Soap and water for the (Marked Man reviews)

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Scrubby dub dub.

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Lyric thread hereabouts: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12161

[Lunkhead]

Songs posted!

[Cybronica]

Crawling out of the woodwork to say I sent in a song extremely late... One of those 'life is too much right now, instead of doing what I need to do, let's write a song two days after it's due' situations. I'm not sure if it will get in the line up, but if it doesn't, I'll try to post a link just to share it! I'm enjoying this fights songs so far.

[Lunkhead]

Your song has been added.

[Cybronica]

Your song has been added.

Thank you!!

[robynmackenzie]

The Magnetic Letters: The influences I hear in this song range wildly from Bon Iver to the Fleet Foxes to the Beatles, and it works. Love that percussion, and the way it changes up at the bridge is really engaging. Nicely done!

My Social Uniform: Super catchy and energetic with fantastic lyrics. Really impressive production and your vocals are really clean and solid. I liked this a lot.

Agony Sauce: Your vocals could stand out more, the instrumentation is a little overwhelming. That being said, I really really like the chord progressions and the grungy vibe.

Sumner Sloane: Love that guitar tone! This reminds me a bit of Alice Cooper. Very, very nice.

Hogneck: Dreamy instrumentation, and the gritty guitar is a nice touch. The lyrics are confessional and honest as well as poetic.

Mellfire: Lovely harmonies. The piano is beautiful, and I like how the song builds. Really nice flow.

Cybronica: Great lyrics, great harmonies, great vocals. I like how it drops down to a single vocal track for the bridge, it really breaks up the intensity of the song for a moment. Good job!

Caravan Ray: This is like a cool mix of country rock and disco. The chorus is catchy as hell and the lyrics tell a clear story. I really enjoyed this.

The Pannacotta Army: Excellent production as always. It’s really fun, and I’m impressed by how you managed to work in “triskaidekaphobia.” The whistling adds to the quirky indie vibe.

Jeff DeSantis: I like the energy of this, gritty and dark. The repetition of the title works really well for the chorus, and I like the guitar.

Robyn Mackenzie: Cybronica and I had similar rhythmic ideas for the first line, which I find amusing. This was really fun to sing, and my wife did the guitar solo.

Possum Soup: Interesting blend of sounds in the instrumentation. I wasn’t super into this until that guitar and groove kicked in, but after that I was more engaged. The vocals are really smooth and that synthesizer at the end is sweeeet.

[lichenthroat]

Good fight this week. It seemed like there was a lot of aesthetic cohesion among all the songs; I listened to these on a long drive, and it just felt like I was listening to an unfamiliar radio station.

Agony Sauce—I know it’s a simple part of the song, but I like the widely spaced chords on the electric guitar. I wish the chorus speeded up a bit, though. The music establishes a fitting atmosphere for the lyrics.

Caravan Ray—This sounds very Australian, kind of like a less-deeply-disturbed Nick Cave. I like your vocal on this, and you have a nice distinction between the verse and chorus. Nice groove, too. Understated, in a good way.

Cybronica—It’s like you’re your own gospel choir. The arrangement is really cool, as is the production. The concept is strong in this one. I don’t know how you thought of this, but I like it.

Hogneck—This is Pigfarmer Jr. and me. I really like how his guitar sounds; it was a humungous improvement over the midi file I sent him. He spiced up the bass, too. It was fun to collaborate.

Jeff DeSantis—Smooth, pro vocal. Fun lyrics. I like the ride cymbal. I’m writing short sentences. You’re on a well-worn trail, but it’s a good trail. Nice full band sound. Good ending.

The Magnetic Letters—I like the vocal melody. I’m not sure you need the double tracking all the time; it might be better if it went in and out. That part in the middle is both funny and cool. Funny lyrics too.

mellfire—Ooh, moody! The piano sounds like it’s in a different space than the rest of the instruments, but I like your playing. I’m not sure how to categorize this, but I think it’s pretty good.

My Social Uniform—This is a genre I don’t ordinarily like much, but your execution and exuberance make it appealing. Excellent production. I could groove to this at nightclub or even a roller rink (except that I’m the worst roller skater on earth). Polished like a mirrorball.

The Pannacotta Army—Nothin’ wrong with the execution on this one. I’m not really seized by the song, but it’s still pleasant to hear your expertise manifest itself.

Possum Soup—These lyrics are great, both funny and poignant, with a clever take on the title. You’ve put a lot of disparate parts together, but I think it works, and the song roots me to the ground to listen. Vote.

Robyn Mackenzie—You’ve made the lyrics feel transgressive, without resorting to salacious content or cheap tricks. The music works very will with the lyrics, too. Great songwriting, and the performances back it up. Vote.

Sumner Sloane—I had a hard time finding a handle for comments on this one. All the parts are very much in place, and nothing seems wrong. It’s not my favorite, but there’s nothing objectionable, and the concept and execution are solid.

[Duncan]

I love how "Lichen Throat" and "Pigfarmer Jr." combine into "Hogneck." That's worth a few points on its own.

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Relatively quick reviews. I've been shirking the reviewing so wanted to get y'all something.

Agony Sauce: Well I might have been missing some electric guitar on a couple of the entries this week, but I'm getting washed away with these. Heavy without being hard. The vocal seems a bit.. maybe thin? in places. I like the melody well enough. I like that it doesn't always go where I expect it especially at the end of the chorus. That downward melody bit in the verse works really well against the wash of guitars. It's an intriguing arrangement. Cool guitars.

Caravan Ray: I like the build in the arrangement. And the rhythm is cool (as is your usual practice.) This one is cool.

