Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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Pigfarmer Jr
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Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Let's fill up the space with reviews.
Last edited by Lunkhead on Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: un-sticky
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

Songs posted!
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by mholland »

Wow, just listened to add's entry, and IMO it's perfect. Really creative take, perfect message, and perfectly executed in the Guthrie/Guthrie/Dylan tradition of talking blues. No matter what else I hear in this fight, you've got at least one of my votes.
Night Sky is Sally on lyrics, Steve on drums, and Matt on the other stuff
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by gizo »

Yep - on first listen there's a couple of definite votes for ActDeaD and Lunkhead.

But there's a lot of quality in this fight - well done.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by genecawley »

add - Evoking early Dylan at his [its?] best, this is a wonderful performance, full of wit and charm. A perfect talking blues to boot. Fantastic job!

AMERIKKKA THE GREAT - Catchy, but not really my thing. Love the message. Nice production too.

Balls To Monte - A simple ditty, I was going for as catchy as I could. Not bad, but I still think my mixes sound not as full as I’d like [any suggestions welcome].

Berkeley Social Scene - Nice to have you back. Love the chorus and the production. The lyrics are excellent as well. Not a bad thing to say about this one, even the solo’s great.

Blind Mime Ensemble - I like the Kraftwerk-meets Nine Inch Nails kinda vibe here. The synth counter melodies are particularly good.

Brother Baker - Well performed with good production. I like how the lyrics interact with the sampled rally quotes. A damn good anthem.

Brown Word and the Big Whine - Really good arrangement and performance. Love the guitar work. More like a mantra than a song, but it’s a great mantra.

The Def Author - This wouldn’t be Glenn Case, would it? Really like this either way. Great lyrics, arrangement and production. What more can I say? It’s fantastic!

Escapegoat - Really like the lyrics here, and I like robot recitations of the lyrics. It really brings out the drama in this.

Giraffes For Wings - You really have a way with a song, and I love how the organ comes in with the second verse, also the chimes are a great touch. Really good lyrics. Great job overall.

IRC USM - “The only thing you’re free to do is D.I.E.” I really like that. You pretty much sum up the situation in this country at the moment. Great guitar work and performance as well.

Lichen Throat - Hey, you sound an awful lot like Escapegoat [you probably get that a lot]. Again, great lyrics and arrangement.

Lunkhead - LOVE these keyboards. This is one of the best I’ve heard so far. You totally captured the scrolling the web like a rat hoping for a food pellet thing. Overall fantastic.

MetroBoyz - Another good talking blues. It’s also nice to have a song with a bit of humor in it [however dark], though I’m sure it ain’t easy given the subject matter. Great job!

Night Sky - Love the clarinet and sax on this. Particularly good lyrics, maybe your best yet. Not crazy about the bullhorn vocals, but the rest is great.

The Pannacotta Army - Another solid one from you guys. The arrangement and performance is as perfect as can be. Maybe turn the bass up just a tad. That’s about the only critique I can muster. Terrific stuff!

PANOPLY - Another cool talking blues. The sloppiness here works in the song’s favor. Guitar work is wonderful. Love the feel of this.

Pigfarmer Jr - I’ve said it before, but you just keep getting better. Especially in terms of vocals, lyrics and production, this may be your best yet. Great job.

Robyn Mackenzie - You’re another one who always seems to deliver the goods. This is just great! You somehow always manage to keep things simple without being the least bit predictable.

The Sewer People - Hello! Never heard you before, but this is great stuff. LOVE the harmonies on the chorus. Another possible vote.

ShoehornTC - Not exactly a talking blues, but this has a nice, folky charm to it. Great song.

Sly Eli - This is another great one. You people are seriously pissing me off now! Not familiar with your stuff, but I really like the simple rhythm and arrangement. Totally charming, solid song.

Stacking Theory - Another good one. Particularly like the guitar and drum sound here. I really like the echoing lyrical lines in the verses as well.

Vom Vorton - Damn! Yet another genuinely charming, great song. I am getting SICK of this! I really like the positive lyrical spin on the subject matter.



