Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
User avatar
Pigfarmer Jr
Jump
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:13 am
Instruments: Guitar
Recording Method: Br-900CD and Reaper to mix
Submitting as: Pigfarmer Jr, Evil Grin, Pork Producer, Gilmore Lynette Tootle, T.C. Elliott
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Contact:

Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Or at least a (virtual) pat on the back.
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

"PigFramer: Guy and guitar OF MY NIGHTMARES." - Blue Lang
User avatar
Pigfarmer Jr
Jump
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:13 am
Instruments: Guitar
Recording Method: Br-900CD and Reaper to mix
Submitting as: Pigfarmer Jr, Evil Grin, Pork Producer, Gilmore Lynette Tootle, T.C. Elliott
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Lyric thread here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11996
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

"PigFramer: Guy and guitar OF MY NIGHTMARES." - Blue Lang
User avatar
Lunkhead
You're No Good
Posts: 8104
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:14 pm
Instruments: many
Recording Method: cubase/mac/tascam4x4
Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Merisan, Tiny Robots
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Berkeley, CA
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

Songs posted!
User avatar
mholland
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Posts: 170
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:18 pm
Instruments: Saxophones and other things
Recording Method: Scarlett 18i20, Logic
Submitting as: Night Sky
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Davis, CA

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by mholland »

Lots of fun songs this fight, here are my thoughts:

add: Good arrangement, mix, and performances as usual. Vocals sound a little strained in the chorus, maybe out of your comfort range.

Brother Baker: Among my favorites of the harder-rocking entries in this fight. Not really my style, but the performances and production sound quite good to me.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: I like the folky take on the 3/4 challenge, and I like hearing the clarinet in there, too. It would have been really cool to have some 6/8-feel eighth note melodies in a higher register of the clarinet if you’ve got the chops to do it. Maybe I’m just saying this because when I hear clarinet in a contemporary take on a folk dance, I ask myself, “What would Anat Cohen do here?” In any case, it really feels like you embraced the time signature as a shaping factor in the composition of the song, and I like how it worked out.

Cloverdance: Catchy, entertaining, with an unexpected twist. Guitar tone doesn’t quite do it for me, but I’m not sure what to recommend doing about it… my clean electric guitar tones often underwhelm me in the same way.

Douche Puppy: Good use of space/sparseness in the verses, backing vocals help build nicely to the chorus. Good, stylistically convincing performances. Production sounds great to me.

Escapegoat: The vocal processing is quite heavy and distracting, as you mentioned in the pre-fight thread. But I can see how some of what you did could work in the right context. I liked something about the arpeggiated effect, but maybe it could be used more sparingly, and in places where the affected syllables aren’t important for conveying meaning (probably held syllables mostly). As it turned out it was really hard to make out the words.

Giraffes for Wings: Good folky guitar work. Vocals sound a little distant, maybe too (completely?) dry. Mix overall sounds thin to me.

Glenn Case: Great use of doubled and backing vocals, as usual. Very recognizable Glenn Case sound, and well-done.

The Gross Tones: Good instrumental performances. Vocals are mostly solid, though there are occasional uncomfortable harmonies. I’d like a little more volume from the lead guitar from about 2:00 to 2:40, though it has kind of outworn its welcome by the end of the song.

Hot Pink Halo: I like the attitude and energy that you bring to this—by which I don’t mean high energy or low energy, more of a, “I dig your energy, man”—but I feel a little let down by the execution. A little more precision in the timing of the guitar strums and the vocal performance in general would help a lot.

IRC USM: Great performances and mix. Not sure I get the bird noises, but I guess they’re creepy.

Johnny Cashpoint: It’s tempting to take the piss given your reviews from a couple fights back, but my heart’s not really in it. Hopefully you just had a bad night and you’re over it now. I had to read your lyrics and look up this David Icke guy to make sense of them (mostly… didn’t quite follow the premise of verse 2). Not wowed by the music or performance, but you had a thing to say and you said it, so, cool.

miscellaneous owl: As with BW&BW, I like how the time signature seems to have shaped the song. I think I really like what the individual instruments and voice are doing for the most part, but they sound like they’re all trying to occupy the same space in register and time, so I have a hard time hearing all that’s going on. Some of this may be down to EQing to carve out space for the different voices, but I feel like the fundamentals are all kind of in the same range. E.g., it sounds like the piano is ringing out in the same range as the vocal, which needs to be the center of attention. So some of it is probably composition, too. As usual, you have a great voice, I just wish I could make it out.

Night Sky: I dragged myself kicking and screaming (OK, I guess not screaming, exactly) into a spoken word delivery, and now I guess I have to do it again in the next fight.

The Pannacotta Army: Nice tasteful arrangement, well-performed, as usual. I really like the sparse beginning and the eventual build. The synth horns are a little distracting to me. I’m not sure if they’re meant to be woodwinds or brass or harmonicas/accordions, but something that sounds a bit more natural would work better for me.

PANOPLY: I have no affinity for this style, so it’s really hard for me to judge beyond observing that it seems angry and I have no idea what it’s trying to say. Guitars are loud, distorted, with flurries of 16ths now and then, which I guess is stylistically appropriate. Seems like maybe the drums could come up in the mix a bit.

