You can only avoid (Potential Consequences reviews)

[Pigfarmer Jr]

by risking the wrath of the review *spirits that infest your underwear with fleas if you don't at least try to review occasionally.

*Could just be my imagination

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Your preciousss lyrcisessss go here *gollum*: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12036

[Lunkhead]

Songs posted!

[crumpart]

Songs posted!

I just sent a song two seconds ago. I hope it's not too late!

[crumpart]

I'm not going to say what my Optional Challenge inspiration was. I think you'll figure it out if the song makes it through the late barrier.

[crumpart]

I think Lunkhead is on the case, but here's my late late late entry in the meantime. Toshiro had an idea that he was to lazy to use and then Scotty From Marketing made me Very Cross (Again), and I couldn't let all that go to waste.

[Lunkhead]

I added your song.

[crumpart]

I added your song.

Thanks.

[Duncan]

That was a lot of great music! I really enjoyed this round -- writing, recording, and reviewing. I’m trying to guess at the influences here so I’ll be blurting out things I hear throughout the reviews. You can tell me if I’m wrong or not. I asked for people to post lyrics in the lyric archive. If you already have, nice. Sorry in advance Sweeny Toad, I get a bit preachy in your review, but I stand by it.

Here, Atticus -- Cool autotune effect. Without any rhythm section or noticeable instrumentation, the a-capella maintains a good full sound. I can identify with the lyrics toward the beginning. I’m not sure if the “sound” lyric fits. I think it’s there to bring it back to reality, which I like, but maybe it still needs some effects besides echo.

Sly Eli - Great guitar licks and delivery. The vocal and lyrics on the last verse are the strongest IMO -- timeless subjects, good meter. Poor Judy G -- consequences definitely got the best of her.

Brown Word and the Big Whine -- I like the arrangement. Simple but driving. To me this song has a lot of good attitude but I think it’s hard to express it vocally at the speed you recorded it at. Maybe 15% faster and the words could get a more forceful delivery.

Tomdg feat Rox -- Nice Strawberry Fields sounds. I think the choice of sample works well, as you’re trying to escape a really bland existence. It was a real journey. I was enjoying it for its rhymes and bounce and the common feeling of melancholy about Covid, then thought “oh shit is this some Van-Morrison/Eric Claption-anti-lockdown-bullshit? Then started to hear the hyperbole, and then the coughing, and ended with a hearty chuckle. Well done. Was that a little nod to Oasis’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger” on those mi-fa-so licks toward the end?

Pigfarmer Jr. -- Fun ditty. Sort of reminds me of that Steve Vai tribute to Zappa called “Fuck yourself”

Mellfire -- R.E.M.? If so, you nail it. That’s a good angle on what happened, and the break-in metaphor keeps it from sounding dated. Solid storytelling, arrangement, and melody. I just wish the Dems didn’t waste their time praising the “good GOPers” and instead took this moment to point out that this is the GOP. Sorry, you brought it up, I'm just engaging with it.

Sumner Sloane -- My favourite hook is the end of the verses: “you can….but you better not” although I’m not sure I completely get who the “you” is. I think it’s just generally telling someone to think for themself. Seems there’s a definite Trump and Kapaernik reference, as well as references to being aware of your social media history. I’m not a purist for everything having to be wrapped up with a bow though. I couldn’t figure out if you did the optional challenge, but there’s a lot I haven’t heard so I’ll see if anyone else has guesses.

LichenThroat -- Great riddles. It gets very meta. This was a fun listen - -so many little jokes: “Careful with songs that have brand names, Or nineteenth century guys named James” was delightful. Keep doing your thing, it’s awesome

Nomb Superbus -- The beginning feels like the intro to a science film strip from 4th grade, then morphs into an acid-laced 90s shopping mall R&B ballad! The silliness makes it very palatable. I’m not sure I would want to hear this if it were smoothly produced by someone with all the money in the world, without the microtonals and such. Will you post the lyrics in the lyric thread (link at the top of this thread)? I am re-listening and enjoying this even more the second time around. It’s a real treat. It makes me think of Ween’s “Freedom of ‘76”. “Mannequin was filmed at Woolworth’s, Boyz II Men still keeping up the beat”

The Magnetic Letters -- The harmonies are great. The way you sing “consequences” sort of reminds me of Gene Wilder’s “Pure Imagination” The mix toward the end builds really nicely. I love the layering. I’ll need to listen more to catch the story here, but it sounds cool.