Wow. I have quite a few potential choices right now. This won’t be easy. Great job, everyone!
"...and it ain’t a fit night out for man or beast!”
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by robynmackenzie »

Sly Eli - I really like the percussion and the laid-back strumming. The lyrics are really well done, and I like the direction the bridge takes the song in. Nice.

Vom Vorton - This belongs in an indie film about a nerd who works in IT who falls in love with a manic pixie dream girl who's a florist. Or something like that.

Giraffes For Wings - The glockenspiel is a nice touch. Reminds me of the 90's for some reason. Good job on the rapid-fire vocals.

AMERIKKKA THE GREAT - I really enjoy how you've basically turned "weak white racist republicans" into part of the percussion in the background. A fun chant with a clear message.

MetroBoyz - I'd like to hear that lead guitar a little more up front. A bit Tom Waits-y. This has a cool classic rock vibe to it that I dig.

Berkeley Social Scene - Oooh, love that chorus. I want to hear the vocals a little louder. Rockin' solo!

Brown Word and the Big Whine - This is different than what I'm used to from you. Reminds me of the soundtrack from "The God Who Wasn't There." Cool synths.

Lichen Throat - Nice chill beat, and I like the instrumentation. Vivid imagery in the lyrics. I think this my favorite of yours.

The Pannacotta Army - I'm a sucker for unique chord progressions, and this delivers. Well done as always.

The Sewer People - Oh man, this is right up my alley. I wanna yell along to this at a live concert. Really enjoyed this one.

Escapegoat - Interesting blend of spoken-word and singing. Almost performance art. Very poetic.

Balls to Monte - I like the classic sound you've got going on here. Another one with some super cool chord progressions. Liked this one a lot.

Stacking Theory - This has dreamy, late night at the bar vibes. I like the doubled guitar lead.

Brother Baker - As much as I hate Trump's voice, it certainly drives home the message of the song. Interesting how you built the song around the audio clips. Great harmonies.

add - Woody Guthrie vibes here. The lyrics tell a somber story despite the major chords. Nice take on the optional challenge.

IRC USM - This reminds me of going to Hot Topic in the early 2000s. The vocals are really well delivered with just the right amount of aggression. Would have liked it to be a little longer.

Robyn Mackenzie - Of course I thought about some changes I'd like to make right after I submitted, but overall I'm happy with how this one turned out. Definitely planning to fix it up and release it out into the wild.

PANOPLY - This is another one that has a classic rock feel to it, which I really enjoy. Nice guitar work.

Lunkhead - This had me hooked instantly with that arpeggio. A good reminder to stop doomscrolling and connect with the world in a positive way. The harmonies are killer.

The Def Author - This is great. Really creative rhyming and a strong, in-your-face message. Well done.

Pigfarmer Jr - This is solid all over. Really strong lyrics and vocals. Nice take on the title without actually using it in the song.

Night Sky - Very catchy opening riff. I think the vocals could be backed off a little, but other than that this is nicely done.

Blind Mime Ensemble - Blippy, glitchy, and chill all at the same time. Interesting structure.

ShoehornTC - I like the simplicity of this. Has a very folky feel. Nice job.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by slyeli »

Here are my reviews, hopefully I've not missed anybody out:

add - I like the hammer-on in the guitar playing. Love the harmonic interludes, really nice touch. Could do with a sung chorus (or an instrumental solo) to give the song a bit more melody and to break up the spoken word parts.

AMERIKKKA THE GREAT - Coming straight after the add spoken word song the chanting in this had maximum impact. This feels like a piece that would work well in a film, building the tension before something apocalyptic happens. The ending needs work, it just seemed to peter out rather than ending with the same impact as the intro had.

Balls To Monte - The intro has a real Me & Bobby McGee feel to it which I like. If it was me I'd mix your vocal higher, I had to dig out the lyrics to understand what you were saying. I'm loving the chorus. Nice ending too building things up with trumpets and organ. I just listened to it a 2nd time. Great band name too.

Berkeley Social Scene - I'm loving the guitars in this, particularly the one that solos. The other instruments could do with roughing up a bit so they sit better with the guitar tone. The vocal seems a bit laid back for this style of song, I'd like a bit more aggression. It's a good song it just needs a bit more attitude.