Phlebia: I admire the Grey’s Anatomy project and will miss your songs if other priorities edge them out for a bit. Hopefully there will be an appropriately timed title to fit the season 13 finale at some point, because I want to hear what you make of it. I don’t have much else to say on the merits, but anyway I hope we do hear more from you soon.

Pigfarmer Jr: Characteristically solid, maybe a little rougher around the edges than some of your tunes, but a good listen for sure.

Sumner Sloane: Guitar tone sounds a little flabby (acoustic) or thin (electric). Again, not sure what to do about it. There is a bit of a drop in volume around 1:30 during the guitar solo that doesn’t quite work for me. I’m not sure if this is happening elsewhere during the vocals and isn’t as distracting there, but it makes the solo feel a bit empty.

Tim Hinkle: Another one where the time signature comes through clearly and seems to have influenced the composition. The timbre of your voice on the lowest notes is great. Enjoyed the “chair… blaring” rhyme.
Night Sky is Sally on lyrics, Steve on drums, and Matt on the other stuff
User avatar
the panna cotta army
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:35 am
Instruments: egg shaker
Recording Method: Studio One/Mac
Submitting as: the pannacotta army
Pronouns: He he he
Location: UK

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by the panna cotta army »

mholland wrote:
Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:30 pm

The Pannacotta ArmyThe synth horns are a little distracting to me. I’m not sure if they’re meant to be woodwinds or brass or harmonicas/accordions, but something that sounds a bit more natural would work better for me.
FYI - Not horns, but an old foot pumped reed organ (or rather a sample library of one). It has a nice natural timbre solo but perhaps in the context of the mix this is not so discernible.
User avatar
rkennett
A New Player
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:29 am
Instruments: guitars, midi, tracker
Recording Method: reaper
Submitting as: PANOPLY
Pronouns: he

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by rkennett »

I'm new, so hopefully no offense taken by any of my comments, just saying what I would have probably done in the mix/production, which is probably wrong. Overall, I love the mix of styles across the board and I apparently want more drastic panning from everyone.

add: Nice composition and mix. I would have panned and/or widened some elements more.

Brother Baker: Good rock song. I miss some of the guitar when the vocals get loud. I would have put a noise-gate or cleaned up editing on the guitar tracks because of the noise when it drops out.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: Use of panning or a widening plugin on some partsI think would make this track pop a little more.

Cloverdance: Good mix, I would just like it to be a bit louder, maybe more variation in the strumming patterns.

Douche Puppy: Nice tight mix and production.

Escapegoat: Vocals are too hot and lose the drums and other elements. The vocal fx are a bit much, I would have went a little more dry to make them more intelligible. I know, I have no room to talk when it come to my track.

Giraffes for Wings: As I have said with other tracks, I'd pan/widen more.

Glenn Case: Nice harmony. Maybe more bass in the mix would be the only thing I would ask for.

The Gross Tones: I love phasers. I would have beefed up the rhythm (drums and bass) in the mix.

Hot Pink Halo: Good overall mix and production. Some tightening up on some rhythm tracks would improve it

IRC USM: Reminds me of Tool, what time signature is this?

Johnny Cashpoint: Ruined Santa for me... again I'm going to mention panning on this one as well.

miscellaneous owl: Nice harmonies and backwards production.

Night Sky: Nice 3/4 groove and production. I would have put the sax to the opposite side of the organ to keep it away from the vocals.

The Pannacotta Army: Nice waltz, mix, and everything. Not much else to say.

PANOPLY:

Phlebia: This song reminds me of pre-2000 Incubus, a bit of funk and craziness with the rock.

Pigfarmer Jr: Good structured song and mostly with the mix. I would have turned up the drums a bit.

Sumner Sloane: Another well crafted mystery song. Weird sudden mono-to-stereo on the rhythm acoustic at about 1:12. Mix notes - would be turn the acoustic and crash down a bit and maybe alternate with another crash, probably need other drums or overall turned up after those changes...

Tim Hinkle: Nice Beatles waltz. Solo instrument choice was odd to me.
User avatar
sleepysilverdoor
Ice Cream Man
Posts: 1086
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:02 pm
Instruments: Drums, Guitars, Keys
Recording Method: Focusrite + FL Studio
Submitting as: Phl*b*
Pronouns: bruh
Location: Not super far from Atlanta but definitely not Atlanta
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by sleepysilverdoor »

rkennett wrote:
Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:21 pm

Phlebia: This song reminds me of pre-2000 Incubus, a bit of funk and craziness with the rock.
SHAFT! Why can't I get it straight? SHAFT! Why can't I see it straight, oh! We can't let you we can't let you goooo! Where's Lorena when we need her!

What, is it that obvious? :p
"There's a lot to be said about a full-on frontal assault on the ear drums" - Pigfarmer Jr.
User avatar
lichenthroat
Mean Street
Posts: 543
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:54 pm
Recording Method: MuseScore & Ardour or Reaper
Submitting as: Lichen Throat, Dimetrodon, Sparetooth, Dessert Tortoise
Pronouns: he/him
Location: New Mexico

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by lichenthroat »

I think maybe I don’t like 3/4 all that much. My song sucked, and I quickly got tired of all the waltzy rhythms. Everything sounded like “I Feel Pretty.”

add—This has a nice full sound. The dual guitars work well together, though the one on the left seems just a tiny bit too loud. The arrangement is innovative and sounds good.

Brother Baker—I like how epic and unrestrained this is. The secondary vocal might sound better with slightly less growl. The changeup in the bridge is cool. I like the mixing and panning decisions.

