Great song. Maybe my favorite one this fight.
Wow. Thanks.
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hillbilly

Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by hillbilly »

pigfarmer------what he said.
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Heine
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Heine »

noma wrote:
Heine wrote:Nick Soma - A very very fine song. I simply love the harmonies. But the digital distortion ruins it. Such a pity.
Thanks! I agree, the bad quality MP3 kind of ruins the song. That was not done on purpose, of course. Here is a better quality MP3:
all i ever needed.mp3
Yes! This one sounds great. As it should be! Thank you for sharing it.
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Paco Del Stinko
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by Paco Del Stinko »

Thanks for the reviews so far, peoples. Keep'em coming! I'll get mine done after the weekend.
Bringin' the stink since 2006.
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jb
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Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by jb »

A few reviews, listened to on my Macbook speakers.

Big Crouton: I like the opening acoustic stuff (might be a bit too long). Well-produced, reminds me of Stone Temple Pilots or something. Not my personal speed, but I think someone who likes STP might like this. I think your non-screamy vocals might need more polish in order to sound as pro as your screamy vocals.

Paco Del Stinko: I think the vocal effect could've been reserved for bits of the song rather than overlaid the whole vocal track. Gets on my nerves after a while. Man, that guitar solo sounds like a weed-whacker. I kinda love it. Reminds me of a Roymond song.

Nick Soma: Nicely plucked, and nicely recorded, and I like the judicious jingle and shake. I think the vocal melody adheres to the chords too closely, and I think the words need to be more evocative and picturesque. I didn't really hear a hook, and I think it needs one.

Moonshine Lullabies: Listening on my laptop speakers, maybe the main guitar could be a little further back in the mix. I would've been tempted to put some record scratch or something over this. Or record it live on a front porch next to a highway. It needs a little more interest coming from somewhere-- either the lyrics need a hook or twist to them, or that banjo (was it a real banjo?) solo needs to be cooler, or you need it to sound like a relic from 19dickety2.

G.U.N.S.: This is what autotune overkill sounds like IMO. Glennny were you involved in this? It has that kind of complexity thing that you like. Lots of parts tacked to each other. I don't think this turned out great, sorry.

Scrotean Hydra: Waaaaay too soft. I didn't get very far into this one, sorry.

Pigfarmer Jr: Well-recorded. I think you need to pay more attention to your vocals in the mixing process. You're just a little sharp on a regular basis. Maybe some doubling, or chorus or something to help them feel more polished? Or more takes? I dunno. Don't do what G.U.N.S. did though. Lyrically, man, phew, if this is autobiographically you have my sympathies.

SoFa Productions: I like the high synth hook. I like how you drop everything but the bass and drums on the verses. I like atmosphere and such. I think you could have done something in sections on the vocals-- a part with lots of reverb or something so if I was blasting this around the house it really would feel like a space-scape.

Berkely Social Scene: Sean singing is a great idea. I'd like to hear the vocals be *performed* more. I know how you guys make these recordings, so I know it's like take one or two and that's it. Gonna quibble with the lyrics in that first verse man, awkward. I like the bass and guitars and the chord progression. Very clean and interesting arrangement. I love the "a little girl with the radio dial is crying" section.

Burnzi: I think this would benefit by NOT having that phase effect on the guitar. When the bass comes in it's a bit overwhelming and your mix fails you. I like the singing, and I think everything needs to be reduced to bring the vox forward.

Jeebus Jones: The vocals are frequently out of tune, and not in a way that adds character. Often you're sharp on a note that ends a phrase, so it stuck with me. The guitar is nicely played and recorded. I think you'd benefit from finding a chord that is different from the standard progression you're using, to make it stand out from other songs of this type. My wife, who is more of an old-school country fan than I, said she really liked this song.

Andy-O: I switched to my bedroom speakers a couple songs ago, and I like the bass in your recording. Not sure the a-tonal vocal style is working for you here. And then after the verse the arrangement gets hella messy. Blessedly short.

Besquick: Down-strokes! I like the intro, the guitar melody on top is nice. Awful lot of intro after it though that is just downstrokes... and the lead vocal when it comes in are underwhelming. Yeah, all the vocals are underwhelming. Man, you shouldn't have all this intense downstroking without vocals on top that match the intensity.

Melvin: The Adele sample (if it's a sample and not just those two familiar chords) works well here, and I like the melodies a lot. Nice to hear your strong pop sensibility again. This one might be a bit long. I like it when the bass and such gets more active around 3:05. I wish a guitar would come in, or it would get really grand at some point. It's a bit samey-samey the whole way through.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: Inoffensive doodling. I could do housework to this. I like the noises and such in the background. The coughing (or is that a sneeze?) was amusing.

Klownhole: My wife who is in bed with a cold said "DONE. NUH UH. FUCK THAT." So I didn't really get to hear much of this. It sounded pretty klownholey.

inflatable vegetables: Kind of a like a live recording of one of those three hundred Phish songs I don't like.