Blind Mime Ensemble - I like how the sweeter sound of the slowed down section contrasts with the run away, shambling feel of the verse. There's some nice atmospheric sounds in the background that help to give it a sinister edge. I'm not sure what the song is about but listening to it makes me nervous.

Brother Baker - I wasn't really sold on this song until it got to the cool outro. The change of pace with the piano playing and ring-a-roses chant is a nice piece of work. The early parts of the song put me in two minds, on the one hand it seems tongue-in-cheek but on the other parts of it seem serious. That's not a bad thing but it didn't sit quite right with me at first.

Brown Word and the Big Whine - This has the feel of a nightmare dream sequence in a film. I like the plinky plonky sounds in the background and the almost screamed ahhhs, they add a lot of the character to the song. I'm not so keen on the lead guitar echoing the vocal melody. I think the parts of the song without that are stronger.

The Def Author - Nice synth stabs. I'm liking this. The vocals are nicely mixed and show off your flow well. The chorus is good too. This is a well put together song, it all seems to jell in just the right way.

Escapegoat - You've done a good job of putting across a sense of foreboding and creeping malaise. The only bit that doesn't quite work for me is the vocal over the higher synth part, something about it doesn't sit right for me.

Giraffes for Wings - The rhythm of this reminds me a little of Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry. It has a nice forward momentum that keeps pushing the song forward. This is a fun song that bounces along in a pleasant way.

IRC USM - That guitar riff has Led Zepplin all over it. It sounds immense. There also a cool Beastie Boys feel to the vocals. I'm liking this one, good work.

Lichen Throat - You have a Nick Cave tone to your voice that I like. It fits nicely with the distant sounding rhythm guitar. This songs got a drone like quality that's quite hypnotic.

Lunkhead - I feel like I should be listening to this in a sleazy lounge bar. I like the chilled out vibe. Nice work.

MetroBoyz - This is a very bassy mix. It gives the song a swampy vibe that fits well with the rough vocals. A deep down and dirty song.

Night Sky - I'm liking how all the instrumentation fits together in this. The saxophone runs are particularly nice. The effect on the vocal spoils it a little for me. The vocals seem to be separated from the rest of the band and it feels a bit disjointed.

The Pannacotta Army - This recording has a slick funky feel to it. The little synth effects are really nice. A well put together song.

PANOPLY - This gets plus points for the natural conversational style you've managed to get with the vocals whilst still getting them to fit in with the rest of the band. Cool soaring solo too.

Pigfarmer Jr - I'm getting a Hotel California vibe from this. It has a world-weary, seen it all before feel that I like.

Robyn Mackenzie - The backing vocals are really sweet, they really make the song. I'm liking this song, especially the vocal melody and the guitar tone on the solos. Good work.

The Sewer People - I'm getting hints of The Offspring from this one. It's got a really catchy chorus. The siren sound adds another dimension that lifts the song, it's very atmospheric.

ShoehornTC - I dig the folky guitar sound so this sits well with me. The organ sounds in the background and the hammering-on guitar add a lot to the song. I'm liking this one. The abrupt stop at the end spoils it a bit.

Stacking Theory - The almost whispered vocals on this are a nice touch. They give it a dreamy ethereal quality. The guitar work is good too. The whole thing fits together nicely.

Vom Vorton - I like that you've taken the lyrics in a different direction to everyone else. 9 out of 11 is a clever take on the title. The song has a bit of an Eels feel to it that I like.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by genecawley »

slyeli wrote:
Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:47 pm
Balls To Monte - The intro has a real Me & Bobby McGee feel to it which I like. If it was me I'd mix your vocal higher, I had to dig out the lyrics to understand what you were saying. I'm loving the chorus. Nice ending too building things up with trumpets and organ. I just listened to it a 2nd time. Great band name too.
Thanks for the compliment. The first mix I did had the vocals WAY too loud and I just overcompensated with the second one. Really liked your song too.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by slyeli »