Brown Word and the Big Whine—Your song actually sounds mysterious, which is a cool complement to the title. Good job with the optional challenge. This is another good production job from you.

Cloverdance—I like the vocal, but I think it should be brought up front up more and should seem more immediate. It sounds like you’re singing far from the microphone. The music and melodies are good. Lyrics are good, too. Vote.

Douche Puppy—Production is excellent. I like the feel of open space withing the song. (Definitely something I need to get better at.) The contrast between the verse and chorus is perfect. Hard-rocking while still showing some restraint. Vote.

Escapegoat (me)—I like the lyrics and I sort of like the music in the chorus, but the rest of this is awful. Sorry, everyone. I couldn’t even bear to attribute it to my usual pseudonym. It sounds even worse without the ridiculous vocal effect, trust me.

Giraffes for Wings—Lyrics are funny (and good). This sounds like a fully realized song, even with only vocal and guitar (and thumps). Enjoyable all the way through. Vote.

Glenn Case—The snare seems a little loud compared to everything else. I like your experimentation with the wobbly effects, and the backing vocal is well done. The song didn’t grab me overall, though.

The Gross Tones—This seems like all the parts don’t quite come together. It’s hard to hear much other than the guitar and vocals. I don’t hate it, but I never got in the groove, aside from the solo, which I liked quite a bit.

Hot Pink Halo—I’d like to hear this with a gentler, less staccato vocal, which I think would fit better with the music. The whistle is cool. Overall, I’m intrigued. I continue to be impressed with your innovation.

IRC USM—This is not usually my thing, but I liked it. Reminds me of HIM. I like the metalishness without going into fully arrhythmic mode. Vote.

Johnny Cashpoint—I like the vocal, which is further enhanced with your British accent. I find myself wanting a drum rhythm. Lyrics are funny and bleak, as befits your tradition. “Truth be told, a truth has been told,” is a good line. I don’t think you need the Scooby Doo quote at the end.

miscellaneous owl—I appreciate the artistry of this, perhaps more than I like it. There’s an immediate emotional atmosphere of wistfulness and sorrow. The vocal is up to your usual high standard. I might need to listen to this more times. The last line, both musically and lyrically, is a perfect way to finish. Vote.

Night Sky—Jazz-club Santa! As usual, this seems well made but is outside my listening comfort zone. The drums sound really good, and the horn-playing is good as well.

The Pannacotta Army—The guitar is recorded really well; it sounds both full and gentle. I’m not wild about the song, but perhaps I’m suffering from 3/4 fatigue. The performances all seem good, though.

PANOPLY—You seem to know what you’re doing, but this is not my cup of Jaeger. The production on the chorus vocals is cool.

Phlebia—Funny lyrics. The supplemental instruments to the main rhythm add a lot. This seems like it could easily get monotonous, but I appreciate that you’ve added a lot of variety. I would have absolutely no idea how to do this, so I’m impressed.

Pigfarmer Jr—I’ve been meaning to ask for a while: why no period after Jr? This is really solid. I see you’ve been working on your songcraft. Your vocal timing is good. Could you sing this a little lower? It might suit the song better. I like this overall. Vote.

Sumner Sloane—I dig the main guitar riff. The song has a nice sense of motion. At 1:11, it seems like the recording suddenly sounds different (and better). Kind of a 60s-ish feel to the song, but modern too. Vote.

Tim Hinkle—Nice Beatlesesque vocal. Good contrast and complement between the verse and chorus. I liked the chair/blaring rhyme. Vote.
User avatar
sleepysilverdoor
Ice Cream Man
Posts: 1086
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:02 pm
Instruments: Drums, Guitars, Keys
Recording Method: Focusrite + FL Studio
Submitting as: Phl*b*
Pronouns: bruh
Location: Not super far from Atlanta but definitely not Atlanta
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by sleepysilverdoor »

PANOPLY what are you doing sounding like my spotify daily mix? I'm pleased with this warped chuggy black metal...death adjacent...something. .
"There's a lot to be said about a full-on frontal assault on the ear drums" - Pigfarmer Jr.
User avatar
Pigfarmer Jr
Jump
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:13 am
Instruments: Guitar
Recording Method: Br-900CD and Reaper to mix
Submitting as: Pigfarmer Jr, Evil Grin, Pork Producer, Gilmore Lynette Tootle, T.C. Elliott
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

lichenthroat wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:53 pm
Pigfarmer Jr—I’ve been meaning to ask for a while: why no period after Jr? This is really solid. I see you’ve been working on your songcraft. Your vocal timing is good. Could you sing this a little lower? It might suit the song better. I like this overall. Vote.
I hate it with a period. It drives me crazy that the first time I did Nur Ein I added the period and even though I've never added it after I'm forever stuck with one there.

I can't sing it lower without changing key. I've tried.

Thanks for the vote.
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

"PigFramer: Guy and guitar OF MY NIGHTMARES." - Blue Lang
User avatar
Giraffes for Wings
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 2:21 pm
Submitting as: Giraffes for Wings
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Mishawaka, Indiana
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Giraffes for Wings »

For most artists, I am just pointing out my personal highlight from your song. If you’re new, and I didn’t say welcome, I’m sorry. I’m fairly new myself, and I just barely know who the regulars are at this point. Welcome!

add – Soothing backing synths, vocal melody in the verses.

