Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

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Lunkhead
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Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

Songs posted.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by ken »

Berkeley Social Scene - We tried to break out of our box, but ended up pretty much back in the usual place.

Hot Life - I like the glitchy drums and saxophone. The vocals didn't quite fit with the music, they seem a little forced in comparison to the smooth music. You've got a nice voice though. Sounds a bit like John Benjamin! There are some good orchestration elements that I'm enjoying.

Midnight Yacht Club - I liked the noisy intro before the light bouncy song. Nice usage of the optional challenge in the lyrics. Cute song. Cute lyrics.

Paco del Stinko - Another quality song from PdS! Great dynamics in your arrangement. Catchy chorus, great playing, and overall solid entry.

Pigfarmer Jr - I like that you made this title into an Xmas song, a totally rockin' Xmas song! Nice outro.

Somebody Named Seth - Not sure about the meta lyrics of this song. I like the guitar riff and the spoken word on top of it. I don't mind the timing being a little off, but definitely notice it.

Third Cat - Great electric guitar playing and tone. I like the atmosphere of this track. Sometimes, less is more.

Tim Hinkle - Your voice sounds really good on the chorus. I'm not sure about the verse arrangement. It is a little weird for my taste. The chorus is nice and poppy, so I like that part better.

Vom Vorton - There might be just a touch too much reverb on the vocals for my taste. I like the guitar tone and part. Otherwise, didn't really grab me.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Berkeley Social Scene- This gives me a "Melt With You" Modern English feel right from the start in the vocal and bass line. I think it's the delivery more than anything. I do like it (the vocal delivery.) And I like the drum beat but it's pretty monotonous after a while. I like the instrumental break. I mentioned the bass... it's a good line but maybe could be a bit clearer in the mix. I struggle with that a lot in my mixes so maybe it's something I've trained myself to hear more than a real problem? Regardless, I enjoyed listening.

Hot Life- Vox tracks are a bit loud to my ears.... or they don't quite fit in the mix. I like the 80's synth feel in the melody (of all things.) The various vox tracks need to be tighter to work for me. (Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm being a hypocrite here.)

Midnight Yacht Club- I liked the intro.. that was cool. The boppy bounce in the music was cool at first but it wore thin before too long. Can't say it doesn't fit the lyric, though. I like the melody and the vocal grew on me as I listened.

Paco del Stinko- An almost White Album Beatles-esque intro and music. Purely Paco vocal, though, eh? While I like the melody well enough, I like the music more than the vocal delivery. But I think this is a fun track to listen to. I take it back, you have a bit of the holy modal rounders in the vocal delivery and I kinda of like it with more listens. Yeah, this is fun.

Pigfarmer Jr- (me) I could easily make this longer but I'm not sure I could add anything of substance so I didn't. If I hadn't started so late I would have tweaked the mix after letting it rest a day. Alas...

Somebody Named Seth- I don't typically like meta but this has enough "You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club"-ness that I don't mind. In fact... I like it.

Third Cat- I like the guitar a lot. The repeating kick is a nice rhythmic element that works well. Musically it's a win. I'm not a huge fan on the lyric or vocal, although I think they work well enough for the fight. Solid, but not spectacular.

Tim Hinkle- Great chorus. Even the falsetto works well. I like the music of the verses but the whiny synth thingy wasn't my cup of tea. Good song, I thought, but not quite sure how much I like it yet.

Vom Vorton- Do you mind if I put this on my list of go to murder ballads? I'm not 100% how much I like it, but I do like it. I think the vocal effect works but maybe isn't quite tweaked to perfection. Otherwise, I liked the guitars, the rhythm, the synth elements and while I didn't latch onto the lyric right away, I certain enjoyed them in context. (I have to admit, though, I was looking forward to hearing this after reading them.)
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by vowlvom »

Berkeley Social Scene - this is my favourite BSS song for a while. The slightly unusual drum rhythm left me feeling like it was in a strange time signature the first time I listened, but then I realised that it isn't... which isn't a positive or negative, I'm just rambling here. I love the twinkly guitar harmonics (?) and while I wouldn't have thought to make the "Melt With You" comparison myself, this definitely has some of that same beguiling melancholy to it and helps to explain why I like this as much as I do. Extra points for being one of the few submissions to actually make this title seem almost appealing, also (it is the worst title). Vote.

Hot Life - you really have your own sound, and I admire that! That said, I found this to outstay its welcome a little, and the gang vocals get a bit exhausting after a while.

Midnight Yacht Club - really like this one, it could maybe use a change-up at some point but there's a jangly bounciness to it that I really like and yeah, that noisy intro is surprisingly effective. As per BSS, points for making this title actually work. Vote.