Cybronica: I like your vocal. The mix seems thin compared to some of the others, probably just your arrangement leaning toward the high end, I'm guessing. Maybe I like guitars so much that I'm missing them. Regardless, the chorus is catchy and I enjoyed listening.

Hogneck: Lichen Throat and I got together for one. I really appreciate his feel for melody and it was fun working with an arrangement that started in a place that was pretty foreign for me. I'd like to do this again.

Jeff DeSantis: Mix sounds good on my new speakers. I like the arrangement. Kept me entertained throughout. Digging this quite a bit. I even like it when you have to take a breath and when you run out of air. It's real.

The Magnetic Letters: Vox seemed strong coming in, but I like them layered, sound good together. That guitar bit feels good, that intro/acoustic run up. Ooh, vibraslap. This melody grew on me the more I listened.

mellfire: I like the melody. I feel the vocal doesn't cut through very well, seems masked in places (especially with the backing ahhs) but I liked it. I liked the dual acoustics panned hard. I have a pet peeve about waiting five seconds for the song to start but I've made that mistake rendering so I won't disparage your honor for it.

My Social Uniform: Pop melodies and arrangement. That bass line is cool. Another cool rhythm. It's hard not to move while listening. Ooh is that 70's wah guitar? Damn tasty. Overall this has a little bit of an 80's feel to it, (80's pop is a mixed bag for me) but I'm digging the arrangement and can't sit still.

The Pannacotta Army: This rhythm right here, that quarter note guitar bit and drum working together... THAT is the rhythm I identify with you for some reason. I have no idea if I'm imagining it, but it feels so you. I'm digging the guitar work a lot. Another one that makes me want to move. And who doesn't like whistling?

Possum Soup: The song that grew on me the most with repeated listens. It was cool on first listen, but I grew to appreciate the melody more and more. It's humorous, too.

Robyn Mackenzie: The music arrangement almost feels like something Lichen Throat would come up with. I like that it's out of your usual guitar driven style, although I like that style, too. Your vocals are strong and likeable.

Sumner Sloane: Pop rock with cool guitars. You really love those cymbals. I liked the breaks, that was some cool guitar.

[Lunkhead]

My Social Uniform and The Pannacotta Army tie for the win!

[Michael]

Congratulations, Army and Uniform! Tough title to sing, but a good variety of takes. Some late notes while listening:

Agony Sauce - The verses stay interesting with the guitar fx and underwater burbling, but it's in the later parts where this really flies. Love the shifts in the 'sure enough' sections - the playfulness makes me think of Jon Brion (maybe some vocal similarity too). Good lyrics.

Caravan Ray - Nice wah work and good tight groove. I'm a big fan of understatement, but I did catch myself hoping you'd shift up a gear and let rip a bit more in the guitar breaks - the groove you've laid down seems perfect for it.

Cybronica - Great voice (not sure you need the vocal doubling on an already forceful performance, especially with those harmonies in the mix too). I like how you pull it all back in for the bridge, good contrast. Nice stripped-back arrangement.

Hogneck - The 'general midi'-style sounds aren't really my bag of tea, but I like the song. Good lyrics, casual but thoughtful. That folk waltz at the start is a lovely touch, ditto the way you then twist it into 4/4.

Jeff DeSantis - Slinky groove in the verse and nice guitars on the chorus. The verse melody keeps making me think of 'Cat's in the Cradle' - could this be a kind of grim sequel after someone left the safety off?

The Magnetic Letters - I like this a lot. Beautiful build-up of detail - funny and humane. I don't know what it says about 2021, but this poor bloke shuffling out of Kmart in stolen, tied-together flip flops feels like a folk hero for our time. Nice mellow arrangement. Excellent stuff.

mellfire - Spare and haunting. Intriguing lyrics - leaving the offence unknown gives the listener plenty to works with. Love those long wordless harmonies. This'll grow on repeated listens.

My Social Uniform - Good clear production and nice variety in the arrangement. I have baggage here - this is a style of music that I endured with gritted teeth at the time - but I do admire your craft.

The Pannacotta Army - Who knew that so many one-syllable words actually have four syllables? Your usual ear for the apt sonic detail - particularly enjoyed that background tremolo guitar twang. Thoroughly delightful. Consider my knickers detwisted.

Possum Soup - Made in less than ideal conditions (hence the brutal noise gate on the vocals) but a last-minute song beats no song. Accidentally typed 'Soup' in the mp3 tag and decided to run with it. (After 200+ days in lockdown you take excitement where you can find it.) Luckily Agony Sauce was here to keep the sauce flag flying.

Robyn Mackenzie - This lean, spare groove is great. Love those 'oh no's.

Sumner Sloane - Good straightforward rocker. That little rhythmic shift on the title line is a clever touch - made me perk up and take notice.

[MellyP]

mellfire - Spare and haunting. Intriguing lyrics - leaving the offence unknown gives the listener plenty to works with. Love those long wordless harmonies. This'll grow on repeated listens.

Thanks! This is about a doctor who was practising in NS, Canada who travelled to Quebec to pick up his daughter, early on during the covid. He checked that he was allowed to, and all seemed above board. Then one of his patients got sick and there was a lot of finger-pointing. He had to move when a premier all but ID'd him as a criminal and he lost his career there. Anyway, thanks for your kind comments!

[MellyP]

Mellfire: Lovely harmonies. The piano is beautiful, and I like how the song builds. Really nice flow.

Thanks. I must learn how to mic the piano better, but it was my first try. Appreciate the review!