Brother Baker – That rollicking chorus with those Rockbiter vocals. My favorite this fight.

Brown Word and the Big Whine – Whatever sounds like a clarinet and the melody of “Come taste the magic / A whiff of the arcane” and all such lines.

Cloverdance – Straightforward and relatively unadorned aesthetic.

Douche Puppy – Undulating guitar solo. I’m a little confused about the butter knife lyric. I could be wrong, but my understanding of the phrase “the tension could be cut with a knife” is that the tension is so real that it seems to have a tangible, physical form. If it’s a butter knife doing the cutting, is the implication that the tension is somehow soft or squishy or tender?

Escapegoat – That lovely bit at the very beginning and end. I’m curious about your thought process/philosophy on this. You said in your post that you hate this song, so why did you then submit it? I appreciate that you did; I’m just interested in how you made the decision.

Giraffes for Wings – Lyrics: I’m happy that I wrote a song whose source material (Among Us) and plot only reveal themselves gradually. At least, I think that’s the case.

Glenn Case – Whatever you did to the drums. I don’t love the redundancy of “clarify/clear” and ”here” in the lines in the second verse. Unless it was intentional?

Gross Tones – What I think is a clean electric guitar sort of plucking under the bridge.

Hot Pink Halo – The harmonies on “being poor is not a crime”; also that line itself. And the chorus, which grew on me quite a bit.

IRC USM – The opening guitar/drums before the more distorted stuff breaks in. What do all these letters stand for?

Johnny Cashpoint – The ahh bits and the understated rhythm guitar.

miscellaneous owl – Fullness of the atmospherics.

Night Sky – The saxophone, of course. I also like your speaking voice, even if a spoken-word song isn’t really my style.

Pannacotta Army – The flute and the snare/cymbal flourishes.

PANOPLY – This is only my second fight, but welcome aboard. I don’t like much metal myself, but this song sounds hard to play, so I’m going to say the highlight for me was the thrashy guitar. I’m more looking forward to some of your “surf, rock” entries.

Phlebia – Usage of the word “tamponading” in an equally casual and intense manner. I realize I just said I don’t like much metal, but this leans more toward SOAD-style, and so I can fly with this. Side note: I noticed a few discrepancies between your posted lyrics and the performed lyrics, and I guess I’m just the kind of person who feels compelled to mention it.

Pigfarmer Jr – That sweet tremolo in your voice! That’s probably always there and I just haven’t noticed. In this song in particular, I like the post-chorus.

Sumner Sloane – I think you may be new, so welcome to you as well. I dig the bouncy danceability.

Tim Hinkle – Eclectic percussion that obfuscates the use of ¾ in the verses.
User avatar
sleepysilverdoor
Ice Cream Man
Posts: 1086
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:02 pm
Instruments: Drums, Guitars, Keys
Recording Method: Focusrite + FL Studio
Submitting as: Phl*b*
Pronouns: bruh
Location: Not super far from Atlanta but definitely not Atlanta
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by sleepysilverdoor »

jkelver wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:56 pm


Phlebia – Usage of the word “tamponading” in an equally casual and intense manner. I realize I just said I don’t like much metal, but this leans more toward SOAD-style, and so I can fly with this. Side note: I noticed a few discrepancies between your posted lyrics and the performed lyrics, and I guess I’m just the kind of person who feels compelled to mention it.
Yeah, I often write my lyrics out and deviate from them as I perform -- sometimes even from take to take until I find a flow that feels natural. As for the SOAD comparison, they weren't exactly what I had in mind save for one bit: the abruptly shifting from screaming to talking for the last line of the song in a manner much like "Jet Pilot" which was totally intentional.

It's funny, I never really planned to end up writing so many nümetal songs but after I did one as a joke for "tricked for the last time" I found that's an absurdly fun genre to write, and one that works best if you don't take yourself seriously at all.
"There's a lot to be said about a full-on frontal assault on the ear drums" - Pigfarmer Jr.
User avatar
lichenthroat
Mean Street
Posts: 543
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:54 pm
Recording Method: MuseScore & Ardour or Reaper
Submitting as: Lichen Throat, Dimetrodon, Sparetooth, Dessert Tortoise
Pronouns: he/him
Location: New Mexico

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by lichenthroat »

jkelver wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:56 pm
Escapegoat – That lovely bit at the very beginning and end. I’m curious about your thought process/philosophy on this. You said in your post that you hate this song, so why did you then submit it? I appreciate that you did; I’m just interested in how you made the decision.
When I started doing SongFight, I decided that I was going to submit every song I finished, even if I didn't like it. I didn't want my vanity to become any sort of impediment, and I figured I might learn something, even from the bad songs.

Thanks for the comments, and welcome to the community!
User avatar
PaulBoring
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:58 pm
Instruments: Guitar, bass, piano
Recording Method: Studio One Artist
Submitting as: Sumner Sloane
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by PaulBoring »

Hello. I'm brand new. I'm really impressed with everyone I've heard so far. I apologize if I don't have a lot to mention about your song. Some thoughts:

add - I like this a lot. I think it would be cool if the "verse" vocal was doubled by a singer who is singing an octave higher.

Brother Baker - this is cool. It is very theatrical. I can see this a part of a hard rock musical onstage.