Fish Sausage: I've never figured out a way to appreciate music like this. Maybe it would be good for a road trip or something. Kind of reminds me of two people doodling on keyboards and a midi pad at Guitar Center and not knowing when to stop.

The John Benjamin Band: Thought this came out nicely. I agree with the sentiment that it could do with some bass. I am not terribly good at arranging. Takes me a long time, which I didn't have for this entry, alas.

Nice work to many of the fighters in this fight!
blippity blop ya don’t stop heyyyyyyyyy
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wadewalbrun
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:40 pm
Instruments: Guitar
Recording Method: Mixcraft, M Audio M track, hope and a prayer
Submitting as: Burnzi
Location: Rhode Island

Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by wadewalbrun »

jb - Many thanks for the review!
Regarding the phase effect - I double-checked all my settings and there is no phase effect anywhere on that song, BUT I did have a stereo widener effect on. That was the culprit! Important lesson learned!
It's in the hole! It's in the hole!!
melvin
Push Comes to Shove
Posts: 409
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2005 7:32 pm

Re: All The Reviews I Ever Needed

Post by melvin »

Nick Soma: Cool last name. Lovely voice. Nice recording. This is a pleasing little track, but would be even better with a slightly looser performance.

Moonshine Lullabies: Now this is loose and toe-tappin’ in a really great way. Terrific performances and the recording sounds like some folks jamming in a room, which is exactly what it should sound like. Nice work.

Besquick: OK, I’m hooked by the second bar. Something about the timing/groove starts to feel a bit off in the first verse though. I think it’s the kick drum not gelling with the guitar. Anyway, the chorus comes along and saves it. Good stuff! Really catchy. Whoa, more wonky groove and a couple of bum notes in the bridge/solo. But hey, I like your vibe.

Andy-O: Feels more like a song fragment than a whole song. I like the vocal delivery, but I don’t think this is a fully-formed idea.

SoFa: I’m having a hard time knowing how to respond to this. It’s definitely well-crafted, but it just doesn’t appeal to me. Kind of sucks when this happens because I don’t want to hate, so I’ll have to say “good job, but not for me.”

Inflatable Vegetables: This has a lot of charm! The backing track is really catchy and the lyrics are pretty hilarious. Solo is totally legit too. Awesome track.

Fish Sausage: You have just about the most unappetizing band name I’ve ever heard. At first I thought it was taking forever for this track to get going, but after about four minutes, I realized it was never going to go anywhere much.

Burnzi: This seems earnest, and I’m definitely one to lay on the cheese sometimes, but I’m just hearing too many clichés strung together here.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: This is interesting. The human sounds are really neat. Gives it an awesome organic feel. Keeps going into new territories so it stays interesting the whole time. This is not my usual thing, but you just entertained me. Thanks!

G.U.N.S.: Awesome name. This really pulled me in. Lots of melodic interest. Is Glennny in this band? It’s got that prog-ish thing going on and it really sounds like him on guitar. This is really good. It meanders a bit, but there are still hooks in there, and I have a feeling it’s the kind of song that will get hookier with repeated listens.

The John Benjamin Band: Wow, amazing chops! Gorgeous vocals and slick songwriting. Seriously smart lyrics. Not that much more to say. No flaws, no fat. This is impressive.

BSS: Super-catchy from the start. Really good tune! Some great vocal moments here—love the changes in tone and delivery throughout. Funny after the G.U.N.S. review to hear a Glennny track that is so straight-ahead and downright sugary. No complaints. Great stuff.

Scrotean Hydra: 1960s trippy atmospheric thing leaves me feeling fairly indifferent.

Big Crouton: Holy crap! I would love to be able to play guitar like this. I’d probably become a busker just to show off to everyone on the street. Incredible production. This is solid in every way, but it ultimately lacks the X factor – humor, or agony, or aggression—that makes me really dig a song.

Paco De Stinko: Well, well, it is great to be back in a fight with you, my friend! Impeccable musicianship as always. Tremelo on the vocal track—that’s a new one. I can’t explain why, but it makes me feel like I’m watching a band of puppets perform the track. Not necessarily in a bad way.

Pig Farmer Jr: These lyrics are like the ultimate in removing all artifice and just plainly stating your pain. Ouch. This hurts to listen to. Musically, the only two cents I’d add is the song could end at 1:57 and possibly be even more poignant.

Jeebus Jones: I like this. I like the vocal delivery and the playing. I always produce the crap out of everything, partly to cover my weaknesses, and I often appreciate people who can make a raw performance sound this good.

Klownhole: I often enjoy the heavy, sludgy sledgehammer that is Klownhole. This is pretty cool. I am feeling inspired by heavier sounds lately. Nice.

Melvin: Yes, that is an Adele sample. That’s how the whole song started. Adele somehow got into my iTunes, the song randomly started playing, I thought, “hey, I should sample that piano bit,” I fired up Logic, and the rest is history. I had another entry THIS CLOSE to being ready for the next fight, but it seems I’ve missed the deadline. Dang!

Thanks to all those who reviewed, and kudos to those who submitted good stuff!!
hi!
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