genecawley wrote:
Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:23 pm
Sly Eli - This is another great one. You people are seriously pissing me off now! Not familiar with your stuff, but I really like the simple rhythm and arrangement. Totally charming, solid song.
Thanks for the kind words. It's been about 5 years since I did any song recording and it was a bit of a different experience for me. I always used to record songs linearly on the guitar but this time I got a copy of Ableton Live and built the whole thing up in sections. I still don't really know how to use the thing but I managed to get something I'm happy with out of it.
robynmackenzie wrote:
Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:49 pm
Sly Eli - I really like the percussion and the laid-back strumming. The lyrics are really well done, and I like the direction the bridge takes the song in. Nice.
Thanks. I tried to do something different with the bridge. Normally all the melodies I come up with are always in key but this time I tried adding some out of key notes (Bb and F#) and it seemed to work OK. At least that's what I think I did, my music theory isn't great.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by blindmime »

SONGFIGHT

Lichen Throat - I like the post-industrial pop germanic devokraft. Keeps it interesting with the counter guitar (or whatever it is). Vocal works well with this for me the more times I repeat.

Sly Eli - I love the pads and when you take it into the chorus, man, this is awesome. I loved this track.

add - I like the conversational vocal. I mean, it's really conversational, stretching those bounds and playing with it. Nice. Brilliant addition of Dylan's harmonica. Also a bit in the vein of Johnny Cash country blues.

MetroBoyz - Got that George Thorogood badness going down. I like the greasy lead runs and rhythm stabs. What the hey. Haha, Love it.

Night Sky - The can vocal against sax runs is very cool. Very impressive!

Giraffes For Wings - I love a whole lot about this track. The fast pace builds to a wonderfully orchestrated crescendo. Understated harmonies are paired perfectly and just the right time. At first I wasn't sure about the towers analogy, but you made it work. I'm finding new things during repeated listens.

Brother Baker - Wow! This is great. Frighteningly great. The posies refrain. The harmony on the Russia, Russia, Russia. Lots of scary good stuff.

PANALOPY - Another strong entry, this time pushing counter to the grain. I hope that was unintentionally innocent. Loved the lead breaks and how the rhythm pockets a great feel.

Robyn Mackenzie - Immediately after listening to this I searched for more and added the Wild Heart album to my library. This track is sublime. I love the vocals. The chorus is beautiful. What a hook. Very special.

Def Author - Flaming narcissist. Great line. Another solid track. Strong melodic vocal chorus against outstanding rap verses. Great work, man.

Pigfarmer Jr - Cold enough... That's interesting. Cool lead guitar line between sections. Leaving the title unspoken is very effective.

Vom Vorton - I like the whole Smiths vibe and the lift in the chorus swell is perfect. Also this was a welcoome change away from the theme for a moment. I'll take it.

Berkeley Social Scene - Heavy right out of gate -- cool! Love the rhythm. The doubled vocal and harmonies and great. Bass break! Solo is hot. Great stuff!

Escapegoat - That breathy gothic filter-cut vocal is eerie. Like the strings. Spoken word bot offsets well. Adds another range to this fight. Well done.

Blind Mime Ensemble - me

The Pannacotta Army - keyboards are cool, vocals cool. Oh, wow, that first break. Second verse adds some really nice synth lines. Really good. I like the understated vibe. And I just noticed the guitar - love it. I really like this one.

The Sewer People - who's the terrorist -- great line and hook. Love the frantic vocal. Lots of energy. Thick riff. Great bridge leading to the siren break. Another great track.

Brown Word and the Big Whine - Immediately like the synth saws. Wow! That's an awesome vocal chorus. Love the unusual harmonies and melody. Very fantastic.

IRC USM - Great riff. Strong nods to Rage and Beasties and others, nailing that tribute. Love it.

AMERIKKA THE GREAT - Heavy looped chanted bootstep march. I can feel this one sptting into the megaphone. Salute.

Balls to Monte - Excellent lyric. Love how this leads into the chorus climax. All the world's insanity indeed.

Stacking Theory - Reminds me of VU and Psychocandy. Love everything about this one. Great lyric. Laid back and euphoric. Wonderful bridge. Man, this is a great track!

ShoehornTC - "The stupid things we say" is probably the smartest thing that can be said. Seemed to certainly culminate in recent events. Another great lyric. Another cool track.