Brown Word and the Big Whine - this is the best use of the 3/4 in the group. This has inspired me to try something with different time signatures. When you sing about "the drum," I was expecting some kind of crazy fill or something. Is that too gimmicky? I'm new.

Cloverdance - Nice job. If I was producing this, I would have you record the guitar with Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker. Make it more "jangly."

Douche Puppy - Straight up rock. The vocal parts are superb.

Escapegoat - I've read your comments and others. The music works for me. You should rework this track with different vocals.

Giraffes for Wings - This is my favorite in the fight. I'm a big "Pet Sounds" guy, but I also love things like this that are not overproduced. I'm not sure if the percussion was played by tapping your guitar, on a box, on a table, but it works.

The Gross Tones- nice guitar work throughout this. I wasn't really feeling the sirens, etc. throughout.

Glenn Case - definitely one of the best "vocal" performances of this fight. I'd be interested in hearing a different version of this maybe without the organ, but with guitar and a simpler drum sound.

Hot Pink Halo - I listened to this quite a few times. The chorus starts to work for me more and more each time. I agree with some of the other comments about maybe tightening some things up here and there.

IRC USM - This had kind of a Queensryche vibe to it for me. All of the performances were good. I also didn't really dig the "bird" sounds.

Johnny Cashpoint - this is cool. If I was producing this, I'd have you try it with just a mandolin and the voices.

miscellaneous owl - Probably the other best "vocal" performance. The last minute or so gets a little too busy for me, but I like when the vocal comes in again at the very end. The production is good, but I think just piano/vocals would have worked as well.

Night Sky - Saxophone. Nice. I kept thinking about Tom Waits' "Frank's Wild Years" when I listened to this.

The Pannacotta Army - this is really well done. I like how you keep adding instruments (or fuller percussion) as it moves along. It never gets to be too much.

PANOPLY - I usually don't go heavier than Maiden because I'm big into hooks and choruses. That said, the guitar and drums are obviously really well done.

Phlebia - I like the sticks and percussion at the beginning - I had no idea what type of song was coming net. The bass was really solid throughout. I'm not a big fan of these kind of vocals, but they grew on me when you went quieter in the middle and built them back up in the end.

Pigfarmer Jr - This is a good song. I love the way the guitar sounds throughout this track. Drums may have been a little busy for me when they didn't need to be.

Sumner Sloane - I literally got my DAW and started playing around recording in August. So, I know nothing about mixing, panning, automation, eq, compression, etc. I used to just press play and record at the same time on a cassette recorder.

Tim Hinkle: Sounds like it could have been a Ringo outtake from the White Album. The drums worked for me on this one.
Last edited by PaulBoring on Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Mike Lamb
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Posts: 236
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:34 pm
Instruments: Bass, Guitar, Tin Whistle
Recording Method: Reason
Submitting as: Mike Lamb|The Nutwalls|Kasper|The Narcaloungers|Die Toten Schlaghosen|IRCUSM
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Woodland, CA

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Mike Lamb »

rkennett wrote:
Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:21 pm
IRC USM: Reminds me of Tool, what time signature is this?


3/4
"Admittedly, I did not know what to expect with Kasper, but they, I think, just rocked our collective socks off." - GlennCase
User avatar
Mike Lamb
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Posts: 236
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:34 pm
Instruments: Bass, Guitar, Tin Whistle
Recording Method: Reason
Submitting as: Mike Lamb|The Nutwalls|Kasper|The Narcaloungers|Die Toten Schlaghosen|IRCUSM
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Woodland, CA

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Mike Lamb »

jkelver wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:56 pm
IRC USM – The opening guitar/drums before the more distorted stuff breaks in. What do all these letters stand for?

Internet Relay Chat - Ujn / Signboy / Mike Lamb - a collaboration from the IRC mibbit.net #songfight! channel. There are a few other IRCBFF tracks which are similarly collaborative, but involve different people.
"Admittedly, I did not know what to expect with Kasper, but they, I think, just rocked our collective socks off." - GlennCase
User avatar
rkennett
A New Player
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:29 am
Instruments: guitars, midi, tracker
Recording Method: reaper
Submitting as: PANOPLY
Pronouns: he

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by rkennett »

sleepysilverdoor wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:40 am
PANOPLY what are you doing sounding like my spotify daily mix? I'm pleased with this warped chuggy black metal...death adjacent...something. .
I'm not really a black metal fan, but that's the metal scream i was blessed with.
jkelver wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:56 pm
PANOPLY – This is only my second fight, but welcome aboard. I don’t like much metal myself, but this song sounds hard to play, so I’m going to say the highlight for me was the thrashy guitar. I’m more looking forward to some of your “surf, rock” entries.
this wasn't too hard, but nu metal and thrash background here, and playing some surf instrumentals with my father. i really didn't play any lead on this track.
PaulBoring wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:41 pm
PANOPLY - I usually don't go heavier than Maiden because I'm big into hooks and choruses. That said, the guitar and drums are obviously really well done.
thanks, I tried going with a Deftones type of hook in the chorus, but singing is definitely a weak spot for me.
Mike Lamb wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:01 pm
rkennett wrote:
Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:21 pm
IRC USM: Reminds me of Tool, what time signature is this?
3/4
my feeble brain can't feel it.
User avatar
sleepysilverdoor
Ice Cream Man
Posts: 1086
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:02 pm
Instruments: Drums, Guitars, Keys
Recording Method: Focusrite + FL Studio
Submitting as: Phl*b*
Pronouns: bruh
Location: Not super far from Atlanta but definitely not Atlanta
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by sleepysilverdoor »

