W.A.I.L. I.A.A.C.
First half of reviews:
AA - this is a perfect example of the mix letting the song down. the uke riff just isn't interesting enough in itself to hold its place so far front. The vocals sound like they're sung in the background. I can just about make them out on occasion. I love the 'wo-ohs', but they have no energy under that compression/reverb/position in the stereo field. The uke solo is nice, but the flanging (caused by nr?) is interesting but not when everything else isn't shiny clean and well recorded. I don't care about mixes generally, but this one causes the song to suffer and that's a massive shame, as it feels much longer than it actually is.
BL - I love the bass-line, tone and lollop and all. It does feel a bit BL-by-numbers, but there's nowt wrong with that, as such. Nice use of the challenge. The synth is unflatteringly omnipresent, becomes tiresome after a while. I like the 'ooh oohs' but not the earthier chorus/bridge bits. Overall it feels like an extended start to a song that never begins, but for what it is, it's good.
BYF - I like the synth. Actually musically it's pretty pleasant. The vocals aren't so easy on the ear. And the lyric leaves me completely cold. Not even a sneer ripples my lips. Not bad, not particularly memorable.
CBJ - Nice bouncy bassline and the song leaks the fun spent making it, which is always good to hear. I vary on whether I like your vocal style from one song of yours I hear to another. Just personal taste. I don't love it here but the music and the lyric make up for that. I love as always that it feels like three different musical styles colliding in your arrangements but it works so well. This grows on me more and more as the song progresses.
CD - Suitable pomp. Nice vocal tracking. It's an interesting take on the challenge in the lyric, for sure - not sure it sits very comfortably with me, tbh. Fr'instance - "The shadows ... only exist because they’re cast" - no shit, sherlock
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
"I approached the one they call "the sun" ... furled his brow and asked "what's a shadow"?" Ugh. And then you reveal the emptiness of the whole thing with the other band referencing... Anyway, I digress. This is fine and well done.
DJRD - This is the sort of thing that walks the interestingly eccentric / annoying wackly line, depending on personal taste. It's catchy and fun. In terms of humour, you could have stopped after the second line. That had the most impact. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't rush to listen again, mainly cos it sounds to me rightly or wrongly that you're trying too hard to be quirky. Sorry about that.
DuToVa - Well, I rather liked that. The wavering vocal didn't bother me much. I liked the organ, synth and especially wriggling bass very much. I didn't catch much of the words, but the music is strong enough that it doesn't matter too much.
FBF - Loving the "surf guitar", the fuck-around attitude that you carry off. I think the echo/delay/reverb/whatever on the vocal is too strong, it smothers the funkiness of the song a little. And I would have brought the high vocals in earlier. The lyric is dumb bravura and camp as Christmas round my house, which I like as well. Also the clever use of repetition. Do people actually say "Look out, his roof's come off"'? 'Blown his top', I've heard. Unless he's really angry because his house has been hit by a hurricane ...
IVeg - Really lovely track, could listen to it over and over again except for the nasal tone of the vocal comes as a bit of a shock first and second time around. Maybe it's its place in the mix, but it's a bit sludgy for the cleanness of the mix - or maybe you could try re-writing it in a different key that would make you sing a little higher? Dunno, I like it, just find the contrast between vocal and music a little jarring. Yeah, I know I'm repeating myself. that's how strongly I feel, clearly! Oh yeah, the bridge is a bit wobbly, vocally.
Ken - No great surprises here (except your vocal sounds better than ever, or at least since the last time I heard it anyway) - but this is great. Simple, knows what it sets out to do, and doesn't f*ck around getting there. Good work, sir.
Manhattan - There's some good and some pretty awful rhymes in here. Despite that I really, really like the melody and music of the verses especially. The chorus too (though the guitar tone is a bit clean to just turn up loud, if that makes any sense? if you want to grind that baby, do so) - the solo is a little redundant. Overall, a good round zero entry. Nothing to rock the minds of the unfans but you done well what you do well.
Michael J Samuels - Some sweet melody action in here. There are moments when the song appears to launch into full yacht-rock territory, so I'm glad for once it's only G&G. Nice song. Much too long for what it is, but pleasing to the ear.
Mr. Miaow - If only the challenge had been 'impersonate a chorus of cats'! Nothing else to say except it neither delights or annoys me. My review is a shrug.
Rest to follow if I don't die of crushing boredom listening to another ten songs featuring 'Edge / Ledge' rhymes. Bonus win-points if anyone has got the phrase 'Pissing on your hedge' in there instead.