Night Sky -- Is that another R.E.M. instrumentation with the bass line? The panned saxes sound good in my headphones. I think your voice wants to be in a higher key on this, but I’m not sure. A couple notes sound like you are bottoming out.

Phlebia -- It’s not my kind of music, so I don’t really feel qualified to pass judgment on it musically. The lyrics are full of interesting thoughts and observations. Were you sitting at the kitchen table looking around for inspiration? No judgment there. Also, it can be aggravating to keep finding russulas when you want a chanterelle or pine or morel, or something magic. But that faint blush on the stem means it’s a delicious shrimp, and better bring a few home than return empty handed.

Spite -- The backing track is beautiful -- is that a steel guitar of some sort? Some Cranberries sounds in there. Lyrically, it’s very cryptic. I can’t tell if the narrator acted and regrets it, or didn’t act and regrets that. I guess they let down their defenses and got hurt. Nice pace, very soothing sound and great vocals both of you.

Devastating Pop Machine -- This song conjures up a lot of images. A bit of a Jumpin’ Jack Flash loop. Compliments here: it makes me think of seeing local bands in local bars, and it feels good. Also has a Nick Lowe vibe to it (and other pop folks that I can’t pinpoint right now), very appropriate for your band name. It’s like when you buy a solo album from after a band broke up and you realize they kept doing cool stuff that you’ve never heard before. You hit the harmonies and the crescendos perfectly.

Fire Bear -- I like this matchup of uke and singing. Usually I can’t stand the cuteness of that pairing, especially when each strum is a new syllable, but the way you hold your vowels and stretch the words out gives it a whole different sound. The backup vocals are a great effect that further complement the uke and take it in a different direction. I think the lead vocals need to be further forward.

Duncan Martin (me) -- I really love Bruce’s early-career obsession with internal rhyme, so I try paying tribute to his November DUI charge and the ensuing fallout with that cheezy Jeep commercial in the Superbowl. The moral of the song, if I had to boil it down, is “(1) Fuckin' cops, man (2)Bruce, you’ll be fine, but maybe don’t drink and drive (3) Jeep, stop pretending you care, and what did you expect from a NJ rock star?” The sax wasn’t quite in tune, but I kept it in there for fun, same with the pandemic reference. I tried to play around with my casio drums a bit more with a few tom fills and congas. Finally found a fuzz effect for the end guitar. I realized later that the opening guitar notes are maybe a Neil Young sound from “Cortez” or something.

Sweeny Toad -- If I may soap-box for a second: I can’t say I like the focus on personal responsibility with addiction and obesity. Not that it’s not an important part of prevention, recovery and healing, but that stuff creeps up on people who are often in a medical, mental health or family crisis and it’s not always a matter of not foreseeing the potential consequences. Not to mention the massive corporate effort to get people addicted to cigarettes, junk food, booze, and especially opiates.

Lean To -- This is really fun -- a bit dizzying. Is it about Don or Mitch? I guess either works. The “Or stand your ground” line sounds like “But look at what you wear, and the way you comb your hair” from “Barrytown” by Steely Dan. I like the melodic choices. Some are unexpected and rich.

James Owens -- The arrangement is cool -- it has an overall sonic effect that is convincing. I think it could be mixed to feel a bit more in front -- almost everything sounds very panned. It gives it a cool chaotic feel but maybe a bit too wide. It has a similar feel to Dylan’s Love Sick -- kind of spooky minor driving sound. The close-mic vocals sound good and omniscient, but make sure to cut the volume just before and after each line to avoid mouth sounds. They don’t sound gross or anything, but I find that they kind of reveal the man behind the curtain.

Somewhere off the Left Coast -- Good mix. The instruments go well together. I feel like this song was forever in its introduction and needed to go to another place before it ended. It reminds me of Dan Mangan and Bahamas, and it’s a good execution of a sound that gets a lot of radio play around here -- it’s not a genre I listen to much but I think you pull it off well.