rkennett wrote:
Sat Jan 02, 2021 11:27 am
thanks, I tried going with a Deftones type of hook in the chorus, but singing is definitely a weak spot for me.
heh, that's exactly what I went for last week. Stick around for a bit! While I can't do much for the next few weeks (I'm recording vocals for my Gift of Music assignment with a sleeping 5 day old infant in my lap), the fact there's someone else here who's unashamed about a nu metal influence is refreshing. Though I've never really cared much for Thrash -- most of my "real metal" listening falls into either brutal slam (urrbrrbrrrrrrrrbreeeeeeeeeeee) or sludge.
"There's a lot to be said about a full-on frontal assault on the ear drums" - Pigfarmer Jr.
User avatar
Pigfarmer Jr
Jump
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:13 am
Instruments: Guitar
Recording Method: Br-900CD and Reaper to mix
Submitting as: Pigfarmer Jr, Evil Grin, Pork Producer, Gilmore Lynette Tootle, T.C. Elliott
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Written over two days and multiple listens, but these are still primarily first thoughts.

add: The bass really fills out the verses, but it might be a bit untamed. It feels great in the chorus. I like your harmony vox and it's a good chorus. I've become a bit of a fan of how you use your voice, especially on the chorus.

Brother Baker: I like this song. But the chorus seems over muddy. I don't really buy into the too much going on, but maybe it could use some clean up EQ wise. It's a bit better on the second go around, though. Maybe my ears are tired. *shrug* All that to say, I did like the song and listened multiple times.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: The first song that really pushed the swing meter. Although it does feel more 6/8 to me. That's not a dis, either. 6/8 totally kicks 3/4's ass. It's a good feel for the vocal phrasing and performance.

Cloverdance: I'm glad that someone else had the Scooby reference this week. (Mine was in the songfight review thread title, alas.) There's something about the vocal that doesn't sit right in the mix for me, but I think it's that the rest of the mix is a bit more glued together. And your track level is slightly lower than some of the others. I aim for LUFS -14 and generally hit the pack in level, if your even the slightest bit interested. At any rate, I enjoyed listening to your jangle rock song.

Douche Puppy: Completely lacking in the level of doucheness I expected from your band name. I know this song sits solidly in a late 90's rock field (especially in the chorus,) but I enjoyed it.

Escapegoat: I could tell this was you. You may not be a fan, but I was digging this for the first couple listens. The arrangement might be a little too static for repeated listening, though. I really dig the vocal effects. Is your track a bit louder than most of the others? Or is there just a lot of lower levels in this batch?

Giraffes for Wings: This is a fun arrangement. I mean, guitar, stomps and vocal isn't the most adventurous arrangement. But for songfight I could see you getting a bit of look down the nose (although that maybe was more prevalent a few years back.) I liked it though.

Glenn Case: So you've got a sound. Like, I've listened to a bit of your music this year (some of the live streaming, some archives, some of your releases etc.,) and you always have great performances. A lot of it has a good feel (totally subjective.) But this one.. this one, for some reason, reminds me of plat from a few years back... sorry, cow exchange? But with your sound mixed in. Being a fan of cow exchange (to be fair I know him from FAWM more than here) that's a great combination. All that to say, I really like this song. The (fairly) stripped back, dirty organ arrangement suits you very well. If you do this regularly then I need to listen to more of your music.

The Gross Tones: Catchy title line. I hate to admit that I like this song.

Hot Pink Halo: You, also, have a cool melody. The phrasing is just unexpected enough to keep me on my toes. I did have a feeling that this song would work with a more "pop" treatment (I think because of the melodies) but I that's more me than the song. That's supposed to be a compliment.

IRC USM: I like the drums and the arrangement a lot. I like that your melody isn't "standard" fair. To me it has a touch of a prog rock feel. A cool song, and something a little different.

Johnny Cashpoint: Nice scooby reference at the end. I also liked your lyric.

miscellaneous owl: A bit of a low fi feel to my ears. Maybe it's because the mix feels muddy. I think because of the piano (was that recorded live?) and some of the texture. Is that a didgeridoo? I liked the backwards recorded bit and the melody. The layered vox is awesome. Okay, I think it comes down to not being able to hear the parts clearly enough that it causes me some uncomfortable listening. But there are so many good things about this song.

Night Sky: I like the organ, the old.. 30's? feel. I'd say the vocal was the weak point, as it sounds like you have a slight southern drawl which doesn't quite fit the feel, imo. But that's really a small point as I enjoyed having such a different song genre-wise in the mix. It stands out well.

The Pannacotta Army: I was showing a musician/friend/employee songfight at work before listening to these songs. I chose this song as an example because you are the most consistent at writing songs that I like with a very high standard of recording. I was not wrong. I really, really love the section starting at 1:22 or so. It sounds like your heading for a modulation done in such a way that makes it almost seamless (unlike most songs.) Yet you're right back at the same key when you come back singing (at least to my ears without checking.) I want to keep this technique in the bag in case I need to use it.

PANOPLY: Your scream is awesome. This is not in my wheelhouse at all... but I loved having it in the mix. Such a different feel than we usually get.