Lunkhead - Love the arrangement. Perfectly blended. Ooh, nice vocal. The melody is stellar; crazy good. Revolving. Jeez, this is way way goodness to my ears.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by rkennett »

PANALOPY - Another strong entry, this time pushing counter to the grain. I hope that was unintentionally innocent.
blindmime, I don't know what you are saying. what do you mean?
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by robynmackenzie »

blindmime wrote:
Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:43 am
Robyn Mackenzie - Immediately after listening to this I searched for more and added the Wild Heart album to my library. This track is sublime. I love the vocals. The chorus is beautiful. What a hook. Very special.
Well gawrsh, thanks! :)
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Lunkhead »

IRC USM nailing that Rage Against the Machine vibe. Love it!
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Mike Lamb »

robynmackenzie wrote:
Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:49 pm
IRC USM - This reminds me of going to Hot Topic in the early 2000s. The vocals are really well delivered with just the right amount of aggression. Would have liked it to be a little longer.
I'm really not entirely sure how to take this Hot Topic comment! :lol:
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by blindmime »

rkennett wrote:
Wed Jan 13, 2021 7:39 am
PANALOPY - Another strong entry, this time pushing counter to the grain. I hope that was unintentionally innocent.
blindmime, I don't know what you are saying. what do you mean?
Sorry. Strike the last sentence. It was from a different review. My brain's a little rusty.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by vowlvom »

I figured this title would either put people off entering or result in a lot of annoyingly topical lyrics, so I'm pleasantly surprised that this fight was so busy and so full of gems.

add: definitely the best take on the optional challenge. This is a great example of the style and the lyrics are very witty, I particularly like the bits that subvert the rhymes. I'm glad not too many people attempted talking blues, because it's not something I find myself wanting to hear a lot of, but I'm even more glad that one of the people who did take it on did such a good job.

AMERIKKKA THE GREAT: even at this short length this is repetitive enough to get a little old on repeat listens, but it's well done all the same.

Balls To Monte: really catchy melody but the pinched vocals feel like they get a little lost in the arrangement. Not sure if it's highly EQed or just a result of the style but definitely feels like it needs some more presence. Some doubling and / or harmonies in the chorus and bridge would help a lot I think. The song itself is really good, though.

Berkeley Social Scene: solid straight-ahead rocker. Feels like the guitars and vox share a lot of the same frequencies and it gets a bit muddy, maybe a notch filter on the guitars to make some space for the vocals would clean things up a bit? Chorus melody is strong and I like the change-up into the bridge and the breakdown.

Blind Mime Ensemble: interesting arrangement, I like the rhythm and the spacy synth sounds. Vocals / lyrics feel like an afterthought though, I can't say this stuck around in my head for long.

Brother Baker: this is very clever and witty, while also being somewhat enraging. The way you've integrated the speech into the song works very well, I especially love the harmonised backing vocals (Russia Russia Russia!) and the hook is very catchy. The switch-up into the ring around the rosy section works well and the crowd noise added to the gang vocals is... pretty chilling actually! Think this is my first VOTE.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: love the harmonised guitar parts, really unusual feel to this song that I enjoyed. The melodic part of the vocal feels like it could punch through the mix a little better, maybe dropping the guitars back in the mix on these sections would help? But in general I thought this was cool and memorable.

The Def Author: great mix, clever lyrics, superb delivery. What's not to like? VOTE.

Escapegoat: your guitar arrangement here works really well, I like the higher melody that comes in on the chorus section. The speech-synth parts are interesting too, although combined with the shaky vocal timing it leaves the song feeling a bit scattered and

Giraffes for Wings: solidly good song with good energy and storytelling but it's the bit where the bells come in on the second verse that really elevates this to greatness and a definite VOTE!

IRC USM: definitely nails the Rage Against The Machine vibe. Unfortunately I strongly dislike Rage Against The Machine. Good riffs though, and you're clearly doing a good job of the style. FUCK THY NEIGHBOR indeed.

Lichen Throat: love the take on the title, strong lyrics as usual. Music is solid, vocal is OK. I've heard better from you, I've heard worse.