Thieves of Reason -- At first I thought this was about Michael Phelps and that time he took the big bong rips. Maybe it was. This was a fun break in the action. The vamping on Mission Impossible would be a sweet time to introduce the band and then go get a drink and have a piss during a show. I won’t be voting for this but I enjoyed it.

Hot Pink Halo -- Wow that started the instant I clicked on it. Are you riffing on “Oh Holy Night” at the beginning? I love the lyrics. Versus 2 and 3 are dead-on. It’s weird when people feel the need to describe domestic violence by its proximity to various dudes. You tell a dynamic story without going specific. I find that hard to do well, but you do it here. The revenge theme is nice and slow, which gives it a cool tormenting effect on whoever “you” is

The Gross Tones -- Those tones weren’t gross at all. This rocks. It has a great 50s/60/s rock and roll foundation. I think those backup vocals need to be shouted and then add reverb. I love it. It’s very ruckus and rowdy. Smashing through your fences, yeah

Brother Baker -- Now I want to eat Doritos and play Tony Hawk and get beaten by my friend who owns the console and plays it all the time. Iconic instrumentation indeed. Well executed. It’s obnoxious at times, but 3rd wave ska always was for me. The vocal harmonies are great, and the outro is super.

Heine -- I like the melody of the chorus. Sad song - I guess we are not meant to know what type of relationship this is that’s been lost. Syncopated drums might sound neat in the do-do-da-doo sections

[sleepysilverdoor]

Phlebia -- It’s not my kind of music, so I don’t really feel qualified to pass judgment on it musically. The lyrics are full of interesting thoughts and observations. Were you sitting at the kitchen table looking around for inspiration? No judgment there. Also, it can be aggravating to keep finding russulas when you want a chanterelle or pine or morel, or something magic. But that faint blush on the stem means it’s a delicious shrimp, and better bring a few home than return empty handed.

Right? And then you just end up throwing the Russula at a tree, which is super satisfying because the brittleness of their cellular structure makes them explode into teeny tiny pieces and it's super satisfying.

Re the lyrics: each part of them relates to something tangible or some memory or something recent but it's really just free-associated. I've been reading a lot of seed catalogs and working in the garden a lot lately. And I just cleaned out a closet.

[Lunkhead]

Here, Atticus - is your instrumentation like from Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek"?

[sleepysilverdoor]

For what it's worth, the green Russula are all really tasty where I am.

[Here, Atticus]

Here, Atticus - is your instrumentation like from Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek"?

My personal #1 most iconic instrumentation! It is, and praise Deep Throat for the excuse to finally just do it. I've been meaning to try this for a decade.

[FireBear]

Brother Baker -- Now I want to eat Doritos and play Tony Hawk and get beaten by my friend who owns the console and plays it all the time. Iconic instrumentation indeed. Well executed. It’s obnoxious at times, but 3rd wave ska always was for me. The vocal harmonies are great, and the outro is super.

Your review made me laugh. It sounds like we nailed the right vibes on this one. I did have a deep desire to get a PlayStation and play some pro skater after recording this song.

Fire Bear -- I like this matchup of uke and singing. Usually I can’t stand the cuteness of that pairing, especially when each strum is a new syllable, but the way you hold your vowels and stretch the words out gives it a whole different sound. The backup vocals are a great effect that further complement the uke and take it in a different direction. I think the lead vocals need to be further forward.

Thank you. I also tried double tracking the vocals for the first time to make them seem more layered/atmospheric. I agree with the vocals needing to be more forward. I relistened, and they are getting buried by the uke. I recorded this one in haste, and wasn't super happy with my singing so I probably subconsciously kept them back when mixing.

[vowlvom]

Spite -- The backing track is beautiful -- is that a steel guitar of some sort? Some Cranberries sounds in there. Lyrically, it’s very cryptic. I can’t tell if the narrator acted and regrets it, or didn’t act and regrets that. I guess they let down their defenses and got hurt. Nice pace, very soothing sound and great vocals both of you.