Phlebia: That intro rhythm sounds like two of them playing slightly at odds to my ears but when it comes back after the chorus it sounds great. I love these vocals. Again, not what I usually go for in my listening habits, but this is cool. Your scream would be great if not coming right after panoply. The whisper is a great dynamic change. I'm digging how it leads into the chorus and I think works beautifully. Still this is a cool listen.

Pigfarmer Jr: (me) This is a first draft lyric and I think it shows. (I'm not saying it's awful, but "it ain't great, neither.") There are a lot of things I'd like to improve, too. I do like the key change, though. And the bass tone.

Sumner Sloane: What a great feel. The doubling of the vox is a nice touch. I like the attitude in the vox on the title line. I can't sit still while listening to this song. (As a side note, I saw like 5 episodes of colubmo yesterday as my mom and wife were both watching the marathon on Sundance at different times and the main reason I don't watch T.V. is that because if I start then I can't stop.) This sure is a catchy song.

Tim Hinkle: Oh, Tim. How did you nail a Jethro Tull shape to your melody? You even have a slight feel of Ian Anderson's vocal phrasing. Well, you hooked me with it, regardless. I think I'd want you to be the vocalist in *my Tull cover band based on this song alone. I like the laid back feel a lot. Did I mention I love the melody?
*I don't have a tull cover band
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

"PigFramer: Guy and guitar OF MY NIGHTMARES." - Blue Lang
User avatar
Here, Atticus
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Posts: 89
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:51 pm
Instruments: *doot doot badum tsss*
Recording Method: PC:Cubase, Reaper
Submitting as: Brother Baker; Here, Atticus
Pronouns: he/him
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Here, Atticus »

This is my first round of reviews in a long, long time. They’re going to be pretty superficial while I get my sea legs back.

Add:
Like the sounds of the instruments. Appreciate the vocal harmony throughout, I’m always such a sucker for it. I really dig the post-chorus lead guitar line both times it comes around.

Brother Baker:
It was a gross oversight to miss the 3/4 challenge. My brother and I love odd signatures, but we were so focused on the KISS principle that we missed it. NEVER AGAIN.

Brown Word and the Big Whine:
Is 3/4 whimsical, or is it you? The instrumentation gives me “magical forest” vibes. So far, so good! Love the key changes, and the guitars in the post chorus. I like the doubling of “another mystery” at the end of each chorus, it’s deceptive and rewarding.

Cloverdance:
This immediately strikes as a feel-good tune for me. And then scooby doo is here and it’s a feel-great tune. I always fear musical repetition in my songs, but you’re showing me the value here. I’m drawn to and paying attention to the lyrics for the first time in my listening through the submissions. They’re so pure and heartfelt, and engaging for that reason.

Douche Puppy:
Mmm, this is a great feel to start. Love the production, especially with regard to the bg vox. Love the chorus! I’m nostalgic now...not sure why. Feels like the rock I grew up hearing in the 90’s. This would go on my “check out the whole album” playlist on spotify if I came across it there. Also on the “having guests over” playlist as well.

Escapegoat:
I really like the sound of the guitars and how they work together. The vocal effect is too much for me in the verses, I’m struggling to hear the actual vocal melody itself. It worked better in the chorus, the lyrics are a lot more intelligible. I like the idea of it, but the execution needs some tweaking. I could also do with slightly louder drums. In the end, this was a fun listen.

Giraffes for Wings:
Love the vocal hook right from the get go. The stripped down production works well, there’s something charming about only using the acoustic for all the sounds. I don’t have a lot to say except I enjoyed this one start-to-finish.

Glenn Case:
Oh man, this is so good. I love the lo-fi drums and organ. I love the chord production. I love the vocal melody and harmony. Definitely a favorite this fight. The ending felt abrupt to me, maybe I wanted to hear a fade out on the note or even the whole beat.

The Gross Tones:
Love the synth sweeps and samples. This song makes me feel like it’s taking me on a journey. I really like the overall aesthetic. Oooh, and that guitar work. This was a really cool jam, I liked it.

Hot Pink Halo:
3/4 is whimsical, and so are you. I can tell you had fun with this musically and lyrically. The whistling in the beginning is cool and draws you into the song. Mixing wise, I think I want slightly louder drums and slightly quieter vocals. I love the vocal harmonies too.

IRC USM:
This is my speed. Love the rhythmic syncopations! Oh god this is so good lol. I love the arrangement, the crows, the mixing, and being buried in snow up to 13 feet. Maybe my favorite this fight. Wow man, really good stuff and I can’t wait to hear more.

Johnny Cashpoint:
I love the instrumentation. I’m back in a magical forest. The lyrics are fantastic! And the scooby sample, this was a lot of fun. The mix sounds a little thin to me, I think the guitar and bg vox could be a little beefier.

miscellaneous owl:
Oooh, this is also my speed. I love, love, love your voice. It gets lost in the mix a little when you’re in your lower register, I want to hear more. I also really love the sad/spooky waltz. That piano and the strings, and really all the sound palette decisions you made are perfect. Definitely tied for my favorite and I can’t wait for more.

Night Sky:
I didn’t know what to expect when everything started. But when that saxophone came in, everything felt perfect. This song is sexy, I don’t know what other word to use. Really great production, arrangement, and performance. This sounds like nothing I listen to, but I really enjoyed it. A confusing favorite of mine this week for sure.