Lunkhead: already admired this one as part of Jamuary, here I am to admire it again. Love the chilled beat and electric piano, it sets up such a good vibe that perfectly fits the ennui of the lyrics. Extra layers and shift into a higher vocal register in the chorus fits the more optimistic message there perfectly. VOTE.

MetroBoyz: I like your lyrical concept here, the exaggeration of your personal problems made me laugh. You do the gravelly blues vocal well, too. I wasn't a fan of the phasey guitar sound or the wandering lead lines though, and the song felt overlong, but that might just be my lack of fondness for the genre.

Night Sky: the opening piano sounds very computery / over-quantized, but once the main tumbling riff comes in I like the music a lot. The gritty vocal effect is pretty cool but I found the vocal to be very high in the mix, especially later in the song - it could definitely drop back a bit and still be clearly audible, especially since it's so dry.

The Pannacotta Army: lovely production as always. Particularly fond of the bleepy and / or squelchy synths. Chorus melody is strong, overall experience is very smooth and pleasant. I've heard songs of yours that have grabbed me more immediately, but this one was welcome on each journey through this playlist.

PANOPLY: this was the only song where my concerns about this title / challenge really came to fruition - the dismissive tone of the lyrics and vocals really bugged me. This also pushes hard against my biases regarding Excessive Lead Guitar. Not for me, but well mixed etc.

Pigfarmer Jr: this doesn't get off on the best foot, that intro riff sounds oddly... stiff? But once the song gets going, I think this is up there with your best - the mix sounds really clear and good, melody and vocals are strong, and I really like the shimmery layers of tremolo guitars on the chorus.

Robyn Mackenzie: this is fantastic, I think the best song I've heard from you yet. Melody is so catchy, the layered harmonies on the chorus are absolutely gorgeous and the lyrics turn a clunky title into a strong hook. My favourite song of a strong fight, a definite VOTE! And I hope this wins.

The Sewer People: excellent use of gang vocals and nicely crunchy guitars. Plus handclaps! I'm not a huge fan of the monotone main vocal delivery but this is very well done.

ShoehornTC: I think I've voted for every song of yours that I've heard so far and this is no exception - this would probably be my favourite of the fight if Robyn hadn't knocked it out of the park. Love the subversion of the title (much cleverer than mine, haha) and the catchy little lead guitar licks. The subtle layers and harmonies you introduce are so perfect, and I love how this has a nicely propulsive feel from the guitar work despite the lack of percussion. VOTE.

Sly Eli: this is unusual and interesting. I love the sort of reggae-ish sparse percussion track and the pads fill out the mix nicely. Love your voice when you go up to that higher register. The melody goes places I really don't expect and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the "doesn't matter" / "all you get is pressure" section but this really stands out from the pack of songs and I think it's a VOTE despite some minor reservations.

Stacking Theory: melodically, musically and atmospherically I am very into this. Not quite as into the lyrics which are a little too on-the-nose for my liking, but everything else about it is so lovely - especially the lovely instrumental guitar section, and ESPECIALLY especially the gorgeous background choir stuff that comes in later on - that this is another VOTE!

Vom Vorton: my first fight in a couple of months or something (feels like longer) and it feels good to be creating again. I feel like this song is kind of there and finished before it really gets anywhere, and I tried so hard to subvert the title that the song probably makes very little sense outside of this context. BUT I'm still mostly happy with it. My song for the next fight is a lot better though.
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BoffoYux
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by BoffoYux »

Tonight I'll host a Listening Party for 'A 9/11 Every Day - Monday 1/18 at 9 pm EST.

Drop in and chat with the artists!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKBeuMqIljU
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slyeli
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by slyeli »

blindmime wrote:
Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:43 am
Sly Eli - I love the pads and when you take it into the chorus, man, this is awesome. I loved this track.
Thanks. The whole song came about because I was messing around with pads for the first and it went in a different direction to what I'm used to. I've always been strictly guitar, bass and drums before.
vowlvom wrote:
Mon Jan 18, 2021 4:23 am

Sly Eli: this is unusual and interesting. I love the sort of reggae-ish sparse percussion track and the pads fill out the mix nicely. Love your voice when you go up to that higher register. The melody goes places I really don't expect and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the "doesn't matter" / "all you get is pressure" section but this really stands out from the pack of songs and I think it's a VOTE despite some minor reservations.
I thought that section might put people off. It's my favourite bit but I can understand why that sour note might not be everyone's cup of tea. Thanks for the vote and the review.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