Paco del Stinko - solidly enjoyable with a good chorus, but lacking the spark to push this into top-tier PdS for me. The muffled vocals in the first verse are a bit off-putting but it gets better from there on.

Pigfarmer Jr - the least memorable PiJu song for a while, IMO. Which, again, I can probably just blame on the title. If the distorted guitars had a bit more punch to them then this would work a lot better I think. I do like the verse / chorus / end structure though, I'm glad you kept it concise and fun.

Somebody Named Seth - there's a few things about this that I feel like I should hate, especially the hyper-specific meta lyrics, but for some reason I really like it instead!? Although after three or four listens I think I've probably got everything from it that I ever could. The lyrics are excellently wordy and I like the performance a lot, and it will be getting a vote.

Third Cat - really gorgeous to listen to, this one. There's something about the synth pads that makes me feel nostalgic for another song or possibly even genre but I can't quite place what it is. Excellent guitar playing too, and I like that the guitar line occasionally syncs up with the vocal melody. Short running time leaves me wanting more, definite vote.

Tim Hinkle - like Hot Life, I admire the weirdness of this one more than I actually enjoy listening to it. The clattering drums in particular are cool (and listening in the car, weirdly sound like some of the drum sounds are coming from behind me!?), although I feel like the shift from the verse to the catchier chorus is a little too abrupt, especially first time around.

Vom Vorton - I had a lyric that I thought was pretty decent (based vaguely on this) but the deadline had already passed and I didn't have much time, so this is the result of a one-hour recording session with a lot of first takes and snap decisions. I didn't realise I would be attempting a different vocal style until the last minute and I probably would have taken a different musical approach otherwise, but I dunno, it's an experiment and not all experiments can be successful.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

vowlvom wrote:
Fri Dec 21, 2018 1:38 am
Pigfarmer Jr - ...I do like the verse / chorus / end structure though..
Technically it's Verse / Chorus / Chorus / End

I finally checked the 'have twice as many choruses as verses' structure off of the odd structures to use list. Although I feel a little cheaty with only the one verse.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by thirdcat »

Pretty fun fight with some unusual songs, maybe it was the optional challenge or the strange title that lead people there.

Pigfarmer Jr: You almost beat me for shortest song, nice. I do appreciate the brevity. Guitar & vocal sound pretty good on the intro/verse. The chorus with the electric guitar and drums was a surprise, pretty cool one. The lyrics are kind of silly (especially mixed with the energy and sound of the chorus) but overall I think this is actually one of my favorite of your songs that I've heard so far. Also kind of makes me want some fresh baked cookies.

Somebody Named Seth: I found this pretty charming for a meta song about writing a song, I mean that's well trodden territory and not something that usually works but I kind of like this. I think it's because it's well performed but there's some nice songwriting in there too. The main guitar riff in the verse is cool and works well repeated and the way it opens up with the strummed guitar in the chorus is really enjoyable. Some cool lyrics/word-play. And your voice works really well for this style guy & guitar thing. Looking forward to hearing the next 19 songs.

Midnight Yacht Club: The choice of instruments for this is pretty interesting. Has a childlike innocence in sound and performance. Bouncy and fun. Very pleasant. A probable vote for this one too.

Berkeley Social Scene: I like the floaty keys, they add a nice bit of atmosphere. Really nice drums. Some cool bass guitar stuff in there too. The solo is pretty interesting/unusual. I mostly quite like this although I'm not sure it's near the very top of BSS tracks I've heard. Still I think it deserves a vote. Good one.

Tim Hinkle: Verses are possibly a bit too haphazard/sloppy. Although there are elements of the verse I really like (vocals sound really cool in places). And the chorus is actually pretty excellent, I like the falsetto bit too. Not 100% sure it really works but it does grab my attention. So yeah I think there are some issues with this one but some stuff I like enough that I think it's a probable vote too.

Hot Life: This is super weird. I mean that as a compliment, I'm pretty sure you're trying to be super weird. If so: Success! I think I may appreciate this more than I like it though. Not sure, may be a grower.

Paco del Stinko: At first I didn't really like this one as I thought it was a bit too chaotic but on multiple listens it has grown on me a lot and I will be voting for it.

Vom Vorton: I was surprised to read you only spent an hour recording this because I thought it was really cool and I was really impressed by the mix/production. Great mix of lo-fi/psychedelic stuff. And I really like the way the vocals are mixed and the way you performed the vocal was really cool too, lots of attitude and I think it worked. And the synth bits were a really nice touch. I think this is actually my favorite Vom Vorton song so far (or one of my favorites) and it is my favorite of this fight.

___

Third Cat: I'm mostly happy with how this one turned out although I had originally conceived of it as an acoustic thing, I think this style worked. I do think I should have let the ending fade out a bit more slowly. It feels abrupt especially considering the kind of track it is.