The Pannacotta Army:
Really nice tune. The piano, guitar, and your voice are soothing yet engaging. I was unsure of how I felt about the percussive elements until that little theatrical bridge with the snare rolls. I decided I like them. I think the shaker(?) doing quarter notes and the tambourine are maybe a touch loud. Really nice tune, I like your style a lot.

PANOPLY:
And to think I was worried that MY song was too heavy sounding! This shreds. I think I want a little more high end on the lead guitars? This goes hard, I really like it. I want more kick drum and snare in the chorus especially, I think it will help make it hit harder. Love the dissonant intro and outro. Cool song, I look forward to hearing more of your stuff.


Phlebia:
Oh hell yeah. Don’t know what I was expecting from the intro rhythms, but this was a really pleasant surprise. Easy, early favorite for me. Wow dude, I really love everything about this. The arrangement, the guitar sounds, the mixing decisions, the production, the vocal delivery. I think this is my favorite submission this fight. This is so good and I want to be in a band with you.

Pigfarmer Jr:
I’m drawn right into the vocal line. Great performance. I usually miss lyrics on my first few listens, but not here. I think I want a little more kick drum (or maybe all drums? idk I like drums). The instrumental arrangement is great. I think you said it was a last minute thrown together thing? It doesn’t sound like it. Cool chord progressions and song overall.

Sumner Sloane:
I like the feel of this a lot! I think the rhythm guitar is a little dominant in the mix. Oh, it just went stereo and got a little quieter, perfect! Love the lead guitar, love the vocal performance. Love the real drumset. This is a good, solid song and I don’t have much else to say :)

Tim Hinkle:
Interesting chord progression. It took me a minute, but I really like it. I think I want a little more of the acoustic guitar, especially in the more sparse verses. I like the vocal doubling on the chorus, as well as the sleigh bells!
User avatar
Giraffes for Wings
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 2:21 pm
Submitting as: Giraffes for Wings
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Mishawaka, Indiana
Contact:

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by Giraffes for Wings »

Pigfarmer Jr wrote:
Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:19 am

Giraffes for Wings: This is a fun arrangement. I mean, guitar, stomps and vocal isn't the most adventurous arrangement. But for songfight I could see you getting a bit of look down the nose (although that maybe was more prevalent a few years back.) I liked it though.
Unfortunately, I have no production knowledge or skills, and the guy who does all that for me just had a baby, so I will be submitting demos for awhile. Though I do enjoy these stripped-down versions, there will be some fleshing out in the future. Thanks for the comments!
User avatar
FireBear
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:33 am
Instruments: Guitar. Bass, Trumpet, Voice, Seed Pod
Recording Method: Reaper
Submitting as: Brother Baker; FireBear
Pronouns: he/him
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

Re: Scooby Snacks for (Another Mystery Solved reviews)

Post by FireBear »

Adding my thoughts about the songs this fight. I'm not too versed on the production aspect yet, but I'm learning. There was a lot of great music.

Douche Puppy: What a fun song. It has a great flow throughout, and gives me those retro rock and roll summer good vibes.

Cloverdance: Awesome catchy song and loved the Scooby Doo theme. Specific parts of the vocals felt too 'in my face' when you got louder, but I really dig the song. It gives me Jimmy Buffet beach vibes.

Giraffes for Wings: This song was catchy from start to finish. Short, sweet, and I loved the straight acoustic. So dang catchy.

Hot Pink Halo: The whistle intro really brought me into the song. I was a big fan of the harmonies. Your lyrics are amazing. Especially loved the part about polenta. I agree with lichenthroat that they would fit better into the song if they were a bit gentler.

The Gross Tones: Instantly makes me think "Another Mystery Solved". The sound effects we great. I like the motorcycle rock vibe it's giving me.

Brown word and the Big Whine: Reminds me of the Decemberists. I love the key changes and the overall theme of the song. This song is soo 3/4 and soo good.
miscellaneous owl: I absolutely love the composition and your voice. I'm a sucker for when the instruments drop out to harmonized vocals, and the vocal effects at the end would land this on my playlist. Tied for my second favorite song this fight.

PANOPLY: Not exactly my speed, but you are shredding in this song.

Pigfarmer Jr: Really enjoyed the groove this song gave off.

add: Light and airy. This song made me happy listening to it. It was one of my tops.

Night Sky: In my top this week. What a fun song, and the sax is amazing. I agree with Here, Atticus, the only way to describe this song is sexy.

IRC USM: This song is straight up my ally. One of my favorite instrumental compositions this week.

Brother Baker: Well, this is our song. The bridge is my absolute favorite part.

Johnny Cashpoint: Nice lyrics. I liked the background Ooos and Ahhs.

Phlebia: Your song grooves. Nicely done. It's produced really well and tied for second favorite this week.

Glenn Case: I love the lo-fi drums and organs. The music has a great emotional impact. It’s in my favorites for this fight.

Sumner Sloane: Great song and production. I wouldn't be surprised to hear it on the radio.

Tim Hinkle: Great song. I really enjoyed the sleigh bells and I’m getting serious Beatles vibes.

The Pannacotta Army: Nailed it. It makes me think of Midnight in Paris. This is a magical song and my number 1 this fight. It makes me want to fall in love for the first time again.

Escapegoat: I like the instrumentals in the song, but everything is getting lost in the vocal effects.
Post Reply