@IRC USM - Please put this on spotify. I have a libertarian playlist I'd love to add this to. (Yeah, I know it's not strictly libertarian. Also, the playlist is titled a bit toward anti D and I need more good anti R songs.) Oh, and no-one listens to the playlist so I guess it doesn't matter.
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by Jefff »

AMERIKKKA THE GREAT
- Reminds me of a song I wrote last inauguration day called "You Dumb Motherfuckers" because all I had to say was that over and over. Which is to say, I feel it.

Balls to Monte
- I love the arrangement. Great to have two acoustics.
- The melody on the chorus is good and non-obvious, if that makes sense.
- I don't know if your voice is very Jack White or if it's always like this and the song just cues me to think of Jack White.

Berkeley Social Scene
- Ace guitar as always and cool hook.

Blind Mime Ensemble
- Awesome sounds.
- I like how the tempo changes contribute to the over hurky-jurky feel.

Brother Baker
- Good concept, well done too.
- I particularly like "Russia Russia Russia".
- And the timing of "we did something pretty amazing:" is nice.

Brown Word and the Big Whine
- Sounds great.
- An embarrassment of cool parts, well put-together too.

The Def Author
- Great production. It sounds thick.
- "They say there's a cure. Inject bleach." Ha, that's good.

Escapegoat
- Good use of the robot voice.

Giraffes For Wings
- Love it, way to pack a lot into 2 minutes.
- Great way to treat the subject matter too.

IRC USM
- Yeah, I think you're getting the effect you were going for.
- Good, confident vocal delivery.

Lichen Throat
- That instrumental hook is nice, which takes some of the pressure off the vocal performance.
- That said, this is a good vocal performance.

Lunkhead
- Cool synth bass and it mixes well with the bells. Mooooody.
- Nice backing vocals.

MetroBoyz
- Love the concept. Clever subversion of the title.

Night Sky
- I'm trying figure out what the vocal needs to feel more of a piece. It might just be too loud.
- I like the interplay of the hypnotic piano line and meandering saxophones.

Pannacotta Army
- I love the snare sound.
- Very danceable.
- I often get Badly Drawn Boy vibes from you, and this one is somewhat reminiscent of Once Around the Block to me.

PANOPLY
- Hard to resist the urge to use this space to argue with the singer... but I will resist.
- This would've been a good feel for the 3/4 challenge. Rolling rather than waltzy.

Pig Farmer Jr
- I like the groove during the "cold enough..." part, and the transition into that part feels nice.

Robyn Mackenzie
- This is really good.
- "Is it over yet ... cause I'm over it" works really well. A great simple way to communicate 2020 fatigue.

The Sewer People
- Ohh, rhyming rebuttal and subtle. Feels nice on my ears.
- Lively drums and all the parts are locked in.

ShoehornTC
- Love the vibe, and that simple high lead line.

Sly Eli
- Cool vibe, love the sound of the acoustic
- Some pedestrian rhymes
- Nice turn at the end, though I could use even more of those drum hits. I was ready for it to break out.

Stacking Theory
- Well-deployed motherfuckers
- Washing your hands is over-hyped as a way to prevent covid sprread, but easy to rhyme with
- Welcome fuzzy octave guitars
- Nice ending

Vom Vorton
- Ha, funny take
- I love it when those backing vox kick in.
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Re: Silence blaring for (A 9/11 Every Day reviews)

Post by lichenthroat »

add—This is great: funny, serious, and well-performed. *Chef’s kiss* Lots of great lines. Excellent use of the optional challenge. Thanks for bringing this into my week. I love the “laugh/quarter” non-rhyme.

AMERIKKKA THE GREAT—I felt like I got the idea quite a while before you got to the end. What you have here is okay, but it doesn’t seem fully developed. The little guitar bit at the end is good.

Balls To Monte—I like the Tull-ish melodies, but they make me long for a flute. I like how you’ve mixed the guitars too; they feel very open and wide. Good use of the horns (and I’m not usually a horn fan.)