___

all told; this was a pretty neat weird fight, I'm voting for most of the tracks I think. good stuff everyone.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by Chumpy »

Ho Ho Ho, the Jerks are doing that podcast thing ONCE AGAIN for the The Sugary Goo Inside fight. We also do a quick 4 minute sprint through Ryan's reviews of the They Know fight.

There are a few ways you can listen to it:
Send us feedback at: feedback@twojerksonevote.com.

Here are all the time points:
  • 00:00 Intro song
  • 01:07 Beginning-of-podcast yammering
  • 02:22 Ryan’s They Know quickie reviews
  • 07:05 Berkeley Social Scene
  • 09:43 Hot Life
  • 12:51 Midnight Yacht Club
  • 16:33 Paco del Stinko
  • 18:56 Pigfarmer Jr
  • 21:40 Somebody Named Seth
  • 26:06 Third Cat
  • 28:48 Tim Hinkle
  • 31:27 Vom Vorton
  • 35:17 End-of-podcast yammering
Dig it mang!
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by LibraryDogs »

So I was active on Songfight on and off between 2010 and 2013 posting mostly as "Nobody, et al." It's nice to be back. I've tried a couple times to get back into it and failed miserably. But this time for reals, you guys.
Also nice to see some familiar names again.

BSS - you guys still managed to have a loose bounce and jangle even under some fuzz. I like the chorus, it has a nice feel. Subsequent verses kind of lose energy, but the ending builds ok with the additional voices.

H - kind of an indie 80s vibe. Sparse but also busy somehow. I always like when a downbeat turns out to be a backbeat once the drums come in. Props that this seems to be an in-depth analysis of brain chemistry and how the reaction to sugar is similar to love. Or I'm wrong about that. Either way.

MYC - I like the bouncy feel. Did you put a ring mod on a xylophone for the solo break? Neat sound going on to fill things out whatever that is. The lyrics aren't terribly complicated, but who ever said they need to be? This works just fine for me.

PdS - I have no idea what this song is about but I like it anyway. Frenetic grungy groove + artful dissonance. I like how the chorus spirals down unexpectedly at the end and goes back into the verse. I love you you manage to get blatantly outside the diatonic scales and progressions that typically trap me.

PfJ - You've come a hell of a long way since I was kicking around here in 2013. I mean that in a really good way. This is a nice tight arrangement with good vocals that changes up occasionally, gets a grin for the project of it, and ends before it gets old. A song about Christmas cookies really hits me where I live, man.

SNS - Yeah, I just had to put something out or I never would. Hopefully I can up my game in the coming months beyond just G&G stuff.

TC - The guitar and the swells work nicely! You've got a great clean tone on the guitar. Very atmospheric and indie. I can almost picture somebody driving a VW through Connecticut to go find themselves in an indie film.

TH - starts out sparse and strange, then abruptly gets acoustic and strange for the chorus. A very kitchen sink kind of vibe. I kind of like it in a way, but I am having a hard time getting into it. Probably cause I'm a jerk or something.

VV - Might be a bit much slapback on the vocals for my taste. Is this a zombie love song? Or an ode to a carmel-filled chocolate rabbit? The synthy bit in the background is wierd but I guess it kind of works. The guitar solo has a nice tone to it.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by thirdcat »

great podcast as usual two jerks, agree with your notes on my too fast fade-out ending; I will get over my fetish for brevity and make sure my endings are better in the future even if it means being a few seconds longer.

also as you can see from my own reviews I very much agree with Vom's track being the best of the fight. really liked that one.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by thirdcat »

saw this story and it reminded me of Vom Vorton's track: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... aggressive

the article says that this cute aggression was "first described in 2015" but I remember this concept being in Punch-Drunk Love (2002) one of my favorite movies. they must mean first described in a scientific journal or somethin'.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by jb »

thirdcat wrote:
Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:17 am
saw this story and it reminded me of Vom Vorton's track: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... aggressive

the article says that this cute aggression was "first described in 2015" but I remember this concept being in Punch-Drunk Love (2002) one of my favorite movies. they must mean first described in a scientific journal or somethin'.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by vowlvom »

Yep that's what my song is inspired by (I linked to a similar article above) but weirdly I had also forgotten the Punch Drunk Love link despite also loving that film.
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

Midnight Yacht Club wins
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by vowlvom »

Congrats MYC!
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Re: Tasting the (The Sugary Goo Inside reviews)

Post by midnightyc »

Thank you guys! It means alot to me to be able to be a part of this really cool scene. Winning is a bonus. But the true reward are the reviews. You've given me invaluable feedback. I cant wait to write, record, and submit more songs!
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