It is a (sampled) lap / pedal steel, yes! I invested in it for another song I worked on this month and I absolutely love it, so I'm gonna use it on everything now haha.
The idea I was going for in the lyric was that sometimes the gap in between an action and the reaction can be more stressful / anxiety-inducing than the reaction itself.
Thanks for the kind words! Looking forward to listening to this fight, I thought the optional challenge was an interesting one. Certainly inspired us to use some unusual sounds - as well as the steel guitar there's slide bass, bowed acoustic guitar and e-bow electric guitar in there. Also frog guiro!

[sleepysilverdoor]

Your review made me laugh. It sounds like we nailed the right vibes on this one. I did have a deep desire to get a PlayStation and play some pro skater after recording this song.

The question is: which Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. I was always fond of the 2nd one.

[sleepysilverdoor]

Also for what it's worth that ska entry really raised the bar for the whole fight, and I wouldn't be surprised if it came in at least 2nd if not 1st. And I don't even like ska that much!

[Heine]

What a strong fight! - Here are my thoughts:

Brother Baker – Ska. I'm not really into that genre but I like that band feeling. Nice harmonies. And I am really fond of the brass. Well done!

Brown Word and the Big Whine – I really like your voice! It has something special, not always in key but very distinctive. Chords and melody fit nicely together. The handclaps are fine. I miss a bass; but I really like it.

Devastating Pop Machine – This is so well produced. Your guitar sound is great. The writing is also great. I would mix the second voice a bit quieter, because it not always seems to match exactly. But that's complaining on a very high level.

Duncan Martin - A friend of mine is really into Bruce's. I always liked the Manfred Mann covers much more… But the lyrics are fun to me: so many references. And your voice is pretty close to your idol. I like the sax. Not as powerful as Clarence but I guess it's no sample (and that's a big pro to me). Very enjoyable.

FireBear – Normally, I am not that fond of that only-uke-type but you use some strong melodies, especially the harmony vocals are very appealing. It grows on me! It gets better and better.

heine – Kind-a "Life gets shitty sometimes, but hey, music can pull you through"/"Don't let it bring you down" lyrics. I just started to explore LMMS, so every instrument is just programmed, no real playing this time. Featuring Vibraphone sounds and a little bit of Harpsichord. The strings are a little cheesy. I saw this fight just a few hours before the deadline. So it was all made in a hurry. (My youngest one said, he doesn't like the do-do-da-do part, but started singing it… At least it seems to be a bit catchy.)

Here, Atticus – Is this Billie Eilish style? That was the first thing that came to my mind. Don't know if I am right. Well done and well recorded.

Hot Pink Halo – I really like the ambient approach. Some parts of your vocals are really haunting while some others are a bit out of key. So, I'm a bit torn. But this one is also a "grower" for me. Gets better and better. When the snare set in, my mind heard it coming "in the air tonight". Nice reference.

James Owens – I don't know why but the noises from the right speaker scare me a bit… But there is a lot about this song that I like! It has a nice kraut-feeling: these underestimated drum sounds, that undistorted guitar (like Rheingold – Dreiklangsdimensionen from the early 80s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuNaUmWEV5w), that synth pad in the back, that real played flute (like early Kraftwerk – Ruckzuck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWKfo3LDI1Q), even the underestimated vocals. It is very well recorded, too. Very appealing to me, a Teutonic guy.

Lean To – I like the harmonies. The solo synth could be a bit quieter in the mix, the vocals maybe a bit louder. Interesting approach to double them and pan it hard left/right.

Lichen Throat – You've got a very unique style. I really dig the backing track; your lyrics are cool, too. If only your voice would match a bit more with the key of the music. (I hope I don't offend you by saying this, but why not try Autotune? My oldest son always wants me to do it all the time. Mostly I refuse, but he is a big fan of using it.)

mellfire – Some classic home recording stuff. Nicely done. A lot of seventh chords. Overall it's a good song.

Night Sky – Bottleneck bass? Very interesting. Never heard that before. (Do you know the bass sound of Richie Lee from Acetone? Though it's not fretless it sounds a little bit like yours. Their first and last albums are great!) I guess there are at least three sax-songs in one fight! Cool. I like your writing; your harmonies are very nice. Another number that grows on me.

Nomb Superbus – Synth sounds of the cooler kind. I really like how the vocals are used. Great! It feels like a funk song to me. Or at least like the intro before the driving rhythm should start.