Berkeley Social Scene—Not spectacular but very solid. I like the drumming and how independent all the instruments feel in the mix. The bridge is my favorite part of the song, along with the bass-focused part after the bridge vocal. In general, the song gets better as it goes along.

Blind Mime Ensemble—The mix is a little disorienting on headphones. I like the liquid feel and the unusual instrument sounds. Very futuristic, in a good way.

Brother Baker—The samples are well-chosen. Conceptually effective. You’ve also done a good job integrating the samples into the musicality of the song. I think I’d rather hear that voice in this song than in any other context.

Brown Word and the Big Whine—The operatic vocal bit is cool. I’m perplexed and a little disturbed by this song, but I think that may have been exactly what you were going for.

The Def Author—The rhymes are good. I’m not sure whether the super straightforward lyrical content is the best idea; there’s not a lot of subtlety, but perhaps the current situation calls for directness. Your overall level of execution is good.

Escapegoat (me)—Okay, Phlebia, here’s my dirge attempt. I completely ripped off this concept from a band called Five Year Mission; the intro to the last song on their record had lyrics from the earlier songs taken out of context and repeated with a robotic female voice. I’m sure no one will listen to this nearly as many times as I have during the recording and mixing process, but I’ve found that it doesn’t hold up all that well to repeated listening.

Giraffes for Wings—Excellent! The music and songwriting are great, and I love how you’ve extended the 9/11-covid parallel beyond simply focusing on the number of deaths. Top tier. I only wish it was a lot longer.

IRC USM—A little too nu-metalish for my taste. Your sentiments are in the right place, though. (I do not think I assume too much in concluding that many of the lyrics are written with irony and sarcasm.)

Lichen Throat (me)—This is generic slightly-above-average Lichen Throat. It’s on the edge of being boring, and I wish I could have sung the vocal more confidently, but other than that I think it’s okay. Any my anniversary is really September 12, not September 11.

Lunkhead—So dreamy. The delayed double tracking is cool. I like how the chorus is quite distinct from the verse but still aesthetically similar. Your vocal is soooo smooth, and I dig it.

MetroBoyz—The growly vocal is just enough to accentuate the irony and humor without descending into unlistenability. I think I would have preferred more new lyrics in the second verse and less lyrical repetition.

Night Sky—I quite like the piano riff and its horn accompaniment. I like how the vocal accentuates the rhythm, and I like the Star Trek references, too. This is probably be my favorite of yours.

The Pannacotta Army—For some reason, this reminds me of Santana’s “Smooth,” which, unfortunately, I irrationally despise. As usual, your performances and production are very good.

PANOPLY—The detached cynicism works most of the time, but maybe not entirely. I like your guitar tone and your guitar performance. I’d kind of like to hear this with a conventional vocal, rather than the talking blues inspired by the optional challenge.

Pigfarmer Jr—The music sounds appropriately downcast to properly complement the lyrics. This sounds very professional. I appreciate that you continue to work on your musicianship. The moments where everything is silent except the lead guitar are a nice touch.

Robyn Mackenzie—Your voice sounds sort of distant (because of the recording/mix, not the performance). I like the smooth, wistful tone of the song (and the momentary counterpoint of harshness). The oooohs work well. I like your guitar tone, too.

The Sewer People—Good vocal delivery. I was about to complain about the song seeming too simple, but the instrumental variety in the middle and end sections completely eliminates any need for criticism on that point. The siren fits in well with the rest of the song.

ShoehornTC—Beautiful tone from the intro. This is very nice overall. It sounds so pretty, and the lyrics are good too. I don’t have many comments, but I enjoyed this a lot.

Sly Eli—The mix is nice and open and airy. I like your voice. I also like how the music and atmosphere changes as you progress through the song, though I think the first section might be a little on the long side. Welcome to SongFight!

Stacking Theory—The contrast of the dreaminess with the forceful lyrical content works well. The music sounds like a cozy rainy day at home. I liked this overall. The changeup near the end is cool, too.

Vom Vorton—The original lyrical take is great. I’m envious of your ability to make short, melodic, clever songs like this. This feels like a beloved-by-true-fans B-side to your hit single.
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