Phlebia – Industrial. Well done, but (sorry) the genre is simply not my cup of tea.

Pigfarmer Jr – Hey ho, let's go. I like the punk attitude. It's the classic Ramones soundscape. Nice. Only the lyrics are lacking some kind of joie de vivre.

Sly Eli – Reverb. I never dare to use it that lavishly. But it works. I like your high vocal notes; you really got 'em where they should be. Cool. Nice song.

Somewhere Off the Left Coast – There's a lot of room in this sound. That gives it a special touch. It is dynamically and has a strong melody. I'd really love to hear it without the (artificial?) drums/percussion.

spite – I like the boy/girl duet. Is it a slide guitar? Nice, I have a soft spot for it. Well written, arranged, played and sung. Thumbs up!

Sumner Sloane – This is could be a very, very fine piece of garage rock. I really love this song in its writing and performance. But the same as The Gross Tones: The digital distortion destroys it so much. At least it should sound analogue.

Sweeney Toad – Do you like Sparks? These brothers are great! If your song only had a cleaner production (and maybe a slightly different singing style) it could be on any of their albums.

The Gross Tones – This is a very fine piece to me in all its rawness. But the digital distortion destroys it so much. This should be analogue in all its ways! Some vocals are not in place, but that's okay for this genre.

The Magnetic Letters – A very nice folk touch which I really like. (I recently explored Mellow Candle and Trees!) But when the artificial drums set in, it kind-a destroyed my idyllic world. The pair of vocals fit together very well.

Thieves of Reason – A spoken blues. Maybe the vocals are a bit too prominent in the mix. But I guess that should be the focus of this track, so it's okay. The louder parts of the voice and guitar are clipping; would be no impossible mission to mix them a bit quieter. Pun intended.

tomdg feat rox – There are not many rap songs I like. But this one has a great rip-off as an intro that immediately caught my attention and the female vocal melody builds a nice contrast to the spoken words. And it has some sort of humor. Cough-cough… Even to me it's very enjoyable!

[Here, Atticus]

Is this Billie Eilish style? That was the first thing that came to my mind. Don't know if I am right. Well done and well recorded.

Not intentionally! You're right, I hear the similarity to Bury A Friend, which is a sonic landscape I now intend to conquer.

This was inspired by Imogen Heap's Hide and Seek, a song I hold in the highest regard. It's breathtaking, please check it out if you're unfamiliar.

[FireBear]

The question is: which Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. I was always fond of the 2nd one.

That is a good question! It's probably been almost 15 years since I played one, but I think the Underground was my favorite... or at least the one I played the most.

[Heine]

Is this Billie Eilish style? That was the first thing that came to my mind. Don't know if I am right. Well done and well recorded.

Not intentionally! You're right, I hear the similarity to Bury A Friend, which is a sonic landscape I now intend to conquer.

This was inspired by Imogen Heap's Hide and Seek, a song I hold in the highest regard. It's breathtaking, please check it out if you're unfamiliar.

Strange, I never heard of Imogen Heap before. I just found out that this song is already about 16 years old! Very interesting. Now I understand where you wanted to go!
The first time I realized this vocoder effect was on Kraftwerks 1975 album Radioactivity (Stimme der Energie/Voice of Energy). They often used this effect furtheron.

[sleepysilverdoor]

Is this Billie Eilish style? That was the first thing that came to my mind. Don't know if I am right. Well done and well recorded.

Not intentionally! You're right, I hear the similarity to Bury A Friend, which is a sonic landscape I now intend to conquer.

This was inspired by Imogen Heap's Hide and Seek, a song I hold in the highest regard. It's breathtaking, please check it out if you're unfamiliar.

Strange, I never heard of Imogen Heap before. I just found out that this song is already about 16 years old! Very interesting. Now I understand where you wanted to go!
The first time I realized this vocoder effect was on Kraftwerks 1975 album Radioactivity (Stimme der Energie/Voice of Energy). They often used this effect furtheron.

Maybe it was bigger in the US? It was pretty inescapable when it came out. Great song. I remember hearing another one of her tunes "Let Go" that she released as "Frou Frou" with someone else a lot more, but that was probably mostly cause a few of my friends were really into it.